Chapter 142: The Period of Propriety

The Imperial Palace

After attending the morning court session today, Li Rui did not return directly to his estate. Instead, he was summoned by the Emperor. Following a discussion on several state affairs, Emperor Li Zhen smoothly pivoted the conversation.

"Next month is your birthday, and the Empress Dowager intends to host a banquet in the palace to celebrate for you."

As it turned out, Li Zhen's birthday was approaching. Both the Empress Dowager and the Emperor had decided to celebrate it, though, of course, there were other intentions underlying this plan.

"Your Majesty, I have no desire to hold a grand banquet this year. A simple gathering in my own estate will suffice."

Li Rui had always been indifferent to such matters. Even if he were to observe the occasion simply, it would amount to nothing more than eating a bowl of longevity noodles and providing some extra wine and food for the servants, which he considered celebration enough for his birthday.

"The main purpose of holding this birthday banquet for you is to bestow a marriage upon you and help you find a suitable maiden. We want to see if there is any lady who pleases you. Next year you will turn twenty-six, yet you still lack both a Princess Consort and an heir."

Seeing Li Rui reject the idea flatly, Li Zhen sighed helplessly and finally revealed the most crucial agenda of the birthday banquet—something the Empress Dowager had repeatedly instructed him to accomplish. Li Zhen himself felt that it was indeed time to grant Li Rui a marriage and find a Princess Consort to bring back to his manor.

Having remained single for so many years, Li Zhen, as his elder brother, felt deeply anxious for him. Now that his own imperial harem selection had just concluded and things had settled down, their mother had grown eager once again to find a wife for Li Rui, a sentiment that Li Zhen entirely shared.

"If Your Majesty wishes to bestow a marriage, there is truly no need. My period of mourning for the rites has not yet passed, and matters of romance and marriage can be discussed at another time."

Hearing Li Zhen speak thus, Li Rui was entirely unwilling. He had never liked such arrangements in the past, let alone now, and consequently used the observance of mourning rituals as an excuse to decline.

"Look at you. How is it that after all these years, you still have not let go? You declared at the time that you would observe a three-year period of mourning for the Princess Consort. Now those three years are nearly over, yet you remain as stubborn as ever. Both the Empress Dowager and I are deeply worried for you. Among the three unfilial acts, the greatest is having no descendants."

Hearing this, Emperor Li Zhen immediately grew worried. The Princess Consort had passed away several years ago; why was he still so persistent, refusing to remarry out of devotion to the deceased?

Both the Empress Dowager and the Emperor saw this and felt anxious at heart. In the past, they had yielded to him out of fear that he would be deeply saddened and reminded of the past. But now, so many years had passed, and the imperial harem had just undergone a fresh selection of maidens—was this not all for the sake of securing descendants and the future of the imperial lineage?

"I once had a child."

Li Rui still harbored a lingering sense of guilt regarding the child he once had. Hearing Li Zhen speak of descendants naturally brought his own child to mind—one who had passed away along with its birth mother before even reaching a full month of life.

"Wasn't that already—"

Li Zhen nearly blurted out that the child had also died, but fortunately, he managed to check his words just in time and kept them unsaid. Although it was a fact known to them both, it remained a painful topic unsuited for casual mention.

"Ah! Never mind. Go and speak with the Empress Dowager yourself!"

Li Zhen no longer knew how to advise him. He knew Li Rui's temper well; nagging and endless persuasion would achieve nothing. It was better to let their mother handle Li Rui directly.

"This subject takes his leave!" Seeing that Li Zhen had put it this way, Li Rui had no choice but to offer a formal greeting and withdraw.

Arriving at the Palace of Eternal Longevity, the personal residence of the Empress Dowager, Li Rui felt an inevitable sense of helplessness, even though he was well aware of the purpose behind today's summons.

"This son pays his respects to Mother!"

As soon as he stepped into the hall, he saw the Empress Dowager, his birth mother, kneeling before a low desk while drinking tea. Li Rui stepped forward respectfully to offer his greetings.

"So you still remember to come and see this old mother of yours."

Although the Empress Dowager spoke words of reprimand, her tone lacked any genuine anger, sounding more like a gentle complaint.