nucmednet Chapter 917 The Haggard Old Friend
Chapter 917 The Haggard Old Friend
The Emperor couldn't bear to see the Empress so heartbroken.
"Empress, I understand your feelings very well. Mu Yao is my daughter, how could I not feel sorry for her?"
"You are well aware of the situation at the border. For so many years, there has been endless warfare, and countless soldiers have died on the border."
Thanks to Jun Ting and the generals who have been fighting on the front lines these past few days, we have achieved peace today, and a marriage alliance is the best outcome.
If we refuse, then war on the border will likely break out again, and people will be displaced once more. You know very well what that kind of scene will be like.”
The emperor's face was grave; he had been in a bad mood ever since receiving the news from the border.
The Qi Yue Dynasty was warlike by nature, and they had been fighting each other frequently over the years. Back in the day, before Jun Ting went to the battlefield, the Chu You Dynasty often suffered defeats and losses.
Later, thanks to several great generals and Jun Ting, they began to win battles one after another, which finally brought peace to the border.
War has always been a drain on manpower and resources, and countless soldiers have died on the border in recent years.
He knew that a marriage alliance was unacceptable to Mu Yao, but...
He was not only a father, but also a monarch.
"Your Majesty, we should prioritize the greater good."
The Emperor grasped the Empress's hand, his majestic and handsome face showing a hint of helplessness. He knew how cruel it would be to tell the Empress this news, and he couldn't even imagine what Mu Yao's expression would be after hearing it.
She now has someone she loves and is planning to get married soon, but she never expected to encounter something like this, which is indeed hard to accept.
However, making this decision was also a difficult decision for him.
Upon hearing the Emperor's words, the Empress understood his helplessness, and her heart sank even further.
She knew very well that if there had been even the slightest chance of a turnaround, the Emperor would not have said such a thing.
Now, all the royals who are of marriageable age are already married. Among the eligible girls, Mu Yao is the most suitable. The other princesses are either too young or not suitable.
Thinking of this, she was filled with endless regret.
If she had settled the marriage earlier, there wouldn't be so many uncertainties now.
It's all her fault!
Chu Muyao stood outside the courtyard, quietly listening to her father and mother's conversation, feeling her heart grow colder and colder.
It’s over.
She had originally wanted to have a good argument with her mother and beg her father to rescind his order, but at this moment she suddenly didn't even have the strength to speak.
Having grown up in the palace since childhood, she had seen far too much and knew better than anyone which things had room for maneuver and which did not.
Clearly, this is a done deal.
How can her life compare to the lives of so many soldiers and civilians on the border?
Not to mention her father, even she knew how to choose.
"Princess, are you okay?"
Seeing that Chu Muyao's face was pale and she was swaying as if she would faint at any moment, the maid quickly supported her.
"I am fine."
Chu Muyao waved her hand, losing all interest in going in, and walked back dejectedly.
Halfway there, she tripped and fell to the ground, unable to hold back her emotions any longer and burst into tears.
Why is God doing this to me?
"I was so close to marrying the person I love!"
Tears streamed down Chu Muyao's face as she recalled all the times she had spent with Song Jingshen, from their initial bickering to their current mutual affection.
During this time, she even fantasized about how, after marrying Song Jingshen, the two of them could travel to many places together and help him run his business.
Even if she stayed in the teahouse every day, it wouldn't matter. She could see the stories her sister-in-law wrote as soon as they were written, and she would always be the first to read them before anyone else. This was exactly the kind of life she had always dreamed of.
But now... all of that is just a pipe dream.
"Princess, please don't worry. Let's think of another way. Maybe things will turn around?"
The maid looked at her princess with heartache. In all these years, this was the first time they had seen the princess so heartbroken.
"Why don't we ask His Highness the Crown Prince and His Highness Prince Yun for advice? Maybe there's still a chance!"
"Not anymore."
Chu Muyao shook her head in despair, her expression filled with deep despair.
She knew from a young age that as a princess, she might face a marriage alliance, and once that happened to her, she would have no choice but to accept it.
Because she had enjoyed so much wealth and luxury in the palace for so many years, when it was time for her to take on responsibilities, she had to.
Now, she doesn't even have the right to die.
Even if he were to die, he could only die after the Qi-Yue Dynasty was established.
Tang Xuening pounded her aching hands, feeling utterly weak.
She was originally a rich heiress with so many suitors, but who would have thought she would end up like this?
She hated Song Ruozhen, hated Qi Qingyi, hated the King of Chu, and hated them all!
If it weren't for these people, I wouldn't be in this situation. Now I spend all my time washing clothes for others, my hands are all raw and bleeding, but there's still endless work to do.
Those snobs in the palace knew her previous status, so now they were trying every means to bully her. She was completely helpless and had no one to turn to.
However, she suddenly saw Chu Muyao kneeling on the ground, crying bitterly.
A look of disbelief flashed in Tang Xuening's eyes; she simply couldn't believe that Chu Muyao would cry so miserably!
"What a twist of fate! Even a princess can cry so bitterly?"
Upon hearing this sudden sound, Chu Muyao turned around and frowned upon seeing Tang Xuening's face.
"Tang Xuening? Why do you look so old now?"
Tang Xuening originally wanted to mock Chu Muyao, but she didn't expect Chu Muyao to deliver a fatal blow as soon as she opened her mouth.
Her face instantly turned extremely ugly. "Why have I become like this? Isn't it all because of you?"
"If it weren't for you all, I wouldn't have ended up like this!"
Chu Muyao looked at Tang Xuening in front of her. If it weren't for the familiar voice, she wouldn't have recognized her at all just by looking at her face.
She used to be a young girl, but now she looks like she has aged ten years in an instant. She has terrible dark circles under her eyes, and her skin has many spots. She looks extremely haggard.
Not only that, but most importantly, her entire face suddenly turned into a bitter expression, which was quite unexpected.
Chu Muyao suppressed her sadness. Although she was immersed in great pain at the moment, she still maintained the demeanor of a princess in front of others.
We can't let outsiders laugh at us.
"You've ended up in this state entirely because of your own fault, haven't you?"
"If you had been law-abiding from the beginning, and hadn't always coveted things that didn't belong to you, and hadn't resorted to such despicable means, how could things have turned out this way?"