Qing Yin and Qing Ling were about to help Lu Zhaoling kneel, but they heard her say, "Eunuch, I'm gravely injured and dizzy. I might faint if I kneel. I'll receive the imperial edict standing."
"How audacious!" Lu Ming erupted in anger.
Lu Zhaoling didn't even look at him.
"It wouldn't be good to faint while receiving the edict," she said faintly.
The Edict Announcer looked at her bandaged head and had no choice but to agree.
"Then Second Miss Lu may receive the edict standing."
He unrolled the bright yellow imperial edict and began to read.
"By the Grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: We have heard that Lu Ming's legitimate second daughter, Lu Zhaoling, is of excellent character and appearance, gentle and virtuous...
We specially permit Our young brother to take her as the Princess Consort of Jin. A propitious date shall be chosen for the wedding. By Imperial Order."
The Edict Announcer's voice was sharp, his tone flat, as he read the contents of the imperial edict before all the Lu Residence household members.
Everyone in the Lu Residence was stunned.
Lu Ming nearly jumped up.
Madam Lu's features were twisted, her eyes spitting fire, staring intently at the imperial edict, suspecting the old eunuch was spouting nonsense.
"Impossible!"
A thirteen or fourteen-year-old girl couldn't hold back and cried out.
That was Lu Zhaoyun's biological younger sister, the Third Miss of the Lu Residence, Lu Zhaoyue.
Lu Zhaoyue hadn't seen Lu Zhaoling all day, but had heard that a second sister had arrived. She had originally been about to cause a ruckus in the Ting Nuan Tower, but instead came to hear the edict first.
She was still a little kid when Prince Jin left the capital, so she didn't recognize him. However, her most admired person was Sister Shen Xiangjun. She had only recently heard that Sister Shen was going to be the Princess Consort of Jin in the future.
Now, how did the Princess Consort of Jin become Lu Zhaoling?
"Second Miss Lu, please receive the edict." The Edict Announcer was in a hurry to return to the palace and didn't bother with anyone else.
Lu Zhaoling also hadn't expected that with the Retired Emperor having just passed away, and Prince Jin almost dying at his father's bedside,
nearly one step away from father and son going to the Underworld together, Prince Jin could now obtain an imperial marriage edict.
Earlier, he had pretended not to know her in front of the Emperor, calling her a petty thief who stole things from the Ningshou Palace,
and even had Qingfeng carry her out of the palace like a pig. Now, he was making her the prospective Princess Consort of Jin!
Did Prince Jin have to be so contradictory?
Qing Yin and Qing Ling were also stunned.
"Zhaoling receives the edict."
Seeing the various gazes from the other members of the Lu Residence, Lu Zhaoling smiled slightly, stepped forward, and accepted the imperial edict.
It seemed her arranged marriage shocked and angered everyone in the Lu Residence, so she would definitely accept the edict.
After Lu Zhaoling accepted the edict, Qing Yin reacted, immediately took out a small sachet, and slipped it into the Edict Announcer's hand, "Thank you, Eunuch."
This was what they, as senior maidservants, ought to do.
Although they were temporarily serving Miss Lu, they couldn't be negligent.
The Edict Announcer looked at the reactions of the Lu Residence members, then at Lu Zhaoling's miserable state. He had originally thought he wouldn't get any "oil money" on this trip, but he didn't expect Lu Zhaoling's maidservant to be quite clever.
This was unexpected wealth, and any amount was a pleasant surprise.
His expression brightened somewhat, "Our family congratulates Second Miss Lu."
The Edict Announcer left the Lu family.
Lu Zhaoyue, who had just been restrained by Lu Zhaoyun, jumped up and shouted at Lu Zhaoling.
"Have you no shame? Why do you get an arranged marriage the moment you arrive in the capital?"
Lu Zhaoling looked at her.
Lu Zhaoyue somewhat resembled Lu Zhaoyun, but her figure hadn't fully developed, and her baby fat hadn't faded, yet she was already a small beauty.
Beside her was another girl of similar age, much thinner and quiet-looking.
