Chapter 396 Marriage 2
Su Qingwan felt her heart swell with anger upon hearing this. She couldn't help but frown and said angrily, "Nianqing is only fourteen this year, still a young boy. How could he be pushed into such a situation of arranged marriage?"
Even more astonishing was the fact that Xilin's request for a marriage alliance met with no objection from the court. This was because Xilin's territory had just been secured, and there was a fear that the emperor might stir up trouble under the guise of restoring the country. Only a marriage alliance could quickly stabilize the situation and avoid conflict. However, the young emperor was still young, and by the time he took power, Xilin would have been stable, making a marriage unnecessary. The position of empress, a crucial factor in the nation's foundation, could not be granted to a daughter of Xilin's royal family. Her Highness, the Princess, was also unwilling to risk her life.
Nianqing was her own son, so how could Su Qingwan bear to see him reduced to a mere pawn in political strife? Having experienced the pain of losing her husband firsthand, she knew the pain of being forced into an arranged marriage, and even more so, the bittersweet pain of longing. Now that the world was at peace, she only hoped that Nianqing would find his true love, stay by his side, and find a pure and stable marriage, unburdened by the turmoil of the court and the political strife.
Initially, Nian Qing remained silent on the matter. Su Qingwan and the Princess Royal strongly opposed it, but this was no match for the senior officials at court. They all praised the marriage between the Xilin royal family and Huainan. Su Qingwan was puzzled: while it would stabilize the situation, Xilin was once an enemy nation, and such a hasty marriage was ultimately inappropriate.
The dispute lasted three days, and Lu Jing remained silent. With Nianqing's biological mother present, it was inappropriate for others to intervene, and since he was on leave, he had no desire to intervene. Unexpectedly, it was Nianqing who took the initiative and agreed to the marriage.
Upon hearing this, the eldest princess was furious and argued endlessly with Nianqing. However, Nianqing was determined and, despite the eldest princess's persuasion, she insisted on letting the Xilin royal family choose a daughter. The Xilin royal family then selected eight princesses, ranging in age from eight to twelve. Unable to dissuade her son, the eldest princess agreed and hosted a banquet for the princesses. Su Qingwan also accompanied them—after all, she was selecting a suitable match for Nianqing, and she needed to personally review the selection before she could be assured.
Of the princesses present at the banquet, the sixth and ninth were daughters of the former Empress Xilin, both beautiful and distinguished. The remaining princesses were either daughters of the imperial family or concubines, each possessing their own unique charm. Su Qingwan gazed upon these delicate young ladies, her heart filled with melancholy. Although the princesses were well-educated, and the Xilin people valued literature, they were masters of the arts of music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, composing poetry and songs effortlessly. Their temperaments appeared gentle and docile, and their appearance impeccable, yet Su Qingwan felt something was missing.
The eldest princess favored the fifth princess born to Concubine Yao. This girl was only eleven years old, with a slim figure, a quiet and gentle temperament, and was the most stable among all the princesses. She also had outstanding upbringing.
Su Qingwan, however, took a different approach, specifically testing the princesses' riding and archery skills. Most of the princesses were pampered and mediocre at riding and archery, with the Ninth Princess being the only one who showed some promise. The Ninth Princess, a legitimate daughter, had been pampered since childhood, and although she was only eight years old, she possessed a natural talent for riding and archery.
Seeing this, Su Qingwan said softly, "Nianqing has a calm and steady personality. If she were to marry someone more stable, their lives would probably be nothing but mutual respect, which would be too boring. This Ninth Princess is quite good at riding and shooting, and she has a lively and agile personality. She's a good match for Nianqing."
The eldest princess frowned slightly upon hearing this. "When Nianqing is twenty and married, this woman will only be fourteen. How can they get married? When she turns eighteen and is eligible for marriage, Nianqing will be twenty-four. Such an age gap is ultimately inappropriate."
Su Qingwan was speechless for a moment, but after thinking about it carefully, she felt that what the princess said made sense.
Looking at the other princesses, it is also hard to be satisfied: some are lazy and look very spoiled; some are introverted, mediocre and peaceful, and it is impossible to see any special characteristics in them in a short time.
The two held their own opinions, and the situation remained deadlocked. Su Qingwan said helplessly, "After all, this is Nian Qing's lifelong event. Why not let him choose for himself?"
The princess hesitated and said, "Everyone here is female. Is it appropriate for Nianqing to come here?"
"Nian Qing is still young, what's wrong with that?" The eldest princess then sent for Nian Qing. Nian Qing had assumed his mother and aunt had already chosen a princess for him, but upon entering the garden, he saw a group of young girls standing amidst a sea of flowers. Surprised, his cheeks flushed.
The princesses also looked curiously at the young man walking through the garden, but Nian Qing didn't look away. He walked straight to Su Qingwan and the eldest princess and called softly, "Mother, Aunt." His ears were red at this time, and his voice was a little unnatural. "Mother and Aunt will decide this matter. There is no need to ask me."
Seeing this, the eldest princess couldn't help but chuckle. "Marriage is a matter of great importance to your lifelong happiness. How can we do it for you? You should choose the one yourself. Your aunt and I have different opinions, and it's difficult to make a decision."
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