"I can't guess exactly who it is, but I think it should be one of the princes of the royal family!" As princes, almost all of them yearn for the throne. It's not surprising that they would plot against each other, disregarding brotherly affection.
The King of Yunnan is a prince of a different surname from Qingyan, and ordinary ministers dare not plot against him. Dongfang Yi is an illegitimate son of the Holy King's Mansion, arrogant and overbearing. The only ones who can make him loyal and subservient are the emperor, princes, and other members of the Dongfang royal family...
Frame the Prince of Yunnan for treason, which is a risky move. Successfully killing him would be a great achievement, but if one is not careful, it could backfire and expose one's own identity and ambition. A wise prince would not risk his life.
The Fifth Prince is simple-minded and has only average abilities. He also has a half-brother, the Crown Prince. Even if he makes great contributions, the Emperor would never pass the throne to him. The prince behind the scenes was well aware of this, which is why he pushed the blame onto the Fifth Prince.
"Could it be that the King of Yunnan has offended a certain prince?" Shen Lixue frowned. This was a very clever scheme to kill someone with a borrowed knife. If the King of Yunnan and the prince had no grudges, the prince would not have gone to such lengths to plot against him.
"That's a question for the King of Yunnan!" Dongfang Heng turned his head, glancing calmly at the King of Yunnan, who stood five meters away with a grave expression. Who had he offended? The Crown Prince? Prince Zhan? Or…
"Your Majesty, the Fifth Prince has finished receiving his fifty strokes of the cane!" A guard entered the Imperial Study and respectfully reported.
The emperor glanced indifferently at Dongfang Che, who was slumped on a stool, severely injured and weak: "Send the Fifth Prince back to his palace and keep a close watch on him. Do not allow him to take a single step out!"
"Yes!" The guards responded and withdrew, carrying the seriously injured fifth prince quickly out of the courtyard.
"The Emperor's decision to confine the Fifth Prince is a way of protecting him!" Dongfang Heng said suddenly as he watched the Fifth Prince being carried out of the courtyard. Since the Fifth Prince could not leave the palace and could not do anything, he would naturally no longer be schemed against or used by others.
Shen Lixue frowned and secretly squeezed Dongfang Heng's wrist to express her dissatisfaction. She had also thought of the emperor's intention, but he had spoken it out first.
With a deft flick of his jade-like fingers, Dongfang Heng instantly grasped Shen Lixue's soft, boneless hand. No matter how hard she struggled, she couldn't break free. She glared at him fiercely, thinking, "This is the Imperial Study. The Emperor and the Prince are here. Don't be so casual."
Dongfang Heng not only didn't let go, but gripped it even tighter. They were discussing national affairs and wouldn't pay attention to anything else.
The emperor looked at the King of Yunnan with sharp eyes and a stern tone: "King of Yunnan, are you satisfied with my decision?"
"Long live the Emperor!" The King of Yunnan bowed and saluted, somewhat satisfied with the Emperor's handling of the matter.
The emperor smiled, his sharp gaze passing over the King of Yunnan and landing on Nangong Xiao: "Xiao'er, isn't it time for your coming-of-age ceremony soon?"
The King of Yunnan was taken aback, then smiled and said, "Your Majesty, in five more months, my son will come of age!"
"The Crown Prince of Yunnan is a young and talented man, and he is about the same age as Dongfang Yu'er, the daughter of the Prince of Huai. They are a match made in heaven. What does the Prince of Yunnan think?"
The King of Yunnan was enfeoffed in Yunnan, where his army was strong and his horses were well-equipped. However, he was far from the capital, so the emperor was somewhat uneasy about him. To prevent him from developing any disloyal intentions, the emperor needed to win him over. The way to do this was to tie the King of Yunnan's most beloved son to the royal family, which would also prevent today's events from happening again.
"Uncle Emperor, I won't marry that philanderer!" Dongfang Yu'er exclaimed in surprise, her big eyes widening. She stepped forward and vehemently objected. If this were in the imperial court, she would never dare to question the emperor's decision. But this was the imperial study, and the palace maids and eunuchs were all outside. In other words, the emperor had given her some leeway. She was determined to fight for her own happiness.
Although she longed to marry a good man, how could she possibly live her life if she married a philandering man who frequented brothels every day?
"Your Majesty, I will not marry a shrew!" Nangong Xiao's gaze sharpened, and with a whoosh, he opened his fan, raised his head high, and looked at Dongfang Yu'er defiantly, as if to say, "If you don't want to marry me, I don't want to marry you either!"
"Nangong Xiao, are you really unwilling to marry this princess?" Dongfang Yu'er blinked, her dark eyes cute and innocent, and lowered her voice mysteriously.
Nangong Xiao flicked his sleeve and said proudly, "The sun and moon are my witnesses, and heaven and earth are my testimonies!"
"Then let's swear to the heavens that even if the sky collapses and the earth crumbles, and all living beings suffer, we will never marry each other!" Dongfang Yu'er said each word with determination, reaffirming her resolve to distance herself from Nangong Xiao.
