"Uh~?"

Upon hearing Xi Zhicai's inexplicable remark, Zhang Xiu was taken aback.

Zhang Xiu then asked, "Master of the Opera, what do you mean by that?"

"His Majesty heard that you and Nalanzhi have feelings for each other, so he specially sent me to ask if you intend to marry her?"

Xi Zhicai looked at Zhang Xiu with a smile and directly stated the purpose of his visit.

"I……"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Xiu blushed and lowered his head in embarrassment.

"Xiu'er, who is that princess of Gaochang, and what's going on?"

The one who spoke was Tong Yuan, who had spent quite a bit of time with this disciple since he took charge of training the Imperial Guards Cavalry, but had never heard of this matter before.

"Master, please don't be offended. I didn't mean to keep it from you!"

Upon hearing Tong Yuan's question, Zhang Xiu immediately tensed up, and a look of panic appeared on his face.

Xi Zhicai, who was standing nearby, quickly added, "Instructor Tong, this is what happened. Lanzhi was originally a princess of Gaochang Kingdom. Later, due to a coup in the country, she escaped."

Later, by a stroke of luck, under the escort of General Zhang Xiu, they arrived in Luoyang...

On their journey to Luoyang, the two spent a lot of time together, and it was inevitable that feelings would develop between them…

Xi Zhicai then recounted in detail the past between Lanzhi and Zhang Xiu to Tong Yuan.

"I see!"

After listening to Xi Zhicai's retelling, Tong Yuan couldn't help but smile. He hadn't expected that his disciple would have such an experience.

Zhang Xiu, on the other hand, looked somewhat uneasy.

Xi Zhicai said with a smile, "The two of them have known each other for many years, but neither of them is married yet. His Majesty is getting a little anxious about it, so he specially sent me to inquire about it!"

Tong Yuan nodded, then looked at Zhang Xiu: "Xiu'er, since the opera master has said so, then tell me your thoughts, do you want to marry him or not?"

"Master, I..."

Upon hearing this question, a hint of hesitation flashed across Zhang Xiu's face.

Seeing Zhang Xiu's stammering manner, Tong Yuan glared at him and scolded, "How can a man be so uncooperative?"

Zhang Xiu lowered his head and said weakly, "Master, I don't want to marry her yet?"

"Um?"

Tong Yuan frowned and looked at Zhang Xiu sternly: "What? Do you feel that now that you've become a Yulin Lang, she's no longer good enough for you?"

In the world of wandering knights, Tong Yuan is known for his integrity and strictness. He would never allow his disciples to do something like starting a relationship and then abandoning it.

"No...no, Master!"

Seeing that Tong Yuan seemed somewhat angry, Zhang Xiu quickly shook his head and then explained:

“Master, now that Miss Lanzhi is the daughter of Liu Zongzheng, her status and position are no longer what they used to be.”

Although I have the title of Imperial Guard, I have not achieved many military exploits. Therefore, I intend to wait until I have made some merits in the future before asking Liu Zongzheng for my hand in marriage..."

"Hmm~, I see!"

Upon hearing this, Tong Yuan's expression softened, and he said, "Although your consideration is not bad, there is no set time for meritorious service. How long do you expect a woman to wait for you? Three years or five years?"

How old will you both be by then? You're completely wasting their time; it's irresponsible of you!

“Master is right, I…”

Faced with Tong Yuan's admonition, Zhang Xiu lowered his head, awkwardly unsure how to respond.

He had planned to marry his beloved after he had achieved great success, but he never imagined that he would ruin her life.

Xi Zhicai stepped forward and said, "General Zhang, His Majesty specifically instructed me to pass on a message to you: a man should take the initiative."

Furthermore, if you could marry Princess Lanzhi, you would have the pretext of helping her restore her kingdom, thus creating an opportunity to gain merit. Moreover, she would become even more dependent on you.

"Is His Majesty preparing to help her restore her kingdom?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Xiu looked up at Xi Zhicai, his eyes filled with disbelief.

He knew that restoring the kingdom had always been Lanzhi's obsession, but because of his loyalty to the emperor and the Han Dynasty, he dared not get too close to Lanzhi.

Originally, he planned to wait until he had achieved fame and success and gained influence before requesting the emperor to send troops to the Western Regions. In this way, he could serve the Han Dynasty while helping Lanzhi restore her country, which would be a win-win situation.

But now that he knows the emperor is preparing to help Lanzhi restore her kingdom, Zhang Xiu can't help but have his own thoughts. If this matter can be brought forward, it will be beneficial to both his career and his love life.

Xi Zhicai nodded: "That's right. Princess Lanzhi has been in the Han Dynasty for so many years and has even become a member of the royal family. Naturally, the Han Dynasty should stand up for her."

"In that case, I am willing to follow Your Majesty's orders!"

Since it was a win-win situation, Zhang Xiu didn't hesitate and immediately agreed.

"Alright, General Zhang, you should make the necessary preparations and go to Liu Zongzheng's residence to propose marriage as soon as possible!"

"Alright, I'll go prepare right away!"

"Oh, there's one more thing, General Zhang, don't forget!"

Seeing that Zhang Xiu was about to turn and leave, Xi Zhicai hurriedly called him back.

"I wonder if the director has any further instructions?" Zhang Xiu asked, somewhat puzzled.

"General Zhang, look at me, I've been running around doing all this for you, I'm exhausted, and I feel so hungry..."

In the end, Xi Zhicai stopped talking and just looked at Zhang Xiu with a smile.

Upon seeing this, Zhang Xiu suddenly realized his mistake: "It was my oversight. Please rest assured, Master Xi, once this is done, I will definitely host a banquet at the Royal Restaurant to express my gratitude to you!"

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!