A pure heart in a jade pot

Chapter 89

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Chapter Twenty-Two [VIP]

After respectfully escorting the princess back to the palace, Zhan Zhao returned to Kaifeng Prefecture. Before he could even get to his room, he saw Mo Yan standing quietly under the plum tree, tilting her head back to count the tiny buds on the branches. She impatiently shook off the snow that had fallen on her eyelashes, looking very serious.

Upon seeing her, Zhan Zhao was momentarily stunned, involuntarily stopping in his tracks. His mind raced, unsure of what to do. If he truly went to the Liao Kingdom, the harsh, desolate landscape, the lack of family and friends—none of that mattered. It was the thought of never seeing her again that filled him with unbearable sorrow…

"Brother Zhan!" Mo Yan spotted him at a glance, immediately stopped counting the flowers, and rushed over, grabbing his sleeve nervously and staring at him as she asked, "Did that Hero Ding tell you? Did you agree?"

Zhan Zhao nodded first, then shook his head.

Mo Yan clearly didn't understand what he meant by nodding and shaking his head, and was so anxious she was about to jump up and down: "You agreed to that marriage?"

"No," Zhan Zhao said with a slight smile.

"You really didn't agree?"

"real."

Mo Yan immediately broke into a smile, overjoyed and carefree, and said with a grin, "Why not? I've heard that Miss Ding is virtuous and kind, and a perfect match for you."

Zhan Zhao was both amused and exasperated. It was clearly she who forbade him to agree, yet now she was asking him why he hadn't agreed.

"No matter how good she is, she's not someone's person," he said softly.

"Someone?" Mo Yan's eyes widened, a sense of crisis immediately rising within her. "You have someone you like?"

Zhan Zhao smiled helplessly: "Don't worry... I, I may have to go to Liao Kingdom, in the future..." The words were on the tip of his tongue, but he couldn't say them. He wanted her to take good care of herself and not cause trouble, but it seemed too early to be so fussy.

"The Liao Kingdom!" Her eyes lit up. "I want to go too! I've wanted to go there for so long. When are we going?"

"Xiao Qi, we're not going on a trip. We're escorting the princess out of the border. I'm afraid we'll have to stay in Liao for the rest of our lives. I'm about to go and discuss this with Lord Bao."

"Will you stay in Liao for the rest of your life and never come back?"

Mo Yan was stunned, clearly not expecting it to take so long, her face filled with disbelief.

"Maybe I can come back to visit my family, maybe I can't, I don't know right now," Zhan Zhao said quietly. Although he already knew the answer, his heart still sank involuntarily as soon as he said it.

“Then I definitely have to go, otherwise you’ll feel so bored there all by yourself,” she said matter-of-factly.

Zhan Zhao was taken aback: "...Don't you get bored?"

"How could I be bored? I have you," she said happily. "You have me, and I have you. Neither of us will be bored, isn't that good?"

"you……"

Although Zhan Zhao was delighted, he couldn't help but think that the place they were going to was, after all, a wild and cold place. She might find it novel and interesting for a few days, but how could she endure living there year after year?

"I was chosen by the princess to go to Khitan, so I had no choice but to go. Little Seven, don't be silly."

“How is this nonsense? Since the princess can appoint you, she can certainly appoint me as well.” She rolled her eyes and said, “Yes, it’s probably okay to talk to Lord Bao.”

"Xiao Qi..."

Without waiting for a reply, Mo Yan pulled him toward Bao Zheng's study, muttering to herself, "Brother Zhan, don't say that the princess only chose you. Just say it's the two of us. Anyway, I can just blend into the wedding procession and the princess won't notice."

"Xiao Qi..."

Zhan Zhao was both touched and reluctant to part with her. He was at a loss for what to do and ended up being led by her the whole way.

When they reached the door of Bao Zheng's study, Mo Yan released his hand, brushed the snow off her shoulders, and straightened her clothes. Zhan Zhao also brushed the snow off her hair before the two entered.

Inside the study, Bao Zheng and Gongsun Ce were discussing the newly compiled "General Principles of Salt Tax".

"Lord Bao!" Mo Yan stepped forward with a smile, bowed, and said, "Your subordinate greets Lord Bao."

Seeing her radiant smile, even Bao Zheng felt a little uncertain: "...What urgent matter does Constable Mo have to discuss?"

"It's an extremely important matter. Brother Zhan and I are going to Khitan."

The absurd words startled Bao Zheng and Gongsun Ce. After exchanging glances for a moment, they turned to Zhan Zhao and asked, "Guard Zhan, what's going on?"

Zhan Zhao stepped forward and bowed, saying in a deep voice, "The princess has ordered me to accompany her beyond the Great Wall to marry into the Khitan tribe."

Upon hearing this, Bao Zheng and Gongsun Ce were both stunned for a moment. They never expected the princess to give such an order. Zhan Zhao was Bao Zheng's right-hand man. If he really went to the Khitan, it would be a great loss to Kaifeng Prefecture.

"Does His Majesty agree to this?" Bao Zheng asked.

"The princess has returned to the palace and reported to the Emperor. I think..." Zhan Zhao hesitated before speaking.

Seeing that Zhan Zhao was hesitant to speak, Gongsun Ce finished the sentence for him: "His Majesty feels guilty towards the princess. He will probably agree to whatever the princess says right now, and there is probably not much room for maneuver."

Bao Zheng frowned, shook his head repeatedly, paced back and forth in front of his desk a few times, and finally sighed: "The princess has chosen to marry a foreign land for the sake of the greater good... Guardian Zhan, you should go with her for now." He paused, "After a few years, when the princess has adapted to life in Liao, I will think of a way to bring you back."

It was not easy for Bao Zheng to say such things, and Zhan Zhao was moved and nodded quietly.

Mo Yan reminded her, "Lord Bao, and me too, I'm going too."

"What are you going to do?" Bao Zheng asked, frowning in surprise.

“Of course I have to go. It would be very inconvenient for Brother Zhan to protect the princess alone. Just think, what if the princess is bathing and changing clothes, and suddenly a villain breaks in…”

Upon hearing this, everyone exchanged awkward glances.

"Officer Mo has indeed considered the princess's situation very thoroughly," Gongsun Ce said with a smile after a long pause, trying to smooth things over.

Mo Yan nodded with a smile: "It's not just the princess, Brother Zhan's reputation is also very important."