Chapter 67: Seeking Marriage

  On the way back, the sky seemed to be getting darker and more overcast. A layer of mist on the surface of the river partially hid the undulating water, leaving only the sound of waves crashing against the shore growing clearer.

  Chu Youyang's eyes gazed out at the distant river, lost in thought. Suddenly, a figure clad in dark ink-colored robes appeared on the plank bridge ahead, drifting into his line of sight.

  Chu Liuyang's gaze hesitated for a moment.

  That person seemed to have sensed something and slowly turned around.

  "Huh?" Qingteng exclaimed in surprise, "Isn't that Lord Yanling? Shouldn't he be at the imperial palace treating Prince Jian's illness at this time?"

  Zhuo Yuanyang didn't say a word, and the horse carriage continued to move forward at an unhurried pace.

  Across the street, the two people's lines of sight intersected, one looking at the river and the other at the street scene. When Zhu Mo's carriage passed by, they naturally crossed paths.

  Qingteng was perplexed, but looking at Chu Nanyang's calm face, he could only swallow back the words that were about to come out.

  In this area, apart from tea houses and wine buildings, there are also many piers built on the riverbank, with many long and short stone bridges extending to the surface of the river, which is also a good place for people to go out and enjoy the scenery on ordinary days.

  The outside air began to occasionally have soft rain sprinkles, Zhu Mo Yang raised his hand and closed the window.

  "Ah——" Qingteng opened her mouth, Qingluo pressed down on her wrist and shook her head vaguely. Qingteng lowered her head with some annoyance to fiddle with the handkerchief in her hands.

  Qing Luan was also perplexed in her heart, and after thinking for a moment, she moved to the rear of the carriage, pushed open the window and looked back, only to see people coming and going on the street, and the figure of Yanling Jun had already disappeared from the plank bridge.

  The horse carriage went along the riverbank road, Chu Xiangyang leaned against the carriage wall with her eyes closed, after a long time, just when Qingteng thought she was asleep, she suddenly saw her open her eyes and touched her waist: "My purse seems to have fallen off at Wangjiang Pavilion just now."

  "Is that so?" Qingteng was taken aback, and immediately became alert, helping to search around her, while hastily saying, "This is not good, if someone else picks it up, it will only lead to unnecessary trouble."

  Everyone's close relatives generally keep their personal belongings extremely safe. If it were at another time, it would be fine, but just now there is also a treacherous Tuoba Huai'an on the Wangjiang Tower.

  Qingteng helped search around Zhou's body in vain, and her face turned pale: "What to do? Should the young lady go back first, and I'll go back to find it for you?"

  Chu Youyang pushed the window open and took a look outside, saying: "It's raining outside, you and Qing Luan drive back, I'll wait for you in the pavilion by the road, hurry up and come back quickly."

  At that time, the carriage was already approaching the end of this street. The buildings here were very sparse, and with a turn in front, it was where ordinary people lived, so the scenery around here became somewhat desolate.

  Qingteng hesitated for a moment, Qing Luan had already pulled her sleeve and promised: "This is the best, the carriage will go faster, we slaves will definitely come and go quickly."

  "Hmm!" Chu Nanyang smiled and called out to the driver outside to stop, then tidied up her skirt before getting off the carriage first.

  The green sprout didn't make a sound as he followed her, making a gesture to support her, but his quick hands pressed the purse that had slipped out from under her sleeve onto the fur blanket on the floor of the car.

  Chu Youyang got off the car.

  Qing Luan was still a bit worried and handed her an inquiring gaze.

  Chu Nanyang nodded slightly, indicating that she should feel at ease, and then dismissed the coachman and guards to return. He stood in the pavilion, seeing them off until the outline of the carriage slowly faded away in the light rain. When he turned around, he saw a man wearing a water-ink long shirt, holding a plain-colored umbrella, walking towards him from a nearby alleyway under the fine rain.

  Yanling Jun's pace was not slow, but for some reason, it gave people an extremely leisurely feeling. His clothes fluttered in the wind, and he walked alone with his umbrella, as if he had merged with the landscape of water, sky, and mountains. People came from afar to see him, or more accurately, his presence made this place a unique and elegant landscape like a splashed ink painting.

