Princess Shengyue's entire face turned a deep red.
But the redness quickly receded.
Her stunning face turned pale and bloodless.
She had almost blurted out the task her father had wanted her to accomplish! Damn it!
"I misspoke for a moment, it was only to let Yun Shu know that her status is like dirt compared to mine, there's no comparison!" Princess Shengyue awkwardly tried to salvage the situation.
But the words were out, and she regretted them terribly.
"Your Majesty, I suggest we order someone to escort Princess Shengyue back to Western Xia immediately." Xie Jin, abandoning his previous flippant and smiling demeanor, cupped his hands towards Zhan Tianhong and requested.
Having spent the entire day with Princess Shengyue, Zhan Tianhong was already weary of her antics. Coupled with her recent remarks, keeping her here...
Would make the people of Dongning believe he was being manipulated by Western Xia!
After weighing the pros and cons, Zhan Tianhong made his decision, "Prince Xie is right."
"Emperor of Yongning!" Princess Shengyue's face changed drastically, completely losing her composure.
How could this happen?
Zhan Tianyu was about to speak when he saw Zhan Tianye and Xie Jin looking at him. Their gazes seemed to see through his thoughts, or perhaps they knew some of his secrets. Instantly, his heart chilled.
Hidden for so many years, never discovered.
Those who needed to be eliminated had been eliminated. The two who had blocked his path, the Regent and Zhan Tianye, now the Regent was dead, only Zhan Tianye remained.
Beneath a calm exterior, Zhan Tianyu's inner turmoil was immense.
He clenched his fists tightly.
"This matter need not be discussed further. If the Emperor of Western Xia truly wishes for goodwill between the two nations, let him send another princess. As for the marriage alliance, that also needs to be renegotiated." Zhan Tianhong stated firmly.
From the corner of his eye, he glanced at Yun Shu.
Yun Shu was somewhat surprised, not expecting Zhan Tianhong to be so decisive.
After all, it had only been a single day since Princess Shengyue arrived in the capital.
She would likely be the first princess in history to fail a marriage alliance and be sent back.
...
Outside the capital.
Princess Shengyue, escorted out of the capital by guards, was to have stayed at a temporary palace outside the city for the night before continuing her journey back to Western Xia the next day.
However, feeling utterly humiliated, Princess Shengyue berated the guards and ordered them back to the capital.
Then, Princess Shengyue took out her anger on some of her retinue.
After unleashing all her fury, Princess Shengyue finally calmed down.
"Vile! They actually ganged up to bully me!"
Leaning against her carriage, Princess Shengyue cursed furiously.
Qian Jin, seeing Princess Shengyue had somewhat calmed down, said, "Your Highness, this is all Yun Shu's fault! If it weren't for her, Prince Ye wouldn't be so repulsed by you, and he wouldn't have let that Prince Xie slander you. So, it's all that damned Yun Shu's fault! Why don't we find someone to assassinate Yun Shu! Didn't Your Highness say there are many Western Xia spies in the capital? Let them help Your Highness solve this problem. Then there will be no one blocking your path, and Prince Ye will surely be devoted to you."
Princess Shengyue found some sense in her words.
She narrowed her eyes.
Just as she was about to give orders, someone rode up.
They stopped directly in front of their group.
"May I ask if you are Princess Shengyue?" the rider asked respectfully.
Princess Shengyue grunted an affirmative.
The rider immediately handed over a letter, "Please, Princess Shengyue, do not leave the capital just yet."
"Don't let me leave? Doesn't your master know I've already been expelled by the Emperor of Dongning? Do you expect me to shamelessly return to the capital?" Princess Shengyue questioned angrily.
The rider, likely aware of Princess Shengyue's temper, immediately replied, "The Emperor has a secret edict, requesting Princess Shengyue to receive it."
"What? My father's edict?" Princess Shengyue was shocked.
Her father was in Western Xia, how could an edict suddenly arrive?
Upon hearing her father's edict, Princess Shengyue's heart skipped a beat.
Her head buzzed.
What?
Her father had raised one of his princes in Dongning all those years ago?
When her father was still the Crown Prince, he had lived incognito in Dongning, secretly met and fallen in love with a consort of the late Emperor of Dongning, and even had a child?
That child was initially thought to be Prince Ning, and now suspected to be Prince Ye?
Princess Shengyue found it hard to believe, "Is this truly my father's edict?"
How could it be?
The Prince Ye she had set her sights on might be her brother?
No, no, impossible.
If it says Prince Ning, it must be Prince Ning!
Her father had made this move years ago, constantly planning to annex Dongning. They were so close to achieving it, and now it turns out Prince Ye might be her brother? xxs壹贰
She had finally found a man she found acceptable, and he turned out to be her brother?
"Did Father make a mistake?"
The rider shook his head, "His Majesty would not make a mistake. He has sent people to investigate for over ten years."
"If, if he is my brother, and I cannot marry him, then why should I continue to stay here?" Princess Shengyue couldn't understand, and her heart ached.
It was agonizing.
The rider said solemnly, "Please, Princess, obey His Majesty's edict and return to the capital with another imperial decree. As long as the Princess presents the imperial decree, the Emperor of Dongning will give His Majesty face and allow the Princess to remain in the capital. Someone will come to tell you what to do next. I have delivered His Majesty's message, and my task is complete. I shall take my leave."
With that, the rider immediately turned his horse and left.
Princess Shengyue was stunned for a long time, completely in shock.
"Your Highness, this..." Qian Jin was dumbfounded.
Princess Shengyue looked at the imperial decree in her hand, "Let's go, back to the capital!"
She never imagined her father had already made preparations!
Even though her father was in Western Xia, he was aware of everything happening in Dongning!
With her father's protection, what did she have to fear?!
Also, if Prince Ye really was her brother, then after her father acknowledged him, she would make Prince Ye abandon Yun Shu!
She disliked that woman!
That face was too displeasing to her!
She would personally disfigure it in the future!
...
The next day, as soon as Yun Shu woke up, she received news that Princess Shengyue had returned to the capital.
Furthermore, the Emperor had allowed Princess Shengyue to reside in a temporary palace within the capital.
Although the matter of the marriage alliance was not mentioned, Zhan Tianhong's retraction made Yun Shu feel something was unusual.
She had a strong intuition that some matters had yet to be discovered.
It was a strange premonition.
Seeing Yun Shu lost in thought, A'cha immediately stepped forward and asked, "Is Miss angry?"
Let alone Miss, even she was angry upon hearing the news this morning.