The Elder Madam Lin and Madam Lin arrived in the capital with the entourage of the Prince of Yingchuan's estate.
When Lin Yan met them at the city gate, she also paid her respects to the Princess.
The Princess also put on an act of meeting her future son-in-law for the first time. After a brief encounter, they parted ways.
No one could detect any flaws.
“Why did Grandmother and Mother travel to the capital with the Prince’s estate?” Lin Yan instructed the carriage to head towards the courtyard she had already purchased.
“It was the people from the Prince’s estate who came to fetch us. Yan Ge, this marriage…” Elder Madam Lin had been quite uneasy throughout the journey, especially when conversing with the Princess.
They always felt they had wronged such a good family, after all, their own satisfactory grandson was actually…
“This marriage was bestowed by His Majesty, it is an excellent match. Although Princess Huan is not in good health, she is gentle and will surely get along very well with Grandmother and Mother,” Lin Yan interrupted Elder Madam Lin.
“Not in good health?” Elder Madam Lin frowned.
Madam Lin also seemed to understand something, yet also seemed to understand nothing at all.
“Yes, when Princess Huai was born, it was during the time when his two elder brothers had died young, so the Princess was born with some health issues. She is currently being nurtured with medicine. Her constitution is weak, and she rarely goes out. His Majesty and the Prince and others pity her.”
Lin Yan slowly told them about Princess Fu An, of course, these were things that could be discovered from outside.
“So, that Princess’s health is very poor?” Elder Madam Lin understood the emphasis of her grandson.
“Yes, very poor. Grandmother and Mother just need to be respectful.”
“No wonder the Princess was so amiable towards us!” Madam Lin suddenly said.
Elder Madam Lin shot her a glare, and Madam Lin quickly shut her mouth.
“Don’t you see where we are!”
They were still in the carriage. Although the carriage made noise on the stone-paved road, which could mask some sounds inside, they still had to be careful.
“Yes, Mother.” Madam Lin understood she had made a mistake.
Elder Madam Lin had repeatedly cautioned her on the way that once they arrived in the capital, they must speak and act cautiously. She never expected to make a mistake so soon.
Lin Yan wanted them to feel this way. After all, it would be too troublesome to explain, and knowing too much would not be good for them.
When they arrived at the courtyard where she was staying, she continued to tell them about Princess Fu An, including that after they got married, they would live together in the Princess's mansion, and also how frail Princess Fu An’s health was.
As for how her grandmother and mother would interpret this, it would depend on their imagination.
With the elders of both families arriving, the six rites continued. Since their engagement date had been set, the request for an auspicious date was merely a formality.
Because Elder Madam Lin and Madam Lin had come, Lin Yan did not seek out Zhao Hao again. However, he did not mind, as he would soon be married to his "Yan Ge," so he did not care about this brief separation.
“I thought you would be very angry. After all, your father’s beard was bristling with anger. Even though the other party is Yan’er, this is still a humiliation for you.”
The Princess of Yingchuan gently caressed her son, whom she had not seen for a long time.
After such a long separation, this child who had always been small had grown considerably. Despite wearing women's clothing, the heroism in his eyes made him appear very spirited.
When he was younger, she hadn't noticed, but now that he had matured slightly, she realized he had inherited the best qualities of her and the Prince.
“Why should I be angry? I like being with Yan Ge. After we get married, no one else will come between him and me.”
Thinking of those who had once held the title of Lin Yan’s fiancée, he felt an immense jealousy. Although he knew they were just pretenses, he still found it unbearable.
“Childish talk. You won’t feel this way in the future.” The Princess of Yingchuan had just thought her son had grown up, but upon hearing his words, she felt he was still childish.
“No, I’m serious. I want to be with Yan Ge forever.” He looked at the Princess with earnestness.
“Serious?”
“Yes!”
The Princess realized something was amiss. “An’an, you…”
“I like Yan Ge. I want to be with her forever.”
“But he is a man!” The Princess knitted her brows.
“So what if he’s a man! I just like her.” Besides, she wasn’t a man. Although he couldn’t imagine what Lin Yan looked like in women’s clothing, it would probably be beautiful, so beautiful that no one else could compare.
“You…” The Princess looked at her son, feeling only guilt. “Have you considered whether Yan Ge is willing?”
“The marriage has already been decreed, so even if Yan Ge disagrees, there’s nothing that can be done.”
Hearing his willful words, the Princess felt she had wronged Lin Yan greatly. It was Lin Yan who had saved An’an’s life, and now he not only had to conceal An’an’s identity but also grudgingly accept his affection.
Thinking this, she felt she should treat the Lin family even better.
Zhao Hao could have told the Princess about Lin Yan’s true gender, but since Lin Yan had always presented herself as a man, she surely did not wish for anyone to know.
He would wait until she was willing to reveal it. Only then would he tell his father and mother.
Lin Yan was unaware that Zhao Hao was concealing this for her. Seeing the Princess’s attitude towards her become even more affectionate, she thought Zhao Hao had already spoken to her.
However, given Lin Yan’s caution, she still did not reveal anything unusual in front of the Princess, who might know her identity.
Elder Madam Lin and Madam Lin also met the always sickly Princess Fu An. In the past few days, they had also learned about some of Princess Fu An’s affairs from others.
They understood that Princess Fu An might not live for many more years, meaning after they got married, she would pass away within a few years. By then, Lin Yan’s reputation for being a jinx to his wives would likely be fully confirmed.
And Lin Yan, having been married, would not be suspected of being a woman. Then, they would be completely safe.
These were things Lin Yan had told them recently. Although she had not said it directly, this was the implication.
Elder Madam Lin and Madam Lin also felt somewhat indebted to the Prince’s estate. Although the Prince’s estate also owed them, their actions were also a deception.
It was precisely because of this mutual feeling of indebtedness that their interactions became even more harmonious.
The Lin family agreed to all the requirements proposed by the Prince’s estate, which in turn made it difficult for the Prince’s estate to propose any further excessive demands.
The wedding ceremony proceeded smoothly. Meanwhile, the female protagonist’s marriage was also decided; she was to marry a newly successful scholar.
With the help of the female protagonist’s maternal family, the newly successful scholar settled in the capital and found connections, becoming an official in the capital.
As for the male protagonist’s wedding date, it was set for a few years later. Although the male protagonist was unaware of his mother's recent death, the Emperor did not wish for his son to marry during his mother's mourning period.
Even without a pretext for him to observe mourning rites, the Emperor still sent him to a Taoist temple to pray for blessings for two years on his behalf.
Therefore, although the female protagonist’s marriage was decided later, her wedding date was before the male protagonist’s. By the time the male protagonist returned from the Taoist temple, the female protagonist would likely already have children.