Chapter 24

  Simaqiang coldly laughed and said in a loud voice: "Your subject Sima Qiang pays his respects to the Emperor!"

  As soon as he spoke, the emperor and Murong Xue were startled, and Gao Gonggong, who was serving beside them, also jumped in fright. He turned his head to see Sima Qiang's face full of anger, and hastily lowered his head, not daring to speak.

  This Sima Zong is the most violent among all princes, he has been stationed at the border to guard it. He and Sima Zhi are like one in literature and martial arts, complementing each other, they are the emperor's most trusted left and right arms. He was born to the emperor's favorite concubine Liu Fei, Liu Fei and Wu Fei were both daughters of a general in the imperial court. This Sima Zong has also inherited his maternal grandfather's true tradition, not only is he highly skilled in martial arts, but he is also a master strategist, so the emperor entrusted him with the border which concerns national security, Wu Meng is one of his top generals, and they are sworn brothers.

  Due to some old affairs, the relationship with the two princes born by the empress, namely Crown Prince Sima Zhi and Fourth Prince Sima Rui, has never been very good.

  "Ah, Second Son is back! When did you return?" The Emperor was delighted to see his second son, who had been stationed at the border and had truly relieved him of many troubles. Due to his outstanding military achievements, he had the right to freely travel between the border and the capital, meaning he could come and go as he pleased, unrestricted by the Emperor himself.

  Simazheng gave a cold glance at Murong Xue, under the autumn sun, with her elegant attire and golden ornaments, she was indeed an exceptionally beautiful woman.

  The four daughters of the Murong family, he had seen them all. The eldest sister, Murong Xuan, was married to Sima Zhe as his concubine; the second sister, Murong Yu, was the wife of Wu Meng, a great general under his command; the third sister, Murong Feng, whom he met today, was already married to Sima Rui as his concubine and left the deepest impression on him. As for the fourth sister, Murong Xue, she was now standing in front of him, side by side with her father, who intended to take her as his own concubine.

  Each one is a phoenix among people, the crown of flowers. Mu Rong Qingliang really gave birth to four good daughters.

  "Just returned today." Sima Qiang said in a deep voice, "The victory at the Front Liangguan was great, and the Wumeng Kingdom has already handed over its surrender letter, and Princess Yalai of the Wumeng Kingdom has been sent to the Great Xing Dynasty to present to the Emperor."

  "Good," the emperor said somewhat absent-mindedly, listening to his son's report on the battle while gently gazing at Mu Rong Xue beside him, "Qiang Er has achieved great merit again, so I'll grant you Ya Li Princess."

  Simazhuan suppressed his anger and said in a cold voice, "This was originally the duty of the son. If the emperor wants to reward his son, then I really want to ask the emperor for one person."

  "Who is it?" The Emperor looked up at Sima Qiang.

  "Murong Xue!" Sima Qiang stood not far from Murong Xue, his expression cold as ice, his words firm and unyielding. "I've heard that the people of the world are all talking about how Prime Minister Murong has four daughters, and that Murong Xue, who is still unmarried, is a beauty without equal. She is truly worthy of being called the number one beauty of our Great Xing Dynasty. My father knows that I have never taken a concubine besides Hongyu, but unfortunately, Hongyu has not been able to bear me any children. Therefore, I would like to request that Your Majesty grant Murong Xue to me, so that she can accompany me to the border and alleviate my concerns about having no heirs. I hope that my father will consider my years of hard work in protecting the borders and fulfill this one worldly desire of mine."

  Murong Xue looked at Sima Qiang, who was tall and majestic in the sunlight, and felt a sense of fear in her heart.

  The emperor was at a loss, not knowing what to say. This Sima Qian's words were soft and hard, with a hint of threat. If he didn't agree, he might not let the border be peaceful, making the emperor have to divert his attention and spend money to ensure the border's safety. If he agreed, the emperor would never want to give up Murong Xue.

