“Pursuant to the Mandate from Heaven, the Emperor hereby announces that the daughter of his fifth son, Xi, shall be the granddaughter of the Emperor. As she is a beautiful and elegant girl with fine words, decent behaviors, an angelic disposition and an air of grace, she is greatly appreciated by the Emperor. Hereby, she shall be conferred the honorary title of Princess Qinglian with the honorific title as Shengzun, the family name of Huangfu and the style name of Mingyue. Besides, she shall be included in the pedigree of the Huangfu Family, and the ritual of ancestors acknowledging will be held in three days. Respect this.”

After reading the imperial edict, Eunuch Wang took a glance at the four people who stood there and didn’t react. The corners of his mouth twitched. What was going on? Why did no one accept the imperial edict? Other people would surely express their gratitude to the emperor. However, they were not only unhappy but also rather worried.

Eunuch Wang heaved a sigh resignedly, went forward and said to Duanmu Xi respectfully, “Princess Qinglian of Shengzun, please take the edict.”

Duanmu Xi took a glance at Duanmu Xue and Huangfu Che with knitted eyebrows and wondered whether she should take the imperial edict.

Duanmu Xue and Huangfu Che also showed a sign of reluctance. After exchanging glances, neither of them spoke.

It was fine that Xi was conferred as a princess and it could be reluctantly accepted that she would acknowledge the ancestors of the Huangfu Family. However, giving her the family name of Huangfu was not acceptable. Xi was going to inherit the throne of the Zhuque Empire in the future. How could the empress of the Zhuque Empire use the family name of Huangfu?

It was impossible to change Xi’s family name to Huangfu. Huangfu Cang’s imperial edict was too difficult to accept. Suddenly, Huangfu Che kind of regretted not having a few more kids with Xue before.

Since none of them said anything or accepted the edict, Eunuch Wang didn’t know what to do. As a eunuch, he couldn’t afford to offend these four people, especially this Princess Qinglian of Shengzun in front. Shengzun was the honorific title of the highest level for a princess of the Qinglong Empire. Even the emperor’s sister, Grand Princess Shumin only gained the honorific title of Xiaolun. Evidently, the emperor really loved this Princess Qinglian.

After a while of silence, Duanmu Xi suddenly asked, “What else did Grandpa say?”

Hearing that, Eunuch Wang immediately bowed and said, “His Majesty also hopes you to have a meal together in the Longxiang Palace.”

After saying that, Eunuch Wang glimpsed the three other people next to Duanmu Xi and immediately added, “Of course, if the Empress, Fifth Prince and Mr. Xuanyuan want to, they are welcome to join the meal in Longxiang Palace.”

Duanmu Xue and Huangfu Che both subconsciously twitched the corners of their lips. They were totally not seriously taken.

Hearing that, Xuanyuan Mo rolled his eyes inwardly. What did the emperor of Qinglong Empire want to do? He didn’t let Xi come back until midnight yesterday. Now, he wanted to ask her to have a meal with him again. Was he through or not?

“Well… Ahem…” Duanmu Xi coughed drily with embarrassment, “Let’s go to have breakfast first!”

Hearing that, Eunuch Wang immediately asked in delight, “What about the imperial edict?”

Duanmu Xi glimpsed the yellow imperial edict and with a flick of sleeves, she directly put it into her crystal ball. No matter what, she just accepted it first.

Staring at his empty hands, Eunuch Wang blinked his eyes in surprise. This was so amazing. The imperial edict just disappeared!

Duanmu Xi turned to look at Huangfu Che and Duanmu Xue, “Father, mother, are you going too?”

“Yeah…” Huangfu Che clenched his fists and put them at his lips, “I haven’t had breakfast with your grandpa for a dozen years. Of course we must go.”

Duanmu Xi arched her eyebrows. It was a good reason. Then, she looked at Duanmu Xue.

Duanmu Xue also offered a pretext, “All of you are gone. If I’m here alone, how can I have an appetite?”

