"Your Majesty, Yu Nianzhao is the legitimate daughter of my wife and me. The midwife at her birth, greedy for wealth, swapped the two children, and she has been raised in the countryside ever since. I finally found her, but Prince Su took her back to Prince Su Mansion and hid her. My wife is sick with longing for her daughter and bedridden. We are utterly desperate and have no choice but to come before Your Majesty."
Pei Yuanzheng knelt on the ground, speaking sincerely, "I have sent people to Prince Su Mansion several times in recent days to bring my daughter back, but they've been rejected. I haven't even been able to see my daughter's face!"
Emperor Anqing cast a curious glance back and forth between Pei Yuanzheng and Xie Jiuxiao, his interest thoroughly piqued.
Emperor Anqing's teasing gaze drifted over, "Ahem, ahem, how convenient that Prince Su is here. Why don't you explain what exactly is going on? Did you really take Mr. Pei's daughter?"
"I didn't take her; she came willingly," Xie Jiuxiao replied calmly.
"Willingly?"
Pei Yuanzheng was displeased, "Zhaozhao is still young. She was upset with us at the time, which is why she boarded the Prince's carriage. We are of the same blood, family, how can there be overnight grudges between us? It's the Prince who won't let us meet, which means he has a guilty conscience."
Emperor Anqing nodded, "She even got on the carriage? But Ziyin, isn't it rare for anyone to get close to you? And now it's a young lady?"
His demeanor changed in an instant. He had worried for years about his brother's marriage!
Alas, no woman had ever managed to stay within three feet of Xie Jiuxiao!
Now, the chosen girl had appeared; he could not be more pleased.
Pei Yuanzheng picked up on his tone and quickly said, "It must have been a coincidence, the child was injured at the time, surely she was slow to realize! Besides, no matter what, Zhaozhao is my daughter. Prince Su can't just take her over, can he? It's unreasonable!"
Emperor Anqing said dismissively, "Yes, yes, yes, taking someone else's daughter is indeed wrong, Prince Su, I must criticize you."
Xie Jiuxiao raised an eyebrow, "Then Marquis Wu'an, why don't you explain how your legitimate daughter ended up injured in my carriage."
Pei Yuanzheng's face turned grim, "This..."
He dared not speak of the Tomb Guard City, knowing he was at a disadvantage in this matter.
He dared not, but Xie Jiuxiao dared!
"Since Yu Nianzhao is your legitimate daughter, then the one you kept at home is a fake! But you couldn't bear to send the fake to Tomb Guard City, and instead sent the real one into a den of wolves."
Xie Jiuxiao wore a mocking smile, "Five years in Tomb Guard City, and we never saw you miss her like this. Now that she's returned alive, you suddenly show familial affection, too transparent and too absurd."
Pei Yuanzheng's face alternated between green and red. He clenched his fists and glared angrily, "Your Highness, even so, this matter is a family affair and unrelated to you, isn't it?"
"Yu Nianzhao helped me, so she receives my protection. Does Marquis Wu'an have a problem with that?"
Of course he had an issue, a big one!
Pei Yuanzheng, too angry to speak further to Xie Jiuxiao, fell to the ground and pleaded tearfully, "Your Majesty, you must help me. I just want my daughter back; whatever the circumstances, it has nothing to do with Prince Su. He has no right to interfere in my family affairs."
Emperor Anqing shook his head, "Mr. Pei is right. Ziyin, their daughter can't stay at Prince Su Mansion without a proper title."
Pei Yuanzheng asked warily, "What does Your Majesty mean?"
Emperor Anqing winked at Xie Jiuxiao, "Ziyin, you're long past marriageable age. Mr. Pei's daughter has already been staying at your mansion for several days. What if word gets out? Mr. Pei will make trouble again. Seeing that you're pleased with her, why not give her a title?"
Pei Yuanzheng turned pale, "Your Majesty, absolutely not!"
"I'm not asking for your opinion!"
Emperor Anqing glared, and Pei Yuanzheng regretted deeply; had he known, he would have come when Prince Su wasn't present. Such misfortune!
A title?
Princess Consort Su!
The idea flashed through Xie Jiuxiao's mind, and he tensed; once relaxed, he found the thought not entirely unpleasant.
"I think she could be Princess Consort Su, but we must ask her opinion."
"Really?"
Emperor Anqing was overjoyed, "Princess Consort Su, wonderful! Hahaha, after all these years, I can finally witness Ziyin's wedding. This good news must be shared with the Dowager!"
"Your Majesty..."
"And where should the wedding be held? Prince Su's mansion? I think the palace would be splendid!"
"Sir..."
"I will see that Yunxiu Workshop promptly crafts the finest phoenix coronet and robes to celebrate nationwide!"
"Your Majesty..."
"What do you say, Ziyin?"
Emperor Anqing was ecstatic; even his own wedding to the Empress hadn't made him this happy.
This was his blood brother, who fought fiercely, shielding him from all darkness!
Pei Yuanzheng was near tears, unable to get a word in edgewise.
Came to the palace to retrieve his daughter, and it turned into marrying her off!
Xie Jiuxiao said helplessly, "No need to rush, she may not agree."
Although Yu Nianzhao often spoke of sleeping with him, her eyes were devoid of romantic attachment.
"What? If she can get close to you, she's the chosen Princess Consort Su, why would she refuse? It's her fortune!"
Emperor Anqing thought his brother excellent in every way; if not for that incident, he wouldn't have been this afflicted with evil qi, and they would have flourished by now.
"Alright, Mr. Pei, I will let Ziyin occasionally bring her back to Marquis Wu'an's residence to visit your wife. Regardless, she won't accompany you for long. Consider this giving you more time for family joy."
Emperor Anqing waved, making a decision without listening to Pei Yuanzheng, and promptly ordered him out.
After Pei Yuanzheng left, Emperor Anqing was visibly pleased, "This is the first time I've seen you not opposed to marriage. It seems Yu Nianzhao holds significant meaning for you."
Xie Jiuxiao informed Emperor Anqing about the matter of the Gu worms.
"It was Yu Nianzhao who saved me. The mother Gu worm should be near the Empress Dowager. I need to find a way to locate it."
"What? This woman has such abilities? Then she must become Princess Consort Su, all the more. With her and Dongfang Chenyuan beside you, I have peace of mind."
Emperor Anqing's expression turned more somber as he heavily patted Xie Jiuxiao on the shoulder, "This is not just my kingdom, but yours too. As brothers, we live and die together. I will certainly help you find the mother Gu worm."
"Hmm!"
"Your Majesty, the Daoist Jing'an is here!"
The eunuch's voice came from outside.
Emperor Anqing waved, "Then I await your news, so I can decree the marriage!"
"Good!"
Xie Jiuxiao looked at the silhouette outside, his eyes filled with gloom, "Brother, you know there are shady paths in the world. Remember, everything has its limits; do not overly rely on so-called miraculous medicines!"
Emperor Anqing was indifferent, "I know, but Daoist Jing'an is naturally different from other Daoists. Ziyin, you should also let go of your prejudice against him."
After Xie Jiuxiao left the imperial study, he came face to face with Daoist Jing'an, who carried a box of pills with an air of ethereal serenity.
One was fierce and shadowy; the other was a breath of spring!
Their eyes met in mid-air, sparks flying.
Daoist Jing'an nodded lightly with a smile as a gesture of goodwill, while Xie Jiuxiao coldly brushed past him.