bookrebus Chapter 404
Chapter 404
"Your Majesty, today, this humble subject has a favor to ask." As Li Tianyou said this, he rolled his eyes at Xu Heming.However, thinking of his adorable future grandchildren, Li Tianyou felt that this man was still of some use for the time being.
"What is it?" Zhu Jingchen glanced at the two of them, thinking to himself, Does this look like they are asking for a favor?
Anyone who didn't know better might think they were about to force him to abdicate.
Fortunately, he knew very well that neither of them had any interest in the throne.
Still, seeing them arrive in such a huff made Zhu Jingchen a little nervous.
After all, he had genuinely forgotten about the marriage between Li Zhiwei and Xu Heming; it wasn't intentional.
"I beseech Your Majesty to grant this humble subject and the Li family an imperial edict. In the future, the children born to Miss Li and me will all be raised by my father-in-law and take his surname." Xu Heming didn't beat around the bush, cupping his hands in respect as he spoke.
"What did you say?" Zhu Jingchen dug at his ear, wondering if he had misheard.
Otherwise, how could it sound like Xu Heming wanted the children Li Zhiwei bore him to take the Li family's surname?
Was he planning to adopt all the children out to the Li family?
Even though the Prince An Estate already had a young heir, Xu Qingshi.
But wouldn't it be unfair to the other children to just give them away like that?
"Your Majesty, either the children are given to us, or he comes to my Li family as a live-in son-in-law!" Li Tianyou said with a look of utter dissatisfaction.
"Your Majesty, if my father-in-law agrees, it is perfectly fine for me to move into the Li household with the children in the future," Xu Heming said with absolute sincerity, completely unfazed by Li Tianyou's threat.
"Cough!" Zhu Jingchen, who had just taken a sip of water, choked and spat it out.
What did he just hear?
Xu Heming was actually volunteering to be a live-in son-in-law at the Li family. How bizarre! Could it be that being a live-in son-in-law was a highly sought-after position nowadays?
If that were true, Zhu Jingchen thought, maybe he could recruit a live-in son-in-law for the princess later?
At this thought, Zhu Jingchen actually felt a bit eager to try it.
"My two beloved subjects, I can certainly issue this edict, but have you both thought this through?" Zhu Jingchen blinked at Xu Heming, wondering if Xu Heming was being threatened by Li Tianyou and, too embarrassed to refuse directly, had come to him for help.
He figured that if this were the case, Xu Heming just needed to give him a hint, and he would reject the request on his behalf.
Otherwise, he simply couldn't believe that the dignified Prince An would truly be willing to become a live-in son-in-law for the Li family.
After all, Li Zhiwei still couldn't compare to his own princess.
"Your Majesty, this is also my intention." Xu Heming naturally caught Zhu Jingchen's hinting gaze. However, his true purpose in coming here was indeed to get the Emperor to issue the edict.
This was a layer of security for the Li family.
"Your Majesty, please also add that if Prince An ever wrongs my daughter in the future, she is allowed to take the children and return to the Li family!" Li Tianyou felt that just settling the matter of the children wasn't enough; another condition had to be added.
Just in case Xu Heming took a fancy to another woman later on, his daughter would still have a way out.
Zhu Jingchen looked at Xu Heming in shock and said hesitantly, "Minister Li, isn't that a bit inappropriate?"
Zhu Jingchen felt there was no way Xu Heming would agree to such a thing.
"Your Majesty, I heard that the national treasury has been a bit short on funds lately. This humble subject is willing to offer another two hundred thousand taels of silver to share Your Majesty's burdens!"
Seeing the Emperor hesitate, Li Tianyou didn't even think twice. He pulled a thick stack of banknotes from his robes and declared with a heroic air.
Xu Heming's mouth twitched. Was his father-in-law afraid he would go back on his word?
He hadn't even said he disagreed.
"Haha, Minister Li, this is easily arranged, easily arranged! Liu Xi, why haven't you drafted the edict yet?" Zhu Jingchen immediately said upon hearing this.
Even a moment's hesitation would be a sign of disrespect to those two hundred thousand taels of silver.
Besides, it was just letting Xu Heming go to the Li family.
It wasn't that big of a deal.
If only there were a few more courtiers like Li Tianyou.
Then he would never have to worry about an empty treasury!
After speaking, Zhu Jingchen stole a glance at Xu Heming's expression. Seeing that he wasn't upset, the Emperor breathed a sigh of relief.
The eunuch in charge of drafting edicts quickly finished the document and presented it to Zhu Jingchen.
"Minister Li, Minister Xu, take a look. Is there anything else that needs to be changed?" Zhu Jingchen smiled, inviting the two to check if anything needed to be added to the edict.
After all, he had never heard of an imperial edict like this before.
He also found it incredibly novel.
"No problems here." Li Tianyou looked it over and nodded in satisfaction.
"Your Majesty, this subject has no objections either." Xu Heming read the edict and saw that it was practically identical to what Li Tianyou had just requested.
"In that case, you shall each receive a copy of this edict." With a grand wave of his hand, Zhu Jingchen had the eunuch make a copy and then cheerfully stamped them with the imperial jade seal.
"We thank Your Majesty for your profound grace!"
The two men quickly knelt down to express their gratitude.
"No need for thanks. However, my two beloved subjects, there is no need to rush. The Ministry of Rites is already handling the wedding preparations." In a good mood, Zhu Jingchen explained to them that he had ordered the wedding preparations long ago, but had simply forgotten to notify the families involved.
He was, after all, an Emperor who got things done.
"Yes!"
Li Tianyou was taken aback. He didn't know if all marriages in the capital were handled by the Ministry of Rites.
But in this matter, following Xu Heming's lead couldn't be wrong.
The two men left the imperial palace, each holding a copy of the edict.
"Are all marriages in the capital handled by the Ministry of Rites?" Li Tianyou looked at Xu Heming in confusion.
"Father-in-law, usually only the marriages of imperial princes are handled by the Ministry of Rites," Xu Heming shook his head and quickly explained.
"Then why is your marriage being handled by the Ministry of Rites?" Li Tianyou asked with a frown.
"It is by His Majesty's profound grace that the Ministry of Rites was assigned to it," Xu Heming thought for a moment before replying.
"Was your previous marriage also handled by the Ministry of Rites?" Li Tianyou asked again.
He thought to himself that if that were the case, he would have to ensure the Ministry of Rites did an even better job for his daughter's wedding.
It couldn't be inferior to the previous one.
Otherwise, wouldn't people look down on his daughter?
"Father-in-law, when I married the former Princess Consort, the estate handled the arrangements itself." Xu Heming's mouth twitched slightly, but he quickly clarified.
"Alright, you can go back now." Having received a satisfactory answer, Li Tianyou waved his hand, shooing Xu Heming away.
Prince An's Estate
"What? The children will all belong to the Li family?" The Old Princess Consort felt a bitter taste in her mouth when she learned that her future grandchildren would take the Li family surname. After all, she had hoped for so many years and only had one grandson, Xu Qingshi.
Her son was finally getting married again, but now, before they were even wed, the rights to their future children had already been signed away from the Prince An Estate.
What would happen if she wanted to see her little grandchildren in the future?
Would she have to swallow her pride and go to the Li family just to see them?