The once noisy hall had fallen into an eerie silence.

Countless gazes were fixed on Wen Yue Sheng, and even on Xiao Jin.

According to custom, Wen Yuruo, Wen Yuesheng’s sister, always sat next to Xiao Jin, and today was no exception.

But in this situation, it made the scene even more absurd.

Crown Prince of Haozhou had asked Xiao Jin for Wen Yuesheng’s hand in marriage, yet sitting next to Xiao Jin was Wen Yuesheng’s sister.

The shock brought by this turn of events was so great that some people couldn’t even recover from it for a long while.

The palace attendants beside Xiao Jin were so tense that they didn’t dare breathe.

Wen Yuruo was also stunned.

She couldn’t help but look up at the majestic figure of the Haozhou Crown Prince, his appearance both striking and commanding.

Suddenly, a sharp sound broke the silence.

Crack! Wen Yuruo looked up hurriedly to find that Xiao Jin had crushed the wine cup in his hand.

The white jade wine cup shattered, and the pieces pierced into his hand, causing it to bleed profusely.

Yet Xiao Jin seemed to feel nothing, his deep, ocean-like gaze fixed firmly on Yu Shun.

After a moment, he spoke in a low voice: “Princess Sineng is my fiancée.”

“Did the Crown Prince mistake someone?”

With Xiao Jin’s words, the atmosphere in the hall shifted.

Yu Shun turned to meet his gaze, his eyes calm and devoid of much emotion. They swept past Wen Yu Ruo, sitting beside Xiao Jin.

He then glanced at Wen Yuesheng, then said, “Though I haven’t been in Da Hui long, I’m not at the point of mistaking someone.”

These words caused the air in the hall to stiffen immediately.

Yu Shun’s meaning was clear: he sought to marry Princess Sineng, and the woman sitting next to Xiao Jin was obviously not Wen Yuesheng.

But Xiao Jin insisted that Wen Yuesheng was his fiancée?

Though Yu Shun didn’t directly express his thoughts, everyone in the hall understood the implied message.

Xiao Jin’s expression almost broke, and if it weren’t for the political issues between the two countries, he would have drawn his sword without hesitation.

His reaction caught many off guard.

“This is truly rare,” remarked Prince Wei Yangwang, now fully alert.

He kept his eyes moving between the parties involved, with a half-smile. “I thought the fourth prince really didn’t care about Princess Si Ning.”

“Why is he so worked up now?”

His words voiced what many were thinking, though the other officials, unlike Prince Wei Yangwang, would not openly speak their minds.

“Regardless, the marriage contract between the fourth prince and Princess Sineng is public. For someone to openly ask for his fiancée’s hand in marriage in front of him is something no man could endure.”

The Prince of Jingkang, sitting beside Prince Wei Yang, had a poor constitution and rarely attended events, but today was exceptional.

However, his elder brother, the esteemed Prince Heng Guang, was noticeably absent.

Rumor had it that after the first day of the state banquet, Prince Heng Guang had fallen ill, and it had been several days since anyone had seen him.

The lords whispered among themselves, while the emperor’s expression remained grim.

The planned marriage alliance was suddenly disrupted, with Haozhou still insisting on Princess Sining…

Since Princess Sining already had an engagement with Xiao Jin, regardless of their attitudes toward it, Haozhou’s Crown Prince had publicly asked to marry her, trampling the face of the royal family.

The emperor surely knew this, and such a move during a tense diplomatic situation was an extremely dangerous signal.

In theory, even if the Crown Prince liked Princess Sining, he shouldn’t have done this, especially on Da Hui soil, where tens of thousands of soldiers were stationed just a few dozen miles away.

Was he not afraid of Da Hui tearing up the treaty and trapping him, the promising Crown Prince of Haozhou, within their borders?

Everyone in the room had their own thoughts.

Even the military officers behind Yu Shun were on edge.

In this tense atmosphere, there was one person who remained calm.

That was Wen Yuesheng.

She seemed like an outsider, leisurely sipping her tea.

Yu Shun smiled even more as he watched her.

He no longer looked at Xiao Jin but instead turned to Wen Yuesheng, softly asking, “What is the princess’s opinion?”

