The female anchor turned into the dean of an ancient academy

After receiving the imperial decree, Chai Zhengqi immediately set to work to arrange the marriage. Although as a member of the imperial family, he knew to stay away from power struggles, he was also well versed in the ways of the court and understood the interests involved in the marriage, which required no carelessness.

The queen looked over and over the portraits of all the royal women of marriageable age, and finally, her eyes fell on the same portrait.

The woman in the painting has picturesque eyebrows and eyes, red lips and white teeth. Her light pink palace dress makes her skin look whiter than snow and looks delicate and charming. She is none other than the current emperor's younger sister, Princess Yunyang.

"Princess Yunyang is indeed a perfect match for Prince Xixiang." The Queen's nail-painted index finger gently tapped the portrait, with a hint of satisfaction in her tone.

Xiao Can, the personal maid beside her, nodded and agreed, "Your Majesty is absolutely right. Princess Yunyang is not only talented and beautiful, but also gentle and virtuous. I believe she will definitely win the favor of Crown Prince Xixiang."

"If that's the case, then it's settled." Queen Jing said, and then ordered the palace maids around her, "Go, pass on this imperial decree, saying that Princess Yunyang and Crown Prince Xixiang are a match made in heaven. I order the Imperial Astronomical Observatory to select an auspicious date for their engagement ceremony."

When the news reached Princess Yunyang, she was in the Imperial Garden enjoying the flowers with her lover, Zhou Zimo, a student at the Imperial College.

"What? A marriage alliance?" Princess Yunyang turned pale when she heard this. The peony in her hand fell to the ground with a "click" and shattered into pieces.

Zhou Zimo was also shocked. He held Princess Yunyang's hand and asked anxiously, "Princess, what is going on?"

Princess Yunyang burst into tears instantly, and she choked up and said, "Sister-in-law Queen, she wants... to marry me to that Crown Prince Xixiang!"

"This... How can this be!" Zhou Zimo hugged Princess Yunyang tightly, seething with anger. "The people of Xixiang are so fierce and unruly. How can a princess of such wealth and status marry so far away? I must report this absurd decision to His Majesty."

Princess Yunyang collapsed into Zhou Zimo's arms, sobbing uncontrollably: "Zimo, I...what should I do? I...I would rather die than go on a marriage alliance!"

However, Queen Jing's attitude was extremely tough.

"This matter concerns the diplomatic relations between our two countries. How can you act so recklessly?" Queen Jing said sternly, looking at Princess Yunyang, who was kneeling before her and crying bitterly. "As a princess of the Great Zhou, you should put your family, country and the world first!"

"Empress, sister-in-law..." Princess Yunyang wanted to fight for it again, but was ruthlessly interrupted by Queen Jing.

"Enough! This matter is a foregone conclusion, you don't need to say anything more!" After Queen Jing said this, she no longer paid attention to Princess Yunyang and left.

When the news reached Li Lingxuan, she was practicing calligraphy in her own yard. When she heard the news, the wolf-hair brush in her hand snapped into two pieces with her fingers.

"What? That girl Yunyang is going to marry a foreign prince?!" Li Lingxuan threw the rice paper in front of her to the ground. Her exquisite makeup could not hide the jealousy and anger in her eyes.

"Princess, please calm down..." The maid beside her knelt on the ground tremblingly, not daring to make a sound.

Li Lingxuan stood up suddenly, a fierce light flashing in her eyes: "No! I will never let Yunyang take away the position of Crown Princess Xixiang!"

She pulled up the kneeling palace maid and asked sternly, "Tell me, who is more beautiful, me or Yunyang?"

The maid was so frightened that she trembled and stammered, "This servant... This servant dare not speak nonsense..."

"Speak!" Li Lingxuan roared, scaring the maid so much that she trembled all over.

"County...County Lady, you are of noble status, so naturally..."

"Of course she can't compare to Princess Yunyang, right?!" Li Lingxuan said gritting her teeth.

"Your servant...Your servant didn't mean that..." The maidservant was so frightened that she almost cried, and she kowtowed and begged for mercy.

Li Lingxuan pushed her away, a sinister glint in her eyes. "I won't let anyone take anything that belongs to me for nothing... Come on, follow me to visit the Queen Mother!"

When Li Lingxuan came to Empress Dowager Li, she was leisurely sipping tea.

"Aunt, how could you agree to let Yunyang go in marriage?" Li Lingxuan couldn't wait to ask as soon as she entered the room.

