The words that came out of his mouth left the ministers in the Golden Grand Hall with their mouths agape, staring at him incredulously.
Was this Prime Minister's brain made of stone? He was completely outmatched by the Regent.
But as soon as he spoke, the Emperor immediately refused, his face unusually stern.
He said coldly, "Snow Country is but a vassal state, why should Yun Country's princess marry into it? I see you truly can't think straight. It seems that without a period of calm reflection, you won't understand who is who!"
The Prime Minister was still not convinced and continued, "Although it is a vassal state, we still need to maintain good relations with it. If marrying a princess can bring about friendly peace, then it is worthwhile. Your Majesty, please reconsider!"
Huangfu Xi was so enraged his nose felt like it would burst. Reconsider?
He couldn't reconsider any further. Not to mention whether the Regent was under his command, but the way he doted on his own, that alone made one's scalp tingle.
However, he no longer intended to dissuade this stubborn man. Deciding to teach him a lesson, he directly issued an imperial edict: "Since the Prime Minister is so concerned about Yun Country, I am very pleased. All the esteemed ministers should learn from him."
After a brief, polite praise, just as the Prime Minister was feeling proud, the next sentence made his expression change drastically: "The Regent has already left the capital. I cannot issue this imperial edict. I will trouble the Prime Minister to make a special trip to convey your patriotic heart to the Regent. Whatever decision the Regent makes, I will wholeheartedly support."
The Prime Minister was speechless, like a crab eating bitter herbs, with no way to express his suffering. He racked his brains for a countermeasure to refuse the trip, but before he could think of anything, the Emperor instructed the Grand Eunuch, Wang Shan, to accompany the Prime Minister and to convey his words to the Regent.
Wang Shan immediately bowed in acknowledgment and led the bewildered Prime Minister out of the hall.
As they walked on the path out of the palace, sweat poured down the Prime Minister's forehead. Wiping his brow, he quietly grumbled that the Emperor's actions were too inappropriate.
He spread his hands, a mixture of helplessness and dissatisfaction that he could not vent, and said, "That Regent is an unruly scoundrel. He doesn't even give the Emperor face, and he wants me to persuade him? This is undoubtedly like poking a tiger's behind!"
Whether he would come back alive after going was uncertain.
Wang Shan listened to the Prime Minister's words, snorting inwardly but showing no disdain on his face. He said, "If that's the case, why did you insist on the county princess marrying for alliance?"
You had ulterior motives, wanting to use the Emperor to vent your anger, but ended up being played by the Emperor. This is a classic case of deserving it.
If it weren't for his godson Wang Quan working in his daughter's palace, he would have directly pushed him in front of the Regent and added fuel to the fire, just to see if that doting prince would flay him alive.
He was simply indignant that his son was transferred to the inner city. Others might not understand Fan Zehao's hidden agenda, but he understood it perfectly.
If his shallow-minded son hadn't almost offended the county princess, how could things have escalated to this point?
Now, he was forced to ride a tiger and had no choice but to forge ahead.
A group of people in carriages chased madly. By the time they caught up with Fan Zehao, it was already dark.
Upon seeing the Prime Minister, Fan Zehao felt a million grass mud horses galloping through his mind.
He didn't want to see the Monkey King, but here came a monkey, always jumping around in front of him.
His brows were furrowed so tightly they could have trapped a fly. He didn't show any pleasant expression to the man who was practically presenting himself: "What are you doing here?"
The Prime Minister was choked, his face turning red, his neck visibly thickening. Seeing the prince with a face like he had eaten dead flesh, his heart pounded wildly. He didn't dare to meet his gaze, only looking around.
Seeing this, Wang Shan smiled and explained their purpose: "The Emperor said that the matter of the county princess still needs your decision."
Fan Zehao understood. So this Prime Minister had lifted a rock only to drop it on his own foot! He wanted to use the Emperor against him, but ended up playing himself.
He chuckled, "Prime Minister is right. Marriage alliances can bring about friendly relations between two countries, which is also a good choice."
As soon as he said this, Wang Shan was stunned, the Prime Minister was dumbfounded, and even Zhao Jiaqi, who was beside them, froze.
"Since it's a marriage alliance, there's no need for Yun Country's direct princess or county princess to marry. That would be looking too highly upon Snow Country and lowering Yun Country's prestige."
What he said made sense, but Wang Shan felt something was off, though he couldn't pinpoint what.
Before he could figure it out, in the next moment, Fan Zehao provided the answer: "I heard that the Prime Minister's mansion also has a legitimate second daughter, who is as beautiful as a flower, outstanding in literature, dignified and virtuous, a true gem. Such a woman can be called a model of all women under heaven. If such a woman doesn't marry to become an Empress through this alliance, then which young man in this world would be worthy of her?"
After his exaggerated praise, the Prime Minister was in a difficult position.
Either marry for alliance, or become a nun.
The Prime Minister wiped his sweat and quickly shook his head, forcing a laugh: "No, no, no, Your Highness is joking. My daughter has been raised a bit too spoiled, she really doesn't deserve to be..."
"Prime Minister, stop being modest. Your two daughters are the twin pearls of the capital. Even though I'm not in the capital, news from the capital never ceases." He paused and then said, "How about this? Given how much you've worried about my daughter, I'll temporarily stay and won't leave until I've attended the wedding banquet for your daughter's marriage. Then, it won't be too late for me to leave."
Saying this, without giving the Prime Minister a chance to speak, he turned to Zhao Jiaqi beside him: "Wife, what do you think?"
"Very good, very satisfied."
The Regent had spoken, and Wang Shan's brain finally caught up. No wonder he felt something was off.
According to past behavior, the Regent would surely have been furious, perhaps even killing the Prime Minister on the spot. But he didn't get angry; instead, he flipped the situation and demanded the Prime Minister's daughter marry into Snow Country.
This... this truly was lifting a rock only to drop it on his own foot. He tried to steal a chicken but ended up losing the rice. That perfectly described the Prime Minister.
He glanced surreptitiously at the Prime Minister. His face was now terribly pale, with a look of regret already appearing. Unfortunately, he realized it a bit too late.
Immediately, Fan Zehao instructed the group behind him to wait for him and his wife to return, as they would be going to the capital to attend the marriage alliance between Snow Country and Yun Country.
This, again, left some of the onlookers bewildered. They hadn't been present earlier and truly didn't know who from Yun Country was marrying whom from Snow Country, nor what it had to do with Fan Zehao.
Fan Zehao didn't explain, and no one asked. They would find out sooner or later anyway.
As they were leaving, Fan Zehao specifically asked Leng Han to accompany them back: "General Leng, your horsemanship is superb. Driving a carriage shouldn't be too difficult for you. You drive this carriage, and be careful not to jolt my wife and me."
This was not a request or seeking permission, but an order that brooked no argument.
The Prime Minister, standing nearby, saw his son, a dignified general, reduced to driving a carriage for others. Fury erupted in his mind, but in the next second, it was doused by a bucket of ice water, extinguishing his rage.
Not to mention his son, now even his youngest daughter was likely in danger. In one night, he was about to lose two legitimate children.