Qi Kingdom, Imperial Palace …
Zhao Yong was soaking in a pool filled with medicinal soup. He only opened his eyes when he heard Song Honao's request and walked out of the pool. His tall and slender figure made the palace maids beside him blush as they hurriedly helped him onto the boat with his clothes.
"Your Majesty, the medicine is ready!" A palace maid handed him a bowl of medicine.
"Where is Valley Master Duanmu?" Zhao Yong asked in a low voice.
"Your Majesty, Valley Master Duanmu said he thought of a prescription and wanted to go back and think about it!" Zhao Yong's trusted eunuch, Hai Desheng, said in a low voice.
Zhao Yong nodded lightly. After his illness flared up again, he immediately went to find Duanmu Xiu. Duanmu Xiu was the Valley Master of the Medicine Valley and his medical skills were renowned. From Black Mountain to the palace, Zhao Yong had acupuncture treatment every day, but he felt that it was not as effective as the pill Lu Yaoyao gave him.
He had always wondered if Duanmu Xiu's medicine was not effective or if Lu Yaoyao had tampered with the pill.
"Your Majesty!" Song Honao saw Zhao Yong come out and immediately went up to him. "Xu Jiang sent news from the Jin Kingdom that Lu Yaoyao is dead!"
Zhao Yong turned to look at Song Honao. "What did you say?"
"Although there was no news from the Jin Kingdom's palace, the news from Chengde Villa was not suppressed at the beginning, and it still spread. I heard that Lu Yaoyao died during childbirth and was taken away by Ye Yiqing. Now her whereabouts are unknown, and no one knows what exactly happened," Song Hongao said in a low voice. When he heard the news about Lu Yaoyao, he really could not believe it. How could Lu Yaoyao die just like that?
"Didn't Lu Yaoyao … know medicine? How could she die?" Zhao Yong frowned as a beautiful figure appeared in his mind. He didn't believe that Lu Yaoyao would die. Maybe it was just a fake death …
Song Honao said, "It seems that she heard that Mo Rongzhan was going to marry the Princess of Qi, so her pregnancy was affected!"
Zhao Yong's eyes widened. "How could she be so petty? Mo Rongzhan made her an imperial concubine, not an empress!"
"Your Majesty, this subject has heard that … ever since Mo Rongzhan was crowned, he has never doted on another woman. Not long ago, Empress Shu was also conferred the title of Lu Yaoyao. I heard that Empress Shu even helped Lu Yaoyao get poisoned once," said Song Hongao. Mo Rongzhan and Lu Yaoyao's love was probably as deep as the sea. Otherwise, which emperor would go to such lengths for a woman?
"Lu Yaoyao, this woman is really …" Zhao Yong was momentarily at a loss for words. Did she think that she would fall out of favor just because Mo Rongzhan had chosen an Imperial Consort? Although he was the one who was marrying off his daughter, he knew that his daughter would not be favored in the Jin Kingdom in the future. Lu Yaoyao had actually caused her to die in childbirth for an insignificant person!
Song Hongao glanced at Zhao Yong. "Your Majesty, do you feel guilty?"
"Why should we feel guilty?" Zhao Yong said snappily. "Then what did the person from Jin Kingdom who came to propose marriage say? Didn't we ask Mo Rongzhan to propose marriage himself?"
"The envoy said that the Emperor doesn't have time to come and propose marriage. If the Emperor is willing, then he can marry Princess Ning to the Jin Kingdom. If he isn't willing, they won't dare to force him," Song Honao said. It would be strange if Mo Rongzhan was in the mood to propose marriage at this time.
Zhao Yong snorted, "They still dare to ask for Zhao Ning?"
"Your Majesty, Mo Rongzhan has lost Lu Yaoyao. I'm afraid … he won't compromise anymore. We don't have any other choice. If we don't form an alliance with the Jin Kingdom to suppress the Beiming Kingdom, then we'll be watching Beitang Yu swallow up Dongqing and Xiliang. At that time, it'll be even more difficult for us to deal with them," Song Hongao said.
Zhao Yong furrowed his brows. "Go and talk to the Jin envoy again. Change another princess for the marriage alliance. Zhao Ning … We want to betroth her to Marquis Anning!"
He already owed Zhao Ning, and the Marquis of Anning was his trusted general. If Zhao Ning married the Marquis of Anning, then she would have no worries for the rest of her life. She wouldn't have to go to the Jin Imperial Palace to be an unfavored Imperial Concubine!
"Yes, Your Majesty," replied Song Hongao.
…
…
Ever since they had met Mo Rongzhan, Mo Rongyi and Zhao Ning had not been alone together. They even spoke less. There was always an awkwardness between the two, especially Zhao Ning. When she thought about how she would marry Mo Rongyi in the future, she didn't have the face to see him.
He actually didn't want to marry her. She had only agreed to marry Mo Rongzhan for her own selfish reasons, so she felt that she had let Mo Rongyi down.
"Princesses, the Qi Kingdom is just up ahead. Your people are already in front. This Prince will send you here," Mo Rongyi said from outside the carriage.
Zhao Xin opened the curtains and stared at Mo Rongyi. "Little Prince, aren't you coming with us to the Qi Kingdom?"
Mo Rongyi looked at the silent carriage. Zhao Ning had been avoiding him for a few days. Could it be that she didn't want to talk to him anymore? He looked at Zhao Xin and said with a smile, "It's not convenient for this Prince to go to the Qi Kingdom. Fourth Princess, please take care."
"Little Prince, please take care too. I hope we will have a chance to meet again in the future." Zhao Xin smiled at Mo Rongyi. She hoped to marry Mo Rongyi in the future. However, with the situation in the Qi Kingdom and the Jin Kingdom, it wouldn't be so easy.
Mo Rongyi smiled and nodded. He rode his horse towards Zhao Ning's carriage and stopped by the window. "Princess Ning, take care."
Zhao Ning hesitated for a while in the carriage. She lifted the curtains and looked at Mo Rongyi. "You take care too."
"That …" Mo Rongyi wanted to say a few more words, but he didn't know what to say. He just frowned. "When you reach the Qi Kingdom, be careful."
"I know." Zhao Ning nodded lightly. She looked at Mo Rongyi. "You're not angry anymore?"
Mo Rongyi was stunned. "Why would I be angry?" He immediately remembered that Zhao Ning was talking about the Emperor. He scratched his head awkwardly. "Oh, that. I'm not angry. It's just that … I can't accept it."
Zhao Ning knew that he didn't want to marry her. It was only because of his brother's order that he couldn't oppose it. "Don't worry. In the future … I won't hinder you."
What did she mean? Mo Rongyi stared blankly. He didn't understand what Zhao Ning meant.
"Zhao Ning, what did you say?" Mo Rongyi asked curiously.
Zhao Ning didn't want to say anything more. She lowered the curtains. "Let's go."
Mo Rongyi frowned as he watched their carriage go further away. It wasn't until they reached the border of the Qi Kingdom that he turned to leave.
He still wanted to go back and look for his brother. The Qi Kingdom wanted to marry their princess to the Jin Kingdom to become a consort. If she became his consort, would they let it go?
"Little Prince, are we going to Nanyue or back to the capital?" Mo Rongyi's guard asked.
"Back to the capital!" Mo Rongyi replied.
(Nine-Headed Bird Academy)
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