Chapter 69 Backfired

Pei Ji suddenly leaned over and slammed his forehead heavily on the hard and cold gold brick, making a crisp and heavy knocking sound.

His voice was unusually clear and calm, breaking the suffocating silence. "Your Majesty, please calm down! My parents, in a moment of desperation, spoke and acted rudely, seriously misbehaving in front of the emperor. Their crimes are unforgivable! As his son, I cannot escape the blame for this crime! I beg Your Majesty to bear all the blame solely on me, Pei Ji! I only ask Your Majesty to forgive my parents' momentary loss of mind and intelligence!"

"No!" Meng's desperate howl was like a torn silk. "Ji'er! It's none of your business! I'm fine! I don't want you to take the blame! Your Majesty, please have mercy! If you want to beat me or kill me, come at me! Don't touch my son!"

She struggled to grab Pei Ji's sleeve, looking like a madman, with tears streaming down her face showing complete devastation and confusion.

This ugly scene made all the nobles in the hall lose their last bit of reserve, and their eyes were filled with undisguised contempt and disgust.

"Come here!" The emperor's voice was filled with suppressed anger, as well as a hint of obvious fatigue and impatience. He clearly didn't want this absurd farce to taint today's palace banquet. "Send the Earl of Changning and his wife back home and have a good rest!"

Two sturdy palace guards appeared silently like ghosts behind the limp Earl of Changning and his wife.

They moved swiftly, one on the left and one on the right, and lifted Pei Kuan and Meng up directly as if they were carrying two torn bags!

Meng's shrill cries and struggles were extremely piercing in the solemn hall, but were strangled by the guards' iron-like hands and turned into broken whimpers.

Pei Ji remained prostrated on the ground, not moving an inch. From an angle where no one could see, he slowly closed his eyes.

The entire hall seemed to have experienced a catastrophe.

Beneath the brilliant light of the glass lamp, there was a contempt that could not be concealed even by the messy gold powder on the ground.

The emperor on the throne slowly sat back on the dragon chair, tapping his knuckles lightly on the cold dragon-head armrests. Each tap was like a blunt knife cutting into people's hearts.

His eyes silently swept over the ministers below the steps, and finally fell on a few key figures - at the lower left, the usually taciturn and steady Prince Rui, with his eyes slightly lowered, his expression unrecognizable; not far to the right, the stagnant hostility between the brows of Prince Jin was more glaring than the gold flakes scattered at the banquet; then, his gaze slowly moved to the right, and fell on the honored seat in the front row.

There, Princess Xinyi Zhaoyang of Liuyang was wearing a palace dress as luxurious as clouds, with her back straight, facing the emperor's gaze.

The pair of eyes that resembled her mother, the eldest princess, were surprisingly bright, and looked back with an unquestionable determination, without any hesitation.

The old emperor's eyes were as deep as a well, slowly settling some difficult-to-understand thoughts.

He seemed to sigh silently, and his gaze finally lingered on Xinyi Zhaoyang for a moment, with a hint of scrutiny and a hint of final decision.

The moment the emperor's gaze fell on her, Xinyi Zhaoyang suddenly stood up.

She left her seat, strode to the open space in front of the steps, knelt on both knees, and kowtowed neatly and in a standard manner.

When he looked up again, the girl's clear voice was like jade beads knocking on gold bricks. Every word was clear and distinct, filled with desperate determination:

"Your Majesty, your son Xinyi Zhaoyang, begs for mercy!"

Countless eyes were focused on her, some were surprised, some were curious, and some understood. They all wanted to know what this princess, who was so favored by the emperor and empress, wanted to ask for.

"Zhaoyang," the emperor said, his voice gentle and kind, "what do you want?"

Xinyi Zhaoyang took a deep breath and raised his chin.

"This son has long been in love with Junior Justice Pei Ji, and I will never marry anyone other than you! I beg Your Majesty to grant this son and Junior Justice Pei a marriage!"

Wow——

The slight commotion in the hall finally became uncontrollable and spread out, like a huge rock thrown into calm water.

Granting a marriage to Pei Ji? That young Shaoqing known for his sternness, severity, and unsmiling manner?

Surprise, confusion, inquiry...all kinds of eyes wandered over Pei Ji.

Pei Ji himself was still kneeling as steady as a mountain, his hands on his knees, his knuckles clear and pale, not moving at all.

If his eyelids had not twitched ever so slightly, one would almost think he was just a clay or wooden sculpture.

Several nobles who knew the inside story exchanged knowing glances. It seemed that the person who had gone to great lengths to get the Earl of Changning and his wife to "show up" before the banquet had actually shot himself in the foot.

