Chapter 207 Sending a Concubine to Secure the Nation
Faced with Princess Rongning's question, Prince Fu looked pained: "Rongning, your father is also reluctant to part with you, but your father and your imperial uncle are brothers, the closest among all the princes. Now that Great Xia is in trouble, it needs a princess for a marriage alliance, but Princess Jingwan is still too young. If your father does not step forward to share your imperial uncle's burdens and relieve the suffering of the people of Great Xia, can you expect anyone else to do it?"
Princess Rongning listened with her eyes lowered, her eyelashes trembling slightly.
"The Great Xia is beset by internal and external troubles. Your royal uncle is sleepless with worry, and countless soldiers and civilians have perished. Rong Ning, we can live such a life of luxury because we are members of the royal family and enjoy the offerings of the people. If you were your father, what would you choose to marry far away and save the people from suffering?"
Princess Rongning's expression kept changing, but she still didn't speak.
Princess Fu hugged Princess Rongning and cried, "There are so many daughters of the imperial clan, why is it my Rongning who has to be married off to a distant place? Prince Shou is also the current emperor's brother, with seven or eight daughters, both legitimate and illegitimate. Can't we choose a daughter from Prince Shou's residence?"
Prince Fu frowned upon hearing this: "So all I just said was for nothing? Compared to Prince Shou, His Majesty is closer to me and values me more, but when His Majesty is troubled, I hide behind Prince Shou. Isn't this just making people laugh at our Prince Fu's mansion behind our backs..."
“I don’t have the same sense of righteousness as Your Highness. I will not allow Rong Ning to marry into Xijiang! A place like Xijiang would cost Rong Ning his life—”
“Mother.” Princess Rongning, who had been silent all along, tugged at Princess Fu’s sleeve.
Princess Fu looked at her daughter with tears in her eyes.
"Please don't quarrel with your father because of your daughter." Princess Rongning's eyes were also filled with tears as she looked steadily at Prince Fu. "Father, can my marriage to Xijiang really stop the fighting and bring peace to the country?"
Prince Fu nodded without hesitation: "Of course."
Princess Rongning took a deep breath, her voice soft yet firm: "Alright, then I'm willing."
Princess Fu was shocked: "Rong Ning!"
Princess Rongning grasped the hand of Princess Fu: "Mother, Father is right. Because my uncle, the Emperor, values Father, all the sisters in the imperial clan treat me with the utmost respect. It's not right for me to enjoy their adoration all the time, only to hide away at this crucial moment..."
"Rong Ning, don't be foolish. All this talk of being the center of attention is just an illusion. You can't handle the barbarian lands of Xijiang!"
"Mother, I know a little bit of martial arts. I've been strong and healthy since I was a child, and I rarely get sick. If it were a sister with a weaker constitution, she would be even less able to withstand it."
Princess Fu realized that her daughter had made up her mind, and her heart was breaking; her cries grew even louder.
Instead, Princess Rongning embraced her mother comfortingly and smiled slightly at Prince Fu, saying, "Father, I am willing to go, but I have one request."
"you say."
"I fear that I will never be able to return to the Great Xia after this journey. My only worry is for my mother. I hope that Father will always love and respect her, and that we will grow old together."
Prince Fu laughed: "You silly girl, when has your father ever treated your mother badly?"
"Father—"
"Alright, alright, your father promises you that he and your mother will always love and respect each other, and stay together until old age." Only when his daughter did not object did the Prince of Fu feel relieved.
The news that Princess Rongning was to marry Xijiang as a princess spread quickly.
In the palace, Consort De held Princess Jingwan close, still feeling lingering fear.
Fortunately, her daughter was young, otherwise it would have been her Jingwan who was sent for the marriage alliance.
"Mother, I heard that Sister Rongning went in my place. Is that true?" Princess Jingwan asked Consort De, tilting her head up.
