Chapter 421: Chapter 291: Remarry into the Hong Residence? In Your Dreams!
When Xiahou Qi, with a darkened Yintang and barely clinging to life, was brought back to Xia Palace, the Empress Dowager and Empress Liu had long been reduced to tears.
He refused any treatment and would not take any Elixir Pills.
Emperor Xia looked at the emaciated Sixth Prince with sunken eyes, his face filled with resentment at his failure to meet expectations.
"Just a woman, is she really worth you risking your life over?"
Emperor Xia was well aware of Xiahou Qi’s intentions. Xiahou Qi had pleaded with Emperor Xia to spare Ye Lingyue multiple times before, and each time Emperor Xia had categorically refused.
Emperor Xia had assumed that Xiahou Qi would know when to give up, but instead, he refused to turn back until he hit a dead end.
"Father, as long as you don’t spare Ye Family’s mother and daughter, I will not seek treatment," Xiahou Qi said with an unprecedented firmness on his gaunt face.
"But that woman, she doesn’t like you. For a woman who doesn’t have feelings for you, is she really worth it?" Among all of his sons, only Xiahou Qi held all of Emperor Xia’s hopes, and he could not bear to watch Xiahou Qi die.
"Father, let me ask you, do you enjoy being the Emperor? There are some things and people in this world that, regardless of whether you like them or not, once you encounter them, you have no other choice. Father, as long as you promise to release Ye Family’s mother and daughter and allow me to marry Ye Lingyue, I promise you I will be a dutiful Emperor," Xiahou Qi pleaded with Emperor Xia.
"Your Majesty, seeing that Qiqi has become like this, what are you still hesitating for? Actually, there is still room for maneuver in this matter. Although Ye Family’s mother and daughter were the first to betray your trust, both have been pillars of great service to Daxia. I believe it would be best to compromise. You could issue a decree allowing Hong Residence to step forward and remarry Ye Huangyu into their family, and restore Princess Ye to her familial roots. Mrs. Zhuge is also a person of great sense, and I believe she would not refuse. Then, when Qiqi marries Ye Lingyue, it would not only glorify the Hong Residence but also provide a perfect solution," said the Empress Dowager, her heart aching for her own grandson who was trapped in a dangerous love.
"Enough, enough, it must be karma from a previous life. I will now summon Marquis Hong’s family to enter the palace, and as for Ye Family’s mother and daughter, I will also release them," Emperor Xia immediately sent for Old Marquis Hong, Hong Fang, and the rest of the Hong family, including Hong Mingyue.
Accompanying Hong Mingyue was Luo Song, who was a guest at the Hong Residence.
After being released from the Heavenly Prison, Ye Lingyue and Ye Huangyu arrived at the imperial study, where Hong Residence’s family were already waiting.
Upon seeing Ye Lingyue and Ye Huangyu walk in, the members of the Hong Residence, especially Mrs. Zhuge and her daughter, glared fiercely at them.
Anger distorted the well-maintained beauty on Mrs. Zhuge’s face.
Especially when she saw that despite going through the hardships of prison, Ye Huangyu still had the delicate beauty of a young girl, her hatred intensified.
In her life, Mrs. Zhuge had always had it smooth sailing. Before meeting Hong Fang, she could say she had never suffered.
Later, she believed it to be a twist of fate when she met Hong Fang, and his demeanor and personality attracted her. Her heart silently consented; even after finding out that Hong Fang had just married, Mrs. Zhuge refused to give up.
After some plotting and letting Hong Fang know her true status, she secretly encouraged him to abandon his ordinary wife and even went as far as to seduce him. After sharing intimacy, she used her pregnancy to pressure Hong Fang into marrying her.
Unable to resist the pressure from Old Marquis Hong, Hong Fang married Mrs. Zhuge and, under her instigation, drove out Ye Lingyue and her mother from the family.
In a blink of an eye, more than a decade had passed, and Mrs. Zhuge thought she would never see Ye Family’s mother and daughter again. Unexpectedly, they reappeared like inescapable ghosts, forcing her once again to agree and nod her head to allow Ye Huangyu into the family.
Beside her, Hong Fang caught a glimpse of Ye Huangyu under the dimming lantern lights, and for an instant, he was spellbound.
In the military camp, due to measles, Hong Fang had never looked directly at Ye Huangyu.
But now that she had recovered her appearance, even in the simplest of prison clothes, time seemed to have left no trace on her face.
An oval face, natural brows, a smooth forehead, plainly beautiful features--not stunning, but strikingly delicate--just like the Ye Huangyu that Hong Fang had encountered by chance on the border of Daxia in her teenage years.
The most beautiful thing is memory, the person once loved so deeply, now turned into a sworn enemy.
Standing next to Ye Lingyue, Ye Huangyu did not look like someone who had ever given birth to children; rather, she resembled her older sister, no wonder Nie Fengxing was obsessed with her.
Hong Fang was momentarily stunned, yet at the same time, there was an indescribable pride in his heart.
Initially, he had reservations about taking Ye Huangyu back into his house, as it meant he would live under the same roof as Ye Ling Yue and her mother.
But now it seemed like a rather good thing.
Just thinking about Nie Fengxing’s agony was enough for Hong Fang to decide that no matter what, he must remarry Ye Huangyu.
Emperor Xia and Zhuge Rou beside him saw everything.
Zhuge Rou was especially irritated, glaring fiercely at Ye Huangyu.
The marriage hadn’t happened yet, and Hong Fang already looked like old flames were rekindling. This made Zhuge Rou’s heart itch unbearably as if scratched by a cat’s claws.
"His Majesty has reflected on this matter. Despite the Ye Family’s Mother and Daughter’s offense of deceiving the emperor, the Hong Residence was at fault in the past. It has been over a decade, and since we are all one family, there should be no lasting grievances. I hereby decide, grant General Hong’s marriage and allow him to remarry Ye Huangyu, and recognize Princess Ye as part of the family lineage," proclaimed Emperor Xia with satisfaction.
Ye Huangyu’s face turned deathly pale in an instant.
She had never dreamt that Emperor Xia would make such a decision. Being stripped of her cultivation and exiled to a bitter cold place would have been far better than this.
"Hmph, from a common hen to a phoenix. But we will never acknowledge you as our sister," Hong Yuying and her brother Hong Yulang sneered at Ye Lingyue.
"Heh, as if I would agree. Your Majesty, we refuse. My mother does not wish to marry, nor do I wish to recognize my ancestry and return to the clan!" Ye Lingyue laughed coldly, outright rejecting Emperor Xia’s decree.
Ye Lingyue’s refusal surprised everyone present.
Especially Emperor Xia, as the Daxia Crown Prince, had never been so openly defied by his ministers, let alone by someone who was merely a scapegoat.
"How dare you! Ye Lingyue, you have quite the nerve. Your refusal alone is enough to have your head chopped off ten times over. If it were not for Sixth Prince’s status and my repeated tolerance of you, do you think you would still be standing here!" Emperor Xia raged, veins bulging on his forehead.
"Father, please do not be harsh on Ling Yue. All of this, was merely my one-sided wishes," said Xiahou Qi, supported by General Chi Yan as he walked in.