Ci Jinzhi

Chapter 379 Unwilling to Marry

  Emperor Xingyuan’s ambiguous attitude made Prince Bao Ri prepared.

Promising a princess to a neighboring country is such a big deal. Of course, it is impossible to agree immediately upon hearing it.

 He could understand, but he was very confident in the five thousand horses.

 A wise ruler would not be willing to refuse.

  Prince Baori then concentrated on enjoying the food, songs and dances of Daxia, while Emperor Xingyuan had a faint smile on his face, showing off his master's demeanor.

After the banquet, officials from the Ministry of Rites and Honglu Temple accompanied Prince Baori to his residence to settle the envoys.

 The ministers dispersed and secretly discussed the matter of Xi Lingguo's request to marry the Princess of Daxia.

“Why does this King of Xiling want to marry our princess as his queen?”

"I heard that the original queen of King Xiling died of illness, and the throne has been vacant for several years. Now that there is no civil strife in Xiling, all kinds of abandoned etiquette have to be picked up, and a new queen will naturally be established."

“Isn’t King Xiling very young?”

 “He is about forty years old, in his prime.”

 The ministers didn't think anything of King Xiling's age. When the emperor is seventy years old, he still chooses a concubine. Isn't forty the same age for a king of a country?

 The news reached the harem, and the young concubines had nothing to do with themselves. The concubines with children were either lucky to have given birth to a prince, or their daughters were still young, so they all turned their attention to Concubine Li.

Libi felt like five thunders were hitting her head, like falling into an ice cave.

 Princess Xuan heard of such big news soon, and went to look for Concubine Li with a pale face.

“Mother, concubine, is the news that King Xiling sent envoys to ask for the princess’s marriage true?”

There are a total of three princesses in the palace, and she is the only one of suitable age. If she is the princess who wants to marry, there is no doubt that she is the one.

Facing her daughter, no matter how uncomfortable Li Bi was, she could only console her: "Xuan'er, don't panic, your father has not agreed."

These words could not comfort Princess Xuan at all. Her face was as white as paper and her voice was choked with sobs: "But my father didn't refuse either."

How can you refuse? That's five thousand war horses!

 And she is just a daughter who has never been looked down upon by her father. Marry her to Xiling and receive a bride price of five thousand war horses. Do you need to think about what your father will choose?

"The mother-in-law will find out what your father wants." Li Bin held her daughter's cold hand firmly, "As long as you don't agree on the spot, there will be a chance."

Libi was a cautious person. For the sake of her daughter, she didn’t care about anything else and went directly to Qianqing Palace.

 “Your Majesty, Concubine Li would like to see you.”

Hearing the report from his chamberlain, Emperor Xingyuan raised his eyebrows: "Please come in."

Not long after, Concubine Li walked in, bowed and saluted: "I have met Your Majesty."

 “No courtesy. What’s the matter with Concubine Li?”

Concubine Li glanced at Emperor Xingyuan's expression and said softly: "I heard that an envoy from Xiling came and wanted to marry our princess."

“Indeed.” Emperor Xingyuan nodded calmly.

"Your Majesty, will you... agree?"

Looking at Concubine Li who turned pale, Emperor Xingyuan said calmly: "This is not the harem's responsibility."

Libi's body swayed, and her face lost all color: "I know... I, I am just worried about Xuan'er."

"Um?"

The cold-looking emperor made Libi feel great pressure, but she still gritted her teeth and continued: "Xuan'er is weak and has a reserved temperament. She won't be able to survive in Xiling, where the diet and customs are completely different from those in Daxia. Please take care of her, your majesty. She has been so good since she was a child..." She had clearly said that she would choose a good consort for Xuan'er. The mother and daughter had been quietly looking forward to it, and they didn't dare to ask, but in the end, Xi Ling came. Envoy.

Libi couldn't help it and shed two lines of tears.

"Why are you crying? If you really want to marry Xiling, King Xiling will not neglect Xuan'er."

“Your Majesty—” Libi’s heart was shaken, and her eyes were full of despair.

“Isn’t it going to bring shame on the Xia Dynasty if the things I haven’t decided yet come to the ears of the Xiling envoy with my cries?”

Libi didn’t dare to cry for a while and walked back to the palace with heavy steps.

Princess Xuan was waiting eagerly. Seeing Li Bin's expression, all her words suddenly became stuck in her throat.

 Sure enough, there will be no miracles, at least not for her.

 She stretched out her hand and held her biological mother: "Concubine, it doesn't matter, it doesn't matter."

Since ancient times, it has been common for princesses to get married, not to mention that she did not humiliate the marriage, but the other party asked for marriage with great courtesy.

“Xuan’er has been well-dressed and well-fed since she was a child, and her life is worry-free. Now that Xi Ling has come to ask for marriage, she can exchange for five thousand war horses for Daxia, which is worthy of her status as a princess..."

"Princess—" Libi murmured, then blurted out, "Miss Xin!"

Princess Xuan was stunned and her expression changed: "Concubine, you can't think like that!"

 “What?” Li Bin didn’t react for a moment.

Princess Xuan's face turned red, and she held Li's hand harder: "Not to mention that the father's love for Miss Xin is unique. It is the daughter who has the title of the eldest princess. Miss Xin grew up outside the palace since she was a child and has never received any royal education. What’s the benefit? Is there any reason to let her take the place of my daughter at this time?”

Concubine Li looked at her daughter, feeling distressed and relieved at the same time: "Concubine Mother did not mean this. Concubine Mother thought that if Miss Xin can speak in front of your father, if you go and beg her, there might be a change."

Princess Xuan's eyes lit up, then dimmed: "We have no friendship with Miss Xin, how can we ask her to speak to our father on my behalf?"

Princess Xuan knows very well that the royal family is different from ordinary people. Emperor Xingyuan was both a father and an emperor, so asking for mercy from him was risky.

"Miss Xin saved the third prince, so she is a kind-hearted person. She must try..." Li Bin comforted her daughter.

 As a mother, she is willing to give her daughter a try no matter how slim the hope is or asking for help regardless of her dignity.

 In Cining Palace, when the Queen Mother heard about this, she was also thinking of Xin You.

Unlike Li Bin who wanted to ask for help for her daughter, the Queen Mother's first reaction was that it would be great if Xin You's evil could be sent away far away.

"Queen Mother, Miss Xin can't be considered a princess unless she is on the royal jade certificate." A close confidant heard what the Queen Mother meant and hurriedly reminded her.

The Queen Mother was heartbroken for a while after hearing this, and said angrily: "That girl was unwilling to recognize her ancestors and return to the clan earlier. Is it because she could not predict the future?"

If that girl had the status of a princess at that time, her marriage to Xiling would be a sure thing!

If it hadn't been for the New Year's Eve family banquet, even if the Queen Mother disliked Xin You, she could have tolerated it. Now she regarded Xin You as a thorn in her side, and Xi Ling was unwilling to let such a good opportunity go.

“In this way, you can quietly arrange for someone to tell the person who entertains Xi Ling’s envoy..."

 In Daxia, formal diplomacy was handled by the Ministry of Rites, while specific hospitality was handled by Honglu Temple.

 Prince Baori had been in the capital for several days. Emperor Xingyuan did not express what he wanted, and he was not in a hurry. Apart from dealing with Daxia officials, he just wandered around and experienced the customs of Daxia.

 Prince Ribaori was walking on the street and saw the lively queue in front of him. He curiously asked the official of Honglu Temple who accompanied him the whole time: "Why are there so many people in front?"

The official looked at it and said, "It seems that Qingsong Bookstore has released a new book."

 (End of this chapter)