45 Chapter 45
◎ Willingly take the blame. ◎
Xu Qinghe had already done her makeup again, so there was no need to wait any longer. She could just follow the round-faced and kind-looking eunuch and leave.
To show she knew nothing about it, she even had Nanzhi give the eunuch a red envelope and feigned trepidation as she asked, "Excuse me, eunuch, why did His Majesty summon Qinghe?"
The eunuch was naturally paid for his services. He smiled and said, "It's nothing special. Didn't we discuss the princess's marriage earlier? The eldest son of Wei and the eldest son of Wei are vying to marry her, so His Majesty invited the princess over to see what she thought."
"Prince Wei?" Xu Qinghe pretended to be surprised: "Which Prince Wei?"
The eunuch laughed and said, "Which other prince in the capital has the surname Wei? Of course it's the prince of the Duke of Fuguo's mansion, named Wei Che."
Xu Qinghe suddenly realized: "So it's him? I think I saw him in the suburbs of Beijing during this year's Shangsi Festival."
Eunuch: "That's right. Just now, the Duke of Fuguo used his military merits to ask for the princess to marry the prince. But Your Majesty is wise. How could you do such a thing as randomly matching couples?
"Besides, everyone in the capital knows that the princess had previously been promised to the Wei family by the Empress Dowager. With the imperial decree, this matter is difficult to handle. Therefore, Your Majesty has thought about it and decided to ask the princess's opinion first. So, isn't it time for me to invite the princess over?"
Xu Qinghe nodded to show that he knew, and then said awkwardly: "My lord, you don't know. Qinghe has been worried about this for a long time."
The eunuch asked curiously, "Oh?"
He came on behalf of Emperor Yongshun, actually to gather information for him. Since the princess had something to say, he naturally wanted to listen to it in full.
Xu Qinghe sighed, "In fact, in Qinghe's heart, Cousin Wei has always been my close brother. Qinghe respects him as her own brother. I really can't imagine what it would be like to marry him in the future.
"But the Empress Dowager has issued an imperial decree, and Qinghe doesn't dare to refuse. She's also afraid of some future disagreement with Cousin Wei, and has been worried for a long time."
She sighed, her face almost filled with sorrow, but suddenly relaxed and said, "If this Prince Wei is a good man, then... it would indeed be a good match for Qinghe."
As she spoke later, she became a little shy like a girl.
The eunuch smiled and responded without mentioning Wei Che's reputation in the capital. He simply said, "Since the princess has such thoughts, you can speak directly to His Majesty when you see him. His Majesty will definitely make the decision for the princess."
Xu Qinghe smiled and said "OK", feeling very grateful.
As he spoke, the Xuanhe Palace was already in sight.
Xu Qinghe stopped talking and just lowered his head and followed the eunuch in.
At this time, you could hear a pin drop in the hall, and everyone was silent and holding their breath. Emperor Yongshun, who was sitting on the upper throne, lowered his eyes and smiled. On his left and right sat Empress Dowager Wei, who had a slightly angry look on her face, and Empress Wei, who had a faint smile on her lips.
The officials and their families sat on both sides, and at this moment they all lowered their heads silently, but they could not help but glance at the princess who was being proposed to by both the Wei and Wei families.
Xu Qinghe walked along the road calmly and greeted everyone. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Wei Che sitting on one side with a smile on his face, and Wei Ming sitting on the other side with a sullen face.
Just as she finished her greetings, the smiling voice of Emperor Yongshun came from above her head:
"Qinghe girl, the Queen Mother had already issued an imperial decree to marry you to Wei Ming, but today the Duke of Fuguo returned triumphantly and said that he didn't want any reward. He only wanted to find a marriage for the Crown Prince Wei Che, and he also wanted to marry you.
"I can't just match you up with someone so easily, so I've sent for you to come here and ask you what you think. Think about it, do you want to follow the Queen Mother's decree and marry Wei Ming? Or do you want to accept the proposal from the Prince of Fuguo's Mansion?"
