Chapter 56 Xue Lanyi is willing to marry Prince Xiao

These words immediately caused a huge uproar.

Those ministers who had just praised Xiao Cheng's deep affection turned pale and looked at each other in bewilderment.

Given Wei Zhang's current status in Dayong, who would dare to take his woman?

Why did Xiao Cheng choose to launch his attack when all the officials were gathered? Whose face was he trying to embarrass?

The officials were terrified.

After a burst of laughter, everyone fell silent.

The people in the Mingtang Hall left even the Emperor speechless with astonishment.

All eyes were once again focused on Wei Zhang.

Wei Zhang's gaze was fixed on Xue Lanyi, seemingly indifferent as usual, but a hint of inquiry and suspicion was creeping into his eyes.

Previously, Wei Zhang had tested her several times to see if she knew Xiao Cheng.

She only mentioned that they met once.

Why would someone who has only met her once suddenly make such a big fuss about marrying her?

Clearly, Xue Lanyi lied to him.

Although Xue Lanyi herself chose to gloss over Xiao Cheng because she did not want to mention her unpleasant past.

But now that Xiao Cheng has suddenly proposed marriage, her previous perfunctory words to Wei Zhang are quite intriguing.

Could Wei Zhang have thought that she had been colluding with Xiao Cheng and was deliberately making things difficult for him in public to force him to release the person?

Xue Lanyi's pupils contracted slightly, but in front of everyone, she didn't know where to begin her explanation.

Wei Zhang then pinched a corner of the handkerchief peeking out from under her clothes with two fingers, slowly pulled it out, and carefully wiped the juice from his fingertips.

He remained calm and composed, neither getting angry at Xue Lanyi nor responding to the wine offered by Xiao Chengjing.

Xiao Cheng, having been left out in the cold for a long time and publicly humiliated, angrily slammed his golden cup down on the table. He then bowed directly to the young emperor and said, "I have long admired Princess Zhaoyang and wish to propose to her as my wife with the highest honors."

As they spoke, the envoys from Western Qi carried a hundred red lacquered gift boxes into the courtyard one by one.

"This is the betrothal gift for the princess." Xiao Cheng presented another memorial. "In addition, I am willing to return three border cities and present two thousand Akhal-Teke horses to Dayong as a token of my sincerity."

This statement has once again sparked heated discussions.

The Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of War could no longer remain silent, and almost simultaneously asked, "Is this true?"

It is important to know that Dayong is most lacking in good horses. In the past, our ancestors were unable to expand their territory because of insufficient cavalry strength.

Subsequent generations of rulers, though ambitious, were unable to achieve their goals without resources.

If the Western Qi warhorses were to assist them, Dayong would be even more powerful.

A woman exchanging three cities and a thousand fine horses is a blessing bestowed upon her by heaven that no one present dared to imagine.

The discussions in the lobby grew louder, their initial fear turning into joy.

The surging sounds assaulted Wei Zhang and Xue Lanyi wave after wave.

Wei Zhang remained firmly seated on the high platform.

The trusted confidant, however, was anxious and could not bear to see the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion disgraced. He stepped forward and said, "Xue is already a married woman. If she remarries, wouldn't that be shameful?"

"I have a letter personally written by the late Emperor of Dayong. Who is lying and dishonest remains to be seen." Xiao Cheng's resounding words echoed.

Immediately afterwards, a bright yellow document was presented to the center of the hall, stamped with the yellow jade ring seal that the late emperor always wore.

"When I requested the imperial decree to grant me marriage, Princess Zhaoyang was already engaged. The late Emperor Dayong gave me a promise: if Princess Zhaoyang was unhappy in the future and had a falling out with her husband, I could come to ask for her hand in this secret letter at any time."

"Isn't that right, Princess Zhaoyang?"

A sharp gaze swept over, and Xue Lanyi's breath hitched.

Back then, Xiao Cheng's intention to propose marriage was strong. In order to prevent conflict between the two countries, the late emperor did give Xiao Cheng a secret letter, the gist of which was: if Zhao Yang and her husband had a falling out, Xiao Cheng could come back to propose marriage again.

