My elder sister forced me to become a concubine; I was reborn and remarried into the emperor's

Wei Rongde was taken aback. He thought that Pei Ji's grand arrival today was meant to be a showdown with him, but he never expected it to be an imperial decree.

Upon hearing that it was an imperial decree, he mistakenly thought that he had asked the emperor to grant him the marriage, since this was a privilege reserved for those in power who liked to use their authority.

If it really is a so-called arranged marriage, then he will look down on Pei Ji.

What surprised him even more was that he was to receive the imperial decree.

What kind of imperial decree could possibly be delivered to an ordinary merchant who had separated from his family?

"Wei Rongde receives the imperial decree."

This time it wasn't just him; everyone in the courtyard, except for Pei Ji, knelt down to receive the imperial decree.

"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: I have heard of the Western Regions..."

The imperial edict roughly stated that the emperor had heard that the Western Regions were rich in heavenly horses, silk, spices, and gemstones, and that he had especially longed to visit them after tasting their grapes and wine.

However, the Great Yan and the Western Regions remained isolated and did not establish trade channels.

Although Pei Ji was invincible in battle, every time he went to the battlefield, it was either because of foreign invasion or to reclaim lost territory.

Since the other side did not invade, and Great Yan was a great celestial empire, it was impossible for them to send troops to conquer it without any reason.

That would be unbecoming of a great power. If other neighboring small countries find out, they might unite and rebel.

Somehow, they learned that Wei Rongde frequently traveled to and from the Western Regions and even had his own camel caravan, exchanging common goods from the Yan Dynasty, such as tea, for horses and silk.

He then issued an imperial edict appointing him as an envoy, bringing not only a symbolic envoy's token but also a troop of guards to escort him into the Western Regions.

This trip was not only to bring back things, but more importantly, to establish a good relationship with the King of the Western Regions. Two registrars were also transferred from the Court of State Ceremonial to accompany him.

If he does well on this assignment, he will be able to enter the Court of State Ceremonial, shed his merchant identity, and officially embark on his official career.

When Wei Rongde heard the imperial edict, he was so surprised that he couldn't close his mouth.

Wei Heyu, standing beside him, nudged him with delight: "Father! You've been appointed to a high-ranking official position! Hurry up and accept the decree!"

Wei Rongde then came to his senses: "This humble subject, Wei Rongde, accepts the imperial decree and thanks Your Majesty for your great favor."

Although he accepted the order, he still felt very uneasy.

He glanced at his two children, who were both beaming with joy, then looked at Pei Ji as if he had made a decision. He walked over and said, "Your Highness, may I speak with you in private?"

Pei Ji nodded, returned Wei Nanxun's worried gaze with a reassuring look, and followed her to a quiet spot nearby.

Seeing that no one was following, Wei Rongde said uneasily, "Your Highness, I have never been an official. I am just an ordinary merchant who has been to the Western Regions a few times by luck. I am afraid I cannot bear such a heavy responsibility."

What bothered him most was that he felt Pei Ji had asked the emperor for it in order to curry favor with him.

If that's the case, then what he's after is Wei Nanxun. If his daughter really marries into that family, and is ever bullied by him, it will be like a lamb entering a tiger's den, and the father and son will be powerless to resist.

That's why he opposed it in the first place.

At that time, they only thought Pei Ji was an ordinary prince or nobleman. When they learned that he was Prince Su, they were even more afraid.

"If you are going to great lengths because you are worried that Xun'er's family background is too low to marry into the royal family, I think there is no need to go to such lengths."

"With your status and position, you could choose any noble lady in the world, so why waste your energy on our family?"

“You are the moon in the sky, and we are but grass on the ground. Even if my daughter is beautiful now, she will pass away one day. At that time, the difference in family background and experience will become the stain that makes her unlovable.”

He spoke very sincerely, and this was something he had thought of after much contemplation.

Pei Ji was no ordinary man who would simply refuse. Rather than making up a bunch of excuses, he should honestly express his thoughts.

Perhaps there's still a chance not to anger this great Buddha.

Pei Ji listened intently, then nodded slightly, revealing an expression that would appear arrogant on others but domineering and powerful on his face, and said: "You must have misunderstood. It was indeed I who recommended you to the Emperor. But I always choose the virtuous and capable. If you are not capable enough to do this job, I will not say a word, not even to my father, let alone her father."

