The Crown Prince Chases His Wife
Extra 9 Northwest
In the Yubei Wang Mansion at the Northern Liang.
After Xiao Weiru left, Yubei Wang, Xiao Jingyan, sat silently in the study for a long time.
What Xiao Weiru just said was not without reason, but she had omitted one point.
Currently, the bond between Northern Liang and Great Xia is not just through Empress Shen Shiying, but also through the Empress’s eldest son, the Crown Prince of Northern Liang.
This Crown Prince, still in swaddling clothes, was not only the half-brother of Empress Shen Shiying of Great Xia but also the maternal uncle of the future emperor of Great Xia. With this connection, Northern Liang and Great Xia have a closer relationship.
However, whether it was Northern Liang or Great Xia, both Crown Princes were still too young, and no one could predict what the future would hold.
Weiru admires the former Ghost-faced General of the Red Army, now Empress Shen Shiying, and like her, she does not have many personal attachments in her heart.
If Northern Liang’s royal family and Great Xia’s imperial family were to establish another connection, it would benefit both nations.
Xiao Jingyan understood his sister quite well.
Perhaps Weiru did not dislike the Shizi of the Duan Wang Mansion from Great Xia. For the sake of the diplomatic relations between Northern Liang and Great Xia, she would not care to sacrifice her own marriage.
As for Xiao Jingyan himself, he was not opposed to a political marriage.
Xiao Jingyan had once expressed his feelings to Shen Shiying but was clearly rejected by her.
Now, Shen Shiying has become the Empress of Northern Liang, and she has a child with the Emperor. If Xiao Jingyan were to persist in his feelings, it would appear improper.
For Xiao Jingyan, it didn’t matter whom he married, as long as the marriage could contribute to the peace between the two nations, that would be even better.
———-
The day after hosting a farewell banquet for the Great Xia envoy, Yubei Wang, Xiao Jingyan, went to the palace to meet with the Emperor, presenting the thoughts of the siblings from the Yubei Wang Mansion.
Emperor Xiao Qian of Northern Liang did not comment on Xiao Jingyan’s proposal, but he did not immediately reject it either.
Both Xiao Qian and Emperor Feng Zhan were extremely confident and assertive. These two emperors despised using marriage alliances, a method filled with too many uncertainties, to solidify relations.
In the end, only when two great nations possess both the strength to “flip the table” and the restraint to avoid doing so, can they coexist peacefully for a long time.
Marriage alliances, after all, are a last resort.
What woman in the world is willing to leave her home and marry far away?
Thinking of this, Xiao Qian furrowed his brow, his chest tightening sharply.
Shen Shiying was now a woman married far away.
Chen Shiying’s outward demeanor was carefree, but in reality, it was the result of bearing too much and going through too many hardships.
And her willingness to stay in Northern Liang was only for herself…
Xiao Qian’s brow relaxed slightly, and his expression cleared up.
Shen Shiying still has some discernment.
But then, Xiao Qian suddenly thought of something, and his gaze turned cold.
If that woman truly had discernment, how could she have ever married her former husband?
Xiao Qian closed his eyes, letting out a helpless sigh.
After a moment, Xiao Qian opened his eyes again and turned his gaze toward Xiao Jingyan, who was standing across from the royal desk.
Xiao Qian was fairly satisfied with the siblings from the Yubei Wang Mansion.
These siblings were capable of sharing his burdens, they were well-behaved, knew their place, and kept the bigger picture in mind. They were the standout younger generation of the royal family.
Xiao Jingyan had once been groomed by Emperor Xiao Qian of Northern Liang as the most favored successor.
Now, with the appearance of Shen Shiying’s heir, that was a different matter.
Even though circumstances had changed dramatically, Xiao Jingyan bore no resentment and continued to diligently fulfill his duties.
