#466 - Very difficult
“Your Majesty, Prime Minister Xiao requests an audience.”
Wei Xun's words echoed within the Imperial Study.
The Martial Emperor felt a sense of relief, as if grasping at a life-saving straw: “Invite Prime Minister Xiao in.”
“Yes.” Wei Xun responded, then said to Xiao Mo Chi outside the door, “Prime Minister Xiao, please come in.”
The door to the Imperial Study opened, and Xiao Mo Chi walked straight in, bowing to the Martial Emperor: “Your subject, Xiao Mo Chi, pays respects to Your Majesty.”
The Martial Emperor looked at Xiao Mo Chi and nodded: “My dear minister, there is a matter that We are finding difficult. See if you can offer Us some advice.”
“If Your Majesty needs me, I will certainly do everything in my power.” Xiao Mo Chi said with a resonant voice.
“Good.” The Martial Emperor nodded with satisfaction, “But greet these two guests first. Do you know who these two are?”
Xiao Mo Chi straightened up, feigning ignorance: “Your Majesty, who are these two?”
The Martial Emperor smiled. He knew that Xiao Mo Chi knew everything, but he still played along: “This is our Wu Kingdom's first Prime Minister, a great contributor to the founding of the nation, Mr. Liu Feng, and this is the Eldest Princess of the Chu Kingdom.”
Xiao Mo Chi bowed to Liu Feng and Tang Ningzhi again: “I am Xiao Mo Chi, greetings to Mr. Liu, greetings to Her Highness the Princess.”
“Hahaha, Prime Minister Xiao is too polite. I have long heard of Prime Minister Xiao's great name. It is the Wu Kingdom's fortune to have Mr. Xiao!” Liu Feng looked at the talented Xiao Mo Chi and nodded with satisfaction, seemingly liking him more and more.
“Mr. Liu is too kind.” Xiao Mo Chi said modestly, “Mo Chi is just a scholar. It is only through His Majesty's trust and support that I am able to do some things.”
Tang Ningzhi, standing on the other side, also blinked her eyes as she looked at Xiao Mo Chi, her heart even beating a little faster.
This was not to say that Tang Ningzhi liked Xiao Mo Chi, nor was it to say that Tang Ningzhi fell in love with Xiao Mo Chi at first sight.
It was merely because, from a young age, Tang Ningzhi had heard about this Prime Minister Xiao of the Wu Kingdom countless times.
Those scholars from the Chu Kingdom who went to the White Deer Academy to study praised their fellow student Xiao Mo Chi to the skies, even harboring a deep sense of admiration.
Even the Empress Dowager said that the Wu Kingdom's achievements over the past decade or so were all thanks to this Prime Minister Xiao.
If it were not for this Prime Minister Xiao, the Wu Kingdom would have taken many detours.
Tang Ningzhi had also heard about Mr. Xiao's deeds, knew everything he had done at the White Deer Academy, and knew how much sacrifice he had made and how much determination he had shown to return to the Wu Kingdom.
Even the higher-ups of the Chu Kingdom, after rounds of deduction and analysis, speculated about what Xiao Mo Chi was trying to do.
Tang Ningzhi, as the Eldest Princess of the Chu Kingdom, knew all of these speculations.
And the more Tang Ningzhi knew about these things, the more she admired Mr. Xiao.
Therefore, in Tang Ningzhi's heart, Xiao Mo Chi was already her idol.
She felt that a Confucian scholar should be like this; this was the true appearance of a scholar.
Tang Ningzhi's visit to Wudu this time was not only because of official business, but also because she hoped to see her idol.
Now that she had seen him, Tang Ningzhi felt a little nervous.
Tang Ningzhi even wanted to ask, “Mr. Xiao, is it really impossible between you and that lady from the Qi Kingdom?”