  Chu Nanyang looked at him from afar, and a bright smile had already risen to the corners of his lips.

  Yanling Jun saw the smile in her eyes and his heart skipped a beat, then softened, also with a hint of a smile: "What are you laughing at?"

  "People all say that beauty can be a feast for the eyes, but I've just realized that no matter where you go, Lord Yanling, every place is a scenic spot." Chu Nanyang said with a smile, directly expressing what was on his mind.

  This person can give people a strange feeling, indeed. It's as if there is no situation in this world that would become awkward because of his intervention, and he can easily blend in anywhere, anytime. Could it be just like he said himself...

  He is indeed a born actor with the divine power of entering into his role at any time?

  Yanling Jun didn't know that in this short moment, she had already thought of countless things in her heart. Even if it was just a joke, he took it as praise, and the curve of his lips became even softer and more radiant: "But my feeling is exactly the opposite."

  "What's going on?" Chu Youyang said subconsciously, unclear about what was happening.

  Yanling Jun stepped into the pavilion, wanting to close his umbrella when Chu Xiangyang had already taken it from him. With slender hands, he stroked the scattered raindrops and carefully examined the ink-colored maple forest landscape on the umbrella.

  Yanling Jun looked at her smiling face, standing tall in front of her, and said: "I think that no matter where you are, the scenery around you, no matter how beautiful it is, will instantly lose its color."

  It seems like a sarcastic remark, but it is indeed his true feeling at this moment.

  The sky in front of me is dark, the wind on the river surface is very strong, and the huge waves are hitting the reef at the bend in front, with a shocking momentum, majestic and magnificent. However, this slender girl in an autumn-colored dress stands in front, and even the rolling water behind her loses its color against her, becoming just a negligible background.

  Chu Youyang listened to this and didn't take it seriously, thinking he was just being polite and teasing, but couldn't help lovingly stroking the umbrella's surface, only putting it away on the stone table in the center after a while.

  "You deliberately waited for me here, is there something urgent?" After collecting his scattered emotions, Chu Xiangyang finally looked up and met his gaze.

  "It was originally available, but not enough now —" Yanling Jun said, and halfway through his words, he glanced sideways in the direction of Wangjiang Tower with a hint of something on his mind, "I guess I'm just worrying for nothing!"

  Chu Youyang furrowed his brow, and couldn't help but take a deep breath. He also looked at him with profound meaning, following his line of sight: "Are you referring to Tuoba Huai'an? Is there something about him that I don't know?"

  Yanling Jun pursed his lips, and for a moment he did not commit to either a yes or no.

  Although Mo Bei was just a remote place in the northwest of Xiyue, the nomadic people had always been brave and good at fighting. Tuoba Huai'an's motives were clearly impure. If she could grasp his handle and control him, it would be fine; otherwise...

  Only fear endless trouble afterwards.

  "He sent Tuoba Rongyao into the palace, it's definitely not just to help him seize the throne of Mobei. Think about it, if this woman can really win the favor of the current emperor and give birth to another prince, with the support of the Mobei royal court in the future, she might even try to manipulate the Western Yue imperial court.

  Chu Jiu Yang thought for a moment before speaking slowly, "Tuoba Huai'an's ambition will not stop at his Mobei grasslands. He would take the risk of sending Tuoba Rongyao into the palace, and it's hard to say whether he won't make further calculations. But now, his intentions are clear, so I suppose he should have given up on this idea?"

  The emperor was already fifty-nine years old, and even if the probability of Tuoba Rongyao becoming pregnant was not high, it would still be a force to be reckoned with when the time came to support any imperial son to take power. After entering the palace, Tuoba Huai'an really had his heart set on it, and after he took control of the northern desert's political power, he would join forces with Tuoba Rongyao in a bid for the throne.

  Such an idea is too absurd, but Tuoba Huai'an is now inconspicuous, after several contacts, Chu Sunyang dare not take it lightly.

  This person absolutely has this ambition and means.

  In fact, Tuoba Huai'an wants to borrow power to return to the north and seize power, she will not interfere, but if the other party wants to plot here, she can't help but watch with folded arms.

