Chapter 313 (1/2)
“It must succeed.” Fan Tian He coldly said: “Each of Da Shun’s princes has looked at the throne for many years. Which of them has not looked for a support to rely on. How could the master behind that person’s back be willing to let go of my Gu Shu.”
“But…” Fan Tian Man was still worried, “Didn’t father emperor say that Gu Shu must maintain its current status, and we must not participate in Da Shun’s battle for the imperial throne? How come elder brother has forgotten?”
Fan Tian He reached out and patted her head for a while, “Is this something that you can choose not to participate in so easily? Think about the new report that we have received. Zong Sui has gotten close to Prince Yu, and the person behind Qian Zhou is Prince Xiang, I believe. Now, that general has set his eyes on us, all that remains is Gu Mo. Sooner or later, they will not be able to escape.”
Back in the Feng manor, Feng Jin Yuan was kneeling in front of the matriarch in the matriarch’s bedroom in Shu Ya courtyard. He explained his reasoning to the matriarch: “Mother, the Feng family can’t continue to remain without a head wife. But after looking all over Da Shun, who has a status that can compare with eldest princess Kang Yi? If I take ten thousand steps back, one could be found, but can you not sympathize with son this time? Son and Kang Yi are both happy. Mother, can you not look at this and agree with son’s request?”
The matriarch’s expression was serious. Looking at the son kneeling before her, she could neither curse nor beat him. In the end, it was she who had decided to bring Kang Yi into the manor. The interactions between Kang Yi and Feng Jin Yuan was something that she had seen, and they had filled her heart with joy.
But the events that followed truly caused her to feel regret. She had originally thought of finding an excuse to send Kang Yi back to the posthouse. After the 15th, they would leave the capital as special envoys. With such a great distance between the two countries, Feng Jin Yuan would no longer yearn for her.
But she never thought that the prince of Gu Shu would suddenly come and instigate matters. This caused Feng Jin Yuan to take the initiative to make the situation clear.
“Jin Yuan, you must know that the princess of a foreign country is not someone like Yao shi or Chen shi. Her position is lofty, and she has power. Will you be able to support her in any situation?” The matriarch spoke bitterly: “Moreover, she also has a child. Those are two princesses. How do you want for the other children in the manor to continue living?”
“Mother has been able to interact with Kang Yi for a few days. Could it be that you are still unable to see how dignified, stable and magnanimous she is? Son trusts that she will definitely treat the other children of the manor with just as much love as Ru Jia. She will not allow any of the children to suffer grievances.”
“Is that so?” The matriarch quietly snorted, “The matter of the lanterns today was already a pretty great grievance. What else are you wanting?” Upon mentioning this, she became quite angry. Even Bu Bai Qi was able to bring elder madam Bu out to look at the lights, so why was the son that she had raised only worried about his love life? Kang Yi had not even married into the family, yet she was already so favored. Not to mention the children, even she, as the mother, would end up being forgotten.
Feng Jin Yuan quickly explained: “That was all son’s fault. It is unrelated to Kang Yi. Also, didn’t Kang Yi promise to provide compensation? If a foreign country’s eldest princess said that she would protect them, how grand of a promise is that! Mother!” His expression became serious, as he lowered his voice, adding: “In truth, son is not just considering these things.”
The matriarch gave him a blank look, “Then speak. What are you thinking about?”
Feng Jin Yuan said: “If it were not for the matter with Gu Shu today, son would not have been too invested in this matter. After all, marriage between two countries is a large matter. It would always require the Emperor to agree. But now that Gu Shu has already spoken up, if we allow Qian Zhou and Gu Shu to be joined by a political marriage, that would be equivalent to placing Da Shun in vice between the two. Once the two countries join together, Da Shun would face two dangers at once!”
The matriarch furrowed her brow and suddenly felt that what Feng Jin Yuan had said made a good amount of sense, but she still felt uncertain: “Will the Emperor agree?”
Feng Jin Yuan saw that the matriarch had spat out an agreement, and he became filled with joy, “Mother, if the Emperor agrees to this matter, there will be no need for Da Shun to be worried about a political marriage between two other countries. Son will not mention this matter any further. If the Emperor agrees, mother should understand that son bringing eldest princess Kang Yi into the manor is truly for the sake of removing a great worry for the Emperor!”
The matriarch heard this and actually became moved. She had clearly been opposed to this just earlier; however, she nodded this time: “Yes! You are sharing a burden with the Emperor. You are a person of merit, especially when it comes to such grand matters. Thinking about it, only our standard first rank prime minister’s manor is worthy of the eldest princess of Qian Zhou. Jin Yuan, you have done well.” Saying this, she personally helped Feng Jin Yuan up. She then advised him: “When you go into the palace tomorrow, you must talk to the Emperor properly about this. You must clearly lay out the pros and cons then see what the Emperor thinks. Either way, we will do as his Majesty desires.”
Feng Jin Yuan nodded fervently, his heart soaring with joy.
At the same time in Jin Fu courtyard, Kang Yi sat under a wintersweet tree in the middle of the yard and thought about some things. She did not wear much, and she did not even have a Winter coat on. The servants that had been sent from Tong Sheng pavilion tried to give her one many times, but she had refused each time. In her words, Qian Zhou was covered in snow and ice for the entire year. The Winters in Da Shun were already considered warm.
Ru Jia sat across from her, her arms reaching across the table. Trying to reach Kang Yi, she said: “Mother’s meaning is Gu Shu coming to ask for marriage is something that someone else had ordered?”
Kang YI frowned but did not nod, but she did not shake her head either. Instead, she only quietly said: “Because Qian Zhou and Gu Shu are truly too far apart, there had practically never been any communication. The prince from Gu Shu said that he had seen This one many years ago on the border of Qian Zhou, but how could that be? The border area of Qian Zhou had always been a closely guarded important area. Even if a person from Da Shun were to appear, they would be secretly reported and transferred, much less a person with such distinct features as a person from Gu Shu.”
“Then Fan Tian He was lying?” Ru Jia frowned and asked: “Why would he tell this sort of a lie?”
Kang Yi was also pondering this question. After thinking for a while, she suddenly asked: “Say, him coming to ask for marriage this time, who was the most instigated?”
Ru Jia tilted her head: “Mother is saying… uncle Feng? I heard that Uncle Feng will be going into the palace tomorrow to speak to the Emperor of Da Shun about this marriage.”
Kang Yi nodded, “That’s right. If the prince of Gu Shu did not suddenly act out this play, the Emperor would not agree to this marriage. But now that Gu Shu had taken this step, for the sake of not allowing Qian Zhou and Gu Shu to become united through a political marriage, the Emperor will definitely sanction a marriage between me and your uncle Feng.”
“Then that prince from Gu Shu has come to help us!” Ru Jia was a little puzzled, “Does mother know him from before? Why would he help us? Or perhaps this means… he is one of Prince Xiang’s people?”
Kang Yi smiled bitterly, “Silly child, you don’t understand. How could this be considered help. This is clearly seeing the Feng manor as an abyss of misery, and they’re pushing me into it. The prince of Gu Shu definitely is not aligned with Prince Xiang. In fact, it’s the opposite. I fear that they may be the enemy, and they have prepared for a fight.”