The Sickly Regent Prince Who Was Abandoned as a Substitute Bride

The eldest prince remained silent for a moment, seemingly deep in thought. After a while, he murmured to himself, "I think Father Emperor does indeed have this intention."

Suddenly, Dongfang Zheng seemed to remember something important and hurriedly said, "By the way, Your Highness, all my guards have disappeared for some reason. I hope you can send a few guards to assist me."

The eldest prince nodded in agreement. Then, he said firmly, "Lord Dongfang, rest assured, now that the situation has changed, we must act swiftly. I will immediately go to the palace and request the Empress Dowager to petition the Emperor for a marriage decree on my behalf! And you, on your side, must also make preparations as soon as possible!"

Having said this, the eldest prince turned and left, rushing towards the palace without hesitation. He knew time was of the essence and he had to act decisively…

"Your Highness, take care..." Dongfang Zheng saw the prince off, then went outside to collect money from the shop. Thirty thousand taels... when would he ever be able to gather that much...

The Empress's Palace...

"The eldest prince has arrived!"

As an announcement rang out, the eldest prince, Ye Jingchu, stepped into the empress's palace. His steps were steady, his expression serious, but a hint of anxiety was visible in his eyes.

"Mother!" Ye Jingchu greeted the Empress as soon as he entered the room.

Empress Yuan Chuhuang's face lit up with joy when she heard her son arrive: "My son! Come here quickly, let your mother take a good look at you." Empress Yuan Chuhuang looked at Ye Jingchu with affection and gestured for him to come closer.

Ye Jingchu stepped forward and bowed again, saying, "Your humble servants pay their respects to Your Majesty..."

"My son, please rise. What brings you here to visit your mother today?" Empress Yuan Chuhuang asked with concern.

Ye Jingchu stood up, took a deep breath, and then solemnly said to the Empress, "Mother, I have a request. I have fallen in love with a woman and hope that you can speak to Father and ask him to grant us a marriage."

Empress Yuan Chuhuang's eyes flashed with surprise upon hearing this, but she quickly regained her composure. She smiled and asked Ye Jingchu, "My son has a girl he likes? That's wonderful! Tell your mother, which family's daughter is so fortunate to have won your favor?"

Without hesitation, Ye Jingchu replied, "It is Dongfang Hou's eldest daughter, Dongfang Wan'er. Mother, I will marry no one but her. Please help me with this."

Yuan Chuhuang frowned upon hearing Ye Jingchu's words. She was well aware of the complexities and political entanglements of palace marriages, and Dongfang Wan'er's background was far from simple. However, as a mother, she didn't want to see her son end up like this.

After a moment of silence, Empress Yuan Chuhuang sighed softly and said to Ye Jingchu, "My son, this matter is not so easy. Although Dongfang Wan'er comes from a prestigious family, marriage involves many aspects and requires careful consideration. However, since you are so fond of her, I will do my best to convey your feelings to the Emperor. But the final decision rests with the Emperor, and we can only wait for his decree."

Ye Jingchu looked at the Empress gratefully: "Thank you, Mother! I understand the difficulties involved, but I truly love Dongfang Wan'er and hope to spend the rest of my life with her. In any case, I will respect Father's decision."

"Chu'er, tell your mother, do you truly love Dongfang Wan'er, or is it merely because she is the granddaughter of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion..." Yuan Chuhuang frowned, looking at Ye Jingchu with worry. She truly did not want her son to be involved in court intrigues, much less sacrifice his happiness for power and status.

Ye Jingchu naturally understood his mother's good intentions, and he quickly stated, "Mother, my feelings for Wan'er are absolutely genuine. At first, perhaps I did have some other thoughts, but now, whenever I think about Wan'er possibly marrying someone else, my heart aches as if it's being gnawed by a million ants..."

Yuan Chuhuang sighed helplessly. She knew her son's personality well; once he made up his mind about something, it was very difficult to change it. "Since you are so persistent, then your mother will have no choice but to help you. However, you should know that Dongfang Wan'er is the granddaughter of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion, and her status is extremely prestigious. If you really want to marry her, you will probably have to put in a lot of effort."

"Thank you, Mother!" Ye Jingchu was overjoyed, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "My sister Wan'er and I are already deeply in love, and I believe Father will not object. Why don't we go together to see Father now and settle this matter?"

Seeing her son's eagerness, Yuan Chuhuang realized that he truly loved Dongfang Wan'er.

"Alright, Mother, go change your clothes!" Empress Yuan Chuhuang told Ye Jingchu not to rush...

"Your son awaits his mother..." For some reason, a voice inside Ye Jingchu kept telling himself that he must marry Dongfang Wan'er, otherwise... Things might change drastically, but he truly wanted to marry Dongfang Wan'er now...

Before long, the empress appeared in a magnificent robe, its body embroidered with exquisite patterns in gold thread. The collar and cuffs were adorned with expensive pearls and gemstones, shimmering with dazzling light.

Her hair was styled in a high bun, adorned with a dazzling jeweled crown that signified her noble status. The Queen's face was exquisite, lightly made up, which enhanced her elegant demeanor. Her figure was graceful, her every step exuding majesty and solemnity.

"My son, come with your mother to see your father..."

On his way to the emperor's palace, Ye Jingchu secretly plotted how to persuade the emperor. He knew all too well that getting his father to grant him the marriage would not be easy... his father also wanted to marry Wan'er as his concubine!

"Your Majesty, the Empress and the First Prince have arrived..." Eunuch Li Fu bowed and reported cautiously.

"Hmm, let them in..." The emperor sat on the dragon throne and nodded slightly in acknowledgment.

Upon entering the palace, Ye Jingchu and the Empress bowed to the Emperor together.

The emperor looked at Yuan Chuhuang, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. He seemed to have not expected her sudden appearance. The Yuan family were veterans of three reigns, and he had gone to great lengths to marry Yuan Chuhuang, thus gaining their support. However, Yuan Chuhuang always treated him with utmost politeness and respect, which left him somewhat disappointed.

"Empress, what brings you here today?" The Emperor's voice was neither warm nor cold, revealing no emotion whatsoever.

"Your Majesty, I came here with Chu'er. He has fallen in love with a woman..." the Empress said softly.

Upon seeing this, Ye Jing hurriedly said, "Your subject greets Your Majesty! I have come today with an important matter to ask of Your Majesty. I have long admired a woman, and therefore I humbly request Your Majesty to grant me marriage and fulfill my destiny with her."

After listening to Ye Jingchu's words, the emperor remained silent for a moment, then slowly asked, "What is this woman's identity?"

Ye Jingchu took a deep breath and said sincerely, "Father, I have long admired Dongfang Wan'er. I humbly request that you grant me marriage with Dongfang Wan'er."