There is no room for maneuver.
Prime Minister Jiang hurriedly stepped forward, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty, it is a blessing for the Jiang family that my daughter has won the favor of Prince Heng. We leave everything to Your Majesty and His Highness to decide." He was also shaken, but more than anything, he felt relieved. Prince Heng's actions had undoubtedly completely silenced the rumors that were detrimental to his daughter and also made his stance clear.
"Issue my decree!" The emperor's booming voice echoed throughout the hall. "Prince Heng, Zongzheng Hengyu, and Prime Minister Jiang Wanzhi are a match made in heaven. The Imperial Astronomical Bureau is hereby ordered to select an auspicious day for their wedding as soon as possible! The Ministry of Rites shall immediately begin preparations without delay!"
"Your subject (son) obeys the decree! Thank you for Your Majesty's (father's) grace!" Zongzheng Hengyu and Jiang Cheng bowed at the same time, their voices firm.
A golden word is law, and a decision is final!
After a brief silence in the Linde Hall, a more boisterous chorus of congratulations and undercurrents of speculation arose. The music resumed, the singing and dancing continued, but it could no longer conceal the diverse thoughts of those present.
After the imperial edict was issued, Zongzheng Hengyu thanked the emperor with a blank expression and returned to his seat. He picked up his wine cup, his eyes calm, and occasionally nodded to the important officials who came forward to offer their congratulations. His demeanor was one of natural majesty and aloofness.
Jiang Wanzhi could feel the gazes coming from all directions—concern, scrutiny, jealousy, and a chilling feeling that pierced her back. These gazes came from the Zhao King's seat and from the direction of the Beiyuan delegation.
Princess Munasha nearly crushed the glass cup in her hand, her beautiful face drained of color. Had Helian Tu not stood by and sternly stopped her with a look, she would have almost lost her composure on the spot. Finally, she abruptly stood up, citing illness as an excuse, and left her seat early. Before leaving, she cast a venomous glance at Jiang Wanzhi like a viper.
Prince Zhao, Zongzheng Zhaoran, remained seated calmly at his table. He finished his drink and glanced at Jiang Wanzhi seemingly unintentionally, his gaze carrying a complex mix of regret and resentment. He quickly looked away and began to speak quietly with the officials beside him, as if everything was normal.
The banquet came to an end.
As Jiang Wanzhi followed her father out of the palace, a gust of night wind made her realize that her back was soaked with cold sweat. Before they even reached the palace gate, Yan Cheng quietly approached Prime Minister Jiang and whispered a few words to her.
Prime Minister Jiang frowned slightly and said to Jiang Wanzhi, "Zhi'er, His Highness wishes to see you."
Jiang Wanzhi's heart skipped a beat, and she subconsciously looked ahead. In the flickering light of the palace lanterns, Zongzheng Hengyu's dark figure stood beside the carriage, not looking at her, but simply waiting quietly.
Jiang Wanzhi took a deep breath and walked over slowly. She stopped three steps behind him and said in a low voice, "Your Highness."
Zongzheng Hengyu slowly turned around, the moonlight outlining the cold, handsome profile of his face. His gaze fell on her, still deep and unfathomable.
"Are you scared?" he asked.
Jiang Wanzhi pursed her lips, not denying it. The turmoil in the palace today and his sudden marriage proposal had indeed startled her.
“Don’t be afraid.” His tone was flat, offering no comfort, but rather stating a fact: “Now no one can touch you.”
He stepped forward, closing the distance. "The Prince of Zhao and Bei Yuan will not let this matter rest." He looked down at her, his eyes sharp. "After returning to your residence, rest assured and await your marriage. I will handle all the disturbances outside. Do not get involved with irrelevant people again."
"This subject understands," she replied softly.
Zongzheng Hengyu nodded, said nothing more, and turned to board the carriage. The carriage curtain fell, concealing his cold and aloof figure.
Jiang Wanzhi stood there, watching his carriage rumble away into the distance, her heart filled with mixed emotions. He seemed to be protecting her under his wings, but he also used an invisible barrier to completely isolate her from the outside world.
Back at the Prime Minister's residence, the atmosphere was noticeably different from usual. The servants were now more cautious and respectful in their words and actions. Prime Minister Jiang summoned his daughter to his study and dismissed everyone else.
