Chapter 72 072 My Heart is Dead As long as I don't marry you, Master, I...
Unlike the Heavenly Realm, when the letter of betrothal from Prince Lin Shen was received, the court assembly in the Ghost Realm was almost unanimously in favor of peace, especially the old ministers represented by the Ghost Minister, who all strongly supported the marriage alliance.
"Your Majesty, the Ghost Realm and the Heavenly Court have been at war for many years, causing immense suffering to the people and the heavens. The worship of ghosts has only just begun to flourish in the mortal realm. If we are plunged into war again and have no time to accommodate worshippers, I fear this trend of worshipping ghosts will soon pass. At that time, we will have no chance to recover!"
The Ghost Minister beat his chest and stamped his feet, weeping blood and shedding tears. A group of civil officials echoed his sentiments, creating a situation that seemed to be forcing him to abdicate. Whether A-Meng was willing or not, she had to agree to the marriage.
"Your Majesty, it is not that I am afraid of death, but that after the chaos of the Guang Si Ren Feng Rebellion, the elite troops and generals of the Ghost Realm suffered heavy losses. If we want to fight the Heavenly Court again, we need time to recuperate. Otherwise, we will only be sending our warriors to their deaths in vain! I hope Your Majesty will understand our plight and agree to the marriage alliance."
The speaker was General Bingwei. Previously, Bingwei, along with General Meng, Guang Si, and Ren Feng, were known as the "Four Ghost Generals." However, now that Guang Si's identity has been revealed and Ren Feng is dead, two of the Four Ghost Generals are gone. Bingwei, who has always been gentle, honest, and the least influential of the four, has become a military general whose power is second only to General Meng.
Every word Bingwei said was true, and everyone understood that, including Ameng.
After Bingwei finished speaking, he paused for a moment, seemingly also feeling that it was extremely cruel and shameful for someone of his uncle's generation to force a little girl to marry the dog prince of the Heavenly Court. He added, "Even if... even if we agree to it temporarily and delay it, it will be fine."
Anyway, the ghosts in the ghost realm aren't like the dogs in the heavenly court, always posing as moral exemplars when they're actually all hypocrites. At worst, they can agree and then back out—it's a delaying tactic, after all. Warfare is about deception, and it's not shameful.
Ah Meng sat alone on the throne with her eyes lowered. She was thin, and the Ghost King's court robes were not quite up to her size, making her look even more frail and young.
She never looked at the ministers, but listened to every word they said, until then, she heard a familiar voice—
"I object."
A Meng's eyelashes trembled slightly as she raised her eyes to meet those deep, dark eyes.
"Your Majesty, I oppose the marriage alliance with the Heavenly Court." General Meng stepped forward, his expression solemn and composed, each word resounding with conviction. "Your Majesty, I request to go into battle; I will not return until victory is achieved."
Ghost Prime Minister nearly fainted from anger, coughing so hard his old bones felt like they were about to fall apart: "General Meng!! Do you know what situation Ghost Realm is in right now? Not only do we refuse the marriage alliance, but you, you actually want to start a war? You, you, you..."
General Meng glanced at the Ghost Minister indifferently and said calmly, "If the marriage alliance fails, the Heavenly Court will surely take the initiative to attack. Rather than passively defending, it is better to strike first."
"Since you know that if you don't agree to the marriage alliance, the Heavenly Court will attack us, why did you still advise against it? General Meng, what are your intentions?" Another civil official also came out to criticize General Meng.
General Meng didn't even bother to look at him this time. "If we don't form a marriage alliance, we'll start a war. With such a relationship, why do you still want His Majesty to form a marriage alliance? What are your intentions?"
This time, all the civil and military officials who advocated peace remained silent. Even a fool would know that given the irreconcilable conflict between the Heavenly Realm and the Ghost Realm, the marriage alliance would not last long, which would undoubtedly ruin Princess A'meng's happiness.
But since she is the new Ghost King, bearing the rise and fall of the Ghost Realm, what right does she have to talk about personal happiness?
From the moment she became the Ghost King, she had no choice.
"General Meng," A Meng finally spoke, "You are the Imperial Tutor, and you cherish my youth and cannot bear to see me go to the Heavenly Realm for a marriage alliance. However, what Ghost Minister and General Bingwei said is right. The Ghost Realm cannot afford a war now. As the Ghost King, I should shoulder this heavy responsibility and not ignore the overall situation because of personal likes and dislikes."
