I just want to be a princess, no, you want to be a queen

The young eunuch crawled slightly out of the crowd and wailed, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. When Your Highness was discussing official business with Miss Lu in the courtyard, Your Highness said, 'This prince only does one thing with a woman in the room.' Damn you, I didn't understand what Your Highness meant."

"I am young and do not know what Your Highness means by this."

Lu Mingyang, who already had something to hide, hurried to cover it up when he heard this. Only after he had spoken did he realize that these words just proved that Prince Ningyuan was deceiving the emperor.

Duke Song sternly accused him, "Your Highness is confused. Don't you know who you are?"

Lu Mingyang trembled as she touched her right foot, which was hidden under her skirt, and cried tremblingly, "This servant deserves death, but Your Highness is so strong, how can this servant push him away?"

The bright lantern clearly showed the bite marks on her feet.

The emperor waved his hand, too lazy to interrogate any more, and ordered the eunuchs serving in the Bishuiyoutan to be beaten with twenty strokes of the cane, and the guards to be fined half a month's salary.

When it came to punishing Prince Ningyuan, His Majesty was a little troubled.

Duke Song stepped forward in time and said, "Your Majesty, the most urgent matter is the marriage."

As the Guangcheng Prince's maternal grandfather, he naturally wouldn't sincerely plead for the Ningyuan Prince. He was worried that since the marriage was the most important thing now, His Majesty wouldn't punish him too harshly. If he punished him now, he wouldn't be able to punish him again in the future.

His Majesty also came to his senses and asked Duke Song and the three ministers who came with him, "What countermeasures do you have, my dear ministers?"

The ministers looked at each other in bewilderment. Although she was only the dowry of a princess marrying into a foreign alliance, she was still the Xiongnu Khan's woman. Upon their journey to the Xiongnu, a Xiongnu witch would test the woman's chastity.

To prevent the Sheng Dynasty from sending impure women and to prevent the Xiongnu from framing them, the envoys had to stay outside the tent. This process was extremely strict and there was no room for fraud.

In fact, the Xiongnu did not value female chastity, but only after seeing that the Sheng Dynasty valued it did so. Now even the ordinary palace maids accompanying them were required to undergo the test, so as to take the opportunity to humiliate the women and men of the Sheng Dynasty.

The Minister of War deliberated and said, "There is still a virgin daughter in the Chengyang Marquis's mansion. Why not let the fourth girl die accidentally and keep it secret?"

He said it very calmly, as if it was as simple as stepping on an ant to death.

Is this the cold-bloodedness of the superior?

Lu Mingyang looked up in shock.

"His Majesty!"

"His Majesty!"

The Duke of Song's voice drowned out Lu Mingyang's. He began to offer a host of high-sounding excuses, pleading for Lu Mingyang. He worried that the Xiongnu would suspect the Sheng Dynasty of being responsible, creating complications. He worried that the people would think it was the Xiongnu, sparking public outrage.

The ministers followed Duke Song's words and made their comments.

"Then we can only speak openly to the young Xiongnu Khan."

"What are you talking about? Jin Yiluo is obviously a difficult person to talk to. I, Shengchao, have to pay you a lot of money and silk."

"If you can accompany them more, then that's fine. If we keep this a secret, there might be hidden dangers."

The emperor interrupted the ministers' argument and said calmly, "Inform the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Revenue to free up the money for next year's construction of the Summer Palace and delay it for two years."

"Your Majesty is kind!"

Amidst the crowd's compliments, Lu Mingyang walked back to Xiangguo Temple nervously. At this point, the only thing left was Jin Yiluo's attitude.

The people at Xiangguo Temple didn't know what had happened. Lu Mingyang continued to follow them, doing his usual routine, anxiously awaiting his fate.

The next day, when Lu Mingyang was kneeling behind Princess Jinghe and reciting scriptures, he was called out alone by a eunuch from the palace who was delivering the imperial edict.

"Change your clothes and follow me to Sifang Pavilion."

