Huo Luo stood up and said to Emperor Delong: “Your Majesty, all my belongings are kept by my nanny. Though she doesn’t understand the capital’s dialect, she can read. This humble minister will write a simple note for someone to deliver to her, and I believe she will quickly send the medicine over.”
Unlike last time, this time Emperor Delong adopted a different approach from when he used Princess Yongxing for a marriage alliance—the other party would come to the capital and be granted an official position, so the princess wouldn’t need to go to the frontier.
The Western States and Great Zhou had been in confrontation for decades. Decades ago, the Western States tribes were scattered. Although they had strong troops and fierce horses and continuously caused trouble at Great Zhou’s borders, they hadn’t caused Great Zhou’s downfall.
In the twentieth year of Emperor Delong’s reign, the Western States unified the major tribes, and their leader was brave and warlike. This brought great suffering to the people of Great Zhou’s frontier. The Western States launched several wars, causing the fall of multiple frontier cities.
Several years ago, Emperor Delong personally led an expedition and also adopted tribal alliance marriage strategies, signing some frontier agreements, which finally brought peace to the borderlands.
Last year, the old emperor of the Western States died, and the newly enthroned emperor was only fourteen years old. He was busy with domestic affairs and couldn’t spare time for open confrontation with Great Zhou. But as for the actual situation, only people like Liang Zhe who had long campaigned on the frontier truly knew.
On the surface, in the short term, Great Zhou could enjoy several years of peace.
Therefore, Emperor Delong was now working to subdue the last tribe in the northwest—Huerhan.
Huerhan was one of the two most powerful tribes in Great Zhou’s northwest, with vast territory and great strength. Their leader favored Great Zhou culture, and after years of tug-of-war with Great Zhou, willingly submitted as vassals, which had already been the case for several years.
Over these years, Huerhan and Great Zhou had maintained good relations, and Emperor Delong had granted their leader the title of Golden Blade King.
Now, he was preparing to grant office to his eldest son and intended to select a princess or noble daughter for marriage.
Huo Luo hadn’t brought many people with him—only a managing nanny, several maids, concubines, and a fifty-man guard unit. Tonight was the welcoming banquet for his arrival, after which there would be an imperially bestowed residence for him to live in.
For now, he was residing in the front palace.
Noble Consort De had someone prepare writing materials while mentally calculating who had told Huo Luo about Liang Qiong.
Liang Qiong was the daughter-in-law she had decided upon—who in Great Zhou didn’t know this? This was precisely why no one dared to propose marriage even though Liang Qiong was already fifteen.
Huo Luo was an outsider—without someone telling him, how could he possibly know?
Regardless of who had told Huo Luo, the urgent matter now was to extinguish Huo Luo’s desire to marry Liang Qiong.
Equally anxious was Luo Meixiang. As the Marchioness of Pacifying the West, she held noble status and sat close enough to have clearly heard Huo Luo’s words, her heart burning with anxiety.
How could Liang Qiong marry Huo Luo?
Absolutely not!
No matter how noble Huo Luo was, he was still just a tribal prince!
To forsake marrying the Fifth Prince and instead marry a tribal prince—this was unacceptable no matter what!
In her panic, Luo Meixiang’s eyes darted wildly around the entire hall, seeking a perfect solution.
Unfortunately, Emperor Delong’s casual remark completely ruined Luo Meixiang’s plans: “Marchioness Liang, Second Miss Liang is intelligent and gracious, with stunning beauty—she’s no less than my own princesses. I shall ennoble her as Princess Fuqing. What do you think?”
Luo Meixiang was instantly stunned.
Princess Fuqing—this meant Liang Qiong was to marry Huo Luo!
