novelraw Chapter 767 - 746: As You Wish
Chapter 767 - 746: As You Wish
In Dugu Jing’s brief twenty years of life, women had mostly come and gone fleetingly. There were indeed moments of astonishment, such as with Fengyu, but these were all fleeting impressions based on looks and temperaments, like blossoms appearing for a moment only to fade. He was like a flower connoisseur, caring little whether the blossoms bloomed high in the clouds or on the roadside. He appreciated them briefly and never kept them in his heart—he had far more important matters to attend to. In Beiman, pleasing anyone was hardly a necessity.
And now, in Beining, he found himself needing to curry favor with a woman’s family. Dugu Jing thought disdainfully: "If no marriage alliance is formed, so be it. I’m certainly not begging the Fang Family to marry into mine."
"You are begging them!" Xie Xun retorted unexpectedly. To think that one day, he would be so closely associated with a former rival—Xie Xun himself barely had any friends. Once upon a time, his relationships with Lin Xiao, Zhang Boxin, and others were cordial, but they leaned more toward reverence, treating him with respect and deference rather than true friendship. Only Dugu Jing, even now with Xie Xun as emperor, showed none of the submissiveness typical of other subjects.
He liked this kind of interaction.
"The Marshal commands Jiangnan’s army of a hundred thousand, and Fang Chuning enjoys considerable influence within the Ningzhou Iron Cavalry Army. I am not some foolish emperor from the Yuwen Royal Family, and they are not the Marquis Zhenbei Mansion. At least under me, Ruyi, and this generation, the Fang Family will remain a first-ranked military aristocracy, wielding both high status and power. Fang Lingjun is the Marshal’s most beloved daughter, sought after by countless suitors. You, Dugu Jing, never married during your time as part of the Beiman Royal Family, so you’ve never experienced the advantages that come from marital alliances. Here in Beining, family connections run deep—clans flourish with interlinked branches and intricate marriage relations, creating vast networks of influence necessary for accomplishing big things. You are an assimilated member of the Beiman Royal Family; despite being granted the title of Duke Wu’an, many still see you as an outsider. If you don’t want to languish idly in the capital, you must find a suitable wife’s family to support you. My favor alone is insufficient. Besides, I need you to have a wife’s family to balance the political equilibrium," Xie Xun elaborated.
Dugu Jing sneered coldly: "You are blunt, I’ll give you that."
"Wouldn’t it be better for us to be honest with each other? So, are you considering lowering your pride and building ties with the Marshal’s family?"
"They don’t think much of me," Dugu Jing snapped in annoyance. Beneath his composed demeanor lay a deep-seated pride; he had no intention of humbling himself, much less "chasing after" anyone. After all, he wasn’t exactly incapable of finding a wife.
"The Marshal praises you endlessly, but Mrs. Fang has quite a few criticisms of you. Mostly, it’s because you look too imposing. Maybe you should consider a different wardrobe. You’re handsome by birth, and now that you’re part of Beining, changing your attire could transform you into a dashing young gentleman. That wild Beiman aesthetic of yours is a bit... coarse," Xie Xun remarked, unabashedly blunt and disparaging.
The Beining people weren’t particularly fond of Beiman styles. The women’s attire might be seen as exotically charming, but the men’s? Unusually primitive. Dugu Jing had steadfastly held onto his Beiman garb, as though it were imbued with some unwavering obsession. His hair was braided into numerous small plaits, and he adorned his outfits with jewelry and gemstones—all things that ran contrary to the tastes of Beining women. Only his face could be considered undeniably striking!
"I happen to like Beiman clothing; how is it ugly?"
"It’s just a suggestion—no need to get worked up!" Xie Xun tutted and ventured another suggestion. "Beining and Beiman aren’t the same. You Beiman people dwell in icy landscapes, barely able to bathe even a few times in a year. Whereas in Beining... here, you’ll need to wash your hair often and change your clothes frequently."
"What are you trying to say?" Dugu Jing bristled, his face reddening—not entirely clear whether it was from anger or embarrassment.
Xie Xun adopted a smug, enigmatic expression. "Interpret it however you like."
Dugu Jing: "..."
