"Heaven and earth bear witness!" Dongfang Heng said coldly, rejecting Ye Qianmei without any mercy.
Ye Qianmei looked at Dongfang Heng, her beautiful eyes brimming with tears: "Qianmei has admired heroes since childhood. When I came here for the marriage alliance, I already told my father that I wanted to marry the most powerful young hero of Qingyan!"
Shen Lixue frowned. The most powerful among the younger generation of Qingyan is Qingyan War God Dongfang Heng. Ye Qianmei is determined to... Qingyan War God!
Her eyes suddenly lit up, and she looked up at Ye Qianmei: "Princess Qianmei is going to marry the God of War, Qingyan?"
Shen Lixue's smile was bright and dazzling, with a hint of amusement deep in her eyes. Ye Qianmei felt a bad premonition rising in her heart. After careful consideration, she realized that Shen Lixue's words had no other meaning. She nodded and said proudly, "That's right!"
Shen Lixue smiled slightly, like a hundred flowers blooming, and said mysteriously, "Actually, besides Prince An, Qingyan also has an unparalleled young war god." Her voice was neither too loud nor too soft, enough for most of the people in the banquet hall to hear.
"Who is it?" The ministers were taken aback, and their puzzled gazes all focused on Shen Lixue. Qingyan had a young war god? How come they had never heard of him?
Ye Qianmei's tearful eyes narrowed. Oh no, she had fallen for Shen Lixue's trick. She moved her lips, about to stop her, but Shen Lixue had already revealed the answer with a smile: "Prince Zhan! At the royal hunting grounds, he fired three arrows in succession, and his archery skills were comparable to those of Prince An!"
Dongfang Zhan's sharp gaze suddenly shot towards Shen Lixue. She didn't want him and was going to push him to another woman.
"That's right! How could they forget about Prince Zhan?" The ministers suddenly realized, and their admiring gazes turned to Dongfang Zhan: "Prince Zhan's archery skills are indeed superb!" If he were to go to the battlefield, he would definitely become the second Qingyan War God. Prince Zhan and the princess are a perfect match in terms of status.
Seeing the ministers whispering and gossiping, Ye Qianmei's beautiful eyes blazed with anger. Damn it, she had fallen for Shen Lixue's trick.
Shen Lixue smiled gently. Ye Qianmei had deliberately come to cause her trouble and upset her. How could she let her have her way? Since Dongfang Zhan thought so highly of Ye Qianmei, and Ye Qianmei also liked heroes, let them be together.
“Prince Zhan has not yet taken a concubine. If Princess Qianmei marries him, she will be the rightful and noble Princess Consort of Zhan, fully worthy of Princess Qianmei’s status as a princess of Xiliang!” Shen Lixue’s clear and melodious voice, like singing, slowly echoed in the banquet hall.
Dongfang Zhan's expression darkened, his cold gaze fixed on her, his teeth clenched: Shen Lixue!
"In my humble opinion, the Princess Consort of Anjun's suggestion is excellent." Prime Minister Li's gaze darkened, and he stood up, bowing to the Emperor. He said, "Prince Zhan is of marriageable age, and he and Princess Qianmei are a perfect match in terms of both age and status..."
"Yes, yes, they are a perfect match, a handsome man and a beautiful woman, from equal social standing!" The ministers of Prime Minister Li's faction echoed his words, their eyes full of smiles.
Dongfang Zhan glared at the ministers, his face dark. They were a bunch of sycophantic good-for-nothings. "Princess Qianmei is in love with Prince An. I will not force her to marry!"
“Princess Qianmei admires heroes, and Prince Zhan is the unparalleled Azure Flame War God, among whom she admires. Marrying the prince is her own choice, not a forced marriage!” Dongfang Heng looked coldly at Dongfang Zhan, the sharp light flashing in his deep eyes like a strong mockery.
Just as Dongfang Zhan was about to find a reason to refute, he saw out of the corner of his eye that the emperor's expression had softened, as if he had been persuaded by the ministers. His gaze sharpened, and he said urgently, "Father, your son..."
The emperor waved his hand to interrupt him and said gently, "Prince Zhan is skilled in archery and martial arts. He is the ideal husband that Princess Qianmei hopes for. Princess Qianmei is dignified, virtuous, noble and generous. She and Prince Zhan are a match made in heaven. I hereby bestow marriage upon the two of them!"
"Your Majesty is wise!" Prime Minister Li smiled knowingly, bowed, and the other ministers echoed him. For a moment, the banquet hall was filled with deafening noise.
Dongfang Zhan's face was gloomy, and he clenched his fists tightly. The emperor's words were law, and the marriage had been bestowed. There was no possibility of changing it. No matter how dissatisfied he was, he could not refute it. Otherwise, he would be disobeying the imperial decree. How despicable!
Ye Qianmei was so angry that she gritted her teeth. She was the one who admired heroes and said that she would only marry the strongest in Qingyan. Dongfang Zhan, as the King of Qingyan, was of noble status and had not yet married a principal wife. He was a good match for her. If she continued to be stubborn and insisted on marrying Dongfang Heng, people would not only say that she was ungrateful, but also suspect that she had ulterior motives!
"Congratulations, Prince Zhan! Congratulations, Princess Qianmei!" The ministers rushed forward to offer their congratulations with great joy. Ye Qianmei was alright, forcing a smile as she dealt with the female relatives.