The late emperor believed that Xiao Cheng's actions were merely a passing fancy, and that he would appease him with promises and eventually forget about the matter.

Secondly, the late emperor was certain that Xue Lanyi and Wei Xuan would marry smoothly, live a loving and harmonious life together for a long time.

No one expected that things would change so drastically. Xue Lanyi did not marry Wei Xuan, but Xiao Cheng took advantage of the situation.

That secret letter was indeed genuine.

Unable to deny it in public, Xue Lanyi could only nod stiffly under the intense gaze of the crowd.

A barely audible, chilling laugh brushed past my ear.

Xue Lanyi's shoulders trembled.

Her admission of the secret letter was tantamount to acknowledging and affirming Xiao Cheng's actions.

This further confirms her collusion with Xiao Cheng.

Xue Lanyi opened her mouth.

Before she could speak, Wei Zhang's confidant behind him spoke first, "Whether Consort Xue is doing well in the manor or not is up to the Duke. Your Highness, how can you speak such nonsense about discord within the Duke's household?"

"Nonsense?" Xiao Cheng shook his head. "May I ask how the princess is doing at the Duke's mansion?"

Such a question actually came from the person Xue Lanyi feared and loathed most.

Xue Lanyi was overwhelmed with mixed feelings.

Her agreement meant she had chosen Wei Zhang.

If she says no, it means she's willing to go with Xiao Cheng.

Whether it's good or bad, it's just a matter of being attacked from both sides.

Under this immense pressure, Xue Lanyi was unable to make a decision.

"Tsk tsk tsk, I still remember how free-spirited and radiant the princess was back then?"

Having served the Duke of Wei for only a few years, he has become a timid and hesitant man. How could he possibly say he's had a fulfilling time?

Xiao Cheng looked at him with pity, a stark contrast to his fierce demeanor when they met in the backyard.

It was as if he truly loved her deeply and had come to rescue her from her suffering.

"The princess was born a dragon among men, yet she was treated like a slave by you, Duke Wei, in the Duke's mansion for many years. Is this true?"

"The princess is devoted to the duke, but the duke does not understand her feelings and instead treats her coldly. Is this true?"

"The princess served at his bedside for five years, yet the duke only stingily bestowed upon her the title of a favored concubine. Is this truly the case?"

Xiao Cheng asked three questions in a row, and every one of them was true.

But these are all details from the inner quarters; how could Xiao Cheng know them?

Why did he suddenly stand up for her in public?

Xue Lanyi did not believe he had such good intentions, and her mind was filled with a thousand doubts.

At that moment, he happened to see a mutton-fat jade pendant with lily carvings on Xiao Cheng's waist, which was extremely incongruous with the clothing of the people of Western Qi, with pale yellow tassels hanging from it.

Warm jade!

That was clearly the warm jade that Xue Lanyi had secretly given to Yin Qiuyue back then, and the ribbon was even made by Xue Lanyi herself.

How could Xiao Cheng openly hang her personal belongings on his waist?

Amidst all the confusion, Xue Lanyi suddenly understood.

Xiao Cheng deliberately wore this piece of warm jade to show Wei Zhang.

He wanted Wei Zhang to believe that Xue Lanyi could no longer endure life in the Duke's mansion, so she secretly sent a jade pendant as a token to Western Qi, asking Xiao Cheng to rescue her from her misery.

Once Wei Zhang notices the jade pendant, and considering Xue Lanyi's previous suspicious behavior, Wei Zhang will be even more certain that Xue Lanyi has long since colluded with Xiao Cheng and betrayed him.

Then Xue Lanyi's days by his side will only become more difficult, and naturally she will have no choice but to leave with Xiao Cheng.

Xiao Cheng was clearly trying to sow discord and cut off her other options.

However, Xue Lanyi understood Wei Zhang's character better than Xiao Cheng. If Wei Zhang believed she was disloyal, he wouldn't simply let her go; he would only devise more ways to torment and humiliate her.

Xue Lanyi had endured his calm anger several times, and she was afraid.

