Duanmu Chen had a dark face and signaled Chang An to step back.
The moment the door closed, Chang'an was not worried about what Duanmu Chen would do to Su Liang impulsively. Instead, he was worried that Su Liang would be harmful to Duanmu Chen.
"Sit." Duanmu Chen said.
Su Liang sat down and said with a calm expression, "Your Highness, the Fourth Prince, can we have a good talk now?"
"I don't care what your relationship is with Lin Xueqing. What you want is impossible." Duanmu Chen said with a straight face.
Su Liang's eyes narrowed slightly, "It depends on human effort. As long as the fourth prince is willing, I don't think it is impossible."
"If you had come yesterday, even if you came just a moment before I entered the palace, for the sake of past friendship, we would still have to talk." Duanmu Chen hummed, "But now, I have asked my father for a royal decree for marriage.
, do you want me to go into the palace again and tell my father that I was just talking nonsense before? Or maybe I suddenly changed my mind in just half a day and the marriage decree is no longer necessary? Do you think I can afford the consequences? "
Duanmuchen's desire to marry Lin Xueqing has nothing to do with feelings, it is purely for profit and future.
What he is talking about now is also the current embarrassing situation.
If he had never entered the palace to ask for orders, he could naturally pretend that nothing had happened.
But the imperial edict was not announced, but in fact it actually happened. He could not easily cancel it if he wanted to give up.
Su Liang frowned, "You need a suitable reason."
Duanmu Chen hummed softly, "Tell me, what's the reason for my father to understand my erratic behavior?"
Su Liang was silent.
From a realistic and rational perspective, she understood Duanmu Chen's motive for marrying Lin Xueqing.
As an ambitious prince, his behavior is to strengthen and consolidate his own power, and he has a good vision and has chosen a family that does not currently have a high status, but has considerable potential.
But Su Liang couldn't accept it, because the Lin family didn't want to follow the dragon and the phoenix, and she and Lin Xueqing were friends, and Lin Shuzhi went to her personally for help.
This is why she appears in front of Duanmu Chen.
I was a bit impulsive, but when I calmed down I realized that the current predicament was difficult to solve.
It started due to Duanmu Chen, but it didn't end just because he wanted to.
What Su Liang mentioned was a deal, so Duanmu Chen agreed on the premise that it would be good for him, which should be greater than the benefits he would get from marrying Lin Xueqing.
But the problem is that once he agrees to Su Liang, he will first have to bear the serious consequences.
In other words, Su Liang couldn't give a price that satisfied Duanmu Chen.
In this matter, Duanmu Chen's behavior cannot be evaluated simply as right or wrong. As a prince staring at the throne, what he did was very in line with his own interests.
Duanmu Chen sighed, "Su Liang, don't blame me for not giving you face. At this point, even if you really want to marry me for Lin Xueqing, it's useless."
Su Liang nodded, "I know what you mean. I just ask you, if I stop you before you enter the palace, will you give me face?"
Duanmu Chen was very direct, "If the price you offer at that time satisfies me, it doesn't matter if I sell you a face."
Give it, no.
But it can be "sold".
Su Liang nodded, "Okay. What if I give you a suitable reason to cancel the engagement next, and it won't affect you?"
Duanmuchen narrowed his eyes slightly, "You don't want Lin Xueqing to pretend to be sick? Or do you want her to really get sick?"
Su Liang didn't say anything, which meant that Duanmu Chen had guessed correctly.
Duanmu Chen glared at Su Liang and said angrily, "It's better to let her get sick and be unable to recover for a long time than to marry me? Am I just a scourge in your eyes?"
Su Liang looked calm, "Fourth Prince, I thought we were negotiating a deal."
Duanmu Chen said with a dark face, "If you really want to do that, I can't stop you. If your conditions satisfy me, I can even cooperate with you in acting. But I hope you won't be so naive. She doesn't want to Be my concubine, and maybe Duanmu Ao will be the one to attack her next time."
"That would be easy." Su Liang's eyes turned cold, "It would kill the problem."
Duanmu Chen was speechless, "So I still want to thank you for showing mercy to me?"
Su Liang shook his head, "It's not the same thing. I won't think that you deserve to die just because the fourth prince wants to marry Xue Qing. You have your own position, and I am willing to compensate you for your 'loss' and continue to cooperate in the future."
Duanmu Ao was full of misdeeds and had a big feud with Su Liang.
Duanmu Chen's face softened a little, "I can't stop the marriage decree. You can talk to me about the rest of the matter after you have planned it."
Su Liang stood up and was about to leave, when she heard Chang'an's voice coming from outside the door, "Master, someone is coming from the palace. The emperor has ordered the master to enter the palace immediately."
Duanmu Chen and Su Liang's expressions changed.
"Your Highness, Fourth Prince, please." Su Liang held his hand.
Neither she nor Duanmu Chen knew why the emperor summoned them.
What Su Liang meant was that he hoped Duanmu Chen would act according to the opportunity and that the matter between him and Lin Xueqing would be canceled no matter what.
Duanmu Chen didn't say anything, changed into a coat and went out.
After he left, Su Liang secretly left the Fourth Prince's Mansion. She originally wanted to see Lin Xueqing, but things were still unclear. She planned to go home first and come to Duanmu Chen later to inquire about the situation.
…
Royal Palace.
When Duanmu Chen met Emperor Duanmu Yi, he found that the former King of Beijing and now the loyal Marquis Xingji was also there.
