The Lucky Farm Girl

Yang Mengchen opened the brocade box and inside were neatly arranged six Purple Jade Starflower Hairpins, each carved with exquisite and delicate craftsmanship.

"That night, right after I threw away those hairpins, I regretted it. Ever since I've been back, every moment I've been thinking of you, yearning for you. So, I carved these hairpins again, pouring all my affection and longing for you into them."

Gently touching the hairpins imbued with Long Xuanmo's deep affection, Yang Mengchen's eyes gradually misted with emotion, her heart filled with being moved.

"Ah Jiu, please marry me and become my wife!" Long Xuanmo knelt on one knee before Yang Mengchen, holding her hands tightly as he looked into her dark pupils with a persistent and unwavering love and determination, "I will protect you with my life for all my days!"

Today, seeing his eldest and third brothers-in-law joyfully celebrating the birth of their sons deeply stirred him. Imagining Ah Jiu carrying their child, he felt very happy and blessed, and he knew the fruit of their love would definitely be the most intelligent and adorable baby in the world.

Over the past few months, as they interacted as lovers, Yang Mengchen realized deeply that Long Xuanmo was someone worthy of entrusting her life to. Now that Long Xuanmo was sincerely proposing to her, her heart was filled with sweetness and bashfulness, yet her face did not show it.

"Today is my birthday, everyone else is giving me presents, and even though you gave me a gift, you're asking me to give myself in return. Isn't that a big loss for me?"

"This is my entire fortune, all given to you. From now on, you will be Princess Chen, and I and the whole Chen Prince Mansion will belong to you. You won't be at a loss at all." Long Xuanmo placed a key in Yang Mengchen's hand.

His keenly intelligent self naturally detected the underlying meaning in her words, his heart thudding rapidly, "Ah Jiu, I will return to The Capital right away to seek the Emperor's permission for our marriage, and I'll make sure you are welcomed with grand bridal adornments to become my wife!"

Sincerity moves mountains, and finally, he had waited for Ah Jiu to open her heart and accept him. In this moment, he felt an indescribable joy and happiness.

Holding that key and looking at Long Xuanmo, who gazed back at her with deep affection, Yang Mengchen gave a gentle nod.

"That's wonderful, Ah Jiu. I am so incredibly happy!" Long Xuanmo suddenly stood up, swept Yang Mengchen into his arms with a bright smile and elated spirit.

Nestled in Long Xuanmo's solid and warm embrace, hearing the strong beats of his heart, Yang Mengchen's gaze softened, and a shallow smile graced her lips.

Holding the beloved he had longed for, with the faint scent of herbs lingering in his breath, and seeing her delicate cherry red lips, Long Xuanmo suddenly recalled the wonderful sensation from last time. His deep eyes shimmered like stars, and he slowly lowered his head, tenderly pressing his cool lips onto her tender cherry ones.

Compared to the awkwardness and unfamiliarity of before, this time Long Xuanmo was significantly more agile and skilled as he greedily savored the sweetness belonging only to her.

Having already pledged their hearts to each other, Yang Mengchen cast aside all reservations and softly responded to Long Xuanmo.

After what felt like an eternity, Long Xuanmo reluctantly ended the kiss, gazing at his lover with flushed cheeks and slightly swollen lips, feeling a mix of bliss and guilt, "Ah Jiu, I'm heading back to The Capital right now to request the Emperor's permission for our marriage!" The sooner he married his beloved, the sooner he could be at ease.

"Let's leave tomorrow after breakfast then," Yang Mengchen shyly advised, the evening approaching and such haste no longer urgent.

"I can't wait to marry you as my wife." Long Xuanmo gently kissed Yang Mengchen's lips, "I often travel in the cold of winter and heat of summer, Ah Jiu, rest assured, I will be careful and nothing will happen. Ah Jiu, you must wait for me to come back and marry you!"

Yang Mengchen was well aware that Long Xuanmo had made up his mind, so she didn't try to persuade him otherwise, and simply nodded, accompanying Sister Jin and the others to see him off at the entrance of the village.

Miss and the Prince were mutually attracted to each other, and not only Sister Jin and her group felt happy, but also Mo Yun and the others were overjoyed and felt as if a heavy burden had been lifted.

At dinner, hearing from Yang Mengchen that Long Xuanmo had returned to The Capital to request the Emperor's approval for their marriage, the women and servants felt both happy and reluctant to let go, while the men were each sullen and upset. Jiujiu (little sister) was the treasure of their hearts, and now she was about to belong to another man. How could they be willing to accept that?

"Fourth brother, has the Emperor disapproved of the marriage between little sister and the Prince?" Yang Chengrong asked Yang Chengyou bluntly.

Ever since his sister mentioned the matter, he had noticed that his fourth brother's brow had been furrowed, his expression a bit grave, quite different from their unwillingness.

So, upon leaving the Youran Courtyard, he hinted to his younger brothers to avoid the elders and quietly come to the fourth brother's room.

Yang Chengyou spoke calmly, but with an underlying meaning, "The Emperor has great expectations for Prince Chen and will not allow him to have a Yue family that not only doesn't provide support but could even become an obstacle."

"Little sister is incomparably clever, and each of us eight brothers has our own talents. How could we become an obstacle instead of a support?" Yang Chengbin said, clearly dissatisfied.

Chengrong glanced at Chengbin, "Eighth brother, let fourth brother finish speaking."

"The Emperor is indeed a wise and virtuous ruler, but he is also a person of self-doubt and extremely strong desire for control," Yang Chengyou, with his meticulous and keen mind, continued, despite rarely having the chance to meet the Emperor, it did not prevent him from understanding the Emperor: "If Prince Chen goes against the Emperor's will and marries little sister as his Official Wife, I believe the Emperor would definitely kill her to cut off Prince Chen's thoughts;

And if the Emperor learns of our brothers' involvement with the military, politics, finances, and the jianghu forces, as well as our deep relationships with several powerful families or through marriage ties, the Emperor would either execute us now, or wait until Prince Chen's royal power is stable before secretly eliminating us, in order to prevent the interference of relatives by marriage later on."

"As long as I'm here, I will not allow anyone to harm little sister in the slightest, including the Emperor!" In Yang Chengyu's deep eyes flashed an icy, bone-piercing light.

The rest of the brothers shared the same sentiment.

Chengrong asked in a grave voice, "Then what should we do?"

"One is to make sure the Emperor doesn't find out our family's true strength, two is to be even more careful and cautious in our actions from now on, three is to prepare early," Chengyou said calmly: "Additionally, I will return to The Capital immediately. If anything happens, I will inform you all as soon as possible." He had specifically requested ten days off for his sister's birthday.

The brothers nodded.

As for Long Xuanmo, he rode at full speed back to The Capital, and after a simple wash, he went to the Imperial Study Room to meet the Emperor. Upon seeing Prince Jing, Long Yiming (Sixth Imperial Prince), kneeling on the ground, a hint of sharpness flashed through his eyes. He knelt down and requested the Emperor to approve his marriage with Yang Mengchen.

"Do you also wish to marry Yang Mengchen?"