Chapter 63.4 â Reunion (4)
T/N: Chapter sponsored by Anon! Thank you for sponsoring!
Just as Du Xiao Li said, at the moment, Han Ming Hong had already reached the imperial palace, directly heading
to Shouyang Hall, where the Empress Dowager resided. Arriving at the main hall, and before entering, he heard the
sound of laughter coming from inside.
âThis son greets imperial mother.â After entering, Han Ming Hong brushed his clothes and bowed to the Empress
âHongâer has come.â The Empress Dowager, Zhong Li Ya, looked to Han Ming Hong and said, âQuickly get up,
why did you all decide to come see this grieving one* today. Someone come, quickly get Ming Hong a seat.â
(T/N: Self-address of the empress dowager is âaijiaâ which translates to âthis grieving oneâ, because sheâs supposed to
be grieving for the late emperor.)
Han Ming Hong got up and saw that the Emperor Han Ming Ze, the Empress, Han Ming Yi, and also Han Ming
Xiang were all present. Soon after, he immediately bowed to the Emperor and Empress as well, only getting up after
receiving the Emperorâs permission, and sat down on the seat that was prepared just now.
âHongâer, did you come for something today?â Zhong Li Ya looked to Han Ming Hong and said.
âImperial mother, this son had gone to Prime Minister Duâs home earlier.â Han Ming Hong said, âAnd then, gave Du
Xiao Li an engagement breaking letter.â
âImperial mother, this son has dissolved the engagement with Du Xiao Li of my own accord.â Han Ming Hong got
âPreposterous!â The Empress Dowager slammed her hand on the armrest at once as she berated.
âImperial mother, in the beginning, the target of the marriage decree never was Du Xiao Li, why should this son
marry her?â Han Ming Hong, seeing the Empress Dowager get angry, instantly cowered. He then took a deep breath
and continued, âIn the beginning, the engagement was with Ke Xin, just at the time, we didnât know about Du Xiao
Liâs existence, so it was said as the Du familyâs di daughter. Now that Du Xiao Li has returned, why have this son
matched together with a countryside girl? The one this son wants to marry is Ke Xin, not Du Xiao Li. Thatâs why
today this son went to have the engagement breaking letter delivered.â
âAre you treating this grieving oneâs words as a joke?â The Empress Dowager angrily said.
âImperial mother, you donât want this sonâs main consort to be a talentless and virtueless countryside girl either,
right?â Han Ming Hong said.
âImperial mother, donât be angry, Ren Wang must have his own reasoning.â At this time, the Emperor spoke.
Afterwards, he turned to Han Ming Hong and asked, âHow do you know the other party is a talentless and virtueless
person? Have you interacted with her before?â
âAlthough I havenât interacted with her before, a few days ago, when Ke Xin invited everyone to Feng Xue Lou,
many people all saw her. That day Changle also went, right?â Han Ming Hong said.
âOh? Imperial sister also went?â Han Ming Ze asked.
âYes.â Han Ming Xiang nodded.
âThen is what they say true? Is she really like what old four says?â The Empress asked.
âThat day, we certainly did play a game, by spinning a teacup on the table, and whoever the teacup stops in front of
will have to perform something. When it stopped in front of Xiao Li, she only sang a song without accompaniment.â
Han Ming Yi sat in his seat and didnât say a word the entire time. Only when Han Ming Xiang spoke did he lift his
eyes to glance at her, following which he lowered his head again, playing with the teacup in hand, but his attention
was clearly not on his hands.
âImperial mother, see, even Changle says so. How can this kind of girl be the main consort of the Ren Wang
Manor.â Han Ming Hong looked to the Empress Dowager in grievance, âMoreover, Du Xiao Li has already
accepted the engagement breaking letter.â
(T/N: Damn, I didnât think one song can cause this big of a scandal, this is like the funniest âreputation ruinerâ Iâve
ever read in any cnovel. Sing one song and bye bye reputation.)
The teacup in Han Ming Yiâs hand stopped spinning.
âShe accepted?â The Empress Dowager was still very angry, but sheâd obviously calmed down quite a bit already.
âYes.â Han Ming Hong nodded.
âImperial mother, the letter Iâve already written, and sheâs also accepted. Since itâs already like this, donât be angry
anymore.â Han Ming Hong said.
âBut you were also too reckless! What kind of position are you putting Prime Minister Du in like this?â The
âWhen Du Xiao Li accepted the letter, Prime Minister Du was also present. This son promised him to marry Ke Xin.
This doesnât really affect him that much either. Imperial mother, just bestow a marriage for this son and Ke Xin!â
âNonsense, you breaking off your engagement with Du Xiao Li is already making others laugh at you. If this
grieving one were to pass a decree again to engage you and Ke Xin, what will Prime Minister Du think? What will
the people of the world think of our imperial family?â
âImperial mother, no matter what, I want to marry Ke Xin. Once she reaches marriageable age, I will marry her.â
âRight now, this isnât something you can decide!â The Empress Dowager directly picked up the teacup on the table
and threw it at Han Ming Hong in anger, hitting him straight in the forehead. Instantly, the blood rushed forth,
flowing down along his cheek.
âImperial mother, please quell your anger.â
âEmpress Dowager, please quell your anger.â
âSomeone, quickly summon an imperial physician.â
Momentarily, the room broke out in clamor. On one hand, they needed to worry about the Empress Dowagerâs
mood, and on the other hand, needed to let the imperial physician bandage Han Ming Hongâs wound. After the
imperial physician finished treating Han Ming Hongâs wound, the room finally settled down again.
The Empress Dowager angrily looked Han Ming Hong, who had a white gauze wrapped around his head. When her
eyes landed on the dark red area of the wound, her gaze softened a bit.
âNo matter what, this grieving one wonât decree a marriage for you and Ke Xin again. You cancelling the
engagement on your own will already make the commoners of the world laugh at our imperial family. If we were to
then abandon the di and marry the shu, our imperial familyâs face, do you still want or not?!â
Han Ming Hong didnât speak and just stubbornly knelt on the ground.
âImperial mother, donât be angry anymore, careful not to harm your body from anger.â The Empress softly said.
âHmph, how I see it, he probably wants to anger this grieving one to death, so that he can do whatever he pleases!â
The Empress Dowager angrily said.
âThis son doesnât dare!â Han Ming Hong heavily kowtowed his head to the ground.
âImperial mother, calm your anger, Ming Hongâs thoughts, we all understand. Heâs always viewed his feelings rather
seriously and has been waiting to marry Du Ke Xin. But with the sudden appearance of Du Xiao Li, for him to do
something like this, it is also within reason.â
âYouâre still helping him talk! Just look at the foolish thing he did!â
âImperial mother, itâs not like this matter canât be resolved.â The Emperor said.
âWhat method do you have?â The Empress Dowager asked.
âSince Ming Hong and Du Xiao Liâs engagement is already broken now, and heâs also insisting on marrying Du Ke
Xin, why donât we just bestow another marriage for Du Xiao Li.â The Emperor replied.
âBestow another marriage?â