Duanmu Chen felt that something was wrong. When he came to propose marriage, Xing Ji was present.
After the salute, Duanmu Chen respectfully asked, "I wonder what my father ordered my son to come here. What are your instructions?"
Duanmu Yi raised his eyes and looked at Xing Ji, "Marquis Zhongxin, please tell me!"
Xing Ji turned slightly sideways, faced Duanmu Chen, narrowed his eyes and said, "Earlier today I left the palace and returned to the house. I met my mother and mentioned the fourth prince's happy event, and then I learned that Miss Lin was the eldest grandson's daughter-in-law that my mother had chosen. "
Duanmu Chen was stunned. This was completely beyond his expectation.
Xing Ji continued, "Quinzi is willful and says that he will become a monk if he cannot marry Miss Lin. The humble minister has no choice but to come here to ask for the emperor's grace."
Duanmu Chen never expected that a man who wanted to steal a woman from him would turn out to be the Zhongxin Houfu who should keep a low profile now!
Although Xing Ji claimed that it was his mother and son who forced him, but since he is standing here and saying these words, it means that he believes that the unpublished imperial decree of marriage can be withdrawn, and it would be better for Lin Xueqing to marry his son!
For a moment, Duanmu Chen began to doubt whether Xing Ji had any brains or had the courage of a bear and a leopard. He really thought that Duanmu Yi did not dare to kill him.
But on second thought, Duanmu Chen felt that Xing Ji's move might not have been intentional. He was very straightforward and showed no twists and turns, just like when he had no military power but had to go to war alone, and was not afraid of exposing himself. strength and courage.
No matter how much potential the Lin family has, Lin Xueqing, a woman, is not worthy of attention in Duanmu Yi's eyes.
Just when Duanmu Chen started to guess what Duanmu Yi was thinking, Duanmu Yi said, "I can understand that Xing Aiqing is filial to her son. But when two families want to marry each other, there must be a first-come, first-served basis. After all, there is no marriage contract between the Xing family and the Lin family. , but I have promised to grant Chen'er a marriage. This matter is up to Chen'er!"
Duanmu Chen's heart skipped a beat!
"If Chen'er is willing to give up his love, I will be happy to help Prince Xing. But if Chen'er is unwilling, Xing Aiqing should say no more!" Duanmu Yi said.
"Yes." Xing Ji nodded.
Duanmu Chen was not sure whether Duanmu Yi wanted him to persist or give up, but he was certain that Xing Ji was definitely not invited by Su Liang, and Su Liang probably didn't know that the Xing family would do such a thing.
But as long as he gives up this marriage, it will be equivalent to "selling" Su Liang's face.
Whether Su Liang is satisfied with Xing Yusheng marrying Lin Xueqing and whether he will negotiate with Xing Yusheng again has nothing to do with Duanmu Chen.
Thinking of this, Duanmu Chen said respectfully, "Father, I, my son, are willing to fulfill the loyal and trustworthy Prince Hou and Miss Lin."
Duanmu Yi's face showed no emotion, "That's very good. I will grant marriage to Prince Xing and Miss Lin."
Xing Ji knelt down to thank him.
Duanmu Yi looked at Duanmu Chen again, "My second brother was attacked and injured in the mountain behind Huguo Temple. I leave this matter to you. You must find out the real culprit."
After Duanmu Chen accepted this task with complicated emotions, he left the palace with Xing Ji.
"Thank you, His Royal Highness the Fourth Prince, for making this happen." Xing Ji said.
Duanmu Chen shook his head, "It's because my father is considerate of Marquis Zhongxin."
When he was about to leave the palace, Duanmu Chen suddenly said, "My father ordered me to investigate the attack on the second emperor's brother. I heard that Crown Prince Xing was also in the Huguo Temple at that time. I would like to trouble Marquis Zhongxin to go back and ask if Crown Prince Xing has any clues."
, be sure to let me know.”
Xing Ji agreed, and the two of them left.
Sitting in the carriage, Duanmu Chen rubbed his forehead and said, "Chang'an, make a list of the people who have been to Huguo Temple today. I just sold Su Liang to save face, and the benefits have not been confiscated. I can't sell her out.
I have to find a suitable person to deal with. He must be good at martial arts and may conflict with Duanmu Ao."
Chang An, who was driving the carriage, felt moved, "I have thought of a candidate!"
"Who?" Duanmu Chen asked.
Chang'an lowered his voice, "Miss Nian, Nian Ruxue, she was at the Huguo Temple at the time. It has been rumored recently that she will participate in this martial arts competition, so she will naturally be good at martial arts, although we have never seen it. The second prince was at the Huguo Temple.
On the mountain behind the temple, I met Miss Nian Si, who was watching the scenery alone, and wanted to do something inappropriate. In order to protect her innocence, Miss Nian Si had no choice but to resist, injuring the second prince and then escaped."
"But was Miss Su the second prince who attacked him secretly? If it was the second prince who took offense and Miss Su struck him, wouldn't the second prince know best who hurt him?" Chang'an said.
Duanmu Chen hummed, "Do you think Duanmu Ao hasn't woken up yet? Of course my father knew that he was awake, and he must have said that he didn't know who carried out the sneak attack. That's why we need to investigate."
Chang'an suddenly realized, "That's right! The second prince must have something in his heart, and he doesn't dare to let the emperor know it openly!"
Duanmu Chen's eyes were dark, "Then the real culprit is tentatively identified as Nian Ruxue. Let's look for evidence and witnesses. Su Liang owes me one more time."