Cheng Yuanjing was made very helpless by the Emperors words. Both of them knew well his current situation. Now that Cheng Yuanjing was so nearby, the Emperor looked like an old father. He said with emotion: Zhen doesnt know whether the crown prince has been married or not.

Whether he was married or not, wasnt the Emperor knew it well?

Cheng Yuanjing didnt want to speak at all. He didnt even bother to lift his eyes and just quietly looking at the pattern on the seat. At this moment, he noticed Cheng Yujin was silently glancing at him. Her eyes brightened with what seemed to be gloating and pure enjoyment.

Cheng Yuanjing stared back at her. Cheng Yujin didnt expect to be caught red-handed snickering at Cheng Yuanjing. As if nothing had happened, she immediately retracted her smile and returned to her usual polite and well-behaved posture before turning her head in silence.

Cheng Yuanjing was annoyed. There was no way a person who was urged to marry in front of a woman he liked would have a good mood. Whats even more vexing was that Cheng Yujin, as the related party, had no idea and even enjoyed watching the play.

Cheng Yuanjings face became even colder.

As for the Emperors last remark, no one dared to reply. The crown princes disappearance was known to the entire country. After so many years, not even the news of his life or death had been found. And the second prince was almost grown up. Both Empress Dowager Yang and Senior Grand Secretary Yang had made clear their intention regarding the heir to the throne. If, at this time, the crown prince was still alive and even had offsprings among the common people, what would happen?

Huo Changyuan was afraid of touching this sensitive subject, so he only dared to lower his head and listened attentively, but didnt dare to respond a word. In fact, the Emperor also didnt expect to receive any response either. He normally wouldnt mention this kind of topic with people like Huo Changyuan. After pretending to sigh softly, the Emperor glanced to look at Cheng Yuanjings reaction. As a result, this eldest son was still as cold and indifferent as usual, as if the person just mentioned was not him at all.

The Emperor secretly felt a bit disappointed. However, he immediately changed his mind. As the future ruler of the country, the crown prince should always be calm and composed, never revealing his emotion easily. In this regard, Li Chengjing was indeed very good.

At the same time, however, seeing his eldest son was still alone at this late age was undoubtedly a thorn in the Emperors heart. Let alone having children, not even a single woman had seemed to enter the crown princes eyes. However, if Cheng Yuanjing eventually wanted to marry a wife, the Emperor would certainly make a thorough investigation.

The future crown princess couldnt be chosen sloppily.

But the fact was a fact. Cheng Yuanjing was still unmarried at this late age. This was certainly a sore spot for the Emperor. Because of the empress dispute, it was already very late when Empress Zhong gave birth to Cheng Yuanjing, and the Emperor finally became a father at the age of 23. When the Emperor had no heir, the courtiers were very anxious. But Cheng Yuanjing was even more late. He was twenty years old this year, and still showed no sign of getting married.

The Emperor sighed inwardly. Fortunately, Cheng Yuanjing would soon return to his rightful identity. Next year, after the Eastern Palaces affairs were fully arranged, it would be a perfect time to put the crown princes marriage on the agenda.

Without other peoples knowing, the Emperor had started choosing suitable crown princess candidates among the women in the capital. After thinking for a while, the Emperor realized that he hadnt paid enough attention to younger generations over the years. He didnt even know which suitable families in the capital had a girl of the right age.

The Emperor turned to Huo Changyuan again. His eyes were gentle, like any usual middle-aged man talking with young people, curious about their affairs. The Emperor asked Huo Changyuan: You said that you have been married for three months. From which family is your wife from?

The Emperors thought was actually very simple. He merely wanted to know how Huo Changyuan and his wife first know each other, so they could be used as a reference for his own son to choose a wife.

Huo Changyuan was flattered. Today, he had spoken to the Emperor more than his past twenty years combined. In addition, if the Emperor asked about military affairs, it was showing his trust. But asking about private affairs such as wife and family matters were showing a closeness.

What a glory! Huo Changyuan suppressed his excitement and answered respectfully: Replying to the Emperor. This subjects wife is Yichun Marquis Manor Cheng familys daughter. This subject received a life-saving grace from her. After recovering from the injuries, this subject came over to propose marriage to her family.

Tsk, turned out to be life-saving grace. The Emperor felt troubled. This was too difficult to be a reference. The Qingxuan Temples incident was more than enough. The Emperor didnt want Li Chengjing to encounter another danger that made him lost contact and had to be saved by a stranger.

The Emperor nodded, no longer interested in inquiring further. His gaze swept over Cheng Yujins face. No wonder these four people appeared here together. It turned out that Huo family and Cheng family were related by marriage. Li Chengjing must arrange this newlywed couple as his cover. Since his nominal surname was Cheng, it wasnt strange for him to also be here.

Immediately afterward, the Emperor felt something was wrong. The girl who introduced herself as Chengs eldest daughter was dressed as an unmarried girl. Then, which Cheng familys daughter did Huo Changyuan marry? Did he marry an aunts generation?

The Emperor was curious, so he asked again: Do you marry Marquis Yichuns daughter? Does he still have a daughter of the right age?

Old Master Chengs mourning period had not passed yet, and Cheng Yuanxian had not yet to assume the Marquis title. The late Old Master Cheng was still Marquis Yichun. Facing the Emperors misunderstanding, Huo Changyuan was very awkward. But he had to properly explain: Replying to the Emperor. This subjects wife is Marquis Yichuns second granddaughter, not daughter. Miss Cheng is wifes eldest sister, and they are twins. When wifes sister was an infant, she was adopted by Cheng familys first branch under Qingfu Junzhus name.

The Emperor finally got it. So it turned out that these two women were sisters. Indeed, the late Marquis Yichun was already seventy or eighty years old. How could he still have a fifteen years old daughter? The Emperor turned to look at Cheng Yujin and Cheng Yumo, feeling strange: Since you are twins, why dont you look the same?

Here came again. Since she was a child, Cheng Yujin had heard this exact same question countless times already. She was already sick answering it. All the madams who came to visit would definitely ask this question upon learning that she and Cheng Yumo were twin sisters.

Are you older sister or younger sister? Why do you two look different?

Not all twins in the world looked exactly the sameCheng Yujin sighed inwardly. She respectfully replied: Your Majesty, my second sister and I already looked different since we were infants. When we grow up, this is also the case.

Seeing that the emperor was still curious, Cheng Yuanjing added from the side: These two are the same with dragon and phoenix twins1, but they are a pair of sisters instead of brother and sister.

After listening to Cheng Yuanjings explanation, the Emperor immediately understood. He felt amazed. Twins were originally rare, but twins siblings who didnt look alike were even rarer. As was widely known, dragon and phoenix twins had always been a sign of auspiciousness. Although in the Cheng familys case they were a pair of sisters, there was not much difference in essence.

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Dragon and phoenix twins: A male and female twins. Said to be auspicious in Chinese belief.