Even Xie Jue had begun to feel that Xie Xun’s summons for Dugu Jing were becoming overly frequent. To outsiders, it could only be seen as favoritism and deep affection. After all, when an emperor likes someone, frequent audiences are inevitable—ordinary officials who long to see the emperor often have to wait endlessly.
Xie Xun never hid his preferences, nor did he fear others seeing his favoritism. "If I plan to rely on him heavily in the future, cultivating personal bonds is essential. Only then will his loyalty to the court be assured."
"The emperor’s excessive indulgence won’t necessarily benefit him—it’s best kept within reasonable bounds," Xie Jue advised coolly. "The High Priest has already acquiesced, and what follows can be handed over to the Ministry of Rites. The location of the temple must be chosen carefully; steer clear of places like the Ancestral Temple or Xiangguo Temple. The Astronomical Observatory should calculate a prime feng shui site for it!"
Xie Jue emphasized "prime feng shui site" in particular; after all, Beiman people didn’t believe in feng shui, but it was something the Beining people held as truth. Xie Xun immediately grasped his second brother’s intent.
"You and Ayu really support Dugu Jing marrying Fang Lingjun? You’ve even encouraged him to court the Fang Family?" Xie Jue raised an eyebrow. Xie Xun’s tendency to lavish affection on those he favored was well-known—he always sought to give them the very best.
"I only offered a suggestion. Did he actually follow through?" Xie Xun’s eyes lit up with excitement. Dugu Jing obeyed his advice? That wasn’t typical of him!
Xie Jue replied calmly: "Dugu Jing didn’t personally visit, but the Princess Consort Jingbei sent an invitation, asking Mrs. Fang and Fang Lingjun to join her for an afternoon of wine and archery."
"The Third and Fourth Princesses both have a favorable view of Fang Lingjun. If this marriage were to happen, it would be a good match. Fang Lingjun, coming from a military family, would undoubtedly find harmony in marriage with Dugu Jing," Xie Xun mused. He wasn’t the type to arbitrarily pair couples—success would ultimately depend on whether Dugu Jing and Fang Lingjun grew to like one another.
It was the Princess Consort Jingbei’s first time sending an invitation to the Fang Family, inviting Mrs. Fang and Fang Lingjun for a gathering. It was also a clear signal from the Beiman Royal Family, expressing their willingness to forge ties with the Fang Family, a sentiment the emperor didn’t shy away from displaying.
At least, it was a promising sign. Upon returning home, Dugu Jing had likely conferred with Prince Jingbei, who had always been protective of his younger brother. What Dugu Jing couldn’t achieve, Prince Jingbei would accomplish himself, never hesitating to lower his stature to build connections, nor caring for the gossip that might ensue.
"I’ll be busy with preparations for Sannan’s envoy visit next, so I’ll have no time for idle concerns. As for Dugu Jing and Fang Lingjun’s marriage, let it take its natural course—don’t interfere," Xie Jue warned.
He knew Fang Chuning harbored some resentment toward the matter, precisely because of the Lan Ningzhen incident. Truth be told, Dugu Jing hadn’t pursued Lan Ningzhen out of love—it was more about finding a kindred spirit.
"Got it. I wouldn’t dare," Xie Xun replied honestly. After all, consideration of his second brother’s feelings aside, there was also Fengyu and Fang Lingjun’s friendship to factor in.
As Xie Xun spoke, he couldn’t help but glance again at the faint bite mark on Xie Jue’s neck. Even though it had faded over the past few days, remnants of the mark were still visible. Xie Xun felt stifled, wanting to ask but not daring to. "Second Brother, are you and Fang Chuning still in that state of estrangement—cutting ties completely and never speaking again?"
"What are you trying to ask?"
"Nothing. Just curious since you’ll be traveling alongside him. Thought I’d ask," Xie Xun responded sheepishly, unwilling to probe further.
"This is what you’ve hoped for—why are you hesitating now?" Xie Jue replied with a faint but cutting smile. "Rest assured, Second Brother will fulfill your wishes perfectly."
Xie Xun: "..."
Second Brother, you misunderstand! I had no such wish!