Chapter 783 You have to marry, whether you want to or not
Zhao Yunci looked at him, the anger in her eyes gradually turning into a long sigh. "I asked you to spend more time with her because I hoped you would fall in love with her over time. I know that stubborn Gu Junze, but as long as his daughter is truly willing, he will never stop her, no matter how unhappy he is."
"But what about you? What have you done? You blocked the road I paved for you with your own hands!"
"Father..." Zhao Chen'an's voice was filled with reluctance, "Your Majesty...Your Majesty truly likes her."
"Like?" Zhao Yunci sneered. "If a future monarch can't even win over a woman, how can he possibly conquer the entire empire? Hesitating when necessary will only lead to chaos!"
"Remember this, even if Gu Qingchen wasn't around, Gu Junze would never rebel! He's loyal not to me, not to you, but to this country and the people of this world!"
"As long as you are a good emperor who loves his people like his own children, the Duke of Zhenguo Mansion will always be your strongest shield!"
Zhao Yunci's thoughts seemed to go back to that stormy night many years ago.
Zhao Yunci thought back to the time when Gu Junze single-handedly helped him ascend to the throne, with the only thing he asked for was the people, the people's hearts, the people's will...
Zhao Yunci walked back to the imperial desk.
"Propagate my decree! The Ministry of Revenue will immediately open its warehouses and allocate 500,000 taels of silver and 100,000 dan of grain for disaster relief in the south of the city. The Ministry of Works will immediately dispatch officials to assist in rebuilding houses, and all expenses will be covered by the national treasury! The Jingji Guards, in conjunction with the Dali Temple, will fully cooperate with Qian Zhenyun and Gu Lu to maintain order and provide relief to the victims! However, anyone who shirks responsibility will be severely punished!"
Orders were issued from the imperial study and spread throughout the capital at the fastest speed.
This was undoubtedly a resounding slap in the face to the prince.
Zhao Chen'an knelt on the ground, his face pale. He knew that his father had completely rejected all his actions and clearly stood on the side of Gu Qingchen and Qian Zhenyun.
The carriage stopped in front of the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion.
Nanny Li didn't get out of the car. She just said coldly through the curtain, "Miss Gu, we're here."
Gu Qingchen pushed open the car door, and the wind and snow outside immediately rushed in.
She got out of the car and stepped on the thick snow in front of the mansion gate.
Then, she saw someone.
Zhao Chenan was standing there, in the falling snow, in front of the vermilion gate of the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion.
He didn't hold an umbrella, and snowflakes fell all over his shoulders and head. The bright yellow prince's uniform made him look a little disheveled at the moment.
His face was pale, his eyes were bloodshot, and he looked straight at her.
In his hand, he was holding a roll of bright yellow stuff.
It's an imperial edict.
Gu Qingchen's heart sank suddenly.
Zhao Chenan looked at her and walked towards her step by step. His eyes were no longer the usual arrogance and calculation, but a kind of paranoia that was almost crazy.
"Qingchen."
Gu Qingchen stood there, not moving, just looking at him coldly.
Zhao Chen'an stood in front of her and raised the imperial edict in his hand, as if holding up his last life-saving straw, "Look at this."
He unfolded the imperial edict, and the black handwriting was crystal clear on the bright yellow silk.
"The Emperor has already issued an imperial decree granting us a marriage. Qingchen, this is an imperial decree, you can no longer refuse."
Gu Qingchen's gaze shifted from the imperial edict to Zhao Chenan's face.
"Your Highness," her voice was colder than the snow, "are you just going to hold this imperial edict and watch the people of the south city die in the ruins?"
Zhao Chenan's body shook.
"It was an accident!" He almost yelled, "I just... I just wanted you to come back! Everything I did was for you!"
"For me?" Gu Qingchen smiled, his smile revealing undisguised sarcasm and contempt. "Your Highness's love is truly precious. I, Gu Qingchen, cannot afford to sacrifice the lives of countless civilians to pave the way."
"No! I can compensate them! Father has already issued an order. They will receive medical treatment and food!"
Zhao Chenan explained anxiously, as if grasping at the last ray of hope, "Qingchen, none of that matters anymore! What's important is us! We're getting married soon!"
He took a step forward and wanted to grab Gu Qingchen's hand.
Gu Qingchen stepped back suddenly, avoiding his touch.
"Don't touch me."
Her eyes were like the sharpest knife, stabbing Zhao Chenan all over his body.
He looked at his empty hands, then at the imperial edict, and the last light in his eyes gradually went out.
"Why?" He murmured to himself, as if asking her, or perhaps asking himself, "Why would you rather choose Qian Zhenyun, who has nothing, than look at me?"
"Because he's like a human being." Gu Qingchen looked at him, every word clear to him. "He has a heart, he has feelings, he has righteousness. He would get himself hurt just to save a child he doesn't even know."
She paused, a hint of pity in her voice.
"What about you? All you have is calculation and your own pitiful face."
"Shut up!" Zhao Chen'an looked up suddenly as if a sore spot had been touched, staring at her with scarlet eyes. "Gu Qingchen! Don't forget, this is an imperial decree! The emperor never jokes! Do you dare to disobey it?"
"I dare." Gu Qingchen replied calmly.
She looked at Zhao Chenan, his face twisted with rage, and there was no longer any ripple in her heart.
"If I step through this door today, I will never come out again for you."
"You have to marry me whether you want to or not!" Zhao Chen'an completely lost his mind. He grabbed the imperial edict fiercely as if it were a weapon.
"Does the Zhenguo Mansion have to bear the crime of disobeying the imperial order just for you? Are you worthy of your father and your brother?"
"My father and brother sacrificed their lives at the border, not to let me marry someone like you in exchange for so-called family peace."
After Gu Qingchen finished speaking, he turned around without even looking at him and walked towards the gate of the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion.
"Gu Qingchen!" Zhao Chen'an roared in despair behind her.
Gu Qingchen didn't look back.
She pushed open the heavy vermilion door and walked in.
The door slowly closed behind her with a dull thud.
The inside and outside of the door separate into two worlds.
Outside the door, there was Zhao Chenan's roar and the wind and snow all over the sky.
Inside the door, there was silence.
Zhao Chen'an stood alone in the wind and snow, holding the imperial edict tightly in his hand. The bright yellow silk had become wrinkled.
He was like a child abandoned by the whole world, confused and helpless.
The snow fell heavier and heavier, and soon buried his figure and his pitiful self-esteem.
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