There was also a four or five-year-old boy, stout and sturdy, staring at her with wide eyes.
On all of them, Lu Zhaoling could see a connection to Lu Ming, so these must be Lu Ming's children.
The Lu family members' appearances were quite excellent, each one of them good-looking.
Among them, Lu Zhaoyun was the most beautiful.
Besides these, there were two young women, one dignified and one alluring, who should be Lu Ming's concubines.
She heard that Lu Ming also had two sons, but they were away at the academy.
As Lu Zhaoling assessed them, they also assessed Lu Zhaoling.
"Hey, I'm talking to you, are you deaf?" Lu Zhaoyue's face turned red with anger when Lu Zhaoling ignored her.
Lu Ming kept a straight face and didn't speak, apparently waiting to hear Lu Zhaoling's answer.
He was shocked beyond belief!
He had originally thought Prince Jin was trying to find ways to torment Lu Zhaoling, but it turned out to be an arranged marriage!
"Who are you?"
Lu Zhaoling glanced at Lu Zhaoyue.
"If you hadn't come back, I would be the Second Miss of the Lu family! I am Lu Zhaoyue! Big Sister is 'Cloud,' I am 'Moon.' We are the purest in the heavens, what are you?"
Lu Zhaoyue had just been informed an hour ago that she would henceforth be Third Miss, and she was furious.
Why should a country bumpkin from the countryside be placed above her?
Lu Zhaoling smiled, raising the imperial edict in her hand, "The Emperor just granted this marriage. I am now Prince Jin's fiancée. What do you think I am?"
"You're just a little village girl! A common country bumpkin who can't make it to the main stage! Prince Jin belongs to Sister Shen—"
"Zhaoyue!"
Lu Ming immediately cut her off, sensing something was wrong.
Now that the imperial marriage edict had been issued, dragging Prime Minister Shen's daughter into it would insult her reputation!
He couldn't afford to offend Prime Minister Shen.
Lu Zhaoyun also quickly covered her sister's mouth.
Sister Shen?
She had seen that Prince Jin had no romantic fortune on his face before, so where did this Sister Shen come from?
If Prince Jin had romantic fortune, she wouldn't have claimed to be his fiancée publicly on the street.
Prince Jin's face showed no signs of romance, not even a hint of peach blossoms, so that "Sister Shen" definitely had no dealings with him.
"Zhaoling," Lu Ming composed himself, "tell me what's going on. Have you met Prince Jin before?"
This implied whether they had secretly engaged themselves earlier.
"No," Lu Zhaoling said with a cold laugh.
"You're still lying!" Madam Lu couldn't hold back her anger. She was seething, "If you hadn't seduced Prince Jin early on, would he have gone to the palace to ask for a marriage edict right after returning to the capital?"
No one would believe that!
"Believe it or not," Lu Zhaoling didn't care if she believed it.
"No matter what method you use, you must break off this engagement!" Madam Lu roared.
Lu Zhaoling raised an eyebrow, "I won't."
She would have close dealings with Prince Jin for at least the next half year, and this identity would make things much more convenient.
"Zhaoyun has an engagement with the Second Prince! Prince Jin is the Second Prince's Imperial Uncle! If you become Princess Consort Jin, this relationship will be all messed up!"
Madam Lu exclaimed.
Lu Zhaoling was somewhat surprised.
She looked at Lu Zhaoyun. Lu Zhaoyun showed a hint of shyness, and a touch of pride. When she glared back, there was also some annoyance.
"That's right, younger sister, you didn't know about this before, and Prince Jin probably didn't either, which is why this misunderstanding occurred."
"We didn't know, and the Emperor didn't either?" Lu Zhaoling felt curious.
The Lu family members paused.
That's right, the Emperor should know.
Lu Zhaoling smiled, "Since the Emperor knows, and still granted the marriage, it means the Emperor also believes that I am worthy of being your aunt-in-law."
This was amusing. So, she would become Lu Zhaoyun's Imperial Aunt?
However, that would only happen if Lu Zhaoyun truly married the Second Prince.
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