After being rejected by Wuyou that day, Helan Wuxia did not appear at Anning Palace for several days, nor did she mention Wuyou again, and devoted herself to accompanying Helan Min.
The Kingdom of Yong has two beautiful women, each as beautiful as a flower. Princess Wuyou is gentle and graceful, quiet and beautiful, while Princess Wuxia is lively, active, bright and charming. This is a well-known fact in the Yuntian Continent.
Having not seen her two nieces for twelve years, He Lanmin was filled with curiosity about them. Unfortunately, even after arriving in England for half a month, they had not yet met Wuyou and could only learn a little about her from snippets of conversation from others.
Helan Wuxia occasionally recalled her sister's rejection and couldn't help but bluntly voice a few complaints, which also lowered Helan Min's opinion of this niece.
As they were about to return to the Great Jing Kingdom, Wuyou remained ill and did not show up. Helan Min thought they would never have another chance to meet, but they met by chance.
The Great Yan Kingdom was only a hundred miles away from the Yong Kingdom. The two countries were neighbors, and occasional frictions and disputes were constant, barely maintaining a superficial peace for hundreds of years. The Great Yan Kingdom was powerful and often bullied the Yong Kingdom, and the small Yong Kingdom naturally dared not resist and was subservient. It was not until 12 years ago, when Helan Min married the third prince of the Great Jing Kingdom, that the Great Yan Kingdom calmed down and dared not provoke trouble.
This is why Helan Xiong values his brother-in-law so much. Without the marriage alliance with the Great Jin Kingdom, it's uncertain whether their Yong Kingdom would be so peaceful now.
However, the Great Yan Kingdom has recently become restless, making constant small moves, which greatly worries Helan Xiong upon receiving the news. But misfortune never comes singly; Jin Mingrui received the news and, without even saying goodbye or taking his wife with him, packed his bags and left Yong Kingdom that very day.
Gazing at the billowing dust left by the horse's hooves, Helan Min clutched his handkerchief with a worried expression. The snow-white handkerchief was twisted into a pretzel in his hands, revealing his conflicted state of mind.
"Little sister, don't worry, your husband will be fine. Stay here for a couple of days, and I'll send someone to take you back once I have news." He Lanxiong patted his sister's shoulder, his voice reassuring.
"This is the only way." Helan Min tugged at her handkerchief; there was no other choice. At this moment, she only hated herself for being powerless, unable to help her husband at such a crucial moment, and could only wait idly.
"Aunt..." Helan Wuxia looked at Helan Min with a face full of worry. The two had enjoyed their time together very much, and their relationship had quickly developed, without any awkwardness from not seeing each other for 12 years.
Looking at Helan Wuxia beside her, Helan Min patted his hand and forced a smile, but no one could understand the anxiety in her heart.
No one understood better than him why Jin Mingrui had rushed back to the Great Jing Kingdom. It was because the Great Jing Kingdom's ruler, Jin Changjiang, was gravely ill and nearing death, and the struggle among his six brothers was about to begin. How could he not understand Jin Mingrui's intentions? Failure would likely bring disaster upon his entire family.
Unexpectedly, one problem led to another. No sooner had Jin Mingrui left Yong than an envoy from the Great Yan Kingdom arrived. Helan Xiong received them nervously, unsure of the Great Yan Kingdom's intentions, and could only proceed with extreme caution.
Although he had marriage ties with the Great Jing Kingdom, the Great Yan Kingdom was only a hundred miles away from the Yong Kingdom. If war broke out, the Great Jing Kingdom would likely be unable to provide immediate assistance. Moreover, Jin Mingrui was preoccupied with the struggle for the throne and was unable to offer any help.
The envoy from the Great Yan Kingdom had a very clear purpose, which can be summarized in two words—marriage alliance. The two beauties of Yong Kingdom were famous throughout the Yuntian Continent. One was beautiful in motion, and the other in stillness. Their beauty was admired by all under heaven.
Prince Yan Qi, the second son of the King of the Great Yan Kingdom, admired the beauty of the two beauties from the Yong Kingdom and specially sent an envoy to ask for their hand in marriage. Under the guise of seeking their hand, he actually used threats.
From the words and attitude of the envoy from the Great Yan Kingdom, Helan Xiong could clearly sense their indifference and their determination to succeed. He knew perfectly well that if he refused, it would likely lead to war between the two countries. How could the small Yong Kingdom compare to the Great Yan Kingdom? In the end, it would only be able to be annexed by it.
If Yong Kingdom agrees, the second prince will get a stunning beauty and will then find another opportunity to start a war; if he does not agree, it will probably suit his wishes even better.
The timing of this meeting was clearly calculated. The Great Jing Kingdom was preoccupied with its own problems and had no time to help this foreign relative by marriage; he had no choice but to compromise.
The question that followed was which of the two daughters should be chosen for the marriage alliance. The Great Yan Kingdom only required that the two daughters be from Dayong, but did not specify which one, leaving a lot of room for maneuver.
"Your Majesty, the second prince of the Great Yan Kingdom has a bad reputation. I've heard that he often beats and scolds his wives and concubines, and is violent by nature. He's a difficult person to get along with. If we marry our daughter to him, I'm afraid..." The Queen of Yong Kingdom was beautiful, and her tearful appearance was particularly pitiful. She looked at her husband with teary eyes, her tone reluctant and wistful.
They were neighbors with the Great Yan Kingdom, so they naturally had a lot of information. Moreover, the Second Prince was so famous that they could get a good idea of him with just a few inquiries.
If the second prince were a good match, they would naturally be more than willing to marry their daughter to someone like him. It would not only maintain friendly relations with neighboring countries but also provide their daughter with a good husband, since she would have to get married sooner or later anyway.
The problem is that the second prince is not a good match. Marrying him would be like jumping into a fire pit or a den of wolves.
“How could I not know the reputation of the Second Prince of the Great Yan Kingdom? But we have no other choice.” Helan Xiong sat in the main seat with a worried look on his face, his elbows on his knees, his hands clasped together and his head bowed, his tone somber.
"It's all because we're just an ordinary small country, we can't afford to offend the Great Yan Kingdom, so we have no choice but to sacrifice our daughter." Hearing this, the queen cried even harder, sobbing but not daring to comfort her anymore.
Although he didn't understand politics or the big picture, he knew his husband well. Since he had said so, there was no room for negotiation.
"Then... who should go, Wuyou or Wuxia?" The Queen wiped away tears from the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief, glancing at Helan Xiong out of the corner of her eye, her voice questioning.
"Well, what do you think?" Helan Xiong didn't answer, but instead passed the buck to the Queen.
"Both Wuxia and Wuyou are my children, whom I carried for ten months and gave birth to. Naturally, I am reluctant to part with either of them." The Queen coughed lightly, setting the tone and strongly expressing her equal love for her two daughters.
“Wuyou is in poor health, and she may suffer if she marries into the family; but Wuxia is strong-willed, and she may not have a peaceful life if she marries into the family.”
"In my opinion, Wuyou is gentle and obedient, and the Second Prince will not be cruel to her; but Wuxia, on the other hand, if she becomes unruly, she may cause discord between the couple and ruin the marriage alliance between the two countries. I wonder if Your Majesty agrees with what I have said?"
As she spoke, the Queen became increasingly cautious, carefully observing Helan Xiong's expression before speaking. She assumed her husband shared the same thoughts as him.
"Then let's do as you say! These next few days, you and Wuyou should have a good talk. She's about to get married anyway." Helan Xiong didn't object and made the final decision.
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