Chapter 225: Forced Marriage (2)

“Che’er, now…you’re almost eighteen. All of your older and younger brothers have already married when they were around fifteen and sixteen. Your sixth brother already had two…the Imperial Family pays attention to the lineage of imperial children. You…need to make plans earlier…”

As she said this, she gave Gong Che the files on the top of the pile, so he could take a look. The empress said, “These girls come from an aristocratic families and their ages are suitable for you. Not only do they have a strong and solid background, their appearances and temperaments are extremely outstanding…just like this Su Miao–”

Gong Che finally found his voice again, he reluctantly smiled, “Mother empress, let’s talk about this after I finish building the canal.”

Empress Liu glared at him, “It will take you at least two years before you finish the construction of the canal. If you don’t pick a girl now, then where would I, your mother empress, go to find a suitable person for you?”

She raised her long eyebrows and asked with an odd expression, “Or…do you have someone in mind already?”

Gong Che didn’t know how to respond to her question.

___

A light smoke filled the air. Gong Jue really disliked the strong smell of sandalwood. He swept his glance at the Buddha hall full of sculptures of the Bodhisattva. The young man laughed inwardly; he had done so many shameful deeds that he couldn’t be comforted in his heart despite the number of Bodhisattva sculptures present.

For a while, there wasn’t any noise from behind the curtain. Gong Jue slightly squinted his eyes, not knowing what game this empress dowager was trying to play.

At this time, his imperial sister must still be sleeping in. He didn’t know if Bai Sheng had called her up for breakfast yet…

But Bai Sheng was useless, definitely not imperial sister’s opponent…

A soft cough rang and Gong Jue hurriedly concentrated his attention on this.

The curtain moved to the side and an old woman walked out from the dusky Buddha hall.

The empress dowager was less than sixty years old but maybe it was because she worried too much, that her hair had already started to turn silver.

She was supported by someone and as she smiled kindly at Gong Jue, “My grandson is actually this old. Quickly come over…let me take a look at you.”

Gong Jue walked over after hearing her. The empress dowager observed him with her astute eyes, looking more and more satisfied the longer she looked at him. She complimented him while pulling him over to the visitor’s hall.

She ordered servants to serve the best tea before she let go of Gong Jue’s hands. She smiled, “You’re an adult now. Did you encounter any interesting events on your way to the west?”

Gong Jue was too lazy to speak much so he responded faintly, “This grandson went to relieve a disaster so I didn’t encounter any interesting events.”

This led Empress Dowager’s smile to slightly stiffen. She deeply examined Gong Jue before smiling again, “So, you didn’t meet any lady you liked either?”

Gong Jue’s thoughts flashed by quickly and he almost immediately knew what she wanted to do. Empress Dowager was Virtuous Concubine Liu’s paternal aunt. Was she planning to pull him to Concubine Virtuous Liu’s side, seeing that he was slowly gaining power and establishing great merit?

The Empress Dowager continued before Gong Jue opened his mouth, “Now that you’re not that young anymore…it’s time for you to start looking for your princess consort. What a pity…you don’t have a mother concubine to help look after you. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be in such a position.”

Gong Jue naturally wouldn’t let her continue on so he hurriedly replied, “This grandson is still young and doesn’t understand anything. I just want to help with father emperor’s problems and offer my meager efforts for Da Yu.

His repeated rejection made empress dowager a bit unhappy. She pinched the Buddha bead in her hand and coldly laughed.

“You naturally don’t know what’s good for you if you have never experienced it before. You’re actually just in time, I have a beautiful and virtuous niece. Her background can match the people from the imperial family too. In my heart…I am most concerned about you.”

If Gong Jue continues to reject, he obviously didn’t know what’s good for him. He raised his head to look at empress dowager and suddenly smiled. His smile let the originally low-profile and luxurious restaurant to suddenly lose its color in comparison, making empress dowager’s heart pumped quickly.

“Since grandmother is being sincere with her request, should this grandson take a look then?’