Both worlds are like dreams

The chopsticks in Xue Huang's hand broke with a "crack", and her expression suddenly turned cold. Mo Yiming, this brainless idiot, hasn't he been beaten enough?

Wei Yunzhou sighed silently. He didn't expect to face this challenge again. "What is the emperor's reply?"

"It is said that the emperor didn't say anything, but they haven't left the imperial study yet." Yun Qing replied.

Xue Huang finally understood why Wei Yunzhou said that to her. He had expected that all the forces in the court would target her. Although the emperor could not grant her marriage directly, it was not so easy for her to marry whoever she wanted.

Because the person she is going to marry will have forces from all sides involved behind the scenes.

"Yun Qing, prepare the horses, I will go to the palace now." Xue Huang looked calm. If she wanted to be Bei Ling's princess, she couldn't choose who she wanted to marry, so she should return this identity to Bei Ling.

Wei Yunzhou glanced at her and said, "Don't mess around!"

"Don't worry, Second Uncle. I know what I'm doing." Xue Huang replied, then got up and went out.

She rode her horse at full speed all the way to the palace.

However, Wei Yunzhou didn't trust her at all, so he immediately gathered people and followed her secretly, but they could only stop at the palace.

However, Shanhemen has been operating for so many years, and it is not without eyes in the imperial palace.

Not long after, someone went to Mo Xingyue to pass on the news.

As for Xue Huang, she was brought all the way into the imperial study. As soon as she entered, she found Gu Qinglan and the others kneeling on the ground.

"Your Majesty." Xue Huang bowed.

"No need to be so polite." Emperor Ling motioned for her to get up.

Xue Huang looked at the three people kneeling on the ground, really puzzled, but before she could speak, she heard Emperor Ling say: "I summoned you here because of something, and I want to hear your opinion."

"I dare not. Your Majesty, whatever you want to hear, Xue Huang will tell you everything."

"Do you think Xingyue and Gu Shizi are a good match?"

Xue Huang was stunned for a moment, and met Emperor Ling's gaze, "Your Majesty, Xue Huang didn't quite understand what you said."

"I would like to arrange a marriage between Xingyue and Prince Gu. What do you think?" Emperor Ling asked.

Before Xue Huang could answer, she heard Gu Qinglan's firm voice ring out, "Your Majesty, please withdraw your order."

"How dare you!" Emperor Ling shouted, "Do you think my daughter is not worthy of you?"

"I have no such intention. I am just a crude person, unworthy of Princess Xingyue, and unworthy of your majesty's love."

Emperor Ling raised his eyebrows, "If I say you are worthy of it, then you are worthy of it."

"Your Majesty, I really cannot obey your command." Gu Qinglan said word by word.

Emperor Ling's eyes turned stern. "Are you going to disobey my order?"

"I dare not!"

"Disobeying an imperial order is a serious crime. Can your Gu family afford it?"

Gu Qinglan's expression remained unchanged, and he was extremely determined. "What I did has nothing to do with the Gu family. If Your Majesty wants to punish me, I am willing to bear the responsibility alone."

"Qinglan!" Mo Ruilin on the side looked at him worriedly, fearing that if he continued speaking, he would incur the wrath of the Saint.

Emperor Ling frowned, "So, you are determined to disobey the order?"

"Your Majesty," Xue Huang interrupted Gu Qinglan, "Aren't you going to ask for my opinion?"

Emperor Ling looked at her and said, "You guys go out first. I have something to say to her alone."

Mo Yiming stood up and left first, while Mo Ruilin pulled Gu Qinglan up and also left.

Afterwards, the eunuchs and palace maids also retreated, leaving only Xue Huang and Emperor Ling in the imperial study.

Emperor Ling looked at Xue Huang and asked, "What do you think?"

Xue Huang was neither humble nor arrogant, her expression remained the same, "Xue Huang doesn't understand, Your Majesty clearly knew that Master Gu and I were in love, why did you still grant him a marriage?"

"I know that you two just got married the day before yesterday. I also know that he set off fireworks all over the city for you, just like his father did back then."

"Since Your Majesty knows, why do you force it?"

"I know this is unfair to you, but I have to consider my daughter. Xingyue is already of marriageable age, and among all the civil and military officials in the court, only Gu Qinglan is the most suitable candidate."

"I don't understand." Xue Huang frowned.

Emperor Ling sighed, "The position of Crown Prince has not been decided yet. Do you know why?"

"Because it's not the right time." Xue Huang said.

"The struggle for imperial power is cruel. Sooner or later, my three sons will be caught in a life-and-death struggle for this position."

Xue Huang understood his concerns. If the third prince became the crown prince, it would be equivalent to handing the country over to Shen Congfeng and Mo Yunchen's party. Mo Zhenyu and Mo Ruilin might not even be able to save their lives.

At this time, whether they pushed Mo Zhenyu or Mo Ruilin to the position of crown prince, they would only die. With their current abilities, they were not enough to compete with them.

But the position of crown prince will eventually fall to one of them.

Then the other two people can either die or fight to the death.