“Zhi’er,” Prime Minister Jiang sighed, “Things have come to this, and the Emperor’s will is difficult to defy. I’ve said before that Prince Heng is no ordinary man. Originally, I favored Prince Zhao… but now Prince Heng’s power is at its peak. He handled the situation in court today with ease and extraordinary courage; His Majesty clearly relies heavily on him. I can rest assured that you will marry him.” She clearly saw the worry and helplessness in her father’s eyes. Before imperial power and tyranny, even the Prime Minister seemed so powerless.
Jiang Wanzhi remained silent. She knew perfectly well.
"The only way forward is to stick close to Prince Heng," Prime Minister Jiang said in a deep voice. "Since you are destined to be his queen, you must put aside those unnecessary distractions, keep to your duty, and help my Jiang family gain a foothold in this court."
…………
After listening to her father's earnest advice, Jiang Wanzhi returned to Wanzhi Pavilion feeling utterly exhausted. The imperial decree had been issued; its words were law, leaving no room for negotiation. She collapsed onto the soft couch like a salted fish that had lost all its dreams.
"Miss, what's wrong?" Chun Tao asked worriedly, looking at her mistress's disheveled appearance. "Is it... that you don't want to marry His Highness Prince Heng?"
She was cautious, after all, the imperial decree had been issued, and these words were somewhat treasonous.
Qiuju also leaned over and whispered, "Your Highness Prince Heng... is a bit cold, but he was really impressive in the palace today! Those who made things difficult for you were all silenced by His Highness's rebuke!"
Jiang Wanzhi turned over listlessly, facing inwards, and said in a muffled voice, "It's not that I don't want to... it's that I don't know!"
She sat up abruptly, looked at the two bewildered maids, and began her "accusation": "Tell me, isn't he a very contradictory person? One moment he's as cold as Arctic ice, as if he wants to freeze you to death with his eyes; the next moment he seems to care about you a little; one moment he asks if you're willing, but before I can even answer, he pulls the rug out from under me, not even giving me a chance to refuse! Who can understand him?"
Chun Tao blinked, trying to understand: "Miss, do you mean... you don't understand His Highness Prince Heng, so you don't know whether you should marry him?"
“Exactly!” Jiang Wanzhi slapped her thigh. “It’s like letting you choose a blind box. You know it might contain a priceless treasure, or it might be a bomb! And the instructions are written in alien language! Would you dare to open it?”
Qiu Ju chuckled, "Miss, your analogy... I think Prince Heng is better than a bomb, right? At least... he's good-looking?" She tried to start with his strengths.
“Can being pretty fill your stomach? Oh, it seems so…” Jiang Wanzhi touched her chin, then her face fell. “But Chuntao, Qiuju, you don’t know, I… I always feel uneasy, like there’s a big pit waiting for me to jump into.”
She couldn't explain the time travel or the original plot, so she could only give vague answers.
Chun Tao thought for a moment and said earnestly, "Miss, I feel that although His Highness Prince Heng is cold, his feelings for you... seem to be special. Think about it, someone like him, what can't he get? Why would he insist on marrying you against all odds in court? And why would he send people to protect you? Isn't that... because he cares about you?"
Qiuju chimed in, "That's right, Miss. Prince Zhao is indeed gentle, but at the crucial moment, it was Prince Heng who stood up to protect you. Moreover, Prince Heng is, after all, a nine-bead prince second only to the Crown Prince. Once you marry him, you'll be a noble nine-bead prince's wife, and you'll no longer have to fear those rumors and the provocations of Princess Beiyuan!"
As Jiang Wanzhi listened to the two maids talking back and forth, one trying to rationally analyze Heng Wang's "goodness" and the other describing the "glory" of the future princess, her mind became even more confused.
She knew they had a point. Regardless of his initial intentions, Zongzheng Hengyu's actions objectively rescued her from the embarrassing rumors and potential crisis, and provided her with a high degree of protection for her status.
But... that fear of the unknown fate, and that unpredictable and complex feeling about Zongzheng Hengyu himself, were like two strands of hemp rope tangled together, making it impossible for her to untangle them.
"Sigh!" She sighed deeply, then leaned back, staring blankly at the top of the tent. "I understand what you're saying. But my heart is just so uneasy. If he continues to be so cold, how will we live our married life? Are we supposed to practice our gaze at an iceberg every day?"
