Chapter 548: Not a Backup, Not a Concubine
Chapter 548: Chapter 548: Not a Backup, Not a Concubine
"A harmonious union... Uncle Emperor, what on earth are you talking about? I don’t like Lu Shaoyuan, and I don’t want this marriage."
Shen Ningning’s eyelashes trembled, her beautiful eyes filled with shock.
’Why would the Emperor suddenly arrange a marriage between me and Lu Shaoyuan?’
The Emperor, likely guessing that Shen Ningning would refuse, kept his expression unchanged, still wearing an approachable smile.
But right now, that smile, in Shen Ningning’s eyes, was like an icicle frozen in the sunlight, exuding a sharp, distant coldness.
"Ningning, I believe I have always treated you well. I have granted your every request, have I not?"
Shen Ningning nodded lightly but immediately added, "But that doesn’t give you the right to dictate my marriage, Uncle Emperor."
’Many people have been good to me. Does that mean I have to obey all of them?’
The Emperor sighed. "I am not doing this for you, but for Ling Wei. Ningning, is it possible you still don’t know that he likes you?"
Shen Ningning’s watery eyes snapped wide open. The color of the bright sun landed in the young woman’s gaze, igniting a small flame in her heart.
But before she could even figure out the reason for that sudden surge of joy, the Emperor’s next words extinguished it.
"He came of age three years ago, and for you, he has refused to marry. To this day, there are no concubines in Zichen Palace. But he is the Crown Prince. This empire will one day be his. If he doesn’t start a family, how can he convince the court officials? How can I be at ease?"
Shen Ningning bit her lip, the pearl hairpin in her dark chignon refracting a brilliant light.
"Uncle Emperor, do you mean... I can’t marry him?" she finally managed to ask.
Heaven knows how much courage it took for a young woman to ask such a question.
However, the Emperor replied in a grave voice, "Marry him? Of course, I would agree. I would love for you to be my daughter-in-law. But, Ningning, you can only be a Crown Prince Consort."
Shen Ningning felt as if a basin of cold water had been dumped over her head.
In her eyes, the Emperor was now like the sun hanging high in the sky. It seemed to radiate warmth, but in reality, it was too distant, and its light felt cold upon her skin.
"Why..." Shen Ningning’s voice was tinged with bitterness. "Am I not worthy?"
Ever since she was a child, she had changed her own destiny through her hard work.
But that dim, bleak childhood buried deep in her heart was like a nightmare, ready to resurface at any moment.
The Emperor’s words reminded Shen Ningning of the insults Aunt Qin used to hurl at her.
"You’re not worthy."
The Emperor watched as a thick fog gathered in Shen Ningning’s eyes, as if she were about to cry. The light caught the flushed red at the corners of her eyes.
But she was exceptionally strong-willed and would never let herself cry in front of others.
At this moment, her slender fingertips were tightly clenching her sleeves.
The Emperor sighed. "It’s not that you aren’t worthy, Ningning. Ling Wei is to be emperor one day. Your maternal family is too powerful. I truly cannot be at ease."
"You should be able to understand your uncle’s difficult position, right? As parents, we must consider our children’s long-term future. Besides, being the main wife doesn’t guarantee happiness."
"Even if you are a concubine, as long as Ling Wei’s heart is with you, isn’t that enough? Even if I have other daughters-in-law, I will still treat you the best. You are different."
These words, however, drew a bitter, derisive laugh from Shen Ningning’s red lips.
"Why should I have to fight with other women for a husband?"
The Emperor was taken aback.
Shen Ningning pressed her lips together, her small, exquisitely beautiful face revealing an unyielding stubbornness.
"My father told me that ever since he married my mother, he has never looked at another woman. My second uncle also loved only one person his entire life."
"My upbringing taught me that a man can be completely faithful to one woman. If I choose a husband, I will be his one and only, not a backup, and not a concubine!"
Seeing Shen Ningning’s firm attitude, the Emperor felt it was a great pity.
"Ningning, since you disagree, then consider my other proposal."
