L'hibiscus comme peinture

Chapitre 99

Before Zhengxuan could speak, Eunuch Li entered again and respectfully said to Zhengxuan, "Your Majesty, Prince Jin requests an audience."

"Summon them." Zhengxuan waved his hand, a meaningful smile playing on his lips. They've come at just the right time!

Upon hearing that Jinxuan had arrived, Wu Ying nervously twisted the hem of her clothes with both hands. Her originally pale face turned as red as a tomato, and anyone who didn't know better would think she was a bride-to-be!

Behind the screen, Ao Jun clenched her fists, feeling nervous. But she didn't know what she was nervous about. She believed that Jin Xuan would not agree to the marriage, but for some reason, she felt as if she was waiting for a verdict, and her palms were sweating with nervousness.

Ao Xue noticed Ao Jun's nervousness and whispered in her ear, "Don't worry." Her words were like a reassurance, making Ao Jun's heart relax slightly, and her clenched fists loosened.

"Your Majesty, I greet you." Jin Xuan stepped in under the gaze of three bright lights and two dark lights, bowed to Zheng Xuan, and said politely when he saw that Prince Zhongwu and his daughter were also in the Imperial Study. "The old prince and Wu Ying are here too!" His Majesty had summoned him here for no reason, saying that there was a reason for his presence, and the old prince and the others were also here. Could this matter be related to them?

"Third Brother." Wu Ying bowed gracefully to Jin Xuan and called out shyly. Her voice was so sweet it made one's skin crawl! Ao Xue, standing behind the screen, exaggeratedly rubbed her arms and whispered, "I'm getting goosebumps."

“Brother Jin, you’ve come at the right time. The old prince has come here to ask me to bestow a marriage upon you and Princess Wuying. What do you think?” Zhengxuan said with a sincere smile, as if he were saying, “I respect your wishes very much.”

Jin Xuan was taken aback when Zheng Xuan summoned him to discuss this matter. He had assumed his elder brother had called him to help him and Jun, but it turned out he wanted him to marry Wu Ying. What did he mean? He didn't believe his elder brother was unaware of how much he loved Jun, how Jun had been avoiding him these past few days, causing him great distress, and how Yelü Ying had been lingering, making him constantly anxious... He would never marry Wu Ying; in this life, he would never marry any woman other than Jun.

Looking at Wu Ying, who was nervous and at a loss, Jin Xuan made a decision: "My lord, it's not that I want to force you, but I really don't want to lose you. The appearance of Yelü Ying can make you waver in your determination to be with me. I'm afraid. I'm afraid you will change your mind and leave me, so I have no choice but to do this."

Ao Jun and Wu Ying both watched Jin Xuan, who was deep in thought, with great tension. Their thoughts differed. Ao Jun thought with displeasure, "Does it really take you so long to think? Do you really have feelings for Wu Ying?" Wu Ying's heart was pounding, and she almost tore her clothes in her hands: "Third brother, say yes! Wu Ying has loved you so much since we were little, say yes!"

As everyone waited anxiously for Jinxuan's final decision, Jinxuan suddenly knelt before Zhengxuan and said with utmost seriousness, "Your Majesty, I beg Your Majesty to grant me this marriage."

A single stone stirred up a thousand waves. A single sentence left Ao Jun pale, staggering backward, his mind blank. Only that one sentence remained: "Your Majesty, I beg you to grant me marriage." A marriage? He really wanted to marry Cheng Wuying? He truly loved Cheng Wuying? If that was the case, then why did he say he loved her? Why did he pretend to be so deeply in love with her? Was he toying with her? Her heart ached so much! The pain was so intense she wanted to die. Her heart felt as if it had been ripped out, the sky had collapsed, the earth had caved in. So this was what it felt like to be betrayed by the one you loved! This feeling was unbearable, suffocating as if her heart had been ripped apart. When Yelü Ying found out she had betrayed their promise, did he feel the same way? Today she finally tasted it… Was this karma? She had caused Yelü Ying, who loved her deeply, this pain; today, the one she loved had caused her the same pain…

Ao Xue, deeply worried, supported the swaying Ao Jun, her own face pale. She hadn't expected Jin Xuan to agree to this marriage; she hadn't even considered the possibility. It was simply impossible! Jin Xuan wasn't that kind of person! But she had truly heard Jin Xuan ask Xiao Xuanzi to grant him the marriage. Could it be that he had really fallen for someone else in just a few days? No, she still couldn't believe it…

"Third Brother..." Wu Ying called out excitedly and affectionately. She was so happy, so overjoyed! Her heart was about to soar. If it weren't for her girlish modesty, she would have run over and hugged her beloved Third Brother tightly. Heavens! Was she dreaming? Third Brother really agreed to marry her? She begged the Emperor to grant them marriage. Was she really going to become Third Brother's bride? This was her childhood dream, and it was finally coming true. These past few days, Third Brother's coldness had made her so uneasy; she had no appetite and couldn't sleep. She had been so anxious for nothing… It turned out she had misunderstood Third Brother. He still loved her. As for that Mo Jun, he was probably just a good friend of Third Brother's! She knew it! How could Third Brother fall for a man! Third Brother was still hers; no one could take him away. How happy she was!

