The Glory After Rebirth [重生之尊荣]

Chapter 175- 177

Chapter 175: Contracting an Alliance by Marriage? Save Me the Embarrassment

The emperor still made it up to Ling Zhang, but those were just some cloth, precious medicine, gold ingots etc. They were merely a token gesture.

Ling Zhang expressed his gratitude and walked back to Yuwen Tong's side. Yuwen Tong unnoticeably scratched Ling Zhang's palm. Ling Zhang pretended nothing had happened but secretly gripped Yuwen Tong's restless fingers. 'He's merely going through the motions. Anybody can do this. I may not be as sophisticated as these civil officials and military officers filling this hall, but I'm not a fool either,' he thought.

After what had happened, not only the emperor was no longer in the mood for a banquet, those civil officials and military officers also knew it was inadvisable for them to stay. As a result, they all rose from their seats intending to take their leave.

Ling Zhang flicked an uncertain glance at the envoys of the Wan Kingdom, wondering, 'Exactly what was it that they came here for?'

Maybe because Ling Zhang's confusion was so deep that it somehow generated some kind of influence on the envoys, they finally made their move. The gorgeously clothed man sitting at the front, whose name was Shan Congwen, who was the King Ming'en from the Wan Kingdom, rose to his feet and said to the emperor, "Your Majesty, there's a particular matter I'd like to consult with you on behalf of my country."

The emperor, who was leaving and suddenly stopped by Shan Congwen, grew impatient. 'What is wrong with this Shan Congwen guy? He's been in this city for such a long time. What is it that he waited until this occasion to bring up?' he wondered.

"What do you want to consult with me, King Ming'en?"

"Your Majesty, I on behalf of my father petition you for your consent to unite our two countries by marriage. My father is willing to marry one of my sisters into the Great Yue, sealing amity between us with a marriage alliance," replied Shan Congwen.

'A marriage alliance? This matter was discussed once, but Shan Congwen had been hesitating all along and never given an official response. Why did he bring this up on his own account today?' some officials wondered.

"Originally, my father had intended to have my sister marry into the imperial family of the Great Yue, but she was very wilful and wanted to choose her husband herself," Shan Congwen continued.

'Choose her husband herself?'

All officials patiently sat back into their seats with the intention to find out what this prince of the Wan Kingdom had got up in his sleeve.

"Oh? May I ask which meritocrat Her Highness has her eye on?" the emperor asked in a lukewarm tone of voice. 'She refused to marry into the imperial family and insisted on choosing her husband herself? These guys from the Wan Kingdom probably don't quite understand the current circumstances. They're here to sue for peace, not to put on airs.'

"She has her eye on Marshal Yuwen and wishes to make an affectionate couple with Marshal Yuwen," responded Shan Congwen, looking in the direction of Yuwen Tong.

Yuwen Tong directly rolled his eyes upwards. 'Fuck! I knew these fools of the Wan Kingdom harbored evil intentions.'

Ling Zhang curved his lips in a sneer. 'Does this Shan Congwen guy regard me as invisible? And Yuwen Tong is also an asshole. It's annoying enough that he attracts the attention of so many girls in the Great Yue, and now even a princess of the Wan Kingdom intends to marry him.'

Yuwen Tong had just rolled his eyes upwards when he saw the sneer on Ling Zhang's face. Taken aback, he hurriedly adjusted his attitudes and responded in severe and categorical terms, "I refuse. I don't like women of the Wan Kingdom, especially princesses. A single glance at them would ruin my appetite for food. I would rather let His Majesty have me beheaded than marry her. No, that won't work. If I die, Younger Brother Zhang would end up being a widow. Jesus, it never crossed my mind that you were such a sly devil, Shan Congwen. You are doing this because you want not only to have me killed but also my Younger Brother Zhang living in widowhood. Is there really not a single eligible man left in the Wan Kingdom? She doesn't even want to marry into the imperial family of the Great Yue? Who does she think she is? If His Majesty is willing to make a response to her, that would be because he's kind enough to save her face. If not, she would end up becoming a woman nobody wants to marry. She really thinks she's more beautiful than a goddess? Get out of here and save me the embarrassment, will you? If you insist on staying and making yourselves uncomfortable, I happen to be itching for another war. And I assure you this time I won't take just seven common cities. My troops will directly occupy the capital city of the Wan Kingdom. And after that... Humph!"