"Don't listen to some people's nonsense!" Consort De's eyes flashed with annoyance as she gently placed her hands on Princess Jingwan's shoulders. "Wan'er, you are only eleven years old this year, far from adulthood. The choice of a marriage alliance will definitely be made from the daughters of the imperial clan. If it's not Rong Ning, it will be someone else. It's not going to fall to you."
Jingwan is still so young. If she is burdened with the responsibility of marrying someone else on her behalf, what will happen if she develops a deep-seated resentment in the long run?
"Wan'er, did you understand?"
Princess Jingwan hesitated for a moment, but under her mother's gentle gaze, she nodded and said, "I understand."
After a moment, Consort De sighed softly, "But you must also remember how hard your cousin worked; she is a girl of noble character..."
She had her own selfish motives, but she also understood Princess Fu's feelings. Princess Rongning, no, now Princess Rongning, once she went to Xijiang, it would be difficult for her to return to her homeland.
Qiu Heng heard about Princess Rongning's marriage to a foreign ruler from the Earl of Yongqing.
At that time, the Qiu Fu sisters were also at Qian Song Tang.
"You see, even a princess of the imperial family, the emperor's own niece, will step forward when the country needs her. To sacrifice for one's family and country is an honor..."
Qiu Fu couldn't bear to listen any longer and muttered under her breath, "I'm sent to secure the country with my own life, but I don't know where a general would be needed."
Yongqing Earl's eyes widened: "Fourth girl, what did you say?"
"He didn't say anything."
"Are you deaf, grandfather? We hired tutors for you from a young age to teach you manners and reason, and all you've memorized are a few lines of poetry?"
“Grandfather,” Qiu Heng interrupted Yongqing Bo’s reprimand.
The Earl of Yongqing immediately put on a smile: "What's wrong, Heng'er?"
"I've made plans with my three older sisters to have barbecue at Lengxiangju, so I won't disturb you and Grandmother any longer."
"Then you may go." Yongqing Bo was extremely easy to talk to when facing Qiu Heng.
It's not that he doesn't want to act like a grandfather, but this girl goes to the palace almost every day. If she says something to the Imperial Concubine or even the Emperor, he can't bear it.
The four sisters left quickly, leaving the old lady with a dark expression.
The four girls went to eat the barbecue made by Fangzhou, leaving their grandmother to deal with this wretched old man. Is there any justice in this world?
In the courtyard of Lengxiang Residence, Qiu Ying ate the fragrant roasted meat and brought up Princess Rongning: "Do you think Princess Rongning did it voluntarily?"
"How could it be voluntary? She must have been forced by her father." Qiu Fu took a big bite of roasted meat, feeling the same way, and turned to ask Qiu Heng, "Sixth Sister, don't you think so?"
Qiu Heng sprinkled some seasoning on the sizzling meat skewers and said calmly, "I don't know. Only Princess Rongning knows whether it was voluntary or not."
She changed a lot of things after she came back, but some things still happened.
What was the fate of Princess Rongning?
Xi Jiang broke the agreement, attempted to assassinate the King of Xi Jiang but failed, and died tragically in a foreign land...
So what can she do?
"Sixth Sister, it's burnt!" Qiu Ying hurriedly reminded her.
Qiu Heng snapped out of her daze, her reaction somewhat blank: "Oh, it's burnt."
Fangzhou smiled and took the roasted meat from her hand: "I'll take it, just wait and eat, girl."
Qiu Fu's expression was strange: "So even Sixth Sister has things she's not good at."
Qiu Heng pointed at Fang Zhou: "It's all Fang Zhou's fault for being too capable."
The group chatted and laughed, tacitly putting aside the heavy topic they had just discussed.
The next day, Qiu Heng went to the palace again, and Consort Yu spent more time learning incense making than usual.
Qiu Heng didn't want to suggest ending the conversation, so she didn't show the slightest impatience on her face.
Suddenly, a palace servant announced from the entrance: "His Majesty has arrived!"
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