novelraw Chapter 896 - 851: Political Marriage
Chapter 896 - 851: Political Marriage
Zhao Xunyin was startled, "Wanwan, are you joking with your mother?"
Wen Wan’s expression became extremely solemn, "Mother, I must personally go to Northern Yan."
Zhao Xunyin was completely stunned for a while before reacting, "What did you say? What go to Northern Yan? How can you, a girl..."
"Just as Li Yuan and Fu Zichuan are finding ways to send me to Northern Yan, I’ll just go with the flow," Wen Wan said. "There’s an old saying that you can’t catch a tiger’s cub without entering the tiger’s den. Li Yuan is now a turtle in a jar in Chu Country; it’s not hard to kill her. But doing so will only exacerbate the war between Northern Yan and Chu Country. When that happens, both sides will be hurt, the people will suffer, and it’s not conducive to Your Majesty unifying the kingdom. So I thought about it and felt that the best way is for me to go to Northern Yan in person. Some things can only be understood when you’re there."
Zhao Xunyin pulled her hand, frowned, and shook her head, "Wanwan, such a big decision can’t be made by you alone. I understand your longing to reunite with Third Son, but what kind of place is Northern Yan? It’s an enemy country! You’re now in Chu Capital; whatever you do, Your Majesty can protect you somewhat. But once you leave his sight to go to Northern Yan, he won’t be able to protect you. What if something happens then?"
"Mother, I’ve thought very clearly in these past few days." Wen Wan said calmly, "I’ll enter the palace later to discuss this with His Majesty."
Zhao Xunyin immediately put on a stern face and said angrily, "I disagree!"
Wen Wan was taken aback. Since recognizing each other, her mother had never lost her temper with her. Clearly, this matter had truly rattled her.
Zhao Xunyin was unspeakably angry in her heart, "Your father went to the Northern Border, and Yanqing is nowhere to be found. Now, I only have a pair of children left in the Capital. If you go to the Northern Border and something happens, what will I do? When Third Son comes asking for you, how am I supposed to explain?"
Wen Wan herself was already a mother; she could deeply understand Zhao Xunyin’s mindset at this moment. She didn’t stubbornly insist on going but instead leaned her head into Zhao Xunyin’s embrace and said softly, "I will discuss it with His Majesty. If he also feels it is unwise, then I won’t go."
Zhao Xunyin remained resolute, "If you must enter the palace, then I’ll accompany you!"
...
Half an hour later, the carriage from the Changning Marquis Mansion stopped outside the Imperial City Gate. Immediately, a eunuch from the palace brought a sedan chair to carry the Princess Guardian and Princess Yong’an to the Qianqing Palace.
It was only upon arrival that they learned Emperor Xuanjing was in the Imperial Garden with the Empress, admiring the plum blossoms.
Zhao Xunyin and Wen Wan had to change course to go to the Imperial Garden.
After a heavy snowfall, the Imperial Garden’s snow was swept clean by palace attendants, revealing colorful pebbles arranged in "Fu, Lu, Shou" patterns.
Zhao Xunyin and Wen Wan, mother and daughter, treaded on the pebbles, followed the eunuch, and after several twists and turns, they saw the Fubai Pavilion with its round top built over the water. On both sides extended small verandas, the lake had a thin layer of ice, and red plums on the shore were cold and beautiful.
Emperor Zhao Xi, dressed in casual attire, was accompanying Empress Dong Han in the pavilion, with a dozen palace attendants and eunuchs waiting outside.
Clearly, having received a prior notice, Zhao Xi glanced at Wen Wan while sipping tea.
Wen Wan was not afraid of Zhao Xi, so she met the young emperor’s gaze with composure and confidence.
Arriving at the Fubai Pavilion, Dong Han smiled upon seeing Wen Wan, "Imperial Aunt, Princess, please come in and sit."
Zhao Xunyin glanced at Dong Han, pulled Wen Wan, and paid respects to the Empress and Emperor before expressing gratitude and sitting down in the pavilion.
Immediately, a palace maid brought hot tea.
Wen Wan wrapped her hands around the teacup to warm her hands, glanced around, and said with a smile, "The scenery here is indeed nice. No wonder Your Majesty has such elegant interests."
Dong Han hurriedly said, "Seeing Your Majesty overly fatigued these days, I suggested during lunch that we come to the Fubai Pavilion to admire the plum blossoms."
Zhao Xi spoke up, "It’s rare for Imperial Aunt to visit the palace; coincidentally, the plum blossoms on the shore are in full bloom. Empress, accompany Imperial Aunt for a walk."
Dong Han immediately understood this was to send away the unnecessary people. She stood up and agreed, then invited Zhao Xunyin, "Imperial Aunt, let’s go admire the plum blossoms."
Zhao Xunyin pursed her lips and glanced at Wen Wan.
Wen Wan smiled, raising her eyebrows, "The Empress has spoken, Mother, don’t be lazy sitting, you go first. I’ll come in a bit. I heard there are Little Jade Butterfly Plums; please pick some more for me to take back and place in a vase."
Zhao Xi didn’t want Wen Wan to overhear, so Zhao Xunyin could only silently sigh, stood up, and accompanied the Empress out.