Wen Yuesheng rested her chin in her hand and regarded him.

She had an extraordinarily beautiful face, and even such a simple gesture made it clear to everyone that Yu Shun’s choice was not without reason.

But her expression was too indifferent.

There was no trace of joy or distress on her face.

Her voice, too, was faint. “Is it me the Crown Prince wants to marry, or is it Zhang Yulin?”

Duke Zhongyong, who had been sipping tea, almost spat out his drink.

He looked up in shock.

Was the Haozhou Crown Prince interested in his son?

Oh, it must be his son’s strength.

Yu Shun’s eyes glinted with even more amusement.

She was even more astute than he had imagined.

She must know that what he offered was not just the position of Crown Princess but also the future position of Empress.

In the entire history of Haozhou, no foreigner had ever become empress.

Even if, as previously discussed, the princess were to marry into Haozhou, she would only be an ordinary consort.

But the future Empress, the one who would accompany him to the peak, was none other than her.

Bang! Xiao Jin suddenly stood up.

His face was cold as water, his gaze fixed on her.

Reflecting on recent days, she had never spoken to him with such an attitude, not even when he went to her door yesterday, and she acted as if she hadn’t noticed.

At first, he thought it was just another of her small tantrums.

But today, he truly felt it.

She was outright ignoring him.

Time had passed so long, it seemed she had completely forgotten that they were the ones with the legitimate engagement.

Just as Xiao Jin was about to step forward, he heard Wen Yu Ruo’s soft voice, “My lord…”

Her small face was pale, and her clear, beautiful eyes were slightly shrinking, a look of panic and fear making Xiao Jin hesitate for a moment.

In that moment, a loud voice from outside the hall called out: “Lord Yan has arrived—”

Yan Ling entered the hall today not in official robes, but in a light, pale blue gown.

The moment he entered, he added a touch of brightness to the previously oppressive atmosphere.

Yet his expression remained as cold as always.

Despite the strange atmosphere, he seemed unaffected, walking calmly into the hall.

He whispered something to Gao Quan, who’s face changed slightly, quickly turning back to inform the emperor of the message.

The emperor’s expression was unreadable, but he coldly commanded, “The marriage negotiations will be discussed later. Everyone, return to the palace!”

A victory in battle would usually warrant a celebration.

But now, with the sudden departure, many were caught off guard.

Yet, no one would dare question the emperor’s decision.

The emperor’s procession quickly left, and Yu Shun seemed to receive some news.

His face darkened slightly as he nodded and turned to speak to Wen Yuesheng, but he found she had already risen and left.

Yu Shun paused, leading the Haozhou army and officials out.

The once bustling high platform quickly emptied, with most of the guests gone.

Di Zhu swiftly moved to Yan Ling’s side and looked at his expression. It was unchanged.

He spoke softly, “Send the message out.”

Di Zhu lowered his head in response.

The news would spread quickly.

After the emperor returned to the palace, all the ministers would be summoned for a discussion.

And Yan Ling would undoubtedly be part of it.

Following behind, Di Zhu couldn’t help but wonder.

Something that caused the emperor to leave so abruptly had to be a major issue.

And now, what was more important than the marriage alliance was certainly related to Haozhou.

The Haozhou envoy had come prepared, with troops stationed just a few dozen miles outside.

Of course, unless absolutely necessary, the army would not be deployed.

The troops would remain in their camps, just as a precaution.

But such preparations were made, and Haozhou had made them too.

Not long ago, Yan Ling had informed Gao Quan that news from the border had arrived—Haozhou’s army was mobilizing, with nearly 200,000 troops at the border.

The marriage negotiations were still undecided, but Haozhou’s army was already on the move.

Unable to judge exactly what Haoshu meant, the emperor naturally would call off the peace treaty arrangements.

But…

What intrigued Di Zhu wasn’t these matters.

It was the news that Yan Ling had received yesterday.

However, he didn’t report it immediately.

Instead, after the Crown Prince of Haoshu requested to marry Princess Sining in front of all the court officials, he reported the news to the emperor.

