Transmigrating into a book, seducing him to rise to power

Day two.

Jun Zechen personally arrived at the Su residence with the imperial decree bestowing the marriage upon him. His tall and slender figure exuded an innate nobility and majesty.

Upon hearing the news, Lord Su and his wife immediately rushed to the main hall.

"Go and call the young lady, and tell her to come and greet the Crown Prince."

Lord Su walked briskly, giving instructions to the servants beside him.

Jun Zechen strode into the hall with his head held high, followed closely by An Shun, who held the imperial edict in his hands.

Lord Su and his wife bowed and said, "Your humble servants/wife pay their respects to Your Highness the Crown Prince."

"Lord Su and Madam Su, please rise."

Jun Zechen slightly raised his hand, a faint smile on his face.

Madam Su rose with a smile, silently observing the Crown Prince with satisfaction in her eyes.

Lord Su was quite shocked. He had worked with the Crown Prince for several years and had never heard the Crown Prince say "please" when calling out to someone.

Lord Su was beaming with joy as he recalled the first time the Crown Prince visited the Su residence and saw Yao Yao. He had sensed something then, and it turned out that it was not a misperception; the Crown Prince had indeed taken a liking to his daughter.

Then Lord Su respectfully said, "Your Highness, please take a seat."

"Your Majesty, I went to fetch my daughter. I heard that Yao Yao is going to the palace today, and she should still be getting ready, so I'm late."

Lord Su looked somewhat apologetic.

Actually, Jun Zechen arrived too early, catching Lord Su a bit off guard.

"It's alright, I'll wait for her, there's no need to urge her."

Jun Zechen waved his hand, his expression gentle.

Fifteen minutes later, Su Jingyao walked in.

When she saw Jun Zechen, she was about to bow when Jun Zechen, who was sitting, stood up, walked quickly to her, reached out to stop her, and gently took her hand.

Lord Su and Madam Su looked at each other in surprise.

Madam Su looked at the Crown Prince and became more and more satisfied.

Everyone says that the Crown Prince is cold and unapproachable. Sometimes, when the master talks about the Crown Prince's deeds in the court, Madam Su feels that the Crown Prince is too deep and calculating.

Today, upon seeing him, I was surprised to see how gentle and considerate he was towards Yao Yao. It seems the Crown Prince truly loves Yao Yao.

Su Jingyao stood in front of her parents, her hand held by Jun Zechen, a blush rising on her face, her eyes lowered, still somewhat shy.

"Anshun, read out the imperial edict," Jun Zechen instructed.

Immediately, Jun Zechen and Su Jingyao knelt down together, and Lord Su and Madam Su also knelt behind them.

By the mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees:

I have heard that Su Jingyao, the eldest daughter of the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, is gentle, dignified, virtuous, talented, and beautiful, and is renowned throughout the capital.

Crown Prince Jun Zechen is brave, wise, and has the world at heart; he is the heir apparent to the throne.

The Crown Prince and Su Jingyao are of similar age and their talents are well-matched; they are truly a match made in heaven.

To ensure a happy marriage, continue the royal bloodline, and consolidate the court, the emperor has decreed that Su Jingyao and Crown Prince Jun Zechen shall marry, and that they shall be married on an auspicious day.

May the two of them treat each other with respect and harmony after marriage, live in perfect harmony, be of one mind and one heart, produce offspring for the royal family, and jointly contribute to the prosperity of the nation.

The announcement was made to the whole world so that everyone would know.

This is it.

"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

The group shouted in unison, then touched their foreheads to the ground and kowtowed in gratitude.

In fact, the imperial decree of marriage could have simply been read aloud by a eunuch; Jun Zechen didn't need to come in person, nor did he need to kneel with Su Jingyao.

In her previous life, after Jun Yihuan ascended the throne, she said that they would no longer be emperor and empress but husband and wife. Only when they were relatively equal could they talk about love; otherwise, it would be one party giving charity to the other.

His noble status may not change in this lifetime, but he will do his best to give her the respect and equality she desires.

After Jun Zechen stood up, Su Jingyao placed her hand in his and used his strength to get up.

He then reached out and took the imperial edict handed to him by Anshun.

Anshun looked at the Crown Prince and Miss Su with a face full of satisfaction.

His gaze swept over the two of them, and he was filled with emotion: His Highness and Miss Su are truly a perfect match, a match made in heaven!

"Lord Su, I have come here today not only to bring the imperial decree of marriage, but also to bring Yao Yao to the palace to meet the Empress Dowager."

"Alright, then I'll trouble Your Highness to take care of Yao Yao." Lord Su bowed slightly, his face crinkling with smiles.

He looked at his daughter, his eyes brimming with pride.

Both the Su and Ye families are centuries-old families, with the Ye family having an even more profound history, as it once produced an empress.

By the time of Su Hongyu's generation, he had risen through the ranks after entering officialdom thanks to his outstanding talent and shrewd, experienced methods, eventually becoming the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, which allowed him to subtly surpass the Ye family.

Now her daughter is about to become the Crown Princess, and soon after, she will be the Empress of the Kingdom, bringing even greater glory and honor to the Su family.

Thinking of this, Su Hongyu felt a surge of pride. Even if he died and met his ancestors, he would be able to stand tall and proud.

-

Kunyi Palace.

Princess Minghui smiled and sat intimately next to the Empress on the couch, one hand linked with the Empress's arm, her body slightly leaning towards the Empress.

"Mother, when did you find out about the affair between my brother and sister-in-law? I was entrusted by my brother to keep it a secret for him, but it turns out that you knew everything."

