Chapter 301 A Lifetime of Mistakes
Dou Wenyi was startled, "Prince Duan?"
Lin Zhiyi lowered her head shyly and began to speak slowly, "Actually, he took a liking to me at the hunting grounds that time, and soon after, we would occasionally run into each other. After my grandfather passed away, I went to Fanyang for a while, and coincidentally, he went there too and lived next door. We talked about everything under the sun; he was very talented in poetry and songs, and he often played the flute with me..."
There are no coincidences; they were probably all carefully planned by Prince Duan.
After Prince Duan became lame in her previous life, little news of him was heard, and she knew very little about his character.
Now, with the political situation in turmoil, if Prince Duan doesn't have the ambition to seize the throne and is content to be a wealthy and noble prince, then he might be worth considering.
But he was determined to compete with Pei Siyan, and Lord Lin was the Crown Prince's man. With Lin Zhiyi caught in the middle, wouldn't she be repeating the same mistake as in her previous life and becoming a victim of political struggle?
Dou Wenyi felt a chill run down her spine. Looking at Lin Zhiyi's self-absorbed appearance, it was clear that she had already fallen in love!
In both her past and present lives, Lin Zhiyi's judgment of people was not bad. At least she saw through Xie Guidu before her and repeatedly advised her, just because she was afraid that Xie Guidu would ruin her life.
How much does she really know about Prince Duan?
The news that the Crown Prince intended to bestow a marriage upon Prince Duan had just been released when Prince Duan came to propose to Lin Zhiyi. He probably already knew about her relationship with him.
Dou Wenyi's expression was complicated, and it was hard not to suspect that Prince Duan had ulterior motives. "Do you truly admire him? Do you want to marry him?"
Lin Zhiyi's almond-shaped eyes were full of longing. "He treats me very well and has promised not to take a concubine in the future."
Hearing her say that, Dou Wenyi secretly rolled her eyes.
Pei Siyan said the same thing, so wasn't Sheng Xiyue going through the same trouble? If the men of the imperial family really betray their promises, what can she do?
Having experienced the hardships of marriage herself, she couldn't bear to see Lin Zhiyi mired in trouble.
However, if she were to bluntly say that Prince Duan was not a good man, what would Lin Zhiyi think? Back then, before she was reborn, didn't she have a falling out with Lin Zhiyi because Lin Zhiyi advised her not to like Xie Guidu?
Dou Wenyi composed herself and asked, "What did your father say? Did he agree?"
Lin Zhiyi looked melancholy and hesitated for a long time before saying, "My father said he would consider it for a few days before giving me an answer. My father has always been upright. He is worried about the complicated political situation and does not want me to be involved in the vortex. He hopes that I can marry an ordinary person and live out my life."
Meeting her expectant gaze, Dou Wenyi remained silent.
Lin Zhiyi looked at her earnestly and said, "Actually, Prince Duan's heart is set on the mountains and rivers, and he has no interest in politics. He has already discussed it with me. After Your Highness ascends the throne, he will return to his fiefdom and become a divine couple with me. Wenyi, do you think that's realistic?"
It seems that Lord Lin has already analyzed the pros and cons for her.
Prince Duan was indeed skilled at winning hearts, and he won Lin Zhiyi's heart, making her so devoted to him that she had no choice but to marry him.
I'm afraid she won't listen to her opinions at all.
Dou Wenyi felt a pang of bitterness in her heart.
Lin Zhiyi has been her best friend in both her past and present lives, and she cannot let her jump into the fire pit as she did with Princess Fu'an.
“I know very little about Prince Duan’s character, so I really can’t give you any advice. However, marriage is not a trivial matter. If he is truly in love with you, he won’t complain even if it takes a year or two. As Uncle Lin said, the political situation is too complicated right now. Why don’t you wait until things settle down before making any plans?”
Lin Zhiyi clenched her fists, her eyes filled with undisguised disappointment. "Is there... no other way?"
