Chapter 251: Agreeing to Marry the Princess
Princess Guli walked up to Chu Yi.
She tilted her head, her voice soft and sweet: "I heard you haven't married a Princess Consort yet, is that true?"
Chu Yi nodded: "Indeed."
Princess Guli smiled radiantly: "In our Hongnan Kingdom, men are already married by eighteen. Why are you still alone at twenty-five or twenty-six?"
"Just waiting for the right person," Chu Yi said indifferently. "Is there anything else, Princess?"
The young girl took a cloth pouch from her waist, opened it and took out a sparkling pink candy: "This is crystal candy unique to our Hongnan Kingdom. Would Your Highness like to try it and see if you like it?"
Gong Xi Prince, standing not far away, saw Chu Yi accept the candy.
A mocking smile appeared on his lips.
His third brother had rejected the Tan family and the Fang family for the sake of his beloved, yet now when the princess offered herself, he accepted.
So it wasn't because he loved his beloved too much, but because the influence of the Tan and Fang families hadn't tempted him enough.
Gong Xi Prince sneered coldly and raised his voice: "Third Brother, Father Emperor has summoned us to the Imperial Study."
After saying this, he turned and left.
As soon as he left, a layer of frost seemed to cover Chu Yi's face. Holding the crystal candy, his voice turned bone-chillingly cold: "My apologies, Princess, I don't eat sweets. Please find someone else."
With a clink, the hard candy fell to the ground.
Chu Yi turned and strode toward the Imperial Study.
Princess Guli's eyes immediately reddened. She crouched down and picked up the candy.
While the Emperor summoned his sons to the Imperial Study, some women from the inner palace were also present, mainly to discuss matters regarding the reception of foreign envoys.
The Empress and Empress Dowager would receive the female guests, while the princes would take the others on tours around the capital.
After official matters were concluded, the Empress Dowager finally spoke: "From afar, I saw Yi'er having a pleasant conversation with Princess Guli. Why not arrange a good marriage?"
The Empress was astonished. The Empress Dowager and Chu Yi had previously clashed, their relationship already irreconcilable. Why would she now take the initiative to propose that the third prince marry a foreign princess?
The Empress Dowager casually took a sip of tea.
She truly couldn't tolerate the third prince, which was precisely why she wanted him to marry the princess of Hongnan.
Originally, the third prince had no backing. After marrying the princess, the entire Hongnan Kingdom would become his power base.
Wouldn't the Empress and Crown Prince panic?
Wouldn't the second prince Chu Mo become wary?
Making the third prince a thorn in everyone's side was much better than taking action herself.
"The Empress Dowager speaks wisely," Yin Pin couldn't help but interject. "Among all the princes, only Yi'er is suitable to marry the princess. Yi'er..."
She looked at Chu Yi, pleading earnestly, "Marrying Princess Guli would strengthen ties between our two nations. You must not act impulsively."
Her son had rejected all noble ladies of the capital for that peasant girl. She could only elevate the marriage to a matter of state importance to force her son to comply.
"Father Emperor, I believe marriage alliance should not only foster friendship between two nations but also create a good match," Gong Xi Prince said with a bow. "Third Brother currently has someone he loves, for whom he's willing to give up everything. If we force him to marry the princess, he will surely neglect and disappoint her. This would ruin the long-standing friendship between Hongnan Kingdom and our Great Jin."
"Indeed," the Empress nodded gently. "Only when both parties are willing can it be a beautiful thing."
Yin Pin tightly clutched her handkerchief.The Crown Prince's principal and secondary consorts are both noble ladies, and the Gong Xi Prince's principal consort is also the legitimate daughter of a first-rank Grand Secretary. Only her Yi'er has nothing.
When a suitable marriage finally appears before them, the Empress and Gong Xi Prince still speak out to stop it—this is truly going too far.
The Empress Dowager observed the expressions of these individuals and smiled inwardly.
