Chapter 109 Marriage Alliance
The emperor's smile remained dignified. He stroked his beard slowly, his gaze sweeping over the three princes before finally settling on the meek and obedient Princess Arno.
"The King of Nanzhao's kindness and the Princess's graceful bearing greatly please me," the Emperor said in a calm voice, revealing no emotion.
"However, a marriage alliance between two countries is no small matter, as it concerns the very foundation of diplomatic relations and the nation, and must be handled with utmost care. The princess is of noble birth and has come from afar; how can I make a hasty decision? Let her be properly settled in the post station first, and I will certainly choose a good match for her, so as not to disappoint the King of Nanzhao."
These words were perfectly worded, saving face for Nanzhao while firmly maintaining control over the decision-making process.
The Nanzhao envoy seemed to have anticipated this situation and did not insist. He bowed respectfully and said, "Your Majesty is wise. On behalf of my king and princess, your humble servant awaits Your Majesty's good news."
Princess Arno bowed gracefully again, her voice, veiled, carrying a touch of exotic charm: "Arno thanks Your Majesty."
As she stood up, her eyes seemed to casually wander again, this time lingering on each of the three princes for a moment.
Lou Yan's aura grew even colder. He downed the wine in his glass in one gulp, but it did nothing to dispel the gloom in his heart.
Lou Jin took in his elder brother's reaction and gently squeezed Ye Xunyang's fingers under the table to reassure him.
Ye Xunyang understood and stopped thinking about the Nanzhao princess. He then whispered to Lou Jin, "Your Majesty... has put it aside for the time being?"
"Hmm," Lou Jin nodded slightly, his voice very low, "What kind of person is Father Emperor? He would not be easily led by the nose. Behind this marriage alliance, there is probably more to it than just friendly relations between the two countries."
"Especially at this juncture, with the shadowy figures in the southwest still lingering and the internal situation of Nanzhao unclear, it remains to be seen whether the arrival of this princess will bring good fortune or misfortune."
Upon his reminder, Ye Xunyang immediately connected the dots to the undercurrents in the southwest.
This seemingly amicable marriage alliance may be hiding a deeper vortex beneath the surface.
The ensuing banquet, on the surface, resumed its lively atmosphere of clinking glasses and the sounds of string and wind instruments.
But in secret, countless people had different thoughts and were no longer at the banquet.
After the banquet, everyone took their leave in turn.
As we left the Taiji Hall, the cool night breeze dispelled the noise and smell of alcohol inside.
Lou Yan walked without stopping, heading straight towards the palace gate, his shadow stretching long and solitary under the palace lanterns.
Lou Jin and Ye Xunyang followed not far behind him, watching his obviously displeased figure. They exchanged a glance and saw the worry in each other's eyes.
"Brother Emperor." Lou Jin quickened his pace and called out to him.
Lou Yan paused, his voice cold and hard: "What is it?"
Lou Jin walked to his side and said in a deep voice, "There is still room for maneuver in this matter. Father did not agree on the spot, so we still have time."
Lou Yan turned around abruptly, his eyes filled with barely suppressed frustration: "What's the use? In front of everyone, the Nanzhao princess specifically requested a marriage alliance. Of the three of us, who is more suitable than me? Are we going to make the princess a concubine, or have you or Lou Shang divorce your wives?"
Upon hearing this, Ye Xunyang frowned slightly, but understanding Lou Yan's feelings at that moment, he remained silent.
Lou Jin's expression remained unchanged, his gaze unwavering as he looked at him: "Brother, calm down. Precisely because everyone is watching, Father cannot make a decision lightly. There are too many factors involved, and Father will inevitably have to weigh the pros and cons. Besides,"
He paused, then said in a low voice, his tone suggestive, "What are your plans regarding Mr. Yu?"
Mentioning Yu Beichen, Lou Yan's eyes instantly darkened, his agitation intensifying. He abruptly turned his face away, took a deep breath, seemingly trying to calm his surging emotions, but ultimately only let out a short, cold laugh: "So what? What can I do?"
Having said that, he ignored Lou Jin, turned around and strode away, quickly disappearing into the shadows of the palace road.
Looking in the direction Lou Yan left, Ye Xunyang sighed softly and grasped Lou Jin's hand: "It seems that my brother has really encountered a problem this time."
Lou Jin intertwined his fingers with Lou Jin's, his brows furrowed: "Yes. This Nanzhao princess... has arrived at just the right time."
It was already late at night when they returned to the King Jin's mansion.
The mansion was dimly lit, a stark contrast to the bustling banquet in the palace.
After washing up, Ye Xunyang looked at Lou Jin's figure. He was only wearing his nightgown, leaning against the soft couch by the window, playing with the white jade pendant in his hand, his brows slightly furrowed.
Ye Xunyang dismissed the servants, stood up, walked over and sat down beside him, and asked softly, "Still thinking about the marriage alliance?"
Lou Jin held the jade pendant in his palm, feeling its warm and smooth texture, and sighed: "This matter is strange. Nanzhao is going through a turbulent period. Instead of focusing on stabilizing internal affairs, they are impatiently sending a princess for a marriage alliance. What do they want?"
"Perhaps it's precisely to seek external assistance and stabilize the situation?" Ye Xunyang guessed.
“There are many ways to seek external assistance. Although marriage is the most direct one, it also puts oneself in a passive position. This Princess Arno... I see that she is not an ordinary woman, and there is quite a bit of calculation in her eyes.”
Lou Jin's gaze sharpened. "I'm afraid her purpose in coming here is not so simple."
He paused, then looked at Ye Xunyang: "Moreover, the timing is far too coincidental."
This made him suspect that there might be Shadow Serpent or other forces pulling the strings behind the scenes, intending to disrupt the Dasheng court and even sow discord between the brothers.
Ye Xunyang also realized the seriousness of the problem: "If that is the case, His Highness Prince Yan is indeed in a difficult situation. He cannot disobey the emperor's orders and diplomatic relations are of utmost importance. If he refuses outright, I'm afraid it will displease the emperor and even give Nanzhao a pretext to criticize him."
“That’s why Father didn’t agree on the spot. He’s observing and weighing the options.” Lou Jin rubbed his temples. “But delaying is not a long-term solution. The Nanzhao delegation is stuck in the capital. This matter will have to be resolved sooner or later.”
He grasped Ye Xunyang's hand, his tone tinged with relief: "Fortunately, this matter won't involve us for the time being."
Ye Xunyang leaned on his shoulder and whispered, "I only hope that my brother and Mr. Yu can get through this calamity safely."
He recalled Lou Yan's solitary and repressed figure as he left, and couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness.
Even a prince with immense power struggles between personal feelings and responsibilities to his country.
"I'll go talk to my brother tomorrow," Lou Jin decided. "We need to come up with a solution. We can't let others manipulate us."
The next morning, Lou Jin was just getting dressed and heading to the Prince of Yan's residence to discuss the marriage alliance with Nanzhao when Liu An rushed over to report.
"Your Highness, the Fourth Prince is requesting an audience outside the mansion, saying he has important matters to report."
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