Rejected Beauty Practices the Villain Play
Chapter 214: Marriage Alliance

Chapter 214: Chapter 214: Marriage Alliance

Xie Jue reached out to touch his shoulder, then circled around to his back, his fingers grazing his spine, almost touching his wound. It caused Fang Chuning’s entire body to tingle, his ears reddening slightly. Listening to Fang Chuning’s hoarse voice, Xie Jue asked, "How’s your injury?"

"I’m fine." Fang Chuning’s hand, rubbing his temple, uncontrollably brushed against Xie Jue’s cheek, with his little finger grazing his earlobe. Watching that soft, slightly cool part turn gradually crimson, he said, "The arrowhead was dealt with cleanly, as long as I recuperate properly, it’ll be fine."

"Hmm!" Xie Jue tilted his head, avoiding his fingers, still skeptical.

Fang Chuning dared not go further with his little finger, but the back of his hand remained rubbing against the side of Xie Jue’s face, as if trying to soothe Xie Jue’s pain.

Zhang Lingzheng scoffed, "Second Young Master, he’s lying to you. This man was unconscious for several hours, circling the Ghost Gate multiple times, lucky enough to cling to life."

"Zhang Lingzheng!" Fang Chuning’s sharp eyes swept over, "Enough talk."

Zhang Lingzheng spread his hands with an expression of challenge. How could Fang Chuning not tell Xie Jue that he had risked his life nine times over for him? Was it to spare Xie Jue from guilt, or was there some other reason too hard to admit?

Xie Jue remained silent, his vision dim and his discomfort palpable. He could guess Fang Chuning was at death’s door, clearly gravely injured. Yet in his silence, not a word of gratitude or sympathy escaped his lips.

"Don’t worry. I woke up, so everything’s fine."

"Hmm!"

Fengyu thought to herself, the Second Young Master’s reaction was indeed cold. Yet Chu Ning didn’t seem to mind his indifference. He lowered his voice, asking Xie Jue where it hurt, where he felt discomfort, whether he was hungry, and what he wanted to eat, speaking with such tender affection that one would hardly think he had just crawled back from the Ghost Gate.

"Junjun, he truly treats the Second Young Master better than he treats you." Fengyu, for some unknown reason, concluded aloud.

Fang Lingjun was stung by her comment, angrily slapping Fengyu’s hand. Fang Lingjun had always known her brother treated Xie Jue well, but she hadn’t realized it was this good, and she now felt a subtle resentment that her brother was being taken away — developing an unspoken dislike for the Second Young Master.

Zhang Lingzheng merely felt his eyes aching and said blandly, "Fang Chuning, you’d better head back to the military camp and properly rest. If your injuries worsen, don’t expect me to care whether you live or die."

With that, he flung aside the tent flap and walked out.

Fengyu, observing the atmosphere between the two, understood that neither she nor Fang Lingjun belonged in the tent anymore. She pulled Fang Lingjun out behind her, and the latter, baffled, protested, "Why are you pulling me out? What if my brother passes out?"

Fengyu looked at Fang Lingjun, her clear gaze offering no explanation.

Junjun, your brother might not want you in the tent.

The two returned to the banquet. Feng Shu poured Fengyu a cup of fruit wine. The atmosphere at the night banquet was strange, with an air of unease over something unclear. Feng Shu remarked, "Princess Huazhen has gone to Beiman alone, truly pitiful. Mr. Wu has proposed selecting a few daughters of ministers to grant Commandery Princess titles and accompany the princess in her marriage to Beiman."

Fengyu’s heart jumped — to marry into Beiman was no better than entering a deathtrap. Unfamiliar lands, where one’s very life would hinge on the Beiman King. The bitter wilderness of Beiman was a savage frontier to Yanyang; if buried there, one’s soul would never find its way back home. Which family’s daughter would be willing to marry into Beiman?

Feng Shu sneered, "Some ministers, with many offspring in their households, are willing to sacrifice daughters to trade for fortune and glory."

Being made a Commandery Princess came with a fiefdom, enjoying local taxes. The Beiman land bestowed upon them as a dowry would certainly be wealthy, bringing considerable benefits to their families. A Yanyang-appointed Commandery Princess seldom arose outside the royal family unless they were highly regarded.

