As soon as Eunuch Li saw Xiao Hanzhi, his face immediately broke into a smile. He bowed to Xiao Hanzhi and said, "Judging from the beaming look on the Fourth Prince, a happy event must be just around the corner."
Xiao Hanzhi was completely puzzled by Eunuch Li's words. He asked doubtfully, "I wonder what you mean, Eunuch Li. Could you please clarify?"
Then he immediately stepped closer to Eunuch Li and took out a small object from his sleeve. When it came into view, one could tell what it was - a small piece of gold.
Logically speaking, a prince of his stature shouldn't carry such a thing on him. If he had gold, it would usually be in his money - pouch, not in his sleeve. It seemed that Xiao Hanzhi had come prepared today.
In the palace, everyone was well - aware of such bribes, and it wasn't something that couldn't be talked about. So Eunuch Li naturally accepted the bribe from the Fourth Prince Xiao Hanzhi and put it into his bosom. He glanced around, then leaned in and whispered to Xiao Hanzhi, "This isn't really a big secret. Your Highness must have heard that the Seventh Princess of the Western Yue Kingdom will be visiting soon."
Xiao Hanzhi nodded, a bad premonition rising in his heart.
"I believe Your Highness has already guessed something. That's right! His Majesty has chosen Your Highness as the groom!" Eunuch Li said meaningfully, and it was hard to tell whether his tone was positive or negative.
Xiao Hanzhi wanted to ask more, but Eunuch Li urged him to go in quickly.
"Your Highness, don't waste time. You don't want to keep His Majesty waiting."
Helpless, Xiao Hanzhi had to suppress his doubts and go into the imperial study to see Xiao Huaishi.
When Xiao Hanzhi entered the imperial study, he saw that Xiao Huaishi was still reviewing memorials. He gave a light cough, bent slightly towards Xiao Huaishi, and said respectfully, "Father!"
But Xiao Huaishi seemed not to hear Xiao Hanzhi's voice. He continued with his work, leaving Xiao Hanzhi standing still on the spot.
Under normal circumstances, Xiao Hanzhi would have been used to this. But after hearing the news that he was to marry the Seventh Princess of the Western Yue Kingdom before coming to the imperial study, he couldn't help but feel a bit dissatisfied.
After a long while...
Xiao Huaishi seemed to have finished his work. He finally looked up at Xiao Hanzhi and said indifferently, "Sit there."
He pointed to a chair not far away, indicating that Xiao Hanzhi could sit down.
So Xiao Hanzhi followed Xiao Huaishi's instruction and sat upright on the chair, not daring to show the slightest bit of laziness.
"Do you know why I've summoned you today?" Xiao Huaishi asked casually.
But for Xiao Hanzhi, it seemed like an extremely difficult question to answer. He pursed his lips, his eyes fixed on his toes. After a moment of hesitation, he said, "Your son roughly understands Your Majesty's intention. It should be related to the arrival of the Seventh Princess of the Western Yue Kingdom in a month."
Xiao Huaishi nodded and said without hesitation, "That's right. I've sent for you precisely because of this matter."
Xiao Hanzhi's knees couldn't help but tremble slightly. His heart was beating more and more violently, and his breathing became a bit rapid. Although he already knew what the emperor wanted to say to him, before Xiao Huaishi said it himself, Xiao Hanzhi still thought there might be a turning point.
"I wonder what Your Majesty means by summoning me?" Xiao Hanzhi said in a low voice.
Xiao Huaishi said casually, "What do you think of the Seventh Princess?"
Xiao Hanzhi hesitated for a while and then slowly said, "Your son doesn't know. I've never heard any news about the Seventh Princess. But it's rumored that she is extremely beautiful. Other than that, your son knows nothing else."
Xiao Huaishi stared intently at Xiao Hanzhi, as if trying to find the answer he wanted from his eyes. There was no expression on his face, just a calm look.
Seeing his father like this, Xiao Hanzhi couldn't help but feel a bit scared inside, but on the surface, he remained calm.
The two of them just stared at each other without saying a word.
Suddenly, Xiao Huaishi smiled and said loudly, "You're starting to have a bit of my demeanor."
The meaning behind this sentence was self - evident. Did it mean that Xiao Huaishi had already chosen the crown prince?
Or did Xiao Hanzhi's performance today displease Xiao Huaishi, making him think that Xiao Hanzhi was challenging the emperor's authority and wanting to eliminate future troubles...
Xiao Hanzhi had no choice but to lower his head and smile awkwardly. "As the saying goes, a tiger father doesn't have a dog - like son. If your son has no abilities, how could he be worthy of being the son of the emperor?"
Hearing what Xiao Hanzhi said, Xiao Huaishi's eyes gradually softened. He stood up, walked to Xiao Hanzhi's side, reached out his hand, and patted Xiao Hanzhi on the shoulder. He said meaningfully, "I intend to marry the Seventh Princess of the Western Yue Kingdom to you. What do you think?"
Although Xiao Huaishi seemed to be asking for Xiao Hanzhi's opinion, the certainty in his words was undeniable. It seemed that he was just informing him of this matter.
So Xiao Hanzhi could only smile and respond to his father, "A son's marriage is entirely up to his parents and matchmakers. Your son's marriage is at Your Majesty's disposal."
Although he said so, Xiao Hanzhi's heart was gradually turning cold. He was very dissatisfied with Xiao Huaishi's decision because if the Seventh Princess successfully married him, it would mean that he would be out of the running for the throne for the rest of his life.
If that were to happen, wouldn't all the things he had done in the past 20 years be in vain overnight?
At the same time, he would also let down his mother concubine's painstaking cultivation of him.
This was not the result Xiao Hanzhi wanted to see, and he would never allow this result to actually happen to him. Otherwise, he and his mother concubine would surely end up dead.
After all, the situation between Concubine Chen and the queen was like water and fire. It was either one's death or the other's. If the Second Prince ascended the throne...
Whether his head could stay on his neck was still an unknown.
"Since that's the case, when the Seventh Princess of the Western Yue Kingdom arrives in a month, remember to receive the princess on my behalf. Although the princess is coming for a marriage alliance, we can't neglect her." Xiao Huaishi instructed.
But these words sounded extremely harsh to Xiao Hanzhi's ears, as if they were mocking him.
Xiao Hanzhi forced a bitter smile. "Yes! Your son obeys the order!"
Xiao Huaishi noticed that Xiao Hanzhi was in a bit of a low mood, so he comforted him, "I only have a few sons now. The Second Prince already has a principal wife. Naturally, the princess of the Western Yue Kingdom won't be his secondary wife. If we were to demote the Second Prince's princess to a concubine, wouldn't that lower our country's status in the eyes of other countries?"