Chapter 396: If we are united in heart, we will never let each other down

After three rounds of wine, the dishes have five flavors.

Xiao Nanyan raised his glass again and got straight to the point:

"Thanks to the Southern Emperor and the Southern Empress for their unwavering support, they recently agreed to the marriage proposal and promised to betroth Princess Zhaoning to me. Today, at this banquet, I would like to reiterate my desire to marry the princess. It has been a long-held wish of mine."

Seeing that he had taken the initiative to bring up the matter of marriage, Xie Zhen tapped his fingertips lightly on the table, his tone still holding a hint of unforgiveness:

"If Prince Xiao is sincere, he should know that Tian'er is the apple of my and Queen Nan's eyes, and she cannot tolerate any grievance." There was a hidden edge in his words, which was both a test and a warning.

Xiao Nanyan drank the wine in the glass in one gulp. When he put the glass down, his eyes had become more serious.

"Don't worry, Southern Emperor. Although there was discord between our two countries before, and there were many misunderstandings between the prince and the princess, this proposal of marriage is absolutely not false and comes completely from the heart."

He paused, looked towards Nan Huangnan, and spoke clearly:

"To show my sincerity, I swear here: I will marry only Yanyan in this life, and will never take concubines or set up a side house. If I break this oath, I will be struck by lightning and die a miserable death!"

After the words were spoken, silence fell throughout the table.

Xie Zhen's hand holding the wine glass paused slightly, and surprise flashed in the eyes of Queen Nan Jiang Jingyue. Even the Xie brothers, who had always had cold faces, couldn't help but look up at Xiao Nanyue.

The Regent of Tianqi is extremely powerful and holds the military power.

In particular, as everyone knows, he is actually of royal blood. If he wants to overthrow the young emperor Helian Ji and sit on the throne, it would be easy. How could he be willing to swear such a solemn oath for a woman?

You know, with his status, having three wives and four concubines is normal, and taking concubines to balance power is even more common.

But he actually promised in public not to take a concubine and even swore on his life. This determination was by no means empty talk.

Xie Zhen looked at Xiao Nanyue's frank eyes, and the resentment in his heart gradually dissipated.

Queen Nan nodded secretly. Such a resounding promise reminded her of the same oath Xie Zhen had made to her more than 20 years ago.

Over the years, he was the Southern Emperor, holding the power over the harem, and he really did it. The six palaces were useless, and there was only one queen, even though she had been in a coma for fifteen years.

Thinking of this, Queen Nan quietly reached out and gently held Xie Zhen's hand on her knees.

Xie Zhen was startled and turned his head to look at her, meeting the warmth in her eyes.

In that look, there are memories, relief, and even a tacit understanding that "it turns out you and I have both been through this."

No words were needed. The moment their eyes met, Xie Zhen's gaze became softer.

He held his wife's hand with his backhand, and the warmth from his palm brought the stability of more than twenty years of mutual support.

The couple's eyes met and separated in the air, but they both read the same thought in each other's eyes:

Perhaps, this marriage that seemed to be caused by a bet could really provide their daughter with a stable home.

The sound of stringed instruments in the hall was just gentle enough, and in the lingering scent of sandalwood, the tightly clasped hands silently soothed the last trace of doubt at the table.

The Xie brothers also had to admit that Xiao Nanyan's move was indeed responsible.

Even the ministers present unconsciously looked at Xiao Nanyue with a softer gaze.

In the past, they only thought of him as the ambitious and decisive Regent of Apocalypse, but now they see that he is willing to humble himself and swear an oath in order to marry their princess. This affection cannot be completely fake.

Moreover, they knew that the regent would not only return their lost city, but also give them Xinzhou as a gift, which showed his sincerity in wanting the two countries to stop the war and seek peace.

Xie Zhen finally spoke slowly, his tone much more relaxed:

"Since Prince Xiao has such a heart, I trust you this once. If you mistreat Tian'er in the future, please remember the oath you made today."

Xiao Nanyan cupped his hands: "If we are of the same mind, we will never let each other down."

Queen Nan raised her eyebrows slightly, unable to hide the smile in her eyes:

"Tian'er's personality is gentle on the outside but strong on the inside. From now on, Prince Xiao will need to be more tolerant of her."

"It will be so." Xiao Nanyan raised his glass to indicate:

"It is Nan Yan's fortune to have the princess as his wife. I cannot even cherish her enough, so how can I talk about tolerance?"

At this point in the banquet, there was finally a sense of warmth from the marriage.

Queen Nan quietly ordered someone to add a few dishes with the flavor of Apocalypse. Although the Xie brothers did not say anything, they did not turn their backs on Xiao Nanyue again.

After five rounds of drinking, Xiao Nanyan put down his chopsticks and looked at Xie Zhen sincerely:

"Southern Emperor, I have a request for you today. Now that the marriage has been decided, I wish to marry the princess as soon as possible. What are your thoughts?"

Xie Zhen paused holding the teacup, looked at Queen Nan beside him, and said with a hint of reluctance:

"The Queen and I only have one daughter, Tian'er, and we've only been together for a year. Her marriage will mean a long journey. I'm thinking of holding the wedding in Nanzhao so the Queen and I can witness her wedding in all its splendor. However, I wonder if Prince Xiao would mind?"

Xiao Nanyan smiled when he heard this:

"I understand the love that the Southern Emperor and the Southern Empress have for their daughter. Everything will be conducted according to the customs of Nan Zhao. The expenses of this wedding will be borne entirely by me. Xiyan is a princess of Nan Zhao, and the wedding ceremony must be worthy of her status. It must also be known to the world that I am marrying the most precious treasure in my heart."