Chapter 154 Seduction
The emperor looked confused and said thoughtfully, "I vaguely remember that your sister once wanted me to help you and Yuan Ruo get married. Could it be that I remembered it wrong?"
Rong Feiyan replied respectfully, "Your Majesty, I was indeed attracted by the young master's charm before, so I mentioned the young master to my sister. I think my sister loves me very much and wants to choose a good husband in the capital for me, so I asked Your Majesty for a marriage."
Upon hearing this, the emperor said, "Since this is the case, you have a crush on Yuan Ruo, and he is also a young talent. I want to help them all. Why can't I arrange a marriage for you?"
The emperor was already tired in his words. Rong Feiyan keenly caught the subtle look from Eunuch Fu, who seemed to blame her for her indecision and for bringing trouble to the emperor. She was terrified, fearing that the emperor would hastily arrange the marriage on a whim, which would end badly.
So, she glanced at Minglan, who was distracted, and mustered up her courage and said with determination, "I already have someone I like, and it's not the young master."
"Oh? Who is that person?" The emperor asked curiously, and it was obvious that he was determined to find a good match for Rong Feiyan today. Rong Changbo was also curious, and his eyes widened.
Rong Feiyan hardened her heart and named a person, "His name is Qiu Kaiyang, a guard chief in the Yulin Army. He has been promoted to captain for his meritorious service in saving the emperor this time."
Minglan felt relieved when she heard this, but she was also curious about the story between Rong Feiyan and Qiu Kaiyang. She recalled the times when Qiu Kaiyang followed Lin Yunting to visit Sheng Mansion several times, and each time he visited Rong Feiyan on purpose. She secretly speculated that perhaps the feelings between the two of them grew quietly during such interactions.
Upon hearing this, the emperor asked, "Qiu? Is Qiu Xian related to him?"
"General Qiu Xian is his father!" Rong Feiyan nodded in confirmation.
The emperor nodded with satisfaction: "In that case, it is not an injustice for you to be matched with her. I will grant the marriage to you two. Although your sister is no longer here, I will arrange your dowry properly." After speaking, the emperor looked at Minglan on the side, thought for a moment, and said: "Princess Huguo and the little girl of the Rong family are of similar age. I should also plan for your marriage and reward them together."
At this time, the emperor had already shown extreme fatigue, but still insisted on saying to Earl Rongchang: "You can rest assured now. Concubine Rong saved me, so I will raise your title and promote Earl Rongchang to Marquis Rongchang."
After saying this, the emperor leaned back on the dragon chair, closed his eyes and rested, obviously not wanting to say more. Eunuch Fu saw this and signaled them to leave.
Minglan helped Rong Feiyan out of the palace. Seeing Rong Feiyan, who was given a marriage but did not look very happy, Minglan could not help but ask, "Feiyan, do you really like Qiu Kaiyang?"
Rong Feiyan turned sideways and faced Minglan. The concern on Minglan's face was reflected in her eyes. Rong Feiyan suddenly smiled and said, "Your Majesty hopes that I will have a home. The young prince is certainly a good candidate, but I can see that you two are happy with each other. , how can I beat a man with a stick, but I don't know any other men in the palace, except him. I often see him these days. He... is not bad. "Thinking of Qiu Kaiyang, every time he came to see her, he was afraid that she would be bored in her room, so he always liked to bring her some small toys to cheer her up. Rong Feiyan felt that this kind of thought warmed her heart, and she also felt that this man might be someone she could trust.
Minglan stared at her seriously, and when she saw the smile in her eyes, the worries in her heart gradually dissipated. Minglan heard the emperor mention the past when Concubine Rong asked for a marriage between Feiyan and Qi Heng, and saw the reaction of Marquis Rongchang. She thought of what she heard from other places, saying that the young prince was the dream of many girls in Beijing, and guessed that Rong Feiyan might really like Qi Heng. But she saved her, and she had never concealed her feelings for Qi Heng. She was afraid that Rong Feiyan refused the marriage for her sake, and she was afraid that she would just choose a man to marry.
"We women are bound in the palace, and we are not happier than men. I hope you can be happier. It will be happier to see a husband who suits your heart." Minglan said earnestly.
"I'm very happy that you can think of me. Don't worry, my family loves me and will never let me suffer any grievances."
Rong Feiyan opened the curtain of the sedan chair, and Rong Changhou walked beside it. When he saw her open the curtain, he smiled at her, and Rong Feiyan smiled back at her father.
Rong Feiyan followed Rong Changhou back to the Rong family, and Minglan returned to the Sheng Mansion. When she arrived at the Sheng Mansion, she told Mingxi about this matter, and Mingxi was also very moved. In this life, Minglan and Rong Feiyan had a bond, and Rong Feiyan saved her life. Rong Feiyan also gave up Qi Heng, and had a different marriage and a different life trajectory.
At dawn the next day, the capital was still immersed in a peaceful slumber. Suddenly, the heavy funeral bells rang through the sky, announcing the emperor's death.
Because Minglan was now a princess, she had to go to the palace to attend the funeral and cry.
Minglan got up early, put on her clothes, entered the palace, and went to see the queen first. Because she came early, there were no other relatives in Yanqing Palace. When the queen saw Minglan, she pulled her and cried.
"Minglan, your majesty finally left me first. With your majesty's departure, this huge imperial city will be even more desolate." The queen's words were filled with grief that was difficult to conceal, and also concealed a bit of heaviness.
Minglan held the queen's hand, letting her vent her emotions, and crying with her.
"Your Majesty passed away suddenly, and the affairs of the court have not yet been properly settled. The Crown Prince has just arrived in Bianjing from Yuzhou and is not familiar with the affairs of the court. I am still needed to step in and temporarily manage state affairs on behalf of Your Majesty to stabilize the overall situation. But Your Majesty is gone, and I am really heartbroken. I am afraid that he is not in good spirits. Minglan, you are now the Princess Protector of the Country, you must help me." As
the Queen spoke, she looked at Minglan with tears in her eyes. There was no sadness in her eyes, only a gleam of brilliance. Minglan was shocked and wanted to withdraw her hand. The tenderness in the queen's eyes was now filled with something more complicated - a desire for power. This look scared Minglan. Minglan subconsciously wanted to break away, but the queen held Minglan's hand tightly, as if silently conveying some deeper meaning. Minglan couldn't break away, and couldn't break away anymore. "Your Majesty
, although Minglan has been awarded the title of "Princess Protector of the Country", she has no real power. Minglan is not talented. Although she wants to fight side by side with you and overcome the difficulties together, the affairs of the court do not allow a woman like me to have a say." Minglan followed the queen's words, but also pointed out that she actually had no real power and was of little use.
The Queen held Minglan's hand and pulled her closer. Her voice was soft and deep. Every word was like a carefully selected chess piece, placed on an invisible chessboard, with a subtle sense of threat and oppression. "Who said that women can't interfere in government affairs? At this critical moment of the country's survival, I need to save the situation. Women can also turn the tide."