Before Lu Xiaoyun could say anything more, Zhu Dan shook his head at her. The Emperor was in a fit of anger, and no amount of persuasion would help; it would only backfire. It would be better for them to calm down and think about whether there were any other solutions.
"Get out!" The old emperor loathed Zhu Yu and didn't want to see the man in front of him even once.
Zhu Dan nodded to her, indicating that she should return to the manor first.
Lu Xiaoyun stood up and gave the old emperor a deep look. What a bastard!
Ah Yan's medical skills are superb. Even the imperial physicians in the Imperial Hospital can't save the emperor in his current condition, and neither can Physician Jiang.
If he continues like this, he has at most two more years to live.
If Ah Yan were to step in and do everything in his power, protecting his life for eight to ten years wouldn't be a problem, but she was unwilling.
Moreover, given the emperor's suspicious nature, if she made a recommendation, he might accuse her of having ulterior motives and wanting to harm him.
Why bother?
Lu Xiaoyun walked towards the Empress Dowager's Cisui Palace. The Empress Dowager loved Ruoling the most. Could she really bear to let Ruoling marry so far away to Nanliang?
Unfortunately, the Empress Dowager did not see her.
Granny Liu: "Your Highness, the Empress Dowager said she knows what you're going to say. This is a matter of state. Although she cherishes the princess, it is also her responsibility as a princess. Since the Emperor has decreed that you handle the princess's marriage, you should understand what you can and cannot do."
“Your Highness, these are the Empress Dowager’s exact words. You should go back. The Empress Dowager will not see you.”
Lu Xiaoyun frowned.
Seeing that she was still not giving up, Granny Liu lowered her voice and said, "Your Highness, Princess Changning was also married off to Northern Qi for a political alliance."
Granny Liu left it at that, bowed to her, and then withdrew.
At the palace gate, Lu Yuyan tried to break into the palace several times but was stopped by the imperial guards. At this moment, two long halberds were placed in front of him.
Qi Shaocheng said with difficulty, "Brother Lu, I'm really sorry, but you can't enter the palace without being summoned. As the commander of the Imperial Guards, it wouldn't do you any good if I let you in today. You should go back; His Highness Prince An will be out soon."
"Alright, I won't make things difficult for Commander Qi. Please help me invite Princess Ruoling out for a meeting."
Qi Shao sighed, "You just heard it too, Princess Ruoling won't see you."
Lu Yuyan didn't believe that Ruoling would so easily give up their relationship.
"Alright, I won't go in, but please, Commander Qi, ask her personally if she's really given up. Giving up on our relationship, giving up on our vows of eternal love? Does she not remember what she said during those three months in Mu City?"
"Well, Brother Lu, aren't you putting me in a difficult position?"
"Ayan, don't make things difficult for Commander Qi." Lu Xiaoyun strode towards him.
"Ah, Your Highness." Lu Yuyan rushed to her, looking at her earnestly.
Lu Xiaoyun shook her head: "Let's talk about it when we get back to the manor."
Lu Yuyan knew this wasn't the place to talk, but seeing his sister's state, his heart sank lower and lower.
The two rode their horses towards Prince An's residence.
As soon as Lu Xiaoyun dismounted, she saw Zhu Yu waiting at the door.
Zhu Yu stepped forward and asked urgently, "How is it?"
Lu Xiaoyun shook her head.
Zhu Yu snorted coldly. He knew it; the older his father got, the more spineless he became.
The three of them walked toward the study.
Remembering what Granny Liu had said, Lu Xiaoyun asked Zhu Yu, "Do you know about Princess Changning?"
Zhu Yu paused in his tracks: "Did the Empress Dowager tell you this?"
"No, it was Granny Liu who said that my grandmother didn't want to see me. So, you know?"
Zhu Yu glanced at Lu Yuyan and nodded.
"I know. Princess Changning was the only daughter of the Empress Dowager. She married far away to Northern Qi, and her husband passed away three years later. Northern Qi had been recuperating and accumulating strength, and then launched a large-scale attack. A year later, all the officials and civil servants brought back was Princess Changning's coffin, inside which lay her skeleton."
Therefore, as soon as Princess Changning's husband died, the Northern Qi royal family killed her.
Lu Yuyan's face turned pale, as if he could already see the scene years later, when he supported Ruoling's coffin back to the Great Zhou. Heart-wrenching pain surged up like a tidal wave.
Zhu Yu continued, "Princess Changning also had her own sweetheart back then, but at that time, the Great Zhou had only been established for five years, and the Northern Qi had just experienced a period of turmoil and desperately needed to recuperate. Their eldest prince came to the Great Zhou as a hostage, and in exchange, they demanded that our Great Zhou send a princess to marry a foreign prince."
"Most of my grandfather's children were lost in the war with the previous dynasty, and only my aunt Changning was suitable for a marriage alliance. My grandfather agreed without hesitation, and my grandmother cried until her tears ran dry, but it was no use. A month later, my aunt was sent to Northern Qi."
"Fortunately, my aunt's husband from Northern Qi treated her quite well; he was the second prince of Northern Qi. However, three years later, Northern Qi was thrown into turmoil, and the princes vied for the throne. This second prince perished in this struggle for succession."
"The third prince of Northern Qi ascended the throne. He was eager for the death of the eldest prince of Great Zhou, who was being held hostage there. He immediately killed Aunt Changning and sent troops to Great Zhou. That's when the Northern Army was established."
Lu Xiaoyun squeezed Lu Yuyan's icy hand: "Ayan, don't worry, we won't let the tragedy repeat itself."
At this moment, Zhu Dan arrived.
Zhu Yu was displeased as soon as he saw him. This man had become the crown prince, so why was he so idle? What was the meaning of hanging around Lu Xiaoyun every few days?
Seeing his gaze, Zhu Dan knew what he was going to say, and before he could speak, he raised his hand and said, "Fourth Brother, I have important business to attend to today. I'll leave after I'm done."
Zhu Yu snorted coldly.
After everyone sat down, Zhu Dan said, "The Southern Liang delegation should arrive at the border between the two countries in about three days, where they will marry Ruoling."
"So fast?" Lu Xiaoyun exclaimed, looking at Lu Yuyan, whose face was very pale.
Zhu Dan nodded: "This is also why I'm in a hurry to discuss this with you. The Southern Liang delegation departed from the Southern Liang capital half a month ago, but only received the letter of marriage proposal from Southern Liang today. This is a show of force from Southern Liang to Great Zhou."
People are already waiting at the border between the two countries. If the Great Zhou refuses to send Ruoling to marry into the Zhou, it means they are about to launch a large-scale military operation.
Lu Yuyan slammed his fist on the table, and Lu Xiaoyun patted his hand, signaling him to calm down.
Zhu Dan said with a solemn expression, "The Southern Liang Dynasty has been established for more than a hundred years. Although it has been assimilated by the culture of the Central Plains, it has retained some of the bad customs of its ancestors."
Zhu Yu nodded. He knew about this matter; a century had passed. Since the founding of the state and its name "Southern Liang," they had sent a large number of people to the Central Plains to learn about Central Plains culture.
Even the names of officials in the imperial court were learned from those in the Central Plains, so in reality, they were no different from those in the Central Plains.
Lu Xiaoyun thought for a moment. She seemed to have seen some records about the history of the Southern Liang Dynasty in Zhu Yu's study. She had only glanced at them briefly at the time and hadn't paid much attention. Now that she thought about it, there seemed to be a record about their marriage customs.
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