My Wife is Unbeatable in the Whole World, Touch Me If You Dare!

Princess Mansion.

Li Anning sat in front of the dressing table, having her makeup done by a skilled female official of the Princess Mansion.

She had thought their makeup skills were impressive, but after seeing Li Nuo's talent, she merely thought they were so-so.

Once she married, she could often have him do her makeup.

It was a pity she was marrying late; if it had been just half a year earlier, she could be riding through the streets with him today, making all the women of Chang'an envious and jealous.

She had just finished her makeup when a female official entered and said respectfully, "Your Highness, someone from the palace has come; they say you are summoned by His Majesty."

"Father Emperor wants to see me?"

Li Anning was startled by this news, as Father Emperor had never summoned her in all these years. She had an inkling of the reason for this summons.

This made her a bit uneasy, and she tentatively asked, "Did Father Emperor mention what it is concerning?"

The female official said, "It seems to be about the Princess's marriage."

At this, Li Anning could no longer stay calm.

She took a carriage to the palace and was led by two palace maidens to the Imperial Garden.

In front of a cluster of flowers stood a figure with hands behind his back.

Hearing footsteps behind, the figure turned around, revealing a face of stern heroism.

Li Anning walked up slowly and said softly, "Father Emperor."

When Mother was still alive, she had a brief period of happy childhood; back then, Father Emperor would play with her, let her ride on his neck, and lift her above his head...

But since the passing of Mother and her elder brother, the Crown Prince, Father Emperor had gradually ceased to be the father he once was.

Outwardly, Father Emperor looked the same as he did in her childhood memories, but a deep chasm had formed between them.

Xia Emperor looked at the pretty woman before him with eyes deep like a still pond, finally showing a ripple of emotion, and exclaimed, "My little princess has grown up into a fine young lady..."

Li Anning's voice trembled slightly as she asked softly, "May I know why Father Emperor has summoned me?"

Father Emperor's gaze deepened again, and he began, "You have reached the age suitable for marriage. At this year's grand court meeting, I mentioned I would choose a husband for you from among the top scholars, but I never expected... the Sixth-Ranking Scholar to be the same person..."

Li Anning's heart jumped to her throat, quietly waiting for what he would say next.

Father Emperor continued, "As I have declared before the officials of the empire, I cannot retract my statement. You'll have to accept this arrangement. Your Prince Consort is someone I have looked at myself, a man of striking appearance who alone won amongst all six arts scholars, a rare young hero through the ages. I intend to keep my promise and have you marry him and be the chief wife along with his current spouse..."

Before he could finish, Li Anning was already in tears.

At last...

At last, she had waited for this moment!

She could openly hold his hand, call him husband in front of everyone, spend the whole day with him—from investigating cases to practicing cultivation—doing anything they liked...

Xia Emperor, seeing her tears, paused then said, "I know this is hard for you, but a king does not play with his words. As a Royal Princess, you should understand the bigger picture."

Li Anning wiped her tears away and looked up, "I understand, if Father Emperor's words were not taken seriously, it would make the officials and the people lose their trust in you. I am willing to marry, but I have two conditions..."

Feeling somewhat guilty, Father Emperor said, "Speak, then."

Li Anning said, "I want a grand wedding, lots of dowries, and I want to be married alongside Jiaren sister."

Father Emperor asked, "Who is Jiaren sister?"

Li Anning replied, "She is the Prince Consort's current wife."

Father Emperor felt something was off but after a moment of thought, he agreed.

Marrying the Princess and giving due respect to the original wife demonstrated the magnanimity of the Imperial Family, more thoughtful than his original plan.

He then asked, "And the second condition?"

Without hesitation, Li Anning said, "I want to take a ceremonial ride through the streets with the Prince Consort."

That was not an unreasonable request. Xia Emperor looked outside the palace and said, "The ceremony still needs a little while to conclude. I'll have the Secretariat draft the decree; it should still be in time..."

...

Imperial Palace.

Inside a grand hall.

Leading the procession in a python robe, the top scholar walked at the forefront, followed by the other advanced scholars orderly exiting the hall.

As the officials from the Ministry of Rites declared that the ceremony had concluded and the parade was about to start, everyone perked up.

After studying hard for over a decade, wasn't this the moment they were waiting for?

Before reaching the palace gate, they could already see the crowded streets packed with people.

The two palace gates slowly opened.

Lu Sheng stepped forward, pointing to the main center gate, he said to Li Nuo, "Top scholar, please go through this gate."

Of the hundred scholars, only the top scholar could pass through the central main gate. The rest had to use the relatively smaller and narrower side gates.

Stepping out of the palace gate, they could see the parade carts parked not too far away.

Open-top horse-drawn carriages, adorned with freshly picked flowers, would soon carry the scholars through the streets of Chang'an.

Although the inside ceremony had concluded, the officials from the Ministry of Rites had yet to announce the commencement of the parade.

Everyone had no choice but to stand and wait.

Li Nuo was slightly puzzled; according to the process, they should now be boarding the carriages to start.

