Zhao Yong looked at his daughter silently. He hoped that his daughter would make a request of him. Among all his daughters, the one he owed the most was Zhao Ning. In the past, he didn't even know that he had a daughter outside. If he had known, he would have sent people to bring them back.
"Are you and your mother living well in Hua Village?" Zhao Yong did not continue to talk about the marriage but talked about her mother.
Zhao Ning was stunned. Why did he suddenly mention her mother? "Does father wish for me to say yes or no?"
Her tone sounded resentful. She had been very calm before, but when her mother was mentioned, she became a little emotional. This made Zhao Yong feel like he had found his daughter again. "You sound like you've been wronged."
"It's not that I am wronged, it's my mother …" Zhao Ning was resentful, but not for herself, but for her mother. "My mother has been waiting for you her entire life. She will be waiting for you by the lake tomorrow. You said you would fetch her. Day after day, year after year, she waited until her hair turned white. You still did not see her. She is only in her twenties … but she is as old as an old woman. So, father, do you think I should say yes or no?"
Zhao Yong listened quietly. He said in a low voice, "That year, zhen was harmed and was saved by your mother. After leaving Hua Village, for the sake of Qi's political stability, zhen did not have the time to fetch her. By the time zhen went to fetch her, she already did not know how to enter Hua Village …"
These were all excuses! If she had the heart to enter Hua Village, how could she not be found? But at that time, father probably did not care about mother anymore.
"Before mother died, she asked me to find you. So, I think mother should not hate you." Zhao Ning said in a low voice.
Zhao Yong was stunned. He sighed, "zhen owes you and your mother. The Jin Emperor wanted you to marry into Jin. If you are not willing, zhen can reject him."
"No …" Zhao Ning shook her head. "I am willing."
"Ah Ning, you must know that if you become Mo Rongzhan's Imperial Concubine, he may not dote on you. You may not have children of your own." To a woman, this was a great disadvantage.
He was a man himself, and an emperor at that. He knew very well what would happen to the women in the palace if they didn't have children and weren't loved.
"If I don't marry into the Jin Kingdom, then the two countries won't be able to form an alliance …" Zhao Ning raised her head and looked at Zhao Yong. "At least I still have some use. I'm not a useless princess, right?"
Zhao Yong frowned. "A 'Ning, I don't want you to feel wronged."
He had been wronged for more than ten years, so why did he have to think of compensation now? If he really didn't want her to suffer, he wouldn't have thought of marrying her off to Marquis Anning. "I don't feel wronged, Imperial Father. I won't suffer in the Jin Nation. No matter what, I still saved Mo Rongzhan."
Zhao Yong was silent for a while. He knew that this was the last choice. Dongqing Kingdom had already started to send troops. He could not let Beitang Yu strengthen the Northern Dark Kingdom.
"Don't worry, I won't let you feel wronged in the Jin Nation. As long as I am around, Mo Rongzhan will not dare to mistreat you. Instead, he will respect and pamper you. Lu Yaoyao is no longer here. After you give birth, I will think of a way for Mo Rongzhan to confer you the title of Empress." Zhao Yong said in a low voice.
Zhao Ning was stunned. "Imperial Father, you said that Lu Yaoyao is no longer here. What do you mean?"
Zhao Yong then remembered that the news about Lu Yaoyao had not reached Zhao Ning's ears. "The news from the Jin Nation is that Lu Yaoyao passed away in childbirth. She was taken away by Ye Yiqing, and her whereabouts are unknown. Even if she is still alive, she should be overseas. Therefore, no one in the palace would dare to mistreat you."
"What … passed away?" Zhao Ning's face changed. How come she hadn't heard of this? How could the Empress have a difficult birth? Her medical skills were so good. "No, no, no, I don't believe it. The Empress looks so good. She doesn't look like she would have a difficult birth …"
"No matter what, she is not in the Jin Nation." Zhao Yong said in a low voice. "You should go back. Imperial Father will arrange everything for you."
Zhao Ning still wanted to know more about Lu Yaoyao. But looking at Zhao Yong's face, it seemed that he did not want to say much. It seemed like she could only find out herself.
How could it be … that was Lu Yaoyao, the Empress who ruled the world. How could she die like this …
She would not believe it. She would rather believe that this was a prank by Lu Yaoyao.
Zhao Ning returned to Sufang Palace from the Palace of Heavenly Purity. Outside the door, she saw Zhao Rao and Zhao Xin.
"Ah Ning, what's wrong? Why do you look so pale? " Zhao Rao walked up and saw that Zhao Ning's expression was not right. She thought that she was shocked by the news of the betrothal.
"I …" Zhao Ning was still immersed in the news of Lu Yaoyao's death. When she saw Zhao Rao, she thought of something else. Yes, Zhao Rao and the rest must be looking forward to the news of her betrothal. If they knew that she was going to be married to the Jin Nation, what would they think?
Zhao Xin's eyes carried a hint of schadenfreude. "Have you been shocked by the good news?"
"Imperial Father said that he wants to arrange a marriage for me …" Zhao Ning lowered her head and said softly.
"Is that so? What marriage? "Zhao Rao asked with a smile. She was very confident in her own arrangements.
Zhao Ning raised her head and looked at her. Her lips curved into a smile. "The Jin Nation's envoy came to propose marriage. He wanted me to marry to the Jin Nation. Imperial Father has already agreed."
"What?" Zhao Xin cried out in shock. "How is that possible!"
"Yes, I also thought that it was strange. But the Jin envoy asked for it. Imperial Father had no choice but to agree." Zhao Ning sighed. She wanted to look at Zhao Rao proudly. She did not know why, but she did not dare to look at Zhao Rao's sharp eyes.
She looked a little like Zhao Yong's.
"Imperial Father wants you to marry to the Jin Kingdom?" Zhao Ran's tone was very slow, almost enunciating each word.
"Yes." Zhao Ning nodded.
Zhao Rao's eyes flashed sharply. She looked at Zhao Ning. "Why did Imperial Father want you to marry to the Jin Nation?"
"Imperial Father said that it was a request from the Jin Nation. I … I don't know either." Zhao Ning pretended to be innocent. If she expressed that she was happy to marry to the Jin Nation, Zhao Rao would definitely see that something was wrong.
"Do we have to listen to every request from the Jin Nation?" Zhao Ran asked angrily. All her plans had been ruined because of the Jin Nation's request.
Zhao Ning was shocked by her anger. "Big sister, I … I don't know either. This is Imperial Father's wish."
She knew that this was Imperial Father's wish. That was why she was so angry. She even suspected that Imperial Father had seen through her intentions. That was why he wanted to marry Zhao Ning to the Jin Nation.
No, that was impossible! She had done it so discreetly. How could Imperial Father have found out? Moreover, she only wanted Zhao Ning to marry Marquis Anning. She had not done anything to make Imperial Father unhappy. Imperial Father could not have done this because of her.
...
(Nine-Headed Bird Academy)
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