Her hands were clenched tightly, and she kept glancing at Wei Zhang out of the corner of her eye, hoping that Wei Zhang would not notice the jade pendant.

However, Xiao Cheng insisted on wearing the jade pendant and paced back and forth in front of Wei Zhang.

"You should know that flowers bloom in their own time. In the past, when the flowers were in full bloom, the Duke did not care. Now that the flowers want to bloom on other walls, it would be unreasonable for the Duke to stop them."

The warm jade tassels swayed in the breeze, as if hanging around Xue Lanyi's neck.

Time stretched out for a very long time.

Finally, Wei Zhang straightened his robe and stood up.

"I think Your Highness has misunderstood. Princess Zhaoyang is long dead. Aunt Xue is just a woman I picked up from a brothel."

Today's meeting between our two countries concerns matters of great importance to the nation and the well-being of our people. If it were to be delayed because of a concubine, wouldn't that be incredibly unfair to her?"

He seemed not to notice Nuanyu, but Xue Lanyi's heart did not feel relieved by his help; a strange feeling lingered in her throat.

Wei Zhang ignored her completely, gracefully leaving the table and walking to the center of the hall. He bowed to the Emperor with his hands clasped: "The Yin family, with its martial arts tradition, is of noble birth, charming and gentle. I believe she is the most suitable match for Prince Xiao. As for my concubine..."

“Humble in status, unfit to be a concubine.” Wei Zhang turned around, glanced at Xue Lanyi from above, and then continued, “The Western Qi has treated my Dayong with sincerity. Dayong has no objection to giving me a concubine who has served me in return. However, Dayong has lost its decorum. Wouldn’t that make it a laughing stock?”

"The Western Qi gave away all their wealth, yet the Duke of Wei wouldn't even let go of a single concubine. Wouldn't that make him even more of a laughingstock?"

"The Xue family is unfortunate; they cannot live without even a sliver of land belonging to the Duke's mansion, nor can they support the diplomatic relations between the two countries."

"No! In our Western Qi, we do not value chastity or social status. As long as one serves her husband well, she can become the principal wife."

Xiao Cheng made no attempt to conceal his gaze upon Xue Lanyi's figure, and said meaningfully, "I think Xue has quite the potential to be a wife."

Two tall men stood in the hall, their voices growing increasingly heavy as they spoke about Xue Lanyi.

A prince and a duke, each bearing the fate of their respective nations, yet neither would yield to the other.

The atmosphere in the lobby suddenly became tense, ready to ignite at any moment.

They kept talking about her, but Xue Lanyi couldn't sense a single bit of kindness.

She was treated like a commodity, pulled around and snatched away, ordered around and treated like dirt.

The gazes of the two courtiers toward her conveyed only four words—"a beautiful woman is a source of trouble."

Clearly, she did nothing.

Clearly, she too could not bear the verbal abuse.

Xue Lanyi felt a pang of bitterness in her heart, but she had no right to defend herself and had to force herself to calm down by pinching her thumb.

Amidst the chaos, a pair of eyes were quietly fixed on her.

At the height of the argument, Shen Jinglan suddenly stepped forward with his hands clasped, "Your Majesty, our Dayong has always upheld the freedom of women to marry. Why not ask Aunt Xue for her own opinion?"

Xue Lanyi's tightly clenched fingers suddenly trembled.

She knew that Shen Jinglan had no good intentions towards her either; he wasn't trying to help her out of a predicament, but rather to push her into the limelight.

At a time when the air is thick with the smoke of war, whatever Xue Lanyi says will inevitably displease one of the two sides. If the two countries clash because of this, Shen Jinglan can then shift the blame to the woman who brought ruin to the country.

Shen Jinglan's goal remained unchanged: to ensure that everyone connected to the former crown prince would die without a burial place.

The young emperor was clearly startled by the impact of the two undercurrents below the hall, his mouth slightly agape as he stared blankly at everyone.

Upon hearing Shen Jinglan's voice, he grasped at a straw and asked Xue Lanyi without hesitation, "Zhaoyang... Xue Shi, what do you think? Do you want to marry Prince Xiao?"

A crack was torn open in the tense atmosphere.