With so many officials in the Ministry of Rites, each detail was punctually arranged, and such a mistake was unlikely.

Just then, a fast horse galloped from within the palace.

"Imperial Decree arriving!"

Before the horseman left the gate, a robust voice already extended outward.

Although the voice wasn't loud, its penetrating power was full enough to clearly reach everyone's ears amid the noisy environment.

Everyone, including the Advanced Scholars at the entrance of the Imperial Palace, knelt down, and in an instant, the entire gateway fell quiet.

The knight dismounted, took a bright yellow scroll from his bosom, and declared, "The new top scholar, Li Nuo, accepts the decree!"

Li Nuo hesitated for a moment, then responded, "This student accepts the decree."

The knight unrolled the scroll and proclaimed loudly, "The decree states, 'new top scholar Li Nuo is highly virtuous and talented, combining the merits of all Six Arts in one exceptional individual, truly a standout among the world's elite; Song Jiaren's daughter is gentle, respectful, virtuous, and beautifully modest, awarded the title of Sixth-Ranking Imperial Decree Lady... my young daughter Anning is noble, virtuous, and ready for marriage... Ministry of Rites is instructed to choose a date to complete the wedding ceremony. May you three live in harmony, unity, and not fail my expectations. By my command.'"

The knight's voice seemed to carry a strange power, audible even to the common people hundreds of feet away.

However, the decree was couched in such complex language that most people couldn't understand its meaning.

But the nearby newly appointed scholars understood it all too well.

Indeed, is the princess really marrying him?

How could a Royal Princess marry a man who is already married?

They had assumed since he had the title from all Six Arts and was already married, that His Majesty would revoke the decision and choose someone else among the scholars to be the Prince Consort.

Unexpectedly, His Majesty preferred to let the princess marry a man already married over considering anyone else.

Is being a Six Arts top scholar that remarkable?

Indeed, a Six Arts top scholar is remarkable.

Those who have never participated in the Imperial Examination might think that being a Six Arts top scholar is impressive.

But only those who have gone through the examination know that 'impressive' doesn't even begin to describe a Six Arts top scholar.

The decree stated not only could he marry the princess, but he was also not required to divorce his current wife.

He was already of distinguished birth, the sole son of the most powerful official in the court, and had topped all scholars.

Not only this but he alone attracted the attention of not two, but three of Chang'an's great beauties...

Why does such good fortune befall only him!

All the scholars envied and resented him.

Yet they could only envy and resent.

Among the ninety-nine scholars present, if even one of them had done better, even if they had topped just one of the Six Arts, they wouldn't have had to make him the Prince Consort.

But they lacked the drive.

The imperial decree arrived so suddenly that even Li Nuo was caught off-guard.

Li Anning had said that if he became the Six Arts top scholar, her marriage could be delayed.

Li Nuo believed her.

After all, handshakes were had, embraces shared, and kisses stolen.

In Li Nuo's heart, her place was always somewhat special.

His initial thought was to delay as long as possible.

As for not divorcing and not having to demean his wife by making Li Anning and his wife both his official spouses, frankly, he didn't dare to think about it.

The knight holding the decree walked up to Li Nuo and said, "Prince Consort, accept the decree."

Li Nuo took the decree and said, "Thank you for His Majesty's grace."

At that moment, a figure slowly walked out from inside the palace.

Li Anning, wearing a phoenix crown and dressed in a luxurious palace gown, slowly approached Li Nuo and extended her delicate hand.

Watching the princess, with her beautiful face and graceful figure, dressed in her regal palace attire, being held by hand by that person, all the scholars nearly gnashed their teeth to bits.

If only I had made one less mistake on the exam.

If only I had written just a bit better.

If only I had performed extraordinarily in the Shooting category...

Unfortunately, there are no ifs.

Finally, the Ministry of Rites resolved a troubling matter. Lu Sheng, with a smile on his face, said, "Please, top scholar and princess, board the carriage!"

Li Nuo, holding Li Anning's hand, slowly walked to a splendid carriage in front of the palace gate.

Another figure was already sitting early in the carriage.

Li Anning looked down, not daring to look at Song Jiaren.

Song Jiaren glanced at them, shifted slightly to the side, and made more room.

The carriage, originally designed for two, had never accommodated a top scholar with two official wives.

Fortunately, the seat was spacious enough. Li Nuo sat in the middle, his wife on the left, and Li Anning on the right; the three managed to fit, though there was no space between them.

The carriage started moving slowly, the top scholar's carriage leading the way.

The following scholars, five per carriage, maintained a distance from the lead carriage.

Li Nuo still held Li Anning's hand, wondering if his wife had understood the prior decree.

Even if she had not, the current scene was self-explanatory.

His wife previously seemed to have accepted Anning.

But that was before Song Yiren complicated matters.

Li Nuo tried to hold his wife's hand.

Smoothly, with no resistance.

He boldly stacked their three hands together. Song Jiaren turned her head and looked at him but said nothing.

Li Anning quietly breathed a sigh of relief, smiled, and waved gently at the crowds lining the road, eliciting cheers from the people…