In the end, Eunuch Wang took the four of them to the Longxiang Palace.

“Grandpa.” Upon entering the Longxiang Palace, Duanmu Xi saw Huangfu Cang sitting before the table and waiting for her.

“Xi, you are here. Come here and have breakfast with me.” Seeing Duanmu Xi, Huangfu Cang laughed happily and waved at Duanmu Xi lovingly.

Duanmu Xi slowly walked to the table and sat down.

Huangfu Cang immediately put a bowl of top-grade cubilose before Duanmu Xi as well as various kinds of pastries and snacks.

During the whole process, Huangfu Cang didn’t even cast a glance at Huangfu Che and the others and just ignored the three people behind Duanmu Xi.

The corners of Huangfu Che’s mouth twitched. He called resignedly, “Father.”

Hearing the voice, Huangfu Cang raised his head and looked at Huangfu Che and the others as if he had just seen them, “You are here too. Come and have breakfast then!”

Hearing Huangfu Cang’s invitation, the three of them just walked to the table and sat down.

The palace servants immediately offered three sets of bowls and chopsticks.

They picked up the bowls and chopsticks. When they looked at the table again, they were all dumbstruck.

All the dishes on the table were moved before Duanmu Xi by Huangfu Cang. Duanmu Xi was faced with a lot of dishes while nothing was put in front of them.

The three of them looked at the cozy scene of Huangfu Cang serving Duanmu Xi one dish after another.

After Duanmu Xi got full, Huangfu Cang asked the palace maids to clean up the dishes.

The three of them just watched the delicious pastries and delicate dishes taken away. Stroking their empty stomachs, they hadn’t eaten anything yet.

After breakfast, the palace servants served several cups of hot tea. Huangfu Che and the others all took a gulp of the tea.

Duanmu Xi was amused by them but she still held back laughter and said to Huangfu Cang in a serious look, “Grandpa, I cannot accept the imperial edict issued this morning.”

Then, Duanmu Xi willed her mind and instantly, a yellow imperial edict appeared in her hand.

Seeing the imperial edict given to him, Huangfu Cang asked with a frown, “Why don’t you take it?”

Feeling that Huangfu Cang was disgruntled, Duanmu Xi mulled it over and said, “I’m my father’s daughter and he is only a prince. How can I be a princess?”

Huangfu Cang’s black eyes twitched and then he said with thrill, “He should be the future emperor of the Qinglong Empire. Why can’t his daughter be the princess? Besides, you are the blood of the Huangfu Family. Even if I pass the throne to you, no one can object, let alone endow you with the title of princess.”

Then, Huangfu Cang turned to Huangfu Che, “It is bad enough that you don’t want to be the crown prince. Now, you don’t even want Xi to be the princess. Are you going to anger me to death?”

Huangfu Che and Duanmu Xue both lowered their heads with a guilty conscience and couldn’t talk back at all.

Duanmu Xi immediately stood up and stroked Huangfu Che’s back, comforting him, “Grandpa, don’t be angry. I will be the princess. I just have a little request that I hope you can agree to.”

“Tell me.” Huangfu Cang still glared at Huangfu Che angrily.

“I can be Princess Qinglian, get included in the pedigree of the Huangfu Family in the name of Huangfu Mingyue, and acknowledge the ancestors. I only hope that you won’t announce the change of my name publicly. I will still be Duanmu Xi. Of course, when I go back to the Zhuque Empire, I will still be called Duanmu Xi. When I’m in the Qinglong Empire, you can call me Mingyue if you want to.”

A glimmer of satisfaction passed over Duanmu Xue’s purple eyes. Xi put forward a good solution that could satisfy Che’s father and wouldn’t affect the Zhuque Empire.

Hearing that, Huangfu Cang frowned and widened his eyes, “You don’t like adopting the family name of Huangfu.”