Minghui looked on with curiosity, and as she spoke, she gently rested her head on the Empress's shoulder.

"I had my suspicions about your brother living outside the palace, but I simply didn't want to investigate."

"Unexpectedly, even though I didn't investigate, someone tipped me off."

The Empress gave a light scoff.

"Ah? Who is it, Mother? What is their reason for doing this?"

Princess Minghui's eyes widened, and she unconsciously sat up straighter.

"The informant said that Miss Su, at such a young age, is seducing the Crown Prince and behaving improperly. What do you think their purpose is?"

The Empress looked at Princess Minghui with a deep, meaningful gaze.

"Sister-in-law? Did she offend someone?"

Princess Minghui opened her mouth wide in surprise.

I never imagined that my sister-in-law would offend not only her, but also many other people. My brother even said she was arrogant. My sister-in-law must be relying on the fact that my brother is even more arrogant than her.

The Empress shook her head, her expression indifferent, seemingly unconcerned.

The Empress had always been worried about the Crown Prince's marriage. When she learned that he had taken a liking to the daughter of the Su family, she did not object much. At least in her opinion, the Su family's daughter's status and talent were worthy of the Crown Prince.

"Then... what is Mother's attitude towards my sister-in-law?"

"What attitude do I need to take? If your imperial brother likes it, am I supposed to go against him?"

"Mother, my sister-in-law is actually quite good. She is beautiful, learned, and a noble lady. She is a good match for my brother."

Princess Minghui smiled broadly and quickly said.

She has now realized that only by pleasing her sister-in-law can she please her brother, the emperor.

"Don't you hate her?"

The Empress looked at Princess Minghui with a half-smile.

Princess Minghui felt somewhat embarrassed. Back then, her sister-in-law had been so disrespectful to her outside the palace, and all the outstanding young men in the capital were vying for her sister-in-law's attention. Of course, she disliked her.

Moreover, Young Master Yan has always followed her without ever glancing at her. Now she and Young Master Yan are engaged, and she will become his wife in six months.

Now there's no reason to hate her anymore.

Besides, Su Jingyao is now her sister-in-law, how could she dare to dislike her?

"Mother, I have a very good relationship with my sister-in-law now, and I don't dislike her at all."

While the Empress and Princess Minghui were exchanging pleasantries, Jun Zechen took Su Jingyao's hand and arrived at Kunyi Palace.

"Your subject pays respects to Your Majesty."

"This humble woman pays her respects to Your Majesty the Empress."

Su Jingyao curtsied, her figure graceful and her voice soft and melodious.

Get up.

The Empress raised her hand slightly, a dignified and gentle smile on her face, and spoke.

After Su Jingyao stood up, she turned slightly to the side, a perfectly timed smile on her face.

"Your Majesty, this is a Phalaenopsis orchid bonsai that I purchased from a very famous bonsai master in Yuzhou. It is said that this bonsai master cultivated it for several years to obtain such a perfect Phalaenopsis orchid."

He stretched his hands slightly forward, signaling Miaoyun behind him to present the bonsai.

"This Phalaenopsis orchid is like an empress, noble, elegant, and peerless."

"May Your Majesty the Empress be blessed with good fortune and longevity, just like this orchid. This is a small gift; please accept it with a smile."

Su Jingyao spoke softly and sincerely.

She knew from her past life that the Empress loved bonsai and often pruned them herself, so she prepared a gift for her mother-in-law well in advance. Choosing a gift for her every time was really a painstaking task.

Jun Zechen is easier to fool; he likes whatever I give him.

The Empress looked at the Phalaenopsis orchid before her; it truly touched her heart.

Nowadays, His Majesty's energy is not as great as before, and he rarely enters the inner palace. In addition, the Crown Prince holds great power, so her position as Empress is very secure.

Therefore, they would often cultivate bonsai in the palace and place them there, which was very pleasing to the eye and could also cultivate their sentiments.

The Empress was somewhat of an expert on bonsai. She carefully examined the Phalaenopsis orchid. It was growing well, with a graceful and elegant overall shape and an exquisite color combination. It could be described as a fine work of art, showcasing the master's ingenuity and craftsmanship.

"I really like Miss Su's gift. Jinhua, please place this orchid in a prominent place so as not to disappoint Miss Su's kind intentions."

"As long as Her Majesty the Empress is pleased."

Su Jingyao breathed a slight sigh of relief, and her smile became even brighter.

The Empress then continued, "Crown Prince, Minghui, you may leave now. I wish to have a heart-to-heart talk with Miss Su today."

Although the empress's tone was gentle, it carried an unyielding authority.

Upon hearing this, Jun Zechen immediately frowned and looked at his mother with dissatisfaction, seemingly protesting her arrangement.

"Mother, I will also stay..."

Jun Zechen unconsciously took a small step forward.

The empress immediately interrupted him.

"I wonder if Miss Su would like to speak with me privately?"

Since the Empress had spoken, how could Su Jingyao disagree?

She then said to Jun Zechen, "Your Highness, I would also like to speak with Her Majesty the Empress alone."

Su Jingyao secretly winked at Jun Zechen, signaling that if he didn't leave soon, she would suffer even more, and that he shouldn't get in her way.

Jun Zechen seemed to have received her message. He pursed his lips and said, "Mother, I will take my leave. I will come to pick up Yao Yao in half an hour. Mother is tired from handling the affairs of the inner palace, so I will not let Yao Yao bother you any longer."

The Empress looked at the Crown Prince with indifferent eyes; he was truly her good son.

She didn't argue with him and simply agreed, "Okay, go down."