  So just now on the Wangjiang Building, she had already subtly told Taobao Huai An to understand and know when to stop.

  Is Yanling Jun looking for her specifically because of this matter?

  Isn't there something mysterious about this matter that she hasn't thoroughly figured out?

  "You, the master of Xīyuè Palace, have reached the pinnacle of calculating people's hearts. Even if you didn't intentionally overlook a mere Tàobá Huài'ān, taking an alien woman as your concubine is a matter of great importance, with complex interests and consequences involved. It's impossible that you wouldn't consider this beforehand." Yánlíng Jūn said, his eyes gleaming with a faint chill, as if he too had caught the coldness of the river water in front of him.

  Chu Youyang's eyes widened slightly as he stared at him, "You're saying——"

  Yes! Chu Yi'an and Chu Yi'min were unaware that Tuoba Rongyao would be taken as an imperial concubine, so they were all in the dark. However, the emperor had a clear grasp of the situation from start to finish, even considering the potential risks that might arise if Tuoba Rongyao gained favor in the future.

  Yanling Jun withdrew his gaze from afar and looked at her: "I just received news that two months before Tuoba Huai's entourage entered the capital, the King of Mobei had secretly exchanged several letters with the Western Yue Emperor. However, the method of transmitting those secret letters was extremely strict, so I couldn't discern their specific content."

  Chu Youyang's face changed color involuntarily, and he looked at him with a puzzled expression again.

  Yanling Jun also had nothing but a bitter smile: "I've done all I can!"

  If it were really that easy to find out, wouldn't it just demonstrate the incompetence of the Emperor and the King of Mobei?

  Zhuo Rouyang's heart was no longer calm, like the turbulent river in front of him, with layer upon layer of huge waves rising up.

  She silently stared at him for a long time, before tightly pursing her lips and spitting out a few resolute and concise words: "Your meaning... is that between Your Majesty and the King of Mobei, there might already be some kind of secret agreement? The King of Mobei might have promised him some benefits, which led to Taoba Rongyao entering the palace?"

  She was very unfamiliar with the emperor's title after his death, and never connected herself to him in a grandfather-grandson relationship. The Duke of Yanling noticed this, but although he had doubts in his heart, he did not ask about it.

  "Except for the sake of profit, I really can't think of any other reason that would make an emperor who is extremely suspicious and cautious make such a compromise." Yanling Jun said, just making an objective analysis.

  He paused for a moment, then said: "Now the crown prince has not yet ascended to the throne. If he comes forward to restrain Your Majesty's decision, it will only have the opposite effect. However, every decision Your Majesty makes now will ultimately affect the crown prince the most in the future. I don't know much about this matter, and for now, I can only remind you of this. You understand what's going on."

  No matter what the emperor is plotting, it's good if he can succeed smoothly; otherwise ——

  The last stall will still be passed into Chuyi An's hands, and when the time comes to make a fuss about what legacy issues are left behind, it will still be Chuyi An's trouble.

  Chu Youyang quickly weighed the situation in her mind, reorganizing the entire matter once again. This time, with a serious expression, she nodded at Prince Ye and said: "I will remind Father to make a decision on this matter."

  The Prince of Yanling smiled.

  Chu Youyang looked at his calm smile and hesitated for a moment before speaking again: "No matter what, since you came all the way here to tell me these things today, I still want to say thank you."

  Yanling Jun looked at her, and after a moment, his eyes suddenly deepened slightly, and he said seriously: "Do you believe what I'm saying?"

  Chu Nanyang was taken aback for a moment, and then reacted and felt that there was no way to answer.

  Marquis of Yanling's words were serious and he had no concrete evidence, but she...

  Not even once did I suspect anything from start to finish.

  Since when did she unknowingly let her guard down against this person?

  She still hasn't figured out his true identity even at this point!

  Chu Youyang was stunned on the spot, his eyes were knotted, and he didn't react for half a day.

  Yanling Jun saw a hint of annoyance in her eyes, as if she had also been infected with the softness of the rainwater, and her sparkling eyes were even more charming.

  Perhaps due to his emotions or perhaps it was a long-planned move, he suddenly stepped forward.

