She remarried a cold-faced, powerful man, and the scumbag regretted it and cried his heart out.

On the 28th of the third month, the imperial edict for marriage arrived.

The chief eunuch, Li Delu, came in person.

He had served the emperor since the time he was still a prince, and his status was incomparable to that of ordinary eunuchs.

Everyone in the Hou family, including Xie Wanqing who had been staying indoors for many days, came to the front yard.

Seeing that everyone had arrived, Li Delu announced the imperial decree with a beaming smile:

"Fengtian Chengyun Emperor, the imperial edict said:

I, having received the Mandate of Heaven to rule the world, always keep the well-being of the people in mind, and also hope for a stable court, harmonious relations among the nobles, and that they may work together to help the nation prosper.

Now we have Lady Shen, the legitimate daughter of the Marquis of Pingyang, of noble birth, gentle and quiet, with an elegant demeanor, displaying the bearing of a distinguished family. Lady Jiang, the head of the Commandery, is decisive and capable, a skilled commander who has repeatedly protected the peace of the capital region, truly a capable general.

The two are well-matched in social standing and in terms of talent and virtue; this is a match made in heaven, and I am overjoyed. I hereby bestow upon the marriage of Lady Shen, the legitimate daughter of the Marquis of Pingyang, and Lady Jiang, the head of the Commandery, to be held on the auspicious day of the eighth month. All the ceremonies and regulations shall be handled jointly by the Ministry of Rites and the Imperial Household Department, ensuring that they are solemn and complete. I hereby bestow upon them a thousand taels of gold, a hundred bolts of silk, and a number of precious jewels as a token of my congratulations.

I hope that after marriage, the couple will live in harmony, work together to assist the court, and live up to my expectations.

Admire this! "

Li Delu handed the imperial edict to Shen Jingshu and said, "I would like to congratulate Miss Shen on her happy marriage. His Majesty has shown great favor to the young lady and has prepared a generous gift, which he has specially ordered me to personally deliver to Miss Shen."

He beckoned, and the little eunuch behind him immediately stepped forward respectfully, carrying the box.

Li Delu opened the box, and there it was—the auspicious crown adorned with a bright pearl.

Upon seeing this, Shen Jingshu gracefully bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I thank you for your great kindness. Your Majesty's grace is boundless, and I will always remember it and live up to your expectations."

Shen Zizhong gave a wink, and the steward, Uncle Fu, understood immediately. He quickly stepped forward and presented a bulging purse with both hands, saying, "You must be tired from your journey, sir. This is just a small token of my appreciation. I hope you will accept it."

Li Delu accepted the gift with a smile, his smile widening as he said, "Your Excellency and Madam are too kind. I wish Miss Shen and Commandant a harmonious and long-lasting marriage, and that the Pingyang Marquis's mansion will enjoy great fortune and prosperity for generations to come."

Having said that, he happily led the eunuchs to the Jiang residence.

Xie Wanqing stood aside, watching this scene unfold, her heart burning with jealousy and boundless hatred.

She was unaware that Shen Jingshu and Jiang Jin'an had already been betrothed by the Emperor himself.

Upon receiving the imperial edict, she froze on the spot, her mind reeling.

Why? She was tricked and lost her virginity, while Shen Jingshu had it so easy. Despite being the subject of gossip, she still managed to meet someone as devoted as Jiang Jin'an, receive a marriage decree from the Emperor, and enjoy boundless glory.

It was her, it must have been her behind this that led to my downfall.

Xie Wanqing gritted her teeth; she vowed that she would not be human if she did not avenge this humiliation!

Shen Jingshu secretly asked Chunlan to convey a message from Xie Wanqing to Fu Zijin, saying that she only had him in her heart, but now she knew she was no longer worthy of him. The Cheng family was extremely wealthy, and if she became the young mistress of the Cheng family, she would definitely become a benefactor in the future.

Finally, Chunlan's eyes reddened. "Young master, my young lady is in deep trouble. I couldn't bear to see her like this, so I dared to come to you. Please, for the sake of our past relationship, persuade her a little."

Fu Zijin didn't care what happened to Xie Wanqing.

He had already married her once in his previous life, and he felt that he had done more than enough.

