Chapter 8: Scheme

Chapter 8: Scheme

Lu Changping now stands conspicuously by the tyrant's side, becoming the marriage candidate mentioned by the tyrant to replace Princess Zhao Yun of Nan Chu.

With no way to avoid it, he had to meet the somewhat surprised gaze of the Nan Chu marriage envoy...

From the perspective of the envoy, the "woman" standing beside the tyrant was tall and slender, her long dress trailing on the ground, lending her an air of elegance and grace.

Most astonishingly, that visage, which could rival the luster of pearls in its beauty, bore an uncanny resemblance to "Princess Zhao Yun."

Cui Yue was dumbstruck, his mouth agape, unable to utter a complete sentence for a long while.

Seeing this, Lu Changping quickly seized the opportunity, desperately signaling Cui Yue not to reveal his identity as "Princess Zhao Yun" in his moment of panic.

Perhaps due to a lack of a certain unspoken understanding between monarch and subject, his frantic signaling went unnoticed, leaving the other still visibly shocked.

Cui Yue stiffened for a moment, then, as if suddenly coming to a realization, his face morphed into one of profound regret.

Lu Changping, observing this, sensed trouble brewing...

However, before he could devise a plan to rectify the situation, he was forcefully pulled into an embrace by the wrist by the tyrant.

Xie Xuan Yuan, with his left arm around the slightly taller Lu Mei Ren and his right hand drawing his sword at Cui Yue, his eyes brimming with lethal intent, almost tangible:

"You must be tired of living! The person I intend to marry, you dare to covet?"

Lu Changping was startled. He hadn't even officially entered the family, and already the tyrant was this possessive?

Fearing a rash act from the tyrant might actually lead to the envoy's death, he instinctively hugged the tyrant, using his height advantage to gently push him aside...

Cui Yue, the envoy sent by Nan Chu for the marriage alliance, was personally selected by Lu Changping from among many officials.

The reason for his selection was simply that he met the two criteria set by His Majesty for choosing the marriage envoy.

First, the envoy must not have met him before, to keep the act of impersonating his sister Zhao Ping from being detected by the court officials; second, for a smooth journey, the envoy must be utterly devoted to his duty, prioritizing the interests of Nan Chu and the "princess" above all else.

Before being chosen as the envoy, Cui Yue was an obscure local official with no opportunity to present himself at the capital, perfectly meeting the first criterion.

As for the second, Lu Changping had verified it through various channels.

He remembered hearing from his subordinates that while serving as a local official, Cui Yue had been offered three beautiful concubines by a local gentry in exchange for a favor.

Unexpectedly, Cui Yue, utterly oblivious to subtlety, arranged for the three beauties to stay in the county yamen, turning them into ordinary maids responsible for serving tea and welcoming villagers seeking justice.

At first, Lu Changping found this amusing, but upon further thought, he couldn't fault such a handling method.

Now, with the situation pressing, he hoped Cui Yue would show a bit more intelligence, as he had when he refused the bribe of female companionship...

Indeed, Cui Yue was not intimidated by Xie Xuan Yuan's tyrannical presence, straightening his attire and saying, "Your Majesty misunderstands, I would never dare harbor improper thoughts towards Your Majesty’s people.

The marriage alliance was explicitly agreed upon by both sovereigns in writing. Even if the princess has been abducted by assassins, she remains Your Majesty's wife in name. Moreover, since she disappeared within Bei Wei's borders, Your Majesty is undoubtedly obliged to organize a search.

Yet now, Your Majesty wishes to publicly break this engagement and marry another before the princess has even crossed your threshold, an act of betrayal that could disgrace both our nations."

Xie Xuan Yuan, with a dark smirk and a hint of provocation, replied, "The disgrace would be on King Lu of Nan Chu, not me. I care little for such empty honors."

Undeterred, Cui Yue persisted, "Forgive my frankness, Your Majesty, but do you truly intend to marry this woman?"