Fengyu pondered, this was selling daughters for glory. Married into Beiman, what good days would await?

Becoming a Commandery Princess to accompany Princess Huazhen to Beiman wasn’t just the role of a concubine but rather a position akin to a secondary wife, higher in status than an ordinary concubine. Usually, the accompanying women for a marriage alliance princess were sisters from the same clan to show respect. Since Emperor Jianming no longer had suitable matchable princesses from the imperial family, this generation’s royal offspring had fewer choices. The emperor could only select from among his ministers’ daughters. He’d asked which family was willing to offer daughters for this marriage entourage.

In Yanyang’s officialdom, the distinction between aristocratic clans and poor, scholarly families was pronounced. Aristocrats pursued literature and held aloof pride, even when some peripheral branches saw promises of glory by sacrificing daughters; their dignity often kept them from openly volunteering. Rising scholars from poor families valued integrity above all, refusing to sell daughters for riches.

As for military generals’ households, there was no chance — warriors spanning three generations had fought viciously against Yanyang, with fathers and brothers dying on the battlefield. Offering daughters for peace was absolutely impossible!

This explained the peculiarity in the banquet’s atmosphere.

The daughter of Marquis An Yuan, Xue Lan, had already been given the title of Commandery Princess and was awaiting marriage. Fearing someone might suggest she accompany the bride, Marquis An Yuan acted preemptively, "Since Mr. Wu proposes selecting daughters of ministers, why not set an example himself?"

Marriage alliances often involved accompanying women, but customs between Beiman and Yanyang differed. Without intentional mention, selecting companions could be avoided. To Marquis An Yuan, Mr. Wu seemed to be stirring trouble for no reason.

Mr. Wu had anticipated this response and immediately kneeled, saying, "I have a legitimate daughter, seventeen years of age and yet unmarried, who is willing to accompany the princess to Beiman and serve at her side."

Marquis An Yuan spoke sarcastically, "Mr. Wu, how noble of you!"

Fengyu thought to herself, a seventeen-year-old legitimate daughter — wasn’t this Wu Changhuan? The one who had always roamed arrogantly with Lin Yu Yan, yet did not follow them to the hunt this time.

Dugu Jing chuckled coldly, "My elder brother possesses incomparable talents in both governance and martial arts. Not just anyone can marry him. If it’s about choosing for his companions, I do have a suggestion."

His words slapped Mr. Wu in the face, leaving his expression particularly colorful.

Emperor Jianming, unconcerned, thought selecting a minister’s daughter alongside Princess Huazhen to ease her homesickness and loneliness in Beiman was, at least, a reasonable thing.

"Which young lady does Prince Ninth favor?"

"Her!" Dugu Jing pointed towards the women seated among the warrior families. Fengyu sat beside Feng Shu, causing immediate confusion about whether he was referring to Fengyu or Feng Shu.

Xie Xun clenched his wine cup so tightly it nearly shattered, his hostility palpable, with a murderous glare toward Dugu Jing that seemed ready to dismember him. Xie Zhang grasped his wrist firmly and said in a low voice, "Calm down!"

Fengyu’s blood drained cold, her thoughts racing for a way to escape. Dugu Jing’s intent to make her marry was an act of vengeance. Her life and death mattered little to him.

"I favor Miss Fengyu, daughter of the National General!" Dugu Jing beamed with delight, his eyes betraying malicious intent visible to Fengyu.

"Don’t even think about it!" Feng Changqing exploded in rage, rising to kneel before the emperor, suppressing his fury. "Your Majesty, my daughter is frail and unsuitable for such a union."

Beiman had a custom of shared concubinage. For a companion bride going as a secondary wife to Beiman, she would only become a pawn for the brothers there. Feng Changqing would die before allowing Fengyu to marry into Beiman.

Emperor Jianming frowned, unmistakably displeased. Dugu Jing had chosen Fengyu over Fang Lingjun. If it had been Fang Lingjun, he would have outright refused. But as for Feng Changqing’s daughter, things were different. Feng Changqing was a virtuous military general; his elder daughter had already married into Marquis Zhenbei Mansion. If his younger daughter married into a prominent family, it would only strengthen Marquis Zhenbei Mansion’s ties; sending her to Beiman would cut those threads — an option most intriguing to him.