The Changning Marquis and his wife had just exposed their shameful behavior, practically solidifying their reputation as unfit parents-in-law for the princess. Yet, at this moment, the princess was still clinging to Pei Ji? This stubbornness was beyond everyone's expectation!

Just when everyone thought that Shengxin was about to follow the princess's wishes and it was only a matter of time before Pei Ji, the golden son-in-law, fell into his pocket -

A very slight but absolutely powerful hum was heard at the table.

The eldest princess, who had been resting with her eyes closed, suddenly opened her eyes.

Almost at the same time, her hand reached out with lightning speed and accurately grasped Xinyi Zhaoyang's wrist.

The force was so great that it dragged Xinyi Zhaoyang, who was already half standing, back!

"Mother!" Xinyi Zhaoyang was caught off guard, her body tilted, and her face was filled with disbelief and astonishment.

She struggled to break free, looking up at her mother, eyes full of stubbornness and eagerness, "Why are you stopping me? I only want Pei Ji! You clearly..."

The eldest princess did not immediately respond to her daughter's question, but continued to hold her daughter's wrist tightly, holding her firmly in front of her seat beside her.

She shifted her gaze from her daughter's unwilling eyes and swept across the room with a frightening pressure. Wherever her gaze reached, the slightest disturbance was instantly extinguished.

Then, the eldest princess turned slightly to face the emperor, her movements still calm and graceful.

She loosened her grip on her daughter's hand, but when Xinyi Zhaoyang met her mother's cold and warning eyes, the words on her lips could not be uttered.

Finally, under the eldest princess's cold gaze, she succumbed, her body stiffly pressed back to her seat by her mother's strength, sitting upright, with redness instantly turning to the corners of her eyes.

"Your Majesty," the eldest princess' voice sounded steadily, "Zhaoyang is young and innocent, and he doesn't know the ins and outs of the world. He acted impulsively and spoke and acted recklessly. I am sorry to have embarrassed Your Majesty and you all." She bowed slightly, keeping a very humble attitude.

"Oh?" The emperor's eyes deepened, and he tapped the dragon table lightly with his index finger. His voice was inarticulate, "Why do you say that, sister? I see that Zhaoyang girl has such a strong heart."

He deliberately pointed out that he was "very determined" and his eyes swept over Pei Ji.

The eldest princess gave a wry smile, which vanished in an instant, leaving behind a look of calm, almost ruthless consideration in her eyes: "Your Majesty's favor towards Zhaoyang is a blessing for her. However, precisely because she is naive and ignorant, I, as her mother, need to consider her long-term prospects even more."

She paused, her gaze slowly sweeping across the faces of the people in the hall. "Your Majesty, as I know, I will soon be leaving for my fiefdom in Dongling to take care of affairs. This journey will be far and wide, and I don't know when I will return to the capital. Zhaoyang is my only child, and her fate is crucial to her lifelong honor and stability. I am far away from the central government, unable to reach her. Therefore, her husband's family must not only have outstanding children, but also have a clean and upright foundation, and a harmonious and noble family, so that she can be an impeccable support and a source of support for her life. Only then can I rest in peace in Dongling."

The last four words were spoken with such force that they weighed heavily on everyone's heart. Everyone could hear that the key word was "impeccable."

There was silence in the hall.

Xinyi Zhaoyang raised his head abruptly, eager to open his mouth to explain himself: "But Pei Shaoqing..."

"Shut up!" The eldest princess growled, her stern eyes instantly fixed on her daughter's next words.

The look in his eyes was extremely cold, clearly conveying an order - if you say one more word, you will be slapping your mother in the face, and challenging the authority of your uncle, the emperor!

Xinyi Zhaoyang trembled all over, a huge sense of grievance and helplessness surged up in his heart, tears welled up in his eyes, he bit his lower lip tightly, tasted the faint smell of blood, and finally turned his head away stubbornly, not looking at anyone again.

The princess ignored her daughter's reaction, turned back, and bowed deeply to the emperor with an even more respectful and earnest tone. "I, your sister, do not think that Pei Shaoqing is lacking in talent and virtue. On the contrary, Pei Shaoqing is young and promising, and has an outstanding reputation in the Dali Temple."

She stopped there and never mentioned Pei Ji again, emphasizing only, "As a mother, I always want to marry my daughter off safely. The Pei family's reputation is so bad that I'm afraid he's not a good match for my daughter. This lifelong event concerns the dignity of the royal family and the life of the princess. I dare not be careless, let alone risk your Majesty's grace. I beg your Majesty..."

She bowed again, "Please allow me some time to consider and find a more suitable and impeccable candidate for marriage, so as to ensure Zhaoyang's future is foolproof!"

quiet.

Deathly silence.

The eldest princess's reasons were so just and so impeccable.

