Rebirth: Making a Fortune in Ancient Times

The Emperor's words startled everyone present. What did he mean? Luo'er was only nine years old, while Xia Yu was already fourteen, and in another year she would come of age for marriage. Was keeping her in the palace a plan to make her a concubine for Luo'er? If not, which family would want to marry a woman who lived in the palace every day? Or wait until Luo'er came of age before Xia Yu married? By then, she would be an old maid; who could she marry then?

Grand Tutor Li knew what had happened, and since Xia Yu, being a young girl, was too shy to ask directly, he immediately asked on her behalf.

"Your Majesty, do you mean to make Lady Wenfu a lady-in-waiting? Lady Wenfu is already fourteen years old and will come of age next year. If she stays in the palace, it will inevitably affect her marriage."

The Emperor did not immediately answer the Grand Tutor's question. After thinking for a moment, he asked his son instead.

"Luo'er, do you like Wenfu to stay by your side?"

The Emperor's words made Xia Yu stiffen. Could it be that the Emperor really intended to make her Luo'er's concubine? And an older concubine who was several years older than the Emperor.

Zhou Luo glanced at Xia Yu kneeling before the bed. Although she didn't speak, he could sense her nervousness. He also understood the Emperor's meaning. After a moment's thought, Zhou Luo spoke to the Emperor.

“Princess Munbok is as close to me as an older sister, and I would like her to stay with me in the palace. However, if she stays with me in the palace, it will delay her marriage. So it is better not to let my sister stay in the palace.”

"Ahem...Alright, since that's the case, let Wenfu be your elder sister, my adopted daughter!" Hearing his son's words, the Emperor didn't want to say anything more. No matter the method, as long as Wenfu was willing to protect his only son, that was enough.

"Princess, why don't you kneel down and express your gratitude?" When Grand Tutor Li heard that the Emperor wanted to adopt Xia Yu as his goddaughter, although he didn't know why the Emperor was doing this, he still quickly reminded Xia Yu to express her gratitude.

Xia Yu herself hadn't expected the Emperor to bestow such a great honor upon her, but no matter what, as long as she wasn't made a concubine in the palace, she was willing to do anything. She quickly knelt down to thank the Emperor for his great favor.

"Your subject kowtows to thank Your Majesty for your great kindness. Your subject will definitely protect your younger brother, the Crown Prince." Xia Yu called out "Father" very quickly.

Upon hearing Xia Yu's words, the Emperor felt that his decision was correct; the Crown Prince needed Wenfu Xiangjun by his side to ensure his safety.

I recalled what the abbot of Huangjue Temple had said to me a few months ago.

"Your Majesty, the eldest prince is not destined to be an emperor. The throne will be inherited by another prince. However, if the prince is to be safe, he needs a woman with great fortune to protect him."

"Master, what constitutes a woman of great fortune? I can't possibly analyze the birth charts of every woman in the world!" He said this with a hint of jest.

“Your Majesty, the person of great fortune has appeared in the world. When the time comes to need her, she will naturally appear before Your Majesty.”

He had initially believed that another concubine in the harem would bear him a royal heir, but after the death of the eldest prince, he collapsed and vomited blood. Upon waking, he ordered the imperial physicians to examine every concubine in the harem, including even the palace maids, but none of them were pregnant. In a panic, he vomited blood a second time. Just when he thought the throne was about to be handed over to those ambitious members of the imperial clan, Shen Jingheng told him that the eldest son he was raising in his household was born to a palace maid whom the emperor had favored while drunk.

Just now, the Crown Prince told him that the Grand Tutor and Lady Wenfu had escorted him all the way to the capital. At that moment, he suddenly remembered what the abbot had said: Wasn't Lady Wenfu a man of great fortune?

The moment he saw Wenfu, he became even more certain of his thoughts: Lady Wenfu was indeed a woman of great fortune. As long as she could protect her Luo'er, the Crown Prince would surely be safe and sound.

"Bring everyone outside the palace in. I have something to say," the Emperor suddenly said after a moment of silence.

At this moment, besides the Emperor, only the Crown Prince, the Grand Tutor, and Xia Yu were in the hall. Zhou Luo was about to go out to call for someone when Xia Yu pressed her shoulder down.

"Luo'er, you stay here with your father. I'll go out and call for help." With that, he quickly walked to the palace gate and called in the ministers and palace servants who were waiting outside.

Once everyone was kneeling in the hall.

"Lady Wenfu is like the elder sister of Crown Prince Zhou Luo. She escorted the Crown Prince to the capital and saved him from danger on many occasions. Now I wish to take Lady Wenfu as my adopted daughter and bestow upon her the title of Princess Wenfu, with the fief of Ming'an County. She may reside in the palace and will be granted the residence of Chaohua Palace. In addition, I will grant her a princess's residence in the capital, which will be selected and constructed by the Ministry of Works according to regulations."

The Emperor's words caused an uproar among the kneeling ministers. At this critical juncture, he had actually adopted Wenfu Township Lady as his goddaughter, bestowed upon her the title of princess, and granted her a county as her fief. What merit or ability did she possess to deserve such high regard from the Emperor?

"Issue the edict immediately and notify all localities," the Emperor said, ignoring the uproar among the crowd.

"Your Majesty, Lady Wenfu is a peasant girl. I wonder what merits she has that made Your Majesty adopt her as your goddaughter, bestow upon her the title of princess, and grant her a fief?" One of the old ministers asked, disregarding the emperor's illness.

"She saved the Crown Prince and preserved the royal bloodline. Isn't that enough of a contribution?" Shen Jingxun suddenly retorted to the minister.

"Even so, granting her the status of a princess would suffice; why give her a county as her fief? None of the Emperor's own princesses currently receive fiefs. Wouldn't this chill the hearts of the princesses?"

"Other princesses, as long as they have rendered meritorious service to the country, will also be granted fiefs in the future. Every word I say and every imperial edict I issue is clear; you don't need to question whether I'm delirious from illness," the Emperor said weakly to the kneeling ministers.

"Your Majesty, I dare not. Please forgive me." The minister who had spoken out against it earlier quickly lowered his head and begged for forgiveness.

"I know you are worried and confused. All of you ministers are the backbone of the Crown Prince. I hope you will assist the Crown Prince well and create a new golden age."

"Your Majesty, we will certainly not fail in your trust."

"Alright...alright. Li Dequan, let all the concubines and princesses in the harem come to see me. I have some things to say to them."

During his illness, the Emperor did not see any of his concubines or daughters in the harem, not because he was heartless. Without proper arrangements in the court, the princesses in the harem would be like rootless duckweed, so he ordered Shen Jingxun to guard the gates leading to the harem, forbidding anyone from entering or leaving. This was not only to prevent news of the Crown Prince from leaking out, but also to protect them.