Duanmu Xi immediately shook her head and replied, “No, you and Father’s family names are both Huangfu. How can I not like it?”

Huangfu Cang slightly relaxed his eyebrows and asked, “Why don’t you let me announce it to the public then?”

“I’ve been called Duanmu Xi since I was little. If you announce to the public that my name is changed, I won’t be used to it. For example, your family name has been Huangfu since you were born. If you are suddenly asked to change your family name to Duanmu, will you feel unaccustomed too?” Duanmu Xi explained while observing Huangfu Cang’s facial expression, “It will be fine as long as I’m recorded as Huangfu Mingyue in the pedigree. Why does it matter how to address me at other times?”

Hearing that, Huangfu Cang nodded and said nothing.

Duanmu Xi saw Huangfu Cang was about to agree to her request and then continued, “Grandpa, rest assured. Since I adopt the family name of Huangfu, when I have a baby in the future, I will name him after Huangfu.”

Huangfu Cang’s eyes sparkled instantly, “Really?”

“Of course.” Duanmu Xi nodded carefully. She never lied.

Duanmu Xue was disgruntled at once but now that Huangfu Cang was here, she couldn’t lose her temper and instead, she just kept clearing her throat aside, “Ahem… Ahem…”

Duanmu Xi glimpsed Duanmu Xue who pretended to be coughing aside and then said, “Of course, the baby girl I give birth to will adopt the family name of Duanmu.”

Her words just made Duanmu Xue stop coughing. It was great that Xi’s baby girl could adopt the family name of Duanmu. Although Duanmu Xue also wanted her baby boy to adopt the family name of Duanmu, judging from the current situation, this was kind of a good idea. Besides, she couldn’t give birth to a kid who was named after Huangfu. In this case, it would be quite awesome for the baby boy born by Xi to follow the family name of Che. At the thought of that, Duanmu Xue was relieved then.

Duanmu Xue and Huangfu Cang were both happy but Xuanyuan Mo was not. The baby boy would adopt the family name of Huangfu while the baby girl would adopt the family name of Duanmu. So, no baby would follow the family name of Xuanyuan? He should be the father of the babies born by Duanmu Xi but he was kept out of this.

As to Xuanyuan Mo’s piteous gaze, Duanmu Xi just turned a blind eye. She just neglected it even if she glimpsed it.

Huangfu Cang glanced over the others and concluded, “In this case, just do it as Xi suggests! But Xi, you mustn’t forget what you’ve promised me today.”

He was happy that Xi’s future baby could take the family name of Huangfu, which kind of made up for the regret that Che’s daughter couldn’t follow the family name of Huangfu since she was born.

“Of course not! I will be a ruler of an empire. The ruler’s words are to be taken seriously. Grandpa, just rest assured!” When Duanmu Xi talked of–“The ruler’s words are to be taken seriously,” the majestic demeanor she emitted rendered the several people present dumbstruck.

Something flashed across Huangfu Cang’s black eyes. Shortly, he became composed again.

In another palace of the imperial palace of the Qinglong Empire.

Consort Qin looked at Consort Liu with an angry facial expression, “Seriously?”

A glimmer of mockery quickly flashed across Consort Liu’s eyes. Then, she put on a sincere smile on her face that was no longer young, “Since when did I ever lie to you? The imperial edict has long arrived at the Eastern Palace. That girl is not only conferred as a princess but also endowed with the honorific title of Shengzun.”

Hearing that, Consort Qin shouted in a high-pitched voice, “Shengzun?!!”

Consort Liu glimpsed the furious Consort Qin and continued, “Yeah, Princess Qinglian of Shengzun. Even Jing has an honorary title only but no honorific title. Why can she have such an honor? By reason, she can only be conferred a title of the commandery princess at most.”

“Humph… Why? It is simply because she looks like that woman!”

When it came to that woman, Consort Qin put on a resentful look and Consort Liu’s eyes also sparkled with jealousy.

Without that woman, how would they become like this today?

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