kvmb Chapter 919 Marrying the Princess
Chapter 919 Marrying the Princess
Helian Jue entered the Prince's Mansion without even taking off his cloak, and went straight to Li Duan's West Garden.
Since the news of the Left Wise King's defeat in Qin Prefecture, which led the Dugu tribe back to the capital, Helian Jue has not slept a wink these past few days.
Before this, no one would have imagined that their invincible army of Great Yan would be defeated in Qinzhou.
The matter was debated in the imperial court for several days without any resolution.
On one hand, they called for emulating the peace talks between the two countries in the past, and on the other hand, they called for regrouping their forces to fight a decisive battle against the Great Zhao. They had been planning for so many years, and they could not afford to lose.
However, the current situation is that Zong Que's army is heading straight for Yanjing, and will surely arrive outside the city within three days.
If no conclusion can be reached through further discussion, the Great Yan Dynasty will not be far from its demise.
Since they conquered Youzhou and established their capital in Yanjing more than 20 years ago, they never thought that they would be driven out one day. Helian Jue had grown up in Yanjing since birth and enjoyed the same supreme imperial power as those Han people. Who would be willing to give up everything that was within his grasp?
Of all his father's sons, he was the most qualified to inherit the throne. If the Empress Dowager had not controlled the court, he would have been the crown prince of Great Yan and the future emperor long ago.
How could he accept that all his efforts were about to be in vain?
He cannot afford to lose, no matter what.
Helian was filled with mixed emotions, and it became even more difficult for him to calm down once he entered Liduan's courtyard.
He plucked this beautiful flower from the capital of the Great Zhao Dynasty, and his dream was to one day take her back to his homeland, raze their palace to the ground, and make her completely his possession.
But in less than three years, they were driven all the way to Yanjing.
Helian Jue strode up to Li Duan and grabbed her wrist. "Come with me!"
Li Duan struggled twice but couldn't break free. She raised her hand and slapped Helian Jue across the face: "Let go of me! What's wrong with you now? What do you want me to do this time? Sell myself in the palace, or dance for those lowly people in public? Helian Jue, you coward! You can't outmaneuver them, so you use me as a pawn! Have you no shame? Do you know what a man like you is in our Great Zhao? You're not even a man, you piece of trash!"
Helian Jue was angered by her aggressive behavior. If it were in the past, he would have taught her a lesson for making a scene like this, but now, he really had no mood to continue arguing with her.
"Enough! Showa, how long are you going to keep playing the fool?" Helian Jue said impatiently, "Haven't I spoiled you enough? Every time you had a conflict with the Grand Queen Dowager, I helped you. What more do you want!"
"Hahahaha!" Li Duan burst into laughter. "I'm pretending to be crazy? Helian Jue, isn't this what you forced me to be? You think I hate Dugu Zhijian? No! I hate you! Dugu Zhijian is a fool. She only lets you manipulate her because she likes you! Listen to me clearly, I am the Princess of Da Zhao! Not a courtesan in your house, not your plaything! You dream of me serving you lowly bastards!"
"Shut up!" Helian Jue gripped Li Duan's arm tightly, forcing her eyes closer.
Li Duan glared at her defiantly, showing no sign of yielding.
A strange, indescribable emotion welled up within Helian again.
He still remembers the beautiful, precious, and arrogant little princess on the Emperor's birthday celebration. She looked broken and helpless as her mother died in front of her, like a delicate flower that needed careful protection. He picked this delicate flower and watched it grow thorns day by day.
Han women were worthless in Yanjing. Even noble royal daughters were nothing more than pretty female slaves in their eyes.
The Great Yan dynasty raided south several times, and among those they brought back from the Great Zhao were many beautiful and noble ladies. No matter how stubborn they were when they came, after a few years they became as docile as lambs and lost their luster.
Only Princess Showa grew more and more beautiful, and her body became covered with thorns.
No matter how much you ravage or humiliate her, it seems you can't break her bones; instead, it makes her even more dazzling.
Holding her in his hands was like grasping a great trophy, and he enjoyed the naked envy and jealousy in the eyes of those nobles and dignitaries, making it hard for him to let go.
