Divorced woman with child travels through time

Two days later, in the inner palace.

Princess Anning, dressed exceptionally beautifully, sat gracefully beside Song Yayi. "Your Highness, if the Emperor disagrees later, you must put in a good word for me."

"Alright, alright, I understand! It's rare that you're so understanding and willing to get married, that's a good thing!" Song Yayi held the thick list of gifts without giving it much thought. After all, they were relatives she had known since childhood, so she naturally agreed to help them get married.

Not long after, Zhao Jian returned from court, feeling somewhat irritable. Recently, Consort He was about to give birth and had become increasingly willful and capricious, which he found difficult to handle.

"Husband, you're back!" Song Yayi stood up and greeted him with a smile.

Zhao Yirong quickly stood up and bowed, "Greetings, Your Majesty!"

“Anning is here. What’s wrong? Is something the matter? That’s why our Princess Anning has come to me at this time?” Zhao Jian glanced at the gift list on the table and asked directly with a mocking tone.

“I really do have something to ask of Your Majesty. I have taken a liking to the third-ranked scholar, Yu Long. I beg Your Majesty to cancel the marriage!” Zhao Yirong knelt down and pleaded with a smile.

Zhao Jian's smile slowly faded. He didn't tell her to get up, but said calmly, "Has the princess asked about your mother?"

Zhao Yirong was puzzled, and her smile froze on her face. "No, this is my own business!"

"Then go back and ask your mother if she agrees! Go!"

Zhao Jian, with a cold face, deliberately knocked the gift list off his face, turned around to talk to Song Yayi, and ignored her.

Zhao Yirong looked bitter. Song Yayi's mother, who was next to her, quickly picked up the gift list that had fallen on the ground and handed it to her, then helped her up.

She looked back with hope and reluctance, and seeing that Zhao Jian did not try to stop her, she stumbled out of the palace, carrying her skirt.

Once back in the carriage, Zhao Yirong resumed her serious demeanor, staring coldly at the imposing palace behind her without a trace of a smile.

"Go back to the manor! I'm going to find my mother!"

"Yes!" Ruyi glanced at her worriedly, then lowered her head.

The carriage sped through the streets shrouded in darkness and came to a stop at the brightly lit Princess's residence.

"I've met the princess!"

"No need for formalities!" Zhao Yirong said without stopping, quickly entering the backyard.

It was evening, and in the brightly lit mansion, Princess Zhao Roufu was enjoying music and songs under the moonlight. Since her divorce from Duke Cao Xiangru, she had returned to her own residence, and in her spare time, she would listen to storytelling and singing, which she found quite pleasant.

"Mother!" Zhao Yirong's urgent call interrupted the music.

Zhao Roufu snapped out of her daze, propped herself up, and helped her kneeling daughter up, asking with concern, "My daughter, what's wrong? What's making you so flustered?"

"Mother, I went to ask the Emperor to grant us a marriage, but he actually refused!" Zhao Yirong's tearful eyes broke Zhao Roufu's heart, so much so that she forgot what she was saying.

"How dare he disagree! I'll go and talk to him. What? You mean a marriage decree?" Zhao Roufu suddenly understood, and excitedly pulled her to sit down. "Tell me quickly, which young man have you taken a fancy to? I'll go and propose marriage for you!"

Is that the key point? The key point is that the Emperor doesn't agree! Zhao Yirong said with a sense of helplessness, "The third-place winner in this year's imperial examination is Yu Long!"

"Oh dear, my son has excellent taste! To be chosen as the third-ranked scholar, he must be an exceptionally outstanding person." Zhao Roufu stood up, genuinely pleased. "Wait, you just said the Emperor disagreed? Why didn't he agree?"

Zhao Yirong looked at her calmly, "Because he is General Wang's man. Although it was only because General Wang had done him a favor, the Emperor probably doesn't want me to become his ally."

Zhao Roufu walked to her side and placed his hands on her shoulders. Her eyes were almond-shaped, just like Zhao Roufu's.

"My son, look at your mother. Do you truly love him? You will marry no one but him and will have no regrets!"

Zhao Yirong nodded firmly, "Yes! I will marry no one but him, and I will not regret it!"

"Alright, I will grant your wish." Zhao Roufu smiled slightly. "You really are my own daughter, with the same personality as me. I just hope you will have better luck and be happy and healthy."

"I will. Yu Lang will not let me down," Zhao Yirong said confidently with a smile.

"Alright, you may go now. I will go to the palace tomorrow. Wait for my good news."

"Thank you, Mother!" Having received a satisfactory reply, Zhao Yirong got up and left.

As she watched her figure disappear, Zhao Roufu looked at Manyue with a sense of loss and melancholy.

"Princess, would you like some goat's milk? It will help you fall asleep," Qianji, the male concubine, came over to persuade her.

"Yes, go and have someone inquire about this third-ranked scholar. We can't let Rong'er follow in my footsteps." Zhao Roufu lay on the soft couch. "Rong'er's personality is just like mine. She won't turn back until she hits a wall. It's rare for someone to catch her eye. We can't let her down."

"Yes." Qianji fed her the goat milk, serving her spoonful by spoonful.

“I’m old and don’t have so many worries. I just hope my children are safe and sound. You’re still young. If you ever get tired of it, you can leave on your own!” Zhao Roufu said, seemingly casually, as she gently touched his chin with her jade-like hand.

“Princess, you’re not old at all. This is the perfect age for me,” Qianji said with a gentle smile.

"You finally managed to coax me, haha." Zhao Roufu laughed heartily. Although she was nearly fifty, she didn't look much weathered. If you didn't look closely, you would think she was just a young woman.

"Alright, alright, it's late and the dew is heavy, let's get some rest."

The next day in the palace, Zhao Jian looked at the eldest princess with a headache.

"Why is Auntie here?" Please, please don't mention the arranged marriage!

“I have come to plead for my son Yirong.” Zhao Roufu smiled kindly. “It is a great blessing that my son is willing to get married. I am sure His Majesty will not disagree.”

This is using power to intimidate others.

Zhao Jian gave an awkward smile and feigned innocence, saying, "I wonder which one you've taken a fancy to?"

"Oh, it's Yu Long, the third-place scholar in this imperial examination! He's just a poor boy from a fallen family, but it's a good thing he's married to a princess." Zhao Roufu looked at him with a smile, full of anticipation.

"This..." Zhao Jian explained with difficulty, "I suppose Aunt doesn't know who's behind him. To be honest, it's a good thing for Yi Rong to get married. She's not young anymore. It's just that this person has some entanglements. I don't think he's suitable for Yi Rong. Why not find someone else? I will definitely agree."

"Oh~ I wonder who Your Majesty is referring to?" Zhao Roufu stopped smiling, glanced at the pastries on the table next to her, pursed her lips, and without waiting for him to call her, stood up, walked to the table next to Zhao Jian, picked up the pastries from his plate, returned to her seat, and began to eat them as if nothing had happened.

Zhao Jian watched her come and go with ease and indifference, the veins on the back of his hand bulging, but he smiled and said, "I heard it's General Wang, but I don't know why General Wang's personal guards escorted him all the way to the capital."