Although these words sound harsh and jarring, they indirectly acknowledge Wei Rongde's abilities and his style of doing things.

Not only did it not make Wei Rongde feel uncomfortable, it also gave him some confidence in this envoy.

Moreover, although he was a merchant who traveled between the Central Plains and the Western Regions, he had also thought about contributing to the country, which was something he was interested in and willing to do.

This made Wei Rongde hesitate. If he accepted the job, would there be no room for negotiation on his daughter's marriage?

Seemingly sensing the other party's worry, Pei Ji stiffened slightly and gave a somewhat awkward bow.

He said in a hoarse voice, "A few months ago, I was ambushed by assassins and seriously injured, falling into a valley. It was your daughter who happened to be passing by and saved me."

“Back then, I concealed my identity and was just a poor scholar who depended on her for everything, including finding a doctor to treat my wounds, food, clothing, and shelter. I was not the moon in the sky, but a stone in the mud. Yet she still took good care of me and treated me with sincerity. Now that our status has changed, why can't I treat her the same way?”

"In my opinion, family background and experience are all empty talk."

"She doesn't despise me for being a deadly demon feared by millions, and I love everything about her."

"Uncle, I truly love your daughter, and I hope you will grant my wish."

Wei Rongde recalled the first time he brought Yan Niang home. Old Madam Wei was furious, but since she was not his biological mother, and he couldn't resist her persistent pleas, and Yan Niang's dowry was generous, she finally agreed.

He thought all the problems were solved, but when he went to propose marriage, he was rejected by his father-in-law and kicked out of the house.

Looking back now, the reasoning used was the same.

Qi Da is not a good match.

Although he had several sons, Yan Niang was his only daughter. He wanted to find a son-in-law to marry into the family and did not want to marry her off to someone far away, especially not to the Duke's mansion in the capital.

It was Wei Rongde who knelt outside the door and begged for three days, which moved his mother-in-law to finally nod reluctantly.

But he still failed to protect Yan Niang, causing her to pass away prematurely, leaving him with no face to face his father-in-law's family.

His father-in-law once wanted to take Wei Nanxun and her brother to his home in Luoyang to raise them. However, at that time, he had lost his beloved wife and could no longer bear the pain of losing his children, so he broke off all contact with his father-in-law's family.

Looking back now, I think it would have been better to leave the children in the care of their maternal grandparents; things wouldn't be like this now.

It was through these experiences that he understood Pei Ji's feelings.

They realized even more how powerful his words were.

He was the powerful Prince Su, whose influence even the emperor feared, yet he was willing to humbly express his feelings to a mere merchant like him.

This sense of responsibility and courage truly made him feel ashamed.

Wei Rongde was already wavering when a delicate figure ran over and took Pei Ji's hand.

"Father, please don't make things difficult for him. Yes, it's my will."

"I believe he will not betray me. If he does betray me one day, I will divorce him."

Wei Nanxun secretly followed him, partly because she was afraid that Pei Ji would lose his temper and hurt her father, and partly because she was afraid that her father was stubborn and would not accept Pei Ji.

But she was too far away to hear what the two were saying.

Seeing Pei Ji speaking with a solemn expression, I couldn't hold back any longer and rushed out.

“Father, your daughter has grown up. I may have misjudged people before, but this time, I believe I was right.”

"I love him, and I will never regret it in this life."

Pei Ji's fingers were a little cold. In fact, his patience was almost at its limit. He had never been so humble before, not even in front of his father.

But for Wei Nanxun's sake, he was enduring it.

Hearing her heartfelt words now, I felt that all the patience had been worthwhile.

The two looked at each other and saw each other in each other's eyes—a bond that no outsider could break in.

This made Wei Rongde swallow back all the words he wanted to say.

His daughter likes it so much, so why should he, as her father, try to stop her?

Moreover, he has recently noticed that his daughter has grown into someone who can stand on her own two feet during the year he was away.

She could even see through the hearts of many people that even he couldn't understand.

"Since you like it, what else can I say? It's just that Pei Ji..."

"If one day you truly betray Xun'er, I will give you everything I have to make you pay the price."

Pei Ji twitched the corner of his mouth, tightened his grip on her hand, and said, "Rest assured, I, Pei Ji, will never have another wife in my life but her."