When Zhu Lvyun publicly announced her marriage intentions at the banquet receiving foreign envoys, the capital’s atmosphere suddenly became heavy and oppressive. Years ago, when the Central Plains were in chaos and citizens faced massacre, the Zhu dynasty refused to flee south. Instead, they urged northern aristocratic families to unite to resist foreign tribes and prop up the falling dynasty.

The Xie family had moved north to aid the Zhus in fighting the enemy only after seeing the Zhus’ blood-written plea. When the Zhu dynasty fell and the last emperor fled south, the Li family and other officials chose to stand aside. No matter how they tried to cover it up, this stain could not be erased.

Therefore, no matter how much trouble Zhu Lvyun—the only remaining Zhu bloodline—caused, court officials still sympathized with her, because from emperor to prime minister to local officials, everyone in the new dynasty had once served the Zhus.

The court officials couldn’t stand by and watch Zhu Lvyun marry far away, so they supported the Crown Prince’s suggestion of a substitute bride.

The Ministry of Rites quickly selected suitable palace maids, each as beautiful as flowers. Their portraits were sent to the Yelu chieftain, who laughed heartily and flatly refused.

Gold, silver, jewels, silk, brocade, horses, cattle, sheep, territory, slaves… no matter what the Ministry officials promised, the Yelu chieftain remained unmoved.

The Yelu tribe followed Zoroastrianism. The officials spent heavily to bribe their priest-advisor to persuade the chieftain, but he still refused to change his mind.

Fearing Zhu Lvyun would cause more trouble, Li De kept her under house arrest in the Princess’s mansion.

Within days, rumors spread through the capital that Zhu Lvyun had been secretly executed. The world was in an uproar, and Southern Chu spies seized the opportunity to spread more rumors.

The Yelu tribe immediately incited other tribal forces, demanding to see Zhu Lvyun, otherwise they would attack Chang’an!

Li De realized Zhu Lvyun’s special status involved too many complications. He had her make one public appearance to stabilize the situation.

The court was caught in a dilemma, wary of consequences.

Commander Pei raged: “I’ll kill the Yelu chieftain and his sons, end it all!”

Prime Minister Zheng berated him severely.

The Yelu tribe had previously slaughtered the Han people. For the Yelu chieftain to dare bring his sons to the capital to ally with a Han dynasty, he must be confident Li De wouldn’t dare harm him. If Commander Pei killed them, Yelu cavalry would reach Chang’an’s gates in no time!

Moreover, if the Wei dynasty killed foreign tribes who came to submit, breaking faith with the world, how could they ever pacify the barbarians again?

The officials could only continue searching for someone to replace Zhu Lvyun.

Under the tense atmosphere of an approaching storm, Li Yaoying felt heavy-hearted.

This turmoil hadn’t happened in the book.

The Wei dynasty had indeed sent women for marriage alliances, but they weren’t princesses—they were low-status women selected by the Ministry of Rites from among captives.

The Yelu tribe hadn’t opposed Wei marrying a princess either. They had taken Han women, received gold and silver treasures, helped Wei win over other barbarian tribes, and then returned to the grasslands.

Soon after, the Yelu tribe was absorbed by other powers. Those Han women fell into other tribes’ hands, suffering brutal rape. Within half a year, they had all perished.

Yaoying felt deeply uneasy.

Though Zhu Lvyun’s situation didn’t concern her, she felt a strong sense of helplessness, of fate being controlled by others.

She ordered everyone in Cuifang Palace and the Prince’s mansion to be careful in speech and action, and not to go out unnecessarily.

Zhu Lvyun’s greatest talent was stirring up trouble and emerging unscathed while others bore the bitter consequences.

The Chief Secretary suggested Yaoying stay in the Prince’s mansion.

If trouble arose, the mansion’s guards could at least hold out for a while.

Yaoying worried about Consort Xie, and after some thought, simply brought her out of the palace. Mother and daughter both moved into the Prince’s mansion.

…

Meanwhile, the Eastern Palace officials were at their wits’ end.

No matter how they tried to entice, persuade, or threaten, the Yelu chieftain insisted on marrying Zhu Lvyun.

That day, Commander Qin Fei personally went to negotiate with the Yelu chieftain. Returning to the Eastern Palace, he said angrily: “Your Highness, the Yelu chieftain still won’t agree to a substitute!”

Li Xuanzhen’s brow furrowed slightly.

Wei Ming stood by the window, bowing to Li Xuanzhen: “Your Highness, at this point, only one person can make the Yelu chieftain relent.”

Other advisors looked at him expectantly: “Who?”

Wei Ming raised his eyes to look directly at Li Xuanzhen, enunciating each word: “The Seventh Princess.”

Everyone was dumbfounded.

The study became as still as standing water, so quiet a falling needle could be heard.

Wei Ming spoke confidently: “Your Highness, the Seventh Princess’s beauty is unmatched in all the Central Plains. We need only let the Yelu chieftain see her once, and he will surely agree to the substitution—that’s the first point. Secondly, the Seventh Princess is His Majesty’s daughter, and her mother is Consort Xie. Her status is noble. With her as a substitute, the Yelu chieftain will have no excuse to make trouble.”

Others came to their senses and nodded in agreement.

The Seventh Princess possessed natural beauty. Though the Yelu chieftain was a foreigner and elderly, he was still a man, and men could be managed.

Li Xuanzhen was stunned briefly, remembering when he had encountered Li Yaoying at the city gate.

