"Why did you tell me this, father-in-law?"
Qi Yanbei is not a fool. He doesn't believe that someone would secretly give him advice for no reason. If it weren't for the interests at stake, why would this eunuch take the risk of offending both the prime minister and the minister of war at the same time?
"Of course I am following the orders of the master." The eunuch did not hide anything and answered with a smile.
Qi Yanbei looked at the eunuchs. "Isn't your master... the current emperor?"
The eunuch lowered his head and smiled meaningfully.
"When the time comes, my master will come to see Your Majesty." The eunuch bowed and saluted. "This is all I have to say. I'll take my leave."
Qi Yanbei watched the eunuchs leave and a deep smile appeared on the corner of his mouth.
"It's interesting."
Shangguan Wanning's stunningly beautiful face appeared in his mind again.
Princess An Ning, who was raised in the palm of the Prime Minister's hand, might be destined to be his perfect match.
"Miss, this is bad...Miss..."
Lu Tong broke into Shangguan Wanning's room without knocking on the door and pushed Shangguan Wanning who was taking a nap.
"Wake up, wake up..."
"Hey, what are you doing?" Shangguan Wan Ning rubbed her sleepy eyes, yawned, and complained, "I read medical books until midnight last night, and finally took a nap while my master was out, but you woke me up again. What are you doing? Is the sky falling?"
Lu Tong's face turned pale, and she said nervously, "It's worse than the sky falling. Miss, the emperor just sent someone to tell you that the King of Qi has chosen you to be his concubine."
"What?"
In an instant, Shangguan Wanning lost all desire for sleep.
How could this be possible? She clearly...
Shangguan Wanning's mind went blank for a moment. She didn't have time to put on her clothes. She just put on her shoes and ran towards her father's study. She met Shangguan Xiaoxiao at the corner of the corridor.
Shangguan Xiaoxiao came up to him with a sweet smile.
She was so happy when she saw Shangguan Wanning's disheveled appearance.
"Congratulations, sister. I heard that you will soon represent the Central Plains to go to Qi State for marriage. Sister, you have made such a sacrifice for the peace between the two countries. You will surely go down in history in the future and bring honor to the Shangguan family."
Shangguan Wanning was so angry when she saw Shangguan Xiaoxiao's gloating face.
"Then I will take my sister's advice."
She was about to bypass Shangguan Xiaoxiao and leave, but Shangguan Xiaoxiao calmly took two steps forward and blocked her way again.
"But, I'm sorry, sister. I heard that if the King of Qi marries you, he can only make you a concubine, not a queen. Then... sister will be a concubine, right? And the children born in the future will also be illegitimate."
Shangguan Xiaoxiao has always been bothered by her status as a bastard. Now, whenever she thinks that Shangguan Wanning's fate will be even more miserable than hers, and that even Shangguan Wanning's children will never be able to turn over a new leaf, she can't wait to go to her mother's grave and set off fireworks to celebrate.
"I don't know whether my future child will be born out of wedlock, but I know..." Shangguan Wan Ning came close to Shangguan Xiaoxiao, her face darkened, and she said coldly, "You will never have a good life in the Prince Qin's Mansion in this life."
After saying that, he gently pushed Shangguan Xiaoxiao, without even looking at her, and ran straight to his father's study.
"father……"
As Shangguan Wanning entered the room, she saw her parents sitting there with worried looks on their faces, looking at each other in silence.
Her heart sank instantly.
“Ning’er, my daughter…” Madam Shangguan couldn’t help crying when she saw her daughter. She hugged her and said, “You are my dearest love. If you really marry to Qi State, we will never see each other again in this life. Isn’t this going to kill me?”
"Mom, don't cry." Shangguan Wan Ning looked at her mother crying and calmed down. She comforted her, "I'm not married yet, right? Let's think of a way. Maybe there will be a turning point."
"It would be great if your grandpa were still alive." Mrs. Shangguan thought of her deceased father and brother again, and could not help but feel even more sad. "Your father and your grandpa worked together to protect China Airlines for you, why would you..."
"Madam, Ning'er is right. It's not the worst yet." Shangguan Yue was reluctant to let his daughter get married, so he stepped forward and patted his wife on the back.
"How about this, I'll go talk to my eldest brother tomorrow. Perhaps the eldest princess can find a way to plead for Ning'er in front of the emperor and the queen mother."
Mrs. Shangguan nodded silently and had no choice but to do so.
"It's really strange. I clearly made Qi Yanbei suspicious of me, so why did he choose me?"
Shangguan Wan Ning was puzzled.
The next day at noon, Qi Yanbei sent someone to deliver a letter, inviting Shangguan Wanning to meet for tea at Zizhu Tower.
"Miss, please send someone to push it away. There is no rule for unmarried men and women to meet here." Lu Tong stood up for her own young lady, but she couldn't help but hate Qi Yanbei.
Shangguan Wanning looked at the letter in her hand, her fingers loosened and it fell to the ground. She watched the letter being blown by the breeze and spinning twice.
"Since he dared to write to me to make an appointment, it means that he has the tacit consent of the Emperor and the Queen Mother."
Her father had gone to consult with her uncle and the eldest princess early in the morning, but he had not returned yet, and there had been no news. She seemed to have anticipated the outcome.
"Lutong, prepare the sedan for me."
Shangguan Wanning decided to meet Qi Yanbei and let him experience the feeling of dizziness again.
She came to Zizhu Tower and heard melodious piano music from afar, accompanied by the faint fragrance of tea in the air and light smoke rising from the table.
Qi Yanbei was sitting between pavilions and towers. When he saw Shangguan Wanning coming, a look of amazement appeared in his eyes again.
"You are really beautiful. Any man who marries you will treat you as the apple of his eye."
Qi Yanbei made a "please" gesture, and Shangguan Wanning sat down opposite him.
After dismissing all the maids and followers, Qi Yanbei personally poured a cup of tea for Shangguan Wanning.
"Your Majesty asked me out today, is there something going on?"
Qi Yanbei smiled and looked down at Shangguan Wanning's wrist. The flame pattern was still there.
"The Emperor has issued an order for you to marry. I know that you have many marriage rules in the Central Plains. I want to know what I need to do so that you can marry in a grand manner."
Shangguan Wanning picked up the cup and took a sip of tea, and the flame pattern was aimed at Qi Yanbei intentionally or unintentionally.
"It is the greatest honor for the emperor to grant the marriage."
"If you also think this is an honor, then wipe off your flame pattern." Qi Yanbei grabbed Shangguan Wanning's wrist.
Shangguan Wanning struggled subconsciously, but couldn't break free.
Qi Yanbei slowly wiped the pattern for her and said, "From now on, don't use the same method twice in front of me. It's useless and boring."
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