ASTRP -Chapter 220 The Princess Offers Herself

“Fourteen years old?”

“What’s wrong with being fourteen?”

“When your imperial uncle was fourteen, he was already invincible on the battlefield. He was outstanding.”

Xi Liyue took a deep breath. Could it be that the Emperor had poisoned the imperial uncle because of the throne?

But at that time, the Emperor had already ascended the throne and become Emperor. Could the succession still have been changed?

The more she thought about it, the more confused she became.

Still, Fang Dijun had lived in the palace for more than ten years after all.

She wiped away her tears and asked, “Yue’er, what are you thinking?”

“No matter what it is, Mother will help you!”

“I’ll make this clear right now—even if it means regicide, I’ll do it!”

The two personal maids hurriedly said, “Mistress… please don’t say that!”

“He harmed my daughter. How could I possibly let him go?!”

“Even if this child is ours, has he ever contributed even the slightest bit?”

“Did he ever love my child?”

“If he didn’t love her, fine. If he disliked me for raising a child back then, fine.”

“But now he’s harming my daughter…”

“What use is a father like that?!”

The two maids quickly knelt and begged Fang Dijun to calm down.

Fang Dijun said, “You two have followed me for so many years. You know what kind of person I am.”

“As long as you don’t speak of this, you may leave the palace. I’ll let you go.”

One of the maids hurriedly shook her head. “Mistress, you’ve done nothing wrong in this matter.”

“This servant is only afraid you’ll damage your health from anger.”

The other maid added, “Mistress, after following you for so many years, let me say something improper… you’re like an elder sister to me.”

“You’ve always treated us well. Now it’s our turn to repay you. Whatever you want to do, even if it costs our lives, we’ll do it for you.”

Xi Liyue told them to wait first. Things had not yet reached such a serious point.

She said, “Mother, the reason I mentioned this first is because Eunuch Hai has always helped the Emperor. He’s the Emperor’s right-hand man.”

“The several times he warned you before were most likely because the Emperor had instructed him to remind you to be careful whenever you attended the Emperor.”

“And recently, no matter what happens, don’t go against the Emperor or contradict Eunuch Hai.”

“You’re still thinking about me… my child, and I haven’t even taken good care of you…”

“You’re my mother. If I don’t think about you, who else would I think about?”

“Oh right, Mother, there’s something else I need to tell you.”

“Father Emperor has arranged for me to marry the son of General Ding Kang of Jinyu Kingdom.”

The moment Fang Dijun heard this, she became furious.

“So he deliberately had me write you a letter just to trick you into coming back for a political marriage?!”

“That Jinyu Kingdom is just a small country. For you to marry there would be beneath you!”

“And most importantly, General Ding Kang’s son is a sickly man. Won’t you suffer if you marry him?”

“Mother, don’t be anxious yet. The marriage hasn’t happened.”

“Because the Regent Prince of Jing Kingdom has arrived.”

Xi Liyue paused for a moment. “Um… Mother, if I were to marry Prince Yu of Jing Kingdom, would you agree?”

The topic changed so suddenly that Fang Dijun took a long while to process what Xi Liyue meant.

“Yue’er, I heard from the servants that it was Prince Yu who brought you back, and that you were reluctant to return.”

“Don’t tell me it’s because of Prince Yu?”

Xi Liyue nodded shyly.

“Mother, I like him. He specially came here this time for my sake.”

“Mother, Prince Yu is outside right now. Do you want to see him?”

“Of course I do!”

Fang Dijun hurriedly stood up. “Quick, invite him in!”

“You silly child, how could you leave Prince Yu waiting outside?”

“He came all this way especially for you.”

Xi Liyue quickly brought Prince Yu inside.

When Prince Yu saw Fang Dijun, he politely greeted her, “Greetings, Consort Fang.”

“Oh my, Prince Yu, there’s no need to be so formal.”

“Yue’er has already told me everything.”

“To be honest, if Yue’er marries you, Prince Yu, then I can finally rest assured.”

Not to mention that Prince Yu was a prince of Jing Kingdom—just looking at his handsome appearance made him pleasing to the eye no matter how one looked at him.

No wonder her precious Yue’er had been unwilling to return.

With such an ideal husband, even she wouldn’t want to come back.

Before coming, Xi Liyue had said that her mother was a very gentle and easygoing person.

Now that he had met her, it truly was so.

Prince Yu also relaxed.

“Yue’er has only just returned, so I’d also like to stay here for some time.”

“My imperial uncle and imperial aunt are here as well. They also wish to travel around for a while.”

“If Consort Fang doesn’t mind, tomorrow my imperial uncle and imperial aunt will come pay you a visit.”

Fang Dijun hurriedly smiled and nodded. “Good, good! It would be my honor for the Regent Prince and Princess Consort of Jing Kingdom to visit me!”

With that, the matter between Prince Yu and Xi Liyue was basically settled.

Xiao Jinghan and Feng Jingge had already guessed that Fang Dijun would gladly approve of their relationship.

However, they still had to help with Xi Liyue’s kidnapping matter.

After all, the Emperor was not easy to deal with—especially since he was Xi Liyue’s father.

There was no way she could handle him herself.

The next morning, Feng Jingge and Xiao Jinghan went together to Fang Dijun’s residence, only to run into the envoys from Jinyu Kingdom who had come to present tribute.

The one who arrived was the ruler of Jinyu Kingdom herself.

She wore a bright red dress and looked absolutely stunning.

Seated inside a sedan chair, she merely lifted the curtain slightly, yet it was impossible to look away.

Her personal maid attended at her side.

The Emperor stared at the ruler with fixed eyes.

Inside the reception hall, he nearly lost his composure.

Only after Eunuch Hai called out to him twice did the Emperor finally react.

“Oh.”

“What treasures has the envoy brought this time as tribute?”

Watching the Emperor’s behavior, Feng Jingge sneered inwardly.

The Emperor was already so old, yet he stared at a girl barely seventeen or eighteen in such a manner.

It was simply shameless beyond belief.

The envoy from Jinyu Kingdom stated that their kingdom’s only ruler of this generation wished to offer herself as tribute to Xi Qing Kingdom.

The Emperor’s expression immediately softened.

“Then let her join the imperial selection together with the others.”

But the envoy continued, “Your Majesty of Xi Qing Kingdom, our ruler wishes to marry your son, the First Prince Xi Qing Liyu.”

The Emperor immediately choked on his words, his face darkening.

He had assumed Jinyu Kingdom was presenting Princess Chengyu to him.

In the past, Chengyu had not seemed particularly remarkable—just too thin and childish-looking.

Yet upon this visit, she had blossomed into a graceful young woman.

“Ah… by imperial selection, I mean selecting consorts for my son. My son is already Crown Prince, so it’s only natural for him to choose consorts.”

“But…”

The Emperor suddenly changed his tone.

Having lost face, he sought to regain it by humiliating others.

“But my son already has both a principal wife and secondary consorts. If the ruler of Jinyu Kingdom wishes to marry in, she must follow the rules.”

“She’ll have to start as a concubine. Are you willing?”

The Emperor tilted his head, supporting his chin with one hand.

“Actually, you probably have no reason to refuse, do you?”

“To Xi Qing Kingdom, a barbaric little country like yours is nothing more than a tiny speck.”

“To become a concubine to Xi Qing Kingdom’s Crown Prince is already climbing above your station.”

The ruler remained seated inside the sedan chair. Behind the curtain, her hands clenched tightly into fists.