As for the marriage alliance, the two siblings proposed to Great Xia…
Whether Xiao Jingyan and Xiao Weiru get married or not, it would bring him peace of mind, as it would keep the two of them from frequently showing up in front of Shen Shiying, using their connection with her to disturb his peace of mind.
Emperor Xiao Qian granted the siblings from Yubei Wang Mansion permission to go to Great Xia, but he also warned Xiao Jingyan, “Be mindful of your words and actions, and do not offend the Emperor and Empress of Great Xia.”
Xiao Jingyan accepted the command but was slightly surprised.
The Emperor’s actions, typically domineering and forceful, seemed to show an unusual level of seriousness and caution when referring to the Emperor and Empress of Daxia.
Xiao Jingyan had heard of the Emperor Feng Zhan and Empress Qin Yan of Great Xia. Both of them were renowned for being ruthless and decisive, with hearts as cold as steel.
Xiao Jingyan must be out of his mind to act recklessly in Great Xia.
———
In the second year of Taichang, in the eleventh month, the Great Xia envoy to Northern Liang, along with the Yubei Wang, Xiao Jingyan, the Princess of Rong’an, Xiao Weiru, and several Northern Liang officials, arrived in the capital of Great Xia.
After making arrangements for their stay at the Honglu Temple, the palace issued an edict summoning the Northern Liang envoys to meet the Emperor.
On the same day, a welcoming banquet was being prepared at the former Fengtian Hall for the Northern Liang delegation. Members of the royal family and officials above the fourth rank were also invited to attend and honor the Northern Liang envoys, giving them significant respect.
At the Imperial City, at the Huangji Hall in Ningshou Palace.
After Xiao Jingyan and Xiao Weiru had an audience with the Emperor of Great Xia, they were given seats in the hall.
The Xiao siblings had seen portraits of the Emperor of Great Xia, Feng Zhan, before. After all, the former Crown Prince, Feng Zhan, was a powerful and influential figure in Great Xia, attracting the attention of imperial families and political leaders from various nations.
However, they never expected that the real Emperor of Great Xia, Feng Zhan, was not only extraordinarily handsome but also exuded an overwhelming aura of imperial authority that made people feel pressured in his presence.
Even though Xiao Jingyan and Xiao Weiru were considered the cream of the crop in Northern Liang, admired and respected by many, they could not help but be taken aback by his commanding presence.
Both siblings inwardly sighed, realizing that this Emperor was of their age. They had to admit that there truly were people beyond exceptional and worlds beyond their own.
They couldn’t help but wonder, who exactly was Empress Qin Yan, and what kind of person was she?
———–
After a round of polite pleasantries, Xiao Jingyan addressed the Emperor directly, stating that Northern Liang intended to renew the marriage alliance with Great Xia.
The candidates for this alliance, he revealed, were the two standing in the Huangji Hall, himself, Yubei Wang Xiao Jingyan, and Princess of Rong’an Xiao Weiru.
Xiao Jingyan proposed that he was sincere in seeking to marry Great Xia’s only unmarried eldest princess, or alternatively, that Princess Xiao Weiru could marry into the imperial family of Great Xia, specifically the Shizi of Duan Wang Mansion in Youzhou.
The Emperor, Feng Zhan, remained silent, his expression unreadable.
The Xiao siblings couldn’t help but admire this. The Emperor of Great Xia was skilled at keeping his emotions in check, showing no signs of anger or joy, demonstrating great depth, and making him someone not to be underestimated.
Feng Zhan understood the consideration behind Prince Xiao Jingyan’s words, but since the Emperor of Northern Liang had not yet sent an official letter to discuss the matter, it could not be said to be the Northern Liang Emperor’s position.
Given Feng Zhan’s understanding of Emperor Xiao Qian of Northern Liang, it seemed that they shared similar views. Both would not use marriage alliances as a political tool to strengthen diplomatic relations between their nations.
But since the Yubei Wang dared to raise the subject, it at least meant he had received tacit approval from the Northern Liang Emperor.