Provoked, Xie Xuan Yuan raised his voice, "Not only do I intend to marry her, but I will also elevate her to the rank of Noble Consort."

Hearing this, Lu Changping had a rough idea of the situation. The tyrant was indeed stubborn.

The more someone tries to stop him from doing something, the more he insists on doing it. Had the envoy from Nan Chu not provoked Xie Xuan Yuan, perhaps he would have simply given Lu Changping a nominal title and included him in the harem.

But now, with the issue escalated, Xie Xuan Yuan retaliated by elevating his status... immediately declaring him a Noble Consort.

After successively causing the death of three queen candidates, not only was there a vacancy for the queen's position in the harem, but there were also few with titles. In a sense, this made him the de facto ruler of Bei Wei's harem.

Although his primary concern as this "ruler of the harem" was plotting against the tyrant of Bei Wei...

After speaking, Xie Xuan Yuan, slightly annoyed, pushed Lu Changping, who was still pressing down on him, "I know you're overjoyed, but you can thank me later tonight. Now let go of your hand, won’t you?"

Reminded by his words, Lu Changping realized he was still embracing the tyrant. Due to being an inch taller, his hand had inadvertently landed on the tyrant's waist.

Previously, Xie Xuan Yuan's conservative dress had concealed his figure, but now that Lu Changping had actually touched him, he discovered the tyrant had a surprisingly slender waist.

Yet, as a man, his waist, though slender, was not as soft and pliable as a woman's, barely fitting in a grasp. A firmer squeeze even revealed the muscles on his abdomen, offering a surprisingly unique feel.

Lu Changping couldn't contain his curiosity and gave a few extra squeezes, only to be caught in the act by the tyrant.

Xie Xuan Yuan captured the hands causing mischief on his person, his face marked by a thin anger. Yet, upon closer inspection, one could see his cheeks slightly flushed, his expression carrying a rare hint of suppressed endurance.

In front of the Nan Chu envoy, he restrained himself, only whispering harshly into Lu Changping's ear: "Who gave you the audacity to take such liberties with me? Dare to touch me like that again, and I will not forgive you."

Lu Changping, slightly regretful, withdrew a step, having only lightly pinched him twice. The exaggerated reaction was clearly due to the tyrant's own body being too sensitive...

After warning him, Xie Xuan Yuan immediately resumed his stern demeanor as if nothing had happened, sarcastically telling Cui Yue:

"The envoy has come from Nan Chu over a great distance, and although the princess was lost on the way, you've arrived just in time for my grand wedding. There's no need to hurry out of the palace; stay and witness the ceremony in Huan Guang Hall.

However, I no longer plan to appoint a queen, and now that I've already made someone a Noble Consort, if Princess Zhao Yun is found in the future, I fear she'll have to be content with a lesser position in my harem."

Xie Xuan Yuan, confident in his victory, did not hide his disdain and malice towards the monarch and ministers of Nan Chu.

Having made his arrangements, he no longer cared to argue with Cui Yue, leading Lu Changping into the great hall for the coronation ceremony without looking back.

Lu Changping had thought the tyrant, having already lost three fiancées, must be experienced in matrimonial matters.

Yet, the tyrant's behavior was nothing like the efficiency he had expected.

Perhaps to make a show for the watching Nan Chu envoy, the tyrant followed every instruction given by the ceremonial officer, pulling Lu Changping along, serious and obedient throughout the process.

To those unaware, it would seem the tyrant was truly in love with Lu Changping, wanting to give him a perfect wedding.

After the coronation ceremony was complete and the proclamation to the world finished, everything seemingly settled, the silent witness Cui Yue suddenly stood up again.

Ignoring both Lu Changping's warning glances and the harmonious atmosphere in the Huan Guang Hall, he sought to continue his argument with the tyrant:

"Your Majesty, do you remember the treaty signed with our King of Nan Chu? It stated that if Princess Zhao Yun successfully marries into Bei Wei, there would be peace between our nations for her lifetime."