"I am old," Emperor Ling continued, "I can't hold out for much longer. I have to pave the way for them. I can't marry Xingyue to someone from Shen Congfeng's faction. She will become a hindrance and a weakness, and it will also ruin her happiness for life. The second brother's faction does have a suitable candidate, Ye Yin, the son of the Marquis of Ruyang. He is a good person, but I am also afraid that one day the second brother and the fifth brother will become estranged brothers because of the struggle for the throne. Then how should Xingyue deal with it?"

"I understand what your majesty means. That's why your majesty believes that Gu Qinglan from the Fifth Prince's faction is the best destination for Princess Xingyue. If the Fifth Prince wins, then both sides will have the best of both worlds. If the Fifth Prince loses, he will arrange a way out for them and will not let Princess Xingyue be involved in the party dispute." Xuehuang said with a forced smile.

"That's right." Emperor Ling said. "I don't want her to marry, so I can only choose Gu Qinglan for her."

"As a father, your majesty's love for his son is impeccable. As an emperor, it is not wrong to weigh the pros and cons. Xue Huang can understand your majesty's heart, but there is no way to say that your majesty is wise." Xue Huang smiled bitterly in her heart. Mo Xingyue, this silly girl, told her that her father didn't care about her. She really should let her hear these words with her own ears. It's not that her father didn't care, but in his heart, he was still a king.

"I know this is unfair to you, so I can choose another good son-in-law for you, even someone from the Beiling royal family."

Xue Huang's eyes were clear, "I'm afraid your majesty has already made up his mind about a candidate."

Emperor Ling smiled, "You are indeed very smart. I will tell you straight, although the third brother asked me to marry you, I will not agree to it, and the fifth brother has not married yet, I think you two are very suitable."

Xue Huang cursed in her heart. Everyone said that the emperor was confused, but she didn't think so at all. He was clearly more calculating than a fox.

Letting Mo Xingyue marry Gu Qinglan can help Mo Ruilin get the support of old ministers such as Duke Jingguo, and letting her marry Mo Ruilin can get the support of Guigu. And behind her are the forces of Jianghu and Dongchu, which is a win-win situation for the emperor.

"Your Majesty," Xue Huang looked straight into his eyes, "Xue Huang promised under the Moon God Tree that in this life, I will always be with Gu Qinglan, so I will never choose anyone else in this life."

"You can choose, but Gu Qinglan has no choice."

"If he really refuses, will Your Majesty really punish the Gu family?"

"If I say yes, what would you think?"

"Your Majesty is the Emperor, you can issue an imperial decree. Duke Jingguo and Prince Gu are loyal to the Emperor and love their country, so how could they not obey?"

"I want to know what you think."

Xue Huang was furious. She threatened her beloved and even asked her what she thought. What do you think?

"Your Majesty, Xue Huang does not understand what the emperor's strategizing is. Xue Huang only knows that this is not what a loyal minister should do."

Emperor Ling smiled and said, "You are very courageous. You dare to say anything."

"Then Xue Huang dares to ask Your Majesty, in your opinion, which of the three princes is the most suitable candidate for the crown prince?"

Emperor Ling was not angry, but asked: "Which one do you think is suitable?"

"Xue Huang dare not speculate on your majesty's intentions."

"You little girl," Emperor Ling found it funny, "you were cursing me in your heart just now, right? Why are you behaving like this now?"

"Your Majesty, this is what you said, I don't think so."

"But it doesn't matter, I forgive you."

Xue Huang raised her eyebrows and said calmly: "Your Majesty, I really don't know, but I think the Third Prince is not the right person. In your Majesty's heart, the one you have always placed high hopes on should be the Second Prince."

"I thought you would tell me Lao Wu's name."

Xue Huang didn't say anything.

"The second son is a man who strictly abides by the rules of propriety, knows when to act, is modest and reasonable, and has great foresight and intelligence in governing. He is indeed a suitable candidate for the position of crown prince. But..."

"But your majesty hesitated." Xue Huang continued.

"Yes, I hesitated."

"Can Xue Huang ask His Majesty why he hesitated?"

"The second son is indeed suitable to be the crown prince, but in the struggle for imperial power over the years, although he has a sharp edge, he has chosen to remain silent most of the time. This silence is a way to protect himself, but it is also a compromise. If he becomes the crown prince, I really don't know if he will end up like me today."

No one knows a son better than his father. Xue Huang probably understood what he was thinking. Born in an imperial family and involved in the struggle for imperial power, how could she make it to the end without special skills?

In the struggle between Mo Ruilin and Shen Congfeng for so many years, he was actually the one who was best at weighing the pros and cons. When his interests and power were touched, he would stand with Mo Ruilin, but once the struggle had nothing to do with him, he would choose to stay out of it, wait for the opportunity, and gain the greatest benefit from it.

But Mo Ruilin is different. He is a gentleman. He will never design to harm his closest relatives and brothers for the fight for imperial power.

All he wants is to eradicate the cancer that is plaguing the country, to restore political clarity, and to bring prosperity to the people.

From the very beginning, he could have kept himself out of this fight, but he chose to drag himself into this darkness. Although he was at the least advantage, he still rushed into it like a moth to a flame just to find the light for this country.

"So what does Your Majesty think of the Fifth Prince?" Xue Huang asked.