Seeing Huzi’s somewhat strange expression when he reported and the advisors’ hesitant looks, Qin Yining looked at Pang Xiao with confusion.

Pang Xiao remained composed, saying: “I didn’t expect Ji Lan would request to marry Princess Imperial Anyang. I never noticed any signs between them before.”

Huzi thought to himself: You had signs with the Princess Imperial, but would you dare say so in front of Fourth Miss!

Xie Yue, Xu Weizhi, and others who knew the inside story also looked somewhat awkward.

Qin Yining pondered Pang Xiao’s words for a moment, then smiled: “This Princess Imperial Anyang has no romantic connection with the Marquis of Dingbei—could it be she has one with you?”

The room fell silent.

Huzi silently stepped back a few paces, as if wanting to escape the storm’s center.

The advisors also looked at each other, hesitating whether they should excuse themselves.

Pang Xiao spoke directly: “When I helped overthrow the tyrannical Northern Ji Kingdom, I frequently stayed by the Emperor’s side. Later, after becoming sworn brothers with the Emperor, my relationship with the Li family became very close with frequent visits. The elders would often joke about me and the Princess Imperial.”

“I see.” Qin Yining nodded understandingly, then asked: “How old is the Princess Imperial? Since she’s the Emperor’s sister, she must be quite old, right?”

Pang Xiao smiled: “Princess Imperial Anyang was the Empress Dowager’s late-born daughter, a full eighteen years younger than the Emperor—about the same age as the Emperor’s own children. Since the Emperor has only this one younger sister, and the Princess Imperial has been intelligent since childhood, she has always been much beloved by the Emperor. I once truly felt the Emperor intended to betroth Princess Imperial Anyang to me to strengthen our relationship.”

At this point, Pang Xiao added seriously: “However, I have no romantic feelings for Princess Imperial Anyang.”

Qin Yining nodded slightly and asked Huzi: “You just said the Marquis of Dingbei went to seek the Emperor and proactively requested to marry Princess Imperial Anyang?”

“Yes. That’s how all the news outside is spreading.” Huzi didn’t quite understand the meaning behind Qin Yining’s question, his face showing confusion.

But Pang Xiao immediately understood her concern, saying: “You suspect this time it wasn’t Ji Lan who proactively petitioned for the marriage decree?”

“I am somewhat suspicious. I wonder if there were any prior signs of this?”

Pang Xiao carefully recalled and shook his head: “There were no signs. Ji Lan doesn’t like Princess Imperial Anyang—he’s kept his distance from her since she was small. Though perhaps Ji Lan changed his mind, and deciding to marry a princess wouldn’t be incomprehensible.”

“That is indeed possible. However, what I’m thinking of now is another possibility. If Princess Imperial Anyang has frequently been paired with you in jokes by elders since childhood, then a young girl’s admiration and respect for a hero, combined with the elders’ ambiguous hints and promises, should all cause her to develop unusual feelings for you.”

Hearing this, Pang Xiao anxiously defended: “Anyang and I are not…”

“Your Highness, I’m not questioning you. I’m just objectively analyzing this matter. Think about it—does Princess Imperial Anyang have feelings for you? Others may not know, but you should be clearest about this.”

The room became so quiet a pin drop could be heard. Pang Xiao didn’t answer immediately but fell into contemplation.

Qin Yining continued: “If you and Princess Imperial Anyang had previous romantic entanglement, would the Marquis of Dingbei not know? If the Marquis of Dingbei knew about your relationship, his behavior of proactively requesting the Emperor to grant him the princess in marriage would contradict his actions of intercepting and killing Great Zhou people to curry favor with you.”

The advisors fell into another silence.

They had just analyzed and learned that Ji Zeyu’s actions this time were mainly to curry favor with Pang Xiao, with all other behaviors derived from this condition.

This revealed that Ji Zeyu still wanted to befriend Pang Xiao.

But if Ji Zeyu knew about the relationship between Pang Xiao and Princess Imperial Anyang yet still requested the Emperor to grant the marriage, wouldn’t that mean he no longer cared about their relationship?

So Qin Yining’s analysis was that this matter was very likely an imperial decree of marriage, leaving Ji Zeyu no choice but to comply.

If this were the case, everything could be explained.

The Emperor decreed the marriage, and Ji Zeyu had to comply without being able to refuse. Then the Emperor told outsiders that Ji Zeyu had proactively come to request the marriage. This would inevitably create some resentment between Pang Xiao, the former potential prince consort candidate, and Ji Zeyu.

Most importantly, Princess Imperial Anyang’s heart likely belonged to Pang Xiao. If she married Ji Zeyu while harboring love for Pang Xiao, how could Ji Zeyu not mind? The complications would certainly multiply.

Though Qin Yining’s mind turned over all these thoughts, she showed no change in expression and didn’t intend to voice them openly. After all, since it involved matters of the heart, she respected Pang Xiao’s privacy and didn’t wish to probe into such affairs exhaustively.

The advisors were all intelligent people, and by now each had formed their own suspicions.

After thinking, Pang Xiao laughed domineeringly, stood up with hands behind his back and said self-mockingly: “Given my current situation, could it be considered being surrounded on all sides?” With a graceful flourish of his sleeve, he smiled:

“Look at this—the Northern Ji old officials hate me to the bone, the Great Yan surrendered officials fear me. Previously, due to the military provisions matter, even the brothers who rose up with me have suspicions about me. The Emperor has stripped me of military power, and now if Ji Lan also turns against me, I might truly be weakened into a complete loner.”

Everything Pang Xiao enumerated was factual, spoken without much emotion—one could even detect his mood wasn’t bad.

But the advisors all felt a sense of crisis for Pang Xiao, like dark clouds pressing down on a city.

Li Qitian gazed at the dignified young woman kneeling before him, helplessly rubbing his temples and sighing: “Helan, exactly how long do you plan to kneel?”

Princess Imperial Anyang Li Helan looked up at Li Qitian, choked back a sob, and said grievously: “Imperial Brother, you don’t keep your word. When we were small, you said that when Lan’er grew up, she could marry Pang Zhixi and become his wife. Now Imperial Brother is the most noble person in the world. What Lan’er wants, it’s not like you don’t know, yet you’ve betrothed Lan’er to Ji Lan like this. You clearly know Lan’er and Ji Lan can’t stand each other. How are we supposed to live in the future?”

Li Helan was born dignified and beautiful, and looked even more pitiful when shedding tears.

Li Qitian had doted on this sister since childhood. Li Helan was also extremely intelligent and knew when to advance and retreat, so the siblings had always had a good relationship. Seeing Li Helan cry over this matter, Li Qitian also felt heartache.

“Get up. I have already made my decision and cannot change it. What’s wrong with Ji Lan? He has elegant appearance, is both literary and martial—isn’t he perfect as your prince consort?”

“But Lan’er just doesn’t like him. Imperial Brother, can’t you dote on Lan’er once and not marry Lan’er to Ji Lan?”

Li Qitian rubbed his temples, suddenly had a thought, then said with a grave and troubled expression: “Helan, I won’t hide it from you. Actually, Pang Zhixi already has someone his heart favors, and that woman is currently in his residence. I know you like Pang Zhixi, but even if you went to him, you couldn’t compete with that woman, and Pang Zhixi wouldn’t agree either. You should obediently listen to Imperial Brother’s arrangements—would Imperial Brother deceive you?”