Chapter 61 061 A Petition for Marriage This humble general dares to ask for the hand in marriage with Her Highness the Princess…
"Your Highness has woken up."
The man's voice was calm and steady, carrying a comforting power.
With teary eyes, A-Meng looked at the tall Ghost General, "Master, your injuries..."
Yinye suddenly felt a chilling gaze fall on her, which startled her so much that the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end.
The palace maid who had previously revealed that General Meng had been whipped three hundred times was trembling with fear, keeping her head bowed low.
A-Meng got off the bed. Having been bedridden for many days, she was only wearing a white quilt. Her hair was loose and disheveled, no longer the playful and lively style she usually had with her hair tied in two buns. Instead, she showed a bit of the gentle charm of a young girl.
She walked around General Meng, seemingly trying to examine his injuries.
General Meng grabbed her by the collar, threw her back onto the bed, and scolded, "You've just recovered, and you're walking around barefoot on the floor. Aren't you afraid of catching a cold again?"
“I’m not that delicate,” A-Meng muttered. “Compared to you, Master, your injuries are much more serious, yet you’re running around everywhere.”
General Meng laughed in exasperation, "You've grown wings and dare to lecture your master. What's this little injury? Every battle has been more serious than this. Is it really worth mentioning?"
A-Meng understood that her master just didn't want her to worry, but her heart ached even more.
The lashes from three hundred lashes are nothing compared to the wounds sustained on the battlefield. Yet, over the years, how many times has Master gone to war for the Ghost Realm and how many times has he been injured?
"Master, why did you refuse the King's arranged marriage?"
"Why should a little kid care about these things? The most important thing right now is to get well and get back to school."
A-Meng lowered her eyelashes.
She was actually asking a question she already knew the answer to.
He had seen his master depict that woman with such care and reverence so many times. Once someone has taken up residence in one's heart, how can one accept anyone else?
Ameng even imagined what would happen if one day her father wanted to marry her off to someone she didn't like. Would she, like her current master, rather endure three hundred lashes than submit to the marriage?
Seeing the little princess's long hair hanging down and her long eyelashes trembling, looking melancholy and preoccupied, General Meng was stunned for a moment, and vaguely saw the man's appearance in her eyes.
However, he soon began to laugh at himself.
It's truly a case of lovesickness driving one mad; it's absurd and laughable.
The hand that had been raised halfway to stroke the little prince's head was withdrawn.
"Don't overthink the rumors in the palace." He turned slightly to the side, averting his gaze.
A-Meng didn't understand why her master, who was never good at comforting people, would suddenly say something like that, but she still nodded obediently.
In the silence, a tiny moth danced around the palace lantern, finally plunging headfirst into the flame, turning into golden dust with a soft "poof."
General Meng suddenly felt uneasy and sighed as he left the Fusang Palace.
Your Highness has truly grown up.
As A-Meng watched her master's figure recede into the distance, unaware that this was the last time her master would visit her Fusang Palace.
...
The civil and military officials of the Ghost Realm could clearly sense that ever since General Meng refused His Majesty's bestowed marriage, a rift had developed between the two.
Therefore, some people speculated that General Meng might have lost favor and become another Guang Si, and His Majesty might then promote someone else who could counterbalance him, and then gradually weaken his military power.
Unexpectedly, before General Meng could truly become the next Guang Si, the original Guang Si himself returned.
When Guang Si failed to murder the princess, he was beaten by General Meng and escaped with only a wisp of his soul. Unexpectedly, he secretly gathered strength, went to attack the Heavenly Court, and captured three cities in succession. He returned and presented them to the Ghost King to show his loyalty.
Originally, the crime of plotting to harm the imperial heir was unforgivable, let alone three cities, even if thirty cities were captured.
The delicate point is that the current princess's lineage is questionable, so the charge of plotting to harm the imperial heir is also open to debate.
Ghost King Yan Lie was indeed very happy. He not only exonerated Guang Si and restored his status as a general, but also held a grand banquet to welcome him back. Even the Ghost Queen and the princess, who had not appeared for a long time, attended the banquet to keep him company.
"Indeed, the rebellion of General Guang Si's former subordinates was instigated by his good-for-nothing nephew. On the surface, they were using Guang Si's name, but in reality, they clearly wanted to seize Guang Si's power. Now that Guang Si has returned, how can we pin the blame on him!"
At the palace banquet, Yan Lie stepped down from the throne with a wine cup in his hand, walked to Guang Si's side, put his arm around Guang Si's shoulder like a good brother, and openly defended Guang Si.
They didn't mention at all that he had released the spirit-devouring python to harm the princess.
The meaning is quite clear: the past of General Guang Si should be put behind us, and from now on, General Guang Si will remain the highly respected Ghost General.
All the ghost officials at the banquet echoed this sentiment, but their gazes were intentionally or unintentionally drifting towards General Meng and the Ghost Queen Princess.
Anyone with half a brain would have seen the signs by now: the Ghost King wanted to reinstate General Guang Si to counterbalance General Meng.
General Meng remained calm. As the Ghost King rose from his seat, he also rose with the others to take a cup. As the Ghost King toasted Guang Si in celebration, he paid no attention to the probing gazes directed at him.
Yan Lie was in high spirits and said to Guang Si, "You have rendered meritorious service in capturing the city. If you want any reward, just name it. As long as it is within my power, I will give it to you!"
Guang Si's return this time was noticeably different from before; he was no longer as flamboyant and had become much more reserved.
Faced with such a generous reward, he hurriedly knelt down and respectfully said, "If Your Majesty truly cares for this humble general, why not grant him a marriage?"
A moment of silence fell over the banquet.
A marriage arranged by imperial decree?
Guang Sishi did this on purpose, didn't he? General Meng just fell out of favor because of the arranged marriage, and now he's asking for another arranged marriage.
However, from Guang Si's perspective, it's understandable. After all, his power is not what it used to be, and he has a blood feud with the powerful General Meng. He definitely wants to quickly strengthen his own power and find reliable allies in the court.
Almost everyone assumed that Guang Si's preferred marriage partner was Princess Xi Yuan.
Yan Lie had the same guess in his heart, but he still pretended to be surprised and asked, "Eh? General Guang already has a woman he likes? Tell me, which family's daughter is she?"
Guang Si replied, "This humble general dares to ask for Your Highness's hand in marriage."
"No!"
Before Yan Lie could speak, two other people spoke up at the same time: one was Ghost Queen Zhu Miao, and the other was General Meng.
Even the ghost realm officials, who had seen many storms, were in an uproar and could no longer maintain their composure.
Your Highness? Princess Ameng?
Has Guang Si gone mad? Doesn't he know there are rumors about the princess?
She might be the bastard child of that person in Heaven!
Yan Lie's face darkened. He ignored the Ghost Queen and looked coldly at General Meng. "General Guang asked me for a marriage decree, but I didn't know that General Meng could now act on behalf of the king and answer for me."
General Meng immediately knelt down and replied, "Your Majesty, I simply feel that Her Highness the Princess is still too young and not of marriageable age."
Ghost Queen Zhu Miao's face turned pale, and she said in a trembling voice, "I also disagree. It's too early for A Meng to be thinking about marriage now."
Yan Lie snorted coldly and said to the palace servants beside him, "The Ghost Queen is not feeling well. Send her back to rest."
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Author's Note: I've been a bit busy these past few days and haven't been able to update regularly. I'll make up for it with two consecutive updates tomorrow and the day after.
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