Chinese martial arts! Grandmaster

Chapter 394 The Grand Wedding! A Perfect Match

Li Zheng's personality was never that assertive to begin with.

He had always hoped to be in charge and to revitalize imperial power.

but,

When the Duke of Ning and the Duke of Lu asked him to make a decision.

He was also indecisive and dared not make a decision easily, fearing that he would make a mistake.

then,

Emperor Li Zheng summoned his ministers for a court meeting, hoping everyone would offer some suggestions.

However, the outcome of the court meeting was very disappointing.

Trying to smooth things over!
All the ministers were in the court, expressing their opinions and arguing endlessly.

Li Zheng was speechless as he watched this chaotic court infighting.

but,

The war won't suddenly stop just because of the arguments in the court.

After defeating Hong Yanchuan, Prince Ning Li Mu's army marched north and began to gather a large force in Nanyang.

Simultaneously,

In the northwest, Prince Ning mobilized an army of 200,000 men and marched from Shuozhou toward Hebei, intending to open up the defensive line leading to Hebei from Shuozhou in Shanxi.

A pincer attack!

Fighting on two fronts in Nanyang and Shuozhou, once Prince Ning's army joins forces, they will besiege the capital of the Great Qian Dynasty.

At this time,

Inside Nanyang City, Hong Yanchuan's remaining troops numbered less than 20,000.

Moreover, after a major defeat, morale had plummeted to rock bottom.

Li Qiong, the Minister of War, left only 10,000 men in his army; the rest retreated to Ezhou in Hanzhong.

Tang Youwang's army also retreated to the Guangdong and Guangxi regions, posing a threat to Li Gang, the King of Min.

Therefore,
At this time, the garrison in Nanyang City numbered only 30,000.

Although Nanyang City is easy to defend and difficult to attack, it has natural barriers.

However, with only 30,000 men and no superior firepower, it was simply impossible to hold out.

really,

In less than five days, Prince Ning Li Mu's army surrounded Nanyang.

Nanyang has fallen!

After Hong Yanchuan led the remaining troops to retreat to Nanyang, he originally wanted to block the army of Prince Ning, Li Mu, from marching north.

However, unexpectedly, Prince Ning, Li Mu, equipped his troops with a large number of Japanese cannons, which had extremely fierce firepower.

This siege was almost entirely a one-sided massacre.

Hong Yanchuan has been killed in action!
The Nanyang defense line of the Daqian Dynasty has completely collapsed.

Prince Ning, Li Mu, pressed his advantage and led his army to sweep across Henan and Shanxi provinces.

When the news reached the capital, the court of the Great Qian Dynasty was still debating whether to send Xu Shichang and Ximen Tang Chen Jie into Hebei or to send Guan Qilin to Henan.

Li Zheng was completely dumbfounded when he heard the news of Nanyang's fall.

The entire court of civil and military officials fell silent.

What's the point of arguing? Prince Ning Li Mu's army has already breached the Nanyang defense line, and the Shuozhou defense line has also been breached in succession.

The enemy is at the city gates!

Once Prince Ning, Li Mu, and his two armies converge, they will be close to Tianjin and the capital.

Originally, all the ministers thought that although Hong Yanchuan's attack on Xiangyang had failed.

but,

With Li Qiong's army and Tang Youwang's army joining forces with Hong Yanchuan in Nanyang, they will surely be able to hold the Nanyang defense line.

As long as Nanyang City can be defended, the situation will not be so bad for the Great Qian Dynasty.

But in less than a week, Nanyang City fell!

but,

Although military reports stated that Hong Yanchuan was killed in the explosion, his body has never been found.

This shows just how intense the battle was at that time.

At this time,

The ministers again proposed that Guan Qilin's army or Ximen Tang's army be sent to Hebei and Henan to block the army of Prince Ning, Li Mu.

Although Emperor Li Zheng agreed to mobilize troops.

However, he was suddenly unsure which army to choose.

Guan Qilin and Ximentang Chen Jie both have very special identities.

Or rather, neither of their armies belonged to the Ministry of War of the Great Qian Dynasty.

Therefore,
Even if you want the two of them to send troops, you must ask for their opinions in person before you can make a decision.