All eyes turned back to Xue Lanyi.

At that time, with the Duke and Prince standing in the main hall, who would dare to sit comfortably at the table?

All the court officials had already stood up.

Only Xue Lanyi, overwhelmed with shock and in a state of confusion, forgot to get up.

She sat alone at a low table, surrounded by a jumble of official robes, their imposing presence like towering mountains, all pressing down on her.

She quickly got up, and under the watchful eyes of those with differing thoughts, she walked with a limp to the center of the lobby.

However, due to his status, he could not get close to the emperor.

She stood behind Wei Zhang and Xiao Cheng, between their shoulders, peering through the gap at the equally terrified young emperor on the high platform.

"This humble woman..." After a moment of silence, "This humble woman is a subject of Dayong, and everything is left to His Majesty's decision."

She gracefully bent her knees, her voice gentle and resilient.

At this moment, her fear had peaked and she gradually calmed down; her expression was no longer as detached as before.

Her priority now is to avoid being dragged into the mire by Shen Jinglan and becoming a femme fatale who has no choice but to die.

With a composed and dignified demeanor, she turned the conversation to the young emperor.

"So you're willing?" The young emperor's eyes lit up, and his thin body, which had been huddled in a corner of the dragon throne, immediately straightened up. "Excellent! I believe that everything should be based on the friendship between the two countries. Since Lady Xue is willing, I order the Ministry of Rites to prepare for the marriage alliance immediately."

The young emperor barely gave it any thought; his clear gaze seemed to indicate that he was truly only considering the country and its people.

Xue Lanyi thought that the emperor, who relentlessly pursued and tried to kill the former crown prince, must be narrow-minded and cunning.

Therefore, she passed the trouble to the young emperor, letting him make a choice, but in reality, she wanted him to offend Wei Zhang and Xiao Cheng.

But the young emperor clearly didn't realize that Xue Lanyi's words were also a trap.

He didn't even notice that the air pressure around him was getting heavier and heavier, and that the Ministry of Rites had not yet received the imperial decree.

He only asked Xiao Cheng, "When does Your Highness plan to welcome..."

"His Majesty is unwell and has no heart to handle diplomatic affairs. He should return to the palace to rest as soon as possible."

Wei Zhang interrupted the young emperor.

He usually showed outward respect to the emperor, but this time he was clearly displeased and gave the young emperor no face whatsoever.

His eyes were like the deep sea, a whirlpool, threatening to drown the person at the head of the table.

The young emperor's smile froze, and he was completely bewildered.

The personal eunuch immediately bent down, raised his arm, and helped the young emperor leave.

Wei Zhang stopped giving the young emperor a look, and gestured to Xiao Cheng to sit down again. "Your Highness, please be patient. The ceremony of taking a concubine is complicated. I will find you a well-educated, gentle and virtuous concubine so that Your Highness can enjoy her for the rest of your life."

He smiled, and the last four words were pronounced in a cryptic manner.

Xiao Cheng puffed out his chest and raised his head, clearly determined to succeed: "Very well, I await your good news."

The two nodded in tacit agreement and sat down at the food table again.

On the surface, all is calm, but beneath the surface, a tense atmosphere is brewing.

Xue Lanyi felt as if she were being squeezed by two opposing air pressures, and was about to suffocate.

In a daze, a strong masculine scent entered my nose.

"Don't forget to check the gift I sent; there will be a surprise."

Xue Lanyi suddenly came to her senses.

Before returning to his seat, Xiao Cheng deliberately walked towards her, and as they brushed past each other, he slowly licked the corner of his mouth.

Because his back was to everyone, no one saw his wild wolf-like expression.

But everyone could see that he approached Xue Lanyi without any hesitation, standing shoulder to shoulder with her, as if they were very familiar with each other.

Five steps away, Wei Zhang stopped and slowly turned back, his upright figure like a pine tree.

"Your Highness, please take a seat!" The voice was slightly stern.

The dark figure stretched out, cutting between Xiao Cheng and Xue Lanyi.

More shadows loomed over Xiao Cheng, like dark clouds pressing down on the city.