Chapter 149: Chapter 86: The Second Realm, Fame Shakes the Capital
As she spoke, the face of the elegant and charming noblewoman turned red with excitement.
Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager originally leaned back in her chair, suddenly sat upright, turned her head towards Commandery Princess Chunyang, and beckoned, "Yunshang, come sit by me and talk properly."
"Yes, Royal Grandmother."
Commandery Princess Chunyang got up and happily walked over.
In the past few days, she had already heard the name Li Xuan, but had always been reluctant to believe it.
Now upon hearing the royal antecedents of Li Xuan, she was finally certain that Li Xuan was indeed the young man who frequently called her Aunt Yun.
At this moment, she was so excited her heart was pounding, and her limbs felt a tingling sensation.
The Empress Dowager pulled her closer, and the two of them chattered for a long time.
When everyone else had dispersed, the Empress Dowager finally said, "Yunshang, I want you to invite Li Xuan here.
I know you’re somewhat connected to the Prime Minister’s House, but your roots are still in the royal family.
Your surname is Zhao, and the blood in your veins is royal blood."
Commandery Princess Chunyang paused, her mind was clever, naturally knowing what her royal grandmother intended.
The Empress Dowager said, "This Great Yin is, after all, a Zhao domain, let him come."
Commandery Princess Chunyang could no longer refuse, nodded, and said, "Yunshang will try."
...
...
After Commandery Princess Chunyang left, the Empress Dowager hastily told the palace maid beside her, "Quickly go invite the Sovereign."
...
...
Several days later.
Li Xuan sat in the carriage of Commandery Princess Chunyang.
The carriage moved leisurely toward the palace.
Inside the carriage, Zhao Yunshang looked at the young man opposite her, feeling he was both steady and reliable, with her heart filled with joy.
She had lost her husband, and the Zhou family was on the brink of collapse; she felt no sense of security.
But now, she seemed to have found a pillar of support.
Thus, Commandery Princess Chunyang directly sat by Li Xuan’s side, speaking softly to him about the situation inside the palace.
The Commandery Princess was not foolish.
Before seeing Li Xuan, she was somewhat apprehensive.
But upon meeting, Commandery Princess Chunyang found that Li Xuan was still close to her, still called her Aunt Yun, and even said that if he was happy, he could bring Jihai to live with him.
Commandery Princess Chunyang immediately reordered her feelings of closeness, putting Li Xuan at the forefront.
"Xiaoxuan, Royal Grandmother likely has firmly decided to tie you to the royal family this time.
Aunt is helpless and came to invite you, do you have any thoughts on this now?"
Commandery Princess Chunyang spoke softly, then counted several high-ranking royal young women on her fingers, and gently said, "Royal Grandmother will surely want to align you in marriage."
"I apologize, Aunt really has no choice..."
Li Xuan replied warmly, "It’s okay, Aunt Yun, I have already thought it through."
"Oh?"
Princess Chunyang asked curiously, "Then... which princess do you wish to marry?"
By now, Commandery Princess Chunyang knew... that the princesses of the Great Yin Dynasty were lined up for the young man before her to choose from.
Although the process would not be so direct, essentially that was what it was.
Li Xuan said, "Aunt Yun, I’m sorry, but I already have a legal wife.
If a princess were to marry into my family, she wouldn’t be able to be a co-wife, nor a concubine.
Thus, if I were to marry a princess, I would first have to divorce my legal wife.
I... cannot do it."
"Oh..."
"Even if I don’t divorce, I wouldn’t be willing for her to become a co-wife or a concubine either."
"Oh..."
Princess Chunyang was thoroughly dumbfounded, her hair swaying slightly, she exclaimed, "Then... why are you entering the palace with Aunt today?
You’re so clever, didn’t you guess Aunt’s intentions when she came to you?
If you didn’t want to agree, you shouldn’t have seen Aunt at all.
Now it’s a disaster."
Li Xuan chuckled and said no more.
A Sovereign who had been marginalized for more than ten years, how could the Prime Minister possibly allow him to return smoothly to the throne?
Moreover, now the Prime Minister and the Grand General have reached some sort of understanding.
With the removal of the Yu Sect, both parties have gained further insight into each other.
As long as the Grand General isn’t a fool, he should already know that "Secret Martial Arts martial artists aren’t monsters, but rather the nation’s assets."
Then, the next choice must be: whether to be loyal to a single ruler, or loyal to the nation. Whether to act for the sake of one ruler or for one’s own interests.
Li Xuan personally believed that the Grand General would choose "loyalty to the nation, for personal interests."
Thus, the Grand General would help the Prime Minister retreat safely, while both sides would seek new "common points of interest."
Therefore, the Sovereign’s influence is waning, he is merely reaching out in desperation for a straw to clutch.
Li Xuan’s visit, though he would refuse the Sovereign, would make him a focal point, entering everyone’s sights.
Riding the winds of change, going with the flow.
Thus, he might become the ultimate catalyst for "Harmony between Prime Minister and General, New Sovereign installed", gaining benefits.
Of course, if everything doesn’t go as he planned, he stands to lose little since... he is merely rejecting a precariously standing Sovereign, steadfastly remaining with the faction he belongs to.
All these are his rational thoughts.
As for his emotions...
Last night, he already wrote a letter.
He would have it delivered to Xiongshan County today, to Tian Yuan’s hands.
The content of the letter is simple: My wife, I was wrong last time. But this time, I won’t fail you, you will always be my rightful wife, Li Xuan’s legal wife.
Back then, he deceived Tian Yuan regarding the matter with Cao Yi.
Now, heaven has granted him a second chance.
This time, he won’t lie.
