Appointing a General as a Concubine: Where Can General Xiao Escape?

Chapter 114: Annulling the Marriage

"Even without them, don't you still have me? Can't I entertain you?"

Xiao Mo looked at him and shook her head helplessly: "They only come here occasionally, don't they just stay for a while and then leave?"

Qi Minxiu pursed his lips, walked to the side and picked up a flute: "I haven't played the flute for you for a long time, do you want to listen?"

Xiao Mo closed her eyes, chuckled, and nodded: "Yeah."

Qi Minxiu walked over to the soft couch beside her bed with a smile and sat down. When the sound of the flute rang out, her mind unconsciously reflected the scene of Qi Minxiu playing the flute and her dancing with a sword in Qinshan that year.

She closed her eyes and enjoyed this peaceful moment. The smile on her lips was so gentle and charming that Qi Minxiu beside her couldn't help swallowing.

If she wasn't bedridden now, he was really afraid that he wouldn't be able to help himself...

As night fell, Concubine Liang came to the Qinzheng Hall carrying a bowl of steaming white fungus soup.

The emperor was reviewing memorials when he heard footsteps. He thought it was Concubine Chang who had made a mistake, so he shouted at her to leave without even raising his head.

Seeing that the person not only did not stop but was gradually approaching, he raised his head angrily and was about to curse when he saw Concubine Liang looking at him with a wronged expression.

He was stunned for a moment, then quickly walked around the table to hold her hand: "So it's my beloved concubine? Why don't you rest at this late hour?"

Concubine Liang's eyes were shining with some moisture. She turned around unhappily and picked up the bowl from the maid's hand.

"I am afraid that Your Majesty is overworked with state affairs, so I specially made a bowl of Tremella soup to relieve your fatigue."

The emperor looked at the bowl in her hand and took it with a smile: "Did you make it yourself?"

"It's brewed by someone else, and I'm afraid Your Majesty won't like it." Concubine Liang's soft and clear voice was like a pearl, and the emperor's heart trembled when he heard it.

He pulled her to sit on the chair and said, "My beloved, you have worked hard. Let me have a taste."

Watching the emperor finish drinking the Tremella soup, Concubine Liang carefully took out a handkerchief to wipe the corners of his mouth.

"Your Majesty, recently, everyone in the palace has been discussing the matter between Prince Chen and General Xiao."

"Oh?" The emperor turned to look at her sideways. "Talking about them? What are you talking about?"

Concubine Liang said cautiously while observing the emperor's expression.

"There was talk of Prince Chen arranging a ghost marriage for General Xiao, and now that General Xiao has returned safely, is this marriage still valid?"

"Since the wedding has already taken place, then the marriage is naturally valid." The emperor blurted out without thinking.

Concubine Liang bit her lip in a feigned embarrassment. "Logically, a ghost marriage involves marrying a dead person, but General Xiao is still alive. If we want this marriage to be valid, I'm afraid we'll have to redo it."

"Do it again?" The emperor frowned and looked at her in confusion.

Concubine Liang sighed, stood up and took two steps: "Your Majesty, you know that Prince Chen's ghost marriage has already had a certain impact on the common people."

"What impact?"

"Before this incident, ghost marriages had never been practiced among the people. Since Prince Chen started this practice, some places have started to follow suit."

The emperor frowned when he heard this. He had taken this factor into consideration when he refused.

I didn’t expect that in just a few months, people outside had already learned it.

Concubine Liang noticed that the emperor's expression was somewhat moved, and continued: "If those people were like the prince, using paper figures to replace the dead, it would be fine, but in some places, they use living people to sacrifice the dead.

Your Majesty, those who were forced to marry the dead or marry the dead are all living beings."

The emperor frowned and lowered his eyes. He was silent for a while before speaking softly.

"So according to what my beloved concubine said, can this situation be resolved by holding another wedding for Min'er?"

Concubine Liang smiled knowingly and walked over to sit beside him. "No, the Emperor must first announce to the world that the ghost marriage between Prince Chen and General Xiao is cancelled and their wedding is invalid.

If you enact a law that punishes those who perform ghost marriages with severe punishment or even death, I believe that with the Prince's guidance, those people will not dare to do such things again."

The emperor considered her words for a moment, a hint of appreciation in his eyes, but he was soon overcome by embarrassment.

"But Min'er and General Xiao are truly in love. If I do this, will it be..."

"It's alright, Your Majesty. Once the storm has blown over, you can choose an auspicious date and hold a grand wedding for them. Wouldn't that make everyone happy?"

The Emperor was touched by Concubine Liang's kindness. He patted her hand gently, stood up, and said to the door, "Go to Yongyang Palace."

The next day, at the morning court session, the emperor announced in front of everyone that Qi Minxiu and Xiao Mo's ghost marriage was invalid.

He also issued an order to crack down on the practice of ghost marriages among the people, with minor offenses punishable by severe penalties and serious offenses by death.

Qi Minxiu had not attended the morning court for many days because he had to take care of Xiao Mo, so naturally he did not know about this matter at the first time.

Qi Minxiu didn't hear about this until Xiao Wenbo brought people to Prince Chen's Mansion to ask for someone.

With the emperor's order, Xiao Wenbo no longer felt the fear he had before when facing Qi Minxiu.

"Your Highness, the Emperor has already dissolved your marriage with his beloved daughter. You are both now free. If you allow her to continue staying in Prince Chen's mansion, I'm afraid people will gossip about her."

Qi Minxiu stared at him murderously. If it weren't for the fact that he was old and Xiao Mo's father, he would have punched him twice.

Xiao Wenbo looked him in the eye without fear: "Your Highness, there is no need to get angry with this old minister. This is the Emperor's decree from this morning."

Qi Minxiu clenched his fists and was about to chase him away when Xiao Mo came out supported by Shen Yun.

"Ah Xiu." She called him softly: "Since it is the emperor's intention, then I will go back first. After we figure out what happened, we will make plans."

Qi Minxiu frowned and looked at her, the reluctance in his eyes moving: "Amo."

Xiao Mo didn't say anything else, just smiled and nodded at him.

Qi Minxiu glanced at Xiao Wenbo and quickly walked to Xiao Mo's side: "You haven't recovered yet, why are you getting up? Go back and lie down."

Xiao Mo shook her head slightly and looked up at him: "Instead of wasting time here with my father, why don't you go to the palace and ask the emperor for an explanation?"

Qi Minxiu looked into her eyes quietly, then suddenly picked her up and said, "Come on, I'll take you back to the Prime Minister's Mansion first."

She was right. Even if he won the argument with Xiao Wenbo, it would only be a temporary solution. The problem had to be solved from the root.