  Chu Youyang suddenly came to his senses, and in his line of sight, a corner of a water-ink colored robe flew in. He raised his head in surprise, but was met with the gentle and affectionate smile in Yanling Jun's eyes.

  In her past life and this life, Chu Nanyang had seen his smile countless times, but under the gaze of this pair of eyes, she still felt a sense of unfamiliarity. In her memory, he seemed to be revealing such an expression for the first time.

  "You——" He stared at her like that, and Chu Xiangyang himself didn't notice his face turning slightly red as he hesitated to speak.

  "I'm so happy!" But Yanling Jun had already grasped her fingertips before she could even speak.

  The weather at the end of October was rainy again, and the air was filled with a hint of coolness, but the temperature in his palm was warm and cozy.

  Chu Youyang's body shook slightly, almost subconsciously wanting to pull his hand back.

  Yanling Jun seemed to have been prepared for this, his fingertips exerting a slight force, gripping her fingers tightly without letting go.

  Chu An Yang, who had always been quick-witted, was suddenly at a loss for words, and all she could see were the two bright flames burning in Yan Ling Jun's eyes, as if they were about to burn two holes through her face.

  Such a fierce yet seemingly pure gaze, it was her first encounter, and she instinctively felt a little at a loss.

  Xuan Ling Jun looked into her eyes and repeated again: "Xin Bao, today, I'm really happy!"

  Because Chu Yan Yang had reservations about his identity, he always knew that it would be difficult to completely eliminate her prejudices against him. He originally thought that even if he was constantly on guard, she would no longer reject him from afar and he would already be satisfied. However, this time he suddenly discovered——

  The expected outcome seems to be much more than he and his expectations.

  "Who told you——" Chu Muyang was startled, his eyebrows twisted into a knot in an instant, but it was because of the title that came out of his mouth, which was almost familiar and smooth.

  It seems like...

  Something is beyond her expectation.

  Yanling Jun looked at her, with a smile in his eyes, and became even more unrestrained.

  Taking advantage of Chu's momentary confusion, he suddenly leaned forward and whispered in her ear: "You forgot, that day on the boat, you asked me to do this. Now I'm just going with the flow!"

  Perhaps it was his aura that lingered, bringing a temperature that was too high, Chu Jiu Yang's mind buzzed for a moment, and her small face had already turned bright red in an instant.

  She took a step back, her face dark with anger: "But it's just drunken nonsense, you—"

  "That day - were you really drunk?" Yanling Jun's eyes flickered, but he was relentless and took another step closer, still leaning forward to stare at her face.

  Actually, the angle at which he slightly leaned his body was not striking, but Chu Zhaoyang himself had a guilty conscience, so he always felt that the distance between them was somewhat ambiguous and unclear. Therefore, he subtly straightened up his back, creating a slight weak distance between them.

  "Do you know?" Chu Nanyang blurted out, "When did you find out?"

  She bit her lip and forced herself to calm down, looking him straight in the eye without wanting to show any signs of guilt, but her expression was twisted with anxiety.

  That day she was indeed somewhat drunk, but from start to finish her mind was clear, and she could naturally distinguish who was on the boat with her. It's just that those worries had been suppressed for too long, and suddenly got a chance to vent, so she acted recklessly once. Originally thought that Yanling Jun was a person with deep heart and could hold things in, knowing it was her words after drinking, definitely wouldn't take it seriously, but forgot...

  If she really wants to turn her face and be ruthless, then the impression this person gave her in her past life is extremely deep.

  Indeed—

  At this time, his behavior is more close to shamelessness.

  Chu Youyang's face was filled with anger, but because he himself had been shameless first, he couldn't flare up.

  Yanling Jun suddenly felt that, although this appearance was fresh and even more real, she was no longer just a goddess standing in front of him at a high place, but had become an even more distinct personality.

  "I knew it at the time!" said Yanling Jun.

  Chu's face was gloomy and his lips moved slightly, but he couldn't speak, unable to express the mix of emotions that left him speechless.

  Knowing she was pretending to be drunk, he still calmly cooperated?

  What is this?

