The Empress, after listening, suddenly dropped her face down and coldly stated, "Princess An Le, before your betrothal was granted, the Emperor already sent people to investigate that you were not engaged, which was why he issued the decree of betrothal. Today, you stood in front of all the officials in the grand hall, saying you were already engaged, are you implying that the Emperor abuses his power and forcefully takes another’s wife?"
This heavy accusation of deceiving the emperor was thrown at her so bluntly. Coupled with the empress’s harsh words, any ordinary woman would have been scared out of her wits. However, Cai Wei remained as calm as water, without a hint of fear on her face. She saw her bending her knee slightly, and she clear voice reported, "Your Majesty, my engagement with him was secretly arranged. I hadn’t had the chance to inform my family, but he has already informed his parents and was sent to a far place for this matter by his father. If Your Majesty does not believe it, you can send people to investigate and know the truth!"
By saying this, Cai Wei was reminding the Emperor, as the ruler of a country, he had broken his promise to his own son. Nangong Yi was battling bravely in the faraway battlefield for their marriage matters, but he was behind, using unscrupulous means to marry off the woman his son admired!
When Emperor Jin Ming heard Cai Wei’s words, the smile on his face gradually faded, and an imperceptible guilt surged up his heart.
A few days ago, his third son, Nangong Yi, revealed his true feelings to him. This son had always been restrained and composed, and had never asked him for anything in his 23 years. This time, for this girl, he knelt down and earnestly requested him for the freedom of his marriage. He desired to marry her as his wife. Emperor Jin was moved by his son’s sincerity, and agreed.
Who would have known, that soon after Yi’er left, the Great Prince of Liaodan Kingdom came to propose marriage, specifically wanting to marry this girl.
Frankly speaking, he did not want to break his promise to his son, but Liaodan’s growing national power made him unwilling to offend Saknu for a mere girl. Also, the Empress repeatedly advised that this woman was a femme fatale and a seductive fox, and such a woman was not suitable to stay by Yi’er’s side, it would be better for her to go to Liaodan to cause harm to others.
After weighing the pros and cons, he eventually chose the latter, prioritizing the safety of the country over his son’s heart’s desire. Less than ten days after his son left, he agreed to Saknu’s request!
However, even though he had agreed, the unease of breaking his promise to his son had always been hanging over him. Hearing this girl’s reminder, he instantly felt a twinge of guilt.
Empress Mo, seeing the changing expressions on the Emperor’s face, was greatly surprised. She hadn’t expected that Cai Wei would dare to bring up her matter with Yi’er openly, and she also did not expect her to boldy remind the Emperor that he had broken his promise to his own son. The Emperor had not fully agreed to the betrothal in the first place, and it was her and Saknu’s persuasive pressure over many days that finally forced him to issue the decree. If the emperor was moved by her words, what would become of them?
Thinking of this, the Empress’s eyes became a bit more cruel. She snorted coldly and said, "Absurd! From ancient times to the present, male and female marriages are determined by parents’ orders and matchmaker’s words. Those who privately pledge their love without the consent of their parents are considered lewd and should be punished by the government. Today, I will spare you of this absurdity for the sake of Prince Saknu’s magnanimity and not pursuing it. As a punishment, you are to reflect on your actions behind closed doors, and not to leave the house before the Grand Wedding."
Empress Mo used her power to suppress Cai Wei, naturally she could not resist. She lifted up the corner of her lip, gave a cold laugh, and said, "Yes!"
Jin Guifei saw that Cai Wei was about to withdraw, and was not willing to let her go easily. She smiled and said, "Princess An Le, with that displeasure on your face, are you discontented with the marriage that the Emperor and Empress have arranged for you? It’s not me who is saying this, but Prince Saknu is the Great Prince of Liaodan Kingdom, a brave and outstanding man who is young and promising. You can’t find such a man even if you were to light a lantern. What is there for you to be dissatisfied with the princess? Could it be that the man you have in mind is even better than Prince Saknu?"