Yun Shu was stunned.
"But we're not engaged."
"But it's possible."
The more Wei Yan thought about it, the more feasible it seemed.
"We didn't announce the engagement to the public, but we actually made the decision a long time ago."
"This isn't a good idea."
Yun Shu didn't think the emperor would be so easily fooled.
and--
"The marriage agreement is a matter of parental consent and matchmaker's words; your word doesn't count."
The Duke of Anguo's mansion will definitely not acknowledge their marriage, even if it is only a temporary measure.
Resisting the imperial decree is, after all, an act of defiance. Intervening in this matter will not benefit them at all, and they may even be dragged down by the Yun family.
If Duke Anguo were of sound mind, he would not have agreed to Wei Yan's proposal.
"I will convince my dad and my mom."
Wei Yan's face was resolute.
"No, no, you should leave it alone."
Yun Shu shook her head.
"Thank you for your kindness, we will try to find a way to resolve this."
Wei Yan's expression darkened.
He didn't say anything, bid farewell to Yun Shu, and returned to the Duke's mansion.
"Mother, Yun Shu has been chosen to be married off to a foreign ruler."
He told his mother the news.
Ning was taken aback.
Why would they choose her?
“I don’t know,” Wei Yan shook his head, “but I want to help her.”
How do you want to help?
Wei Yan told her about his plan.
Ning was speechless.
"you……"
She stared at Wei Yan for a long time, her expression extremely complicated.
"Yan'er, have you taken a liking to her?"
“Of course not,” Wei Yan retorted immediately, though her heart inexplicably quickened. “I just feel that she shouldn’t be sent for a political marriage.”
Ning was skeptical.
She knew her son was always loyal, but this was the first time he had ever been so loyal as to offer a marriage contract to help her.
"I need to discuss this with your father. Your marriage is not something I can decide alone."
Ning felt indignant about Yun Shu's plight, but the matter was too complicated for her to handle.
When she told Wei Zhenghong, he objected without even thinking.
"How could our Duke Anguo's mansion do such a thing as deceiving the emperor?"
The Yun family is a hot potato; whoever touches them will suffer.
Wei Yan, that idiot, actually wanted to cling to her; he's hopelessly stupid.
He not only disagreed with this matter, but also forbade Wei Yan from having any further contact with Yun Shu.
"Before she goes to Beijin, you stay in the manor and don't go anywhere."
He said to Wei Yan.
"Father, how could you just stand by and watch someone die!"
Wei Yan protested vehemently.
"It's not like she's indispensable for the marriage alliance. What's wrong with His Majesty choosing someone else?"
"Is His Majesty's decision something you can question?"
Wei Zhenghong sneered.
"The Duke's mansion that I have painstakingly built is not for you to squander."
Fearing that Wei Yan might outwardly comply but inwardly defy him, he even arranged for the guards to keep an eye on him, forbidding him from leaving the Duke's mansion.
Wei Yan watched his heartless departure and clenched her fists tightly.
...
Not long after Yi Shuihan left, he brought Ouyang Xiuqi to the Yun residence.
"I'm sorry, I can't persuade His Majesty."
Yi Shuihan was a little frustrated.
He felt that his uncle, the emperor, seemed to be getting more and more stubborn lately.
Always stubborn and unwilling to listen to reason.
He advised him to change the choice of his bride, but was scolded by him.
They say he's so preoccupied with personal matters that he's forgotten he's a member of the royal family.
She even said she would arrange another marriage for him.
“I never intended this marriage between you and her. It was the Xiao family who dared to act recklessly and changed it to her betrothal certificate.”
The more he tried to stop him, the more determined His Majesty became, so he had no choice but to give up the idea of persuading him.
"It doesn't matter."
Xiao Qingyin had anticipated this.
If Emperor Chengtai had any sense of propriety, he wouldn't have acted so recklessly.
"However, I think that if the North Gold side objects, we can replace the candidate."
Yi Shuihan continued.
"The court official is currently in charge of receiving the Northern Jin delegation and knows them quite well. You can ask him anything you want to know."
Xiao Qingyin nodded.
"That's not a bad idea."
She poured Ouyang Xiuqi a cup of tea.
He asked, "Does the Northern Jin delegation know that Yun Shu is the chosen bride? What is their attitude?"
“They already know,” Ouyang Xiuqi replied. “The Northern Jin delegation is led by their second prince. He doesn’t care about anything and just goes to sleep on time.”
Xiao Qingyin caught a glimpse of the Second Prince from afar during the Autumn Festival gift-giving ceremony, and later almost got framed by the Third Princess for killing him.
I have a pretty strong impression of this person.
"Why is it that the Emperor of Northern Jin is over sixty years old, while this Second Prince looks only in his twenties?"
Logically speaking, a grandson shouldn't be this young.
Ouyang Xiuqi smiled.
"The concubines of the Northern Jin emperor bore him thirty or forty sons. Some died young, some died violently, and only eight are still alive today. They are ranked according to these eight."
"I see."
Xiao Qingyin understood.
This is a dynamic ranking.
"This second prince is quite witty, but he has a strange quirk."
Ouyang Xiuqi took a sip of tea and continued.
“He would go back to his room to sleep as soon as it got dark, and he would never linger outside.”
Xiao Qingyin's heart stirred.
Have you ever seen him sleep?
"No."
Ouyang Xiuqi shook his head.
“He was heavily guarded when he slept; not even a fly was allowed to get in.”
Xiao Qingyin's suspicions became even more certain.
"Could you help me arrange to have lunch with him tomorrow?"
"You want to negotiate terms with him directly?"
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