The Emperor put down the memorial and looked up, only to see Yun Siman and Xiao Xinling walking in shoulder to shoulder.
At first glance, the two young people, with their backs to the sunlight, one tall and one short, their faces showing traces of joy and smiles, one delicate and charming, the other handsome and tall, looked like a perfect match no matter how you looked at them.
In fact, the Emperor was also very happy. A girl like Xinling, who was ignorant of worldly affairs, needed a young man like Yun Siman to manage her.
One was willing to strike, the other was willing to be struck, and they had no complaints. Weren't they a good match!
"Your subject, your son, pays respects to Your Majesty, Father Emperor..." Yun Siman and Xiao Xinling stepped forward and bowed to the Emperor.
The Emperor grunted, stood up, and glared at Xiao Xinling, "Ignorant girl, can't do anything!~"
Xiao Xinling: "..."
Father Emperor, have you taken the wrong medicine? Why are you scolding me as soon as we meet?
And every time the little crybaby enters the palace, your eyes disappear when you smile. This is clearly favoritism.
"Father, Father Emperor, your son is here to see you, isn't he?" Xiao Xinling smiled sweetly and linked her arm with the Emperor's. "I heard that Consort Xian's rebellion caused you a lot of suffering. Are you injured?"
"Hmph, by the time you come to save me, the cucumbers will be cold..." the Emperor snorted coldly.
What made him angry was the huge difference between his son and daughter.
When Heng'er was in danger, he was still running around, and he even asked General Gu to prepare troops in advance for any eventuality.
But this damn girl Xinling, all she did was play madly every day, and she didn't care about his life or death at all.
"Father Emperor, your son's abilities are limited, and indeed I can't do anything. Why don't you pull the little crybaby off the Crown Prince's position and let your son be the Crown Prince? When your son shoulders great responsibility, he will naturally be omniscient and omnipotent!~" Xiao Xinling teased.
Upon hearing this, the Emperor reached out and flicked her forehead. "If I handed over the Great Liang Kingdom to you, this country would be shattered and perish in advance..."
Yun Siman stood aside and grinned.
Xinling's relationship with the Emperor was really good. It was true that girls who knew how to act spoiled were lucky.
The Emperor had many princes and princesses. Perhaps it was because Xiao Jinheng and Xiao Xinling were born to Empress Xiao that the Emperor favored them more... Kuaishuge.
Just a while ago, a princess born to a concubine had married into a neighboring country.
Xiao Xinling pouted and was about to retort when the Emperor waved his hand, "Alright, alright, I don't have time to argue with you. Do you know why I called you two here today?"
Yun Siman's eyes lit up. He had already guessed the reason.
His and Xiao Xinling's matter had been dragging on for so long, and it was time for a conclusion.
However, to marry a princess, one must be personally bestowed marriage by the Emperor to become a consort.
If he skipped these steps and procedures and eloped with the princess, the crime would be enough to warrant beheading.
Xiao Xinling also had a face full of anticipation and asked with a smile, "Father Emperor, you want to talk about me and Siman, right?"
"That's right!" The Emperor nodded lightly and looked at Yun Siman. "Since you are a subordinate of Marquis Pingyang, you can be considered one of my people. A family doesn't talk about two households. I won't beat around the bush..."
Yun Siman: "???"
Hearing this tone, he had a bad feeling!
"Your Majesty, please speak!" Yun Siman cupped his hands.
Xiao Xinling stared blankly at the Emperor, not knowing what he wanted to say.
Could it be that Father Emperor did not agree to them being together?
The Emperor pondered for a moment before asking Yun Siman, "Siman, you should know that to become a consort of the imperial family, you must first make significant contributions to the court. This is a prerequisite. Although you thwarted Xinling's marriage to the Yan Kingdom before, this does not meet the conditions for becoming a consort, so..."
"No way, Father Emperor!~" Before the Emperor could finish speaking, Xiao Xinling jumped up. "You promised us before, how can you go back on your word? You, you're cheating..."
That's right, the Emperor had said before that as long as Yun Siman ruined the marriage alliance, he would be made a consort.
But now, with the northern frontier in war and the Great Liang facing internal and external troubles, the Emperor could not let a talented and capable person like Yun Siman get married too early.
Talent should be utilized, and experience should be accumulated. When he achieved great success and was accepted by the ministers, things would naturally fall into place.
Because Yun Siman was from the countryside and had not participated in the imperial examinations, his status was not yet sufficient to be a consort. However, the Emperor did not object to them being together.
Seeing Xiao Xinling about to cry from anxiety, the Emperor smiled helplessly. "A gentleman's word is as good as his bond, when have I ever lied to you? But before that, I need Siman to go to the northern frontier and join General Gu's command to resist the barbarians and recover lost territory. When the world is at peace, I will naturally bestow marriage upon you!~"
Xiao Xinling: "..."
What gentleman's word is as good as his bond, you are cheating.
Yun Siman heard this and quietly tugged at Xiao Xinling. "Xinling, it's alright. Even if Your Majesty didn't say it, I would have gone to the northern frontier with my uncle!~"
This was the truth. Gu Mingyan had also revealed to him early on that as long as the situation on the northern frontier was unstable, the Great Liang Kingdom would not be able to rest.
"Look, look, look at Siman. He always has the world in his heart and worries about the country and the people. He has such great vision. I need a son-in-law like him!~" The Emperor was overjoyed and patted Yun Siman on the shoulder. "Siman, do a good job, and I won't treat you unfairly in the future!"
Yun Siman smiled faintly. "This is what your subject should do..."
Xiao Xinling was furious and turned to walk out of the hall, muttering, "Bad Father Emperor, lying Father Emperor, you don't keep your word, and you're sending Siman to the front line to risk his life. You, you, you're too wicked, I'm going to tell Mother Empress!~"
The Emperor's ears were sharp. He heard Xiao Xinling's grumbling and was not angry. He let her go to Empress Xiao to complain.
"Siman, after you go back, help me ask your sister what reward she wants?" the Emperor asked.
Since the rebellion had been quelled, the Emperor was going to reward those who had made contributions.
Little Xi Tian not only took the camera to record the criminal evidence of Consort Xian and Prefect Gao but also gave him a small secret room to protect him from being harmed by the rebels. With such merit, the Emperor didn't know how to reward her.
"Your subject will definitely deliver the message!~" Yun Siman said.
The Emperor grunted. The more he looked at Yun Siman, the more he liked him. He was young and energetic, tall, and handsome, just like he was when he was young.
After Yun Siman left, a familiar figure suddenly walked in from outside the hall.