Chapter 61: The Final Decision At the junction of the three kingdoms, Cedar Tower...
The junction of three countries, Cedar House
"My Lady, are you really willing to help me take back Lanzhen Pavilion?"
On the third floor of the Cedar Building, in a slightly elegant room, two young girls sat facing each other.
A man in a green shirt was drinking tea from a cup. Although his face looked innocent, his movements were well-controlled, revealing a maturity that was not seen at his age.
Another plain-dressed girl was sitting opposite the green-shirted girl with a sharp gaze and an expectant look on her face.
"yes!"
While drinking tea, Song Youning glanced at the woman in front of him and his gaze fell on the white camellia that she had hurriedly pinned to her temples.
Nichang...Nichang...I thought the person coming would be a delicate princess in gorgeous clothes, but I never expected that the person would be so shabby.
Although she wasn't favored in the southern region, she was still a legitimate princess after all. How could she be so shabby, even worse than an ordinary merchant's daughter...
Hua Nishang noticed Song Youning's gaze and nervously brushed the white camellia hair at her temples, trying to hide her embarrassment.
"The white camellia on the princess's temples is truly beautiful, complementing her plain white robe perfectly. Combined with the princess's beautiful face, it adds a touch of gentleness and coolness..."
"I have a top-quality green crabapple..."
Song Youning raised her hand to remove the hairpin from her hair, placed it in her palm, and handed it to her, "Can I exchange it with the princess?"
Hua Nishang was just about to cover up the camellia that looked out of place, but was interrupted by Song Youning's words.
She looked at the jade crabapple curled up in her palm, and knew at a glance that it was an extraordinary item.
That warm jade-green color, even though it was her when she was young.
The grandson of the master of Lanzhen Pavilion, who is in charge of the precious jade in the entire southern region, has never seen warm jade of such good quality.
Hua Nishang was at a loss: "Princess...what is this?"
Song Youning had a smile on his face. Seeing that she had no intention of reaching out her hand, he simply remained silent. He just stood up and gently inserted the green crabapple in his hand into her hair.
"Although I'm a girl like you, I've never been obsessed with fancy silks, satins, gold, jade, and pearls since I was young... If it were just ordinary ornaments, it would be fine..."
"But this Jade Begonia is not an ordinary one. I have a lively personality and I like to talk and move around a lot. I'm afraid I might accidentally break it... That would be a real pity..."
"Why don't you pin it in your hair? I'll ask you to take good care of it for me, and let its beauty bloom."
Hua Nishang was shocked, "This...how can this be..." She was flattered, and before she finished speaking, she raised her hand to take the jade crabapple branch from her temples and return it.
"How can it not be done?"
Song Youning interrupted softly, her fingertips lightly blocking the way, a smile in her eyes, "Why don't you give me this freshly picked white camellia by your temples?"
In my opinion...it suits me better than the Jade Begonia."
Seeing her determination, Hua Nishang finally stopped refusing and just said thank you softly.
Her fingertips trembled slightly as she slowly took out the white camellia from her temples. It was a white camellia that she had hurriedly put on to cover up the embarrassment of not having a hairpin to buy.
At this moment, the petals were slightly curled, as if she was embarrassed but couldn't express it clearly, and were gently handed over.
"Princess, are you really willing to help me take back my grandfather's inheritance from my half-brother?" Hua Nishang knelt down and kowtowed to Song Youning.
Although she was also a princess of the same country, she had no other choice when faced with her father's almost complete favoritism.
My mother was imprisoned in Changqiu Palace. My maternal grandfather's family had already been completely wiped out for the sake of my father's kingdom. The Lanzhen Pavilion that my grandmother had finally left behind was also taken away by the scoundrel Hua Manlou.
Logically speaking, this Lanzhen Pavilion was originally my grandmother's dowry and should not have fallen into the hands of the royal family.
Although my grandmother Xue was not of royal blood, she was the only daughter of a prominent gentry in the southern border.
The collection in Lanzhen Pavilion contains almost half of the rare jades in the southern region, and its value can be seen from this.
The huge family business run by the Xue family for generations was eventually passed down to my grandmother. Its profound heritage is far beyond the reach of ordinary families.
Although a huge amount of money was spent later to support my father to ascend the throne, this Lanzhenge was my grandmother's dowry. My grandfather always insisted on not using a single cent of it and handed it to her intact.
With such a thoughtful gesture, how could an imperial edict easily fall into Hua Manlou's hands?
"Of course, but you have to do something for me!" Song Youning glanced at the dark shadow that flashed by the eaves, and curled the corners of his mouth. Someone took the bait.
The smile on his lips disappeared in an instant, and he smiled and helped Hua Nishang, who was kneeling on the ground, up.
"Come on, have some tea first, it's no big deal..." She picked up the kettle on the table beside her, poured a cup of tea and handed it to Hua Nishang.
"More princesses!" Hua Nishang was flattered and wanted to stand up to thank him, but Song Youning cleverly held her down.
Seeing this, he stopped struggling and asked, "What are you going to do, Princess?"
Song Youning glanced at Hua Nishang with a smile, but the corner of his eyes quietly swept towards the eaves outside the window. Seeing that there was no sound there, he spoke calmly:
"Although the Southern Territory is located at the junction of three kingdoms, it has always been weak. It relies on the jade trade to survive in the cracks and earn some working capital."