Dongfang Zhan's face was gloomy, and he responded only half-heartedly. His sharp, cold gaze occasionally swept over Dongfang Heng. Marrying Ye Qianmei would indeed gain him the support of the entire Western Liang Kingdom, but he did not need that kind of support.
"The most delighted by the bestowal of marriage upon Dongfang Zhan and Ye Qianmei are Prime Minister Li and the Emperor." A lively crowd tightly surrounded Ye Qianmei and Dongfang Zhan. There were few people nearby. Shen Lixue frowned as she looked at the two beaming with joy and muttered to herself.
"With Dongfang Zhan marrying Ye Qianmei, he has gained the support of the entire Western Liang Kingdom, which increases his chances of ascending the throne. As the maternal grandfather, Prime Minister Li is naturally pleased!" Dongfang Heng analyzed softly, glancing at the emperor out of the corner of his eye: "Just now, the emperor bestowed the marriage upon Dongfang Zhan, and Ye Qianmei acted very quickly!" It was almost as if she had immediately granted the marriage after listening to the ministers' suggestions.
“He also wants the Western Liang Kingdom to support Dongfang Zhan!” Shen Lixue smiled slightly. Dongfang Heng is the Prince of Anjun of the Holy King’s Mansion. The Emperor will not allow him to receive the support of the Western Liang Kingdom. Perhaps, the Emperor had planned to bestow a marriage between Ye Qianmei and Dongfang Zhan from the beginning. Even if she did not find a reason, the Emperor would find a reason to prevent Ye Qianmei from marrying Dongfang Heng.
She resolved the crisis of her husband being abducted, thus fulfilling the emperor's intentions.
Thinking of the emperor's calm and collected demeanor, Shen Lixue raised an eyebrow. The emperor, indeed, was cunning and calculating.
The welcoming banquet lasted until the early hours of the morning. When Dongfang Zhan returned to the Zhanwang Mansion, it was past midnight. The mansion was quiet. Pushing open the bamboo curtain of the inner room, a beautiful figure came into view.
The woman on the soft couch wore a semi-transparent white dress that reached below her hips, exposing her long, beautiful legs to the air. Her fair and tender legs were enough to make one's blood boil, and her exquisite figure was on full display. Two buttons on her chest were undone, and she was not wearing a bodice underneath. Her full breasts were faintly visible under the slightly open bodice.
Her small face was charming and alluring, her bewitching eyes were captivating, and her cherry lips parted slightly: "Prince Zhan!" Her voice was so charming that it made one's bones melt.
Dongfang Zhan's eyes were clear as he looked at the stunning beauty without any reaction. He frowned almost imperceptibly and said coldly, "Ye Qianmei, go back to your inn."
Ye Qianmei pouted and said coquettishly, "No inn is as comfortable as Prince Zhan's mansion." She blinked and cast a seductive glance at Dongfang Zhan.
"Get out, don't defile my room!" Dongfang Zhan withdrew his gaze in disgust, looking at the carved bed. It was very neat and clean, with no trace of a woman sleeping there. His gloomy expression softened a little.
Fortunately, she was smart enough not to sleep in his bed; otherwise, she would surely be dead by now.
"Prince Zhan, we are already engaged, why are you so heartless!" Ye Qianmei's beautiful eyes were filled with tears, looking pitiful.
"Get out of the Zhan Prince's Mansion!" Dongfang Zhan grabbed the clothes scattered on the ground and threw them hard at Ye Qianmei: "I'll count to three. If you don't leave, don't blame me for being impolite! One!"
Ye Qianmei took the clothes and covered herself, pouting in dissatisfaction: "Your Highness, I'm yours now, why bother..."
"Two!" Dongfang Zhan looked at the dark night sky and uttered the number without hesitation.
Ye Qianmei frowned, her small face showing no fear, nor any intention of leaving: "Prince Zhan, you're too..."
"Three!" Dongfang Zhan's eyes turned cold, and a sharp palm strike came towards Ye Qianmei.
Ye Qianmei's expression changed: "Are you serious?" The sharp palm wind was close at hand, and she suddenly raised her arm to block it.
"Whoosh!" The palm wind dissipated rapidly the moment it struck her. She looked up and met Dongfang Zhan's shocked gaze: "It's you!"
Ye Qianmei glanced at the sandalwood plaque in her hand, lazily sat up straight, and smiled charmingly: "That's right, all along, the person secretly cooperating with you is me!"
"Why aren't you staying in Xiliang? What are you doing in Qingyan?" Dongfang Zhan grabbed the wooden plaque and examined it carefully. It was the same token they used to exchange information, exactly the same.
"Ye Qianlong returned to Xiliang alive. My father is investigating the murderer who killed him. I came to Qingyan to avoid the storm and also to help Prince Zhan!" Ye Qianmei picked up clothes one by one and put them on slowly and without any hesitation in front of Dongfang Zhan.
"On the way to Qingyan, I was wondering how you, the mighty King of Qingyan, could not even kill Ye Qianlong, who was all alone. After seeing Dongfang Heng and Shen Lixue, I knew the reason!"
Dongfang Zhan frowned. He didn't want to believe it, but he had to admit that Dongfang Heng and Shen Lixue were very capable, working together seamlessly. Thinking of Ye Qianmei's words at the banquet, his gaze sharpened: "You like Dongfang Heng?"