area51novel Chapter 157 Going to the Meeting Alone
Chapter 157 Going to the Meeting Alone
Chapter 157 Going to the Meeting Alone
"Is that so?"
Zhao Sheng found this absurd, but he had no choice but to accept the reality.
"Things have come to this, and we don't know what the future holds. For now, you have no choice but to marry my sister."
Zhao Sheng said, "I just don't know if my sister can persuade Father to compromise, otherwise—"
Wang You frowned. He understood Zhao Sheng's meaning; it was now a foregone conclusion that he would marry the Princess of Jiacheng.
The difference is that if Princess Jiacheng can get Prince Yong to compromise, then he can marry Minglan as a secondary wife.
The scheming of the County Magistrate of Jiacheng has put him in a very passive position.
Now everyone's attention is on the Prince Yong's Mansion and the Wang family, so he can't do anything he wants.
"Your Highness, I have a favor to ask of you."
"What is it?"
"Notify me immediately of any news from the Prince of Yong."
"Ziqian, don't do anything foolish!" Zhao Sheng said anxiously upon hearing this.
"I won't do anything foolish. After all, my whole family is in Bianjing. Even if I can escape, can the Wang and Sheng families escape?"
Wang You said expressionlessly, "If I were to escape, do you think the Prince of Yong would let the Wang and Sheng families off the hook?"
Zhao Sheng fell silent. He knew his father well; if Wang You dared to escape, the Prince of Yong would definitely take his anger out on the Wang and Sheng families.
Even he couldn't dissuade them.
"Although I don't know what you're planning to do, I also have a responsibility in this matter. I'll let you know when I have any news!" Zhao Sheng said.
Thanks.
"Then I'll head back now."
"I will escort the Crown Prince."
Wang You escorted Zhao Sheng out of the mansion, and when he returned to the central courtyard, he saw his family waiting for him there.
"You-ge'er, what did His Highness the Crown Prince say?" Old Madam Wang asked anxiously.
Wang You didn't hide anything and repeated what Zhao Sheng had said.
"What should we do now?"
Old Mrs. Wang said, "How about I go to the palace to see the Emperor and ask him to make a decision?"
She was actually unwilling for Wang You to marry the Princess of Jiacheng, not to mention that the Emperor had not yet established an heir.
Even if Prince Yong became the crown prince, Princess Jiacheng's madness still frightened her.
Marrying the Princess of Jiacheng County may bring wealth and honor, but it also carries great risks.
"Grandmother, no need for now. I have a way to handle this," Wang You said.
"Tell me your ideas!" Wang Min said urgently.
Wang You shook his head and said, "It won't work if I tell you, but I have a way."
"You child, what time is it, still selling—"
Mrs. Feng remembered scolding him.
"alright!"
Old Mrs. Wang stopped Madam Feng, saying, "Since You-ge'er says he has a solution, let him handle it. Don't rush him."
"Mother, I'll take Minglan back first," said Madam Wang.
Actually, she didn't care much about this matter; on the contrary, she would have preferred Wang You to marry Princess Jiacheng.
From a selfish perspective, Minglan has no relation to her, while Wang You is her nephew. Wang You married the Princess of Jiacheng, and when the Prince of Yong ascends the throne in the future, the Sheng family will also benefit.
"Aunt, please wait a moment."
Wang You said, "I'd like to speak with my sixth sister alone for a few minutes."
"this--"
Madam Wang wanted to say that this was against etiquette.
"You rarely come back, so stay and talk to me for a while before you leave."
As she spoke, Old Mrs. Wang pulled Madam Wang into the main hall.
Feng and Wang Min exchanged a glance and followed.
"Cousin, I'm sorry," Minglan said with some self-reproach.
Wang You shook his head and said, "Why are you apologizing? This isn't your fault."
"But if I hadn't gone to see Princess Jiacheng, none of this would have happened, and we wouldn't be in such a passive position now," Minglan said.
"It has nothing to do with you. Princess Jiacheng is too cunning. She knows that the young master will send people to monitor her, so she asked you to come over and lead me there."
Wang You said, "Even if you don't go, she will find a way to create an opportunity; you can't avoid it."
"But if it weren't for me, you wouldn't be in such a difficult position."
Minglan said, "Princess Jiacheng is of noble birth and may even become a princess in the future. If you marry her—"
"Minglan!"
Wang You's face darkened. "Are you scared, or are you worried that I can't handle this?"
"I'm scared."
Minglan lowered her head and said, "Princess Jiacheng threatened me. She's capable of doing something like this. I really can't take what she said as a threat."
My cousin should agree. Grandmother's original plan was for me to marry down, so it wouldn't affect me much.
"Look up at me and repeat what you just said, and I'll do as you say," Wang You said.
Minglan remained silent for a long time after hearing this, then raised her head.
Her face was streaked with tears as she said, word by word, "I said I was scared, and you—"
Looking into Wang You's eyes, Minglan couldn't continue speaking and squatted down, bursting into tears.