Feng Zhan couldn’t help but hold the Yubei Wang in higher regard.
Earlier, the Turks had been brazen and arrogant, publicly requesting a Great Xia princess to become the side concubine of their khan at a imperial banquet, clearly attempting to apply pressure on Great Xia and humiliate them.
However, today, before the feast at the former Fengtian Hall to honor the Northern Liang envoys, the Yubei Wang had privately proposed the marriage alliance, demonstrating both respect and tact.
The Yubei Wang’s approach showed his respect for Great Xia. If the two imperial families had not yet reached an agreement, the proposal beforehand allowed for a smooth conversation, avoiding an awkward situation at the feast where both sides would be caught off guard and unable to back down.
However, Feng Subei…
Feng Zhan recalled his cousin, Feng Subei, who had returned to the capital and immediately went to the palace to search for Empress Qin Yan and inquire about the whereabouts of Miss Qin Lin from the Qin family.
He wondered if Feng Subei regretted his impulsive actions, which had caused so many complications in his marriage.
Ultimately, Emperor Feng Zhan simply stated, “Neither the imperial family of Great Xia nor that of Northern Liang need sacrifice their marriages to maintain the relations between our two countries. If there is true mutual interest, a marriage alliance would be a fine addition, but it is not something that must be done.”
———-
After leaving the Huangji Hall, Feng Zhan was informed by Song Zhi, “Your Majesty, the Shizi of the Duan Wang Mansion requests an audience.”
Feng Zhan looked up.
Feng Subei? It seems he came on his own.
In the Imperial Study, Feng Subei, after bowing to the Emperor, directly stated his purpose, “Your Majesty, I wish to request permission to travel to the northwest.”
Upon hearing this, Feng Zhan’s expression became somewhat inscrutable.
The northwest?
To chase after a wife?
Before returning to Great Xia, Feng Subei had already received news regarding Qin Lin, but it was not good news.
Qin Lin had indeed been assigned by the Empress to go to the Northwest, but she was accompanied by several officials from the Ministry of Works.
The intelligence sent back by Lin Shu reported that among the officials sent by the Ministry of Works, there was also Qin Lin’s former betrothed, Yuan Mu, the Left Minister of the Ministry of Works.
When Feng Subei first heard this news, veins stood out on his forehead in anger.
Her former betrothed?
However, whether personal matters or official duties were more important, Feng Subei was still able to distinguish between the two. No matter how eager he was to return, he knew that he had to properly settle the affairs of Northern Liang before returning to Great Xia.
Upon his return to the capital, Feng Subei immediately went to the palace to meet the Empress and inquire about Qin Lin’s whereabouts.
After leaving the palace, Feng Subei took the Empress’s imperial decree and went to the Ministry of Works to learn more about the situation.
When he left the Ministry of Works, Feng Subei was not without surprise.
He knew Qin Lin was intelligent and insightful, but he hadn’t expected her to be capable of such things.
It wasn’t really surprising, though. Qin Lin was the daughter of the Minister of Works, Qin Wenxuan, who was known in the court for being a pragmatic official, not a man who had earned his reputation in vain.
Feng Subei was not a carefree young master and every action of his required the Emperor’s approval. So, he had to request permission from the Emperor to travel to the northwest under the guise of official business.
But the thought of Qin Lin’s former betrothed being in the northwest as well lodged like a thorn in his heart, causing him deep discomfort.
If it weren’t for his remaining rationality, he would have immediately left the capital.
Feng Zhan did not want to make things difficult for Feng Subei and assigned him an official role overseeing the inspection of government affairs. He was to leave for the northwest and begin his duties in the spring of the following year.
Feng Subei could no longer wait until next year. As soon as he received the imperial decree, he quickly made his way to the Xihua Gate of the Imperial City, instructing his attendant Lin Shu to immediately prepare for the journey to the northwest.
