Yan Guifei did not speak. Even if you were not the ninth princess, you would not know Hua Yun Jin, nor would you marry him.
"But I don't want to marry Sun Zi Han. I've never even met him."
"Ninth Princess, the Sun family are all good people. I have met Sun Zi Han and he is not as dissolute as the rumors suggest."
Upon hearing this, the Ninth Princess looked up at Yan Guifei and asked, "Really?"
"Yes," Yan Guifei nodded.
"But I still don't want to marry him," the Ninth Princess gritted out.
"Ninth Princess, this is an imperial decree of marriage issued by His Majesty. I cannot help you," Yan Guifei said slowly.
The Ninth Princess raised her eyes and looked at Yan Guifei, saying, "Consort Yan, please help me..."
Yan Guifei sighed, "It's not that I'm unwilling to help you, Ninth Princess, but you have your own mother. How can I go over Consort Yi to help you? If I helped you, Consort Yi would hate me."
The Ninth Princess looked dejected, "But Mother Consort will not consider my feelings at all. Her eyes and heart are only for my imperial brother."
"Ninth Princess, you are, after all, Consort Yi's flesh and blood. Consort Yi will not neglect you."
The Ninth Princess knew that no matter how much she pleaded with Yan Guifei, she would not help her.
The Ninth Princess walked out of Shu Palace feeling dejected. She met Princess Chang An.
"Imperial Sister," the Ninth Princess said.
Chang An looked at the Ninth Princess and said, "Are you here to ask Mother Consort about the arranged marriage?"
The Ninth Princess was stunned, then nodded, "Yes."
"Mother Consort did not agree," Princess Chang An said with certainty, not as a question.
The Ninth Princess nodded and walked away.
Xue Chang An slowly spoke, "To beg for something, one must also show the attitude of begging. As for asking the Emperor to retract the imperial decree of marriage, that might also anger the Emperor. Such a thankless task requires an appropriate exchange. What do you say?"
The Ninth Princess trembled, "But... but I have nothing..."
Xue Chang An interrupted her, "You do."
The Ninth Princess looked at her, frozen. Xue Chang An smiled and walked into Shu Palace.
The moment she saw Yan Guifei, Xue Chang An's expression slowly turned grim, and her tone was displeased, "You did that on purpose, didn't you?"
Yan Guifei heard this and said, "Chang An, what are you talking about?"
"Didn't you summon me in a hurry precisely so I would run into the Ninth Princess?"
Yan Guifei raised her eyes and looked at her, saying, "Since you know, why did you still come?"
Xue Chang An turned her head away, "Chang Jun is my brother, after all. I hope he will do well."
"That's right. Siblings should support each other like this."
"Does Mother Consort not want the Ninth Princess to marry into the Sun family?" Xue Chang An asked.
Yan Guifei sneered, "The Empress has made elaborate plans to ally with Consort Yi. I will not let her succeed."
"Mother Consort, you don't mean to have me marry into the Sun family, do you?"
Yan Guifei looked at her and said truthfully, "Actually, I did have that thought at first. But later, seeing the Ninth Princess like this, I felt I couldn't do that to you. Chang An, besides wanting Chang Jun to ascend the throne, I also want you to be happy. Therefore, I will not force you to do anything. I do not deign to use marriage alliances to consolidate power for Chang Jun. Chang An, you go pursue your happiness. However, that Hua Yun Jin is also not suitable."
"Who has Mother Consort taken a liking to now?" Xue Chang An asked.
Yan Guifei stepped forward and said, "Young General Yan."
Xue Chang An was slightly taken aback, "Mother Consort, why do you favor the Yan family?"
"Besides favoring General Yan the Elder who commands a hundred thousand troops, I also don't want the Yan family to be too close to Princess Chang Ning." Yan Guifei said.
"Mother Consort, Young General Yan likes Chang Ning, not me." She had also felt a bit of a stir for Young General Yan.
"As long as they are not married, there is always a chance. There is no wall that cannot be moved, and no person that cannot be swayed. Chang An, if you are willing, you can..."
"But Young General Yan is not in the capital." Even if she wanted to sway him, she had no opportunity!
"Where did he go? Leaving the capital without permission is a grave offense. Are you sure your information is accurate?" Yan Guifei asked.
Would General Yan the Elder allow such a mistake to happen?
"Young General Yan went to the Imperial Mausoleum with Chang Ning, but my informant has not sent any further news."
"The Imperial Mausoleum? What are they doing at the Imperial Mausoleum?" Yan Guifei was stunned. One was not allowed to go to the Imperial Mausoleum without the Emperor's permission.
"No, I must report this to His Majesty. How can such a major matter only be told to me now?" Yan Guifei said, walking towards the outside.
Xue Chang An stopped Yan Guifei. Yan Guifei said, "Chang An, what are you doing? His Majesty should be informed of such a significant matter. This way, the Empress can no longer cause trouble."
"Mother Consort, calm down. How will you explain this to Father Emperor? Are you going to say you have been monitoring Chang Ning all along? No one dares to say Chang Ning is not in the Heavenly Prison. How do you know? And how do you know Chang Ning is definitely at the Imperial Mausoleum? What if she isn't?"
"Chang An, you..."
"Mother Consort, have you ever considered that perhaps Father Emperor agreed to Chang Ning going to the Imperial Mausoleum?"
"How... how could that be?" Yan Guifei was somewhat incredulous.
"Why not? Otherwise, how could Chang Ning have been so brazenly released from the Heavenly Prison? Mother Consort, you are thinking too little." Xue Chang An sighed inwardly. Fortunately, the Empress hadn't had that idea before, otherwise, with Mother Consort's mind, could she really be a match for the Empress? She doubted it.
Yan Guifei frowned, "Then what should Mother Consort do now? Chang An, wouldn't it be better for you to marry into the Sun family? The Empress has no imperial offspring, but I have the Third Prince. If the Sun family is also on our side now, then what reason would the Empress, or even Princess Chang Ning, have not to stand on our side?"
Looking at Yan Guifei's expectant gaze, Xue Chang An sneered, "What? For your son's future, you are going to sacrifice me?"
Yan Guifei heard this and said, "Chang An, you are a princess. Your destiny has never been one of freedom. Even without the Sun family, there will be others. You..."
"Mother Consort, I can also be the Emperor," Xue Chang An said, word by word.
Yan Guifei took a step back in fright, "Chang An, you..."
"Father Emperor even considered giving the throne to Chang Ning. It's not impossible for me to ascend the throne."
"Nonsense. You are a woman," Yan Guifei said with displeasure.
"What's wrong with being a woman? Women can also stand tall and support the sky. It's not just men."
"Chang An, you have your imperial brother."
"So what? Why should everything good be given to him?"
Yan Guifei said angrily, "He is your own brother."
"There is no kinship when it comes to the throne," Xue Chang An said coldly.
"Presumptuous!" Yan Guifei, enraged, slapped Xue Chang An.
Xue Chang An covered her cheek, which had been struck, and said coldly, "In Mother Consort's eyes, the Third Prince is everything. I am dispensable. Since that is the case, don't seek me out in the future."