The elegant young lady rode a Wusun horse, emerging slowly from the dusk light fragrant with late spring flowers. She lifted her veil, and the scattered golden light fell on her rich black hair as she glanced lightly at the banners fluttering against the horizon and smiled.

In that instant, the blooming flower trees along the road lost their luster, and the bustling city gate fell silent.

The soft spring breeze lifted a strand of hair by her temple.

Everyone present couldn’t help but itch to reach out and brush away that playful black strand, yet feared disturbing such an otherworldly being, not daring to breathe.

Even Li Xuanzhen, despite the bitter enmity between him and the mother-son pair of Consort Xie, was momentarily dazzled like the onlookers by his seventh sister’s divine beauty.

If she could speak her mind, she would surely captivate the nation. Even the heartless would be moved.

This was truly what it meant to be a national beauty.

She was indeed incomparably radiant.

No wonder Wei Ming, a strategist who set aside matters of the heart, was so certain her beauty could change the Yelu chieftain’s mind.

Li Xuanzhen was lost in thought for a moment.

If Li Yaoying were his real sister, he certainly wouldn’t treat her so cruelly.

But she was Consort Xie’s daughter.

The Xie family deserved death, Consort Xie deserved death, and Consort Xie’s daughter deserved death too.

Wei Ming watched the distracted Li Xuanzhen, his expression darkening: “Your Highness, when a decision must be made, make it. Only the Seventh Princess’s nation-toppling beauty can move the Yelu chieftain.”

Everyone’s gaze turned to Li Xuanzhen, waiting for his decision.

Li Xuanzhen lowered his eyes, remaining silent for a long time.

Wei Ming’s expression grew increasingly grim.

Qin Fei scratched his head, breaking the eerie silence: “Will the Seventh Princess agree to substitute?”

What young, beautiful princess would willingly leave the Central Plains to marry into the grasslands, wedding an old man?

The Yelu tribe lived an almost primitive, barbaric life, with customs that violated human ethics: upon a father’s death, sons inherited their stepmothers; when brothers died, their wives went to surviving brothers.

Some even shared wives between brothers!

Saying a phoenix falling into a chicken coop would be too kind a description for the Seventh Princess marrying into the Yelu tribe.

It would be more like a precious pearl falling into a filthy sewer, trampled by all.

Even the rough Qin Fei felt heartache at the thought.

“There’s also someone else…” he scratched his head, raising two fingers, “this person is an unstoppable force. If he causes trouble, he could turn Chang’an upside down.”

Everyone exchanged glances, understanding he meant the Second Prince, Li Zhongqian.

Li Zhongqian possessed supernatural strength and was fierce in battle, often worth a hundred men in combat. He was domineering and wild, killing without mercy, and showing respect to no one except his sister, whom he doted on like a treasure. After every victory, his first act was to have his subordinates search for rare treasures to please his sister.

The Seventh Princess was naturally beautiful, her fame spreading far. Her mother Lady Xie was a legitimate daughter of a noble family. Just after her thirteenth birthday, suitors had come like clouds.

Li Zhongqian found these noble suitors frivolous and unworthy of his sister.

Whenever someone dared come to propose, he would charge in wielding dual hammers, forcing the young nobleman to withstand three strikes. Those who couldn’t were forbidden from marrying his sister.

Born in troubled times, most young nobles in the capital were skilled in archery and horsemanship, but Li Zhongqian was the bravest in three armies, with limitless strength. Who could withstand three full-force strikes from his hammers?

In these two years, dozens of noble sons had been injured by Li Zhongqian, including the Pei family’s eldest son who rivaled Crown Prince Li Xuanzhen.

If Li Zhongqian looked down on such accomplished noble sons, how would he view the sixty-plus-year-old foreign Yelu chieftain?

Wei Ming snorted lightly: “The Seventh Princess is merely a woman, and Consort Xie is weak and foolish—not worth fearing. Once the Yelu chieftain agrees to the substitution and His Majesty decrees the marriage, his golden words cannot be changed. What can the Princess do if she’s unwilling? As for the Second Prince, he’s conveniently away from the capital—heaven helps us indeed.”

Qin Fei frowned and asked: “What about when the Second Prince returns?”

Wei Ming’s lips curved slightly, his words meaningful: “That won’t be our concern anymore.”

Qin Fei froze, feeling an icy chill rise from his feet.

Wei Ming’s plan to substitute the Seventh Princess was a scheme within a scheme!

A series of interlocking schemes!

Sacrificing the Seventh Princess would not only appease the Yelu chieftain and avoid war, solving problems for the Crown Prince and His Majesty but also cut off the Second Prince’s support and create discord between His Majesty and the Second Prince and Consort Xie—achieving multiple goals at once.

The Second Prince had always loved his sister most dearly. Learning of her substitute marriage, he would surely go berserk.

Then eliminating the Second Prince would be simple.

Wei Ming was truly ruthless—his real target was the Second Prince!

Qin Fei wanted to speak but held back.

Though he despised Wei Ming’s scheme against the Seventh Princess, he dared not say much when it came to the Second Prince.

The struggle for succession was always life-or-death, leaving no room for mercy.

Moreover, there was already a blood feud between the Crown Prince and the Second Prince through their mothers.

…

Everyone looked at Li Xuanzhen.

Li Xuanzhen’s face showed no expression: “Let me think about it further.”

Wei Ming sighed, about to speak, when an attendant reported from beyond the curtain: “Your Highness, there’s trouble at the Princess’s mansion!”