A-Meng decisively responded to the Heavenly Realm's offer of employment in the name of the Ghost King, and then announced the end of the court assembly.
She rushed back to the Ghost King's palace as fast as she could, and before she could even remove her heavy and elaborate headdress and robes, she collapsed onto the bed and began to weep silently.
After an unknown amount of time, Yinye came to report that General Meng requested an audience.
Ah Meng wiped away her tears, but her eyes were still red. Not wanting General Meng to see her like this, she said, "Let General Meng wait outside the door."
General Meng stood outside the gate of the Ghost King's palace, only to find the gate tightly closed and no one summoning him.
The palace servant guarding the door said, "General Meng, if you have anything to say to His Majesty, please say it here." After saying that, he bowed and withdrew.
General Meng vaguely sensed someone standing behind the door and said, "Your Majesty?"
"Hmm, General Meng, is there something you need?" The girl's voice still had a nasal tone, clearly indicating that she had been crying.
General Meng frowned slightly, clasped his hands and said, "If Your Majesty is unwilling to form a marriage alliance with the Heavenly Realm, as long as I am here, no one can force you."
On the other side of the door, after a moment of silence, came the little girl's soft voice, "General Meng... is he still searching for his beloved?"
General Meng didn't know why Ah Meng would suddenly bring this up, and truthfully replied, "I have spent my whole life searching for her."
"What if... we can't find it?"
"Then keep searching until I die."
The young Ghost King stood by the door, able to clearly see the tall general's figure behind the window screen. Though they were so close, it seemed they could never truly touch. In the shadows, unseen by others, she bit her lip tightly, tears silently streaming down her face.
“General Meng, I am the king of the Ghost Realm. As far as I am concerned, it doesn’t matter who I marry, as long as it is beneficial to the Ghost Realm.”
Actually, there's an unspeakable premise to this statement—
As long as I don't marry you, Master, it doesn't matter who I marry.
General Meng wanted to say something more, but Meng didn't give him a chance to speak.
"General, my mind is made up, there is no need for further words." She spoke these words with the majesty of a Ghost King, using the most indifferent and cold tone.
"Your subject obeys. Your subject takes his leave."
As she watched the shadow gradually recede into the distance, and the footsteps fade into the distance, Ah Meng finally collapsed to the ground, bursting into tears.
From that moment on, the seed of that secret, unspeakable emotion in her heart finally rotted completely deep in the bitter and sour soil, never to have another chance to sprout and grow.
...
The Heavenly Realm received the reply from the Ghost Realm and quickly dispatched an engagement delegation. The betrothal gifts were valuable, and the Crown Prince Lin Shen personally led the delegation, demonstrating the Heavenly Realm's utmost sincerity.
To show the goodwill between the two realms, the ghost realm also hosted a banquet, creating a harmonious and joyful atmosphere.
The civil officials, including Gui Xiang, had never been on the battlefield and had never fought against Crown Prince Lin Shen. Most of them were seeing Lin Shen for the first time at this banquet. They were very satisfied with his handsome features and refined demeanor.
In contrast, the military officers were not so friendly. The thought of the soldiers who had been defeated by Lin Shen made them even more resentful and wished they could stab him a few times.
Despite the menacing gazes of the generals, Prince Lin Shen remained unfazed. Instead, he calmly and generously offered toasts to each of them, saying frankly, "In the past, we fought each other, not out of personal grudges, but simply to serve our own side. It was truly out of necessity. Today, we are fortunate to have formed an alliance between our two sides. I only wish that from now on there will be no more bloodshed and that all people will live in peace and happiness."
He had an excellent capacity for alcohol and spoke politely. After several rounds of toasts, most of the military officers found it difficult to keep their faces dark.
Although many ghost soldiers died at the hands of Lin Shen, on the other hand, many of the heavenly soldiers under Lin Shen's command also died at the hands of their ghost generals. So, in a way, it wasn't a loss.
Most of the military officers were men of strong character. When they saw a prince from the Heavenly Realm drinking and exchanging toasts with them, not only were they unpretentious, but even beneath their refined appearance lay a touch of magnanimity. Thus, they quickly resolved their past grievances.
Only General Meng, faced with the Crown Prince Lin Shen's overtures, remained indifferent, neither arrogant nor humble, silently drinking alone.
The Crown Prince knew his place and, seeing General Meng's behavior, stopped provoking him. His clear, gentle gaze fell on the young woman drinking alone at the head of the table.
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