Shangguan Hao's face turned extremely ugly at these words, his dark eyes flashing with a chilling ferocity as he glared at Murong Ruoyin, as if fearing she might expose him.
He was with Murong Ruoyin not because he loved her, but because he saw her as having some value for exploitation. Now that she was no longer useful, he saw no reason to bother with her.
However, she was a princess, and if she admitted their relationship, he would likely be forced to marry her. He hadn't even become Crown Prince yet, and such an incident would surely disappoint his father.
Murong Ruoyin never wanted to marry Han Qingyu in the first place; the person she liked was Liu Qianmu. She never expected him to be Shangguan Hao, the prince of Wanhe Kingdom.
Since he was a prince, why could she not marry him? A political alliance between two countries was a perfectly normal thing, so why was he unwilling to marry her?
"Reporting to my imperial brother, this subject's sister likes him,"
The princess's forceful voice echoed through the grand hall, and Shangguan Hao's expression instantly soured.
Prince Xiang, standing nearby, could not help but burst into laughter and clapped Shangguan Hao on the shoulder.
"Hao, as expected of a true hero. It seems you've settled down before even returning to Wanhe Kingdom. Among us brothers, you are indeed the most formidable. You truly are the one favored by Father Emperor."
Shangguan Hao remained silent, his face a dark and grim mask. Emperor Xian, seated at the head of the hall, had not yet spoken when Mu Qingyao let out a cold snort, casting a disdainful glance at Shangguan Hao.
He and Princess Murong Ruoyin were truly a pair of accomplices, colluding for their own gain. It was her duty to see these two treacherous individuals paired together.
"Shangguan Hao, the princess is of noble lineage. You have already taken advantage of her and now cast her aside. You have only two choices: first, the princess marries into Wanhe Kingdom for alliance, or second, you are guilty of the grave crime of defiling Princess Xian Yue, and our Xian Yue Kingdom has the right to punish you, throwing you into prison immediately."
"You dare?"
Shangguan Hao's previous gentle demeanor vanished, replaced by a harsh and rough tone.
The aura of bloodshed instantly permeated the grand hall.
A tense standoff.
Mu Qingyao showed no fear, her presence radiating an unyielding aura. The cold resolve surrounding her was even more potent than Shangguan Hao's. A seductive bloodlust flickered in her eyes. If he dared not marry the princess today, she would ensure he ended up in prison.
"If you refuse to marry, let's see if you can leave?"
A furious roar erupted, coming from Emperor Xian, Murong Liuzun. His tall and imposing figure stood beside Mu Qingyao, their combined powerful presence directed squarely at Shangguan Hao.
He was clearly at a disadvantage. Prince Xiang, standing on the side, paid no mind to this affair, watching with amusement. He wished nothing more than for the Emperor to arrest Shangguan Hao and punish him.
When Shangguan Hao returned to Wanhe Kingdom, he would surely paint him as an utterly wicked scoundrel, proving that the fault lay not with Emperor Xian. To think he dared defile his own imperial sister—such bullying behavior and yet Emperor Xian tolerated him.
"Marry or not?"
Mu Qingyao let out another cold snort, her imposing gaze fixed on him. Although she might not be able to defeat him, with the Emperor standing by her side, she felt utterly confident.
"You!" Shangguan Hao gritted his teeth, frustrated at being outmaneuvered every time. The last time, it was this woman who had caused him suffering with a silver needle, and now it was her again.
Hatred surged within Shangguan Hao. He was in a predicament: to marry would mean difficulty in accounting for himself back home, while not marrying was impossible. This was, after all, the other party's territory, and Murong Liuzun possessed formidable martial arts skills that would prevent him from leaving.
With a final, resigned sigh, he conceded: "Fine, I will marry."
His eyes were as sharp as knives. "Murong Ruoyin, you brought this upon yourself. Don't blame me if I show no mercy later."
"Then, three days from now, Ruoyin will marry Prince Shangguan and return with Prince Shangguan to Wanhe Kingdom. This matter is settled," Emperor Xian declared, his decree making the decision final.
The individuals in the hall displayed varying expressions, but the most displeased was undoubtedly Shangguan Hao. He had never expected that after indulging his desires, he would be burdened with such a massive problem. He had intended to delay the matter, but who knew the Emperor would set the wedding date for three days hence.
"Guards, escort the two princes of Shangguan back to their temporary palace."
At Emperor Xian's command, Hua Lige, stationed at the hall's entrance, led a contingent of guards into the hall and respectfully escorted the two princes to their temporary accommodations.
Within the grand hall, Murong Ruoyin bid farewell to the Emperor and Empress and left the Liuli Palace, heading back to Jiuhua Palace to prepare.
In three days, she would leave Xian Yue and accompany Shangguan Hao back to Wanhe Kingdom. Princesses marrying for political alliances was common throughout history, so she felt no fear. After all, she was a princess; whom should she fear?
Upon receiving this news, the Empress Dowager rushed to Jiuhua Palace to prevent the marriage.
"Ruoyin, have you gone mad? Your wedding is in three days! If you marry into Wanhe Kingdom, what will happen to the Han family? Your wedding is imminent; how can the Emperor allow such a thing to happen?"
The Empress Dowager's liver and gallbladder were burning with anxiety at the thought of Ruoyin's infertility. If Ruoyin married Han Qingyu, as a princess of the kingdom, even if she couldn't bear children, the Han family wouldn't mistreat her.
But to marry into another country, a woman who couldn't bear children—how would she gain status through her offspring? If that man were to become Emperor, would he still want her? She would soon be relegated to the cold palace, but these were words the Empress Dowager couldn't voice to her.
"Ruoyin, Mother implores you, stay by Mother's side. Marrying the son of Grand Tutor Han, Han Qingyu, is a man of handsome appearance and will become a pillar of the nation in the future. Why must you marry into another country for an alliance?"
Murong Ruoyin looked at her usually proud mother begging her, and it was impossible not to feel a pang of sadness. If she left now, they might never see each other again.
However, giving up Shangguan Hao was absolutely out of the question. She, Murong Ruoyin, was no loose woman. The reason she had relations with Shangguan Hao was because she truly loved him and wanted to marry him. As for how good Han Qingyu was, what did it have to do with her?
"Mother, please forgive your daughter's filial impiety."
Murong Ruoyin refused the Empress Dowager's well-intentioned plea. The Empress Dowager seemed to foresee her daughter's future suffering, tears streaming uncontrollably down her face.
Murong Ruoyin couldn't comprehend her mother's feelings and her expression turned somewhat cold.
"Mother, your daughter is getting married; Mother should be happy for your daughter. I love Shangguan Hao, and that is why I want to marry him."
"Ruoyin, why don't you understand? How many men in this world are truly sincere? You will only bring suffering upon yourself. Haven't you seen your cousin's fate? In the end, you will only make yourself miserable."
Ruoyin raised her eyebrows disdainfully. "She is different from me. We have already consummated our marriage. Shangguan Hao cannot abandon me. But my cousin is still a virgin, and my imperial brother is unwilling to even touch her. It's different, Mother."
Since the princess was resolute in her decision to marry, the Empress Dowager could not stop her. In the end, she went to see the Emperor.
Unfortunately, the Emperor himself had orchestrated this matter, so how could he possibly stop it? Instead, the Emperor tried to comfort her, telling her to relax. After all, the princess was a princess of the kingdom; would Shangguan Hao truly dare to harm her? If such a thing were to happen, he would never let Shangguan Hao off.
What the Empress Dowager could not voice was the princess's infertility. How would she gain status through offspring in the future?