After encountering the second prince on her way to the palace, she was even more determined not to be married off. It wasn’t only due to the task, but also due to this body’s reaction when she saw the second prince. The fear and despair this body reacted with made Ning Shu’s heart hurt.
There wasn’t even a bit of resistance, just uncontrollable terror, like the feeling of a lamb facing slaughter.
Ning Shu tidied up a little, then headed to the imperial study to look for Li Wen.
Li Wen seemed to have been expecting Ning Shu, as the eunuch immediately let her in.
She took a deep breath and walked in. Li Wen was in the middle of reading through memorials. He didn’t lift his head when she walked in and only put his brush down to look at her after she curtsied. “You’ve had dinner?”
“I haven’t,” replied Ning Shu honestly. “This sister-subject is troubled and has no appetite.”
Li Wen said ‘oh,’ then straightforwardly asked, “The second prince of North Mongolia, He Lianying, wishes to marry you. The marriage will mend the relationship between our nations. What do you think?”
Ning Shu sneered. Barbarians were barbarians. Did they think they could become classy just by calling themselves people of North Mongolia?
“Does Imperial Older Brother wish to hear the truth or lies?” Ning Shu met Li Wen’s gaze.
Li Wen lifted his brows. “Just say what you think.”
Ning Shu knelt down. Biting her lips, she said, “This sister-subject doesn’t support the peace marriage.”
“Oh? Reason?” Li Wen’s expression was indifferent as if he wasn’t surprised at Ning Shu’s refusal.
“This sister-subject has already exchanged blows with He Lianying. He is very strong, and above him is an even stronger elder prince,” said Ning Shu between gritted teeth. She had made sure to figure out who the original host had married. According to the original host’s memory, after the original host had married over, the two princes had started fighting a lot.
“You’ve exchanged blows? Did you injure him?” Li Wen’s gaze turned very gentle now.
“Imperial Older Brother, bandits are bandits. The Huns have been committing robberies at the borders of Great Yong and killed many people of Great Yong. This kind of conduct does not deserve forgiveness. This sister-subject has enjoyed the honor of being part of the imperial family and is willing to agree to this peace marriage to repay the imperial family. However, this will only encourage their actions.”
“Moreover, this time, the Huns not only want to obtain Great Yong’s princess through marriage, they even want to take away the wealth that was the result of our people’s blood, sweat, and tears. For this sort of thing, if there’s a first time, there will be a second time.” Ning Shu’s tone contained grief and indignation. She wasn’t simply persuading Li Wen anymore; these were the original host’s true feelings.
The original host had witnessed with her own eyes as the citizens at the border were captured and made into slaves. It was just that, at that time, the original host was already in hell. Her painful struggle was even more tragic than those slaves’ lives.
Li Wen’s expression was a bit cold. It’s unknown if this was due to Ning Shu’s words or something else, but his cold imposing aura had thickened. The strong austere aura of an Emperor made it hard for Ning Shu to breathe.
She gritted her teeth and said resolutely, “Imperial Older Brother, this sister-subject is willing to become Imperial Older Brother’s sword and make it so that Imperial Older Brother’s dynasty never has to agree to peace marriages, pay reparations, lose territory, or pay tributes. This sister-subject will help make this dynasty a place where the rightful emperor, the Son of Heaven, guards the nation’s door and the sovereign king would faithfully die with the state; a place where all surrounding nations come to pay their respects!”
Li Wen was taken aback. He looked towards Ning Shu with complicated emotions in his eyes as he asked, “What do you want to do?”
“In order to cut those restless hands that dare extend themselves into Great Yong and beat the Huns until they know fear, this sister-subject is willing to take command and head to the battlefield, working towards this goal until death!” declared Ning Shu with conviction. Even her body was trembling slightly from emotion.
A smile appeared on Li Wen’s face. He walked around the desk to Ning Shu and helped her up. He couldn’t help but laugh as he said, “When in history has there ever been a woman in command?”
Plenty. There was Hua Mulan, Mu Guiying… but it seemed like there were no precedents in this world.
“We won’t agree to the peace marriage. As for this matter, allow us to consider it. You should go eat,” said Li Wen warmly. He finally seemed a little bit more like an older brother. “Jiahui, you’ve grown up.”
Every time Ning Shu heard Li Wen say that she’s grown up, she would feel a sweatdrop.