It wasn’t that the timing was wrong; the Crown Prince of Haoshu was still in Da Hui, and no matter what intentions Haoshu had, they wouldn’t dare to act recklessly.

It was just that… the timing…

Di Zhu carefully glanced at his lord’s back. Yan Ling always had this kind of demeanor, and only those close to him could faintly sense the difference.

He felt that Yan Ling seemed colder than usual.

Di Zhu lowered his head, not daring to make any further guesses.

When Yan Ling arrived at the Taihe Hall, a heated argument was taking place inside.

He paused for a moment at the door.

“…No matter what, Princess Sining cannot be married to Haoshu as part of a peace treaty! If this truly happens, what face would the emperor and Prince Yong’an have left?”

“But the Crown Prince of Haoshu has promised her the title of Crown Princess. Your Majesty, as far as I know, for many years, the Crown Prince of Haoshu’s consort or empress has never been from another ethnicity. The Crown Prince of Haoshu offering the future position of consort must mean he places great importance on this marriage.”

“Furthermore… I believe this change is feasible.” The official speaking was hinting at the fact that Prince Yong’an had been engaged to Princess Sining for years, but the marriage had never happened.

It was clear to everyone that Prince Yong’an had no interest in Princess Sining, and under these circumstances, annulling the engagement would allow him to marry Wen Yuruo, while Princess Sining could marry into Haoshu—wasn’t that perfect?

Still, the emperor didn’t respond.

“Your Majesty, Lord Yan has arrived.”

“Let him in.”

Yan Ling was led into the hall by the palace attendants.

As soon as he entered, the emperor handed him two memorials.

“These are the memorials from the Crown Prince of Haoshu, and another from Lu Dingyuan,” the emperor said calmly. “Lu Dingyuan reports that they have already negotiated with Haoshu, and Haoshu has no immediate plans to cross the border. The Crown Prince of Haoshu suggests that we finalize the peace treaty soon to reassure the people of Haoshu.”

“Lord Yan, what do you think? Is Haoshu’s sudden military mobilization due to concerns about the Crown Prince’s safety, or is there another purpose?”

Yan Ling replied calmly, “The majority of Haoshu’s commanders are currently in Da Hui. Without commanders, a rash military campaign would only demoralize Haoshu’s generals.”

The emperor squinted at Yan Ling’s words.

He knew this, but he had just declared on the high platform, in front of Haoshu’s envoy and all the officials, that Haoshu’s army was threatening?

The emperor glanced at him, then suddenly said, “The Crown Prince of Haoshu wants to marry Princess Sining. What is your opinion on this matter?”

“I interrupted the discussion earlier for this reason,” Yan Ling said flatly, showing no hint of guilt. “This matter cannot proceed.”

The hall fell silent.

Since the discussion had begun, Xiao Jin, who had been standing nearby with a dark expression, lifted his gaze to look at Yan Ling.

Yan Ling remained calm, without showing any emotion, and simply said, “Now that Master Zhang is Princess Sining’s guard, if the princess were to marry, would Master Zhang go with her or stay?”

Duke Zhongyong: …

Why was this his concern?

But it was difficult to answer.

If he said yes, it would mean sending a fierce general to Haoshu; if he said no, it was well-known that Zhang Yulin’s situation was precarious, and whether he could return to the battlefield without Wen Yuesheng was uncertain.

“Before Haoshu annexed the surrounding small countries, it was a barbarian land. There weren’t many people like Master Zhang, but not none,” Yan Ling continued lightly, almost emotionless. “If Princess Sining becomes the empress of Haoshu, should such a person be promoted or not?”

The entire hall fell into silence.

Only Xiao Jin looked at him with a deep gaze.

When it came to the marriage proposal, everyone in the room was more concerned with Yan Ling’s own marriage with Wen Yuesheng.

Only Yan Ling seemed to not care about this matter at all.

“Your Majesty, Lord Yan’s words make sense. Even if not for this, there is the engagement between the prince and the princess. Suddenly agreeing to it would damage Da Hui’s reputation.”

The emperor pondered for a moment but remained silent.

“Father,” Xiao Jin suddenly spoke up. “Sining is my fiancée, and the Crown Prince of Haoshu’s actions are attempting to take her from me. I cannot agree to this.”

