NOVEL NEXT Chapter 17: Chapter 17: The Arranged Marriage
When everyone returned to the royal palace, Dian Wei immediately rushed over as soon as he saw Nan Feihuang, positioning himself behind him like a massive bodyguard. Over the past few days, while Nan Feihuang had been away, Dian Wei hadn't stepped out of the palace once, devoting all his time to intense training.
His relentless dedication had earned him the nickname "cultivation machine" from those who saw him.
At this point, Lan Xue fully understood why her son valued this man so much. He wasn't the brightest, but he had powerful talent, unmatched loyalty, and tireless diligence.
Those three traits combined made him an irreplaceable asset. Who wouldn't want a subordinate like that?
"Mother, I've had a busy few days. I'll retire for now," Nan Feihuang said, taking his leave.
Lan Xue nodded. "Feihuang, you don't need to come and pay your respects tomorrow. Since your father is away from the kingdom for a few days, use this time to consolidate your spirit power. Absorbing a nearly seven-hundred-year spirit ring has pushed your power to the fourteenth rank. While this is a significant increase, it is also quite scattered. Make sure you don't slack off these next few days, understood?"
"Yes, Mother, I understand." With that, Nan Feihuang left with Dian Wei, Lü Lingqi, and Xun Yu, returning to the Eastern Palace.
"Lingqi, you go rest for now. We'll train together tomorrow," Nan Feihuang instructed.
"Erlai, stand guard here and alert me if anyone comes. Xun Yu, come inside with me."
"Got it, Lord!" Dian Wei responded energetically.
"I told you, my name is Xun Yu!" Xun Yu retorted with exasperation.
Nan Feihuang issued three orders in quick succession, and each of his companions responded, heading off to carry out their respective tasks. Lü Lingqi, yawning, retired to her quarters. She wasn't interested in political affairs and was indeed tired from their recent activities. Nan Feihuang cared for her deeply and didn't want her entangled in the palace's scheming.
Inside the Eastern Palace, Nan Feihuang stood before a map of the Douluo Continent hanging on the wall. He turned to Xun Yu and said, "A few days ago, my mother mentioned that my father has gone to arrange a marriage for me. Now that he's gone to the Heaven Dou Empire, do you think this is just a coincidence?"
Xun Yu shook his head. "First of all, I'm Xun Yu. Second, it's no coincidence. The king is looking for a marriage alliance that benefits the Gu Lei Kingdom, and the match must be advantageous."
"Within the Heaven Dou Empire, you have the empire itself, four major kingdoms, and a duchy. The duchy is too weak and can be ruled out immediately. Of the remaining kingdoms, Balak's royal family has no suitable princesses of age. The Silves Kingdom, while somewhat stronger than Gu Lei, offers little benefit from a marriage alliance. As for the Haagen-Dazs Kingdom, their royal family already formed an alliance through the Grand Princess, so there's no need for a second marriage there."
"Therefore, I conclude that the king has gone to the Heaven Dou Empire itself, and there are two likely candidates for the marriage."
"Which two?" Nan Feihuang asked.
"Ning Fengzhi's daughter, Ning Rongrong, and Emperor Xue Ye's daughter, Princess Xue Ke," Xun Yu replied confidently.
Nan Feihuang chuckled. "That's exactly what I thought. So, which one do you think Father will choose, and what are the odds of success?"
"There's no need to guess," Xun Yu answered, his tone assured. "The king will first approach Ning Fengzhi, but he will undoubtedly be refused. Then, he will go to Emperor Xue Ye, and this time, the marriage will succeed. So, my lord, prepare yourself to be betrothed to Princess Xue Ke."
Nan Feihuang smiled. "You sound so certain. How can you be so sure?"
"Sure? This is no guess, my lord," Xun Yu said, shaking his head. "It's obvious with a little thought. Because of the queen's hidden injury, the king has always sought to forge a connection with a Titled Douluo. Naturally, Ning Rongrong, who is of your age, would be his first choice. But the king, though skilled in governance, lacks strategic foresight. He believes that, as the crown prince, your status is enough to match Ning Rongrong. What he overlooks is that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan has no need for the Gu Lei Kingdom's power."
"Our kingdom thrives on agriculture, producing an abundance of grain but lacking military strength. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan is a sect with only a few thousand disciples. What would they do with so much grain—wait for it to rot? Moreover, they are the wealthiest sect on the continent. With so much wealth, why would they ever worry about food?"
"But don't worry, my lord. You won't face any embarrassment from a failed marriage proposal. The king won't directly request the marriage. He'll subtly test the waters—perhaps boasting about how talented you are in front of Ning Fengzhi, hoping Ning will get the hint. If he were to make a direct request and be rejected, then approach Emperor Xue Ye afterward, word could spread, and it would seem like he was settling for Xue Ke. This could offend Emperor Xue Ye, who would then likely refuse. The king is wise enough to avoid this situation. As for Ning Fengzhi, he's a tactful man who wouldn't carelessly offend the Gu Lei Kingdom."
Nan Feihuang nodded thoughtfully. "That makes sense. However, if my father does approach Emperor Xue Ye for the marriage, it won't be through subtle hints, right? He'll make a direct request because he's confident the emperor will agree. But I believe the key to this is not just our grain supply—it's my mother's influence."
Xun Yu nodded with a knowing smile. "Indeed, my lord, you're getting sharper. It's because of the queen that Emperor Xue Ye will surely agree to the marriage. While our kingdom's grain is vital to the Heaven Dou Empire's army, what's even more crucial is the presence of a Titled Douluo."
"The queen, with her extraordinary talent, reached the peak of the Soul Douluo rank at forty-eight. Aside from us, who know about her hidden injury, everyone else believes she has a good chance of breaking through to the Titled Douluo rank before she turns fifty. Even if it takes longer, she's likely to succeed before fifty-five. Based on her previous progress, the bottleneck to becoming a Titled Douluo shouldn't be a problem for her."
"She serves as a deterrent to other kingdoms and is one of the main reasons why the Heaven Dou Empire wants to ally with us. No force without a Titled Douluo would pass up the opportunity to form a connection with someone on the verge of that breakthrough."
Just like when the issue of the whale jelly came up, betting on such a breakthrough is the type of risk Nan Tianchen is willing to take. Why wouldn't Emperor Xue Ye do the same?
Besides, even in the worst-case scenario, if Lan Xue takes longer than expected to break through, it wouldn't change the fact that she is still a peak Soul Douluo. Nor would it affect Gu Lei's status as an agricultural powerhouse or the fact that Nan Feihuang and Xue Ke are a well-matched pair in terms of status.
For Emperor Xue Ye, this marriage would be a win-win—he'd gain everything without losing a thing.
"Lord, I hope you will accept this marriage," Xun Yu said suddenly, his tone firm and serious. He knew Nan Feihuang had feelings for Lü Lingqi and might resist the idea of this political union.
But this time, it wasn't a choice. For the sake of the future, Nan Feihuang had to accept it.
"Why?" Nan Feihuang frowned. He didn't like being forced into decisions regarding his personal life.
"Because you once told me the truth about the Heaven Dou royal family—about the real identity of Crown Prince Xue Qinghe," Xun Yu said, raising his head.
As Nan Feihuang's most trusted advisor, Xun Yu had access to confidential information to help him make better strategic decisions.
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