Xu Qinghe lowered his head, clasped his hands tightly, and looked hesitant and as if he had something else to hide.
Emperor Yongshun comforted her: "It's okay, just speak boldly. I'm here to make the decision for you, so what are you afraid of?"
Since the matter had been laid out in the open and with the support of Emperor Yongshun, Xu Qinghe felt that he no longer needed to worry about anything and simply cut ties with Empress Dowager Wei.
She prostrated herself on the ground and said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty, please allow me to report that Qinghe entered the palace when she was young. I have been treated with great courtesy by the royal family and have achieved what I have today. I am already very grateful, but I have no intention of marrying up to Master Wei.
"Young Master Wei's Lang Yan is one of a kind, and he has been very caring towards Qing He since he was young, like a brother. However, Qing He is a simple and unskillful person, and is not a good match for Young Master Wei.
"When the Empress Dowager issued her decree granting the marriage, I was in a state of panic, fearing that I would hinder the good marriage that Young Master Wei already had. Now, in front of Your Majesty, I dare not try to marry someone above my station. I beg Your Majesty and the Empress Dowager to reconsider this matter!"
After these words were spoken, everyone in the hall had different expressions.
Emperor Yongshun was in high position, and his expression was meaningful.
To Yu Da Ling, Xu Qinghe was just an orphan from the Nan'an Palace and could not cause any trouble. Therefore, even if the Queen Mother Wei intended to take her into the Wei Mansion, he would not feel any ripples in his heart.
Unexpectedly, after this great victory in the battle in the southern border, Wei Yiqun returned to the court at full speed and brought back a reason that forced him to stop the marriage.
——The Wei family’s forces have been infiltrated into the Southern Border Army.
He lowered his head and picked up a glass of sake on the table and took a sip. During this time, he glanced at Queen Dowager Wei beside him, only to see that the rage on her face became even stronger.
Nowadays, most of the Wei family's forces are civil officials, and they have no military power. The Queen Mother wanted to use the orphans of the Nannan Palace as a breakthrough point to infiltrate the southern border army.
After all, Xu Qinghe is the only daughter of the King and Queen of Nan'an. If the Wei family uses this as an excuse to recruit former members of the Southern Border Army, they might actually be allowed to steal some of the military power.
But now it seems that the princess is obviously not happy about it, and her plan is bound to fail.
Like Queen Mother Wei, the eldest son of Wei, Wei Ming, also had a sullen face.
He suppressed the resentment and pain in his heart. It was indeed he who forced the imperial decree to grant the marriage to his great aunt regardless of Qinghe's wishes, but no matter what, she was the only one in his heart, and she had no choice but to marry him.
Wei Ming stood up, walked into the hall, and knelt down, saying sincerely, "Your Majesty, Wei Ming does not need a good marriage. In Wei Ming's eyes, Princess Qinghe is extremely beautiful and charming, rare in the world. For me, she is the best marriage. Please grant your majesty's blessing!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the hall fell silent for a moment.
Before this, everyone in the capital knew that Young Master Wei and Princess Qinghe were a perfect match, and that they loved each other. But judging from the current situation, it seems that the man has feelings for her, but the woman is no longer interested.
However, in such a quiet environment, a sudden sneer was particularly eye-catching.
Wei Che sat lazily at the table and cast a playful look at Wei Ming:
"Come on, Master Wei, the princess praised you and belittled herself because she didn't want to marry you. Why did you take it so seriously? She said she didn't want to marry you, but you still shamelessly insisted. Why do you have to do this?"
What he said was a bit harsh.
If it was someone else, Wei Ming could still bear it, but when facing Wei Che, what he always thought of was the unscrupulous and naked look when he looked at Xu Qinghe.
Everyone in the capital knows that Xu Qinghe will be his sooner or later. How could Wei Che, a dissolute man, covet everything that belongs to him?
"If she doesn't want to marry me, will she be willing to marry someone like you?"