Time passed in this back-and-forth struggle.

The situation of the Daqian Dynasty became increasingly dire as Prince Ning, Li Mu, led his army to press on the border.

-

The capital city, Qianning Palace.

Li Lingyue approached Emperor Li Zheng and Empress Xie, and bowed, saying:

"Your daughter greets the Empress and Father."

After Empress Zhuang's death, Emperor Li Zheng made the former Consort Xie his empress.

Perhaps it was out of respect for Empress Zhuang.

Empress Xie always treated Li Lingyue very well, and there was no infighting like in the harem.

The key issue was that Emperor Li Zheng had few children, and the imperial power was beset by internal and external troubles, leaving the harem in a very weak position.

Therefore,
Empress Xie was not a domineering person, and all the princes and princesses respected her greatly.

Li Zheng nodded and said with a smile:
"Lingyue, please sit down."

Li Lingyue sat down on the chair next to the two of them, a shy expression on her face.

Today is no ordinary day.

To be honest, she was a little nervous.

Empress Xie looked up at Li Lingyue's expression and demeanor, and sighed softly:

"I remember when Lingyue became Princess Qingrou's apprentice, she was only eight years old. She was such a cute little girl back then. I never imagined that more than ten years would pass in the blink of an eye, and she would already be of marriageable age."

"Time flies so fast—!"

Li Zheng couldn't help but nod, and sighed:

"Yes, it really is too fast. Time flies. In the blink of an eye, almost twenty years have passed."

"You've all grown up, and I'm old and useless now!"

Li Lingyue couldn't help but smile and comfort him, "Father, you are in the prime of your life, how can you so easily admit to being old?"

"Ha ha--!"

Li Zheng laughed heartily.

Perhaps only in front of his children can he truly relax and be at ease.

During this period, the Daqian Dynasty was beset by internal and external troubles, with not only Prince Ning Li Mu in the northwest bringing a large army to the border.

Simultaneously,

The Kwantung Army approached Shanhaiguan and reinforced its troops once again.

That's right,

The Kwantung Army had already withdrawn its troops from Shanhaiguan to Liaodong.

However, after Prince Ning, Li Mu, achieved a great victory in Xiangyang, the Guandong Army reinforced its troops at Shanhaiguan.

Li Zheng originally planned to send Guan Qilin with 100,000 troops to support the defenses in Henan.

However, before they could mobilize their troops, the defenses of Nanyang were completely breached by the army of Prince Ning.

Simultaneously,

The Kwantung Army continued to reinforce its troops at Shanhaiguan, appearing ready to launch a general offensive at any moment.

As a result,
Guan Qilin was not only unable to spare troops to support Henan and Hebei, but also had to reinforce Shanhaiguan to block the invasion of the Japanese Kwantung Army.

The only troops that can be mobilized are perhaps those of Ximen Tang.

However, Ximentang had already stationed troops in Songjiang Prefecture, eastern Zhejiang, southern Jiangsu, northern Jiangsu, Shandong and other coastal areas of the Daqian Dynasty.

The entire eastern part of the Great Qian Dynasty is now under the jurisdiction of Ximen Hall.

It's impossible to say that Emperor Li Zheng wasn't wary.

Although Chen Jie had assured him that he would never take the initiative to oppose the imperial power.

but,

Emperor Li Zheng knew his body couldn't hold on much longer.

If something unexpected happens to him, who can guarantee that Chen Jie won't clash with the royal family?
The most urgent task is to firmly bind Ximentang to our side. Therefore,
The date for Li Lingyue's wedding was quickly decided.

She is Princess Lingyue, and her wedding ceremony represents the highest standard in the Great Qian Dynasty.

According to royal etiquette, Li Lingyue must come to Qianning Palace tonight to bid farewell to her father and empress.

Because starting tomorrow, Li Lingyue will not be allowed to leave the palace and must stay in her princess's chambers until she is married and leaves the palace.

Li Zheng said with a smile:

"Lingyue, the day after tomorrow you will marry Chen Jie of Ximentang and become a wife!"

"After you arrive at the Chen family, you can't be willful anymore, and you can't act like a princess. You have to serve your husband's daily life, bear children, and be filial to your parents-in-law!"

