Truth and falsehood
Xie Tiao and Gongyi Xiu exchanged a glance, both feeling at a loss for what to do.
Gongyi Xiu spoke up, earnestly saying, "If Your Highness only seeks the daughter of the Shangguan family who is skilled in calligraphy, then there are plenty of young ladies like her in the Shangguan family. Moreover, judging solely from calligraphy, the eldest daughter of the Shangguan family does not meet Your Highness's requirements. Why does Your Highness choose the distant one instead of the one closer to you?"
Hulü Guang seemed extremely embarrassed, scratched the back of his head, and then said, "Well... actually, it's because everyone loves beauty. I've heard that Miss Shangguan is the most beautiful woman in the Southern Dynasty, so... that's part of the reason."
Gongyi Xiucha was caught off guard. He quickly glanced at Xie Tiao's face, unsure of what to say or not to say.
Xie Tiao's expression turned unpleasant again, and he finally said in a low voice, "I'm afraid Miss Shangguan herself will not be willing to marry out. I urge Your Highness Prince Ning to investigate this matter thoroughly."
Gongyi Xiu immediately added with a smile, "So that Your Highness Prince Ning may know, our Emperor once intended to appoint Miss Shangguan as the Crown Prince's consort, but many years have passed and Miss Shangguan has never agreed. Since she doesn't even deign to be the future Empress of our country, she probably wouldn't be interested in going to Northern Qiang to be Prince Ning's consort."
Hulü Guang, seemingly hearing this for the first time, paused for a moment before laughing, "It was my rudeness; I had no idea that Miss Shangguan was His Highness the Crown Prince's beloved. Please forgive my intrusion." But then his eyes flashed with a sharp light, revealing a fierce intensity completely different from his previous infatuated state, and he abruptly said:
“But since Miss Shangguan has not agreed to His Highness’s request, we are in a fair competition. I only ask that you two grant me the opportunity to meet Miss Shangguan, and I will surely find a way to persuade her to change her mind.”
Gongyi Xiu had no choice but to smile bitterly and said, "Your Highness, why are you doing this? Everyone in the Southern Dynasty knows that Miss Shangguan has entered the Dao through swordsmanship. Her reluctance to enter the palace is not directed at the Crown Prince or anyone else. Your Highness should not force her to do something against her will."
Hulü Guang laughed heartily, displaying the boldness and valor of the Hu people. Then, his gaze sharpened, and he said, "This is more interesting. I thought the women of the Southern Dynasty were all delicate and refined, but I never expected Miss Shangguan to be so decisive and individualistic. This is beyond my expectations and a pleasant surprise. If I cannot marry such an unconventional woman and bring her back to the Northern Qiang to be my queen, then this trip will have been in vain."
His fixation on Shangguan Yuqi had already angered Xie Tiao. Although he had always wanted to marry her, he had always treated her with the utmost respect, both openly and secretly, and dared not go against her wishes in the slightest. But the tone of Huli Guang's words made it seem as if Shangguan Yuqi were something he had already obtained, a caged bird. Even with Xie Tiao's gentle nature, he couldn't help but feel angry.
He immediately said in a deep voice, "Miss Shangguan is a renowned socialite of the nation and the foremost swordswoman of the Southern Dynasty's powerful clans. She is not something that Your Highness can so easily obtain and take away at will. If Your Highness insists on indulging in wishful thinking, then please do as you please. I will take my leave now." With that, he immediately turned and prepared to depart.
A Qiu, however, subtly stepped forward, blocking Xie Tiao's path and indicating that he did not need to leave. She calmly said, "I heard that His Highness Prince Ning was engaged in your country to Xiao Yu, the eldest daughter of the Xiao family, the most powerful Han Chinese clan in the Northern Dynasty. So, how much of the truth is there to the claim that Prince Ning has long been in love with Shangguan's daughter?"