"Oh? Lingxuan came so quickly. It's just right. I personally made some Suzhou black tea for you." Empress Dowager Li put down the teacup in her hand and looked at Li Lingxuan with a smile.

"Aunt, you know that's not what I meant." Li Lingxuan walked over to Queen Mother Li and shook her arm coquettishly. "Prince Xixiang is young, promising, handsome and elegant. How can that girl Yunyang be worthy of him? Who else can be worthy of Xia Chenghao except me?"

Li Lingxuan paused deliberately when she said this, and her eyes moved with a hint of shyness and anticipation.

"That means the marriage between Xi and Xiang is a peace agreement. Why not... let you go?" Empress Dowager Li took over Li Lingxuan's words, with a hint of tentativeness in her tone.

"Aunt, if I ever become the Queen of Xixiang, I promise that the troubles on the Western Regions that you've been worrying about will be gone, and you can rest easy and rest assured!"

When Li Lingxuan saw that Queen Mother Li agreed to her request, she immediately smiled happily.

"Don't worry, I will not let you down and will make that Crown Prince Xixiang submit to my Great Zhou!"

However, Li Lingxuan's wishful thinking is definitely not so smooth.

When Queen Jing heard that Li Lingxuan wanted to marry Princess Yunyang in her place, she just smiled coldly: "Wishful thinking!"

"Empress, what do you mean?" asked Li Shanggong dissatisfiedly.

Queen Jing glanced sharply at the maid and said in a cold voice, "My meaning couldn't be clearer. The person chosen for the marriage must be Princess Yunyang!"

"You..." Li Shanggong wanted to say something else, but was stopped by the Empress Dowager Li who had just arrived.

"Your Majesty, don't you trust me?" There was a hint of displeasure in Empress Dowager Li's tone.

"Your Majesty, you misunderstood," Queen Jing said calmly. "I simply felt that Princess Yunyang, with her noble status, talent, and beauty, could better embody the sincerity of our Great Zhou."

"Hmph, I think you have other intentions!" Empress Dowager Li snorted coldly, revealing Queen Jing's thoughts in one sentence.

Queen Jing did not refute, but simply said: "Mother, you worry too much. Everything I do is for the Great Zhou and for the Emperor."

"For the Emperor?"

Queen Jing sneered in her heart. She knew that Empress Dowager Li's power was already too great. If she allowed her people to infiltrate Xixiang, the emperor would really become a puppet!

For the safety of the Great Zhou and for the future throne of her children, she would never allow such a thing to happen!

"Come here, let's go back to the palace!" After Queen Jing said this, she left without looking back.

Li Lingxuan looked at Queen Jing's departing back in disbelief, shaking with anger.

"Bitch! Just wait for me!" Li Lingxuan cursed viciously in her heart.

She will never give up easily!

The next morning, the weather in the capital was exceptionally bright and clear as the city reopened. The streets were packed with people coming to watch the sacrificial procession, and the atmosphere was bustling with activity. The procession was like a giant dragon, winding its way endlessly, with no end in sight.

I don't know what Chai Zhen's intentions were, but he actually invited Xia Chenghao, the crown prince of Xixiang, to ride on the imperial chariot and go to Linkang Prefecture to offer sacrifices to heaven and earth. I'm afraid it's not "Xiang Zhuang dancing with a sword, aiming at Pei Gong."

Inside the imperial chariot, Xia Chenghao, dressed in a white brocade robe, looked handsome and imposing. He sat across from Chai Zhen, a proper smile on his face, his tone humble and polite: "Your Majesty's gracious invitation is a great honor for me. I will do my utmost to promote peace between our two countries and establish a lasting alliance."

Upon hearing this, Chai Zhen burst into laughter, raised his wine glass, and said proudly, "Your Highness is indeed straightforward! I was thinking the same thing. I heard that Your Highness is both talented in civil and military affairs, and is also very handsome. I wonder if you have someone you like? If not, I think that the peace between the two countries mentioned by Your Highness could be changed by changing one word. A marriage between the two countries would also put an end to one of my worries."

Xia Chenghao's eyes flickered slightly, and he replied calmly, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness. I actually had the same idea in mind, and I mentioned it to your Emperor He before. Unfortunately, Chengqing Prefecture is thousands of miles away from Qifeng. But now I am fortunate to have received the Emperor's personal approval. I am truly grateful and have no way to repay you."

A barely perceptible cold light flashed in Chai Zhen's eyes, and he thought to himself: "I can't repay you? I'd better just submit to Xi Xiang."