14. I can provide for you...

Minister Xi came out of the Palace and looked back. No wonder the Emperor was rushing his son's marriage and his fast departure.

It will become quite noisy when people find out about him abdicating. He rushed straight to the Lan Estate. The aging ceremony will be held in the evening hours, so he still had time to arrive.

And indeed. As he came inside and was quickly seated with his wife and son, he saw the start of the Ceremony. Wen Guifei was the one that would pull up her long hair and gave her bun. After putting the hair up and adding the special hairpin with beautiful pearl-encrusted tassel and a bunch of cherry flowers made of jade on it, into her hair the Ceremony was done.

Just then he looked at the girl and saw her calm face. She was neither pretty, but she was not ugly either. Her white skin glowed and made her look cute.

He sighed and looked at his son. "She is a good child. Don't disrespect her. Lan family might not be the oldest family like ours, but they were always calm and had no escapades. Their children were always smart."

"I know father." Xi Haoming smiled lightly. "Don't worry."

Minister Xi sighed. This child was always calm and cold. Because of his expression and his wounds, not many families wanted to send their daughters. And those that wanted, he didn't approve of.

This girl was what he needed. Someone who could teach him to trust. As he lost that a long time ago.

Xi Haoming looked at the young girl that had a slight smile on her lips, but in her eyes was clouded with uncertainty. He heard what happened to her and knew she was just like him. Wounded.

That is the reason why he asked the Emperor for her hand in marriage. No one knew that it was his personal request. On the north, he could show her freedom and give her free space.

Unintentionally their eyes locked and Lan Lian knew right away that it was him who she will marry the day after. She nodded slightly and he nodded back. She pointed at the outside and he accepted.

Even tho their movements were very small, but, so many eyes were on them, of course, everyone could tell they wanted to talk.

Elder Lan almost started laughing by their clumsy try not to be found out. He pressed his lips as he tried to stifle laughter and crossed eyes with Minister Xi, that had the same expression.

Xi Haoming could see their eyes upon them and didn't care. She will be his wife tomorrow. At least what he could to for her is to listen to her rants. Even if she was strictly against it, he would still do it. Just to get her as far as possible from this damnable place.

Lan Lian didn't have such complicated thoughts. She couldn't even change her destiny. If she had to get married then it was fine if its this man. At least she won't worry about bothersome concubines and such.

She calmly waited for him under the shadow of a nearby tree. She looked at his big stature, masculine face and the deep furrow on his left cheek and motion to him to come near.

"Aren't you afraid of me?" He saw her crying before, so he thought it was because she was afraid.

She sighed and shook her head. "No. Now get closer, so I can look at you properly. They explained you have ten heads, seven arms and seem to have magical powers."

He could see a slight smile playing in the corners of her lips and chuckled. "You forget that I have horns of a bull and tail of a demon. People really tell those kinds of stories about me?"

Lan Lian came closer, making him step back as he didn't expect that. She stepped again forward, making him hit his back onto the tree, as she looked closer onto his face.

After looking at it for a while she stepped back. "I have no idea why would you chose to get married to such a simple woman. But, I still hope you won't treat me badly. I had my own share of bad luck."

He straightened up and looked at her emotionless eyes looking at the nearby dry flower that was hanging its head with sadness.

"Lan Lian, I promise I will never push you to do something you don't want." He seriously promised and Lan Lian could see on his face that he really meant it.

"Thank you. But actually... that is not the reason why I called you out. We could have spoken about it tomorrow or some other time." Lan Lian became suddenly serious as well.

Xi Haoming calmly waited for her to continue.

"I gathered some food instead of dowry. Sorry, you know that my family is not very wealthy. Most of the people in the Lan family are just simple old scholars so they never gathered enough wealth. But they would still have given me enough stuff as dowry. Before they could start thinking about it, we heard there was a bad year and people are starving or are close to starvation. I am sure that country can provide enough food, But there is no such thing as too much food. I asked everyone to provide me carriage of food instead of dowry. Not sure how many I gathered, but it should be at least a dozen carriages. I'm sorry if it is not enough..." She nibbled at her underlip, making him become flustered.

Why is ye even reacting to such small unconscious movement? His ears became suddenly bright red and he tried yo cough it off.

"Ahm... I can afford food for you if you mean that." He was so deconcentrated that he didn't even hear half of what she just said.

Lan Lian shook her head. "I am quite certain that you won't let me starve. This is for those moments in case there is no food for commoners and there is a need for it."

He suddenly understood and looked at her speechlessly.