Normally, the King would handle the petitions in his Imperial Study. Yet he worked at the Qianqing Palace instead due to health problems. Now he was used to being here all the time.
Hearing that the Prince of the Fan Nation was asking for him, he got slightly confused.
The Prince and the Imperial Master came earlier than usual. Normally, he only received the guests when the other princes from the other countries were present. Now the King from the Saint Divine Land did not have to show them too much courtesy, since they already had the Lords keeping them company. After all, everyone knew what the Feather Mulberry Land was like nowadays.
So he nodded at the request, but the King did not show too much concern about that.
Prince Muyi and the Imperial Master greeted the King and after a long while, the King said, “Greetings, you don’t have to be overly polite in front of me.”
Prince Muyi showed no reaction, but the Imperial Master was displeased, feeling that he had been disrespected.
The King asked De Fu to serve them tea, then he leafed through the book and asked calmly, “What is the business, Prince Muyi and the Imperial Master?”
Prince Muyi was feeling quite nervous. It was about his marriage and he had no father with him, so he had to deal with everything himself.
He rubbed his hands, mustered up and said, “King, I am asking you about marriage.”
Marriage?
The King was surprised. He put down the book in his hands, confused.
There was never a marriage alliance between the four countries, despite the frequent exchanges. No one had ever mentioned marriage alliances!
The King had not expected that any princes from the other countries would raise this topic!
Also… the Saint Divine Land was powerful and did not need to have a marriage alliance with any countries.
Although the princesses were supposed to be used in marriage alliances, they were not for the princes of countries, but for the families from other countries to keep peace.
So the Prince was trying to get the Saint Divine Land to his side?
The Fan Nation was not prosperous nowadays… So was he trying to get close to him through the princesses? His princesses were not going to be demeaned in this way.
The King sank his face and said, “We’ve never had any marriage alliances between the countries, and my princesses would not marry anyone like this.”
Prince Muyi and the Imperial Master suddenly felt that something was wrong.
The King seemed to object to this matter.
The Imperial Master feared that some misunderstandings would be caused, so that the Saint Divine Land declared war against the Feather Mulberry Land. So he added directly, “King, she is not a princess, actually, we have no idea whether she is a princess or some elder miss from a family. My prince likes her, so he hopes to ask for her hand from you here in court.”
“That is what men from the Feather Mulberry Land are like. We always say it directly when we meet someone we like. Please, don’t think anything is wrong with us.” The Imperial Master explained anxiously.
The King calmed himself. So he had met someone he liked? Then he was not asking about the princesses, since the princesses were in the court.
Then who could it be? Could she be someone who wanted to establish some conspiracy with the Fan Nation? Or did he really fall for that girl?
The King asked curiously, “Who is that girl, and what is her name? Where did you meet her?”
“People around her addressed her as Lady Chaoyan. We met her at a restaurant and Lord Huai was there too.” Prince Muyi confessed.
The King’s face sank.
He had fallen for Gu Chaoyan? That was interesting!