"alright."
Wang You knelt down beside her and said softly, "Don't cry. Trust me, I can definitely resolve this."
"Aren't you angry when I said that?" Minglan looked up, her eyes brimming with tears.
Wang You handed over his handkerchief and said, "Because I trust you."
He recalled that in the original drama, when Gu Tingye was framed and demoted to an ordinary soldier, Hualan and Rulan both advised her to divorce Gu Tingye.
It wasn't that they were worried about Minglan being implicated by Gu Tingye, but rather that Minglan was pregnant at the time.
This is the only way to protect her and her child.
But Minglan firmly refused.
Although Minglan is the most scheming, she will be devoted to someone she likes without hesitation.
"Um."
Minglan nodded, took the handkerchief, and wiped away her tears.
"Do you know what you look like right now?" Wang You said.
"Like what?" Minglan looked at Wang You in confusion.
Wang You laughed and said, "Like an abandoned kitten."
"Ugh, what time is it and you're still making me laugh?" Minglan scolded playfully.
Wang You laughed and said, "I'm telling the truth. When I bought Shan Jun, it looked a lot like you now. It looked pitiful, with a helpless look in its eyes."
Minglan was silent for a while after hearing this, and then said in a low voice, "I did feel quite helpless before. I consider myself to be quite smart. I have never taken my father's dislike or my sister's targeting to heart since I was a child."
Because I was confident I could handle it, but this time, I couldn't think of any way to deal with it.
"It's not that you're not smart enough, it's because of power. When the two are worlds apart, no amount of intelligence will help," Wang You said.
Using power to intimidate others is fine if the other party is reasonable.
Princess Kejiacheng is completely unreasonable and has brought things to this point. What can Minglan do?
"Then what can my cousin do?" Minglan asked.
"I have my own methods, so don't worry," Wang You said.
"Your Highness, Your Highness's Consort, the food and water sent to us have all been thrown away by the County Princess," a maidservant reported from the Prince of Yong's residence.
"What should we do?"
Princess Yong said anxiously, "That girl is something else. There are so many talented men in the world, but she can't stand them. She just had to fall for someone who is already engaged, and she even tried to kill herself."
"It's all because you spoil her," Prince Yong said irritably. "She's made me lose all face!"
"What do you mean by 'I spoil'?"
Princess Yong was displeased upon hearing this and said, "When she was little, if I said something a little too harsh, you would scold me. Now, it's all my fault?"
The Prince of Yong, feeling somewhat guilty, changed the subject, saying, "In my opinion, we should send someone to the Wang family and have them propose marriage. I don't believe the Wang family would dare to refuse."
If that Wang family boy breaks off the engagement himself, she can't just kill herself, can she?
"Let's wait for Sheng'er to return and see what that Wang family boy has to say," Princess Yong sighed.
"What else can I say?"
The Prince of Yong sneered, "If he marries my daughter, he'll enjoy endless wealth and glory. Can he possibly refuse?"
"If that's the case, why would my daughter need to resort to such a method?" Princess Yong asked in return.
"You know how hypocritical those intellectuals are; they're just concerned with saving face."
Prince Yong sneered, "Things have come to this point. If he agrees, no one will laugh at him. They will only say that Prince Yong's mansion is abusing its power and that he has no choice."
"Sheng'er is back. Let's hear what he has to say first," said Princess Yong when she saw Zhao Sheng return.
A moment later, Zhao Sheng entered the main hall and was about to bow when the Prince of Yong waved his hand and said, "Speak quickly, what did that boy from the Wang family say?"
"Ziqian won't agree!" Zhao Sheng said.
"You won't agree?"
The Prince of Yong roared, "Does he think that if Jia Cheng threatens suicide, I will agree to let him marry that girl from the Sheng family as his concubine?"
"I asked Ziqian if he would agree if Father agreed, and he refused," Zhao Sheng said, shaking his head.
"What a fine line, 'How can I bow and scrape before the powerful and wealthy?' He certainly has the integrity of a scholar."
The Prince of Yong sneered, "But I don't believe in these things."
"Father, Grand Tutor Wang is entitled to be enshrined in the Imperial Ancestral Temple, and Old Madam Wang also holds an imperial title. If we push Old Madam Wang too far, she will go to the palace to file a complaint with the Emperor, and that will be troublesome," Zhao Sheng said anxiously.
"Hmph, do you think I'm afraid of someone who's been dead for years?" Prince Yong said disdainfully.
"Grand Tutor Wang has been gone for many years, so naturally he has no influence anymore."
Zhao Sheng said, "But if Father King forces Old Madam Wang to go to the palace to file a complaint, all the officials will feel uneasy, and the Emperor will not be able to ignore it."
"Then wait until I ascend the throne."
Prince Yong sneered, "His Majesty's health is deteriorating day by day, and he won't last much longer. I will have those officials who support me submit a memorial at the next morning court session, requesting the establishment of an heir apparent!"
