When Lan Xiuyuan heard Hu Tianyong say "No!" his face immediately darkened, and he asked in a lower voice, "Why not?"
"Because she doesn't deserve it!"
Hu Tianyong's tone wasn't heavy; in fact, it was rather soft. But that one soft sentence completely humiliated Qin Kou'er.
She is not worthy! At least not worthy of Lan Xiuyuan, who has a bright future ahead of him! She is even less worthy of his illustrious Hu family status.
Lan Xiuyuan used to be quite accepting of this distinction between noble and prominent families, but for some reason, hearing Hu Tianyong say it today sounded particularly jarring!
Lan Xiuyuan's eyes darkened coldly as he quietly looked at Hu Tianyong. "What if I insist on marrying him?"
Hu Tianyong looked at Lan Xiuyuan, a stern glint flashing in his cunning eyes, but he quickly concealed it and put on a kind and amiable smile instead.
He slowly walked to Lan Xiuyuan's side, gently patted his shoulder, and then pulled him to sit down at the small round table next to him. He smiled and said, "Xiuyuan, Grandpa knows you've grown up and have a girl you like! This is a good thing, and Grandpa fully supports it. But don't forget, you are destined for great things, and you will rule the world. Do you think Qin Kou'er, with her status, can sit with you on the dragon throne in the Golden Palace? She can't afford it! She can't sit there! So why let her have such unrealistic expectations!"
Lan Xiuyuan turned his head and stared at Hu Tianyong with a still unpleasant expression: "Grandpa! We should be more careful with some things we say. If we speak like this in public, we might give those scoundrels something to use against us!"
As he spoke, Lan Xiuyuan turned his head and stared intently at the calligraphy that Hu Tianyong had just finished writing and was about to hang up. He continued coldly, "What makes Qin Kou'er unworthy of sitting on the dragon throne? You saw her performance yesterday. In front of the Emperor and all the court officials, amidst the perilous winds and waves, she still dared to speak the truth. Don't you think only a woman with such courage is worthy of being my queen? Moreover, Qin Kou'er's courage and insight are far beyond what those rich young ladies can compare to! I like her and want to marry her as my wife. What's wrong with that?"
Hu Tianyong frowned slightly as he looked at Lan Xiuyuan's determined expression, but the frown vanished without leaving a trace.
Hu Tianyong nodded, saying calmly, "Qin Kou'er is indeed different from ordinary women! She's deep-thinking, yet bold and meticulous, and she's also a beautiful young woman. However, no matter what you say, her background is an undeniable fact. In the end, she's just a low-class merchant! Nobody takes her seriously! Hmph, even Qin Meiying back then, with the Qin family as her backer, still ended up being looked down upon. That's why she ended up like that!"
Lan Xiuyuan rarely heard his maternal grandfather speak to him like this. In the past, when the two spoke, one was always respectful and the other loving, and the scene seemed incredibly warm. But today, for the first time, the two had a definite disagreement, and they also gained a new understanding of each other. Especially Lan Xiuyuan.
Lan Xiuyuan felt a strong aversion to Hu Tianyong's statement that Qin Kou'er was a low-class woman. In his eyes, Qin Kou'er, who could manage Qin Tiange to such a large scale, was infinitely more perfect than those women who only knew how to embroider and act coquettish.
Lan Xiuyuan turned to Hu Tianyong with a completely cold face, "But Grandfather, don't forget that if it weren't for Qin Meiying, the Emperor wouldn't have been able to seize the throne! If it weren't for the money in the hands of these lowly women, Grandfather wouldn't have had such a smooth career in the court! Others may not know, but I know that Grandfather took a lot of money from the Qin family back then!"
Hu Tianyong stared at Lan Xiuyuan in disbelief. Was this still the same Wen Yu Gongzi he had personally trained? How could he speak to his maternal grandfather like that?
Hu Tianyong's anger was burning like a flame, but his face showed two completely different extremes compared to his inner feelings.
"Xiuyuan," Hu Tianyong called out affectionately to his grandson, then said with a smile, "Grandpa was a bit harsh just now! Don't be angry. Don't you know my heart? I've always wanted to give you the best of everything. Everything I've done is for your future and that throne that will last for generations! I know you like Miss Qin, and I like Miss Qin very much too. Yesterday in the main hall, her performance impressed me greatly! She is indeed a rare and wonderful girl. If you are to remain a prince forever, then tomorrow I will speak to the Emperor and ask you to marry Miss Qin!"
Hu Tianyong deliberately brought up the matter of the Prince to Lan Xiuyuan, just to remind him that he had a long road ahead of him and that his romantic feelings were not worth it.
Lan Xiuyuan understood the meaning behind Hu Tianyong's words. His heart sank, but he remained silent.
"But you're going to be the Crown Prince, someone the Emperor will always have! Do you really think keeping Miss Qin by your side is the best thing for you? What can an Empress with no family background or powerful connections do, no matter how capable she is, in the deep palace?"
At this point, Hu Tianyong sighed deeply, "Grandfather was a man too, and he knows what men are like! No matter how beautiful a woman is in this world, she will eventually pale in comparison to the power of the empire. It's true that you like Miss Qin now. But years later, when you become emperor, if you no longer like Miss Qin, that too will become a fact! Are you going to just watch her wither and die in the palace then? Since you can't do it later, why not let go now!..."
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