bayedsolid Chapter 294 Acknowledgment of Daughter
Chapter 294 Acknowledgment of Daughter
What? Wei Yu is in trouble? Is it true?
Li Xiaonuan could hardly believe her ears. But she knew the old Taoist wouldn't say such a thing without reason.
In other words, Wei Yu's trip was indeed extremely dangerous. No wonder he didn't leave as domineeringly as before, asserting his dominance.
He probably already knew that this day would come around that time.
For no apparent reason, Li Xiaonuan became worried. She was anxious and even wanted to go to the Northwest to find Wei Yu immediately.
But that was just a momentary impulse, and it didn't affect Li Xiaonuan's thinking about her current situation at all.
"Grandpa, please don't joke around. His Highness the Second Prince is the Emperor's own son; how can he go to sea so easily? Besides, the prince's principal wife is not something you can decide for yourself. I'm just taking this as a joke, Grandpa, please don't try to harm me further." Li Xiaonuan glanced at the Emperor, who dared not speak his anger, and replied.
Upon hearing Li Xiaonuan's words, Wei Lu let out a deep breath. However, a hint of disappointment flashed in her eyes.
After all, Wei Lu still longed to get away from the capital. Even going to sea would be fine.
Zhao Wangchuan looked at the old Taoist priest helplessly, remaining silent. But there was also worry in his eyes.
After all, they are cousins, and also good brothers who fought side by side. How could they remain indifferent?
"Are you really not willing to sacrifice anything for that Yu boy? I say, how can you be so heartless, so unreasonable?" The old Taoist glanced at Li Xiaonuan, then asked the dazed Xiaogang, "Kid, if you agree to learn medicine from me, I'll go and help you save your brother-in-law, okay?"
Upon hearing the mention of medicine, Xiao Gang immediately reacted. However, he merely gave the old Taoist priest a simple, honest smile and did not agree.
"Grandpa, I already have a teacher. But if you insist on teaching me, I'll learn." Xiao Gang nodded vigorously with a simple and honest expression.
The emperor was looking at the old Taoist priest with a frustrated expression, clearly displeased by his sudden interruption. However, the old Taoist priest was, after all, his elder, and he couldn't reprimand him.
Furthermore, the emperor is now unsure how to deal with Li Xiaonuan.
Logically, the emperor should have followed Zhao Wangchuan's wishes and released Li Xiaonuan back to Zhoucun. However, the emperor still had his own selfish motives.
He always felt that Li Xiaonuan was hiding many things from him, things she hadn't revealed. If Li Xiaonuan were to meet someone who could be of help to her again, she might just share everything she knew with that person.
Li Xiaonuan roughly guessed the emperor's thoughts. However, she truly had nothing left to teach him.
"Your Majesty, actually, I am quite skilled at growing crops. If Your Majesty feels that I am hiding something, then why not take a good look at my crop catalog? It explains how to grow new varieties of crops. I swear to Heaven, I have not concealed anything." Sigh, this is the only downside of this era.
Li Xiaonuan rubbed her knees, which had gone numb from kneeling, and thought bitterly: In the next life, I will make you kneel before me.
Not only did Li Xiaonuan's little gesture of rubbing her legs catch the attention of her father and Xiao Gang, but even the emperor, who was always weighing Li Xiaonuan, noticed it.
How audacious! Only Li Xiaonuan would dare rub her knees in front of him, the emperor thought to himself.
Li Xiaonuan racked her brains trying to figure out how to get out of her current predicament. Her father's face had turned pale; he was probably terrified. Coupled with his lack of energy and poor health, things were likely going to get worse.
In fact, both Li Xiaonuan and Zhao Wangchuan noticed Li's father's unusual behavior. Zhao Wangchuan was aware of Li's father's previous health condition.
Moreover, ever since Li Xiaonuan and her companions entered, the emperor has made them kneel.
This greatly displeased Zhao Wangchuan.
"Little Nuan, you all get up quickly. I think Uncle Li is probably unwell, so don't kneel anymore." Zhao Wangchuan bypassed the emperor and gave the order, telling everyone to take seats.
The emperor looked at Zhao Wangchuan, who completely disregarded him, and sighed softly.
This child has taken a grudge against him and isn't giving him any face at all.
This can't go on. As the father, he has to salvage the situation.
Thinking this, the emperor, like a benevolent bodhisattva, casually waved his hand, telling Li Xiaonuan and the others to get up, and even considerately had tea served to them.
Of course, Li Xiaonuan and the others also had low stools to sit on.
This made Li Xiaonuan quite satisfied.
As soon as she sat down, Li Xiaonuan felt as if thousands of ants were gnawing at her numb legs, making them both numb and painful.
