Chapter 60: Bestowing a Marriage Decree Upon Jiang Lingyao!

Supporting the Old Lady, Jiang Lingyao felt a rising tide of unease. Upon reaching the front hall, she found everyone wearing expressions of blank bewilderment.

She paused, then looked up to see the chief eunuch holding the imperial decree. Shedding his earlier cold demeanor, he squeezed out a smile toward her and said, "Miss Jiang, it has been a long time. This humble servant has come today to offer you my congratulations!"

Congratulations?

Jiang Lingyao forced a smile, though her eyes remained utterly cold, and she offered a shy, maidenly response.

Judging by his attitude, today's imperial decree had something to do with her?

The eunuch smiled, raising his voice. "Since everyone is present, this servant shall read the decree."

"Jiang Lingyao, receive the decree!"

Jiang Lingyao’s heart sank abruptly, but she could only lower her head, drop to her knees, and say respectfully, "This subject's daughter receives the decree."

"It has come to Our attention that Jiang Lingyao of the Jiang family is virtuous, gentle, and exceptionally talented, a fact that pleases Us greatly. Pei Xingzhi, the son of the Eldest Princess, and she are childhood sweethearts, a match made in heaven. We hereby bestow Jiang Lingyao upon Pei Xingzhi as his legitimate wife. Let this be known. Respect this."

Jiang Lingyao froze in place, her entire body instantly rigid as a sudden, cold sweat broke out all over her.

How could it be a marriage bestowed by decree?

Why!

Her palms were clenched so tightly they ached, yet she delayed stepping forward.

Beside her, everyone else was equally frozen, staring at Jiang Lingyao in disbelief, their eyes harboring a myriad of complex emotions.

The Duke of Zhenguo was overjoyed, while Madame Jiang was struck with dread.

Song Lianer could barely mask her biting malice; her eyes reddened as she stared fixedly at Jiang Lingyao’s back, consumed by a deep, smoldering hatred.

Why was it an imperial decree of marriage? What on earth had Jiang Lingyao done to actually elicit an edict from the Emperor?

And she had wondered why Jiang Lingyao had been behaving so obediently in the Old Lady's courtyard these past few days. It turned out she had planned this long ago, deliberately feigning indifference to fool even her!

A wave of humiliation and anger burned away the last remnants of Song Lianer's reason. Seeing that Jiang Lingyao refused to move, she could not help but raise her voice and chime in, "Why isn't Sister receiving the decree? Could it be that you are dissatisfied with this match and refuse to accept it?"

Upon hearing this, the chief eunuch's expression darkened slightly. The smile vanished from his face, and his attitude toward Jiang Lingyao immediately grew a few degrees colder.

This was an imperial decree, after all; how could this Miss Jiang possibly have the right to refuse? If such reluctance were to reach the Emperor's ears, she would meet a grim fate.

At these words, Jiang Lingyao snapped back to her senses. She pinched her own hand fiercely, forcing out tears of pain, and choked out, "No, it's just... it's just too unexpected."

Trembling, she received the decree from the chief eunuch's hands, sniffed, and said, "Thank you, Eunuch. I made a fool of myself just now and gave you a good laugh."

Her straightforward display of both joy and terror instead struck a chord of authenticity. The warmth returned to the chief eunuch's face, and he smiled with congratulations. "What is Miss Jiang saying? A marriage bestowed by imperial decree is a great joyous event. It is only natural that you were too startled to recover your wits for a moment."

She wiped at the corners of her eyes. "Thank you, Eunuch. I'm sorry to have put you through such a journey. Would you care to sit and have a cup of tea?"

She took a silk purse handed to her by Mama Li, who stood beside the Old Lady, and slipped it into the chief eunuch's hand. "Please don't stand on ceremony, Eunuch. Consider it a way to share in the auspicious joy. I truly made a fool of myself just now; I beg you not to take offense."

The eunuch smiled. "How could I? Prince Pei is accomplished in both scholarship and martial arts, and Miss Jiang has found herself an excellent husband. This servant will not stand on ceremony, then, and share in your auspicious joy."

Seeing him accept the purse, Jiang Lingyao felt somewhat more at ease.

"As for this young lady..." The chief eunuch turned his gaze toward Song Lianer, who had spoken earlier, a trace of displeasure faintly surfacing on his face. "Her tongue is certainly sharp. It has been a long time since this servant has seen such a young woman. No wonder rumors have reached the palace lately that the Duke's estate is quite lively—so it is because you harbor such a clever sprite here."

Song Lianer's face turned instantly pale, and she dared not utter another word.

He was rebuking her for being a busybody! A mere rootless wretch, not even a real man—how dare he!

Consumed by fury, the Duke of Zhenguo wiped the cold sweat from his brow and stepped forward to appease him. "Eunuch jests. This young lady is the daughter of Mingzhu's benefactor. Our household has always been indulgent with her, and she possesses an innocent and carefree nature. If there has been any discourtesy, I beg the Eunuch to forgive her."

Jiang Lingyao watched coldly, a sliver of mocking amusement rising in her heart.

Wasn't Song Lianer someone he could discard at a moment's notice as well? Did she really think she mattered that much?

Recovering her composure, Jiang Lingyao forced a smile and escorted the visitors out. The moment she turned back, all warmth vanished completely from her face. Staring at the imperial decree in her hands, her heart plummeted to its lowest depths.

She did not want this imperial decree, and she certainly did not want to marry Pei Xingzhi!

There were only a little over ten days left before her departure; why would such a drastic change occur now?

A sense of powerlessness washed over her. She stood frozen in silence, once again feeling that familiar sensation of being toyed with by the heavens, slowly consuming her bit by bit.

She could not manage a smile, and everyone in the mansion wore a dark expression.

"Why? Why is there suddenly such an imperial decree?"

Jiang Xiushu was the most furious of all. He could not bear to think whether his own scheming from a few days ago had somehow, through a twist of fate, played into Jiang Lingyao's hands.

The mere thought made his entire body feel as though it were being gnawed on by countless tiny insects, and he longed to curse aloud in rage.

Jiang Lingyao already dared to treat him this way by leaning on their grandmother; if she married Pei Xingzhi and became the mistress of the Pei household, wouldn't she be riding roughshod over him in the future?