Chapter 735: Granted Marriage? Chen An, You Are Too Impatient
Upon hearing this, Zhao Yunci did not agree immediately. Instead, she chuckled, and the laughter was particularly clear in the empty study.
"Arranged marriage? Chen An, you are too impatient."
Zhao Chen'an raised his head suddenly, his eyes filled with anxiety and confusion, "Father, Gu Qingchen..."
"I know she has a hot temper." Zhao Yunci interrupted him, picked up the tea beside her and blew it slowly.
"I also know why you are so anxious to have her enter the Eastern Palace. However, this matter cannot be rushed."
"Why?" Zhao Chenan asked.
Zhao Yunci put down the teacup, her eyes became distant, as if she was recalling something that happened a long time ago.
"When you were little, your mother mentioned that she wanted to arrange a marriage between you and the girl from the Gu family. I also thought it was a good match at the time."
Zhao Yunci looked at his son and said slowly, "I have specially summoned Gu Junze for this."
"I asked him if he was willing to marry his daughter to the Crown Prince, so that he could be the mother of the country. Do you know what he said to me?"
Zhao Chenan didn't say anything, just listened quietly.
The corners of Zhao Yunci's mouth curved up. "He said that his Gu family's daughter, a daughter of a golden branch and jade leaf, is the apple of her eye when she's raised in the mansion. He would never send her to the royal family to have her face looked down upon by others and get involved in disputes."
"He also said that if I insisted on doing so, he would have no choice but to retire, travel with his daughter, and never again interfere in the affairs of the court."
These words were like a bucket of cold water poured over Zhao Chenan's head.
He always thought that this marriage was a gift from the royal family to the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion and the glory that the Gu family had always dreamed of.
But I never thought that Gu Junze had refused from the very beginning.
"If the Duke of Zhenguo retires and returns home, what's the point of you marrying Gu Qingchen, who no longer has the military power to rely on?"
Zhao Yunci pointed out the key point directly, "The northern border of our Eastern Jin Dynasty cannot be separated from him, Gu Junze."
Zhao Chen'an's expression instantly turned ugly. He clenched his fists tightly, his knuckles turning white from the force.
It turned out that it wasn't that he didn't want to use force, but that he simply couldn't.
Zhao Yunci took in her son's expression and softened her tone. "That's why I let you fight for it on your own. You two grew up together, childhood sweethearts, so there's always some affection between you."
"Isn't that girl crazy and playful? You should spend more time to please her. As long as she agrees, she will marry you. Even if Gu Junze is reluctant, he can't change his precious daughter."
Zhao Yunci looked at her son's still depressed expression and thought that he was just worried about pursuing women.
"We can't rush into this kind of thing." Zhao Yunci's voice was soothing. "Wait until she's completely devoted to you, then I'll issue the imperial decree granting the marriage, and everything will fall into place."
Zhao Chenan's Adam's apple rolled, and his chest felt like it was blocked by a huge rock, making it difficult for him to breathe.
Totally devoted?
Gu Qingchen's resolute and sarcastic face and the resounding words "I, Gu Qingchen, don't care!" appeared in his mind.
How could he tell his father that their relationship had completely broken down and there was no possibility of any further separation?
He can't say.
Admitting this was like admitting his own incompetence. Admitting that he couldn't even handle a woman, and that he had even been overturned by her, exposing all his calculations to the light of day.
In the end, all the resentment and humiliation turned into a dull response.
"...Yes, I understand."
Zhao Yunci was quite satisfied with his reaction. She nodded and picked up a memorial from the desk.
"It's just right. The winter hunt will begin in a few days. The sons of the noble families in the capital will all go with us."
Zhao Yunci's eyes fell on Zhao Chen'an. "The girl from the Gu family is very good at riding and shooting, so she will definitely not be absent. As the crown prince, you should take her with you more often. Young people, riding a horse and galloping will always be a good way to talk."
"This is the opportunity I created for you."
Zhao Chenan stood stiffly in place, his hands hanging by his sides, already clenched tightly.
He seemed to be trapped in a lie he had woven himself, and was in a dilemma.
"Son, obey your order."
After coming out of the imperial study, Zhao Chenan stood in the corridor for a long time, letting the cold wind blow on his stiff face.
His father's words were like a mountain, weighing down his breath.
It turned out that the trump card he thought he had was never in his hand from the beginning.
It turned out that Gu Qingchen, whom he thought was in his pocket, had been separated from the Chu River and Han River by her father many years ago and became a forbidden zone that he could not touch.
No, he just doesn't believe it.
The humiliation and unwillingness in Zhao Chenan's eyes eventually turned into a sinister and fierce look.
It doesn’t matter if Gu Junze doesn’t nod. As long as Gu Qingchen is willing, he doesn’t believe that the Duke of Zhenguo, who protects his daughter like his life, can really tie his daughter up for the rest of her life.
He returned to the Eastern Palace and immediately summoned his trusted eunuchs.
"Go check what Gu Qingchen likes recently. Besides horseback riding and archery, does he have any other hobbies?"
"Yes, Your Highness."
Two days later, an imperial edict was delivered to all the major mansions in the capital.
The emperor was going to hold a three-day winter hunt in the royal Western Garden, and all officials above the third rank in the capital and their families were invited.
When the news reached the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion, Gu Qingchen was in the yard, shooting copper coins hanging on a tree with a small silver bow.
She shot three arrows in succession, each of which passed through the square hole of the copper coin. Her shots were so accurate that the maidservants serving beside her couldn't help but cheer.
"Miss, someone came from the palace and said that the royal family is going to hold a winter hunt. Please join us with the Duke and his wife." The butler bowed and reported carefully.
Gu Qingchen put down his bow, took the handkerchief handed to him by the maid and wiped his hands with no expression on his face.
"No."
It was another boring occasion like this, with a group of people wearing complicated clothes and saying insincere words. She felt annoyed just thinking about it.
"Miss, this... this is the order of His Majesty, I'm afraid you can't refuse it." The butler looked embarrassed.
Gu Qingchen's delicate eyebrows wrinkled, and the irritation of being plotted and arranged came up again.
Qian Zhenyun happened to walk out of the study with a book in his hand. When he heard this, he paused.
"It's time to go." He walked up to Gu Qingchen and said in a gentle voice, "If you don't go, it will make our Zhenguo Mansion look guilty."
Gu Qingchen curled his lips and didn't refute.
She knew Qian Zhenyun was right.
She and Zhao Chen'an had just fallen out, and she turned around and refused the emperor's winter hunt. In the eyes of those who were interested, who knows how many accusations they would make up about her, saying that "the Duke of Zhenguo was dissatisfied and his achievements surpassed his master."
"Go if you want to. I want to see what he wants to do next." Gu Qingchen snorted coldly and threw the bow in his hand to the maid.
However, the first person Zhao Chenan wanted to clear out of the stage for the play he wanted to perform was Qian Zhenyun.
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