Tang Ningzhi had heard many stories about Xiao Mo Chi and that talented woman from the Qi Kingdom, knowing that Mr. Xiao had refused to be with her in order to realize his ideals, and had even refused her from returning to the Wu Kingdom with him.
Tang Ningzhi also knew that after the woman returned to the Qi Kingdom, she declared in a fit of pique that she wanted to marry, but after more than a decade, she remained unmarried.
Tang Ningzhi felt that the most perfect love in the world should be like that between Mr. Xiao and that lady.
Of course, Tang Ningzhi also hoped that Mr. Xiao and that Miss Nan would eventually become a couple.
“Ningzhi greets Prime Minister Xiao.” Tang Ningzhi bowed respectfully, her tone carrying a hint of nervousness.
Xiao Mo Chi looked at this princess of the Chu Kingdom and nodded: “I have long heard that Her Highness the Princess is as beautiful as an angel, with both virtue and talent. Seeing you today, you are indeed extraordinary.”
Being praised by her idol like this, Tang Ningzhi's cheeks turned even redder: “Mr. Xiao is too kind.”
“Mo Chi, take a look at this letter sent from the Chu Kingdom.”
The Martial Emperor handed the letter from the Chu Kingdom's ruler on the table to Xiao Mo Chi.
Xiao Mo Chi took the letter, opened it, and read it.
After reading it, Xiao Mo Chi's expression carried a bit of surprise:
“I didn't expect that the Chu Kingdom would want to form a marriage alliance with our Wu Kingdom.
For the Chu Kingdom to form a marriage alliance with our Wu Kingdom is naturally a joyous occasion, but I'm afraid it won't be easy to convince Lord Xu.
Although Lord Xu is not young, he doesn't seem to want to get married.
Moreover, Lord Xu is actually a bit 'proud and aloof', and I'm afraid he won't be able to accept marrying into the family.”
“That's true, but Mo Chi, the Chu Kingdom has taken the initiative to marry their Eldest Princess to us, which undoubtedly shows their importance to us. Moreover, with Xu Ming's status, this princess is undoubtedly marrying down. It would be really unreasonable for Us to refuse them...”
The Martial Emperor seemed very conflicted, and he seemed to want Xu Ming and the princess of the Chu Kingdom to form a marriage alliance.
But in reality, Xiao Mo Chi felt that he understood the Martial Emperor very well.
“Is it marrying down?”
Xiao Mo Chi looked even more surprised, but soon, Xiao Mo Chi's expression became even more conflicted.
“Your Majesty, I'm afraid this matter is not easy to handle, it seems even more difficult now.”
“Oh?” The Martial Emperor seemed to become interested all of a sudden, “Then Mo Chi, tell Me, what's the difficulty?”
“Your Majesty, you once bestowed a marriage between Prince Qin and Xu Ming. Although Xu Ming refused the marriage at that time, in our Wu Kingdom's folk customs, Lord Xu and Her Highness the Princess have already been put together.
In the eyes of hundreds of millions of people in our Wu Kingdom, Xu Ming and Prince Qin are already a match made in heaven.
If this time, Your Majesty agrees to the Chu Kingdom's marriage proposal, I'm afraid there will be a very big reaction among the people...”
“This...” The Martial Emperor stroked his chin, looking very troubled, “This matter is indeed more troublesome and needs to be considered carefully.”
The Martial Emperor looked at Liu Feng and Tang Ningzhi: “Please stay in the state guesthouse for a while. After all, this matter is of great importance, and We need to think about it carefully, and also ask Xu Ming's opinion. But please rest assured, We will definitely not disappoint your country.”
Liu Feng nodded: “In that case, we will stay for a while and wait for Your Majesty's reply.”
Liu Feng didn't say anything more. The Martial Emperor also called the maidservants to take Liu Feng and Tang Ningzhi to the state guesthouse, and treated them with the highest level of etiquette.
After the two left, the Martial Emperor looked at Xiao Mo Chi, his eyes narrowed.