Sifang Pavilion was where the Xiongnu envoys lived. What were they asking him to do there? Before Lu Mingyang could even ask, he saw a palace maid behind him approaching with clothes in her hand.

A charming red tulle tube dress.

The palace maid not only changed Lu Mingyang's clothes, but also re-dressed her. If time hadn't been tight, she would have had to bathe herself again.

But when asked why, she remained silent. Lu Mingyang looked at himself in the bronze mirror, at the mercy of others, and his fear grew deeper.

What exactly did Jin Yiluo ask of His Majesty?

The carriage sped all the way to Sifang Pavilion, where the eunuch helped Lu Mingyang down and led her to Jin Yiluo's residence. The huge Sifang Pavilion was completely deserted.

Lu Mingyang asked calmly, "Father-in-law, we're almost there. Can you tell me now?"

"Miss Lu is smart!"

The eunuch delivering the decree stopped and reminded, "The Xiongnu Khan agreed to exchange the fifth daughter of the Lu family for a dowry to the Xiongnu, but he asked the fourth daughter to accompany him for one night."

Lu Mingyang crashed into the corridor pillar in shock. "I am no longer a virgin. How can I serve such a distinguished guest, eunuch..."

The eunuch delivering the imperial edict waved his hand to interrupt Lu Mingyang and warned her lightly, "This is a matter of life and death for the marriage, so please serve me wholeheartedly for a while. As long as the Fourth Lady can satisfy the young Xiongnu Khan, His Majesty will show His Majesty's grace and not pursue the charge of seducing the Prince of Ningyuan, nor will He punish the Marquis of Chengyang."

"promise!"

Lu Mingyang saluted with a trembling voice. What good was it to discuss the emperor's decision with a eunuch? He could only blame himself for being so aggressive in front of Jin Yiluo that he had to humiliate him in this way.

"How could the Huns have taken notice of you with such beauty? They even refused to accept the extra money and silk His Majesty gave them. It seems the Huns have very strange tastes."

The eunuch who delivered the imperial edict shook his head in confusion and stepped forward to lead the way.

Lu Mingyang followed closely and asked, "Eunuch, did the young Khan make any other requests, such as for a palace maid to accompany me?"

The eunuch delivering the decree shook his head, "Not really!"

Lu Mingyang felt a little relieved.

The Xiongnu were the most powerful force surrounding the Sheng State. Within the Sifang Pavilion, there was a courtyard designed specifically for the Xiongnu people. Xiongnu envoys stayed there, but Jin Yiluo lived in a building built in the style of the Sheng Dynasty.

What's even more strange is that it's not a bedroom, but a study.

Jin Yiluo stood among the bookshelves, the golden light of dusk shining through the window onto him, his tall and broad face half in the light and half hidden in the darkness.

Hearing the door closing behind him, Lu Mingyang knelt down, clasped his hands together, and kowtowed deeply.

"My concubine sees my grandfather."

"Oh!" Jin Yiluo looked at Lu Mingyang with interest and said jokingly, "Miss Lu is much better behaved today."

"I grew up in the countryside and am rude and impolite. Please forgive me if I have offended you." The girl kneeling on the ground said sadly, looking pitiful.

Was this a reminder to herself that she had nothing to do with the deceased Marquis Chengyang?

Jin Yiluo put down the book in his hand and watched her acting. "Do you know why I called you here today?"

"I understand!" Lu Mingyang, still bowing on the ground, replied, "I am honored to serve the wise and mighty young Khan. Please have mercy on me, sir."

Jin Yiluo smiled and said, "Then come over!"

"promise!"

Lu Mingyang raised one foot and heard a cold command.

"Climb over here!"

"……promise!"

Lu Mingyang supported himself on the ground with his hands and slowly crawled over.

Jin Yiluo was deep in the bookshelves on both sides, and the light shone through the bookshelves, casting shadows on the ground. She slowly crawled in, breaking the harmonious shadows on the ground and casting a humiliating outline.