Lin Shu was a bit surprised, “So urgent?”
But Feng Subei didn’t give him a chance to voice his confusion. He went straight back to the palace to attend the banquet prepared for the Northern Liang delegation.
Even though Feng Subei wanted to leave immediately, he couldn’t rush it just yet.
The diplomatic relations between Great Xia and Northern Liang had always been handled by Feng Subei, so he knew that he had to ensure everything was properly settled before leaving.
———-
The banquet began at the Fengtian Hall.
At the palace banquet, Great Xia graciously fulfilled its host duties, showcasing the grandeur of a great nation and demonstrating its reputation as a country of etiquette.
Throughout the banquet, everyone exchanged drinks and conversation. Great Xia and Northern Liang officials discussed political views, the customs and products of their respective nations, and shared interesting stories and anecdotes. The atmosphere in the hall was lively and filled with joy, a perfect display of hospitality and camaraderie.
Xiao Jingyan and Xiao Weiru occasionally glanced up at Empress Qin Yan, sitting on the high platform.
She was the daughter of Shen Shiying, and it was evident that she resembled her mother in beauty. However, unlike Shen Shiying’s mature and enchanting demeanor, Qin Yan’s gaze was colder and more indifferent.
After the banquet, Shen Ci sought permission from the Emperor to visit the Crown Prince and Princess Anping at Ningshou Palace. Feng Zhan granted it.
At Ningshou Palace, Shen Ci spent some time playing with the adorable dragon and phoenix twins who were the Emperor and Empress’s pride. Afterward, the Empress sent the maid, Shen Ying, to invite him to the Guhua Pavilion.
In the warm eastern chamber of the Guhua Pavilion, Shen Ci was telling Qin Yan about his aunt Shen Shiying’s situation in Northern Liang. When he reached a particularly amusing part of the story, Shen Ci couldn’t help but burst into hearty laughter.
At this moment, sitting behind a screen in the outer room of the Guhua Pavilion, was Princess Jingyi, Feng Yuyao.
When Feng Yuyao heard the familiar, mature laughter of a man from the warm eastern chamber, her cheeks turned pink.
After learning that Shen Ci had arrived at Ningshou Palace, Feng Yuyao immediately asked Qin Yan to help her extract some information from Shen Ci.
Feng Yuyao wanted to hear Shen Ci’s response, which led to this slightly sneaky scene.
A moment later, Qin Yan’s voice echoed from the warm chamber, “The palace is selecting a candidate for the marriage of Princess Jingyi, and Brother’s name is among the candidates. If Brother has no intention, I will tell the Empress Dowager to remove your name.”
Qin Yan didn’t reveal the emotional thoughts of Princess Feng Yuyao, so even if Shen Ci declined, it wouldn’t hurt her dignity.
“What’s your idea, Brother?”
Upon hearing this, Shen Ci was slightly stunned. He seemed puzzled by Qin Yan suddenly bringing up this matter.
He pondered for a moment before replying, “Princess Jingyi?”
“Yan Yan, you know I’ve been focused solely on military strategy, so I really haven’t thought about such matters.”
As soon as Shen Ci finished speaking, he suddenly recalled something that made him happy and smiled at Qin Yan, “By the way, when I went to Northern Liang this time, I encountered a remarkable person.”
“The Princess of Rong’an from Northern Liang, I didn’t expect this woman to have such a deep understanding of military strategy. She even lent me some military books she collected from the common people. It’s quite fascinating.”
“If you’re interested, Yan Yan, we could study them together someday…”
In the warm chamber, Shen Ci took the opportunity to begin discussing the military anecdotes he had exchanged with the Princess of Rong’an.
Meanwhile, outside, Feng Yuyao silently left.
When she arrived, Feng Yuyao had carried the quiet anticipation of a young woman, but as she left, her heart was filled with silence.