  "Go down for now, let me think about it. Mu Rong Xue was the beloved daughter of the Prime Minister, I'm afraid he wouldn't want his daughter to marry far away at the border. Perhaps I'll choose another beautiful woman for you instead."

  "I, your son, will not make another choice. I beg you, Father Emperor, to consider this carefully and make a decision for me. As for the Prime Minister's side, I will personally visit him and ask for his consent. In a few days, I will return to the border, and at that time, I hope to bring Mu Rong Xue with me. I have other matters to attend to, so I won't disturb you and this beauty enjoying the chrysanthemums together. I bid farewell." With that, Sima Qiang bowed deeply and retreated without looking back.

  The emperor looked at Murong Xue, who was somewhat uneasy under the sunlight, and thought to himself: This little girl is indeed beautiful enough to attract people. First, his fourth son insisted on marrying her as his wife, then his second son had to have her, and now he himself wanted to make her a concubine.

  How is it?

  "Your Majesty, please make a decision for Xue Er." Murong Xue trembled slightly as she knelt on the ground, her tearful eyes gazing up at the Emperor. "Xue Er had no intention of getting involved with the Second Prince, nor did she want to provoke the Fourth Prince. All Xue Er wants is to live a peaceful and stable life, Your Majesty must help Xue Er resolve this worry."

  The emperor looked down at Murong Xue, who was kneeling on the ground, her almond-shaped eyes filled with tears, her long eyelashes trembling slightly, and her small cherry lips parted slightly. Her jade-like teeth were lightly clenched, and that helpless expression swept across the emperor's heart like a warm breeze, making him feel uncomfortable. The emperor really wanted to take her to a secluded place and indulge in each other's company at this moment. After a slight hesitation, he helped Murong Xue up, embracing her, and softly comforted: "Xue'er, don't be afraid, I'm here, no one dares to bully you. Besides, Rui'er has already married your sister, and as for Qiang'er, I won't let you follow him on his expeditions, that would be a waste of a beauty. Hehe, don't be afraid, don't be afraid, I'll accompany you to continue watching the chrysanthemums."

  Murong Xue was nestled in the emperor's arms, her face red as a sunset, her limbs soft and weak, struggling to stand upright, and the emperor's embrace was surprisingly solid and heavy, giving her an unparalleled sense of security.

  "Your Majesty." Murong Xue murmured a call, her voice so soft that even she herself could hardly hear it. "Xue'er thanks Your Majesty."

  The emperor half-embraced and half-leaned on Murong Xue, walking slowly among the flowers. Murong Xue had no idea what she was doing, only feeling dizzy all over.

  Gao Gonggong quietly followed behind the two, not even daring to breathe heavily, his heart feeling extremely uncomfortable. The Emperor was in high spirits, and he didn't know whether to stay or leave. As a slave, he naturally had to attend to the Emperor, but seeing the Emperor's increasingly ambiguous behavior with Murong Xue made him wish he were blind. This Murong Xue was truly a troublemaker! The matter of the Fourth Prince had not been resolved yet, and now she had entangled another prince, the Second Prince, and even the Emperor himself was getting involved. Alas!

  This stroll lasted for a long time, and the eunuchs and maidservants followed far behind.

  "Your Majesty," Gao Gonggong called out softly, "Lord Wei of the Ministry of Justice says he has an important matter to report."

  The emperor turned his head to look at Gao Gonggong, and from a distance, he saw Wei Aiqing of the Ministry of Justice standing and looking over in this direction. "Order someone to safely send Murong young lady back to Wenyu Pavilion. Xue'er, I still have government affairs to attend to, you go back to Wenyu Pavilion to rest first, and wait for me to finish attending to my duties before coming to find you."

  Murong Xue nodded cleverly and followed several maidservants as they left.

  His Majesty regained his calm and collected expression, sat down in the nearby pavilion, and signaled to Gao Gonggong to let Wei Daren come over for a chat.