Today, the emperor had been busy handling official affairs until quite late and only then did he order the dinner to be served. Just as he was raising his chopsticks to eat, he suddenly heard a commotion outside. Someone was blocking someone else from entering.
The emperor was about to ask who it was when Wei Dongling dashed in like lightning and knelt in front of him. She pleaded mournfully, "Father! Is it true that the Xiliang prince has asked for my hand in marriage? I don't want to marry him!"
The emperor glanced at Wei Dongling kneeling on the ground and said calmly, "Has Wanlin had her dinner? Come and join me!"
At this moment, Wei Dongling had no appetite at all! She rushed forward and kowtowed. "Father! I've already eaten. I just want to know if the marriage alliance is true?"
The emperor looked at her displeasedly and waved his hand. "Get up and sit down to talk."
Wei Dongling hesitated for a while, then got up and sat down properly on a chair beside.
The emperor ate slowly and methodically. Wei Dongling felt as if a cat was scratching at her heart. She endured it again and again, almost grinding her silver teeth to pieces.
Finally, when the emperor put down his chopsticks, he took a handkerchief from Eunuch Cao and slowly wiped the corners of his mouth. Wei Dongling was so anxious that she felt like spitting blood. Only then did she hear the emperor say indifferently, "The Xiliang prince came to pay a visit this afternoon, and this matter was indeed discussed."
Wei Dongling quickly asked, "Father, did you agree?"
The emperor looked at Wei Dongling and said in a deep voice, "I'm still considering."
Still considering? That meant he hadn't flat - out refused!
Wei Dongling said anxiously, "Father! The Xiliang has wolfish ambitions. We must not agree! In the past, during the war in the northwest, the Xiliang prince was really colluding with the Iron Cavalry Army! I saw it with my own eyes! As a result, our 80,000 Xue family troops were defeated step by step, Father! We must not form a marriage alliance with Xiliang!"
The emperor ordered the dishes and bowls to be removed and lowered his head in deep thought.
Seeing that the emperor remained unmoved, Wei Dongling felt a chill in her heart. After hesitating for a moment, she stepped forward and knelt down again. She squeezed out two drops of tears from the corners of her eyes and pretended to choke with sobs. "Moreover, I've just returned to the palace. I thought that after being separated from you for so many years, I could make up for the lost time. Even if I could accompany you for three or five years, I would feel that my life is complete. The love of a father can nourish me for a lifetime! I admire you and need you. How could I bear to get married so hastily less than a month after returning to the palace? I still want to serve you and the imperial grandmother more, Father!" Wei Dongling just made a lot of noise but shed no real tears. She covered her lips and sobbed softly. In her heart, she hoped that the emperor would, for the sake of her hard - acting, immediately and quickly reject this marriage!
She couldn't cry. She was so angry that she was about to burst.
The emperor lowered his eyes and sighed. "How could I not know? But the conditions they offered are quite suitable."
Hearing this, Wei Dongling was stunned. She looked at the emperor in disbelief. Just because the conditions offered by Xiliang were suitable, the emperor was considering selling her to Xiliang?
Wasn't she just like a commodity then?
The emperor saw Wei Dongling's shocked look and sighed. "The war has broken out again in Hanzhong City in the northwest. Shangguan Yun and your ninth brother, Murong Yuchen, don't have enough troops at their disposal. They're almost hitting a stone with an egg."
Hearing this, Wei Dongling's breath caught in her throat, and her heart trembled slightly. Since she separated from Shangguan Yun, she hadn't heard any news about him. Now, when she finally heard about him, the news was so desolate.
The emperor said in a deep voice, "The Xiliang prince claimed that when he met you in Hanzhong, you took the initiative to show your favor to him, and he also fell in love with you at first sight."
Wei Dongling was furious. Bullshit! I wouldn't even look at you if I were blind!
The emperor sighed. "To show their sincerity, Xiliang is willing to sign a contract. At the time of the wedding, Xiliang is willing to send 100,000 troops to help our country wipe out the Iron Cavalry Army in the northwest at one go. Wanlin, our territory cannot be lost!"
Wei Dongling's mind was in a complete mess. A sudden heart - wrenching pain hit her, and she instantly had difficulty breathing. She covered her chest, gasped for breath, and shed tears. "Father! The claim that I took the initiative to show my favor is sheer nonsense! I'm willing to lead the troops to fight and die on the battlefield, but I don't want to marry the Xiliang prince. Please think twice, Father!"
The emperor sighed. "I'm also reluctant to part with you! But Wanlin, you're brave, resourceful, and extremely intelligent. If you marry into Xiliang, you can capture the heart of the Xiliang prince! If he ascends the throne as king in the future, won't the whole of Xiliang be in your hands?"
Wei Dongling forced herself to endure the discomfort in her heart and shook her head vigorously. "Father! You actually believe his claim that he fell in love with me at first sight? Maybe this is a conspiracy between the Xiliang prince and the tenth prince, Murong Yunqian. It's simply a trap! As my father, are you so eager to let me jump into it?"
The more Wei Dongling thought about it, the colder her heart felt. Tears welled up in her eyes and couldn't be held back any longer.
Seeing Wei Dongling breathing rapidly and with tear - filled eyes, the emperor finally felt a bit soft - hearted. He sighed. "I'm still considering. Go back and rest first!"
The sudden heart palpitations made Wei Dongling suffer a great deal. She felt dizzy and fainted softly.
The emperor and Eunuch Cao were greatly startled. They rushed to support her in a panic and shouted at the servants beside them, "Go and call the imperial physician quickly!"
Everyone was in a hurry to help Wei Dongling onto the soft couch. The imperial physician rushed over to feel her pulse and forced her to drink the decoction. Only then did Wei Dongling slowly wake up.
The emperor ordered someone to send Wei Dongling back. He privately detained the chief of the Imperial Hospital and asked, "Why did the fifth princess faint? Is it due to excessive anxiety?"
The chief of the Imperial Hospital pondered for a long time and slowly replied, "I think part of it is this reason. But more importantly, the fifth princess seems to have the same symptoms of poisoning as you. She may also be poisoned by a chronic poison."
The emperor forced himself to suppress his anger and roared, "This poison has no cure! There are actually people who won't even spare my daughter!"
The emperor had suffered from heart palpitations for many years. After being diagnosed by the imperial physician, it had been kept a secret. Unfortunately, the person who had poisoned him was so insidious and cautious that he had never shown any more clues. But now, the fifth princess had been in the palace for less than a month, and she had actually been inexplicably poisoned by such a chronic poison?
The emperor was shocked and angry, and his heart was filled with annoyance.
The chief replied, "The fifth princess has been poisoned for a short time, and the toxicity in her body is relatively shallow. I can only try my best to regulate it."
The emperor nodded dejectedly. "Don't let this matter get out. Find excuses from time to time to feel her pulse and take a closer look."
"Yes!"
Wei Dongling was supported into the bedroom by everyone. She sat in front of the bronze mirror dejectedly, allowing La Mei and the others to remove her headdress and makeup.
At this moment, Wei Dongling felt that she was just like a puppet in a shadow play. Her hands and feet were firmly held by a powerful force. She was guided to move forward or backward, bow and salute when meeting people, and force a smile mechanically. She was powerless to resist and had no control over her own fate.
All this made her feel extremely annoyed from the bottom of her heart.