"Jin Di, you...you say it again? I didn't hear you very clearly." Zheng Xuan said in disbelief. He must have misheard. How could Jin Di say such a thing to him?

"Your Majesty, since Prince Jin has agreed, then..." Upon hearing Jin Xuan's agreement, Prince Zhongwu's already radiant face became even more beaming, as if he himself were about to get married, and he spoke excitedly. However, the Emperor's reaction was somewhat strange, as if he didn't want Jin Xuan to marry Ying'er...

Before the Prince of Zhongwu could finish speaking, Jinxuan continued, saying to Zhengxuan with utmost sincerity, "Your Majesty, please grant my brother and Mo Jun a marriage." Few people knew Jun's real name, so he was always referred to as Mo Jun in public.

"Boom..." Jinxuan dropped another heavy atomic bomb, and everyone present was stunned by the blast, but their moods had just turned around.

Ao Jun was completely stunned by the words that conveyed both sorrow and joy, unable to process what she was feeling. It was probably like going from hell to heaven! So the person he asked his brother-in-law to grant him a marriage was her! She had misunderstood him. How could she have misunderstood Jin Xuan's deep affection? Her heart was filled with ecstasy and disbelief. Her suffocating heart suddenly felt lighter, and the world seemed to brighten up. She couldn't explain it, but she felt her face wet, as if something was about to burst from her eyes.

A pair of soft hands gently wiped Ao Jun's face. Before her was Ao Xue's smiling face, which looked like a flower in bloom. Her smiling eyes reflected Ao Xue's face, which seemed to be both crying and laughing. Was this still her? Hehe... Love really does change people. Although she was in a mess, she didn't feel ashamed at all. Her joy overshadowed everything.

Wu Ying's smile froze, her already pale face turning even more bloodless. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at Jin Xuan, unconsciously taking several steps back. If Prince Zhongwu hadn't caught her quickly, she would have collapsed, almost fainting. Her chest heaved, and a slender hand clutched her chest tightly: "No, this can't be! I must have misheard! I must have misheard! Third Brother wouldn't say that! Mo Jun... Mo Jun is a man! How could Third Brother possibly request the Emperor to grant him a marriage to a man? How could he so resolutely refuse the marriage to her face? How could he hurt her like this? Doesn't he love her at all? All for that vixen-like, androgynous thing! Third Brother, I hate him so much..."

"Prince Jin, you... Mo Jun is a man just like you, what nonsense are you spouting? How can Ying'er bear this!" Prince Zhongwu angrily confronted Jin Xuan. Ying'er was his most beloved daughter, and seeing her lying pale and weak in his arms, he felt heartbroken. What pained him even more was that his most admired Prince Jin had fallen in love with a man and was so disregarding societal norms by asking the Emperor to grant him a marriage. He was hurting Ying'er's heart like this for that man. Was this still the Jin Xuan who had treated Ying'er so gently since childhood?

"Your Majesty, please grant us this marriage." Jin Xuan was now completely determined, ignoring Cheng Wuying who was about to collapse and the angry rebuke from the Prince Zhongwu, and spoke firmly once again. Nothing and no one could stop him now.

"Haha... It's rare for Brother Jin to make a request of me, how could I refuse? Get up quickly!" Zhengxuan strode forward, helped Jinxuan up, and laughed heartily, just like an enlightened emperor. Hehe, he had been waiting for this sentence for so long, and it was finally said. Whew, he breathed a sigh of relief. He was really scared to death by him just now.

"Your Majesty, I thank you." Jinxuan said happily, but seeing his elder brother's fox-like smile, he felt as if he had been tricked!

"Your Majesty, how...how could you agree to this? Mo Jun...Mo Jun is a man, how could you agree to two men marrying?" The wise Prince Zhongwu's eyes widened, his voice trembling as he questioned in disbelief. Even with his vast experience and profound wisdom, he couldn't believe the reality before him. The fact that Prince Jin had fallen in love with a 'man' was already overwhelming enough for him, but now the Emperor seemed happy to grant his wish. Or perhaps it was more accurate to say that the Emperor wished Prince Jin would say those words sooner, because he keenly sensed a sigh of relief when Prince Jin uttered them. What had happened? Why had things turned out this way? Why was the Emperor so strongly supporting such a shocking relationship? Was he getting old and unable to keep up with the younger generation?