  Yanling Jun saw her angry expression and stopped provoking her. With an innocent look, he shrugged his shoulders and said: "Although I don't know your drinking capacity, you shouldn't forget that I'm a doctor. I also know some recipes for sobering up and refreshing the mind. Naturally, I also know that if someone is really drunk and their consciousness is unclear, they won't be able to sober up in such a short time."

  At that time, when Chu Youyang came down from the boat to see Chu Yijian, he was still clear-headed and didn't make any mistakes.

  Chu Yu's words were stuck in his throat, and he had nothing more to say.

  Was she being clever for once?

  "Whatever, I'll just deal with you first and then play along. One at a time, I won't bother arguing with you." Taking a deep breath to calm down, Chu Youyang composed himself, forcibly pulling his fingers out of the other's palm, and even managed to force out a smile as he looked away, "My servant should be back soon."

  Yanling Jun smiled and didn't entangle himself further, brushing off the hem of his robe that had gotten wet. He took two steps back and said, "Then I'll take my leave first. Here..."

  He said, and then somewhat uneasily looked around at his surroundings.

  "It's nothing!" Chu Nanyang said, "In this imperial city, no one dares to openly provoke me!"

  Marquis of Yanling thought about it and felt at ease afterwards.

  Before long, the fine rain outside had turned into strong and powerful rain threads, blown by strong winds. Even though the two of them were standing in the pavilion, they still got a whole body of wet air on them.

  Yanling Jun picked up the umbrella on the table, opened it, turned around and pulled over Chu Xun's hand again, stuffed the umbrella handle into her hand, and then carefully grasped each of her fingers.

  Chu Youyang was stunned by his movements, and when he came to his senses, he had already smiled calmly and turned to blend into the rain.

  His palm's temperature seemed to still linger on her fingertips, dry and faintly warm.

  Chu Youyang felt extremely uneasy in his heart, and his feet moved unconsciously forward: "Ah!"

  The Duke of Yanling stopped in his tracks and turned around.

  Between them was a distance of about two zhangs, and dense rain threads fell down like a curtain.

  He blended into the water-colored landscape of mountains and rivers, while she stood out in the most vivid scenery after the gentle rain.

  Chu Youyang gripped the umbrella handle tightly in her hand, but didn't mention returning it. Instead, she said: "In a moment... are you still going to hurry back to the imperial palace?"

  She had actually noticed the fatigue hidden behind Prince Yanling's smile just now, and it would take at least an hour and a half to rush back and forth from the temporary palace to the capital. Since he was waiting for him here, he must have gone to the East Palace first to find out that he would be here, and this round trip would have taken up at least two hours of trouble.

  Yanling Jun indeed arrived in Beijing yesterday evening on a sudden whim.

  About the secret correspondence between the Emperor and the King of Mobei, Su Yi had already informed him earlier. He wanted to drag it out until he figured out the specific situation before talking to Chu Yan Yang, but by now, he still hadn't been able to find any loopholes. Yesterday morning, Rui Qin Wang went to the palace to visit Chu Yi Jian and vaguely revealed that the matter of forming an alliance with Mobei through marriage would be settled in a few days. Therefore, he couldn't wait anymore and said he was returning to the capital to buy medicine, rushing back overnight. However, since he entered the city at midnight, it wasn't suitable for him to sneak into the East Palace to find someone at night. This morning, because of Tuoba Huai An's secret investigation of Qianji Pavilion, Su Yi had given him a hard time, causing a big commotion. As a result, he had been busy until now and hadn't slept in two days and one night.

  Chu Youyang's words made Yanling Jun pause for a moment, and he subconsciously said, "Do you have something that needs to be conveyed to Prince Jian Xiaowang?"

  "No!" Chu Yan Yang pursed his lips, hesitated for a moment, and finally opened his mouth to say, "The road outside the city on rainy days may not be easy to walk. If you're not in a hurry, it's not too late to wait until tomorrow when the rain stops."

  Yanling Jun was taken aback, gazing at her eyes with a not-so-clear expression. Suddenly, he had an epiphany and his eyes sparkled with a silent smile. He nodded and said: "Good!"

  The sound of vehicles and horses can be faintly heard in the distance.