"Your Highness, Sister Zhaohe," Dugu Zhijian led Fu Ge in, and when he saw the way Helian Jue looked at Li Duan, a pang of sadness rose in his heart.
She suppressed the bitterness in her eyes and bowed to Helian Jue. "Your Highness, the Empress Dowager wishes to invite Sister Zhaohe to the palace. What is Your Highness's opinion?"
Helian Jue looked at Dugu Zhijian with a cold gaze.
Dugu Zhijian was stung by his gaze and clenched her fingers. "Your Highness?"
"I will personally take her there. The Grand Consort need not worry about matters of the court," Helian Jue said calmly.
Dugu Zhijian moved his lips, but looking at Helian Jue's eyes, he didn't say anything more. "Then I'll go back first."
Dugu Zhijian turned and left, and as soon as he stepped out of the courtyard, tears began to fall one by one.
Fu Ge quickly took out a handkerchief to wipe her tears. "Your Highness, you and the Prince are childhood sweethearts. In this situation, the Prince is upset. Please don't take it to heart."
Dugu Zhijian shook his head and wiped his eyes with a handkerchief. "Let's go to the palace."
She and Helian Jue were childhood sweethearts, but she was not only Helian Jue's queen, but also the eldest daughter of the Dugu family.
After Dugu Zhijian left, Li Duan yawned. "Your Empress Dowager's own son has been found, and you still have the mood to argue with me? Didn't you hear me? Your Grand Consort is reminding you, the Empress Dowager is in charge in the palace. It's more important for you to appease your Grand Consort than anything else! Let me go!"
Helian Jue suppressed his anger and said in a deep voice, "Come with me to the Temple of Ten Thousand Nations."
"What do you want with your royal uncle?" Li Duan looked at him suspiciously.
"You don't need to know right now!" Helian Jue pulled her outside.
Li Duan kicked him, "My shoe!"
Helian Jue looked down at her bare feet and had no choice but to stop. He took the boots, squatted down and put them on her, then took the heavy cloak from the maid and draped it over her shoulders before pulling her out the door.
Because he was on his way to see Crown Prince Chongwen Zonghuai, Li Duan was unusually quiet the whole way without saying a word. Helian Jue was preoccupied with his own thoughts and did not notice Li Duan's unusual behavior.
After Prince Chongwen was sent north as a hostage, he was imprisoned in Wanguo Temple. Later, a pagoda was built for him in Wanguo Temple, called Zhaota. Since then, Prince Chongwen has been imprisoned in Zhaota and has never left it.
As Helian Jue led Li Duan into the Zen temple where Zhaota was located, they happened to see Prince Lü Lin Wuji leading his men in. The two groups met at the entrance.
"What brings Prince Lü to the tower?" Helian Jue asked bluntly.
"I am here to protect the hostage on the orders of the Empress Dowager. But what are you doing here at the tower with your wife, Prince Yi?" Lin Wuji's gaze fell on Li Duan. When Lu Yangyang saved him, her only request was that if he came to Northern Yan, he should take care of her close friend.
It was a pity that although he had heard the legend of this Princess of Da Zhao many times in Yanjing, the only two times he met her were at palace banquets, and he didn't even have a chance to speak. He could only secretly send people to keep an eye on the Prince of Dianyi's residence.
He withdrew his troops from Qinzhou City and returned to Yanjing, which was the most chaotic time in Yanjing. So when he heard that Helian Jue had left the mansion and was heading towards Wanguo Temple, he immediately led his men over.
Zong Que has already led his troops toward Yanjing. The court is currently arguing endlessly between peace talks and a decisive battle. As hostages of the Great Zhao Dynasty, Crown Prince Chongwen and Princess Zhaohe are in the most dangerous situation at this time.
The Emperor of Dazhao wanted to kill Crown Prince Chongwen to eliminate any possibility of Chongwen returning to the court. He was still unsure of Empress Dowager Dugu's intentions. He didn't act, but he didn't know if others would.
Princess Showa's fate was even more fragile.
No one cared about the life of the princess sent for a political marriage; she wasn't even a political bargaining chip.