Inside the Mingde Hall, Nangong Qing had the chief eunuch Gao Yi hand the letter to Yan Honglang.

The old prime minister was over sixty years old, but he still exuded official authority and was very energetic.

"Prime Minister Yan, this matter concerns the life of the Deputy Minister of Agriculture and the cities we just conquered. What is your opinion on this matter?"

Yan Honglang finished reading the letter, his expression unchanged, and silently placed it on the table in front of him.

"Your Majesty, the development of Nanning in recent years is inseparable from the Deputy Minister of Agriculture. It can be said that the Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Nanning have long been interdependent."

"A former emperor once waged a war in search of a talented individual; Your Majesty may follow suit today."

"Does Prime Minister Yan also agree to bring back the Deputy Minister of Agriculture?"

As long as Prime Minister Yan agrees, he will have his own ways of dealing with those people in the court.

"Your Majesty summoned me to discuss state affairs; haven't you already made your decision in your heart?"

Nangong Qing naturally wanted to save Su Luo, but he felt guilty towards Manyu.

"I don't care about exchanging half the city for the position of Deputy Minister of Agriculture, but I can't bear to let Manyu, who has been pampered in the palace since childhood, marry the Emperor of Beiliang."

Yan Honglang stood up, clasped his hands in a fist and said, “Your Majesty, this is a matter of national importance. How can we let personal feelings interfere? If the Fifth Princess does not marry into Beiliang today, she will have to form a marriage alliance with another small country in the future.”

Such is the fate of princesses; the imperial family has always been heartless.

"But, I..."

Before Nangong Qing could finish speaking, a figure in a pale yellow dress rushed into Mingde Hall. Nangong Manyu did not cry or make a fuss as expected.

Instead, he ran up to Nangong Qing and Prime Minister Yan and stood there, looking them over with his eyes.

"Your Majesty, is marriage absolutely necessary?"

The Empress followed her in. The two of them had overheard the entire conversation inside.

As the empress, she could not defy her husband, so she could only pat Nangong Manyu's shoulder and gently comfort her.

“Manyu, if you are unwilling, your third brother will think of other ways.”

When Nangong Qing heard that Nangong Manyu no longer called him Third Brother, but instead addressed him as Your Majesty, he knew that his sister's heart had turned cold.

"Prime Minister Yan, is there any other way? This princess wants to hear your suggestion."

Nangong Manyu turned to face Yan Honglang. She had seen how difficult it had been for her third brother since he ascended the throne.

"Fifth Princess, Nanning is not the kind of country that forgets its gratitude. Moreover, Nanning's economy needs the Deputy Minister of Agriculture, and the people of Nanning need the Deputy Minister of Agriculture."

Nangong Manyu understood that as long as she married into Beiliang, not only could the people of both countries recuperate, but the war would also cease.

“In that case, Your Majesty, I am willing to marry into the Northern Liang.”

Nangong Manyu gritted her teeth, tears streaming down her face involuntarily.

"Manyu, are you really willing?"

Nangong Qing's question sounded utterly powerless; he had already made his decision, so what difference did it make whether Nangong Manyu was willing or not?

"Since I'm going to get married anyway, marrying Ye Yueze is better than marrying someone else. At least I know his temperament and his character. If I spend my life with him, he won't treat me badly."

Yan Honglang looked up at Nangong Qing and then spoke to Nangong Manyu and the Empress in front of him.

"Since the Fifth Princess has agreed, the matter is settled. Your Majesty, I still need to discuss the next political affairs with His Majesty. Please take the Fifth Princess back first."

The Empress bowed slightly: "Your Majesty, I take my leave!"

After discussing some matters with Yan Honglang, Nangong Qing drafted an imperial edict that same day, in which Nanning agreed to Beiliang's conditions.

As long as Ye Beihan can save Su Luo.

...

With the border at peace and Ah Xu back, Nangong Qing received news that Su Luo's soul had left her body and she remained unconscious.

Perhaps this is what the imperial advisor meant by "seeking survival from the brink of death"?

"Your Majesty, the Fifth Princess's wedding sedan chair is about to leave the palace. Aren't you going to see it off?"

The Empress was dressed in magnificent robes, adorned with a phoenix hairpin, and possessed a beautiful and radiant appearance. Every smile and frown exuded the aura of a mother of the nation.

"No, please trouble the Empress to see my younger sister off for me..."

Nangong Qing hesitated, feeling guilty that his sister had married far away and he didn't know when they would meet again.

But he had no choice but to do it, not only for Su Luo, but also because of Nangong Chiyu's contributions to Nanning, which he could not afford to fail.

"This parting may be our last, Your Majesty. Are you really not going?"

Nangong Qing shook his head, picked up a memorial to read, and was completely unaware that he was holding it upside down.

Seeing him like this, the Empress simply sighed and turned to leave.

Since her marriage to His Majesty, they have always treated each other with respect. His Majesty is a man of deep affection and loyalty, and at this moment he is probably more distressed than anyone else.

After the Empress left, Nangong Qing tossed the memorial aside and, without allowing Gao Yi and the others to follow, strode towards the high walls of the palace.

Beneath the wall stretched rows of dowry items that seemed to go on forever. His younger sister, who had always been by his side, was now dressed in a bright red wedding gown and was about to travel far away to another country.

Nangong Qing bit her lower lip, forcing herself not to cry, but the tears still flowed down her cheeks uncontrollably.

Before getting into the bridal sedan chair, Nangong Manyu seemed to sense him and knelt down to bid him farewell towards the high wall where he was.

This bow caused Nangong Qing to completely lose control. He gripped the bricks of the palace wall with both hands and murmured the words "Manyu".

Scenes of the two of them from childhood to adulthood flashed through his mind. From then on, he had no family left in this deep palace.

Originally, Nangong Qing thought everything would settle down, but he didn't expect that after waiting for half a year, what he received was not the good news of Su Luo waking up, but Nangong Chiyu's intention to retire from the military.

This news shocked the entire court and the public, but Nangong Chiyu's reasons were also irrefutable.

He was refining medicine for Su Luo, and he didn't know when Su Luo would wake up. Maybe two years, maybe five years, or maybe a lifetime.

Nangong Qing knew he was not as good as Nangong Chiyu, but he still agreed to his request.

The affairs of the Akabane Army were handed over to Chi Yi, who was also promoted to General.

He preserved the title of Prince Yu for Nangong Chiyu, and he continued to receive a monthly salary from the court, which was what he deserved.

Su Luo has been brought back from Beiliang for three years, but she still shows no signs of waking up.

For the past three years, Nangong Qing has been pressured by his ministers to select concubines to fill the harem, which has given him a huge headache.

The selection of imperial concubines was originally held every three years, but he has been on the throne for three years now. If he doesn't select one this year, he probably won't be able to avoid it.

"Your Majesty, these are portraits sent by the Empress. All the candidates for the imperial concubine selection this year are here. Please take a look and see if there are any that catch your eye?"

The candidates have not yet been initially selected, but if Nangong Qing takes a look at them first, he will be more lenient with them during the subsequent selection process if he finds someone he likes.

"This matter can be left to the Empress; I am very busy."

Gao Yi was in a dilemma. The Empress insisted that he show it to His Majesty, but His Majesty had returned it to the Empress, which put him in a very difficult position.

"Your Majesty, if you don't read this, I will be severely punished by the Empress after I leave. I'm afraid my old bones will fall apart."