Chapter 119: Volume 1, Chapter 119: Isn't That Breaking Up One Pair After Another?

"Empress, it's not that I don't want to participate in this competition, but the Emperor also said that he wants to choose a consort for the Crown Prince from among them. I have just gotten rid of the Crown Prince, and if I accidentally win first place and am granted a marriage to the Crown Prince, what should I do?"

The crowd: "..." Do you think first place is as easy to get as Chinese cabbage?

And the Emperor and Empress both turned black in the face upon hearing this.

How could the Crown Prince be anything but their child, a heaven-favored son? What was going on with Yun Qiyue? She actually dared to dislike the Crown Prince so much; wasn't this trampling the royal family's face into the ground?

And the Crown Prince Xuanyuan Qi, who had just tidied himself up and had just walked to the banquet venue, heard this sentence from Yun Qiyue and was so angry he almost lost his composure on the spot.

Damn Yun Qiyue, he, a dignified Crown Prince, was actually disliked by such an ugly woman?

Damn ugly woman, what right did she have to dislike him?

Xuanyuan Qi wanted to get angry, but before he could, his gaze subconsciously shifted to Ye Lanjue beside Yun Qiyue, and then his anger was forcibly suppressed.

He couldn't.

If he really got angry, and Ye Lanjue gave him no face in public like before, then he would truly lose face abroad.

Therefore, Xuanyuan Qi had to endure and pretend to be as if nothing had happened.

The Emperor and Empress naturally also wanted to get angry, but both of them, like Xuanyuan Qi, were wary of Ye Lanjue.

The Emperor and Empress looked at each other, and then Empress Yu said with a smile that didn't reach her eyes: "Qiyue, what are you talking about? Now that you are the Regent's fiancée, even if you were first, we wouldn't grant you a marriage to the Crown Prince."

Yun Qiyue nodded with an understanding face, "I see—"

Then she sighed, "When I was the Crown Prince's fiancée before, I was suddenly granted a marriage to the Imperial Uncle; although it was a bit inexplicable, I am quite satisfied with this result and don't want any changes, which is why I'm afraid it will happen again..."

Upon hearing this, the Emperor and Empress's faces both became quite ugly. Being exposed in front of envoys from various countries, and also publicly disliking the Crown Prince, where were they supposed to put their faces?

Especially the Emperor Xuanyuan Kun, who was even more angry and stifled at this moment.

If he had known today would come, he wouldn't have granted Yun Qiyue to Ye Lanjue for a moment's pleasure; at the very least, if he were to grant the marriage, he should have dissolved the marriage between Yun Qiyue and the Crown Prince first, otherwise, how could this situation today, which left him unable to step down, have arisen?

However, what was even more stifling was that this matter was a fact, and even as a monarch of a country, he had no way to refute it.

And, he couldn't refute it.

Xuanyuan Kun subconsciously glanced at Ye Lanjue, and then, as if whitewashing the peace, said: "As for the previous matter, it was indeed my fault; I was busy with state affairs and forgot about this marriage for a moment, thinking that since Qiyue you had recovered and the Ninth Imperial Brother hadn't married, I just conveniently issued that imperial decree; even if I remembered later, there was no reason to take back the imperial decree."

As a monarch, naturally, he didn't need to explain anything to a minister's daughter.

However, with many envoys watching, and also, there was Ye Lanjue... Yun Qiyue brought up this matter in front of everyone, so she had to give Ye Lanjue an explanation.

Otherwise, if this matter were brought up again later, then he...

Thinking about it, Xuanyuan Kun felt stifled and angry, but on the surface, he had to pretend that nothing had happened.

However, no one would believe Xuanyuan Kun's explanation.

The marriage between the Crown Prince and Yun Qiyue had been long-standing, and Yun Qiyue was both foolish and ugly before; who could forget having such an engaged daughter-in-law? Unless their heart was truly big.

Could a monarch of a country have a big heart? Absolutely impossible!

But the Emperor had lowered himself to explain, so who would dare to question it?

No one!

Therefore, the fake became the real.

If it were someone else, they would have nothing to say at this time, but could Yun Qiyue be someone else?

After listening to Xuanyuan Kun's explanation, Yun Qiyue nodded in sudden realization, and then said something shocking, "Then your heart is truly big, Emperor; don't make such mistakes next time. It's fine if I have no feelings for the Crown Prince, but otherwise, if it were someone else, wouldn't that be breaking up one pair after another?"

Xuanyuan Kun: "..." He turned black in the face, speechless.

The crowd: "..." Is this the attitude you should have when speaking to the Emperor?

"Snort—"

Just at this moment, a snort sounded; everyone looked toward the sound, only to see it was the Princess Qin Jiayan in the Xihai envoy team.

Seeing everyone looking at her, Qin Jiayan didn't panic, only covering her mouth and laughing: "Why is everyone looking at this Princess? This Princess just thinks it's strange."

Saying this, she glanced at Yun Qiyue, then looked at Xuanyuan Kun with a charming attitude: "Don't mind me, Donglin Emperor, it's just that our Xihai might have stricter rules; my father speaks, and no minister or anyone has ever dared to question him. I thought all emperors were Nine-Five Supremes who spoke with authority; I didn't expect to be enlightened today, heh..."

Qin Jiayan's words made the atmosphere at the scene incomparably silent for a moment; the ministers and their families didn't dare to make a sound, let alone look up.

And at this time, Xuanyuan Kun's face could no longer be described as ugly.

Qin Jiayan's words were like slapping him in the face.

Was she saying that he, this monarch, was not like a Nine-Five Supreme and couldn't speak with authority and had no majesty?

For a monarch, this was simply a great humiliation.

If he didn't say something or do something, wouldn't people really think he wasn't like an emperor?

The more Xuanyuan Kun thought about it, the uglier his face became.

Just as he was about to get angry, a gentle and cold voice came, "To know one's mistakes and correct them is the greatest virtue; my thoughts are quite different from the Princess's. A ruler should prioritize the wishes of the subjects; water can carry a boat, but it can also overturn it. The Donglin Emperor knows this principle well and is a wise ruler. It is Donglin's blessing."

As soon as Ouyang Xi finished speaking, three different gazes all looked at Ouyang Xi.

Qin Jiayan frowned, not understanding why Ouyang Xi was ruining things.

Ye Lanjue swept his cold eyes over, his gaze slightly cool.

Xuanyuan Kun looked over, his gaze complex, but he breathed a sigh of relief.

And Yun Qiyue, naturally, was also surprised that Ouyang Xi would help her out of the siege; after all, in the process of getting along with Ouyang Xi, she didn't think Ouyang Xi was someone easy to get along with or someone who would meddle in other people's business.

And others, after reacting, were even more puzzled.

After all, the Nanli National Preceptor Ouyang Xi, his fame was known to all four countries, and because of this, everyone knew that the Nanli National Preceptor was not someone who loved to stand up for others, let alone talk too much.

He was cold and noble, as everyone knew.

But it just so happened that such a person would speak up for Yun Qiyue in public and resolve the crisis for Yun Qiyue; why was this?

And Yun Qiyue, what virtue and ability did she have?

Everyone was puzzled.

Therefore, after Ouyang Xi spoke, the scene was silent, and a needle could be heard falling.

At this time, the Emperor Xuanyuan Kun spoke.