Gu Qinlan thought to herself, she wasn't pitying Zheng Dinglian at all, she clearly wanted to stop them from continuing their nonsense!

This scene was extremely embarrassing!

She couldn't help but worry that Zheng Dinglian might misunderstand later.

Zheng Dinglian looked at Princess Duan with a bewildered expression: "Mother, what exactly do you want me to swear an oath or promise?"

Princess Duan coughed lightly, her expression serious as she spoke: "Dinglian, since you left home more than half a year ago, our Zheng family has been able to live peacefully until today thanks to Qinlan's meticulous care. Whether it was the disappearance of your sister before, or the current situation, it was all Qinlan's doing her utmost to secure these things. I have seen and remembered everything she has done for the Zheng family. Therefore, I want you to swear that in this life, you will respect her, love her deeply, and protect only her. You will not take concubines, keep mistresses, or indulge in philandering. If you break your oath, you will have failed our ancestors, and I will personally remove you from the family genealogy, and you will not be buried in the ancestral graveyard after your death."

Gu Qinlan was taken aback: "Mother, this is really inappropriate."

She didn't have high expectations for this marriage and was even prepared to leave at any time, so there was really no need for Zheng Dinglian to make such a vow.

This is extremely unfair to Zheng Dinglian.

However, Zheng Dinglian did not hesitate at all. He turned to face the cave entrance, raised his hand and swore: "Heaven above and earth below, I, Zheng Dinglian, swear to the heavens today that my first wife, Gu Qinlan, will be the only partner in my life. I will always respect and love her. If I break this oath, may I be struck by lightning, expelled from my family, die a miserable death, and not be buried in the ancestral grave."

After saying that, he solemnly kowtowed three times.

Gu Qinlan was stunned. She never expected that Zheng Dinglian would be willing to make such a vow.

If it were any other vow, she might not have taken it seriously at all. Vows like being struck by lightning or dying a horrible death are just words to be heard; who would truly believe them? But the vows of being expelled from the family and being forbidden from being buried in the ancestral graveyard were very real.

Princess Duan looked at her with satisfaction, then turned to Gu Qinlan: "My child, did you hear that? Dinglian can only have you as his wife in this life, so can you stay in the Duan Prince's mansion for this reason? If you leave, he will not only die alone, but he will also be childless."

Gu Qinlan was at a loss for words, and was about to speak when she noticed a burning gaze fixed on her.

She turned her head and her eyes met Zheng Dinglian's.

Zheng Dinglian's gaze, calm yet intense, fixed intently and domineeringly on Gu Qinlan. Though she uttered no words, Gu Qinlan blushed instantly under his gaze.

Princess Duan and the others nearby witnessed their interaction and all wore satisfied smiles.

When Gu Qinlan saw their smiles, her face burned even hotter, and she even felt a little dizzy.

Having lived two lives, she had never felt so shy.

She instinctively wanted to escape this incredibly awkward situation.

However, Princess Duan grabbed her arm and said, "Qinlan, let Dinglian tell you about the situation down the mountain first."

As soon as she finished speaking, she immediately gave a series of signals to the others, and they cooperated perfectly, immediately surrounding Princess Duan and leaving, clearing out even the maids and servants.

In the blink of an eye, only the still unfamiliar couple remained in the spacious cave.

Gu Qinlan was so embarrassed that she didn't know what to do, and she didn't know what to do with her hands and feet.

“That… the vow Mother made you make earlier, I didn’t take it seriously, and you don’t need to. I…”

Zheng Dinglian's gaze was like two burning flames as he stared at her: "No matter how you see it in your heart, to me, a promise made is an unbreakable fact. A true man's word is as unforgettable as if it were etched into his very soul."

Gu Qinlan shook her head repeatedly, her tone indifferent: "There's really no need. Your Highness, I don't care about those past events. At this age, it's quite normal for a man to have three or four concubines. If you have someone you like, you can bring her back to the manor. I have absolutely no objection."

She even secretly thought that she would be willing to give up the position of the principal wife.

Zheng Dinglian frowned, looking at her with a serious expression: "Do you really want me to break my promise? What good will it do you if I can't be buried in the ancestral grave?"

"I?"

Gu Qinlan was speechless and stammered, "I didn't mean that. I just thought that the oath was no longer binding."

Zheng Dinglian waved his sleeve and said resolutely, "A true man keeps his word. Since I have spoken, I am determined to do it. What you think is none of my business. I will always be true to my word."

Gu Qinlan wanted to offer a few more words of comfort, after all, there was really no need for her to make such a vow for her sake.

Zheng Dinglian said firmly, "Since I have married you in this life, I have never had the thought of finding another woman. Whether in life or death, you will always be my one and only true love in this life."

These sincere words startled Gu Qinlan: "Your Highness, you..."

Zheng Dinglian waved his hand impatiently: "Sigh, you women are so nagging. I've already made my feelings clear, what else are you dissatisfied with? Do I need to solemnly swear it again?"

Before he finished speaking, he stood up as if to kneel down again, but Gu Qinlan quickly reached out to stop him.

"Your Highness, please rise."

Zheng Dinglian took her hand and gently pulled her up, saying, "Alright, since you say so, I'll do as you say. After all, you're the one I love."

Gu Qinlan was caught off guard and stared wide-eyed, looking particularly playful and cute.

Zheng Dinglian was actually in a state of panic. He had never lost his composure in front of a woman, especially in front of her.

But he was more afraid that she would bring up the topic of separation.

How could he possibly bear that!

So he decided to play dumb rather than risk getting through this ordeal.

Gu Qinlan was stunned for a moment before realizing that her hand was still being held by him, so she tried to pull it away.

Zheng Dinglian was reluctant to let go, but worried that she would misunderstand, so he had no choice but to reluctantly let go.

He put his hands behind his back, gently clenched his fists, and secretly rejoiced.

It turns out that the hands of your loved one are so delicate and smooth!

Unfortunately, she was too thin; when he held her in his hand, he could clearly feel her bones. He secretly resolved to find an imperial physician to properly care for her health.

He silently made a mental note of this.

Gu Qinlan was also flustered, but she managed to remain calm and quickly regained her composure.

She coughed lightly and asked, "Your Highness, what is the situation down the mountain? Is it appropriate to go down now?"

Zheng Dinglian suppressed his inner tenderness and resumed his serious expression: "Recently, refugees from surrounding prefectures have been pouring into the city, and together with the original residents of Jindu, the number has reached 100,000. His Majesty has ordered me to lead the army to attack the city, but once the battle begins, there will inevitably be casualties. Therefore, I plan to besiege them in the city, and when the city's food supplies are exhausted, they will naturally surrender without a fight."

Gu Qinlan nodded slightly and added, "There is a secret passage in the Zheng family's ancestral tomb that leads directly to the Prince Duan's mansion. You must send people to guard it closely to prevent those refugees from escaping using the secret passage."