Shen Ningning took a deep breath, her eyes cold and red-rimmed. "Uncle Emperor, what do you want me to do? Stay away from him? I promise you, I won’t interfere with him taking a wife. Isn’t that enough?"
The Emperor sighed endlessly. "Do you know? Ling Wei said that if you are unwilling to marry, he will wait for you forever."
"How I wish he wasn’t the Crown Prince, so that he could spend the rest of his life with you. But Ningning, he carries the weight of the empire on his shoulders. Can you bear to see him defy social conventions and wait for you indefinitely?"
Shen Ningning parted her lips, but her throat felt too tight with bitterness to say anything.
The Emperor continued, "How about we make a deal? Since you don’t like Lu Shaoyuan either, I will pretend to decree a marriage between you and him."
"Then, Ling Wei will naturally give up hope. Once his own marriage is settled, I will personally arrange for you and Lu Shaoyuan to separate, and then I will help you find an ideal husband. How about it?"
Shen Ningning’s heart plunged into an endless, icy abyss.
’The Emperor wants to force Mo Lingwei to marry, to put an end to his hesitation. To do that, he needs to get rid of me.’
’Am I willing to be the sacrifice?’
’If I agree, what does that make Lu Shaoyuan?’
Shen Ningning tried to hold back, but her trembling tears had already escaped her eyes.
They fell onto the cold marble tabletop, splashing in the shape of snowflakes.
It was snowing in her heart, even as she faced the vibrant spring scenery.
The Emperor’s eyes reddened as well. "Ningning, you must have heard about my illness. I’m afraid I don’t have many years left. If I were to pass away suddenly one day, Ling Wei is the person I would worry about the most."
"I have already failed his mother, the Empress. I cannot fail him too. Ningning... can you... can you just grant me this one request? Consider it your uncle begging you."
After speaking, the Emperor actually stood up, lifted his Dragon Robe, and knelt before Shen Ningning.
In the past, the young woman would have immediately rushed to help him up.
But now, she seemed frozen stiff, her long, thick lashes lowered, her breaths trembling as tears streamed down her face.
"Why does it have to be Lu Shaoyuan?" she finally asked, her voice hoarse. "I don’t want to drag him into this. Since it’s a fake marriage, can’t I just pick anyone?"
The Emperor gave a bitter smile. "Ling Wei is incredibly intelligent. And as his father, how could I not know the methods he’s capable of?"
"If it were anyone else, he would surely turn the world upside down. Whether he believes it or not is secondary. But with Lu Shaoyuan, it’s different."
"Ling Wei knows you’ve known each other for a long time, no shorter than you’ve known him. Besides, the Lu family has done well for themselves, both in government and in business."
"Even when I pass away years from now, you won’t have to worry about Ling Wei retaliating. Furthermore, I will promote Lu Fu, ensuring that you and Lu Shaoyuan can live even better lives."
At this point, the Emperor looked at her tentatively. "Ningning, the Lu family’s second young master is also very fond of you."
The sun hanging in the sky—perhaps because of her tears—appeared blurry and crimson in Shen Ningning’s vision.
She didn’t know how she made her way down the hillside. Wanchun had been sent away; the Emperor must not have wanted Wanchun to know that he was the person Shen Ningning met today.
As Shen Ningning reached the entrance of the bamboo garden, she saw a loving couple who had come together to watch the bamboo shadows dance in the sunlight.
They had their arms around each other, their smiles genuine and filled with affection.
Shen Ningning suddenly felt a little lost. She wanted to ask them if they had ever encountered a situation like hers, and if so, how they would handle it.
She also wanted to ask her mother what the right thing to do was.
But it didn’t matter what she asked anymore.
Just moments ago, in the pavilion, Shen Ningning had tearfully agreed, "I will go and ask Lu Shaoyuan for his thoughts."
The implication was that she had accepted the Emperor’s arrangement.
’If Lu Shaoyuan has no objections either, then I’ll just do as the Emperor says.’
This time, she wasn’t doing it for anyone else, only for Mo Lingwei.
Their paths had crossed, but if they were not fated to be together, then she would at least help him on his way to a perfect future.