novelraw Chapter 724 - 704: Getting Married
Chapter 724 - 704: Getting Married
As soon as Dugu Jing finished speaking, Xie Jue supported Lan Ningzhen as they entered the hall. Lan Ningzhen looked frail, almost leaning entirely on Xie Jue. She knelt beside General Lan, glaring angrily at Dugu Jing. "Ninth Prince, your marriage proposal was unsuccessful, and now you act out of humiliation and anger—not only trying to kill me, but also Mr. Helian. What did Mr. Helian do wrong? Are we to presume that whenever the Ninth Prince proposes marriage, if the woman declines, you would resort to murdering her, or coercing her by force?"
"Lan Ningzhen, do not distort the truth. It was clearly you and Helian Feng who conspired to trap me. Now, everyone condemns me while you and Helian remain untouched. Helian Feng is merely a strategist in my Second Brother’s household, yet he dared to sabotage our marriage from behind the scenes with malicious intent. He cannot be allowed to stay. Father killing him is merely removing a source of trouble for my Second Brother."
"How am I unaware of Helian being a so-called ’source of trouble’ in my household? Xiao Jiu, you should at least be logical in your accusations. Anning visited my residence, and fell for Helian at first sight—everyone knows this. At the time, you were still at war and hadn’t returned to Fox City. They even spent New Year’s Eve together in the countryside, deeply in love with one another. How does that translate to Helian sabotaging you behind the scenes?" The Second Prince asked his Princess leisurely, "Princess, what do you say?"
The Princess stood up, seamlessly supporting the Second Prince’s argument. "Father, after my younger sister met Mr. Helian at the residence, she was deeply smitten. Both the Prince and I believe that since my sister no longer holds the title of Goddess, her marriage should be free to choose. She was raised in Heavenly God Mountain from an early age, has a poor temper, and doesn’t understand the customs of Fox City or the Imperial Court. If she were to marry into a tribal or royal household, it would inevitably cause trouble. Rather than risk that, why not match her with someone of lower rank? If she were treated unfairly, both of us could stand up for her. Moreover, he wouldn’t dare to bully Anning. Considering this, we supported Anning and Helian’s marriage all along. Our only hesitation was Father’s desire to keep Anning at home for a few more years, which is why the matter of marriage was never explicitly raised. In truth, we’ve always been in favor of their union."
Dugu Jing fumed in fury. "Second Sister-in-law, you are lying! Lan Ningzhen clearly stated that there was never any talk of marriage with Helian."
"That’s because Mr. Helian, cognizant of his lowly status, loves Anning but didn’t dare to confess his feelings," the Second Prince interjected. "If it weren’t for Xiao Jiu’s relentless desire to seize and coerce, how could today’s conflict have escalated in the first place? Xiao Jiu nearly stabbed Anning with his sword, and now he plans to kill her beloved. Since when did Xiao Jiu become so ruthless? Or is it because Anning’s beloved is a strategist in my household? Are you trying to eliminate everyone of my household, Xiao Jiu? Killing Xiao Jinghong wasn’t enough for you, now you want to kill Helian Feng too?"
"Enough! Cease your quarrel!" The Beiman King roared in fury. The Second Prince was known for his temper, always speaking his mind without holding back. His words struck a nerve for the Beiman King, as Xiao Jinghong had indeed been killed by the King himself. Tonight, the Beiman King intended to eliminate Xie Jue for Dugu Jing as a precaution against future troubles. However, the situation had taken an unexpected turn. If he now sought to justify killing Helian Feng, it would undoubtedly damage his reputation. The Beiman King wielded immense authority and consistently garnered support for his actions. Yet if he continued to shield Dugu Jing amidst the scandal of Lan Ningzhen’s grave injuries and Dugu Jing’s recklessness, it would inevitably wound the Lan Family’s pride and loyalty.
High Priest Jin Tu intervened. "Your Majesty, since Miss Lan and Mr. Helian are deeply in love, and the Ninth Prince harbors no affection for him, why not grant their union? It would surely become a tale of goodwill. Tonight’s banquet is merely young people’s petty jealousy—it’s not a matter of great importance."
The High Priest was, in effect, providing the Beiman King a graceful way out. Despite his anger at the failure of his plans and displeasure over losing control of the situation, the King found himself in a difficult position with few choices left.
"Helian Feng, Lan Ningzhen, are you willing to become husband and wife, supporting each other in both adversity and prosperity?"