Marrying Gold and Jade

Mingyuan had mentioned him a long time ago, but there has been no news in the past month.

When Lin Yu mentioned it again today, his expression did not change much. He only said, "It will be the palace banquet on the eve of the New Year. Many court officials will come at that time, and I guess he will be one of them."

The Crown Princess mentioned Lin Ji, and Ming Yuan could also report his movements. Lin Yu thought about it for a moment, then spoke carefully: "You and the Queen, the Crown Prince..."

"Just to avoid falling out." He answered without hesitation.

Lin Yu nodded and understood. A Yuan's mother, Concubine Yi, died at the hands of the Queen, but he lacked the support of his mother's family in the palace, so maintaining superficial peace with the Queen's faction was also a good choice.

But then she couldn't help but wonder, what will it be like in the end?

Xu Jinxuan wants to be emperor, but what about A Yuan?

Lin Yu's eyes moved quietly to his face. Even if she was open-hearted with him, she couldn't ask him such questions directly.

Ming Yuan noticed her hesitation and asked again, "What's wrong?"

Lin Yu immediately said, "It's okay."

"I was just wondering how I could talk to Lin Ji alone at a palace banquet."

Ming Yuan understood and said, "Don't worry, I will arrange it for you."

At this point, there was a knock on the palace door, and Qing Dai said outside: "Miss, the Princess wants to see you."

Hearing this, the two people in the room were startled. Lin Yu asked in confusion, "It's so late?"

Maybe someone is using Pingyao's name to deceive her again.

Qing Dai said, "This time it really is the eldest princess. She is outside and said she wants to talk to you in the courtyard."

Lin Yu looked at Ming Yuan who was sitting opposite him, and when he saw him nod in support, he stood up and said, "You go and reply first, I'll be right here."

After all, the two had just parted on bad terms, and Lin Yu was eager to know why she came, but before leaving, Ming Yuan pulled him back.

The thick cloak wrapped her tightly. He leaned over and said in a voice that only the two of them could hear: "It's cold outside."

Before leaving the hall, Lin Yu only felt that his face and ears were a little hot.

He ran to the courtyard with a lantern in hand, but saw Pingyao alone, without even a palace maid by her side, standing alone under the palace wall.

Lin Yu also motioned Qing Dai behind him to stay where she was, walked closer and asked, "Aren't you cold?"

Pingyao was also dressed very thinly. When the lantern was shone on her face, she immediately turned around and raised her hand as if wiping away tears.

Lin Yu knew that she was proud, so he didn't chase her over to see her. He just asked softly, "What's wrong?"

"nothing."

Pingyao turned around, his face more tense than usual, as if he was holding back something, "I just came out of my mother's palace, and I came here to see you."

It's not convenient to go from Kunning Palace to Wangyue Pavilion. On the first day of living in Wangyue Pavilion, Lin Yu lamented that this place is really remote.

But she didn't expose it, she just said "hmm" softly.

Occasionally a cold breeze blows through the courtyard, bringing the remaining fragrance of the withered plum blossoms in the yard.

It was very dim, just like the light from the lantern in Lin Yu's hand, which only illuminated the hems of the two people's skirts, extremely subtle.

I don't know how long it took before Pingyao said, "In two days it will be my twentieth birthday."

"Ah."

"My mother said that even though I am a princess, I can't afford to delay any longer, so she chose a consort for me."

It is rare for a woman to be unmarried at the age of 20.

Lin Yu asked carefully: "Is it... that person you don't like?"

"No."

"what is that?"

"I..." Pingyao suddenly became excited, "Do you know that after I get married, I will move to the princess's mansion? The prince consort is not my husband. Logically, I am the king and he is the subject."

"My mother will send a nanny to look after us. I will never be able to ride a horse or go to the training ground to shoot arrows again! My biggest hope for the rest of my life is to have a child, and then hope that my children will have a child..."

At this point, she almost lost her voice, "I have watched my mother live like this for most of her life, but Lin Yu, this is not the way I want to live."

Lin Yu recalled that afternoon, she was in the horse farm, wearing a flamboyant red dress, drawing her bow and shooting arrows, and subconsciously asked, "Then how do you want to live?"

Pingyao seemed to calm down a little. He exhaled deeply, and the hot air turned into white mist in the winter night.

"The Queen Mother will not agree."

"But you came to me today because you wanted to tell me something."

"...I want to lead troops to fight."

Even though he was well prepared, Lin Yu was still slightly surprised.

Pingyao was heard saying, "I don't need to rely on anyone's grace. I will start from the most ordinary soldier and archer. I have the ability and I will definitely make a name for myself."

"I mentioned this to my mother when I was twelve, but she always said that the most important thing was to find a good prince consort. She never listened to a word I said!"

"I don't understand. I am also the emperor's child. Why can my brothers go to the military camp for training, but I can't?"

She seemed to have forgotten that there was someone around her, and the words she spoke did not sound like she was talking to Lin Yu, but more like she was talking to herself.

Lin Yu could sense her unwillingness, so he asked again: "Have you figured out what to do?"

Pingyao vented his anger for a while, but eventually calmed down.

Then he continued to talk to himself: "Actually, what my mother said is right."

"It's so dangerous in the military camp, and it's full of men. The women are either cooking in the kitchen or lying naked in the tents. I..."

“Pingyao.”

This seemed to be the first time that Lin Yu did not call her Her Royal Highness Princess, and she also said bluntly: "Don't lie to yourself."

Lin Yu wanted to help her, but she felt that she was too insignificant. How could she help if she, a princess, couldn't even handle it?

Suddenly, an idea came to her, and she said to the others, "Why don't you go and ask His Majesty for help?"

"Father?" Maybe it was because she was cold or she was about to cry, but in the dim courtyard there was the sound of her nose twitching.

"My mother and I are both women and cannot understand, so what's the point of me asking my father for help?"

"Who knows?" Lin Yu disagreed. "I heard that Emperor Xianzhen almost thought of disbanding his harem for a woman a few years ago. Maybe if you tell him about this, he will praise you."

Lin Yu had only met the emperor once, at Xu Jinxuan's failed coming-of-age ceremony.

She was probably just taking a gamble when she advised Pingyao to give it a try. But after thinking about it, she felt that the Queen's mother was too rigid with rules, so it would be better to give Emperor Xianzhen a try.

Seeing that Pingyao didn't respond and was just rubbing her arm secretly, Lin Yu handed her the lantern, took off his cloak and put it on her.

While raising her hands to tie the knot for someone, she advised: "How do you know if you don't try? If it works, you won't have to get married."

"If that doesn't work, you can think of another way, even if it's to escape. You only have one life to live, so if you fight for it with all your might, you won't feel guilty when you think about it later."

The newly put on coat still had the warmth of Lin Yu's body, Pingyao seemed encouraged, but more confused: "Escape?"

Lin Yu smiled and said, "Why, you don't dare?"