It turned its green bean-like eyes toward me for a moment, then flapped its wings toward Xue Yu, as if greeting it.
The white peacock changed its route and approached me, lying down at my feet and looking up at Xiao Huang.
My mind went blank as I wondered, “Xiao Huang, what have you been doing to it these past few months?” How did the unremarkable Xiao Huang manage to make the white peacock so obedient?
Xiao Huang seemed quite proud, while Jiang Yunqiao looked utterly shocked and regretful. The High Priest could barely stand, likely surprised that Xiao Huang became the key to reversing the situation.
A deafening cheer erupted from below, uniting the people in calling out my title. The nearby Emperor nodded and smiled at me.
I felt an urge to laugh, realizing there is such a thing as divine will and that everything has its cause and effect. Yunqiao’s scheme had spectacularly backfired.
With heaven’s will guiding us, the Emperor soon issued a decree appointing me as the heir apparent and announced that next spring, he would choose a fief for Second Princess Jiang Yunqiao and have her relocate.
However, rumors began to spread, claiming I had cheated in the trial, with a parrot as evidence, suggesting something was wrong. Some even claimed I had a chronic illness and couldn’t bear children.
Chapter Seventy-Two: Love and Killing
The Emperor paid no attention to these rumors, and my relationship with An Jin remained unchanged. We continued to attend various events and hosted the Mid-Autumn Festival, making regular public appearances. Without evidence or further discussion, the rumors gradually died down.
After Mid-Autumn, several significant events occurred in Fengzhu that helped people forget the rumors.
First was my younger sister’s marriage to General Shen, a respected figure from the prestigious Shen family. The wedding was grand, with every household hanging red banners, rivaling a royal wedding. This marriage indirectly connected the Shen family to me, subtly elevating my status in the eyes of the people.
Song Shitian from Qi Kingdom intended to attend the wedding but, having just been diagnosed with pregnancy, could not travel far. Instead, the Tang family sent congratulatory gifts.
On the wedding day, my sister wore the wedding dress sewn by our mother, looking more beautiful than a lotus in early summer.
