Chapter 463
Covertly allying with King Xian, and now seeking to marry into the Dong family. Had King Liang truly become so ambitious?
The Crown Prince clenched his fist tighter. If King Liang had indeed won over King Xian and gained the help of the Dong family, with military power in his grasp, he would undoubtedly become a significant threat to him. It could not be ignored!
“Your Highness, you must go to the palace immediately…” Elder Fang stated solemnly. “If King Liang truly requests to marry a Dong family daughter, Your Highness must not let it happen. You must persuade His Majesty!”
Bai Jinzhi initially wanted to add a few words but, recalling her elder sister’s instructions, remained silent.
The Crown Prince pondered for a moment, nodded, and ordered for a carriage to be prepared to go to the palace.
·
Bai Qingyan accompanied Dong Tingzhen to meet Dong Qingping and his wife, Mrs. Song. Who would have thought that before they finished talking, a messenger from the palace came to summon Dong Qingping.
Taking advantage of Dong Qingping’s excuse to change clothes, Dong Tingzhen had to speak quickly. Who knew that as soon as Dong Tingzhen mentioned giving her personal Peace Lock to King Liang, Mrs. Song was so furious that she ordered Dong Tingzhen’s personal maid Haitang to be beaten to death.
Mrs. Song’s chest heaved violently, but her mind was exceptionally clear. She said calmly, “That wretched maid Haitang stole the girl’s personal item while she was bathing. Beat her to death and notify her parents to collect the body!”
Haitang, kneeling in the courtyard, turned deathly pale and trembled all over upon hearing this. She tried to crawl forward on her knees but was held down by Mrs. Song’s most trusted nanny, who stuffed a cloth into her mouth.
“Mother! Mother, please spare Haitang! You can’t do this… I gave King Liang the item! I truly want to marry him!”
Mrs. Song, her chest heaving violently, slapped Dong Tingzhen upon hearing these words. Dong Tingzhen covered her face and screamed, trembling as she knelt on the ground.
If not for Bai Qingyan stopping her, Mrs. Song would have hit her again.
“Giving a personal item to a man! Have you gone mad?! If others find out… what will they think of the Dong family’s upbringing?! You’re dead set on marrying King Liang, resorting to such underhanded means! Do you know you have a younger sister? Tinglan is only six… if others find out she has such a shameless older sister, how will she ever marry?! Have all your manners and morals gone to the dogs?!” Mrs. Song, furious to the point of tears, glared at Dong Tingzhen, who knelt there declaring she would marry no one but King Liang. “I might as well strangle you now and consider myself free of ever having birthed such a daughter!”
Dong Tinglan was Mrs. Song’s biological youngest daughter and Dong Tingzhen’s full sister.
Bai Qingyan supported Mrs. Song and spoke, “Now Tingzhen insists on marrying King Liang. If this matter reaches His Majesty, he might, seeing King Liang’s plea, directly bestow the marriage! After all, King Liang has already come of age this year! Uncle should find an excuse to betroth someone else first. As long as it’s not a royal decree, there will still be room to maneuver and delay for one or two years. During this time, let Tingzhen reflect well!”
Dong Qingping, infuriated, turned a ghastly shade but calmed down. Looking at his daughter, who knelt crying, he said, “Tingzhen, you have always been the child who gave me the least worry. King Liang is not as simple and harmless as he seems. If you marry him, you will drag our entire Dong family into the vortex of the succession struggle! Both your father and your second uncle would be seen as part of King Liang’s faction! Unless I sever our father-daughter relationship and blow this matter wide open! In such a case… His Majesty will surely be displeased, and your sisters’ future prospects will be questioned! I believe my daughter Tingzhen of the Dong family would not, for petty personal desires, push the entire family onto the brink! If you dare say you’re willing to send our whole family to hell for King Liang, I will grant you that wish today!”
With that, Dong Qingping went to change clothes.
Standing in the study, Dong Tingzhen’s face instantly lost all color. Despite Dong Qingping’s normally mild manner, his words struck at the heart, akin to execution by a thousand cuts.
Dong Qingping even blocked the path for Dong Tingzhen to say she wouldn’t implicate the family. How could she claim she was willing to endanger everyone for King Liang? If she claimed so, what would become of her parents and siblings?
Bai Qingyan had previously spoken to Dong Tingzhen, yet she believed Bai Qingyan was aligned with the Crown Prince, naturally taking into account the Crown Prince’s concerns about King Liang vying for the throne and worrying about the Dong family’s support. Therefore, Dong Tingzhen had been reluctant to listen.
Now, grief filled Dong Tingzhen’s heart, and she couldn’t help but weep bitterly.
Dong Qingping, having changed in the adjacent room, walked to the study’s door. Without stepping inside, he asked, “Tingzhen… have you considered? I’m about to head to the palace…”
Dong Tingzhen, hearing this, cried even more sorrowfully but remained silent.
“Very well, I will go to the palace and agree to the marriage proposal of King Liang for you! May your conscience find peace with dragging the whole family through hell!” ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom
Finishing his words, Dong Qingping walked towards the courtyard door.
“Wonderful! Truly a great daughter I’ve raised! Your actions have doomed the entire family to suffer for your sins!” Mrs. Song cried bitterly, “What great misfortune it is to have birthed something like you!”
Leaving the inner courtyard, Dong Qingping felt profoundly disappointed, seeing that Dong Tingzhen had not chased after him.
Dong Tingzhen’s giving of her personal item to King Liang had reached the Emperor’s ears. She was determined to marry King Liang, so what could Dong Qingping do to oppose it?
Fortunately, his niece, Bai Qingyan, had foreseen this matter and informed the Dong family, avoiding a complete surprise.
Bai Qingyan did not share Dong Qingping’s pessimism. Not to mention, the Crown Prince was likely already in the palace and wouldn’t sit idle to let King Liang marry a girl from the Dong family.
From what Dong Qingping just said to Dong Tingzhen, she could tell that her uncle was wise and aware that the Dong family couldn’t get entangled in the succession struggle.
The worst outcome would be a betrothal. As long as marriage had not taken place, there would still be room for maneuver.
Mrs. Song had cried several times because of Dong Tingzhen giving her personal item to King Liang. Bai Qingyan barely managed to console her.
While Dong Tingzhen spoke to Dong Qingping and Mrs. Song, she hid every detail. The children in the Dong Mansion didn’t know what had happened but could sense the tense atmosphere in the house.
·
After Dong Qingping entered the palace, he hadn’t expected to find the Crown Prince there as well.
The Emperor mentioned King Liang and Dong Tingzhen. Dong Qingping, feigning ignorance, was genuinely shocked and knelt before the Emperor. Claiming his daughter could not have been attached to King Liang, he explained that their family was deeply connected with the Bai family. His daughter and Princess of Zhen, Bai Qingyan, were close as sisters. How could she have any affection for King Liang, who once almost annihilated the Bai family?
The Crown Prince echoed, asking if there might be some misunderstanding.
The Emperor then said Dong Tingzhen had given her Peace Lock to King Liang as a token of mutual affection.
Dong Qingping was even more astounded, kneeling and declaring, “My lord, my daughter’s Peace Lock had been missing for several days. Today, my wife found out it had been stolen by her personal maid, who has now been beaten to death!”