A collective gasp rippled through the crowd, their gazes on Xiao Man filled with unspoken emotions. It was no wonder the Wen family’s son was willing to abandon his future for her. How many women in this world would dare to shield a man from danger, or so openly defy a king?
Murong Sheng Rui, his face splashed with wine, looked grim and inscrutable. Qu Yang slammed his hand on the table, exclaiming, "Insolent!"
"You are insolent!" Xiao Man's voice was even louder than Qu Yang's. "What are you, to dare bellow at this Princess?"
Qu Yang faltered, his imposing demeanor immediately wilting. He already feared Xiao Man, and as an adopted princess of the highest rank in Yusheng, he was not qualified to scold her, even as an envoy from Yun Qi.
Murong Sheng Rui took a deep breath, suppressing the fury churning within him. He turned to the Emperor of Yusheng, "Emperor Yu, is this your country's attitude?"
The old Emperor finally snapped back to reality, looking at Xiao Man. "Yong Ning, apologize to the Emperor of Yun!"
"Your Majesty, what wrong has Yong Ning committed?" Xiao Man asked calmly. "Yong Ning is already betrothed, a fact Your Majesty is well aware of. The young Emperor of Yun Qi has snatched another man's fiancée first, and then resorted to violence. Yong Ning merely refused a cup of wine from the Emperor of Yun to protect her beloved. What wrong has she done?"
The old Emperor choked, his eyes wide with rage. Ten cities, ten border cities! Whatever dissatisfaction you have, you must swallow it!
"Your Majesty, if Your Majesty condones the Emperor of Yun forcibly taking a minister's fiancée in Yusheng, other nations will believe Yusheng is without men, allowing others to run roughshod. If this spreads, how will Yusheng retain its dignity?"
"Well said!" Nangong Yu applauded. "Those who know of this will assume the Emperor of Yun was joking. Those who don't might think the Emperor of Yun simply has a penchant for married women. Today he snatches the fiancée of a Yusheng minister, but tomorrow, will he not snatch the Empress of Yusheng herself?"
"Insolence!" The Empress, never imagining the fire would reach her, immediately rebuked him.
"Please forgive me, Your Highness, I was merely drawing an analogy."
"Such preposterous words, you utter them!" the Empress retorted. "Your Majesty, I also feel this is inappropriate. Yong Ning is already betrothed and cannot be sent for a political marriage."
"Your Majesty, I also believe this is inappropriate," Grand Tutor Du stepped forward. "General Xiao guards Yunzhong City and has had many skirmishes with Yun Qi. The Emperor of Yun immediately demands to marry the direct sister of General Xiao as his Empress. This smacks of an attempt to sow discord."
"So, Yusheng has no sincere intention of peace talks?" Murong Sheng Rui stated softly. "I, the sovereign of a nation, am not someone petty. Furthermore, when did I ever attempt to snatch her?"
"Is your intention to marry another's fiancée not snatching?"
"I merely proposed marriage. Whether it is accepted depends entirely on Emperor Yu and Princess Yong Ning. If Princess Yong Ning, with great righteousness, is willing to break off her engagement for the sake of alliance between the two countries and marry into Yusheng, then it is not forced marriage. Alternatively, if Your Majesty, for the sake of diplomacy between the two nations, is willing to compensate his minister and order Princess Yong Ning to marry into Yun Qi, that is also acceptable. If I were to disregard everything and march my army to the imperial capital of Yusheng to forcibly take her as my Empress, that would be a forced marriage. Did I do that?"
The expressions of those present changed. That was right. The young Emperor of Yun Qi had merely proposed marriage to Xiao Man. They had forgotten that the decision rested with the Emperor. If the Emperor agreed, Princess Yong Ning, despite being betrothed, would have to break off her engagement and marry into Yun Qi.
"Emperor of Yun, Yong Ning is already betrothed. With so many noble ladies present, perhaps the Emperor of Yun could choose another. My ninth princess is outstanding in both beauty and talent."
"I want only her," Murong Sheng Rui stated definitively. "Emperor Yu need not give an answer now, and Princess Yong Ning need not be hasty in refusing. Perhaps if I spend more time with Princess Yong Ning, she might change her mind?"
"Man'er would never..."
Xiao Man squeezed Wen Mohan's hand, signaling him to remain silent. Murong Sheng Rui had cornered her. If she refused, it would provoke a war between Yun Qi and Yusheng, making her a sinner of Yun Qi. If she agreed, Yusheng would lose face and possibly fall into internal strife. Whichever way she turned, it was a mistake. The decision rested with the Emperor!
"Yong Ning, what are your thoughts on this matter?"
"Replying to Your Majesty, Yong Ning will obey Your Majesty's command," Xiao Man said softly. "Whatever Your Majesty says, Yong Ning will do!"
The old Emperor ground his teeth. A little fox, when did you learn to be so cunning? He could not order Xiao Man to break off her engagement and marry into Yun Qi, as it would create rifts between the Xiao and Wen families, and other countries would mock him for his unscrupulous methods. It had to be Xiao Man's voluntary decision, yet she had thrown the ball back at him!
"Since that is the case, you should interact more with the Emperor of Yun. After all, matters of the heart cannot be forced."
"Yong Ning obeys."
The banquet concluded, and Wen Mohan’s face was radiant with a smile.
Seeing Wen Mohan’s infatuated expression, Prime Minister Wen couldn't help but show his disdain. "What a demeanor. Is such a trivial matter worth you being this happy?"
Wen Mohan beamed, his face blooming like a peach blossom. "Father, she said I am her beloved."
"That was merely an excuse to placate the young Emperor of Yun," Prime Minister Wen unhesitatingly shattered Wen Mohan's fantasy. His wife immediately reached out, pinched the soft flesh on his waist, and twisted. Prime Minister Wen’s face contorted in pain, but he dared not cry out.
"Father is not Man'er, how can you know if Man'er's words were not sincere?" Wen Mohan refused to know the truth. Xiao Man had unhesitatingly defended him and rebuked the young Emperor of Yun Qi, which was proof of her sincerity.
"You and Miss Xiao are engaged, so of course, she would protect you," Prime Minister Wen’s wife said with a smile. "However, I don't think that young Emperor of Yun is someone who will easily give up. We must remain vigilant."
Wen Mohan immediately dropped his infatuated smile. "Son understands, of course. What I worry about now is that Your Majesty will unhesitatingly sell Man'er for profit. After all, the terms offered by Yun Qi are too generous, gaining ten border cities without bloodshed. Given Your Majesty's nature, if not for fearing damage to his own reputation, he would have agreed to the young Emperor of Yun Qi's demands on the spot."
Prime Minister Wen sighed. "This daughter-in-law is too outstanding, which is also a headache. Everyone wants to snatch her."
"You should have proposed marriage earlier and had Han'er marry her. Then there wouldn't be so many issues!" Prime Minister Wen’s wife glared at him fiercely. If it weren't for his disagreement with Xiao Zhen and his stubborn refusal to let his son marry Xiao Man, would things have come to this?
Prime Minister Wen also felt he was in the wrong. "Why dwell on the past? The pressing matter is how to dissuade His Majesty from selling Xiao Man."
"As long as General Xiao continues to guard Yunzhong City, His Majesty will not dare to force Man'er to marry into Yun Qi," Wen Mohan said softly. "What worries me more is that the young Emperor of Yun Qi might resort to unscrupulous means to deal with Man'er."