“Since you two are well-matched, I hereby announce that Miss Lan Lan shall be betrothed to the Second Prince Long Junhao as his wife, to accompany each other for life, whether in wealth or poverty, until old age! The wedding date will be set!” Long Chaotian looked at the golden boy and jade girl before him with satisfaction.
“Thank you, Imperial Father!”
“Thank you, Your Majesty!” Long Junhao and Lan Lan smiled at each other, kowtowing in gratitude.
The two of them, filled with joy and excitement, finally endured the banquet and could return home.
Back at the mansion, Long Junhao excitedly spun Lan Lan around until she was dizzy before putting her down. He was thrilled; the uncertainties of recent days had been resolved, and she was completely his.
Lan Lan laughed heartily, happy to leave behind the difficult days. Becoming part of the royal family hadn’t been on her mind; everything had gone surprisingly smoothly, without the disasters typical in novels. Could it be the good luck from the Phoenix Order, as Grandpa Long mentioned? Her only regret was not knowing how her mother and sister were doing. Why hadn’t Grandpa Long returned? With the New Year approaching, all her hopes were pinned on him.
In the room, he hugged Lan Lan and sat on a stool, kissing her several times before excitedly sharing the good news.
“Honey, our wedding date is set for the eighth day of the first lunar month. We need to prepare quickly!” Long Junhao’s usually cold face showed rare excitement.
“Oh! I see. Husband, why hasn’t Great-Grandpa come back yet?” Hearing this news, Lan Lan seemed listless.
“Great-Grandpa? He should be back soon. I heard he’s on his way. Just be at ease and be my bride!” Long Junhao patted her head, knowing her concerns would only be resolved when Great-Grandpa returned.
The next day near noon, a palace guard summoned Lan Lan for an audience with the Emperor. In the Tianlong Imperial Court, there were no eunuchs; only guards, and princesses and princes could leave the palace after reporting to the monitoring hall.
Lan Lan asked Xiaoyue to help her dress and groom herself before following the guard into the palace.