So, the normally calm and polite Young Master Wei suddenly glared at Wei Che, his eyes full of rage, his cheeks tense with anger, and his usually handsome facial features distorted in front of everyone.
When has anyone ever seen Young Master Wei in such a state?
They couldn't help but think of the previous brawl between the eldest son of Wei and the prince of Wei. At that time, there were rumors that the eldest son of Wei was the first to attack. Now it seems that it may not be a rumor.
Everyone was surprised for a moment, and started talking with their hands covering their lips with complicated expressions.
Queen Mother Wei quietly clenched her fists, her face tense. She had already made up her mind. She must not let Ming'er's future be ruined because of such a trivial matter of marriage!
This was the first time she was so hesitant, wondering whether she should fulfill Ming'er's wish and make this marriage happen.
Judging from the current situation, Ming'er had already lost her composure many times before the marriage because of that dead girl. After the marriage, wouldn't Ming'er do whatever she said?
Since ancient times, heroes have been unable to resist the temptation of beautiful women. She had been too doting on Ming'er before. If she had always followed his wishes, she didn't know what Xu Qinghe would instigate him to do after he came into the family!
At that moment, Queen Mother Wei made up her mind that she must not welcome Xu Qinghe into the Wei residence!
She was about to speak when she saw Wei Che standing up slowly from the table.
He walked to the center of the hall and stood beside Xu Qinghe. He looked down at the girl, then lifted his robe and knelt down.
"Your Majesty, since the princess herself says she is of humble appearance and has no special talents, I think she is a perfect match for a prince of limited virtue and ability like me. Since the princess has said she does not want to marry the eldest son of Wei, Your Majesty, please issue an edict quickly to grant us a marriage!"
"How dare you! You have no right to speak in this great hall?" Wei Yiqun symbolically rebuked his son, "Get out of here!"
But he also knew in his heart that, firstly, he was now a meritorious official, and secondly, Concubine Zhao was Wei Che's aunt. Naturally, Emperor Yongshun would not be angry at this celebration banquet specially set up for him.
As expected, Emperor Yongshun just raised his eyebrows and smiled: "I'm afraid I have to ask Qinghe's opinion on this matter."
Wei Che looked at Xu Qinghe and asked with a smile, "What does Lord Qinghe think?"
Xu Qinghe knelt on the ground, head bowed, not looking at anyone. He just bent his body and thought for a long while before saying, "Qinghe and the prince have only met once. Why does the prince have to marry me?"
He looked like he was sincerely seeking confirmation.
Wei Che smiled and replied, "The princess has lived in the deep palace for so long that she doesn't even know. That day during the Shangsi Festival, I fell in love with her at first sight. I immediately changed my ways and became a new person. I only wish to welcome her into the Fuguogong Mansion with great fanfare and make her my wife."
Xu Qinghe raised her head timidly, frowning her thin eyebrows, with a hint of sadness between her eyebrows and eyes.
She pondered for a moment, then finally spoke hesitantly, "...Prince, are you truly in love with me? Are you not lying to me?"
"Of course." Wei Che nodded solemnly in acknowledgement.
Everyone at the table was secretly shaking their heads.
This princess is still too naive!
One is the prestigious Prince Wei, and the other is the notorious Prince Wei. Even a fool would know what to choose!
After all, she had lived in the deep palace for too long and didn't know what the prince did, and now she was deceived by his sweet words!
It is truly pitiful and lamentable that such a beautiful and lovely princess is about to fall into the tiger's mouth.
But Wei Che found it funny.
This girl is still the same as she was when she was little. She never lags behind when it's her turn to act. Her eyes and eyebrows seem to have souls, and people feel deep pity for her at first sight.
In the past, she relied on such a pair of spiritual eyes to push all the troubles onto him. It was obvious that they went out together to do the bad things, but in the end, he was the only one who was punished.
It was still like this now. It was obvious that the two of them had already made a private deal, but she looked so aggrieved and uneasy, as if he really wanted to force her to marry him.
But no matter in the past or now, he is willing to take the blame for her.
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