"Prince Zhongwu is mistaken. His Majesty has not agreed to allow two men to marry." A clear and pleasant voice came from behind the screen. Everyone looked towards the source of the voice, and what they saw was astonishing! Two stunningly beautiful women gracefully emerged from behind the screen…

The Strategist and the Princess: Capital Chapter 71 - Undercurrents

“Your Majesty is mistaken. The Emperor has not agreed to allow the two men to marry.” A clear and pleasant voice came from behind the screen.

Everyone looked towards the source of the sound, and what they saw was astonishing! Two stunningly beautiful women gracefully emerged from behind the screen…

"Jun..." Jin Xuan called out cautiously to the stunningly beautiful woman standing behind Ao Xue. My God! Is this person really Jun? So this is how beautiful she is when she dresses as a woman... uh... even the most beautiful words in the world are not enough to describe her.

"Your Majesty, I pay my respects. Your Majesty just said that His Majesty did not agree? But His Majesty clearly..." Prince Zhongwu came back to his senses and asked Aoxue respectfully and doubtfully. He was slightly stunned when he first saw the stunningly beautiful woman in front of him. He felt that he had seen her somewhere before, but then he thought that it was impossible! If he had seen such a beautiful woman before, he would not forget her!

Ao Xue chuckled softly and said gently, "His Majesty just agreed to the marriage between Prince Jin and Jun, but he didn't agree to let two men get married!" Seeing the even more puzzled expressions on Prince Zhongwu and Wu Ying's faces, she exchanged a glance with Zheng Xuan, pulled Ao Jun in front of her, and laughed even more happily, "Your Highness, do you think the person in front of you is a man or a woman?"

Upon hearing this and looking at her, Wu Ying instantly understood and was shocked: it was her, she was actually a woman.

The Prince of Zhongwu glanced at the person before him, even more puzzled, and said, "Of course she's a woman, Your Majesty... "

Ao Xue covered her mouth and chuckled, "Prince Zhongwu is right. In that case, there's nothing wrong with His Majesty bestowing a marriage upon Prince Jin and her, right?" She's digging another pit for you to fall into. It seems your daughter is smarter than you! She had already seen through it, which made her even more certain that she was not as weak as she appeared. On the contrary, she was very cunning, shrewd, and a good actress. She's not Lin Daiyu!

“That’s right!” King Zhongwu nodded in agreement with Aoxue’s words. Thump, you’ve fallen into a trap! However, King Zhongwu’s reputation was not just for show. As soon as he finished speaking, he understood the crux of the problem. He stared at the beautiful woman who had been looking at Prince Jin with an expression that had not changed from beginning to end. He had only seen that kind of cold and arrogant aura in one person before.

"She...she's Grand Tutor Mo? The world-renowned Young Master Mo is...is a woman." This was truly unbelievable. What kind of woman was she?! Even he, a man who had spent his life on the battlefield, had heard the soldiers in the camp recount how she had meticulously planned and executed battles, winning seemingly impossible campaigns in just three months, her strategies always astonishing, fulfilling the promise she made when she first entered the army. He was even more adept at military strategy and tactics than she was; she was far superior to him! Not only that, she also possessed the art of Qimen Dunjia, breaking the evil Blood Soul Heavenly Stem Eight Trigrams Formation and saving the world. The Five Elements and Eight Trigrams were extremely profound subjects, understood by very few, yet she was so proficient. He simply couldn't believe such a person existed in the world, and he had always wanted to find an opportunity to learn from her. But now he was being told that Mo Jun was a woman? The world's number one strategist, revered like a god by everyone in the camp, was a woman—how could he possibly accept this?

“Exactly.” Ao Xue nodded, giving an affirmative answer.

“But if she is a woman, how can she serve as an official in the court, how can she hold the position of Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince?” Prince Zhongwu still couldn’t believe it. How could the Emperor possibly allow a woman to serve as an official in the court?

"Your Highness, everyone has witnessed Mo Jun's talent. I will not bury her because she is a woman. Even if no one knows that she is a woman, even if the whole world knows that 'Young Master Mo Jun' is a woman, I will still make her the Crown Prince's tutor. She will still be the number one strategist in the world. No one will change that. But I also believe that whether she is a man or a woman, it will not affect her status in the hearts of the people." Zheng Xuan straightened his face and said with certainty, his eyes full of admiration for Ao Jun.

"Women can also look down on the world with pride, and can achieve unparalleled fame just like men. Women can also have their own world." Ao Xue put away her smile and said proudly, an innate arrogance emanating from her. In the ancient feudal society where men were superior to women, women were always taught to obey the three obediences and four virtues. Even the most talented women could not escape this shackle. Such a statement can be described as a shocking statement.

However, Emperor Zhengxuan and Prince Jinxuan nodded in approval of this statement.