Song Dingxiang [Completed]

C88. Extra 7.

Chapter 88

Zhou Yinuo returned to the capital for a review of his duties, only to find out that the prince of a foreign tribe had also come to the capital.

Years ago, Zhou Yinuo took a gamble and killed the king of the foreign tribe, leading to chaos in the Northern tribes and the signing of a peace treaty. They were also vying for the throne, leading to fierce competition.

The prince who came to seek a marriage alliance in the capital was the only son of the new king who successfully ascended the throne and the next heir of the foreign tribe.

He came to ask for a marriage alliance, and the Emperor originally thought that marrying a princess would suffice. However, to everyone's surprise, the prince asked for Zhou Yinuo's eldest daughter, Zhou Jingxian, as his wife.

This caused an uproar in the capital, with many submitting petitions to the Emperor to reject the proposal.

Zhou Yinuo certainly had grievances against them, but he had also made significant contributions to the state. If Zhou's eldest daughter were to marry into the foreign tribe, it would be an opportunity for them to torment their enemies!

It would also leave the people of the state feeling disheartened.

The Emperor of the state is now in his fifties, and although he appears to favor Zhou Yinuo's family, he is aware of their high reputation among the common people. Many have tried to use the family's influence for their gain, but the Emperor's hands are tied.

Moreover, with both the Zhou and Song families now under the control of Song Dingxiang, a very clever woman who always puts the Emperor first, he has no chance or excuse to act against this family.

However, now someone is trying to take advantage of the situation.

Publicly, the Emperor firmly rejected the foreign prince's proposal, but secretly started pressuring Zhou Yinuo, hinting that he should agree to the marriage.

Zhou Yinuo was not a fool, he was just feeling desolate. He also knew that the Crown Prince and the Third Prince had been privately reprimanded by the Emperor for pleading on his behalf.

However, he could not directly refuse the proposal; otherwise, it would give the Emperor ammunition. Now that the Emperor is relatively healthy, he can still hold onto his position for a few more years.

However, under the Emperor's suspicions and grudges, the Zhou and Song families may not be able to survive these years unscathed, waiting for a benevolent ruler to ascend the throne.

Using the excuse of fearing his wife, he said he needed to go back and discuss with Song Dingxiang's opinion first, before reluctantly embarking on his journey homewards in his parents' worried gazes.

Hearing him out, Song Dingxiang's face turned extremely grim. In this excessive feudal monarchy, no matter how hard she tried, she could not erase the Emperor's suspicions.

As a woman now, she could only imagine what lay ahead for them in the future.

However, if they really rejected this marriage proposal, the Zhou and Song families would likely face endless oppression. The adults could handle it, but what about the innocent children?

"The Crown Prince and the Third Prince were reprimanded by the Emperor for this matter. The Second Prince is gaining favor in the palace, implying that in the past, princesses were married off for peace, but now it's just a daughter of a noble family, why can't she get married?"

"Moreover, this will give Jingxian the title of a princess, which adds to the grandeur... And now there are already people in the capital hoping for the Second Prince to become the Crown Prince, the support is strong. If he becomes the Crown Prince, we might be in even more trouble." Zhou Yinuo furrowed his brows, the thought of his eldest daughter being married off to such a distant and uncivilized land causing his heart to ache.