Hulü Guang's eyes, which had been gleaming with a sharp light, were slightly taken aback upon hearing A Qiu's words, seemingly surprised that a woman from the Southern Dynasty would know this. Then, a look of dejection and confusion appeared on his face as he said, "That's another painful memory for me, could we please not mention it?"
Xie Tiao and Gongyi Xiu stared at each other in astonishment, feeling utterly surprised.
Hulü Guang said weakly, "The marriages of members of the royal family are not something they can decide for themselves. Even though I admired the Shangguan family of the Southern Dynasty in the past, firstly, the two countries were at war at the time, so I dared not mention it. Secondly, marriage alliances for the sake of the country are the duty of every member of the royal family. Moreover, I am the most important member of the royal family under the Great Khan, and a marriage alliance with the Xiao family is an important measure to win over the local Han people. I could not oppose it. However, later, due to some reason, the marriage was dissolved, but I was still heartbroken."
At this moment, Xie Tiao, Gongyi Xiu, and A Qiu were all speechless with astonishment. A Qiu knew the inside story, but even she couldn't tell whether his words were sincere or feigned.
Hulü Guang said sincerely, "Although the marriage has been dissolved, it has also given me the opportunity to find another beautiful woman. Now that I have heard that my country is going to form a marriage alliance with your country, I have come here with great enthusiasm."
His words were flawless from beginning to end, almost without any flaws. He portrayed himself as a deeply affectionate man who had been wronged, yet he never uttered a bad word about the Xiao family, making him appear extremely gentlemanly and refined—so good that he seemed unreal.
After much deliberation, A Qiu resolutely said, "Therefore, His Highness Prince Ning's intention is that he must marry Miss Shangguan?"
Hulü Guang, who had initially been somewhat timid in front of her, now readily agreed, "Exactly!"
But at this moment, A Qiu could somewhat sense that the fear that Huli Guang had shown earlier towards her, the successor of the young master, was probably just an act, just to dispel her wariness.
He didn't suddenly become brave at this moment; rather, it was an impromptu performance under the circumstances.
A-Qiu said crisply, "Alright! But as His Highness the Crown Prince said, Miss Shangguan is a living person, not a thing. If she is unwilling, we cannot force her. At that time, does His Highness Prince Ning intend to return empty-handed and remain unmarried for the rest of his life?"
Her words were a veiled jab at Hulü Guang's unwavering devotion. If, as he claimed, he was truly so infatuated with Shangguan Yuqi, then if Shangguan Yuqi rejected him, given his apparent deep affection, shouldn't he be left waiting in vain, destined to grow old alone?
Hulü Guang seemed completely oblivious to her sarcasm. Ji Yan said, "Therefore, I need the three of you to help me so that I can meet Miss Shangguan in private. I will do everything in my power to win her heart. If it really doesn't work," he sighed, "I can give up on this idea and accept that we are not meant to be."
Before Xie Tiao could refuse, A Qiu immediately said, "No problem. Miss Shangguan is currently a Flying Phoenix Guard in the palace. If it's just a matter of meeting her, we can handle this small matter."
Gongyi Xiu simultaneously whispered in her ear, "Will there be any problems with you agreeing to him like this?"
A Qiu also whispered back, "This person came prepared and has been planning for a long time. He must have a perfect plan. Even if we don't agree, he will find another way. We might as well just agree first and let us arrange where and how we meet. At least we will still have some initiative."
Gongyi Xiu nodded to himself, and at the same time patted Xie Tiao's elbow reassuringly, indicating that he did not need to get angry and should listen to A Qiu first.
A Qiu then asked Hulü Guang, "Your Highness Prince Ning just mentioned having two private matters. The first must be a private meeting with Miss Shangguan, which we have already agreed to. May I ask what the other matter is?"
Hulü Guang, who had been all smiles, suddenly became solemn and serious upon hearing this. He said in a hoarse voice, "I have an elder friend who passed away in the Southern Dynasty. I wish to visit her tomb, but Jianzhang is so vast and I am unfamiliar with the area. I have no idea where to begin. Therefore, I would like to ask the three of you to help me find it."
