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Xia Zheng could have explained everything with just a few words, yet he rambled on for nearly the time it takes an incense stick to burn.

The Old Emperor was utterly speechless in the face of this show-off husband, but still, he had to admit that Lin Yuan’s method of printing books was indeed ingenious.

Whoever could conceive such an astute method must be someone delicate and wise.

"I’ve always heard you mention Yuanyuan, so when are you bringing this young lady into the palace for me to see?" The Old Emperor looked at Xia Zheng with a beaming smile, appearing every bit the matchmaker.

Xia Zheng could easily see through his little scheme and haughtily lifted his chin, "My woman is not someone to be casually looked at. I’ll bring her over when I feel like it."

"You brat!" The Old Emperor raised his hand to deliver a thump on the head, but Xia Zheng dodged quickly. Otherwise, he might have ended up like Erlang Shen, with an additional red eye bestowed by the Old Emperor.

Xia Zheng chuckled, but seemed to remember something all of a sudden. He stood up, walked over to the Old Emperor, knelt down with his robe lifted, and his expression was more serious and solemn than ever, "Emperor Uncle, your nephew has a favor to ask of you. I hope you can grant it."

The Old Emperor was rarely treated with such solemnity by Xia Zheng, and he was quite surprised. However, as the saying goes, the older, the wiser. With just a bit of thought, the Old Emperor had already guessed what Xia Zheng wanted.

"What is it that you seek?"

"I ask Emperor Uncle to grant a marriage between your nephew Xia Zheng and Lin Yuan."

"Lin Yuan? Who is she? Which court official’s daughter is she? Why doesn’t it recall there being such a young lady in the Capital City?" The Old Emperor tilted his head and pondered.

Xia Zheng’s mouth twitched as he forced out, "Lin Yuan is not the daughter of a court official from the Capital City, nor is she from a wealthy family. She’s a simple village girl that your nephew met in Zhuma Town."

"A village girl? The second son of the General Mansion is going to marry a simple village girl?" The Old Emperor’s eyes widened in shock.

Xia Zheng gritted his teeth, finding it impossible to continue the act, and huffed, "Old man, you’ve already heard my mother talk about it. You already know about Lin Yuan’s identity, so why are you asking me! Just tell me, will you grant the marriage or not?"

The Old Emperor could not keep up his act either. It was not often he got to see this brat Xia Zheng coming to him with such a matter, and just when they hadn’t even talked much, it was all over. He was not quite satisfied!

"Hmph, that I know is my business, but you’re asking me to grant your marriage is your business!

Don’t think that I don’t know what you’re up to, aren’t you just afraid that the girl’s status is low and she’ll be looked down upon when she marries into the Capital City?

But, do you think people’s hearts will change just because I’m the one granting this marriage?

" The Old Emperor gave him a glance, finding it odd how such an intelligent lad could become so foolish when it came to affairs of the heart.

Xia Zheng bit his lip, "Of course, I know that. But if I don’t do anything, don’t make an effort to strive for it, wouldn’t that be even more useless?

I like her, I want to marry her, but I don’t want her to be ostracized and pointed at because of me in the Capital City.

Although I know that with her temperament, she surely wouldn’t care about that, I still want to do my utmost to remove all displeasure for her, otherwise, I couldn’t bear to see her marry into the Capital City under such humiliation. "

The Old Emperor looked deep into his eyes and spoke again, "Didn’t you just win her a merit earlier? It would be fitting for her to bring up the marriage grant herself to me, wouldn’t it? You wouldn’t have to grovel so low to ask me, seeing you bow your head like this is really a first for me!"

"She definitely wouldn’t use this as a reason to ask for your favor," said Xia Zheng with a warm smile. The girl had such a straight spine— the less others believed in something, the more she was determined to stand tall and do her best. If someone in the Capital City disliked her and tried to obstruct their marriage, she wouldn’t come asking the Emperor to grant the marriage, but instead, she would rely on her own efforts to do her best and strive to elevate herself to his level.

The Old Emperor was somewhat moved. A woman as intelligent, wise, and stubborn as her was indeed rare to see.

"Alright, alright, I agree to it. If you two youngsters can’t handle it, I will back you up," the Old Emperor still carried his nonchalant demeanor, purposely doing so perhaps to cover something up.

He lowered his head and took another sip of the newly gifted tea from the Foreign Country, but this time,

"Ptui, this tastes awful. Brat, don’t forget to have your fiancée send me some good tea. The tea here is truly hard to swallow!"

Xia Zheng’s lips curved up as he responded loudly.