Zhao Xi sent the ten or so palace attendants and eunuchs outside to follow the Empress, leaving only him and Wen Wan in Fubai Pavilion.
Zhao Xi’s handsome face was indifferent, lacking any particular emotion, "Speak, what matter is so urgent that you need to enter the palace and find Me?"
If he remembered correctly, she had been busy dealing with the so-called "new lover" Fu Zichuan these days and hadn’t visited the palace for quite some time.
Wen Wan spoke bluntly, "I want to go to Bei Yan."
Zhao Xi was somewhat surprised, "What will you do in Bei Yan?"
"Did Your Majesty not ask me to come up with ideas previously?" Wen Wan said: "I thought it over carefully, the Bei Yan delegation won’t stay in Chu Capital for much longer, and to plot within that limited time for the Imperial Concubine to betray Emperor Yan and for Emperor Yan to become enraged enough to depose her is nearly impossible. Therefore, I wish to go to Bei Yan myself; only there will I have the opportunity to make my moves."
"How will you go?" Zhao Xi asked again.
Wen Wan smiled, "Prince Liang has been pestering me these days; he wants to take me to Bei Yan. But all their secret agents left in Chu Capital have been destroyed, and now they have no power at all, relying only on persistence and even promising me the position of Heir Consort to entice me to go to Bei Yan. I agreed."
"You plan to go to Bei Yan through diplomatic marriage?" Zhao Xi’s tone obviously carried several notes of disapproval.
Seeing that Wen Wan acquiesced, he said, "Diplomatic marriage is no small matter; once truly confirmed, it will affect the future situation between the two countries. Moreover, once you go to Bei Yan, I will find it difficult to guarantee your safety."
After a pause, he gazed at Wen Wan, "The most important point is, you agreed to become Fu Zichuan’s Heir Consort; can Song Wei consent to this matter?"
Wen Wan lowered her head silently, after a while she said, "Perhaps women’s minds are more sensitive; I always feel that Li Yuan is overly obsessed with taking Amuer away. She wants to bring me to Bei Yan to use me as leverage against Your Majesty, to make Your Majesty hand over Amuer. Thinking about it carefully, Amuer is just a child. Even if he is a reincarnated king, even if he is brought back to Bei Yan, how can he aid Li Yuan? But Li Yuan is acting like a madwoman, willing to personally disguise as an envoy and come to Chu Country for Amuer - what do you think she really wants to do?"
If she seeks to overthrow the Bei Yan regime to become Empress herself, she only needs to speak up; Emperor Yan would hand it over willingly. If it’s something so easily obtained, why hasn’t she asked for it in the past years? Now she wants it, looping around in this path, merely to take Amuer back to assist her in unifying the world? This logic clearly does not hold up, there must be some reason unknown to me, and I need to go to Bei Yan myself to uncover it. Perhaps the secret can be leveraged to turn Emperor Yan and Li Yuan against each other?"
Zhao Xi looked at Wen Wan with a deep gaze, "Li Yuan’s obsession with taking Amuer is certainly unusual, but don’t you find your own actions and words even more unusual?"
Wen Wan was taken aback, listening as Zhao Xi continued, "You said you divorced Song Wei to stay in the capital and assist Me, yet now you are targeting Bei Yan everywhere, even willing to enter Bei Yan’s inner circle through diplomatic marriage—what is it you really want? Why do I feel that the person who wants to be Empress is you?"
Wen Wan was stunned; did she exhibit herself so urgently and obviously?
Empress? She couldn’t care less; she simply wanted to reunite with her husband as early as possible.
Seeing her silent, Zhao Xi steadfastly stated, "I won’t agree to the diplomatic marriage. Bei Yan is not like West Yue, a small country that can be easily conquered in battle; it requires prolonged plotting. Your extremism would only place you in danger, and no matter what, Song Wei is still My teacher. How can I, as the student, personally send my teacher’s woman off to another country in marriage, how does that sound?"
Wen Wan sneered, "Then what about the rumors outside saying you have a scandalous affair with your teacher’s woman, how do you explain that?"
Zhao Xi paused, then waved his hand, "As long as you can persuade Song Wei to give his consent, do as you will."
After all, it’s not his woman, he can’t control it.
...
In the returning carriage, Zhao Xunyin held a doucai vine scroll-patterned flower vase filled with the Little Jade Butterfly Plum picked earlier in Mei Garden.
At present, Zhao Xunyin had no mind to appreciate the plum, her eyes full of urgency as she looked at Wen Wan, "How did the discussion with Your Majesty go in Fubai Pavilion earlier?"
Wen Wan pouted, "Your Majesty said, as long as I can persuade Third Son, he won’t interfere with me."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Xunyin laughed, "I said, even if Your Majesty is confused, he wouldn’t allow you to cause trouble like this, watching helplessly as you marry into Bei Yan through diplomatic marriage. Unless Third Son is a big fool, or he really doesn’t want you anymore."
Wen Wan sighed, although she knew the hope was slim, she still wrote a letter to Song Wei after returning to the mansion, always wanting to be forthright with him about the matters in the capital and her plans, to avoid unnecessary misunderstandings.