novelraw Chapter 743 - 723: Willing to Let Go
Chapter 743 - 723: Willing to Let Go
Lan Ningzhen froze, unable to fathom why Xie Jue would even care about such an insignificant form of address. Could it be that he believed she was unworthy of calling Fang Chuning her elder brother?
Fang Chuning said, "When I was in Fox City, I recognized General Lan as my adoptive father and met Lan Zhen, recognizing her as my younger sister. Back then, I used her identity to move about in Fox City, forcing her to stay hidden in her home. You visited infrequently, so you never saw her."
When Xie Jue arrived, Lan Ningzhen always deliberately avoided him.
Fang Chuning helped Lan Ningzhen sit down. Xie Jue’s gaze towards her was as distant as that towards a stranger. Though he had received kindness from General Lan and bore no intention of making things difficult for Lan Ningzhen, his natural disposition was not as affable as Fang Chuning’s, especially towards strangers. Yet when those eyes, so strikingly similar to Fang Chuning’s, settled on him, Xie Jue felt a moment of softening, borne from affectionate association. Indeed, Lan Ningzhen bore a faint resemblance to Fang Chuning—she was only half a head shorter and, compared to Fang Lingjun, was even more fitting as Fang Chuning’s sister.
"Since Miss Lan already knows that it was Fang Chuning who took your place and became betrothed to me, why did you tell the Beiman King that you married me and had a daughter with me?" Xie Jue asked gently, deliberately softening his tone.
Lan Ningzhen’s eyes grew faintly red. "I know I’ve brought trouble to both my elder brother and to Your Highness, but the circumstances arose so suddenly that I had no other choice. Back when my brother was in Fox City, in order to avoid unwanted attention, I was sent away and lived in rural isolation for a time. During that period, I met a husband to whom I was deeply attached. We married, but he later died tragically during a hunting accident, mauled by a snow leopard. By then, I was already pregnant. When your identity was exposed and you became the target of a manhunt across the entire territory, the Lan Family severed all ties with you, claiming they had been deceived by you. At the time, I was three months pregnant and could no longer hide it. With my husband’s death, everyone assumed the child was yours. The King, knowing the Beining People value blood ties and family, intended to use my unborn child as leverage against you. Later, I gave birth to Mingzhu. The King planned to exploit lineage for his purposes, but my father thought it unwise and exchanged his military merits for freedom for me and Mingzhu. Originally, I had believed our paths would never cross again in this life. Even the Ninth Prince never disclosed our identity. Yet now, surrendering brings us into an unexpected reunion. The web of lies woven back then now requires careful unraveling step by step. My father and I are uncertain whether you will expose the truth of what happened all those years ago. Out of necessity, we have adhered to the King’s arrangements, first coming to Shangjing to discuss terms and then proceeding with subsequent steps. My father and I have no desire to publicize the matter. It’s not because the Lan Family covets the glory and riches of Prince Yan but because the Lan Family holds many marital ties within Beiman. My brothers have all died honorably on the battlefield, and to the Beiman people, our household is seen as one of utmost loyalty and valor. If my father were revealed as a traitor, our entire clan would face disgrace. My father values reputation above all else and prefers to keep things hidden. I entreat my elder brother and Your Highness to show leniency."
What Lan Ningzhen recounted was not far from what Xie Jue and Fang Chuning had speculated. This matter lay hidden from all, and both parties intended to honor General Lan’s kindness. Thus, they held no resistance toward accommodating the Lan Family.
"Agreed!" Xie Jue promised her. "No one beyond this room will know of it. What happened back then is all in the past. I likewise hope that you refrain from mentioning Anning’s impersonation of you in Fox City. Let this matter remain buried between us."
The Lan Family wished to preserve its honor.
He, too, wished to safeguard Fang Chuning’s reputation. Both sides tacitly understood that keeping silent was the optimal resolution.
"My father and I have never spoken of this to outsiders. I am different in temperament from my elder brother, and my father has always claimed to others that he was deceived by Your Highness, thereby suffering such devastating consequences that his character changed dramatically. He has never mentioned my brother. In the future, neither will I speak on this matter. Elder brother and Your Highness may rest assured," Lan Ningzhen said with full awareness. She did not wish to trouble Xie Jue further and proactively stated, "The events of those years were mere twists of fate. The arrangement of the Lan Family is the King’s doing. Your Highness and I are strangers, and I do not covet the position of Princess. Your Highness can categorically deny those events. If it would damage your reputation, you may simply write a letter of divorce; marriage ties between us will henceforth be nonexistent."
Fang Chuning and Xie Jue both hadn’t anticipated Lan Ningzhen would bring up this proposal herself. Now that the two sides had reconciled through diplomacy, Xie Jue’s past experiences in Beiman were widely known. If he outright denied them, his reputation might suffer. Xie Jue, however, cared little for his reputation and had already considered approaching Lan Ningzhen to discuss this arrangement.
If the Lan Family had leveraged their past ties to demand the position of Princess, Xie Jue, out of his bond with Fang Chuning, would not have outright refused. But if they could agree to a divorce, that would be ideal. Beiman women traditionally held little regard for marital separations, as they could remarry freely. Lan Ningzhen’s initiative and discretion allowed Xie Jue a sense of relief, mixed with a hint of compassion.
Fang Chuning, meanwhile, felt deeply unsettled and guilt-ridden. This seemed the best possible outcome under the circumstances.
"The Lan Family has shown great kindness to Anning and me," Xie Jue said. "Lan Ningzhen and I did indeed perform the matrimonial rites in Beiman, and everyone has taken Mingzhu to be my daughter. If Miss Lan has no objection, Mingzhu can acknowledge me as her father. After our divorce, Mingzhu will be granted the title of Commandery Princess, becoming the eldest daughter of the Prince Yan Mansion. What does Miss Lan think?"
Lan Ningzhen, who possessed a thorough understanding of Beining’s customs and culture, knew that Xie Jue was the sole Prince of the realm. She also grasped the implications of Fang Chuning’s and Xie Jue’s interactions. Barring unexpected developments, Mingzhu would remain the sole daughter of the Prince Yan Mansion. Mingzhu’s future—whether it be her status, upbringing, or marriage prospects—would undoubtedly be secure, backed by powerful support.
Moreover, Mingzhu, unaware of the adults’ matters, had been raised from infancy under the belief that Xie Jue was her father. Not knowing the truth, Lan Ningzhen, for her daughter’s future, happily agreed.
"Ningzhen thanks Your Highness for your kindness."
Neither Xie Jue nor Fang Chuning had anticipated their negotiation to go so smoothly. Yet Xie Jue’s mind lingered on another matter: if he never intended to marry, granting the title of Princess to Lan Ningzhen—with a daughter already in place—could silence the endless speculation from the outside world and extinguish Fang Chuning’s lingering hopes.
Xie Jue felt a pang of suffocation within his heart. Could he truly bear it?
Anning would be heartbroken, wouldn’t he?
If he granted Lan Ningzhen the position of Princess, Anning would understand his stance—that their paths held no hope of convergence in this life. But if he refused, leaving Anning with even a glimmer of hope, could he truly stomach seeing Fang Chuning waste away the rest of his days?
The Grand Marshal and Mrs. Fang were already pressuring him to wed. As the years passed, it became increasingly difficult to decline. Anning’s position had grown precarious; Xie Jue could not stand beside him and shield him from the onslaught of rumors, yet the blade that fate held poised over him—was Xie Jue prepared to plunge it?
Xie Jue, can you bear it?