With just one sentence, she had made these three parties fight among themselves. She could sit back and watch the tigers battle, reaping the benefits without lifting a finger.
The Emperor spoke softly, "Yi'er, what are your thoughts?"Your son has reserved the position of Princess Consort for the one I love, but—" Chu Yi raised his head, "if marrying the Princess of Hongnan Kingdom can secure a century of peace between our two nations, I am willing to set aside personal feelings and will not betray the friendship between our countries."
Gong Xi Prince's face darkened.
Third Brother has such great ambition!
Yin Pin was almost incredulous. Fearing further changes, she immediately said, "Your Majesty, Yi'er is willing to marry Princess Guli. I beg Your Majesty to bestow the marriage!"
"Yi'er is willing, but regarding Princess Guli, I must personally ask her," the Empress said with a full smile. "If Princess Guli also agrees, then this matter is settled."
The Emperor nodded. "As long as both parties agree, I will immediately bestow the marriage.He also hoped that Third Brother would quickly find a Princess Consort and settle down, so people would stop worrying about his lifelong major event every day.
Yin Pin heaved a deep sigh of relief.
Earlier at the banquet, she had seen clearly that Princess Guli had been stealing glances at Yi'er—she must have taken a liking to him.
In her view, this marriage was already set in stone.
After leaving the Imperial Study, Gong Xi Prince looked at Chu Yi and said, "Congratulations, Third Brother. You'll soon be embracing a beauty."
The corners of Chu Yi's lips curved upward. "Tomorrow, the Honglu Temple is hosting a Cuju tournament for the envoys. I hope Second Imperial Brother will lend a hand to help me uphold the reputation of our warriors."
After saying this, he cupped his hands and left, his retreating figure radiating confidence and high spirits.
Gong Xi Prince's expression was as dark as stormy water.
The women of Hongnan Kingdom admire warriors and brave men. Third Brother perfectly fits the image of Princess Guli's ideal man. I'm afraid there will be no changes to this marriage.
He pondered this as he left the palace.
Upon returning to the Gongxi Royal Mansion, he summoned his Counselor and said coldly, "...That's it. Do as I instructed."
In this world, there is no woman who can resist a hero saving a beauty.
Princess Guli is just an ordinary woman. Although she usually has guards when traveling, now that she has come to the Great Jin Kingdom, there will naturally be moments of negligence.
If I descend from the heavens to save the Princess in her moment of peril, I can surely make her change her mind.
Moreover, Chu Yi's woman must be exposed before the Princess, letting her know how much Chu Yi truly cares for his beloved.
With these two strategies combined, I don't believe this marriage can still proceed.
Gong Xi Prince smiled and said to his personal shadow guard, "Be meticulous in your actions. Follow Chu Yi immediately. Since he has agreed to marry the Princess, he will definitely go to explain himself to his beloved tonight. I truly want to know where he has hidden his heart's desire."
"Yes!"
A shadow vanished into the darkness.
Chu Yi spoke with Yin Pin for a while before leaving the palace. As soon as he stepped outside the palace gates, he sensed a tail behind him.
Cheng Xu's hand rested on his sword. "Your Highness, allow me to deal with it."
"It's Chu Mo's man," Chu Yi said. "Second Imperial Brother is exactly as I expected, making his move so quickly."
He chuckled lightly. "Let's go, back to the royal mansion."
Cheng Xu was taken aback. "Back to the royal mansion? What for?"Chu Yi mounted his horse, and the Akhal-Teke steed galloped swiftly along the main road. He bought some pastries along the way before finally halting at the entrance of the Prince of Pacifying the West Manor.
The manor still had many servants, as well as manor soldiers who had previously been sent away but were later returned by the emperor. At first glance, it seemed as bustling as it once was.
"Greetings, Your Highness!"
The guards and manor soldiers at the entrance were momentarily stunned upon seeing the prince return, then quickly knelt to pay their respects.
OpenNovel