In the warm chamber, Shen Ci suddenly realized that Qin Yan didn’t seem particularly interested in discussing military strategy at this moment. He abruptly remembered that it was she who had initiated the topic earlier.
“Yan Yan, do you hope for me to marry Princess Jingyi?”
In response to Shen Ci’s question, Qin Yan answered lightly, explaining that, in the end, this was Shen Ci’s personal matter, and she wouldn’t interfere too much.
Shen Ci fell silent again, seemingly lost in thought, his gaze softening a little.
After a moment, he spoke again, “For more than twenty years, the only women I’ve interacted with, aside from my mother, are you, Yan Yan, and Princess Jingyi.”
“If the Princess wishes to choose me as her husband, I will definitely treat her well.”
Qin Yan let out a soft laugh.
This blockhead.
———-
The Princess of Rong’an, upon hearing that Feng Subei was heading to the northwest of Great Xia for official business, specially requested to go to the northwest for observation.
The memorial submitted by the Princess of Rong’an to the Honglu Temple was left on the Emperor’s desk for half a day before being finally approved.
The Princess planned to bring some Northern Liang officials to the northwest, and Shen Ci, who was familiar with the region, was appointed to accompany the Princess as her escort.
On the third day after Feng Subei departed, the group was ready to leave the capital.
Unaware, Feng Subei was completely in the dark about this.
At the same time, Xie Changyuan also petitioned to leave the capital.
In the Emperor’s study, when Xie Changyuan’s request was presented, Emperor Feng Zhan didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he spoke in a deep voice, “Yubei Wang of Northern Liang has proposed that his sister, the Princess of Rong’an, will select a suitable imperial family member from Great Xia to arrange a marriage.”
“How do you view this?”
Xie Changyuan’s pupils contracted sharply.
What did His Majesty mean?
Seated behind the imperial desk, Emperor Feng Zhan continued, “Currently, the only suitable candidates within the Great Xia imperial family are you and Feng Subei.”
Xie Changyuan suddenly lifted his head, his eyes filled with shock and anger.
————
The Emperor, who had taken away his betrothed, now sought to bestow a marriage upon him?
After speaking these half-truths, Emperor Feng Zhan merely glanced at Xie Changyuan with a cold gaze, not saying anything more.
Suppressing his dissatisfaction, Xie Changyuan took a moment to compose himself, then bowed with his fist clasped towards the emperor’s desk and said, “Your Majesty, the empire is currently in need of capable individuals. I have no intention of remarrying.”
“Besides, as a widower, I fear that I might bring distress to the Princess of Rong’an.”
Feng Zhan’s eyebrows slightly raised.
A widower?
Aren’t you and Feng Subei both widowers?
Feng Zhan, not wishing to further provoke his cousin, who was clearly on the edge of losing control, asked, “Where do you wish to go?”
This time, Xie Changyuan answered without hesitation, “The northwest.”
As soon as Xie Changyuan’s words fell, Feng Zhan’s narrow eyes dangerously narrowed.
It seemed that Xie Changyuan, having been stirred by the conversation, no longer cared for formalities and met the emperor’s gaze with defiance.
The two men’s eyes locked, cold and piercing, neither willing to yield.
Finally, Feng Zhan’s cold and deep voice rang out from the imperial study, “You may leave.”
Xie Changyuan bowed respectfully and turned to leave.
Walking through the imperial city, Xie Changyuan’s heart felt as bleak as the winter scene around him.
If asked why he sought permission to leave the capital, there were two reasons:
First, he had once been a close confidant of the late emperor. Although he had ultimately aligned with the current emperor, his stance had been different in the past. Second, he had once been betrothed to Empress Qin Yan. Even though the current emperor might separate personal and official matters, his future would likely be limited by this past engagement.
And there was also the matter of Xie An.
Xie Changyuan simply wished to leave this place.
And why the Northwest?
Perhaps because it was the place where Qin Yan had spent many years, and it was also the place where their misunderstandings had begun.