The entire hall went quiet.

Not only the emperor but even the surrounding officials exchanged glances, unsure of Xiao Jin’s meaning.

Among the emperor’s sons, Xiao Jin was the most secretive, difficult to read.

He was the son of the empress, the only legitimate heir.

Although it had never been explicitly stated, many people considered him a strong candidate for the throne.

He rarely showed emotion in front of the emperor, so this was the first time, and even though some time had passed, his anger was still apparent.

But…

He had always shown interest in the second daughter of the Wen family, hadn’t he?

When he spoke, many people found it difficult to understand his thoughts.

The emperor also cast a deep look at him.

But at the end of the discussion, the emperor still didn’t directly say whether the peace marriage should be with Princess Furuo or Princess Sining.

After leaving the palace.

Several officials were still discussing the martial arts competition.

Xiao Jin walked a step behind, just in time to walk alongside Yan Ling.

He spoke in a low voice, “Thank you, Lord Yan, for today’s matter.”

Then he added, “When I marry Princess Sining, I will invite Lord Yan to my house to celebrate.”

He had never mentioned his marriage to Wen Yuesheng before.

Now, his words seemed strange, and even his attendants couldn’t help but glance at him.

Only Yan Ling’s expression remained unchanged as he replied indifferently, “Will you also invite the second daughter of the Wen family to the wedding?”

Xiao Jin’s expression darkened immediately.

Yan Ling took a step forward, preparing to leave.

Di Zhu followed behind him, and they both exited the palace without hearing Yan Ling speak.

He didn’t say much, only lifting the curtain of the carriage, waiting for Yan Ling to enter.

But when Yan Ling reached the door, he paused for a moment.

His voice was cold as he said, “Find a palace servant to relay Xiao Jin’s words to Madam Wen.”

This order, which Di Zhu had never heard before, left him stunned for a while.

After a long pause, Di Zhu finally responded with a “yes.”

Once Yan Ling got into the carriage, Di Zhu began to realize that the engagement between Prince Yong’an and Princess Sining was probably doomed.

Also, after the princes came of age, his lord had never expressed any preference or aversion toward any of the princes, whether in public or private.

But this time, he had directly referred to Prince Yong’an by name?

Di Zhu, still in a daze, looked up and saw another attendant rushing toward Yan Ling.

“Master, there’s trouble at the Guo Temple.”

There, Zhang Yulin had been injured in the martial arts competition.

The injury was to his knee, making it difficult for him to move.

The emperor had sent two imperial physicians to treat his injury, so he temporarily stayed in the hunting lodge.

Wen Yuesheng planned to return to the Guo Temple.

But halfway there, the carriage suddenly stopped.

Wen Yuesheng looked up, and Gu Yu opened the carriage window.

The sky was still bright, with the sunset’s golden glow falling on the carriage.

A man they didn’t recognize had stopped their carriage.

He was dressed plainly. When he saw the window open, he paused before stepping forward and saying, “I’ve seen the princess.”

Before anyone in the carriage could ask, he immediately added, “I’m a servant of the Sun family.”

“My lady sent me to deliver a message to the princess, saying that Miss Zhou is in danger and asks the princess to hurry back.”

Upon hearing this, Gu Yu’s face changed drastically, and she quickly turned to Wen Yue.

Wen Yuesheng put down her book, her expression cold.

The carriage, which had been moving slowly, now sped up.

The Royal Guo Temple was located farther from the capital than other temples, near the royal tombs, heavily guarded by soldiers.

Only authorized personnel could approach the Guo Temple and tombs.

But once they left the Guo Temple, it was no longer under military jurisdiction.

There were several paths on the way to the Guo Temple, each leading to different places.

One of them led to an abandoned village from many years ago.

This area was sparsely populated, and after many years, the village had fallen into disrepair.

Since many unfortunate events had happened when the village was abandoned, the local people believed it was haunted and avoided it, even during the day.

This caused the path leading to the village to be overgrown with weeds, making it difficult for the carriage to move forward.

After another stop, Wen Yuesheng got out of the carriage directly.