"Once I ascend the throne, I'll have plenty of time to deal with the royal family."
"What about Jia Cheng?" Princess Yong asked anxiously.
"If I'm going to take action against the Wang family, do you think that kid will just stand by and do nothing?"
Prince Yong sneered, "He will beg to marry Jia Cheng when the time comes. I want to show Jia Cheng that the person she has chosen is really nothing special."
Zhao Sheng frowned slightly, but he knew that his father was in a fit of anger and could not be persuaded at all.
"Father, I'm going to see my sister," Zhao Sheng said.
"Go ahead and try to persuade her."
Prince Yong said, "Tell her that she can have the idea of marrying the young man from the Wang family, but it's impossible for her to marry a concubine."
"It's unacceptable for a member of the royal family to have a husband with a concubine; the royal family can't afford to lose face like that, especially since she'll be a princess in the future."
"Yes, I'm off."
Zhao Sheng bowed and withdrew, then proceeded to the Brocade Pavilion.
He had a maid announce his arrival, and soon the maid led Zhao Sheng into the boudoir of Princess Jiacheng.
"Big brother is here."
Princess Jiacheng stood by the window, turned around and greeted them when she heard footsteps.
Zhao Sheng wanted to talk to his sister, but seeing her downcast expression, he sighed and said, "Ziqian has already told me. You should know that the Ziqian you know is not the real Ziqian."
"Big brother, do you think there are many men in the world who would refuse to marry me given my status?" Princess Jiacheng asked.
"this--"
Zhao Sheng pondered for a moment and said, "It should be very difficult."
At this point, the Prince of Yong had a very high chance of winning and married the Princess of Jiacheng, thus becoming her son-in-law.
Especially now, the outcome is still undecided, and Princess Jiacheng is not yet a princess.
Marry her and wait for her to become a princess in the future, so that she can hold a real position and become a relative of the emperor.
Moreover, it is common knowledge that the Prince of Yong dotes on his daughter. The throne is out of the question, but she will certainly enjoy high-ranking official positions, generous salaries, and wealth.
"But Brother Ziqian is different. Even when I promised him that he could marry a concubine, he refused without hesitation."
Princess Jiacheng said, "I don't want my future husband to constantly fawn over me because of my status. What's the point?"
"But have you thought about that?"
Zhao Sheng said, "Even if he's forced to agree, he won't treat you well afterward."
"I believe I can win him over," said the Princess of Jiacheng confidently.
"...
'
Zhao Sheng was at a loss for words to describe the current state of the Jiacheng County Princess.
"Fine, whatever you want. Anyway, Father won't agree. He wants to force Ziqian to agree after he becomes the crown prince."
"But based on what I know of him, he won't yield. He might anger my father in the future and be executed. Is that what you want to see?" Zhao Sheng asked.
"No, I won't let my father touch him," said Princess Jiacheng.
Seeing that he couldn't persuade his sister, Zhao Sheng shook his head and turned to leave.
Returning to his room, he pondered for a long time before writing a letter and having it delivered to Wang You.
In the letter, he told Wang You that neither his father nor his sister were willing to concede about the matter, and it was still unknown how things would develop.
Wang You received the letter in the evening.
After reading the letter, he burned it without any expression.
The following morning, Wang You arrived at the Prince Yong's Mansion by carriage.
Although it was his first time visiting, the servants of the Prince of Yong's residence treated him with great courtesy after learning his identity.
Princess Jiacheng has never failed to get whatever she wanted since she was a child.
Although the servants did not know the outcome of the matter, they believed that Wang You would marry the Princess of Jiacheng sooner or later, so they dared not be disrespectful.
After being informed, Wang You was led to the main hall by his servants.
"Wang You greets Prince Yong." Wang You bowed respectfully.
"You still dare to come see me?" Prince Yong said calmly.
"The Prince Yong's residence isn't some dragon's den or tiger's lair. I'm just visiting normally; there's no question of whether I dare to or not," Wang You said neither humbly nor arrogantly.
"So you've thought it through?" Prince Yong asked.
"I've never considered this before. I'm here to make a deal with Your Highness," Wang You said.
"trade?"
The Prince of Yong was taken aback, then burst into laughter, saying, "I'm curious, what kind of deal do you want to make with me?"
"I would like to speak with Your Highness alone," Wang You said.
"All of you, get out of here. Do not approach without my order, and no one is allowed to enter!" the Prince of Yong commanded.
"yes!"
The servant bowed and withdrew.
"Can you tell me now?"
Wang You asked, "Your Highness, who do you think is more suitable to become the crown prince, you or the Prince of Yan?"
"Of course it is me!"
The Prince of Yong said confidently, "The Prince of Chong only has one son. Does he really think he can compete with me for him?"
"Assuming that Prince Chong wins, how do you think he will treat you?" Wang You asked.