Yongjia finally persuaded Concubine Jia to accept Mu Chenke, but just as he was about to breathe a sigh of relief, he heard Concubine Jia say, "Since you have chosen someone, then mother will go to ask His Majesty to issue an imperial decree to grant you a marriage tomorrow morning."
Yongjia was stunned, "So urgent?" He was finding fault with her in the last second, but in the next second he was asking for permission to get married.
Concubine Jia sighed heavily, "How can I not be anxious?"
She winked at her maid, and after all the attendants had left, she lowered her voice and said, "I heard that a war has broken out at the border. There's no telling when it will end... I'd better settle your matter soon, so that I can truly put my heart at ease."
Yongjia was shocked and asked hurriedly, "Who told you this, mother?
Concubine Jia refused to say anything, saying only, "Don't worry about who your mother heard it from. This news is correct. In short, you just listen to your mother."
"But..." Yongjia paused, then pulled Concubine Jia and said, "We haven't asked Commander Mu's opinion yet! What if, what if he doesn't like Yongjia, then..."
"He doesn't like it? My daughter, a princess, is willing to marry him, so he should burn incense and pray to Buddha. How dare he not be happy?" Concubine Jia was so angry that she slammed the table and stood up.
Yongjia hurriedly pulled her back to sit before continuing, "Mother, in your heart, even if I were a pebble on the roadside, you would still consider me the best. But even some people don't like silver, not to mention that no one is perfect. Even though I'm a princess, I don't want to force anyone to do anything."
Concubine Jia sighed, "Forget it. Mother, will you send someone to call Mu Chenke tomorrow to ask him what he thinks?"
"No, mother, Yongjia wants to ask him himself."
If she lets her mother ask, it would be great if it works, but if not, she will have to use threats and bribes, but she just wants to find someone who is sincere.
"You kid, you always think about others, but why don't you know how to feel sorry for yourself?"
Unable to resist her daughter's nagging, Concubine Jia gave Yongjia two days to talk to Mu Chenke in person.
When Mu Chenke received Luzhi's message, he was not surprised at all. Ever since he drank the white fungus soup cooked by Yongjia himself at the palace banquet that day, he had anticipated this moment.
In order not to damage her daughter's reputation, Concubine Jia asked Yongjia to choose her own palace as the meeting place.
The palace maids were called away early, and the huge Jiahe Hall was so quiet that the sound of fallen leaves in the wind could be clearly heard.
When Mu Chenke arrived, Yongjia was sitting at the stone table brewing the finest Yunwusong tea.
Seeing him coming, Yongjia suppressed the throbbing in his heart and tried his best to act calm and composed as usual. He picked up a cup of freshly brewed Yunwusong tea and placed it on the stone table in front of him. He raised his hand and made an invitation gesture and said, "Commander Mu, please try Yongjia's cooking."
Mu Chenke glanced at the closed palace door behind Yongjia, bowed politely, and then sat down opposite Yongjia. "Princess, why did you send someone to call me here? Is there something important?"
"I..." Yongjia took a deep breath and mustered up the courage to speak out what was in his heart. "What do you think, Commander Mu, of this princess?"
Mu Chenke picked up the teacup beside her, took a sip, and then said, "The princess is naturally excellent."
The words were very official, but they were not what Yongjia wanted. She bit her lip and spoke again: "What does Commander Mu think of Yongjia?"
She was talking about Yongjia instead of the princess, and anyone who was not a fool could understand the meaning. Mu Chenke tightened his grip on the teacup and said, "I am a humble official, but I ask Your Highness to explain clearly."
Seeing that he was still pretending to be stupid, Yongjia's heart sank. It would be best for everyone if they brought up this topic now.
But the reluctance in her heart made her decide to take a drastic measure, even if she died, she would die knowing the truth. "My mother is looking for a prince consort for me, and I have my eyes on Commander Mu."
Seeing Yongjia's blunt statement, Mu Chenke stopped pretending and asked, "Is Her Royal Highness so anxious to find a consort because an official from the previous dynasty mentioned the princess's marriage?"
"Yes and not entirely." Yongjia stood up and turned her back to Mu Chenke and said, "Firstly, this princess has reached the age of marriage and will have to marry sooner or later. Secondly, if this princess's marriage can make mother feel at ease, it may not be a bad thing."
"Heh," Mu Chenke chuckled. "There are so many noble men at the palace banquet, but the princess chose someone like me. Isn't this a slap in the face of the noble families?"
Upon hearing this, Yongjia turned around, stared at him, and asked, "What kind of person is Commander Mu? He drinks and never stays in brothels? He gives most of his monthly salary to the beggars in the dilapidated temple in the south of the city? Do you still want to listen to the rest, Commander Mu?"
Yongjia admitted that she had a good impression of Mu Chenke, but she was a princess and her every word and action represented the royal family. If she had not found out about Mu Chenke's character early on, how could she have really plunged into him without caring about the consequences?
Mu Chenke listened to Yongjia's investigation of him in a daze, then smiled bitterly, "Princess, you came prepared!"
Yongjia raised her chin slightly and said, "So what Commander Mu means is...?" After saying that, she waited anxiously for Mu Chenke's reply.
Mu Chenke's eyes darkened, and he suddenly placed his hands on the stone table and leaned forward. His face, covered with a beard and a hideous centipede-like scar on his brow, suddenly appeared in front of Yongjia.
The sudden change made Yongjia subconsciously shrink his neck, but fortunately his feet and body did not move.
The two were very close to each other, and Mu Chenke's warm breath hit Yongjia's face, instantly making her cheeks red.
"Princess, aren't you afraid of my humble face?" Mu Chenke said with a hint of self-mockery and playfulness.
Observed from such a close distance, the scar looked even more hideous and terrifying, but Yongjia was not afraid at all. Instead, he opened his eyes wide.
"Does it hurt?" Yongjia's fingers trembled as he gently touched the scar that was as deep as a ravine.
Mu Chenke was stunned. He originally just wanted to use this scar to scare away the little princess, but things seemed to be going wrong.
It felt as if something in his chest was about to break out, and the soft touch on his face felt as hot as iron, causing him to retract his head abruptly, not daring to look at Yongjia again.
"Commander Mu hasn't given this princess a reply yet!" Yongjia said with a smile.
It is true that you cannot judge a book by its cover. I never expected that the regular customer of the legendary brothel would actually look so foolish behind the scenes.
Now that things have come to this, if I continue to talk about other things, I would be ungrateful.
Mu Chenke looked at Yongjia solemnly, "I am willing to marry the princess, but can you give me some time..."
After Mu Chenke left, Concubine Jia came out of the palace in a rage and pointed in Mu Chenke's direction, "This, this, this lecher."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
