roccoschili Chapter 283 Clarification
Chapter 283 Clarification
For several days in a row, Emperor Zhao was busy receiving envoys from the Min'an Kingdom and Princess Fan Xueer, as if he had completely forgotten about her and had never set foot in Rongshen Palace.
After Fan Xueer and Yuan Luzheng arrived in Zhao State, they were looking forward to meeting Concubine Rong in the palace. They thought that Concubine Rong would play an important role in receiving them, but who could have imagined that Emperor Zhao did not allow Concubine Rong to participate in the reception of these distant guests.
Ever since Fan Xueer and her group checked into the inn, it has been tightly guarded by experts arranged by Emperor Zhao. Even when they go out, they are closely followed by Zhao's guards. These guards are there in the name of protection, but in fact they are there to monitor them.
Under such tight protection, it is too dangerous to communicate with Concubine Rong in the palace.
Therefore, apart from the quick encounter at the banquet, they had no chance to meet with Concubine Rong in private.
What's worse is that in the following days, the young talents selected by Emperor Zhao surrounded Fan Xueer like a group of buzzing flies all day long.
They took Fan Xueer to tour the streets and alleys of Kyoto and its scenic spots. Fan Xueer was so busy with them that she couldn't get away at all, and she had no time to find Concubine Rong to discuss the next plan.
In this way, time passed quickly and a month passed in a flash.
On this day, Emperor Zhao had finished dealing with a mountain of government affairs and seemed to be in a particularly good mood. He waved his hand and ordered people to summon Fan Xueer and seven or eight young talents to the Yuhe Palace.
Night fell over the Zhao royal palace, the lights came on, and the banquet hall was resplendent with gold and splendor.
Inside the Imperial Palace, candlelight flickered and the air was filled with an indescribable tension.
Emperor Zhao sat upright on the main seat. His usually serious and stern face now forced out a gentle smile. The look he gave Fan Xueer seemed to carry some of the kindness of an elder towards a younger one, but deep in his eyes, there was a hint of sharpness that was hard to fathom.
"Princess, are you enjoying your visit to the capital of Zhao State these past few days?"
Emperor Zhao's voice echoed slowly in the empty hall. The seemingly casual question was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, causing ripples.
The displeasure in Fan Xueer's heart surged like a raging tide, but facing the man in front of her who held the highest power in the State of Zhao, even though she was full of resentment, she did not dare to reveal it easily.
She lowered her head slightly, and her long eyelashes fluttered gently like two small fans, concealing the complex thoughts deep in her eyes.
"Thank you, Emperor Zhao, for your hospitality."
Fan Xueer's voice was clear and pleasant, yet it carried a subtle hint of indifference. "You gentlemen are indeed outstanding men, graceful and talented, but..."
She paused slightly, raised her eyes and glanced at the young talents standing beside her, a faint bitter smile appeared on the corner of her mouth, "Xue'er and them are not destined to be together after all."
As soon as these words were spoken, the young masters who were originally so nervous that they dared not breathe, felt relieved instantly, and the expressions on their faces relaxed.
They looked at each other quietly, the joy in their eyes difficult to conceal, as if they were celebrating a hard-earned victory.
For them, a foreign princess is not so much a possible marriage as a disaster that may strike at any time.
Everyone knows that the political risks behind marrying this princess far outweigh the possible benefits. The reason why he stands here is only because he is forced to do so by the emperor's order, in order to protect his own life and the property of his family.
Now that the princess has personally refused, it is undoubtedly the best outcome.
Emperor Zhao's gaze was like an ice-cold blade, sweeping across the faces of these young men who were overjoyed, and his eyes revealed a sharp warning.
Although he had anticipated this outcome, he would never allow anyone to find fault with him in the court, in front of everyone, even the slightest misstep.
When the Zhao Emperor glanced at them like that, the young masters felt a sudden shock in their hearts, as if a basin of cold water was poured from head to toe, and they woke up instantly.
They all suppressed the smiles on their faces, lowered their heads, and dared not breathe, for fear that they would accidentally anger the majestic emperor.
At this time, a young man named Chen Xiao suddenly stood up. There was a hint of youthful stubbornness on his face, and there was even a hint of a desire to compete in his eyes.
He looked directly at Fan Xue'er and asked loudly, "I wonder what kind of man Princess Min'an admires? I'd like to ask if I could give you some information."
After Chen Xiao finished speaking, he quickly glanced at Emperor Zhao who was sitting above him. Seeing that he nodded slightly, he felt much more at ease.
With the emperor's tacit approval, he became bolder.
"Yes, Princess," another young man bravely echoed, "We all come to you with utmost sincerity. Even if we cannot win your favor in the end, we beg you to let us lose with a clear conscience."
"Princess, I hope you can fulfill my wish."
Everyone was talking at once, their voices growing louder and louder. The entire hall seemed to be stirred by an invisible force, and the atmosphere became increasingly tense.
Fan Xueer was stared at by more than a dozen pairs of eyes, and felt a surge of anger burning from the bottom of her heart.
She was a legitimate princess of a country. She traveled thousands of miles to Zhao State for marriage for the sake of peace and diplomatic relations between the two countries. She thought she would be treated with due respect and courtesy, but she did not expect to suffer such humiliation.
These frivolous men dared to question her like this. She could no longer suppress the anger in her heart.
Fan Xueer suddenly raised her neck and straightened her back, and her innate noble temperament and the majesty of a princess were instantly revealed.
Her eyes flashed with anger as she spoke coldly, "It seems the Emperor of Zhao underestimates my Min'an Kingdom. This princess came here with full sincerity, only to be humiliated like this. Could it be that in the eyes of the Emperor of Zhao, the princes and grandchildren of Zhao are all gods in heaven, and I, the Princess of Min'an Kingdom, am unworthy of marrying a prince?"
As soon as these words were spoken, it was like a bombshell, causing a huge storm in the hall.
Everyone was stunned by Fan Xueer's bold words. No one expected that this seemingly weak princess would bring up the topic so directly.
For a moment, the entire hall was silent. Except for Emperor Zhao at the top and the confident Fan Xueer, everyone else was so scared that they dared not breathe. They all lowered their heads, wishing they could find a crack in the ground to crawl into, as if this would allow them to avoid the coming storm.
In this almost suffocatingly quiet atmosphere, Emperor Zhao sighed heavily, and his expression became gloomy, as if Fan Xueer's words had touched a string deep in his heart.
"Princess, you may not know that our crown prince is the most suitable candidate for marriage. He has a kind character, profound knowledge, and is extremely concerned about the relationship between our two countries."
Having said this, he slowly withdrew his gaze and looked at Fan Xueer, his expression growing increasingly gloomy. "Unfortunately, the Crown Prince was assassinated a few days ago and has been in a coma ever since. The doctors at the Imperial Hospital are helpless. Under these circumstances, it is impossible for him to marry the Princess. I am deeply regretful."
He shook his head slightly, the regret and pain in his eyes making it difficult to tell whether it was true or false.
Upon hearing this, Fan Xueer was slightly startled. She carefully looked at Emperor Zhao's expression, trying to find a flaw in his face to judge whether he was expressing his true feelings or just pretending.