Chapter 479: Marrying a girl in exchange for world peace!
"The emperor won't agree, right, Sister Qing?" Lin Yangyang couldn't help but ask in a low voice.
Lu Nanyue also looked at her with anticipation.
They wanted to hear the word "no" from Lin Zhiqing to comfort themselves.
At this moment, no matter who the woman who is about to be chosen is, they don't want to watch others step into the abyss.
Lin Zhiqing was silent for a long time and did not speak.
Or maybe she already had the answer in her heart, but was just unwilling to say that cruel answer.
Before they could say a few words, Eunuch Wang came back.
"So fast!" Lin Yangyang couldn't help but mutter a few words.
Lu Nanyue held her hand and signaled her not to speak.
Afterwards, everyone's eyes followed Eunuch Wang's figure closely.
Eunuch Wang stood beside the prince and said in a sharp voice, "Propagate the emperor's order. Allow it!"
After he finished speaking, he leaned over to the prince's ear and whispered a few words.
Upon hearing this, the Daliang envoy raised his lips and said, "Your Majesty is wise, and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is wise!"
When the people in the hall heard this, their reactions varied.
Rongpin's body tensed up and her face turned pale.
Lin Zhiqing closed his eyes. As expected, in most people's minds, exchanging a woman for five cities was the best deal.
She raised her eyes and looked at the courtier opposite her.
Lin Qingshan looked indignant and took a step to the right:
"Your Highness, I believe that Dasheng's current situation is acceptable. A true man should be upright and honest. This is absolutely not the time to use women to buy peace."
There was a lot of anger in his words, but everyone present knew that both brothers Lin Qingshan and Lin Qingshou had a son who died at the border.
Marrying a foreign princess might be an insult to the Lin family.
But what does this have to do with anyone else?
The Duke of Pei narrowed his eyes and took a step forward.
"Your Highness, the marriage is a means of maintaining the relationship between Daliang and Dasheng. No matter who the bride is, she is ultimately supported by the people of Daliang."
"Dasheng needs a woman, a woman who understands the rules and has a sense of decency."
"After the marriage is concluded, I propose to build a temple of merit for that woman as a memorial!"
Temple of Merit!
Lin Zhiqing sneered in his heart, what is the difference between this temple of merit and the archway of chastity?
It is nothing more than a form of discipline imposed on women by people in high positions.
Many women are trapped in the chastity arch throughout their lives, ruining the rest of their lives.
What is even more tragic is that few people can realize that this is a form of siege and plunder of women.
"Your Highness, the words of the Duke of Pei are biased. I have something to say." A crisp voice sounded.
Lin Zhiqing raised his head and looked towards Lu Huai.
Lu Huai looked ahead, his posture straight. “The relationship between Dasheng and Daliang has remained the same for a hundred years, but Dasheng still stands firm.”
"This is inseparable from the soldiers who sacrificed their lives and shed their blood, and it is also inseparable from the support of the people. However, it is not a certain woman who receives the support of the people, but us who stand in the court today."
"In that case, is it too harsh to put all the burden on that woman?"
He said this in a tactful way, but anyone could understand his meaning.
Dasheng and Daliang are neighbors, and for a hundred years there have been constant disputes and smoke of war.
If a woman could bring peace, why would they fight for hundreds of years?
"Lord Lu is right. Your Highness, please think twice!" The Chief Censor slowly knelt down, his attitude clear at a glance.
Lin Zhiqing pursed her lips and looked at the prince on the platform.
Seeing that the prince's expression had not changed at all, she took a deep breath and then slowly stood up.
Seeing this, Lu Nanyue grabbed Lin Zhiqing's hand and pulled him back to his seat:
"Xiao Qing'er, I know you're upset, but we can't talk at this time."
"If the prince gets angry, the consequences will be disastrous."
Lin Zhiqing gently pushed Lu Nanyue's hand away:
"Nanyue, if I don't speak up today, I will definitely feel uneasy in the future."
After saying this, her eyes were very determined and she stood up again.
"Your Highness, since the Emperor has already agreed, the adults who spoke out just now are no different from disobeying the Emperor's order." The Daliang envoy spoke first, interrupting Lin Zhiqing.
His eyes swept across the women's table, landing on Lin Zhiqing's face, and he turned around and continued:
"Especially the Marquis of Changning. He has guarded the border for many years and knows better than anyone the difficulties faced by the soldiers."
"Marriage can maintain peace on the border between the two countries, so why not?"
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince looked at the people below and slowly said, "Since the Emperor's instructions are here, I will obey his orders."
Wang Yuan, the Imperial Censor, raised his head and said bluntly, "Your Highness the Crown Prince..."
"Sir Wang, if you have any objections, you can discuss it with our father." The prince interrupted him.
Lin Zhiqing's body paused.
Having said this, she had already understood in her heart that the marriage was a done deal and no matter how much anyone tried to persuade her, there would be no room for reversal.
Five cities easily bought the rest of a woman's life.
Lin Zhiqing felt an emotion called "powerlessness" in his heart.
This has never happened before.
Her breathing was slightly rapid.
"Sister Qing, are you okay?" Lin Yangyang noticed something was wrong and asked.
Lin Zhiqing shook his head to indicate that he was fine.
At this moment, Princess Pingning, who had just left the hall, also came back.
Her face was as pale as Rongpin's.
But soon, the voice of the Daliang envoy sounded again, attracting everyone's attention:
"His Royal Highness is wise."
The prince's gaze fell on the old man in crimson official robes at the bottom of the stairs:
"Father has considered this over and over again and believes that Princess Pingning is a gifted and talented woman, possessing both talent and beauty. If she could marry into the country, it would be a blessing for the nation."
When Marquis Anping heard this, he felt a buzzing in his head.
He raised his head suddenly, and after moving his lips for a long time, he managed to squeeze out a sound:
"Your Highness, Pingning has been raised since childhood. I'm afraid I'm not able to shoulder this heavy responsibility."
The moment Princess Pingning heard her name, she lost all her strength and collapsed in her chair.
The prince tapped the table lightly, his tone filled with unquestionable majesty:
"I know you're reluctant to leave, but the people of the border have been displaced for years, and the soldiers have shed blood on the battlefield. If I could exchange my daughter's marriage for peace, wouldn't that be an honor for the Anping Marquisate?"
He paused and slowed down his tone:
"I also know that this journey will be difficult and dangerous. When the princess marries far away, my father will confer the title of princess upon her, give her a generous dowry, and ensure that you will be honored and favored by the Anping Marquisate for generations to come."
The hall was completely silent, and everyone understood that this seemingly negotiating tone was actually a decision.
Marriage is a sharp weapon to balance the border, but today this sharp weapon fell on the head of the Anping Marquis' Mansion.
"I... obey your order!" These three short words exhausted all the strength of Marquis Anping.
The Daliang envoy found this quite interesting and spoke again:
"Your Highness, Daliang is willing to pay a thousand cattle and sheep, and a hundred war horses as betrothal gifts, and extend the non-aggression covenant for another twenty years..." He raised his eyes slightly, his gaze falling on Lin Zhiqing:
"I only hope that Dasheng will have nine more noble ladies to accompany us."
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