Chapter 408 Marquis Pingyan Meets Li Sanqi
With Min Qiao's approval, Qiao Jingyuan also nodded, and the Qiao family began to prepare for the two's marriage.
Originally, Wei Jia and Qiao Jingyuan both said that a simple wedding ceremony would be fine, but Min Qiaoshi, Lao Qiao, and A Jiu all disagreed.
So, at Min Qiao's command, Ajiu and Lao Qiao led the servants in the mansion to buy things for the wedding, decorate the bridal chamber, and hurriedly began preparations for the wedding that would take place a few days later.
Meanwhile, Li Sanqi, who had been kept in the royal villa since arriving in Xijing and was treated to good food and drink, finally welcomed her first guest.
Marquis of Pingyan.
When Li Sanqi heard that Marquis Pingyan was requesting an audience, he was taken aback for a moment.
Who is the Marquis of Pingyan?
She looked at Wenxiu, who was also completely confused.
The two of them have been confined to a secluded courtyard in the villa for the past few days, unable to even leave the gate. Apart from the maid who brings them meals every day, they haven't seen a single person.
Hmm, no, there are still people around. They're just people monitoring them.
They are usually invisible, but when Wenxiu is about to escape with Li Sanqi, those people suddenly appear.
Whether it's day or night, whether they try to escape through a door or climb over a wall, at any time and in any place, whenever they want to run away, someone will jump out and block their way.
After several attempts, the two had no choice but to give up their idea of escaping.
Fortunately, Da Xi did not mistreat them.
They were treated to good food and drinks, and the house had a large yard with a nice environment, complete with flowers, trees, and even a swing.
However, after a few days, the two of them were almost bored to death.
Since they were locked up, no one has come to see them or tell them anything.
This left the two of them feeling both bored and frustrated.
Just then, someone came to report that Marquis Pingyan was requesting an audience, and the two were both taken aback.
However, at least someone came.
Both of them breathed a sigh of relief.
Soon, an old man who looked to be about sixty years old was led in.
Li Sanqi sized up the newcomer. "Are you the Marquis of Pingyan from Da'e?"
The old man waved his hand to dismiss the servants, then respectfully bowed to Li Sanqi, saying, "Marquis Ji Hong of Da'an greets the Seventh Princess of Dayan!"
"Greetings, Marquis of Pingyan." Li Sanqi looked at Marquis of Pingyan with suspicion. "Do you know my identity?"
As far as she knew, only a very few people besides Xia Linyuan and Ji Huailang knew her identity.
How could this old marquis know about this?
"I know," Marquis Pingyan said with a smile. "Ji Huailang, who brought the princess back to the capital, is my son."
Li Sanqi suddenly realized, then pursed his lips and said unhappily, "What do you want from me? And what do you want with me locked up?"
"They won't kill me, nor will they send me back. What's the point of keeping me locked up like this?"
Marquis Pingyan found a seat, massaged his legs, and then slowly said, "I came here today to let the princess leave."
Li Sanqi was startled. "You're being so kind? Or is there some kind of conspiracy?"
"The princess is intelligent," Marquis Pingyan praised. "If the princess agrees to one thing, I will let her leave."
Li Sanqi asked warily, "What do you want me to do?"
"It's very simple, just persuade Madam Qinghe to agree to my conditions."
"Lady Qinghe?" Li Sanqi was taken aback.
Wenxiu, who was standing to the side, already showed a look of surprise and quickly reminded her, "Madam! Madam Qinghe is my Madam!"
Li Sanqi's face lit up with joy. "The old lady is also in Xijing?"
Marquis Pingyan nodded. "Yes. She arrived a few days earlier than you. She is currently staying in Chang'an Lane in the southern part of the city."
"Great! We can see the old lady!" Li Sanqi exclaimed excitedly, looking at Wen Xiu. Wen Xiu beamed and nodded repeatedly, her joy overflowing.
After the two had finished celebrating, Marquis Pingyan interrupted, "So, the princess has agreed to my request?"
Li Sanqi composed himself and turned to look at Marquis Pingyan, "You still haven't said what you want Lady Qinghe to agree to."
