"The King of Jingxi loves his daughter dearly. When he sent the letter to the capital, he wanted to find a good husband for his daughter and a suitable son-in-law for himself." The Empress Dowager smiled, her face, covered with a thick layer of powder, looked as if it was about to crack from the slight smile.

"It's been quite a while now, the King of Jingxi must be getting anxious." The Empress Dowager turned her head and smiled at Gan Lin, saying, "Does Xue'e have someone she likes in mind?"

When Wen Xueling was asked about her marriage, she looked shy. Her dance dress was already charming, and her demeanor made her look like a flower bud just beginning to bloom, shy and bashful.

Wen Xueling spoke up quickly, her gaze not falling on Zhongli Zhengzhen, her favorite character in the story, who was sitting in the audience.

Instead, he quickly looked at Regent Sima Rui, who was sitting opposite Gan Qiongying, to the lower right of the emperor.

He replied, "Your Majesty, Xue'e's marriage is entirely up to Your Majesty and His Majesty to decide."

Gan Qiongying thought to herself that she was doomed.

The Empress Dowager smiled upon hearing this, but did not speak. Instead, she turned her head and looked at Gan Lin for the third time that night: "Does Your Majesty have someone in mind to marry Princess Xue'e?"

Gan Lin sat there upright, his long hair tied up high with a purple dragon crown, and the grand dragon robe that he wore only in autumn and winter made him look extremely majestic.

However, the long imperial crown curtain could not conceal his gloomy and gaunt face.

Upon hearing the Empress Dowager's question, Gan Lin did not look at her this time, but instead focused his gaze on the Regent.

The entire hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop; everyone was waiting for the emperor to speak, not a single person was even breathing heavily.

Regent Sima Rui, however, calmly raised his cup to drink, as if he had everything under control.

Gan Qiongying finally understood that the Empress Dowager wanted Gan Lin to bestow a marriage upon Wen Xueling in front of all the civil and military officials!

The person she was betrothed to was none other than the regent, Sima Rui!

Wen Xueling was clearly willing as well.

This is clearly a far cry from the storyline, where Wen Xueling is constantly pursuing Zhongli Zhengzhen. She doesn't care at all when other young nobles in the capital try to win her favor, her heart is only set on Zhongli Zhengzhen, this cold and indifferent boy who doesn't give her any attention.

When did Wen Xueling and Sima Rui get together?

Gan Qiongying sat up straight nervously. If the two of them were to get together, wouldn't the Empress Dowager Kou, the Regent Prince's influence throughout the court, and the King of Jingxi who controlled the Jingxi border be a powerful alliance, a den of wolves and snakes in the same nest?

We have money, people, and soldiers. The next step is to rebel.

Gan Qiongying had not yet finished arranging everything, and some plans were only in their initial stages. This time, she was caught completely off guard.

If the Regent and the King of Jingxi truly unite, Ganlin will be firmly in their hands, because only Ganlin can give these treacherous officials a "legitimate" solution.

The best way to get the emperor to give a "reasonable" answer is to die from a serious illness and leave a will.

Empress Dowager Kou Ning'an was already employing such vicious methods.

Once Jingxi and the Empress Dowager join forces, the process will be like boarding a plane, leaving Gan Qiongying no time to make further arrangements!

Gan Qiongying was so anxious that she almost stood up from her seat!

Why did Wen Xueling fall in love with someone else so quickly? Although the Regent was one of her husbands in the story, Sima Rui's pursuit was not well received in the early stages, and Wen Xueling disliked his domineering nature.

At this moment, Gan Qiongying even blamed herself, thinking that if she hadn't messed up the plot before, none of this would have happened.

But Gan Qiongying doesn't have time to think or analyze now, because if she hadn't messed up the plot earlier, she wouldn't have gotten to where she is today.

Everything is interconnected. This world in the book, which seems illogical in the novel, is perfectly logical when you are actually there.

If any step in this process had gone wrong, the current situation would not have been possible.

The hall was completely silent; Gan Qiongying could even hear the Regent swallowing his wine.

Like everyone else, she stared intently at Gan Lin.

If Gan Lin mentions the Regent, then the imperial decree has been issued and the situation is settled.

Then most of her and Gan Lin's previous plans would come to naught, and they would have no choice but to flee in an emergency, attempting a desperate escape with a slim chance of survival.

However, if Gan Lin did not do as the Empress Dowager wished, Gan Qiongying dared not imagine what fate awaited him.

Therefore, Gan Qiongying gripped the corner of the table tightly and nodded almost imperceptibly when Gan Lin looked at her.

She was making Gan Lin do what they wanted!

She was willing to give up everything and try to escape with Gan Lin. She refused to believe that in this ancient era without surveillance or tracking devices, the two of them really couldn't escape alive.

She no longer wanted Gan Lin to suffer any more harm.

Perhaps they can escape?

They managed to find an opening when the King of Jingxi and the Empress Dowager were both complacent and self-satisfied!

Although she hadn't had time to distribute her 800,000 taels of silver yet, Gan Qiongying thought of the silver in her treasury and some of her jewelry.

Anything without royal markings can be melted down and used as money.

Her mind raced at that moment, frantically simulating their future path.

Her eyes were full of encouragement and comfort for Ganlin; Princess Duanrong always looked at her child in this way.

Gan Lin looked at Duan Rong, and naturally, he was thinking the same thing as Gan Qiongying.

The only difference between them and Gan Qiongying is that they consider different people.

Gan Qiongying's thoughts were all about Gan Lin, and Gan Lin's thoughts were all about Gan Qiongying.

As always, they are ready to risk their lives for each other at any time.

Before Gan Lin arrived today, he knew that the Empress Dowager must have made some arrangements.

Upon learning of the Empress Dowager's wishes, he vowed in his heart that even if he were to be shattered to pieces in this palace, he would send his elder sister to heaven.

Therefore, Gan Lin looked at Gan Qiongying and suddenly smiled.

Then he looked at the Empress Dowager. At this moment, all the scars he had accumulated over the years had transformed into indestructible armor, protecting his elder sister from the storm, hoping to create a clear sky for her to fly freely to the distance.

So for the first time, he defied the Empress Dowager's wishes, even smiling and saying without any fear, "In my heart... there is no suitable candidate."