Chapter 1 The Town Sea Governor?

"Town Sea Governor?"

Jiang Zuo Wang feigned ignorance, "Your Majesty, I am truly unaware of this matter. Could there be some misunderstanding?"

"I have been confined to my residence these past few days, with no contact with the outside world. How could a marriage agreement suddenly appear?"

A cold glint flashed in Jiang Chen's eyes.

*This guy is putting on quite the act, thinking he can fool me like this?*

He said with a half-smile, "Then, according to Royal Uncle, this marriage proposal is merely the Town Sea Governor's wishful thinking?"

"In that case, I shall help Royal Uncle decline. After all, a blind marriage is truly inappropriate. If you two don't get along after marriage, I would become the guilty party who matched the wrong couple."

Seeing that Jiang Chen was about to ruin his plan with just a few words, Jiang Zuo Wang panicked.

A trace of urgency appeared on his usually calm face as he frowned and said, "Your Majesty, please wait!"

"I, I suddenly remembered that when the late Emperor was still alive, he arranged a marriage between me and the Town Sea Governor's daughter... If I were to break this agreement, it might damage the late Emperor's reputation."

Hearing this, Jiang Chen's expression turned grim.

His amiable tone was tinged with a hint of murderous intent, "What do you mean by this, Royal Uncle? You don't want to cancel the marriage, and you're using the late Emperor's name to pressure me?!"

The dangerous question caused a look of gravity to flash in Jiang Zuo Wang's eyes.

*This damn Emperor is too capricious!*

*He was just being amiable, but his face changed in the blink of an eye... What qualifications does such a violent person have to sit on the throne?!*

He glanced at Jiang Chen, his eyes filled with jealousy and hatred as he looked at the black dragon纹 pattern on the hem of his robe.

"Your Majesty, I would never dare to do such a thing. It's just that the late Emperor was my own brother, and I don't want to betray the promises he made before his death."

Looking at Jiang Zuo Wang, who refused to budge, Jiang Chen's eyes grew colder, and he decided to give him one last chance.

If his good Royal Uncle knew his place and rejected the marriage with the Town Sea Governor, he would be lenient and give him a way out, for the sake of their blood ties.

But if he didn't know what was good for him!

A bloody glint flashed in Jiang Chen's eyes. Then he couldn't blame him for being ruthless!

"Royal Uncle, I won't beat around the bush. The Town Sea Governor has been operating in the south for many years, and his power is immense. He is a key target of the imperial court."

"Therefore, I don't want this local tyrant, who is entrenched in the south of Great Wei, to have any connection with members of the imperial family. Do you understand what I mean?"

The explicit words eliminated all possibilities of feigning ignorance.

In this situation, even if Jiang Zuo Wang was full of schemes, it would be in vain.

As a subject and a member of the imperial family, he had to unconditionally obey Jiang Chen's will.

Jiang Zuo Wang stood with his head bowed before the imperial desk, his expression calm, but his hands, hidden in his sleeves, were clenched tightly.

He had realized his situation, and his heart was filled with resentment, but he was helpless.

"Royal Uncle, why aren't you saying anything? Does my request trouble you so much?" Jiang Chen narrowed his eyes slightly, his tone laced with a hint of danger.

Jiang Zuo Wang knew that he couldn't remain silent any longer.

Suppressing his humiliation, he lowered his head and said through gritted teeth, "Your Majesty, may I have a few days to consider this matter?"

"The Town Sea Governor is, after all, a regional official, and this marriage concerns the late Emperor's reputation... Even if I were to decline, I would first need to come up with a suitable reason that wouldn't damage either party's reputation."

This was a very reasonable excuse, and even if Jiang Chen was dissatisfied, he couldn't find fault with it.

Taking a deep look at Jiang Zuo Wang, who was acting respectfully, Jiang Chen put on the amiable expression he used during polite exchanges and feigned concern,

"Royal Uncle, I know that you are aggrieved by this matter, but the Town Sea Governor has too much power. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call him a regional warlord, so the marriage of his daughter must be carefully considered."

"Go back and think carefully about how to handle this matter, and don't disappoint me!"

After speaking, Jiang Chen summoned Feng Jin, indicating that his grand eunuch should personally escort Jiang Zuo Wang out of the palace to show his favor.

As the saying goes, he couldn't afford to fall out without evidence.

He watched the two leave.

It wasn't until their figures had completely disappeared from sight that Jiang Chen dropped the fake smile on his face and spoke coldly.

"Jing Yue, you've been observing my good Royal Uncle in the shadows. Did you discover anything?"

As his voice fell, a cold and slender figure slowly appeared from the corner of the hall.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, although I didn't see Jiang Zuo Wang's expression, I could sense the unwillingness and resentment in his heart."

"In short, he is definitely not as docile as he appears on the surface!"

Jiang Chen nodded, "I thought so too. In any case, regardless of the outcome of this marriage, we must keep him under close surveillance from now on."

"To be able to put on such an act in front of me, this person may be hiding even more than we imagined!"

Looking at the place where Jiang Zuo Wang had stood before the imperial desk, a hint of murderous intent flashed in Jing Yue's cold eyes, "Your Majesty, do you need..."

As she spoke, she raised her hand and chopped down fiercely!

The sharp palm edge caused the air to whistle.

Jiang Chen glanced at her and frowned, "No, we can't touch him at this critical moment."

"Before we understand the relationship between the Town Sea Governor and Jiang Zuo Wang, acting rashly will only alert the snake."

"The noble families in the south are already restless. If they are truly Jiang Zuo Wang's allies, killing him will only force them to rebel."

Hearing this, Jing Yue immediately restrained her murderous intent, but she still had doubts in her heart.

"But Your Majesty, are we just going to do nothing?"

"If Jiang Zuo Wang keeps delaying the cancellation of the marriage and allows the news to spread throughout the imperial capital, the ministers will likely submit memorials urging you to bestow the marriage for the sake of the late Emperor's reputation."

Hearing this, Jiang Chen remained calm and sneered, "If that's the case, he will be signing his own death warrant!"

"I have already explicitly told him to cancel the marriage, but he is acting against my wishes in secret, even inciting the ministers to oppose me... These serious crimes are enough for me to throw him into the imperial prison."

"Once he is in our hands, under all kinds of torture, are we still worried that we can't pry open his mouth?"

Looking at Jiang Chen, who was confident, a trace of admiration appeared in Jing Yue's eyes. She didn't say anything more and silently retreated back into the shadows.

The golden crow sank westward, and darkness stained the sky.

In the restricted imperial city's west courtyard, a mysterious black figure suddenly appeared.

*Creak.*

Pushing open the small door of the side hall, the mysterious black figure removed its hood, revealing a beautiful face that was actually the Consort Lü, who should have been resting peacefully in Chang Le Palace!

"My son... how, how have you been these days?"

She looked at the tall figure standing by the window, her eyes suddenly turning red. Her concerned tone would have moved anyone.

But Jiang Zuo Wang merely glanced at her indifferently, his handsome face full of gloom.

"Thanks to the Empress Dowager, I've been having a very hard time these past few days... When I go to bed at night, all I can see are your face and Jiang Chen's face in my mind!"

His cold tone deeply stung Consort Lü...