Chapter 75 An Wangfei’s Intentions

Zi You's words made everyone suddenly realized. Ah! So it was like this. She was not familiar with your son. She just happened to save your son's life coincidentally.

This woman most probably fancied Zi You as a daughter-in-law. Or why else would she put on a mother-in-law's manner?

But listening to the guniang's meaning, she didn't seem to want anything to do with Duke Yongnan furen's family. Her words appeared to be concerned but so polite that it made people think.

But this Duke Yongnan furen was really too much. You not repaying the life-saving grace was one thing. But now you forced someone to marry your son? How could there be someone be so lacking in morality and justice?

At the banquet today, there were two or three biological brothers and paternal male cousins of the Emperor.

The Emperor's sixth sister-in-law, An Wangfei [ legitimate consort of a Wang or Wangye (usually the Emperor's brother or cousin)], was immediately unhappy.

Even if you wanted your son to marry a family's guniang, you shouldn't be like this right? After obtaining her consent, sending a matchmaker, and gifting betrothal gifts, then you can put on a mother-in-law's manner. Or else, wouldn't it ruin the guniang's reputation?

This An Wangfei was one of the powerful figures in the hall today.

One was the current Emperor's Shangguan Haoyu's big brother: Ning Wang, Shangguan Mingxuan. Ning Wang's mother, Empress Song, was the previous Emperor's legitimate wife. But she passed away when Ning Wang was six years old.

At that time, the previous Emperor was not yet Taizi [Crown Prince], but an unfavored Third Wangzi [son of the Emperor].

Later, Third Wangzi married the current Empress Dowager: Liu Jingling, the daughter of Duke Anguo who held military power. He gradually showcased talent and was noticed by the previous Emperor with the support of the Liu family. He finally obtained the title of Taizi and inherited the whole nation.

Empress Liu could be said to be a virtuous and shrewd woman.

On the matter of naming a Taizi, she wavered. After all, First Wangzi was a Di son and the eldest.

Other women would have certainly killed First Wangzi while her husband was in power. But Née Liu did not do so and actually treated her husband's deceased wife's son well. Even when the Emperor was discussing naming a Taizi, she prevented her family from interfering.

Finally, the Emperor named Née Liu's eldest son as Taizi. She was afraid that First Wangzi would be upset, so she took her Taizi son and swore an oath in front of First Wangzi to never harm his big brother.

So when Xuanwu Emperor ascended the throne, he immediately bestowed the title "Ning Wang" to his older brother.

Ning Wang and Née Liu had a very good relationship. They were as close as biological mother and son.

Actually, this Liu Empress Dowager was Zi You's Aunt Née Liu's distant cousin. Née Liu's father, Liu Ruiyuan, was a second-rank senior minister. He was the Empress Dowager's cousin's son, from a different branch of the family.

There was another Wei Wang, the Emperor's third brother. Wei Wang's mother was the previous Emperor's favored Liang Fei.

This Wei Wang was one of the powerful contenders of the throne then. If not for Empress Dowager Liu and her father Duke Anguo obtaining the previous emperor's trust and respect, the throne would not be the current Emperor's.

To make a metaphor: the previous Emperor was like Li Shimin, Empress Dowager Liu was like Empress Changsun, and Liang Fei was like Li Ke's mother: Yang Fei [all historical figures and references].

The last to mention was the Emperor's younger brother: An Wang.

An Wang, Shangguan Yixuan, was the previous Emperor's sixth son. He was thirty-four years old and the current Empress Dowager's most beloved son.