But Shen Jingshu was different.

That was the person he only realized he loved later.

She was the white moonlight he once possessed, but couldn't hold onto.

His expression was indifferent as he instructed Chunlan, "Go back and tell her to rest assured that she can marry into the Cheng family and become the young mistress of the Cheng family. After it's done, I will definitely not mistreat her."

Once back at the manor, Chunlan changed her story.

"Girl, that Fu Zijin is truly a scoundrel! He actually made you marry into the Cheng family, and even said that you must serve that dissolute young master of the Cheng family well!"

"Brother Zijin, do you really say that?"

“He told the maid himself that you have lost your virginity and that everyone knows it, so there’s no way he can deny it. He would never marry you!”

Upon hearing this, Xie Wanqing felt dizzy and disoriented.

Chunlan pretended to comfort her, "Miss, don't be too sad. Although the Cheng family is not a good match, at least it is a place for you to stay."

Xie Wanqing gave a bitter smile.

Now that things have come to this, what else can she do? If she doesn't marry into the Cheng family, where can she go? Should she really become a nun and spend the rest of her life with only the sound of a Buddhist lamp and the ancient Buddha?

She knew that the person behind Fu Zijin must be someone of extraordinary status, and that they were plotting something big.

However, Shen Jingshu failed to marry him as planned, and she could no longer become a burden or obstacle to him.

"For the sake of Brother Zijin, I will marry him. I only hope that he will not forget my sacrifice and dedication today."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

The news that the current emperor had bestowed a marriage upon Miss Shen caused a stir in the capital for several days.

Some people say, "The Pingyang Marquis's residence has been quite lively lately; in just over a month, several incidents have already occurred."

Some people say, "The story of Miss Shen and that cousin is truly a mix of joy and sorrow."

Dingguo Gongfu.

"You Jiang Jin'an, how could you keep this from me so closely!" Gu Changyi was furious upon hearing the news and paced back and forth in the room.

Back then, he had gone to great lengths to spread all sorts of rumors after Jiang Jin'an said just one word, but now that the imperial edict had been delivered to his home, he was still completely unaware.

Gu Changyi felt like a fool.

He was about to storm out of the mansion to confront Jiang Jin'an when, unfortunately, he was seen by Lady Jiang, the Duchess.

Seeing his appearance, Jiang frowned and immediately scolded him, "You good-for-nothing, where are you going to wander around again? You're always doing nothing productive, what kind of behavior is this!"

Gu Changyi was already harboring a grudge, and being scolded by Jiang Shi like this only fueled her rebellious spirit.

He shrugged nonchalantly, a mocking smile playing on his lips, and said, "Mother, my elder brother is there to protect us in this household. What am I? Why should I suffer such humiliation here?"

He didn't even glance at Jiang Shi again, and strode out the door with his servant Changfeng.

Jiang was trembling from his retort. She pointed in the direction he had left and couldn't speak for a long time. "That unfilial son, that unfilial son!"

Gu Changyi left the mansion, mounted his steed, and galloped away, with Changfeng following closely behind.

"Young master, where are we going?" Changfeng asked tentatively.

"Go to Jiang Jin'an's place, I want to see how he'll give me an explanation!" Gu Changyi shouted without turning her head. Her voice was carried away by the wind, but Changfeng could still hear it clearly.

Before long, the Jiang residence came into view.

Gu Changyi dismounted, tossed the reins to the servant at the gate, and strode into the mansion. Seeing his imposing presence, the servants dared not stop him and quickly made way.

He went straight to Jiang Jin'an's study and, without waiting to be announced, abruptly pushed open the door.

Jiang Jin'an was reviewing official documents in his study when Lin Yu, who was standing nearby, was startled by the sudden commotion.

"What's wrong with you?"

Jiang Jin'an didn't react much, as if he had expected him to come. He put down the official documents in his hand and asked calmly.

Gu Changyi snorted coldly, took a few steps forward, slammed her hand on the table, and questioned, "Jiang Jin'an, you're really something! Such a big thing as being betrothed by the Emperor, and you didn't even tell me! I even helped you spread those rumors and build up momentum for the two of you, and you're just making a fool of me!"