Chapter 319: Marriage Alliance (First Update)

Chu Liuyue and Chu Ning returned to the Prince of Li's manor together with Rong Xiu.

The people in the Prince of Li's manor seemed to have already received word; their attitude toward Chu Ning and his daughter was exceptionally attentive and enthusiastic, as if they were welcoming their own family.

This made Chu Ning feel somewhat uneasy.

After sitting for a short while in the manor, Chu Ning wanted Rong Xiu to get some proper rest, so he took Chu Liuyue and left.

Rong Xiu sent a carriage to escort the two back.

At first, Chu Ning was unwilling to go to such trouble, but after much persistence, he had no choice but to agree.

Once the father and daughter were in the carriage, they each sat on opposite sides.

The two sat in silence.

Chu Ning observed Chu Liuyue discreetly, hesitating to speak as if weighing how to open the conversation.

"If Father has something to say, please just say it," Chu Liuyue said softly.

Chu Ning hesitated for a moment before saying

"Between you and the Prince of Li... has there been something between you for a long time?"

Chu Liuyue smiled.

"What exactly do you mean?"

Chu Ning paused.

"I mean... did you know for a long time that he had feelings for you?"

"Yes."

Regarding this point, Chu Liuyue had no intention of hiding it.

"Just as you suspected, the Prince of Li and I did indeed develop feelings for each other quite some time ago. That is why there was the imperial marriage decree today."

Despite having anticipated it, hearing it with his own ears still left Chu Ning feeling somewhat surprised.

"When... when did this happen? Could it be—back when he saved you—"

"The Prince of Li saved me first; at that time, the two of us were not acquainted."

Only then did Chu Ning breathe a sigh of relief.

In other words, the two had only gradually begun to associate with each other after the Prince of Li's return.

If that were the case, it was something he could accept more easily.

"Do you truly like the Prince of Li?"

Chu Ning stared into Chu Liuyue's eyes and asked with a serious expression.

Chu Liuyue nodded gently.

Chu Ning was stunned for a long while before murmuring

"...That's good... that's good..."

His expression was complex, appearing both sorrowful and joyful.

He knew Yue'er's personality very well; if she did not truly have feelings for the Prince of Li, she would never have agreed to today's marriage decree.

"The Prince of Li is a good person."

At the very least, compared to the Crown Prince Rong Jin, he was incomparably better.

In the past, Yue'er had poor judgment; she had liked Rong Jin for many years and had suffered endless humiliation and grievance because of it.

But things were different now.

He could see that the Prince of Li valued Yue'er immensely; one could even say he treated her like a precious treasure.

He could finally rest easy.

"It's just... the Prince of Li's health... Yue'er, can you check his pulse? Do you have any way to help him regulate his condition?"

The Prince of Li's illness had been something he was born with. Since childhood, countless divine physicians had been summoned, but there had been no improvement.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have been sent to the Bright Moon Heavenly Mountain to recuperate for many years, rarely even returning to the Imperial Capital.

Looking at Chu Ning's worried face, Chu Liuyue felt both warmth and amusement in her heart.

"Don't worry, Father, I will do my best. No matter what happens to the Prince of Li's health in the future, I will always take good care of him."

Chu Ning sighed and nodded.

"That's good."

He had once hoped Yue'er could marry an ordinary, healthy person and live a stable life.

But Yue'er had already demonstrated extraordinary talent; it was impossible for her to live a simple, ordinary life like an average person in the future.

"If your mother were still here, she would surely be very happy..."

A deep sense of nostalgia flashed through Chu Ning's eyes.

Chu Liuyue felt a pang of sadness in her heart.

For all these years, Chu Ning had acted as both father and mother alone, working hard to raise Chu Liuyue; the bitterness of that struggle was something an outsider could not understand.

She leaned forward slightly and took hold of Chu Ning's hand.

The father and daughter sat in silence for a long time, yet the atmosphere was one of rare warmth and harmony.

*Slap!*

A crisp, loud sound of a slap rang out in the room.

The Empress looked at Rong Jin, who stood before her, with a frigid gaze.

"You have truly gone mad today!"

Rong Jin lowered his head, saying nothing.

"I told you long ago not to set your sights on Chu Liuyue! Have you treated everything I said as wind passing your ears!? When I saw you lying in your sickbed earlier, I thought you were merely delirious from fever and talking nonsense. I didn't expect that today you would actually dare to run over there and openly compete with Rong Xiu for Chu Liuyue!"

The Empress's finger almost poked Rong Jin's forehead.

"Your Imperial Father was right about one thing today—you truly have grown impatient with this position of Crown Prince!"

Rong Jin wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. His heart felt as if a flame were surging within it, and he finally could not help but retort

"She was originally mine! Why should I—"

"You already broke your engagement with her!"

The Empress suddenly raised her voice, her eyes as sharp as knives as they swept harshly over Rong Jin.

"Don't you forget, you were the one who took the initiative back then! What did you say at the time? You said that no matter the cost, you would cancel the engagement with Chu Liuyue and sever all ties! Now look at you—only a few months have passed, and you are acting as if you are possessed! How do you expect others to view you as the Crown Prince! Do you have any idea how much effort I spent to push you into the position of Crown Prince!"

The Empress's voice had become somewhat hysterical.

Rong Jin looked up and saw her features distorted, her eyes filled with deep resentment.

He was startled, realizing for the first time that the Empress's emotions seemed exceptionally agitated today.

He took a deep breath, his voice lowering, though still filled with unwillingness.

"But... but why does it have to be Rong Xiu?! In what way can that useless waste compare to me!? Looking at him, he probably can't even stand steady after walking a few steps!"

The thought that Chu Liuyue had actually been granted a marriage to such a person filled him with a wave of disgust!

The Empress's face darkened, and she suddenly let out a cold laugh.

"Why? You ask why?! Rong Xiu personally spoke to your Imperial Father; how could your Imperial Father not agree! You are better than him in every way, but who told him to have such a flirtatious mother!"

She had been dead for so many years, yet her spirit still haunted them!

Back then, she couldn't compete with that woman, and now her son couldn't compete with that woman's son!

Did she not feel hatred in her heart?!

Only then did Rong Jin realize that the Empress was acting this way because she was remembering the people and events of the past.

The Empress seemed to realize she had lost her composure. She took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down, and said word by word

"In short, it was not easy to preserve your position today. Your Imperial Father can tolerate you once or twice, but there will absolutely never be a third time!"

Rong Jin pursed his lips.

"Your son knows his mistake."

"What use is knowing your mistake? You must find a way to make amends!"

Rong Jin's eyes lit up.

"Does Mother have a way?"

The Empress stared at him intensely.

"There is naturally a way. However, first, you must swear: from this day forward, you shall never mention Chu Liuyue again and completely abandon this thought!"

Rong Jin's expression jolted.

"But Mother, she is the only one I lo—"

The Empress gave him a warning look.

Rong Jin involuntarily swallowed the rest of his words.

After a long time, his fists were clenched so hard they nearly crushed, before he finally said

"...Yes."

The Empress breathed a sigh of relief, her expression softening slightly as she picked up a teacup nearby.

"The only way you can stabilize your position as Crown Prince now is to enter into a marriage alliance with Situ Xingchen."