Chapter 1200
The Unfavored Princess 22
"Can't we discuss this?" Dou Yuexin asked Yuan Cheng, her sadness genuine. "Is it only possible for Zhen'er to go? The establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries only requires a princess to go, so why must Zhen'er be chosen?"
Just like that year, their agreement with the Great Wilderness Tribe Kingdom meant that the other party didn't care much about the princess's background, as long as she was officially a princess, even if she was originally a palace maid.
Why do we have to name people when we get to the Liang Kingdom?
"The Liang Kingdom has specifically chosen the Imperial Sister, and they said that all other conditions are negotiable, but there is no room for discussion on this one point. Either they really like the Imperial Sister, or they think the Imperial Sister's status as a princess is very important and they must send her over, which is equivalent to sending her as a hostage."
Besides that, Yuan Cheng really couldn't think of any other possibility.
It's highly likely that the Liang Kingdom knew that the princess was someone they had lost and then found again, and therefore very important to them. That's why they did this – they just wanted to make things difficult for them.
Now, as the defeated party, and the one who actively sought peace, they have no say whatsoever. If negotiations break down, the one most likely to continue fighting is the State of Chu.
As the emperor of Chu, how could he not be aware of the current situation of Chu, which was beset by both internal and external troubles? Take the simplest example: military pay and provisions. Even for him, the emperor, it would be very difficult to deliver these two items safely and completely to the border.
When Marquis Guangde was alive, some people would still try to profit from it. There was nothing that could be done about it; it was difficult to completely eliminate, but no one dared to go too far.
Now that the Marquis of Guangde has been beheaded, the balance of power has been disrupted, and the emperor's situation is somewhat precarious. For the time being, it will be difficult for him to control the forces under his command.
Regarding this peace talks, most people advocated against fighting. After all, war costs money and there's no guarantee of a good outcome, so it's not worth it. In any case, they know that Liang doesn't currently have the capability to actually attack the capital.
Of course, he didn't want to fight at this time either.
What can the State of Chu use to fight now?
Even if there are a few fearless individuals, is that enough? What if there are problems with supplies and pay? How can we fight?
To be honest, seeing Liang Guo's demands actually brought him a sense of relief. He had been prepared to see all sorts of unreasonable requests, and compared to his expectations, they were actually quite acceptable.
It's just going to be tough on the princess.
But everyone has a responsibility for the survival of the nation. As a princess of Chu, my sister had no choice but to go for the sake of peace and stability between the two countries and for the well-being of the people.
He couldn't stop it.
Seeing Yuan Cheng's silence, Dou Yuexin knew that he had already figured it out and there would be no turning back.
“Your royal sister hasn’t even had a couple of good days,” Dou Yuexin said sadly. “We don’t know what the situation is like in Liang Kingdom right now. Who knows if they will treat her well? It’s so far away; she’s never been to Liang Kingdom before…”
"Since they value my sister so much, they certainly won't mistreat her. Mother, rest assured, once the opportunity arises, I will definitely take back everything I've lost and bring my sister back safe and sound." Yuan Cheng made a promise. "They've gone too far. As the king of Chu, how can I let this go? We need time, Mother. Believe me, I will definitely bring my sister back and won't let her suffering be in vain. When that day comes, she will be the most honored princess of our Chu Kingdom and a great hero."
Dou Yuexin's eyes were red and she wiped away her tears sadly before finally closing them: "I know there's no way to stop this, but it's good that you have this idea. Remember, you have to bring her back."
"Mother, I will. I will definitely bring my sister back. It's just a temporary measure, a last resort. I'll make it up to her in the future." Having convinced Dou Yuexin, Yuan Cheng felt a slight sense of relief.
"I will discuss this with Zhen'er," Dou Yuexin said. "You go ahead and do your work."
Yuan Cheng hesitated for a moment and asked, "My sister is actually quite opinionated and has some martial skills. Would she agree?"
Dou Yuexin opened her eyes and calmly looked at Yuan Cheng, making him feel somewhat uncomfortable. Finally, she sighed, "Don't worry, she won't leave. She'll agree."
This incident has irreparably damaged their mother-daughter relationship.
Now that things have come to this, she has no other choice. She can't just ignore the safety of the Chu Kingdom for the sake of Zhen'er, can she?
If they don't agree, Liang will use this as an excuse to continue the war. Not only will Zhen'er be in a difficult situation, but the Empress Dowager and Emperor Cheng'er will also face condemnation. Chu's situation is already precarious; this could further threaten Cheng'er's position.
This was something the mother and son had fought so hard for; without it, their fate would have been even worse.
She had no other choice but to wrong Zhen'er one more time. If Zhen'er wanted to blame someone, let her do it. Given the chance, she would definitely have Cheng'er bring Zhen'er back. At that time, all that would remain was unparalleled glory, a status that no one could compare to hers.
Yuan Cheng trusted Dou Yuexin's methods. She said that if her younger sister would agree, then she definitely would, so he left with peace of mind.
Soon after, Azhen entered the palace.
In fact, the conditions from Liang had already been exposed and were widely discussed.
This naturally angered many people, who felt that the Liang Kingdom had gone too far. However, aside from hurling insults, these people couldn't change anything.
Despite the harsh criticism and the perception that Liang Kingdom has gone too far, if Princess Azhen really doesn't go, she will be the one being criticized in the end.
"Zhen'er, I'm so sorry, I couldn't protect you."
As soon as Azhen arrived in front of Dou Yuexin, the other party burst into tears, and her sorrowful appearance did not seem to be an act.
In fact, Dou Yuexin was genuinely sad.
Even at this critical moment, she was still determined to abandon her daughter whom she had finally found.
Although she was the Empress Dowager of Chu, she could not change anything, and did not even have the ability to change anything.
Even so, she still didn't want to sever the bond between mother and daughter, and she didn't want the client to hate her brother Yuan Cheng.
She was reluctant and unwilling, but she still hoped that the client would willingly embark on the journey to Liang Kingdom and go to the marriage alliance peacefully without any mishaps.
Azhen wanted to describe Dou Yuexin and Yuan Cheng with one word—incompetent.
If he is incompetent, then he should indeed step down.
"Zhen'er, it's my fault for wronging you. If you want to hate me, then hate me." When she got emotional, Dou Yuexin even stood up and bowed to Azhen. If it weren't for the previous events, many people would probably think that Dou Yuexin looked too pitiful.
She was truly helpless in making this choice. (End of Chapter)