Hongli had already guessed this would be the outcome. "Did you hear that? Your mother doesn't agree."
Since Yu Shan disagreed, Hongli didn't want to interfere any further. However, Yongzhang was determined to fight to the end. "Your subject will go to Yan Zhi now and discuss it with her."
Watching her son leave the palace, Su Yushan glared at Hongli with annoyance, "You didn't need to say that last sentence!"
Feeling guilty, Hongli touched the bridge of his nose. "What I said was true, and I wasn't wrong!"
"If you don't tell him, maybe he'll give up?"
How could that be? "My son isn't stupid; he'll figure something out himself. You can't blame me."
Hongli felt wronged, so Su Yushan didn't blame him anymore, but she still had to remind him, "But I don't want them to be together, you know that, so you have to stand on my side."
"Don't worry, maybe Yanzhi doesn't like him? As long as Yanzhi doesn't agree, this matter won't work out."
That's true. Su Yushan knew that being anxious was useless, and now it all depended on Yan Zhi's attitude.
After bidding farewell to his parents, Yongzhang went to find Yanzhi, but he didn't say anything. He just sat there with a sullen face, his thin lips tightly pressed together, and his expression was one of displeasure.
Yan Zhi was puzzled. Sitting at the table, she held scissors and cut paper flowers while asking, "What's wrong? You seem unhappy? Did you do something bad and get scolded by your aunt?"
Lazy to respond, Yongzhang muttered, "I had a fight with Father Emperor."
Yongzhang would cause trouble every now and then, and Yanzhi was already used to it. "What is it? Tell me! I'll help you judge the matter."
With a frustrated sigh, Yongzhang rested his hand on his forehead, looking distressed. "Father Emperor wants to choose a consort for me."
Upon hearing this, Zheng Yanzhi's smile faded, and she paused for a moment with the scissors in her hand before forcing a smile and saying, "That's a good thing! You should be happy."
“There’s nothing to be happy about. My father demands that I marry a Manchu woman, but I prefer Han women.”
Upon suddenly hearing the word "Han people," Yan Zhi's heart tightened. There weren't many Han people in the palace, and he didn't know who the speaker was referring to.
Confused, she dared not utter a sound; Yongzhang was still waiting for her to ask! "Why don't you ask me who I like?"
Yan Zhi feigned indifference and said, "If you want to talk, then talk. If you don't want to talk, there's no point in me asking!"
Since she wouldn't ask, he could only say it himself, "Who else could it be? The Han woman in this palace, that's you!"
His words had already made her consider this possibility, but Yan Zhi still felt it couldn't be her; she might have misunderstood. Hearing him confirm it with her own ears, Zheng Yan Zhi's beautiful eyes widened, still somewhat incredulous.
"How could it be me? I'm older than you!"
Yongzhang corrected him unhappily, "It's only three months, which is the same age. Don't keep bringing this up."
Yan Zhi felt something was wrong the more she thought about it. "But you said before that you wouldn't like your cousin."
Yongzhang had absolutely no recollection of this. "When did I say such a thing?"
He actually won't admit it? Luckily, Yan Zhi remembers it clearly, "When I asked you if you liked Su Tang..."
"..." Yongzhang thought for a moment and realized he did say it, but it was an unintentional remark. He hadn't expected Yanzhi to remember it. If he had known she took it seriously, he should have explained it to her long ago.
"Su Tang is three years older than me, and besides, I already have feelings for you, so I definitely wouldn't like her!"
So that's what it meant! Yan Zhi suddenly felt embarrassed, but Yong Zhang was very happy, a slight smile playing on his lips as he looked at her.
"You're unhappy because of that one sentence? Why are you angry? Do you like me?"
Yan Zhi blushed instantly and retorted angrily, "Who likes you? Don't flatter yourself!"
Most girls are shy and unwilling to admit their little thoughts, which he could understand, so he decided to ask in a different way.
"Okay, I like you, but now Father and Mother don't agree to us being together. Father said that you can't be a princess consort, you can only be a concubine. Mother said she doesn't want you to be a concubine, she's afraid you'll suffer. Yanzhi, are you willing to be with me?"
The question was direct and sudden, and Yan Zhi hadn't thought about it at all. "I...I don't know."
"Then do you like me?" To prevent her from making excuses again, Yongzhang got straight to the point, "Don't say you don't know. You must know the answer in your heart. We've been childhood sweethearts, growing up together since we were little. Don't you have any feelings for me at all?"
She did have the answer in her heart, but the scenario he described made her hesitate: "Does being with you mean I have to be your concubine?"
Yongzhang also did not want her to be a concubine, but his father's attitude was firm, and there was probably no room for negotiation. "According to Father's wishes, this is how it is."
Clutching her fingers tightly, Yan Zhi lowered her eyes sadly and whispered, "But I don't want to be a concubine..."
She's considering taking a concubine; does that mean she still has feelings for him? Yongzhang is most concerned about her thoughts.
"I just want to know if you like me. As long as we love each other, status is not an issue. Even if you are a concubine, I will always dote on you, just like Father Emperor did for Mother. I will always be good to you."
His promises were wonderful, but Yan Zhi's thoughts were too chaotic at the moment, and she couldn't make sense of them. "You suddenly told me so much, I can hardly bear it. I need to think about it before making a decision."
That's true. He couldn't push her too hard, lest he frighten her. "Alright, think about it tonight and give me your answer tomorrow."
Yan Zhi nodded, but inwardly she was completely bewildered.
That night, she wasn't the only one tossing and turning, unable to sleep. Su Yushan also struggled to fall asleep for a long time. Rong Yu's marriage had caused quite a stir before she reluctantly accepted it, and now Yongzhang's marriage was also in turmoil, encountering difficulties once again.
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