At this moment, Li Xiaonuan became even more determined to return to the village.
Otherwise, if I keep kneeling like this every time, my legs will probably be ruined.
Li Xiaonuan first advised her father to drink a cup of hot tea to calm his nerves, and then gave Xiaogang a few pastries.
At that moment, Li Xiaonuan had no other thoughts. She had only one obsession: to return to the village and live a carefree life.
"Li Xiaonuan, do you really only wish to stay in Zhoucun and never step out of the village gate for the rest of your life? I also heard that you plan to remain unmarried. Is this true?" The emperor asked after seeing that Li Xiaonuan had calmed down her trembling father and taken good care of Xiaogang.
Li Xiaonuan was unsure whether she should kneel down to answer. So she stood up and curtsied.
"Your Majesty, I do indeed have such thoughts. After returning to my village, I will find a piece of land to build a manor for my retirement, and live peacefully in Zhou Village from then on, without going anywhere else. I will not get married!" The numbness and pain in her legs had not yet subsided, and Li Xiaonuan almost fell to the ground when she bowed.
The emperor glanced thoughtfully at Zhao Wangchuan and the old Taoist priest before stroking his chin and nodding, saying, "In that case, I will bestow upon you a memorial archway to save you some trouble."
With the emperor bestowing the memorial archway, even if Li Xiaonuan wanted her family again, there would be no turning back.
"Your Majesty, this cannot be done this way," Zhao Wangchuan suddenly turned to the emperor and said urgently.
The reason why Li Xiaonuan now has the idea of being alone for life is simply because she has experienced so many things.
If she really accepts the emperor's memorial arch, then she will have no hope left.
Zhao Wangchuan knew that Wei Yu had always been devoted to Li Xiaonuan. Although Wei Yu's chances of survival this time were slim, the old Taoist priest had said that Wei Yu's life was not yet over.
In other words, Wei Yu will eventually come back alive.
What will he do if Li Xiaonuan's memorial arch has already been built by then?
Zhao Wangchuan was actually grateful to his cousin Wei Yu.
Therefore, he had to protect Li Xiaonuan, his cousin's wife. Otherwise, he would have failed Wei Yu's dying wish.
Wei Lu also felt reluctant. Before her nephew Wei Yu went to the Northwest, he visited her and asked her to take good care of Li Xiaonuan's family.
Wei Lu could tell that Wei Yu really liked Li Xiaonuan.
It was precisely because Wei Lu knew Wei Yu's thoughts that she was particularly dissatisfied with Li Xiaonuan's behavior.
However, Wei Lu was unwilling to accept the emperor's offer to bestow a memorial archway upon her.
After all, Wei Yu is in danger, and Li Xiaonuan has broken off the engagement. If this is the case, even Wei Lu can't protect Li Xiaonuan for Wei Yu. When Wei Yu comes back in the future, how will she have the face to face him?
“Your Majesty, Miss Li and I have always gotten along very well. Why don’t you let me recognize Miss Li as my goddaughter? That way, even in the village, Miss Li will be a person of status. Those people won’t dare to come and cause trouble, right?” Wei Lu suggested softly.
This was the first time in recent days that Wei Lu had spoken to the emperor in a polite and courteous manner. While the emperor was pleased, he had to carefully consider Wei Lu's suggestion.
In fact, the emperor also understood that even if Li Xiaonuan returned to the village to self-combine, there would definitely be some individuals with ulterior motives who would come to her door to cause trouble.
If Li Xiaonuan were to fall into someone else's trap and be forced to marry someone else, wouldn't that be like doing someone else's wedding dress for them?
Who knows what those people are up to?
What if those people are after everything Li Xiaonuan knows?
Thinking about it this way, the emperor felt that it was indeed feasible for Empress Wei Lu to recognize Li Xiaonuan as her goddaughter.
Then, he would bestow upon Li Xiaonuan the title of Princess and reward her with servants. At that time, most of those with ulterior motives would not dare to come knocking on his door. And he could then legitimately plant spies in the Li family.
The more the emperor thought about it, the more feasible Wei Lu's idea seemed.
"The Empress is indeed wise. Let's do it this way. When we return to the palace later, I will issue an edict to bestow the title of Princess upon Li Xiaonuan, and the investiture ceremony can be held tomorrow. It won't delay their departure back to the village the day after tomorrow." The Emperor smiled and made the final decision.
Everyone present, except for Wei Lu and the Emperor, stared in disbelief at the Emperor and Empress.
Of course, Zhao Wangchuan was alright. After all, he had already advised Wei Lu to take Li Xiaonuan as her goddaughter.
That old Taoist priest, with his ambiguous smile, sent chills down one's spine.