Chapter 393: Chapter 393. Do You Have Any Good Plans?
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
Yeluchun knew that if he married a wife, he would lose the right to be with Xiaoying forever. Thinking that Xiaoying would marry another man and they would no longer be fated, Yeluchun felt like a knife was twisting his heart.
“My son, my father wants to make you the Crown Prince. As the Crown Prince, you can’t live without a Crown Princess. This Princess Yunduo is the Crown Princess, your mother, and I selected carefully.”
The old Emperor frowned as he looked at his son. He and Consort Li had chosen three marriage partners for him, but he had rejected them all. This time, he had to settle on one for him no matter what.
The Cloud Princess had both virtue and talent. She was beautiful and had a powerful mother clan behind her. She would be able to a.s.sist her son.
This Haza was a ma.s.sive threat to Tartan. Among the small border countries on the northern border, only Haza and Tartan were evenly matched. The Emperor of Haza was ambitious and often launched small-scale conflicts at the border, robbing the fat sheep of the herdsmen at the border of Tartan. He did everything he could to burn, kill, and loot.
The old Emperor had once sent troops to attack the country of Haza, but the other side’s combat strength was also quite strong. Both sides suffered heavy casualties and were evenly matched.
If they could marry, the two countries would be one family, and the Haza Kingdom would be restrained.
Therefore, the old Emperor did not hesitate to use the n.o.ble position of the Crown Prince to tempt his son to agree to this marriage.
To a prince, hearing that he was appointed as the Crown Prince would make him ecstatic. He would agree to any conditions. Even Yeluchun was tempted. The throne that was previously out of reach was now within reach. As long as he listened to his father’s arrangements and married Princess Yunduo, he would immediately ascend to the throne as the Crown Prince and become the Emperor.
Such a good opportunity, such a great temptation, but Yeluchun couldn’t accept it!
Xiaoying’s smile kept appearing in front of him. Her clear eyes were looking at him. If he agreed to marry Princess Yunduo, he would never have had the chance to be with Xiaoying again.
Although it was a supreme honor to be called a concubine in the royal family, a concubine was a concubine in the eyes of ordinary people. Ji Shuisheng would never agree to his sister being a concubine.
“My son, what are you still thinking about?”
Consort Li saw that the Emperor’s face had already sunk and hurriedly called out to her son, asking him to agree.
“Imperial Father, forgive your son for not agreeing. Your son already has someone he likes.”
Urged by Mother, Yeluchun decided and knelt to apologize to his father.
“You can make the person you like a concubine. It’s also a supreme honor. It’s normal for the imperial family to have three palaces and six courtyards. 1 believe Princess Yunxiao won’t mind.”
The Emperor looked at his son strangely. Such a simple question, where did Chun’er’s decisiveness go? Why was he so conflicted?
“She doesn’t mind, but the person 1 like will. If I marry Princess Yunduo, I will never have the chance to be with her again.”
Yeluchun saw his heart. Once he made a decision, he would never back down. If he could only choose between power and Xiaoying, he wanted Xiaoying. “Which woman is so overbearing? Since ancient times, men have had three wives and four concubines. Such a woman who could not tolerate others must be jealous and does not deserve to enter the imperial family.”
The Emperor frowned and looked at his son unhappily. He was being led by the nose by a woman. He was disappointed in Yeluchun and disgusted by the woman who influenced his son’s decisions.
“Imperial Father, she is the daughter of General Xiao.”
Yeluchun’s gaze calmly met his father’s reproachful gaze. The daughter of a general of the Great Xia Kingdom could be considered a match of equal status and was not considered to be of high social standing.
“The one you mentioned last time?”
The Emperor remembered that his son once mentioned that he wanted to marry Ji Xiaoying. Why was this girl so overbearing? Which man would only marry one woman?
“Yes.”
Yeluchun nodded. Previously, he had the same att.i.tude as his father. As long as he treated Xiaoying well, the other women entering the residence would be decorations and would not affect his relationship with Xiaoying.
However, Ji Shuisheng’s att.i.tude was firm. Unless he could guarantee that he would only marry Xiaoying, he would never allow Xiaoying to marry him.
“I’ve already agreed to let you marry her, but she’s still unsatisfied? Wanting to dominate you? Such a woman is not worthy of entering the Imperial Family. She did not even have the qualifications to be a concubine.”
The Emperor’s face was as dark as water. Although he admired Xiao Heng, he never allowed such a woman to attack him.
“Father, if I can’t marry Xiaoying, I’d rather be alone for the rest of my life.”
This was the first time Yeluchun disobeyed the Emperor’s orders, and he was still so determined. The Emperor was so angry that he covered his chest, his hand pressing on the table as he glared at his most valued son.
Did he disobey my order for a woman?
The Emperor glared at his son and ordered word by word,
“I am not asking for your permission when 1 order you to marry Princess Yunduo.”
“Your son can only disobey.”
Yeluchun cupped his fists and raised them to his eyebrows. His deep voice was unusually determined.
“Ha… Did you disobey orders? Do you think I have something to fear because I only have you as my son?”
The Emperor was so angry that he laughed. At this moment, he was the ruler of a country and no longer a loving father. He looked coldly at his son kneeling before him, and his body emitted a terrifying pressure. His slightly narrowed eyes were already filled with killing intent.
As an emperor, he could not allow his subjects to disobey him. As a father, he could not allow his son to disobey him. Yeluchun had touched his reverse scale.
“Son, don’t make your father angry.”
Consort Li saw that the Emperor was angry and hurriedly tried to persuade her son. The Emperor’s anger spilled blood on the spot. The Emperor was temperamental and ruthless. Even if his son dared to challenge his authority, he would not allow it.
“Father, your son has disappointed you.”
Yeluchun could naturally tell that his father was angry. He could only apologize but would not compromise.
His character was also in the year of the ox, and he could not change his mind.
If he gave up his love for Xiaoying for self-preservation and power, then he was not worthy of being a man.
“Do you know that the Haza Kingdom is our biggest threat? Did you know that as long as the two countries are connected by marriage, they can avoid war, and the people will not suffer?”
The Emperor glared at his son. His deep voice was so cold that it was as cold as the snow outside, making people shiver.
“Father, are we afraid of the Haza Kingdom? You want to use a marriage alliance to pray for peace?”
Yeluchun met his father’s intimidating gaze and asked with a burning look.
The old Emperor was asked by his son. His son’s question made it seem like his country was weak and needed to use their children’s marriage to beg for mercy.
Thinking about this, he felt uncomfortable. Tartan had strong troops and horses. It could be said that the country was strong, and the people were rich. Although the Haza Kingdom was not weak, it was still inferior to Tartan.
Seeing that his father was moved, Yeluchun took the opportunity to persuade him,
“If Father were to propose, the Emperor of the Haza Kingdom would be treacherous. He would think we are afraid of him and would only become more and more vicious in the future. He would not have any scruples just because of the marriage.”
The old Emperor frowned. Yeluchun had spoken to his heart. He felt uncomfortable thinking the Emperor would think he was afraid of him. He looked at his son kneeling on the ground and asked,
“Then what good plan does my son have?”