novelraw Chapter 1901 Resistance
Chapter 1901 Resistance
Chapter 1901 Resistance
"I object." As if out of control, Li Qiyou heard his own voice, each word spoken resolutely.
The entire courtyard fell silent instantly. Li Qianning's expression changed, but she still managed a forced smile. "Is Your Majesty drunk? This is Grandmother's wish..."
“Regardless of whose intention it is,” Li Qiyou stood up, meeting Li Qianning’s gaze directly, and said unequivocally, “I object.”
Mu Chuji looked at Li Qiyou with amusement, thinking to herself that he really did have an affair with Fang Zilan. The woman he was holding in his arms when they bumped into each other in the secluded place that day must have been Fang Zilan.
Unexpectedly, Li Qiyou would openly refute Li Qianning—their future empress of Miluo—for Fang Zilan's sake. Isn't this trampling on Mu Churui's face?
“Your Highness, Prince Yucheng.” Mu Churui looked troubled and slowly said, “This is, after all, an imperial edict personally issued by the Empress Dowager of Dajing. Even if Your Highness has some dissatisfaction, you should not be so disrespectful.”
Upon hearing this, Li Qiyou's expression grew even more unpleasant. He walked to Fang Zilan's side, only to see her stand up and stare at him intently, asking, "What is Your Highness doing?"
She frowned slightly, looking bewildered, as if she had no idea what was going on.
Li Qiyou was stunned for a moment, then grabbed Fang Zilan's wrist, but before he could say anything, she shook him off, saying, "Fang Zilan is here..."
She staggered and bowed, saying, "I accept the decree and thank you." She then stretched out her hand, but the next moment she collapsed.
"Miss Fang!" Amid the exclamations of the crowd, Li Qiyou ignored everything, picked up Fang Zilan and left without bowing or exchanging pleasantries, as if in silent protest.
Seeing the farce come to an end, Mu Churui said with an air of authority, "Since the Empress Dowager of Dajing has made the decision, and Miss Fang has already agreed to the marriage, then the Zhongzheng Prince's Mansion shall choose an auspicious day to hold the wedding."
Murong Xun hesitated, then put one arm around his indignant wife, Chen, and pressed down on his tense young son, Murong Qing, before finally agreeing.
The news spread quickly, and all of Miluo knew that another marriage alliance between the two countries had been formed: the wedding of Prince Zhongzheng and Miss Fang would take place the day after the wedding of the King of Miluo and Princess Dejia.
Upon receiving the news, Li Shengxuan, far away in the capital city of Dajing, crushed the teacup in his hand, startling Xiahou Zhang so much that he immediately knelt down, "Your Majesty..."
Li Shengxuan's face was ashen, and he said in a cold voice, "Issue my decree: the Southeast Camp and the Jiangnan Camp shall mobilize 100,000 troops and set off immediately for Lincheng. There shall be no delay."
"Your Majesty, this is absolutely unacceptable!" Xiahou Zhang's voice was unusually urgent. "With the marriage alliance between our two countries imminent, how can our Great Capital send troops to press on the border? This is..."
"Are we going to war?" He dared not say the rest, but it was obvious. Their usually composed emperor was now about to become a tyrannical and incompetent ruler for Fang Zilan's sake.
"Xiahou Zhang, go and deliver the imperial decree." Li Shengxuan stood up and looked down at Xiahou Zhang, only to see him kowtow and say, "Your Majesty, I am afraid I cannot obey."
Before he could finish speaking, Li Shengxuan had already drawn his sword and was heading straight for him, but he stopped just as he was about to reach his face.
Just then, a gentle voice suddenly rang out, "Please, Your Majesty, show mercy." The figure in blue who followed knelt down in front of Xiahou Zhang with a thud; it was Zhuge Yu.
"The Empress Dowager's decree has been issued, and it has been announced to the public at the Miluo State Banquet." Zhuge Yu raised his head, meeting Li Shengxuan's gaze without fear. "Miss Fang has accepted the decree and expressed her gratitude. The Prince Zhongzheng's Mansion has agreed to the marriage. What's done is done..."
"Zhuge Yu!" Li Shengxuan was furious and gritted his teeth. "Are you here to stop me?" "Please reconsider, Your Majesty." Zhuge Yu knelt upright and straightened his back. "As the ruler of the capital, Your Majesty cannot disregard the people for the sake of Miss Fang alone."
"Get out." Li Shengxuan did not sheathe his sword; he was completely out of control, unlike anything he had ever done before.
Zhuge Yu had no doubt that if he said a few more words, he would become a victim of Li Shengxuan's sword today. But as an official of the capital, he was obligated to remonstrate to the death because he was paid by the emperor.
Even if it costs him his life, he would never back down.
The Pei family initially ignored the uninvited guests outside the door. However, due to their large entourage, as more and more onlookers gathered, the Pei family had no choice but to open a crack in the door to inquire about their purpose.
Upon hearing that Fang Zilan and Fang Lihui wanted to see Fang Zitong, the Pei family servant hiding in the crack of the door quickly closed it, the loud bang shattering Zheng Yan's subsequent words.
Seeing this, Zheng Yan turned to look at Fang Zilan, who then raised her voice and said, "Everyone in the manor, please listen carefully. This is the last chance. If you do not open the door, I will have no choice but to break it down to ensure your safety."
She didn't deliberately mention Fang Zitong, but instead acted as if she was worried that something might have happened to someone in the Pei family after the Duke of Jin's death, and that she had no choice but to resort to this desperate measure.
Needless to say, her dignified appearance and words fooled many onlookers. Although they knew that Fang Zilan could not possibly care about the life or death of the Pei family out of "kindness," the Pei family's sneaky and secretive behavior of not announcing the death did indeed arouse suspicion.
If Fang Zilan could really open the gates of the Pei residence, wouldn't we be able to see what was going on? So immediately, some people started to clamor and echo, demanding that the Pei family open the gates.
Seeing that things were about to escalate, the Pei family servants had no choice but to open the door and invite Fang Zilan and Fang Lihui in, while everyone else was turned away.
Fang Zilan glanced at the tightly closed door, exchanged a look with Fang Lihui, and then followed the servants into the hall.
The path from the gate to the hall was deserted. White silk ribbons and flowers had already been hung up, but there were few sobs in the mansion, and even people were rarely seen. The entire Pei family seemed to be shrouded in an eerie silence.
"Please wait a moment, both of you." The servant respectfully invited Fang Zilan and Fang Lihui to sit down, and then turned and left.
A short while later, Pei Poming's wife came in, greeted Fang Zilan, and then greeted Fang Lihui.
Fang Zilan glanced at her and saw that she looked haggard and listless. She was thin and frail, as if cut from paper, and her robes were too big for her, hanging loosely over her body.
"You two..." Madam Pei Poming wanted to say a few more pleasantries, but Fang Zilan interrupted her without any politeness, "Madam Pei, Young Master Fang and I have come here today to see the Duchess of Jin and to express our condolences."
When Pei Poming's wife heard Fang Zilan's implication that she absolutely had to see Fang Zitong, her face paled. She forced a smile and said, "Lord Fang, my sister-in-law is so heartbroken that she has fallen ill and is unable to come out to see me. Please forgive her."
"The Duchess of Jin is ill?" Fang Zilan frowned slightly. "In that case, since Young Master Fang and I have already entered the Pei residence, how can we not visit her?"