The loving mother made long-term plans for her young daughter and avoided all potential risks, especially the "improper behavior" and ugly behavior of the Earl of Changning and his wife just now, which provided solid evidence of her "caution".

She emphasized Pei Ji's excellence, but did not mention the Pei family's shortcomings. She only glossed over them with words like "family tradition, good match", etc., which saved Pei Ji's face and hit the sore spot accurately, nailing the two elders of the Pei family to the pillar of shame.

Every word and sentence is reasonable and flawless.

Who dares to refute it? Who can find a reason to object?

The emperor on the throne was silent for half a cup of tea.

He looked at his elder sister kneeling on the ground, then glanced at his niece Xinyi Zhaoyang who was sitting stiffly, and then looked at the Changning Earl and his wife who were almost burying their heads in the dust in the corner of the hall. Finally, his gaze fell back on the young man in the hall who was silent from beginning to end as if he was not involved in the matter - Pei Ji.

The latter's profile was as sharp as a knife, calm and without a ripple, as if the marriage controversy surrounding him was just a noise that had nothing to do with him.

The complex light in the old emperor's eyes finally settled and turned into a very light sigh that only the attendants around him could hear.

He spoke slowly, his voice carrying the majesty of an emperor and a seemingly generous understanding:

"The emperor's love for her daughter is evident. It is only natural that she would make long-term plans for Zhaoyang's life. This marriage..."

He paused, looked around the room, and took in everyone's nervousness.

"This also concerns the reputation of the royal family. We must be careful." The emperor changed his tone, carrying the majesty of the final decision. "Princess Liuyang is the beloved niece of me and the Queen. Her marriage must be handled with extreme caution. How can we be careless? The Pei family... well,"

He vaguely mentioned the two words, not even bothering to comment. He only expressed his attitude with a faint hum, "Let's follow the eldest princess's advice on this matter. We should take the long view and there's no need to rush. Pei Ji."

The emperor cast his gaze calmly downwards, "I know you are busy with official duties, and there is no need to distract yourself. Let's put the matter of the marriage aside and not mention it again."

Buzz——

In the corner of the hall, Lady Changning's body swayed and then collapsed completely. It was only because of the maid's support that she avoided making a bigger fool of herself in public.

There was only despair in her eyes, and she murmured, "It's over... It's over..."

Chang Ningbo's face was pale and blue, he stared at the ground, the veins on his forehead bulged and disappeared, his clenched fists on his knees were shaking violently, his nails almost digging into the flesh.

The noble ministers around him lowered their heads, trying to hide the mocking smiles that they could hardly suppress.

Tsk tsk, they've done something really counterproductive and ruined their son's good marriage. This couple didn't hesitate to make a fool of themselves before the palace banquet just to make their son appear "unworthy" of the princess?

Truly… too clever for their own good! They destroyed the wonderful ladder to heaven with their own hands! Many people looked at the couple with eyes filled with undisguised contempt and gloating.

But there were also some who were more active, their eyes secretly glancing at Xinyi Zhaoyang who had sat up straight again but turned his head to the side.

The young princess's jaw was extremely tense, and her small chin was like a stubborn piece of jade. Although she had forced back the tears just now, what was burning in her beautiful eyes was not an extinguished flame, but an even more burning anger and unwillingness that was forcibly suppressed!

The fingers that were tightly grasping the hem of her skirt, with white knuckles, revealed the surging emotions in her heart.

This scene caught the attention of some people, who exchanged glances secretly.

It seems that this princess is truly deeply in love with that Pei Shaoqing. Although the princess relied on the force of thunder to suppress the situation today, given the princess's fiery temper... this matter is probably not over yet.

As long as Pei Shaoqing doesn't get married, who can predict the future?

The sound of stringed instruments tactfully resumed, trying to break the awkward silence.

Palace servants quietly moved around, carrying newly warmed wine cups and adding more wine. The banquet continued, seemingly peaceful.

Pei Ji stood up calmly after the emperor finished speaking. He didn't even glance at his parents, the eldest princess on the throne, or even the princess Xinyi Zhaoyang who had endured immense humiliation and disappointment for him.

Just as he had done when he came, he bowed slightly in the direction of the emperor and returned to his seat silently.

He walked steadily through the hall. All eyes were glued to his tall yet quiet figure. Those glances contained sympathy, curiosity, inquiry, and also undisguised gloating.

He sat down quietly, like a drop of water falling back into a deep pool, without splashing a ripple.

The faint, muffled laughter and chatter around him seemed unable to reach the three feet away from him. He sat alone in his corner, his eyes slightly lowered, his sharply defined profile flickering in the flickering candlelight, emitting a coldness and alienation that kept people at a distance.

No one knew what he was thinking, just as no one could see clearly what expression was reflected in the glass of sake in front of him that he had not yet drunk.