"Tell me." Li Longze ordered concisely, his eyes falling on Chen Jin, expecting him to come up with a solution that would satisfy both sides.

Chen Jin's lips curled up slightly, revealing a calm smile. He spoke slowly, "Your Majesty, since ancient times, gentlemen have always sought beautiful ladies. It's only natural for Prince Nurhadu to be attracted to the daughter of a marquis, and there's nothing wrong with that..."

He changed the subject and continued, "But I once heard the Dowager Consort Shoukang mention that, because she had no children, she intended to adopt the Fifth Young Lady of the Marquisate as her adopted daughter, so that she could enjoy the happiness of family life with her. Therefore, the marriage between County Lady Rongde and the Prince has not been finalized, and the Empress Dowager is in a dilemma."

Chen Jin paused for a moment before revealing his true purpose: "In my humble opinion, we should allow Lady Rongde to remain in the palace for a few years, awaiting Prince Nurhadu's triumphant return from conquering the Northern Di. Then, Dowager Shoukang will decide on the marriage. What do you think, Your Majesty?"

These words not only cleverly delayed time, but also tactfully handed the decision-making power of Xue Shanqiu's marriage to Concubine Shoukang, thus avoiding the embarrassing situation of Li Longze matching people up on the spot.

As soon as this proposal was made, there was an uproar in the audience. Xue Zhongfu felt relieved when he heard it. His eyes were full of gratitude when he looked at Chen Jin.

Although he did not want his younger sister to marry far away in the Western Rong, he also did not want her to be involved in the royal disputes. However, the current situation did not allow him to make many choices. At least Chen Jin had bought time for the Marquis' Mansion, so they could make other plans.

Li Longze's eyes flashed with appreciation for Chen Jin's proposal. He was indeed his trusted think tank and was very quick-witted. He resolved the current deadlock with just a few words.

He pondered for a moment and nodded slowly. This proposal was quite pertinent. It not only took Prince Nurhadu's face into consideration, but also gave Concubine Shoukang enough time to consider.

"I know that you, Prince, are eager to get married, but marriage is a major matter that requires long-term consideration. What do you think of the proposal just now?" Li Longze turned to Nurhadu with a sincere tone.

"Your Majesty has considered this very carefully, and I naturally have no objection." Nurhadu's tone was firm, his eyes revealing confidence and determination. "When I succeed in conquering the Northern Di, I will definitely marry the daughter of the Marquisate with Baishui Mountain as a betrothal gift. I only hope that the Great Zhou court will keep its promise and ensure that this perfect couple is not left without a match."

His words expressed both confidence in his own strength and implicit concern about possible changes in the future.

Li Longze smiled and nodded, "Of course. I can assure you that I will make your wish come true."

At least for now, it seems that his younger sister's marriage has been temporarily relieved, and Xue Zhongfu couldn't help but feel secretly relieved.

At this moment, he noticed that Nurhaci was walking towards him. He had met this prince of Western Rong briefly in front of the gate of the marquis' mansion.

Facing each other again, their eyes met in the air, as if sparking an invisible confrontation.

"Sir Xue, don't think that you have escaped by luck this time. The idea you came up with is actually a very bad one." Nurhadu's voice was low and full of majesty.

Xue Zhongfu was about to speak out a rebuttal, but he saw the other party resolutely turn around and stride towards the white horse.

At the same time, after expressing their deep gratitude to Emperor Li Longze, the entire Western Rong delegation left the capital in an orderly manner. Li Longze also personally went out of the city to see them off. Looking at the departing team, Xue Zhongfu felt a complex emotion in his heart.

…

Within a few days, the news that the son of the Western Rong Zuo Xian King had proposed to Your Majesty and wanted to marry Xue Shanqiu, the daughter of the Marquisate, had spread throughout the capital.

This news also caused panic among the people in Xingyuan Marquis' Mansion. The atmosphere in the mansion was extremely tense. Old Madam Hong Yingrong decided to temporarily close the door to visitors to avoid outside disturbances.

In Tingyuxuan, Xue Yuanchu accompanied his wife Jiang Shuxiu like a shadow, taking good care of her and never leaving her side. No matter it was the morning breeze or the night drizzle, he just wanted to cherish every moment with his wife before leaving for the border military camp.

After careful consideration, he and his mother decided to keep the prescription written by the imperial physician a secret from Jiang Shuxiu for the time being.

They were worried that if Jiang Shuxiu knew that her inability to conceive for many years was not God's will but a human error, she might become so sad and angry that she might have a miscarriage, which would undoubtedly be a loss.

The sunlight slanted into the room. Jiang Shuxiu leaned on the couch, stroking her slightly bulging belly, her face filled with maternal glow. Xue Yuanchu sat beside her, looking at her tenderly.

Jiang Shuxiu's voice was as soft as water. "You don't need to worry about me. Doctor Hong is a highly skilled doctor, and he has brought people back to health. I've been feeling much better these past few days, and even my appetite has improved. I'm no longer as lethargic and weak as before."

Xue Yuanchu felt a little comforted when he heard his wife say this, but he still couldn't hide the worry between his brows.

He nodded, his eyes revealing reluctance. "That being said, I'm still worried about you. I'm going to the military camp, and my return date is uncertain. I'm afraid I won't be at home when you give birth, and I'll always feel guilty about you..."

Seeing him like this, Jiang Shuxiu felt warm in her heart. She gently shook their interlocked hands and smiled serenely, "I know you're worried about me. Since His Majesty has entrusted you with this important task and you're heading to the military camp as a steward, you should not worry about anything and make your mother worry."

Xue Yuanchu took a deep breath, and the worry in his eyes gradually dissipated, replaced by a determined light. He held Jiang Shuxiu's hand tightly: "You are right. I will keep your instructions in mind and live up to the expectations of His Majesty and mother. But you must take care of yourself and wait for me to come back."

Recalling that Xiangqin stood up to testify for him in front of Jingzhao Yin without hesitation, Xue Yuanchu felt deeply grateful.

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