The fool has become a spirit, and she can speak

Chapter 1758 Southern Yan Kingdom Seeks Peace

Cheng Youning thought for a moment, then sat down steadily in the chair, adopting a mature demeanor, "Don't worry, Grandpa, your grandson will definitely be mature and prudent."

Wan Lianxing nodded in satisfaction, and casually praised Cheng Youning, "The Crown Prince is truly capable! He can share my burdens!"

Before Cheng Youning had matured and composed himself, he suddenly stood up. “Grandpa, I’m going to the Prince Pang’s mansion to inform my grandmother. She was very happy when I got married last time, and I expect she will be just as happy this time. It’s just a pity that my grandfather will not be here for this wedding.”

When his grandfather was mentioned, Wan Lianxing felt even more sorry for him than Cheng Youning. He instructed Cheng Youning, "Don't forget to tell your parents that this marriage is a political alliance between the two countries."

"Grandson understands!" Cheng Youning took off the colorful pearl necklace he often wore around his neck. "Grandpa Ge, take this string of pearls to Bajiao. It's a small token of my appreciation. Tell her that when the opportunity arises, Fengqi will send someone to bring her back."

"Your Highness, please rest assured, I will not fail in my mission!"

On the way to Prince Pang's residence, Cheng Youning was all smiles, while Qiao Rong was sweating bullets. "Your Highness, will the Princess be angry about your marriage this time?"

Cheng Youning asked, "Angry? Why is my mother angry?"

"Your Highness, have you forgotten how angry the Princess Consort was when you married Hong Jiutong last time? Will she be the same as last time?"

Cheng Youning thought for a moment and said, "No, my mother is sensible. Didn't you hear what my great-uncle said about this? It's a matter between two countries, so my mother can understand."

Upon arriving at Prince Pang's residence, Cheng Youning went straight to his grandmother's courtyard. There, he not only saw his grandmother, but also his parents, and Hong Jiutong was also there.

Shang Xi was reporting the situation of Baoxiang Escort Agency to Madam Wan. When the topic of the more than twenty coffins came up, Madam Wan's heart churned, and she could no longer turn the prayer beads in her hand.

Upon seeing that the visitor was Cheng Youning, Madam Wan finally smiled and said, "Come and sit next to Grandma."

After greeting everyone, Cheng Youning sat down next to Madam Wan with a smile.

Madam Wan asked him, "Grandson, why have you come at this hour? Are you going to have dinner at the Prince's residence?"

"Whether you eat or not is fine. I'm here to inform you that I will be marrying the princess of the Southern Yan Kingdom in a while. However, you don't need to prepare anything. Everything will be handled by the Imperial Clan Court and the Ministry of Rites according to the proper etiquette."

Unexpectedly, Madam Wan couldn't understand: "Why did you marry a princess from the Southern Yan Kingdom?"

Shang Xi couldn't help but let out a soft hum. Cheng Feng immediately coughed lightly, preventing Shang Xi from speaking further. After all, Hong Jiutong was still sitting in the room. In the past few months, Cheng Feng and Shang Xi had accepted the fact that Hong Jiutong was their daughter-in-law. Their words and actions were no longer as casual as before, especially in front of this daughter-in-law. Although they did not put on airs as in-laws, they still restrained their words and actions.

Cheng Youning, acting like a little adult, explained from the side, "Grandma, this is a political marriage, a marriage between two countries to maintain a long-term stable relationship."

Madam Wan rarely concern herself with matters of state. With Feng Qi constantly recruiting talent and implementing new policies, Madam Wan, who rarely leaves her home, has long since lost track of what Feng Qi is like now. She asked Cheng Youning, "I heard your great-uncle say before that he was going to fight the Southern Yan Kingdom to the bitter end? Why is he now involved in a marriage alliance?"

Cheng Youning smiled and said, "According to the original plan, we were to fight to the end. However, the ministers in the court were divided into two factions: one advocating war and the other advocating peace. For the past few years, my great-uncle has always sided with the war faction, but in the last six months, he has wavered. This is because the continuous fighting between the north and south is exhausting and costly. My great-uncle is also concerned about the soldiers on the front lines. Although we, Fengqi, have superior weapons, the number of soldiers who have died or been wounded over the years is countless. The Southern Yan Kingdom has repeatedly sought peace, and this time the conditions they offered were very sincere. They ceded territory and paid tribute, willingly becoming a vassal state of Fengqi, and would even send a princess for a marriage alliance. Therefore, my great-uncle decided to send Ge Dongqing as an envoy to the Southern Yan Kingdom. If we can achieve a peaceful peace, our Fengqi soldiers can also recuperate and rebuild their strength. So, I, your grandson, can only shoulder the heavy responsibility of this peaceful peace and marry the princess of the Southern Yan Kingdom."

Shang Xi looked at Cheng Youning's small shoulders, wondering how much of this kind of burden she would have to bear in the future.

Madam Wan, being traditional, said, "Every decision your great-uncle makes has its reasons, and his grandchildren can share his burdens. So you should marry the princess from the south; after all, it concerns the stability of relations between the two countries."

Cheng Youning smiled and nodded, "Grandma is absolutely right. I just came from my great-uncle's place, and he praised his grandson as already capable of great things."

Shang Xi laughed inwardly. What a fool her son was! This princess was clearly a gift from the Southern Yan Kingdom to Wan Lianxing. He just shut his mouth and said a few nice words and he made her son willingly marry this princess.

When Wan Lianxing was marrying Hong Jiutong to bring him good luck, Shang Xi was able to stand up and stop it. Now that the marriage has become a political alliance, it's all in vain for her to say anything. The main reason is that Wan Lianxing is autocratic, so there's no point in her saying anything more. However, she is really unhappy.

Looking at Cheng Feng beside her, although he didn't have the same joy on Madam Wan's face, he also didn't have the same intense and vehement opposition as when Cheng Youning married Hong Jiu. Presumably, he hadn't become indifferent to the situation, but rather resigned himself to his fate.

Shang Xi thought about it and agreed. It seemed that Cheng Feng was more open-minded than her. Even Cheng Youning, the person involved, acted as if nothing had happened. What could she change by worrying about him?

However, Hong Jiutong, the obedient and sensible servant beside Madam Wan, looked very unwell. Shang Xi could understand. The marriage between the eldest daughter-in-law and the youngest husband was never suitable in the first place. Hong Jiutong probably felt more wronged than anyone else, but he just didn't dare to show it.

This woman always played the role of a good daughter-in-law in front of them. Although she and Cheng Feng felt awkward, they could only accept reality. On the other hand, Madam Wan liked Hong Jiutong very much because Hong Jiutong knew how to please her. Knowing that Madam Wan was a Buddhist and had poor eyesight, she often copied scriptures for Madam Wan. With her help, Shang Xi no longer needed to run to Lingchen Temple on the first and fifteenth of each month, and Hong Jiutong could take care of things like donating incense oil.

Shang Xi could understand Hong Jiutong's feelings at this moment. Hong Jiutong and Cheng Youning had a very distant relationship. Cheng Youning was closer to Hong Jiutong than to the maids and servants who served him. Hong Jiutong hadn't even established a relationship with Cheng Youning yet, and now the princess of the Southern Yan Kingdom was being sent. If it were Shang Xi, she wouldn't be in a good mood either.

Not to mention Hong Jiutong, even Jingjing, the little maid beside her, pouted. Shang Xi understood that Jingjing, this loyal servant, was speaking out for her mistress.