Luo Lingyue walked away affectionately with Chen Manping on her arm, leaving only Luo Lingzhang and Chen Yihan sitting in the front hall. Their faces were so gloomy that it seemed as if water could drip out of them.

Luo Lingsong keenly sensed the unusually tense atmosphere. He cautiously asked, "Third Brother! You specifically sent a message asking me to hurry back. Did something bad happen?"

Luo Lingzhang stared at his brother with his narrow eyes, saying nothing, with a complex light flashing in his eyes.

Seeing this, Chen Yihan, who was sitting nearby, quickly smoothed things over, saying, "My dear nephew! It was actually my idea to ask you to come back! Don't worry, sit down, and we can talk it over."

When Luo Lingsong heard this, his heart suddenly tightened, as if he had fallen into an ice cellar. He stared at his uncle in disbelief, his eyes wide open, as if struck by a bolt from the blue.

Chen Manping's tears flashed through his mind, and now he finally understood why. Uncontrollable anger surged in his heart, and he stood up excitedly, his voice trembling as he asked, "Uncle! Did someone bully Sister Ping? Tell me who it is! I will never let him go!"

Luo Lingzhang frowned slightly, raised his eyebrows and looked at Luo Lingsong, with a hint of blame in his tone: "You were quite calm in front of Pingmei before, why are you so impatient now?"

Luo Lingsong was extremely anxious. He ignored his third brother's reproach and explained anxiously, "Sister Ping is a girl after all. There are some things that may not be convenient for her to tell me as her brother. I'm worried that she's been wronged but has no one to confide in!"

Luo Lingzhang blew gently on the hot tea in the cup, then took a sip slowly. After putting the cup down, he slowly said, "The Queen intends to marry my sister to the Crown Prince and make her his concubine."

These words hit Luo Lingsong's heart like a heavy hammer. He felt dizzy and his body shook involuntarily.

Luo Lingsong roared in anger: "How can Sister Ping be someone else's concubine!"

Luo Lingzhang raised the corners of his mouth slightly, chuckled and said, "That's the Crown Prince's concubine!"

Luo Lingsong said anxiously, "Even a concubine is still a concubine! Even if the prince succeeds to the throne and becomes emperor in the future, the children born to the concubine can only be considered illegitimate!"

Luo Lingzhang's expression instantly darkened. "Shut up! How can you put the King of Qin in such a position with such remarks?"

Luo Lingsong's expression grew increasingly grim. "Third Brother! We're discussing Sister Ping's affairs now! The Crown Prince is definitely not a good person! More importantly, from the perspective of outsiders, the Marquis of Jing'an's Mansion has always been a supporter of the King of Qin. If Sister Ping becomes the Crown Prince's concubine, how will the Marquis of Jing'an's Mansion and the General's Mansion cope in the future?"

He turned around abruptly and shouted anxiously to Chen Yihan, "Uncle! There's absolutely no way my sister Ping will like that prince. You can't agree to this marriage no matter what!"

Chen Yihan sighed helplessly, her tone filled with helplessness and powerlessness: "If the Empress herself issues an imperial decree, then how can we, the Marquis of Jing'an Mansion, disobey the Empress?"

Luo Lingsong was so anxious that he was whirling around like an ant on a hot pan, sweat even breaking out on his forehead. "There must be another way! Third brother! You've always been resourceful! Come up with a plan to save Sister Ping! She must be feeling very upset right now!"

Luo Lingzhang's face, which was originally as gentle as jade and calm, now showed a hint of hesitation, but he quickly regained his usual calmness: "As for a solution... I do have one, but..."

Luo Lingsong shouted anxiously, "Third brother! Hurry up and tell me!"

Luo Lingzhang was silent for a moment before he slowly spoke, "If my sister is already engaged, even Your Majesty cannot allow her to become the Crown Prince's concubine!"

Luo Lingsong was stunned when he heard this, and an indescribable sadness and pain suddenly surged in his heart. He frowned and said softly: "Who does uncle plan to marry my sister Ping to?"

Chen Yihan shook her head helplessly and sighed deeply, a hint of regret in her tone: "Ping'er is reckless and not good at needlework. She doesn't act like a girl at all! She only wants to become a majestic female general. A girl with her temperament can't compare to the dignified and quiet ladies in the capital, so we can only find a son of a prominent family to marry her."

Luo Lingsong felt a pang of pain in his heart: "Sister Ping is such a kind and beautiful woman! How can you slander her like this! What's more..."

Before he could finish his words, Luo Lingsong suddenly knelt on his knees and kowtowed to Chen Yihan, saying, "Uncle, please marry my sister Ping to me! I will protect her with all my heart and never leave her!"

Chen Yihan narrowed her eyes slightly and asked with a puzzled tone, "A few years ago, we proposed a marriage between you two. Why did you reject it outright?"

Luo Lingsong's cheeks flushed instantly. He lowered his head and explained with a stutter, "Before, I considered that she was so far away from home. If she married me, I'm afraid she would end up like my eldest sister-in-law, living alone in an empty room! I... I'm really not sure if she's willing! I..."

"I do!" Chen Manping's voice suddenly came from outside the door, a mixture of shyness and determination. Then, Chen Manping and Luo Lingyue carefully supported Chen Manting and slowly walked into the house.

Chen Manping's cheeks flushed like ripe apples. Her beautiful eyes gazed at Luo Lingsong with deep affection, as if she had a thousand words to say. "Fourth Brother Luo! I do... I..." Her voice was soft and gentle, like a spring breeze caressing the heart.

Upon hearing this, Luo Lingsong stood up abruptly and hurried towards Chen Manping. His eyes gleamed with a fiery light, as if burning with a blazing fire. Approaching her, he tightly grasped her hands and whispered, "Don't tell me, let me tell you. Sister Ping, I have always loved you. I have always buried this feeling deep in my heart, not daring to express it easily. I was afraid that I couldn't give you the best, so I have always protected you silently. However, over the years, I have put you in such a difficult situation. It is all my fault."

His words were sincere and heartfelt, filled with self-blame and regret. Chen Manping couldn't help but burst into tears. She felt Luo Lingsong's sincerity and deep affection, and the grievances and pain in her heart instantly vanished. She knew that this man truly cared for her and loved her.

Chen Yihan laughed heartily: "My dear son-in-law! There is no time to lose. Let's finalize the marriage now, Ling Zhang! Let's quickly go to the palace to see the emperor and finalize the marriage! To avoid any more trouble!"