Qi Yuze paused slightly, looking at Nanping Wang’s expression before lowering his gaze and speaking slowly.
After a long moment, Nanping Wang glanced at him and asked, "Is that all?"
Hearing this, Qi Yuze gave a bitter smile. "Father, I am merely the young marquis of Ji’an Marquis Manor. There is little I can do."
"Is that so? Yet, this king has heard that Ze’er is quite capable, even becoming a honored guest of the Empress of Xingjiu Kingdom?"
Qi Yuze faltered slightly. "Father, I am not lying. Everything I said is true."
"Ze’er, do you know that the Second Prince and the Third Prince have been sent by His Majesty to Xingjiu Kingdom to celebrate the Empress’s ascension?"
"I do not," Qi Yuze replied slowly.
"But you know now."
Qi Yuze’s body stiffened. He looked up at Nanping Wang, who had softened his expression. "Ze’er, if you can become the man of the Xingjiu Empress, Nanping Wang Manor will prosper eternally because of Xingjiu Kingdom."
"Father, what if one day Xingjiu Kingdom and Qi Kingdom go to war? How will Nanping Wang Manor position itself?"
Nanping Wang sighed. "I can no longer consider so much. Ze’er, His Majesty is already displeased with Nanping Wang Manor in many ways. My doing this is also for Nanping Wang Manor."
"Forgive me, Father, but I cannot agree with your thinking."
Nanping Wang paused, then said after a long silence, "Very well, it is I who am too insistent. Ze’er, you must take care of yourself!"
Qi Yuze watched Nanping Wang’s departing back, a desolate and lonely figure.
"An Ying."
"Your subordinate is here." An Ying appeared instantly, landing before Qi Yuze.
"While I was away, did anything happen at Nanping Wang Manor?"
An Ying hesitated slightly. "Young Master, not long ago, the old king and His Majesty were in a fierce confrontation in court. After returning, the old king has not been the same, often appearing dispirited."
"Do you know what His Majesty and Father said?" Qi Yuze asked.
An Ying replied, "His Majesty wished to arrange a marriage between the young master and the Seventh Princess. The old king disagreed, which led to the dispute between His Majesty and the old king."
Qi Yuze was taken aback. Others might not know about the Seventh Princess, but he did. The Seventh Princess had been foolish since birth. Now at twenty, she had not found a husband. Marrying her to someone of lower status, the Emperor feared they might mistreat her. Marrying her to someone of higher status, he feared she would be looked down upon. Nanping Wang Manor was different, however. His father had found him, an abandoned infant, when he was young.
If the Seventh Princess were to enter Nanping Wang Manor, and he dared to treat her poorly, the Emperor would likely be the first to hold him accountable.
"Did His Majesty retract the decree?" Qi Yuze asked.
An Ying shook his head. "No, but he did not forcefully bestow the marriage either."
Recalling Nanping Wang’s words from earlier, Qi Yuze’s gaze deepened considerably.
The current situation indeed favored a good relationship with the Xingjiu Empress. After all, the Qi Emperor did not wish to go to war with Xingjiu Kingdom. It was just…
Qi Yuze’s brow furrowed. He had just escaped from the Empress. Was he to return again?
Although he admitted he liked the Empress, he did not wish to approach her with such ulterior motives.
He spent a sleepless night. The next day, Qi Yuze received an imperial decree commanding him to enter the capital.
Qi Yuze first went to see Nanping Wang, but unexpectedly, Nanping Wang refused to see him. He knelt and kowtowed outside Nanping Wang’s study before rising and leaving.
Outside Nanping Wang Manor, Qi Yuze mounted his horse and rode back to the capital.
Mingxia Pass was not far from the capital, a journey of about half a month. He arrived in the capital.
Entering the imperial palace, he was led into the hall by Zhang Dehai, a eunuch by the Emperor's side.
"Young Marquis, His Majesty is still in the imperial study discussing matters with several ministers. Please rest here for a moment!"
Qi Yuze nodded. "Thank you, Eunuch."
Zhang Dehai smiled, and when no one else was around, he slipped a piece of paper into Qi Yuze’s hand. Then he left.
Qi Yuze waited until Zhang Dehai was gone before opening the note. It read: Be careful of the Seventh Princess!
Just as Qi Yuze put away the note, he heard a voice from outside, "Where is Rou Rou? Where is my Rou Rou?"
"Your Highness, here, here!" The palace servants brought the person into the hall.
Qi Yuze quickly understood the meaning of the note Zhang Dehai had given him.
He stood up and flew onto the roof beam. He saw the palace servants escorting the Seventh Princess into the hall.
The servants looked around and pointed inside. "Your Highness, shall we play hide-and-seek?"
The Seventh Princess jumped, clapping her hands. "Okay, okay, let’s play!"
"Your Highness, you must hide well, and do not come out no matter what you hear." The servants walked out.
Qi Yuze emerged from the beam and landed in the courtyard. At that moment, he saw the palace servant who had brought the Seventh Princess there. Seeing him, the servant hurried forward. "Young Marquis, you’ve arrived!"
"This King is waiting for His Majesty here. There is nothing else, you may go," Qi Yuze said.
The servant heard this and quickly said, "Young Marquis, you must be tired from your journey. This servant will take you to the hall to rest."
"This King is not tired!" Qi Yuze said.
The servant replied, "Young Marquis, it was His Majesty who instructed this servant to wait for you here. Please do not disappoint His Majesty’s intentions."
"Intentions?" Qi Yuze gave a cold laugh. He suddenly stepped forward and said coldly, "This King saw everything. The Seventh Princess is inside. What do you think His Majesty's intentions are towards this King?"
The servant trembled all over, seemingly disbelieving. How could the young marquis of Nanping know the Seventh Princess was inside?
"Young Marquis, are you joking? How could the Seventh Princess be here?"
"Are you not very clear in your own heart?" Qi Yuze said coldly.
"Young Marquis, your words are incomprehensible to this servant. The Seventh Princess would not be here." the servant said.
"This King will not go in either," Qi Yuze stated coldly.
The servant became anxious. If she failed to handle this task, His Majesty would take her life.
"Young Marquis, this is a gift from His Majesty. Are you sure you will not go in?"
"I will not," Qi Yuze said decisively.