Chuntao couldn't help but laugh, "Miss, perhaps His Highness Prince Heng is only cold on the outside but warm on the inside? Isn't that how it's always written in storybooks? The male protagonist who is cold on the outside but warm on the inside is the most affectionate!"
Jiang Wanzhi rolled her eyes: "Come on, that's all just for fooling young girls. The reality is, it might look cold on the outside, but inside it's probably a refrigerator, and a double-door one at that!"
She complained, but involuntarily recalled the warmth of his fingertips, the occasional unusual look in his eyes, and his forceful kiss...
"Forget it, forget it, I don't want to think about it anymore!" Jiang Wanzhi suddenly sat up, deciding to give up. "The imperial decree has already been issued, what's the use of thinking so much? A lazy bum should have the mindset of a lazy bum. If the sky falls, there are tall people to hold it up! We'll talk about the future later!"
She patted her face, trying to cheer herself up: "Chuntao, Qiuju, change your clothes! I'm hungry, let's eat first! Life is all about eating and drinking! If you're not enthusiastic about eating, there's something wrong with your thinking!"
…………
With a sharp crash, the fine celadon teacup was slammed to the ground, shards flying everywhere. Zongzheng Zhaoran's usually gentle face was now filled with malice, his chest heaving violently.
"Your Highness, things have come to this point, we..." Mr. Ghostface said in a low voice.
“I know,” Zongzheng Zhaoran interrupted him, his voice tinged with coldness. “Ninth Brother’s methods are swift and decisive, and his ability to seize the opportunity to settle the matter is indeed brilliant.”
He paused, then said, "It's time to move our pawns. We can impeach his generals for being arrogant and complacent, and for allowing their subordinates to harass the people. Also, regarding Beiyuan... Deputy Envoy Helian Tu is a shrewd man; he knows how to secure the greatest benefits for Beiyuan."
At the same time, he instructed Mr. Ghost Face: "Have our men continue to submit memorials in court, saying that Prince Heng is eager to get married right after achieving military merit, which may cause controversy and damage the reputation of the royal family. Also, impeach him for condoning his subordinates to cause trouble in the capital and for being arrogant about his achievements! In addition..." He paused and lowered his voice, "Make arrangements for me to see Deputy Envoy Helian Tu of Beiyuan."
He wouldn't openly defy the imperial decree; that would be unwise. But he would let Zongzheng Hengyu know that even with the decree in place, marrying Jiang Wanzhi would be as difficult as ascending to heaven.
…………
Inside the inn, Princess Munasha angrily ripped off her veil, revealing a bright yet distorted face contorted with rage. She swept the jewelry from her dressing table to the floor, still not satisfied.
"Why! Why should a timid woman from the Central Plains receive such favor from His Highness Prince Heng!" She recalled the cold yet resolute look on Zongzheng Hengyu's face when he protected Jiang Wanzhi in the palace, and her heart ached as if it were being pricked by needles.
Such a valiant and powerful man deserves to be paired with a noble and passionate jewel of the grasslands like her!
Helian Tu walked in with a sullen face and waved for the maid to leave: "Princess, please calm down. The Emperor of Da Shang has already issued a decree. If we continue to openly harass him, it will be detrimental to the overall peace negotiations."
"Unfavorable? Am I just supposed to watch them get married?" Munasha's beautiful eyes widened. "Uncle Helian, I'm not willing to accept this!"
“This old minister knows that the princess is unwilling to accept this.” A glint of light flashed in Helian Tu’s eyes. “If we can’t do it openly, we can do it secretly. Just now, King Zhao sent someone with a secret letter, hoping to have a talk with this old minister.”
"King Zhao?" Munasha frowned. "He also has feelings for that Jiang Wanzhi?"
“That’s right. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. King Zhao has considerable influence in the court. If we can join forces with him, we might be able to find an opportunity to stop the marriage.”
A glimmer of hope ignited in Munasha's eyes: "Alright! Uncle Helian Tu, go see him! Do anything to annoy Prince Heng and that woman! If necessary," a glint of ruthlessness flashed in her eyes, "making Jiang Wanzhi 'accidentally' disappear wouldn't be out of the question!"
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