"Pri Minister Ju, these are a few ladies from prominent families with both talent and beauty, specially selected by The Emperor for you. You have made significant contributions to Nanzheng, and even your marriage has not yet been settled—The Emperor is concerned about this," Eunuch Zheng hurriedly said, seemingly realizing that Lord Ju had misunderstood. Indeed, these past few days, there had been the Eldest Princess’s booklet and various recomndations from the Aristocratic Gentry Clans all mixed together. Pri Minister Ju is a very busy person and has never taken an interest in these matters.
Ju Nanyi was startled; not a whisper of this matter had reached him—had sothing been discovered?
Ever since Fu Dong had warned him that his presence at the gates of Chenhe Palace had greatly troubled her, he had made every effort to avoid appearing when she was likely to be there.
"Eunuch Zheng, is this The Emperor’s will?" Ju Nanyi put down what he was holding; he had no choice but to take this seriously.
"Indeed, it is The Emperor’s will. The Empress herself helped in selecting these candidates for you," Eunuch Zheng imdiately said, fearing that Pri Minister Ju didn’t realize The Emperor’s and the Empress’s good intentions, and he elaborated on how considerately the Empress had planned for Pri Minister Ju.
"Pri Minister Ju, please have a look at them first; I will not disturb you any further," Eunuch Zheng said, feeling he spoke flawlessly, completely oblivious to Ju Nanyi’s increasingly darkening face.
When the room fell silent, devoid of any sound, there was a faint snap—Ju Nanyi’s pen broke into two, landing on the desk.
Birdsong filtered in from outside, where sunlight danced cheerfully, but the man felt an icy chill, as if he had plunged into an ice cellar.
He had been toiling away, striving to make sothing of himself in Nanzheng—for what, he wondered? He worked tirelessly, unwilling to waste a single mont—again, for what?
To wait for the day when he had enough leverage to stand face to face with Zheng Congyuan, with sothing substantial enough to sway Congyuan’s feelings.
He knew he could not let ti slip away, and he wished a day could be stretched into two, to completely transform Nanzheng State and to dilute what he was about to do.
She chose these candidates?
Ju Nanyi laughed coldly, flicking through the first page of the booklet with the broken pen.
Nann Yuyan. She really is willing to pay the price.
Ju Nanyi did not know whether to laugh or to rage—so, she thought that a marriage to soone from the Nann Aristocratic Family could erase everything that had happened.
Does she have any idea what she is doing? Does she really think that Zheng Congyuan won’t recover, or that he won’t find out?
In the next mont, Ju Nanyi leaped up, wanting to rush into Chenhe Palace and confront her, to question why she would do such a thing.
But standing up, Ju Nanyi hesitated. Perhaps it was not her idea after all; maybe it was Zheng Congyuan’s—yes, the eunuch had just ntioned that it was Zheng Congyuan’s idea. If it was Congyuan’s idea, she naturally could not outright reject it.
So that is why there is a ntion of the Nann Aristocratic Family? That family carries a different significance now, one powerful enough to make Zheng Congyuan wary—it must have been her idea.
Indeed, that would be the extent of her scheming.
Thinking this, Ju Nanyi felt as though he could breathe again. It must be so.
But Zheng Congyuan had agreed to it. So what did Zheng Congyuan an?
In the next mont, Ju Nanyi cald down. Had sothing been discovered because of his impulsive act at the gate of Chenhe Hall? Was this a test, starting with the Eldest Princess and now the Nann Aristocratic Family?
Ju Nanyi longed to confront Zheng Congyuan imdiately, but his rational side told him that it was not yet the right ti. What he needed was ti.
He wanted Zheng Nianru to grow accustod to his presence, and his choice to stay in the palace was made with this in mind too.
He believed that if only given another chance or two, he would begin to occupy a different place in Zheng Nianru’s heart—even if...
Even if she was still considering Zheng Congyuan, the nature of their relationship would compel Congyuan to give up.
Again and again, Ju Nanyi reviewed his strategies, pondering the potential outcos of his contest with Zheng Congyuan.
The marriage proposal, however, was an imdiate issue that he needed to address, no matter the reason, lest Zheng Nianru misunderstand.
"Pri Minister Ju, the Eldest Princess has sent over so soup—" A eunuch cautiously entered from outside the hall, not daring to stay out; if he did, the Eldest Princess’s servants might kill him. Yet upon entering, he felt as though Pri Minister Ju’s gaze alone could kill him.
Ju Nanyi looked at the eunuch who had co in; the man felt as though he was facing a force ten typhoon as he carefully placed the soup on the table near Ju Nanyi. Without his cap, the eunuch thought his scalp might have been stared bald in places.
"Get out!" Ju Nanyi snatched the food box and hurled it towards the exit.
"Clang!" The food box struck the palace gate accurately, creating a trendous noise, startling a crowd of eunuchs and female servants standing guard outside.
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