This wouldn’t do, how could this work, this absolutely couldn’t happen…
Noble Consort De smiled: “Your Majesty, we’ve all watched little Qiong’er grow up. To say she understands proper conduct is true, but she understands it perhaps too well—she’s mature and steady, lacking the liveliness girls her age should have. If she were ennobled as a princess, she would be like a daughter to me. I already have Fuping, who is similarly taciturn—I don’t need another like her. Your Majesty, I dare to suggest that since Fuping is taciturn and Fu’an is lively and charming, why not have a child with yet another distinct temperament?”
Luo Meixiang nodded repeatedly: “Yes, yes, Your Majesty! Qiong’er’s temperament is too dull. I fear she couldn’t fulfill the role of princess properly and would disappoint Your Majesty’s and Her Ladyship’s kind intentions.”
Liang Zhe had been closely monitoring the situation. As one of the guard captains, he stood near Emperor Delong and could see and hear everything clearly.
Unexpectedly, Emperor Delong said calmly: “I have heard that throughout the temporary palace, everyone is saying Second Miss Liang is the Flower Fairy descended from heaven, destined to become empress like the late empress mother.”
Noble Consort De and Luo Meixiang felt storms raging in their hearts, though they dared not show it on their faces.
Which damned person had spread such nonsense!
Wasn’t this forcing Liang Qiong into a position where she couldn’t marry the Fifth Prince?
The Fifth Prince was already of considerable age. Why hadn’t he taken an imperial consort? He was waiting for the consort selection later this year. If Liang Qiong was destined to be empress and married the Fifth Prince, wouldn’t this imply that the Fifth Prince was the one destined to ascend the throne?
What did Emperor Delong fear most?
He most feared people coveting the crown prince position!
Emperor Delong himself had originally been crown prince, but with many brothers later, the succession struggle had been incredibly fierce, and Emperor Delong had nearly lost his life several times. Therefore, although Emperor Delong had the Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh Princes take on various responsibilities after coming of age and cultivated them vigorously, this didn’t mean he would allow these three to covet the crown prince position.
The person who had inadvertently revealed to Emperor Delong that Liang Qiong was the Flower Fairy had a slight smile playing at the corners of his lips. Indeed, someone who could get words to Emperor Delong’s ears—Liang Zhe could now be counted as one such person.
He had truly “accidentally” discussed this matter with Mo Yiting, which happened to be overheard by Emperor Delong passing by.
Through several months of observation, Liang Zhe had grasped some of Emperor Delong’s thoughts.
Sure enough, Emperor Delong was now showing his displeasure.
The desire of Luo Meixiang and Noble Consort De to form a marriage alliance was known throughout the realm—Emperor Delong couldn’t possibly be unaware.
Originally, this wouldn’t have been inappropriate, but the current crown princess’s paternal family didn’t hold high official positions, so the Fifth Prince’s principal consort’s status couldn’t be too elevated either. Exceeding the crown princess’s status by too much would displease Emperor Delong.
This was Noble Consort De’s concern, which was why she had never dared bring up this matter. She wanted to naturally introduce it when selecting consorts for the three princes, allowing Liang Qiong to marry the Fifth Prince as a matter of course, without being too conspicuous.
However, if rumors suggested Liang Qiong would one day hold the empress position, the implications would be far too intriguing.
Luo Meixiang’s mind also worked quickly, and she hurriedly knelt: “Your Majesty, these are all misunderstandings spread by others—they cannot be taken seriously! Qiong’er has willow-like delicate features and is dull and conventional. She could never be the Flower Fairy descended from heaven, and wouldn’t even be worthy of carrying the late empress dowager’s shoes.”
Emperor Delong’s gaze was deep and inscrutable as he looked toward Princess Yongjia: “But I feel these rumors came at such a coincidental time, they’re not without reason.”
Princess Yongjia, who had remained silent throughout, set down her wine cup and smiled faintly: “Imperial Brother, speaking of which, besides Imperial Brother, there’s one other person present today who will also ascend to a royal throne in the future.”
Emperor Delong finally showed a smile: “Haha, Imperial Sister understands best!”
However, Princess Yongjia lowered her eyelids, and the complexity in her eyes flashed by in an instant.