Chapter 337 Are you really going to marry that princess of Nanli?
Just as Song Zhuran was about to speak, the Imperial Son-in-Law Chen Jie immediately said, "Thank you, Your Majesty the Empress, thank you, Consort Chun."
Song Zhuran then forced herself to hold back.
The imperial son-in-law, Chen Jie, continued, "It just so happens that we're talking about this today. Your Majesty, I do indeed have someone I admire, but due to our respective positions, I have never mentioned it. Now that Your Majesty has brought it up..."
"I was thinking, this time, could I choose someone I like?"
Everyone present knew why Prince Consort Chen Jie married the Grand Princess. The Grand Princess forced Chen Jie to marry her, and in a way, the Xiao family wronged Chen Jie.
Xiao Yu smiled slightly, "Oh? Chen Aiqing has kept it well hidden. Why not tell me? If possible, I'll have the Empress and Consort Chun make arrangements to hold this wedding for you as soon as possible."
"Minister Chen is not young anymore. It's time for her to have one or two children. Otherwise, when she gets old, everyone else will be happy to have children, and she will be all alone."
"Yes, thank you for your consideration, Your Majesty."
Emperor Xiao Yu smiled and nodded, "Minister Chen, tell me, which family's daughter is it that you've been thinking about all this time?"
"However, to be fair, I won't act as matchmaker for people who are already married, hahaha."
Xiao Yu said this half-jokingly, and everyone laughed along. But everyone knew that Xiao Yu was telling Chen Jie not to covet the Zhou family, as they were doing very well now.
Chen Jie said, "I have long forgotten what happened before."
“This woman was rescued by me when I went to the Kingdom of Nanli. At that time, the King of Nanli wanted to officiate our marriage, but I refused,” Chen Jie said.
Nanli Kingdom is one of a group of small kingdoms besides Dongling and Xixia. In the past, it was always unknown and no one paid attention to it. However, in the past two years, Nanli Kingdom has begun to take over the surrounding lands and cities.
It has become a force to be reckoned with among the small countries, and is expected to become one of the three powers standing alongside Dongling and Xixia.
However, the Southern Li Kingdom has always been unwilling to cooperate with either the Eastern Ling Kingdom or the Western Xia Kingdom.
Xiao Yu's expression turned serious. "What is the relationship between the person Chen Aiqing mentioned and the Southern Li Kingdom?"
Chen Jie replied earnestly, "Your Majesty, this person is the younger sister of the King of Nanli Kingdom."
“Sister?” Xiao Yu frowned. “I heard that the ruler of Nanli Kingdom was incompetent and tyrannical, and was eventually forced to abdicate by his second son. The new ruler is very capable. He pacified the country in just three months and conquered many surrounding small countries in half a year.”
"None of his brothers and sisters survived; some were imprisoned, others were killed. How could he possibly have a sister?"
"Yes, Your Majesty, I have also heard of this matter." A minister in the crowd flattered the emperor, "Lord Chen, you may have been deceived."
"Furthermore, the newly appointed ruler of Nanli is said to be only nineteen years old. How old could his sister be?"
After the minister finished speaking, the others laughed.
Chen Jie remained calm, seemingly oblivious to their teasing and mockery. Everyone was used to it; Chen Jie was always honest, and sometimes he wouldn't understand what they were implying.
He was someone who could be bullied by anyone in the court. Although he was a prince consort, he had only recently gained some military power. Everyone knew that Xiao Yu did this to check and balance Pei Yanchuan.
However, nothing will really happen to Pei Yanchuan. This world still needs people like Pei Yanchuan to protect it, not someone like the Imperial Son-in-Law who is incompetent and just a crude person who knows some martial arts.
Chen Jie said seriously, "That person is indeed still young, only seventeen years old now."
"This person is not the biological sister of the King of Nanli Kingdom. It is said that she saved the King's life and was then recognized as his adopted sister."
Xiao Yu breathed a sigh of relief. Since she wasn't his biological sister, that was much better.
"I never expected that Minister Chen would have such a romantic encounter."
Chen Jie said in a panic, "Your Majesty, although I have feelings for her, I know that the affairs of the country come first and my own affairs come second. I do not want people to think that I have other intentions, so I refused the King of Nanli."
"Now that Your Majesty has brought it up, I only wish to fight for my own happiness again, but this matter is entirely up to Your Majesty to decide."
Unexpectedly, Xiao Yu agreed without even thinking about it.
Currently, Chen Jie and Pei Yanchuan hold equal military power, but Pei Yanchuan has Jiang Wanning, who has a close relationship with the Western Xia princess, while Chen Jie has Princess Nanli.
With the two constantly vying for power, he only needed to occasionally sow discord between them in court, keeping them locked in a perpetual struggle, thus ensuring the stability of his throne.
"How could I do such a thing as breaking up a loving couple? Back then, the late emperor delayed Chen Aiqing because of his sister, and now I should make amends."
Everyone was stunned upon hearing this. They hadn't expected His Majesty to agree so easily. Wasn't he afraid that Chen Jie and Nan Li might have some kind of secret deal?
Some cunning old foxes, after a moment's thought, understood what was going on.
"Then the princess of Nanli Kingdom is so young, isn't she?" Song Zhuran asked anxiously.
"True love in this world has no age limit?" The Empress praised, "Your Majesty, I also think this marriage is a good one."
Xiao Yu smiled at the Empress and said, "Then I'll leave this matter to Your Majesty. But let Consort Chun learn from you, and don't overwork yourself."
"Yes." The Empress curtsied slightly.
"What does A-Chuan think about this?" Xiao Yu, having already made his decision, asked Pei Yanchuan again.
“A pear tree in full bloom overshadowing a crabapple tree, how wonderful, how wonderful,” Pei Yanchuan said calmly.
These words sounded like both congratulations and sarcasm.
No one said anything more.
The Prince of Jin's wedding banquet was thus used to arrange a marriage for the prince consort.
Xiao Yu felt he had done enough, so he returned to the palace ahead of schedule.
Song Zhuran used the excuse that she needed to find a medicinal ingredient to enhance the efficacy of the elixir of immortality, and the emperor agreed to let her return to the palace later.
The Empress revealed Song Zhuran's late return to the palace to Jiang Wanning before leaving.
Inside the side hall, Chen Jie sneaked in unnoticed, where Song Zhuran was already waiting.
"Master," Song Zhuran looked at Chen Jie with teary eyes, "Are you really going to marry that princess of Nanli?"
"Isn't all of this your fault?" Chen Jie said to Song Zhuran in an unprecedented tone. "You were the one who stole the child from the Ningyuan Marquis's mansion that day, weren't you?"
Song Zhuran had never seen Chen Jie so angry before, as if he was about to kill her at any moment. Song Zhuran knew that even if she didn't admit it, Chen Jie would find out sooner or later.
With her head bowed, she said softly, "It is your disciple, but your disciple also wants to help Master."
"You want to help me, but you're going to expose my identity?" Chen Jie said sternly. "Then Pei Yanchuan has probably gone from suspecting to confirming that I'm the one behind it all."
Song Zhuran lowered her head and didn't dare to speak.
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