Dou Wenyi held her hand reassuringly and patiently comforted her, "Emperor Muzong has high hopes for Prince Duan, and perhaps he has made arrangements for his marriage. He is a prince, and his marriage is not something he can decide for himself. What will you do if His Majesty insists on arranging several concubines for him?"
"You've heard about the time when Consort Sheng and I entered the Eastern Palace together, haven't you?"
Lin Zhiyi lowered her eyes, only then remembering her situation, and felt a little uncomfortable. "The Sheng family has a great influence in the court. Have you suffered any losses?"
Dou Wenyi sighed, "Women's jealousy is terrifying; I almost lost my life."
As she spoke, she roughly told her about how Sheng Xiyue had instigated Feng Tingyun to plot against her.
"Really?" Lin Zhiyi asked in disbelief.
"The Sheng family is too arrogant? How could Sheng Xiyue escape unscathed?"
Dou Wenyi said calmly, "There was no evidence at the time."
She paused, then said, "Zhiyi, the men of the imperial family are destined not to be monogamous with you for life. Are you willing to share a husband with someone else?"
Lin Zhiyi hesitated, as if she had become a little more sober about her feelings for Prince Duan. "You mean, you want me to test him a little more?"
Dou Wenyi was speechless. "Yes, didn't you always advise me: 'Time will tell.' Marriage is a major life event, after all, it relates to a lifetime of happiness. It's never wrong to be careful."
Lin Zhiyi felt as if she had been doused with cold water. After chatting with her for a while, she left dejectedly.
Dou Wenyi was in a real bind. She needed to come up with a perfect way to test Prince Duan and make Lin Zhiyi see reality clearly.
As night fell, Pei Siyan returned to Wutong Garden, still completely clueless.
When Pei Siyan heard her say that Lin Zhiyi had come to visit, he already guessed why she was having trouble. "...What's so difficult about that? We just need to prepare a bigger bait to lure Fourth Brother. Lord Lin doesn't want Lin Zhiyi to marry him either."
Dou Wenyi raised her eyes and said, "Then we can only break them up and arrange a better marriage for him?"
Pei Siyan held his teacup, took a sip, and chuckled, "If Fourth Brother knew when to advance and retreat, he wouldn't be testing me at this critical juncture. He's offering himself up; how could I refuse?"
"If he had no leverage, how could he dare to harbor any delusions?"
Pei Siyan suppressed his smile, his tone sarcastic, "Of course he has bargaining chips. Isn't His Majesty his best bargaining chip? There's also the Eldest Princess, Xie Guidu, and those courtiers who hope to encounter a 'benevolent ruler'."
Dou Wenyi was shocked and naturally understood his implied meaning: "You suspect that Pei Yunche has obtained the secret decree for succession?"
Pei Siyan smiled coldly, "Naturally, His Majesty loves to make things difficult for me. Otherwise, given my fourth brother's cautious nature, how could he dare to fight a desperate battle and take such a gamble?"
The court officials were restless, and some even followed in the footsteps of Prince Rui, secretly colluding with the Northern Di in an attempt to create even greater internal strife for the Great Zhou.
These fools treat the spies of the Eastern Palace as dead. If he doesn't find an opportunity to wipe them all out, how can he restore peace and order to the Great Zhou?
Dou Wenyi's pupils suddenly contracted.
The matter of Prince Duan proposing to Lin Zhiyi was clearly a smokescreen.
Once Prince Duan finds an opportunity to escape, he can use that secret edict to declare himself emperor under the banner of supporting the Great Zhou and punish the traitor Pei Siyan!
"Your Highness, are you planning to use Prince Duan to lure out the remaining henchmen behind this?"
A hint of relief flashed across Pei Siyan's face; perhaps only she in this world could truly understand his feelings.
"Today, I promised him in court that once he is engaged, he can leave Tianning City and go to his fiefdom at any time..."
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