  "After a while, I will suggest that Rui Qin Wang bring back Jian Xiao Wang Ye to the palace for further rest and recovery." Yan Ling Jun said, then suddenly changed his tone, with a hint of irony in his words, "As a nominal deputy envoy of the Imperial Hospital, it's not good to always be idle and take salary without making progress."

  "Oh!" replied Chu Nanyang.

  Yanling Jun lingered for a moment, then turned around, and in the blink of an eye, his tall and slender figure was swallowed up by the rain curtain, erasing all traces of what had just passed.

  Chu Youyang also turned around and walked to the side of the road with an umbrella.

  Qing Luan and others drove over, the horse-drawn carriage stopped, Qing Luan was about to take out an umbrella to pick her up, but when she saw the paper umbrella in her hand, she couldn't help but stare blankly.

  "Go back!" Chu Nanyang revealed a smile, handed the umbrella to her, got on the car himself, shook off the water droplets on his skirt and sat down.

  Qingteng crawled over to help, and took out a handkerchief for her to wipe her face. While glancing at the purse on the table, she muttered, "The thing was clearly left in the carriage, why didn't we see it then? It got us to take a useless trip. Your Highness, are you wet? Do you want to find some clothes to change into first? Don't catch a cold."

  "It's just a little water on the clothes, it's nothing." Chu Youyang said, taking over the package in his hand and playing with it repeatedly.

  Qing Luan ordered the coachman to drive back to the mansion and then took in that umbrella.

  Qīng Téng saw it and immediately snatched it into his hands, curiously opening it to take a look: "What kind of umbrella is this? I've never seen one like it before?"

  Chu Yunyang usually didn't care about the trivial matters of her daily life, and almost all of her clothes and accessories were taken care of by the two maids. The things they bought for her were mostly bright colors, so this plain-colored oil-paper umbrella naturally piqued Qingteng's curiosity.

  The umbrella surface is a plain white, with only one side of the edge roughly outlined in ink, a small painting. The picture is simple, like a lush forest, with two human shadows in the woods. Because the picture is too small, the facial features are not clear, but from the clothes, it can be vaguely discerned that they are a man and a woman. The man in the painting holds a long flute and leans against the tree playing leisurely, while the woman stands facing the wind, with one corner of her skirt fluttering up, just a back view, but the posture has an indescribable carefree and leisurely feel.

  "Whose brushwork is this? It's really well-expressed!" Qingteng couldn't help but praise.

  Chu Youyang's lips curled up slightly, drawing a faint smile.

  That scene, others didn't know, but she recognized it at a glance ——

  It was the Lianyuan Valley where she and Yang Lingjun met for the second time.

  Because the painting on this umbrella is only depicted in a single ink color, it's hard to make out that dense and fiery maple forest. It's just that the painter's skill is so exquisite that they've managed to capture its essence. Anyway, she was the first one to see it, and then vaguely seemed to re-enter that valley of fallen red leaves from the painting.

  What a wonderful place beyond the world, it has left a deep impression on her.

  Qingteng was still lost in thought in that painting, while Qingluo looked at her with a strange smile on the corner of her lips, as if she was thinking of something.

  After returning to the mansion, Chu Youyang immediately went to see Chu Yi'an and analyzed the information that Yanling Jun had revealed to her one by one with Chu Yi'an.

  Chu Yi'an remained silent and listened, his expression unchanged.

  Chu Youyang was suspicious in his heart and tried calling out to him: "Father!"

  "Ah!" Chu Yi'an came back to his senses, and casually closed the document that was spread out beside him. He looked at her and said, "The secret correspondence between Father Emperor and the Wang of Mo Bei, actually I had received some news about it before."

  Chu Yi'an was able to sit stably in the Eastern Palace, and this journey seemed calm on the surface, but who knew how many hidden cards he had up his sleeve, not even Chu Yan Yang was very clear.

  However, he could sense the news from the emperor's side. Chu Youyang was not surprised at all, but only saw Chu Yi'an's face with a solemn expression, and she also understood that this matter was not optimistic.

  "Does Father even know what they're really arguing about?" asked Chu Nanyang.

  Chu Yi'an glanced at her, although he didn't give a direct answer, but that hint of bitter gaze had already explained everything.

