Chapter 355
Chapter 215 - 202: Dowry (Second update)_2
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5 min read
Ye Guixue did not rush to speak, but continued his tea ceremony. Obviously, the procedures such as heating the teapot, placing the tea, warming the cup, high-pouring, and low-steeping had been done before she arrived, and all that was left was serving the tea. With his sleeves rolled up, Ye Guixue moved impeccably. After pouring the tea, he brushed his sleeve aside with one hand and pushed the tea cup towards Su Rong with the other, "Miss Su, please."
"Thank you," Su Rong replied, thinking to herself that Ye Guixue was indeed a refined and elegant person. Unlike herself, who lacked the patience for such niceties and usually just grabbed a drink of water or casually threw some tea leaves into the pot and poured some hot water over them to brew.
The mistress often scolded her for drinking tea as if she were gulping down peony nectar, while Uncle Xie just laughed and said, "There are many ways to drink tea."
Sipping her tea slowly, Su Rong found it fragrant, but she could not articulate the way it smelt. During her stay at the Eastern Palace and the Princess Residence, maids brewed the tea. Su Rong did not know how they brewed the high-quality tea leaves, but it tasted good indeed. It was her first time seeing someone brewing tea personally.
This was, presumably, the highest respect Ye Guixue had shown her since he met her in the Duke Residence.
Finishing her cup of tea, Su Rong placed the cup down and looked at Ye Guixue, "If I disappear for too long, people might get worried. Second Young Master Ye, just speak your mind!"
Ye Guixue nodded, reached into his robe, and pulled out a token, handing it respectfully to Su Rong, "This token is handed to you by the command of our King, please keep it safe."
Su Rong did not take it immediately, but raised an eyebrow instead, "What does this token represent?"
"It represents your status as the Princess." Ye Guixue said, "Upon receiving this token, you will be recognized as the Princess of Nanchu Country."
"Does that come with any benefits?" Su Rong asked casually, "After all, I owe my life to my mother, and the Su Family raised me. If the Nanchu King were to suddenly decide to take me away from them, why should I agree to it if there’s no benefit?"
Ye Guixue was silent for a moment, "Of course there are benefits. That is, the throne of Nanchu. And as for the conditions that the Su Family might place, we are open to discussion."
Su Rong laughed lightly, "So, in Nanchu King’s eyes, the throne is the benefit he is offering me? This has got to be the funniest thing I’ve ever heard."
She raised an eyebrow at Ye Guixue, "Does the Nanchu King think he alone has the final say on who takes the throne? If he gives me the throne, do I secure it as easily as catching a fresh cabbage? Or does he mean to clear the path for me and then give me the throne?"
Ye Guixue pressed his lips together, "You are the Princess, the sole heir. Despite the many obstacles in the Nanchu Dynasty, the Ye Family remains loyal to the Royal Family. We will support the King’s decision and lend the necessary aid to secure your reign."
Supporting her chin with her hand, Su Rong looked at Ye Guixue, "The Nanchu Queen has been sending people to kill me persistently for years. Is the King aware of this?"
Ye Guixue was a beat slower in his nod, "The King is aware."
"Oh? When did he first find out?" Su Rong asked.
"Five years ago."
Su Rong couldn’t help but laugh, "So early? Let me think, I was ten years old back then, and the Nanchu Queen had been sending assassins after me for three years. So the King knew about it all along and pretended not to, he can be quite patient!"
This surprised her. She always thought her biological father was a fool who didn’t know about her existence or the fact that his queen was sending people to kill her.
Ye Guixue hesitated for a moment, "When the King learned about the death of Princess Zhenmin, he vomited blood and fell unconscious. He was sick for three months. His grief left him in a stupor, neglecting his duties, resulting in the worsening of the stalemate in the Nanchu court. However, when he discovered your existence five years ago, he started cherishing his health so he could deal with the festering issues in the court. But chronic problems couldn’t be solved easily. So you will need to put in some effort after you return to Nanchu, but rest assured, with the King and the Ye Family behind you, it won’t be too hard."
"I heard that the Ye Family is planning to establish a marriage alliance with the Nangong Family?"
"It is merely a temporary expedience." Ye Guixue reaffirmed, "The Ye Family of Nanchu, is loyal to the royal family." He pushed the token towards Su Rong again, "Please accept it."
But Su Rong still did not take it, instead choosing to look directly into his eyes, "What benefit has the Nanchu King promised the Ye Family in return? Don’t tell me about loyalty. Loyalty only reveals its weight with sufficient benefits. The loyalty of the Ye Family to the Nanchu King requires an exchange as well, right?"
Ye Guixue, with the token still held aloft, seemed to not dare to meet Su Rong’s gaze for a moment. He lowered his eyes, took a dauntless pause before finally speaking, "Lord Guixue, will be your husband."
— End of Chapter 355 —