"It's precisely because there are three kingdoms now, and both Dagan and the Northern Territory are afraid that he will fall to the other side, that they are somewhat wary."
She paused slightly, her smile deepening: "So, it's actually not difficult for you to take back Lanzhen Pavilion..."
"Your Highness only needs to regain the jade monopoly rights of the other two countries."
Hua Nishang frowned when she heard this.
It was easy to say, but now she was just a princess who had lost her power. She had nothing except a palace maid who had followed her for many years and her mother who was imprisoned in Changqiu Palace.
The power that once belonged to her had long been taken away by Bai, Hua Manlou's mother.
In this situation, how can we fight for the monopoly right of jade?
Song Youning saw through her concerns and leaned down to whisper into her temples, "What if I say I'm willing to give you the monopoly rights?"
Hua Nishang suddenly looked up, her eyes suddenly cold. "How could you give me the jade trading rights in the Southern Territory? Could it be that you already have plans in the Southern Territory?"
Song Youning didn't answer, but just smiled lightly, with a flicker in his eyes: "Sometimes, you don't necessarily need to be a seller to succeed. What's more important is..."
"Buyer, do you want it?"
When Hua Nishang heard her words, her expression relaxed a little and her guard gradually dropped.
Although she wanted to take back everything that belonged to her, the existence of the Southern Territory today was paid for with the blood and flesh of her maternal ancestors.
She couldn't feel at ease if she put the entire southern region in danger just for her own selfish gain.
The southern border is located at the junction of the Three Kingdoms. It is like a fish on the chopping board. If you are not careful, the mountains and rivers will be destroyed and the country will be lost.
She must not do such a heartless thing!
"How can Princess help me?" Hua Nishang's face, which had originally brought disaster to the country and the people, became more solemn. With the plain white gown, it looked straight yet graceful, and her beauty was sacred and inviolable.
She raised the corner of her eye coquettishly, but her gaze suddenly sharpened. "Your Highness may be the crown princess of the Gang Kingdom, enjoying supreme honor, but the purchase of jade and the dealings with merchants have always been jointly managed by the court and the imperial merchants, and are mostly controlled by the aristocratic families. How do you intend to intervene?"
Her tone darkened as she pressed on, "Even if you can control the jade trade in one of the three kingdoms, what about the northern border? The power of the three kingdoms is interconnected, and controlling only one will ultimately be difficult."
Song Youning's eyes gradually sharpened, staring at Hua Nishang like a venomous scorpion, and said in a serious tone: "That is why I need you to lend me a helping hand."
"What I want...is nothing more than the cedar forest in the north!"
Song Youning's tone was firm and unquestionable. There was no trace of her previous childish and innocent look on her body. "When I take this place from the northern border, you in the southern border must not have any objections."
She paused for a moment and looked at Hua Nishang meaningfully, "Don't say you can't do it!"
"I've made inquiries. Although you're a neglected princess, I know there's someone standing behind you. He's Murong Ze, the god worshipped for generations in the Southern Territory. You only need to ask him to speak to your father..."
Song Youning smiled faintly: "I believe that with the friendship between you two, he will definitely help you..."
Song You suddenly turned around, his gaze falling on the merchants bustling about with people paying their dues and trading everywhere. A smile played on his lips, "To your father, it's just a piece of marginal land that has been transferred to the hands of a princess from another country. It's really not worth his trouble."
Hua Nishang was stunned, not understanding her intention. She had put so much effort into it, just to get a piece of marginal land. She pressed on, "What do you want to do with that wasteland?"
Song Youning looked at the merchants coming and going outside the window, the corners of her lips raised slightly, and a sharp light flashed in her eyes: "Whatever you want to do, I will do it."
Suddenly turning around, the sharp light in her eyes disappeared without a trace, leaving only a clear look. She whispered softly, "You should know that most of the power in the country is in the hands of court officials and aristocratic families. I... just want to take back some of my own power and cultivate some trusted forces..."
Song Youning sighed softly, her eyes gentle yet filled with power. "You and I are both trapped within these red walls. You should know how difficult it is for women to gain a foothold. The world only sees the phoenix crowns and pearls, but who sees you and me treading on thin ice?"
She leaned forward slightly, her voice low and clear, "I just want to gain more confidence so that I won't be like a chess piece when I take power."
Song Youning stepped forward lightly and suddenly took Hua Nishang's hand, his eyes misty. "This world never easily grants power to women. If you are willing to help me, I will definitely not let you down when I am fully grown."
She smiled slightly, her voice gradually deepening: "This is a win-win situation for both you and me, so what's wrong with that?"
When Hua Nishang heard this, her heart, which had been hard just now, suddenly softened. She raised her eyes and looked at Song Youning in front of her.
If anyone in the entire Three Kingdoms could understand her, it would probably be her, who was also a princess... If she were given this plan, she could cultivate some trusted forces of her own, and if she were given this plan, she could also take back the Lanzhen Pavilion left to her by her grandmother.
It is indeed as she said, a win-win situation.
Hua Nishang was silent for a moment, her eyes full of emotions, and finally she sighed softly: "...Okay."
Although her voice was soft, it seemed as if she had made a move with no regrets, and her words were decisive.
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