  Chu Youyang's heart was even more uneasy, the father and daughter were both silent for a while, in the end it was still Chu Yi'an who spoke first, "I'll pay attention to this matter, you don't have to worry too much about it."

  "Hmm!" Chu Yan nodded, also knowing that some things weren't something she could handle.

  Chu Yi'an saw her listless appearance and got up from behind the desk to walk over, standing beside her and reaching out to gently touch the hair at the back of her head.

  Chu Nanyang looked up at his face, and the father-daughter duo exchanged a tacit smile, momentarily putting aside all those annoying trivial matters.

  Chu Sunyang accompanied Chu Yi'an for a while, roughly explaining the matter of her meeting with Tuoba Huai'an today, before returning to Jin Hua Tang to rest.

  A gentle rain fell all night, but Zhuo Rouyang slept exceptionally soundly. Just as she was sleeping sweetly, the nine gates of the imperial palace suddenly opened wide, and on the court where officials gathered, a shocking thunderbolt struck, stirring up an unprecedented storm.

  The fifth son of the Northern Desert, Mo Bei, came uninvited and openly asked to marry the eldest daughter of the South River King's Manor, An Le County Princess Chu Lingyin, who was known as the number one beauty in the capital.

  Because it happened suddenly, the whole scene was silent, and everyone including the emperor remained silent for a while without reacting.

  If Tuoba Huai'an had asked to marry as soon as he entered the capital, no one would have thought much of it. But now that he has dragged his feet for so many days, he suddenly makes a shocking statement, causing many people to secretly ponder.

  Chu Qiyan was the first to sniff out the unusual smell, and a formulaic smile curled up at the corner of her lips as she said loudly: "Your Highness wants to marry my older sister? I didn't hear that wrong, did I?"

  Tuoba Huai'an glanced sideways, his eyes meeting the emperor's for a moment before he bowed and said: "Your Majesty, I am sincere in my request to marry her. Otherwise, I would not have taken the trouble to come to the palace to pay my respects. When I was still in the north of the desert, I had already heard that Princess Anle of Guangping is unmatched in talent and beauty, a rare treasure in the world. I have long admired her, and I beg Your Majesty to grant me this marriage!"

  The emperor stared at the folded paper in his hand for a long time before finally looking up.

  This matter is very tricky.

  This time, the marriage alliance with the Northern Wei is inevitable. Originally, if Emperor Xiaoming of Northern Wei didn't speak up, it wouldn't matter who he chose, but now that the other party has come to the Golden Palace to propose, and what they're asking for is only a county princess, not even a high-ranking one, if he doesn't agree, it would seem like he's already ruined the sincerity of this alliance.

  But why did Tuoba Huai suddenly propose to marry Chu Lingyun?

  The emperor was also a bit puzzled by Tuoba Huai'an's thoughts for the time being, but this matter needed to be settled on the spot. After thinking for a moment, the emperor smiled and said to Chu Yimin below, "Old two, this kid is asking for your daughter, I, as the grandfather, still need to ask for your opinion. This kid, I think he's not bad either, he volunteered to be your son-in-law, what do you think?"

  The emperor and Empress Luo were after all different, sending out a Chu Lingyun to him was completely unrelated and painless.

  But would he marry Chuliangyun off to a place beyond the desert? This was something that Chuyi Min had never thought of.

  Chu Yimin's face was stiff, but he still maintained a smile and said to Tuoba Huai: "Your Highness is too kind, I thank you on behalf of my daughter."

  "However, Your Majesty, you know that Rong'er is a spoiled girl, being doted on by the queen. She's very willful and unruly. The fifth prince has taken a liking to her, and I shouldn't have declined. But I fear that if she were to go to the Wang family's estate in Mobei and cause more trouble, it would tarnish the dignity of our great dynasty, and that would be my fault."

  Tuoba Huai'an smiled and said, "Your Highness is worrying too much. The royal court of the Northern Desert doesn't have that many restrictive rules, and Xiao Wang is sincerely seeking to marry her, so naturally he won't let Princess Anle suffer any grievances. Even if Princess Anle marries into the Northern Desert in the future, everyone from top to bottom will treat her with courtesy and respect, and won't use those insignificant rules to constrain her."