The three looked at each other again, wondering where this old friend or elder of Hulü Guang had come from, yet was buried on the territory of the Southern Dynasty.
Gongyi Xiu then said, "If Prince Ning can clearly state his name, place of origin, and background, we can try to find him. However, I'm afraid that with the passage of time and the changing dynasties, the layout of Jianzhang City has also been altered, so it might not be so easy to find him."
Hulü Guang readily agreed, “Don’t worry, all three of you. My elder is also quite famous and certainly not an unknown person. As long as I mention him, all three of you will surely remember him.”
Xie Tiao, also intrigued, asked, "Who is that?"
Since they were Huli Guang's elders, they must have been Northern Qiang people, but they had never heard of that famous Northern Qiang person whose tomb was located within the territory of the Southern Dynasty.
Hulü Guang said in a deep voice, "I am referring to my mentor who taught me poetry and calligraphy. After she entered the Southern Dynasty, she was given the title of Lady Huachi. Her name was Mo Yi Bishuang."
These words, spoken as if a thunderbolt had struck the heavens, caused an immediate silence, yet a turbulent undercurrent flowed beneath.
A Qiu never expected that her second senior brother, Mo Yimingyue's, birth mother, Mo Yibi Shuang, held a high position in the Northern Qiang and was a teacher who taught princes in the palace.
This is not surprising, as the Mo Yi family has been renowned in the Central Plains since ancient times, being a leading family of legal experts. Given Mo Yi Bi Shuang's shrewdness, it would be no difficult task for her to infiltrate the Northern Qiang royal court if she intended to.
However, her journey was fraught with difficulties. She first served the Khitan royal family, then entered the Northern Qiang royal court, and later came south to infiltrate as a spy. Yet, she also achieved great success.
While A Qiu was still in a brief daze, Gongyi Xiu took over the conversation, saying, "Your Highness Prince Ning claims that Lady Huachi is your teacher, but what evidence do you have?"
A Qiu knew that Gongyi Xiu's first doubt was whether the matter was true.
From the very beginning until now, their deepest feeling is that Hulü Guang is too good at building relationships and playing the emotional card.
He went straight to the point, talking at length about his connection with Empress Shangguan of the Southern Dynasty, using it as a reason to ask for Shangguan Yuqi's hand in marriage. He finally got a chance to meet Shangguan Yuqi in private. At this moment, he also mentioned that Lady Huachi was his teacher and that he wanted to visit his teacher's tomb.
Although every claim was supported by evidence and was credible, what was most suspicious was his well-prepared and overly attentive attitude.
Prince Ning, Hulü Guang, was the most powerful man in the Northern Dynasty after the emperor. Even if he didn't show any courtesy, Xie Tiao and Gongyi Xiu would still have to appease him to some extent. He didn't need to be so attentive and considerate, always mentioning his long-standing relationship with the Southern Dynasty.
Hulü Guang readily agreed, "That's easy. Bring me some paper."
Two maids behind him immediately left, running back with writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone.
Huli Guang sat against a pillar in the corridor, holding a pen in one hand and paper in the other, and said, "What character should I write?" He thought for a moment, then picked up the pen and wrote four powerful characters in regular script on the smooth paper: "All under heaven are one family".
On the left side, he picked up a brush and wrote a line of flowing, elegant calligraphy: "All men are brothers within the four seas."
Then he looked up and smiled, saying, "What do you three think?"
A Qiu and Gong Yixiu exchanged a glance, both seeing the shock in each other's eyes.
Although Xie Tiao had also studied calligraphy, his skill in this area was only mediocre. Although he could see that Hulü Guang's calligraphy was excellent and that he had obviously put in the effort, he could not discern the details. He asked in bewilderment, "Your Highness Prince Ning is indeed exceptionally accomplished in calligraphy, but how can you tell from this that you are Lady Huachi's student?"
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