Turning her head to look at Nangong Xiao's devilishly handsome face, she suddenly realized that his face was quite pleasing to the eye, and his thoughts were similar to hers.
"Alright!" Nangong Xiao snapped his fan shut, stood side by side with Dongfang Yu'er, facing the emperor, and raised his right hand to swear an oath.
From Shen Lixue's perspective, Dongfang Yu'er and Nangong Xiao looked like a married couple making a vow, with the emperor in front of them as their witness!
"Nonsense!" The King of Yunnan roared, interrupting Dongfang Yu'er and Nangong Xiao's vows. His face darkened as he looked at the two: "Marriage is a matter of parental arrangement and matchmaker's word. How dare you make your own decisions!"
Dongfang Yu'er's eyes lit up: "My father is the Prince of Huai. He's not here, and he hasn't given any orders. How can I marry someone so carelessly? Uncle Emperor, I'll go back to the Prince of Huai's residence and ask my father for his opinion!" She was secretly delighted, thinking that she wouldn't have to marry this philanderer!
"No need to go back to the manor to ask!" Looking at Dongfang Yu'er, who was beaming with joy and rushing out, the emperor suddenly spoke: "Your father entrusted your marriage to me long ago. My will is his will."
What? The emperor, representing her father, decided who she had to marry! Dongfang Yu'er abruptly stopped, her beautiful eyes blazing with fury, gritting her teeth, and roaring to the sky: "I refuse to marry that philandering bastard!"
The emperor looked at Nangong Xiao. His romantic escapades in the capital had spread throughout the streets and alleys, and the emperor had also heard about them. Looking at his haggard appearance and slightly pale complexion, the emperor knew that he was either recovering from a serious illness or had been indulging in excessive sexual activity.
He didn't care what Nangong Xiao would be like after he got married; he only wanted to use the royal princess to bind the heart of the King of Yunnan, Nangong Xiao.
"It's normal for young boys to be impetuous and idle before marriage, and to frequent brothels. But after marriage, with a family and responsibilities, they will curb their wildness and focus all their attention on their home!"
"Your Majesty understands me best!" Nangong Xiao waved his fan and gave Dongfang Yu'er a defiant look. "However, Your Majesty, I don't want to marry a shrew who will turn my home into a chaotic mess!"
“Princess Yu’er is exceptionally beautiful and virtuous. Although she has a bit of a temper, that’s also her strength. She can keep your unruly nature in check!” The Prince of Yunnan looked at Dongfang Yu’er and became more and more satisfied with her. “The Emperor bestowed this marriage upon you because he values you. Others would beg for such a marriage, yet you refused!”
Dongfang Yu'er said with a bitter face, "Uncle Emperor, Nangong Xiao and I hate each other. If we get married, we will definitely not be happy. You are my family and don't want to see me miserable and crying all day long!"
"Although Nangong Xiao is a womanizer, he is still a very good person. He won't treat you like this after we get married!" There were no outsiders in the imperial study, and Dongfang Yu'er was the most precious daughter of the Prince of Huai. The emperor rarely had the patience to analyze things for her.
Dongfang Yu'er and Nangong Xiao stood together, one in red and one in light blue, one tall and one short, surprisingly well-matched. The King of Yunnan nodded in satisfaction: "In my humble opinion, Princess Yu'er and my son are a pair of bickering lovers. Once they get married, they will surely be happy!"
"What does Prince An think of this marriage?" The Emperor suddenly looked at Dongfang Heng, seeking his opinion.
Instantly, the eyes of Nangong Xiao, Dongfang Yu'er, and the King of Yunnan all focused on Dongfang Heng, especially Dongfang Yu'er, who blinked her two beautiful big eyes and stared at him intently.
Dongfang Heng nodded: "The Emperor's decision is naturally excellent!" The Emperor has made up his mind to let Nangong Xiao marry Dongfang Yu'er, and his opposition is useless.
"That's settled then. Tomorrow morning, I will have the imperial edict read aloud!" The emperor nodded in satisfaction, making the final decision and sealing the marriage between Nangong Xiao and Dongfang Yu'er.
Both Dongfang Yu'er and Nangong Xiao wore bitter expressions, glaring fiercely at each other from time to time.
Shen Lixue blinked. The Qingyan Emperor wanted to win over the Yunnan King's heart, and the Yunnan King wanted to put the Qingyan Emperor at ease. The two hit it off immediately, which led to the marriage alliance between Nangong Xiao and Dongfang Yu'er.
Their marriage was a union of the Qingyan Emperor and the Yunnan King's forces; they were victims of a political marriage. However, if they managed their marriage well, perhaps a miracle would happen.
The moon was high in the sky, and the night was cool as water.
After leaving the palace, the Prince of Yunnan glanced at the dark sky and secretly winked at Nangong Xiao: "It's late at night, and it's not safe for Princess Yu'er, a young girl, to return to the manor alone. Xiao'er, see her off!"
Nangong Xiao glanced at Dongfang Yu'er, half-closed his eyes, and slowly walked towards the fast horse: "She's so fierce, even ghosts are afraid of her. Who would dare to touch her? I'm tired, I don't have the energy to send her away!"