Marquis Pingyan smiled and said, "There's no need for the princess to know."
Li Sanqi's face immediately fell, and he said in an unpleasant tone, "Then I can't help you persuade the old lady!"
"Is that so?" Marquis Pingyan stood up. "It seems the princess doesn't want to leave here."
He was about to leave when he said that.
Li Sanqi was startled and quickly stepped forward to block Pingyan Hou's path. "What's wrong with you, old man? You're the one who came to ask me for help! You didn't even explain yourself clearly before asking for my help? And you're trying to leave without saying a word? How can you be like this?"
Wen Xiu also stood behind Li Sanqi, blocking the path of the Marquis of Pingyan.
Wen Xiu sized up the Marquis of Pingyan. He looked old and frail; he was probably no match for her.
So, she leaned close to Li Sanqi's ear and whispered, "Seventh Princess, why don't we grab this old man and use him as a hostage to escape? That way we won't have to agree to any of his conditions."
Li Sanqi's eyes lit up, he turned around and winked at Wen Xiu, then quickly hid to the side.
In the blink of an eye, just as Li Sanqi dodged, Wen Xiu stepped forward and reached out to capture Pingyan Hou.
However, to Wenxiu's utter surprise, Marquis Pingyan, a sixty-year-old man, was surprisingly skilled!
Wenxiu tried to capture the man and even made the first move. However, her hands were easily tied behind her back, rendering her unable to move.
Li Sanqi stared in disbelief at the scene before him, then rushed forward to help, "Hey, let go! Let go! You shameless old man, how could you bully a young girl like that? Have you no shame?"
"Help! Come quick! Look! The mighty Marquis of Pingyan of Daxi is bullying a little girl!"
Li Sanqi deliberately shouted towards the door, trying to lure people in.
She's being held captive here by the Crown Prince; everyone outside must be his people.
She refused to believe that the old man would dare to do anything to her.
Marquis Pingyan shook his head and released his hand.
Li Sanqi quickly pulled Wen Xiu back several steps before checking on her, "Are you hurt?"
While rubbing her wrist, Wen Xiu looked warily at Marquis Pingyan, "I'm fine."
This old fellow with his frail arms and legs is really something! She's no match for him!
Marquis Pingyan smiled, walked past the two men, and prepared to leave.
Just then, Li Sanqi gritted his teeth and said, "Fine! I agree to your conditions! It's just about persuading the old lady, right? I agree!"
"Seventh Princess, are you trying to fool me?" Marquis Pingyan looked at Li Sanqi with a smile.
If he wasn't mistaken, Li Sanqi was pretending to agree to leave first. As for what she promised him, he guessed she wouldn't actually do it.
"If you won't say anything, what else can I do but lie to you?"
Li Sanqi said angrily, "A dignified marquis speaks so vaguely, not at all upright! I despise you!"
"Ahem..." Marquis Pingyan hadn't heard such childish words in a long time, and couldn't help but cover his mouth and cough twice. "Since the princess is so eager to know, then I may tell the princess."
Li Sanqi pouted and said, "Why didn't you do this earlier?"
Marquis Pingyan composed himself, sighed, and said in a deep voice, "Dayan and Da'an are currently at war at the border because of the attack on the marriage procession. They are on the verge of war and could go to war at any time."
"I hope the princess can persuade Lady Qinghe to come forward and confirm that the attack on the marriage procession was not the work of Da'er."
"In this way, Dayan will have no excuse to attack Daxi, and the people of both countries will not be plunged into war."
What does the princess think?
Li Sanqi's eyes darted around. "But the marriage procession was actually attacked and killed by the Da Lu people!"
"Are you sure?" Marquis Pingyan asked with a forced smile, "Isn't this all a grand show orchestrated and staged by Dayan itself?"
"How could that be?" Li Sanqi retorted instinctively.
Marquis Pingyan pressed on, "If not, then what is the point of the fake princess's existence? Isn't she just there to die in your place?"
"This..." Li Sanqi had no way to refute it.
Because it seems that this is indeed the case.
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