  Chu Yimin was choked for a moment, his face looked even more unpleasant, just about to make another excuse, Chu Qiyan standing beside him secretly pulled down his sleeve.

  Chu Qiyan had been silent all along, but his sharp eyes had been secretly observing Tuoba Huai'an's every move. He felt that today's matter was very unusual and there must be some unknown inside story.

  So no matter what the other party's purpose is, this marriage must not be promoted.

  But at present, the other side is in a position of absolute necessity, and it is also in front of the emperor. If they refuse too obviously...

  The emperor is afraid of the first one and will be unhappy in his heart.

  With a calm and stable mood, Chu Qiyan took a step forward, smiled and said, "Being able to get Your Highness's favor is also the good fortune of our Nanhe Wangfu, but since this matter concerns my sister's lifelong happiness, shouldn't we also ask for her opinion before giving you an answer?"

  Is this just a delaying tactic?

  Tuoba Huai sneered inwardly, but his face remained expressionless. He seemed to be lost in thought for a moment before saying, "Little Wang Su asked you people of Xiyue about marriage, and you said it's all about parental orders and matchmaker's words. How is it that even the King of Nanhe can't make decisions for his own daughter?"

  It seems to be sarcastic about the other side being too proud, but upon closer inquiry, it also implies that Chu Yimin is incompetent.

  Can't even take charge of one's own marriage!

  Chu Yimin was originally not a person who could keep his temper, and with his words, his face suddenly turned pale and changed color in an instant, looking extremely ugly.

  Chu Qiyan did not expect him to openly target her, and immediately sank his face, saying, "Your Highness, be careful with your words!"

  "As he finished speaking, he took another step forward and bowed to the Emperor: 'Your Majesty, my father and I have no other intention. As you know, the Empress Dowager once said that she would have to approve of any marriage arrangement for my sister. Although Your Majesty has given your consent, the Empress Dowager is also the mother of the nation. Even if my father wanted to finalize this marriage, shouldn't he first discuss it with her? Not for anything else, but for filial piety, which cannot be taken lightly!'"

  If it were the Emperor, he would have to point out this marriage, and no matter what they said, it would be in vain. Even if Empress Luo was brought up, it would be of no use. However, using this reason could salvage some dignity for Chu Yimín and the Nanhe Wangfu.

  Only

  Tuoba Huai'an's words today are really too strange and make people think deeply but can't understand!

  Tuoba Huai'an heard this and didn't show any displeasure, instead he nodded in deep agreement: "The Empress is the mother of the country, at this time it's only natural that we can't bypass her. Since Prince Nanhe also has difficulties, how could I, a small king, not know the etiquette of advancing and retreating? It's just that I've already mustered up the courage to ask Your Majesty for an edict, so please, after consulting with the Empress, give me an answer as soon as possible."

  The emperor went out to discuss with Empress Luo? Would Empress Luo dare say a single "no"?

  I thought I could stall for a while, but unexpectedly, Tuoba Huai'an cut off my retreat with just a few words!

  Even Chu Qiyan couldn't find an excuse to decline at this moment, and in his anger, a storm was brewing in the depths of his eyes, ominous and terrifying.

  Tuoba Huai'an felt it too——

  He didn't want to make an enemy of anyone on this trip, but he was forced by Chu Zhiyang to the edge of the storm, and as a result, he ended up being hated by Chu Qiyan.

  Chu Qiyan's gaze made him secretly annoyed, but his face maintained an unchanged smile.

  The emperor weighed it in his heart for a long time and didn't have many thoughts about it. He nodded along with the situation, saying: "Alright, wait for me..."

  Before the words had fallen, a courtier from the other side stepped forward with big strides, knelt upright in front of the emperor and said solemnly: "Your Majesty, I'm afraid the marriage between the South River King's Mansion and the North Desert cannot be concluded."

  Everyone involuntarily looked up at the sound.

  Su Lin has already deeply bowed his head to the ground and clearly said: "Because of the marriage contract between Princess Anle and I!"

  Digression

  It's so hard to hold back emotions, is this the rhythm of dropping updates?