Xie Xuan Yuan glanced at him, shamelessly justified: "But now, you've lost her.

Nan Chu broke the treaty first, so I have no obligation to uphold it. In my view, Nan Chu's so-called most beautiful woman pales in comparison to the beauty I found in the forest, who possesses both grace and beauty."

Saying so, he pushed Lu Changping forward for all to see more clearly.

Only after everyone in Huan Guang Hall was impressed by the new Noble Consort's beauty did Xie Xuan Yuan leisurely conclude:

"Go back and tell your King Lu that even if the princess is found, I disdain to marry her now.

If Lu Changping feels aggrieved, believing I have insulted his sister, claimed to be Nan Chu's greatest beauty, he is welcome to wage war against Bei Wei, and I will certainly meet him in battle."

To outsiders, with the tyrant's words reaching such a point, a war between Nan Chu and Bei Wei seemed inevitable.

However, Cui Yue, representing Nan Chu, stepped forward calmly and knelt before Lu Changping:

"This humble servant, Cui Yue, pays respects to Princess Zhao Yun. May the princess live thousands of years."

Seeing this, Xie Xuan Yuan's expression drastically changed, his voice cold as ice: "Are you blind? There is no Princess Zhao Yun here."

Yet, Cui Yue was stubborn, ignoring the tyrant's threat and loudly proclaiming to all present:

"I was negligent and did not recognize her at first, but now I am certain, the Noble Consort just enthroned by His Majesty is indeed Princess Zhao Yun of Nan Chu, who came to marry His Majesty.

"If Your Majesty does not believe, you may invite the surviving soldiers and servants resting in the posthouse to identify, or even take the princess back to Nan Chu and confront our emperor in person."

Implicitly saying, if you doubt, feel free to check; if this isn't Princess Zhao Yun, consider it my loss.

Lu Changping had not expected Cui Yue to have such a significant trick up his sleeve, first manipulating the tyrant into marrying him for status, then revealing his identity publicly to slap the tyrant's face.

This move protected the interests of Southern Chu and restrained the tyrant from acting rashly. While beneficial, it also stripped his carefully hidden identity bare for all to see...

Xie Xuanyuan's beautiful and sharp phoenix eyes widened slightly, as if seeking confirmation from Lu Changping. But upon seeing the excessively calm look in the eyes of the beauty beside him, he understood everything in an instant.

Xie Xuanyuan, as if scalded by boiling water, suddenly flung Lu Changping's hand away, stepping back several steps to distance himself from Lu Changping.

He didn't say anything, but his overly somber expression and eyes full of resentment were clearly directed at Lu Changping.

So much so that just being looked at by the tyrant in such a manner made Lu Changping feel guilty.

He couldn't understand how he had suddenly been forced into playing the role of a deceitful scoundrel in a marriage scam.

And yet, at such a moment, Cui Yue still did not forget to add fuel to the fire. Kneeling on the ground, he solemnly kowtowed to the tyrant, loudly saying, "This servant thanks His Majesty for finding Princess Zhao Yun.

His Majesty and Princess Zhao Yun's mutual affection is truly a match made in heaven. This humble servant hereby congratulates His Majesty."

After saying this, not just the tyrant, but even Lu Changping couldn't help but feel a surge of anger.

Where exactly did one see any "mutual affection" and "match made in heaven"? What he and the tyrant had was clearly... an inevitable clash.

Author's note:

Congratulations to the beautiful Lu on the first wave of crematory drama following the marriage scam with the tyrant~

Today is the procrastinating author's birthday, plans to go out have made it impossible to write, so there might be a pause in updates for a day, asking for a little leave from all you little angels.

To compensate the little angels who have been waiting patiently, there will be red packets for everyone~

Hope everyone can share in the happiness with the birthday-celebrating procrastinating author, and after the joy, I will continue to work hard on updates~