As he was speaking, he suddenly paused.

Because he thought of Xi Mentang Chen Jie, who seemed to be all alone, with no family behind him.

Emperor Li Zheng originally thought that Chen Jie came from the Chen family in the south.

but,

After Chen Jie became the Governor-General of Shandong, holding a high position and great power, the 'Chen family' behind him never appeared.

He subtly inquired about it from Chen Jie and sent someone to the south to investigate.

Nothing!
According to Chen Jie, his family is small and has already emigrated overseas.

Therefore,
Even if Princess Lingyue married Chen Jie, there would be no question of her being dutiful to her parents-in-law.

Empress Xie laughed and said:

"Your Majesty, Lingyue chose Chen Jie as her husband herself. I believe that Lingyue will do a good job once she arrives at the Chen family."

"To be honest, although I have heard of Chen Jie before, I have never met him in person."

"I've always been curious about this young man. What is it that made Ling Yue fall for him?"

Li Lingyue has always been a proud and arrogant woman.

She was not only a princess of the dynasty, but also the commander of the imperial guards and a disciple of the 'Sword Master of the Startling Clouds'.

The man she would willingly marry must be a hero of our time.

Empress Xie had always been in the inner palace. Although she had heard of Chen Jie's various deeds, she had never met him.

A hint of shyness appeared on Li Lingyue's face as she whispered:
"I will keep your teachings in mind. After we enter the Chen family, we will return to the palace to pay our respects to you."

Empress Xie nodded, a smile appearing on her face:
"Lingyue, after you get married, remember to come back to the palace often to visit me and keep me company. To be honest, seeing you get married makes me really reluctant to let you go!"

Li Lingyue said, "Your Majesty, rest assured, I will definitely come back often."

Li Zheng suddenly remembered something and said:

"Why don't you go to Ziyun Pavilion and visit Yun'er? You two sisters have been close since childhood. Now that you're married, go and see her."

"Your sixth uncle has complained to me many times about Yun's marriage."

Upon hearing this, Li Lingyue nodded and said:

"Yes, Father, I understand. I'll go find her right now!"

After seeing Princess Lingyue leave Qianning Palace.

Empress Xie couldn't help but laugh and tease:
"Judging from Ling Yue's expression, she should be very satisfied with this marriage."

"Look at her shy expression and radiant spirit; it's truly rare."

"Over the years, I have rarely seen her act like a daughter."

"Your Majesty, I really want to see her in her princess form, with a phoenix crown on her head and a red cloud hanging down her back."

All along,
Li Lingyue has a boyish personality, is highly skilled in martial arts, and enjoys wielding swords and sticks.

But now that she's showing her daughterly side, it evokes an indescribable feeling.

Li Zheng laughed heartily and said:
"Isn't it easy to see Princess Lingyue's appearance? You can see her the day after tomorrow."

"After all these years, Lingyue has finally found a husband she is happy with."

"Speaking of which, she and Chen Jie are really a perfect match, a handsome man and a beautiful woman."

"It is said that the two of them went through hardships together in Songjiang Prefecture. Seeing her get married, I feel deeply gratified. Even in the afterlife, I can face Zhuang'er with peace of mind!"

Thinking of Empress Zhuang, Emperor Li Zheng felt a deep sense of melancholy.

Seeing that Emperor Li Zheng was in a bad mood, Empress Xie quickly changed the subject:
"Lingyue is married now, but what about Yun'er?"

“Yun’er is two years older than Lingyue. This is causing Lao Liu a lot of anxiety. This can’t go on like this.”

"Your Majesty should think it over carefully and find Yun'er a good husband as soon as possible."

"If this continues, Yun'er will become an old maid."

Li Zheng was taken aback upon hearing this, then shook his head.

He knew perfectly well that Yun'er was already of marriageable age.

but,

Yun'er is the daughter of Li Lie, the sixth prince, and is a princess.

She's even more stubborn than Li Lingyue, so finding her a husband won't be easy.

Because Yun'er grew up with Li Lingyue, and Yun'er's mother also died in the fire eighteen years ago.

Therefore,
Emperor Li Zheng always felt guilty towards Yun'er.

He treated Yun'er like a daughter and had her live in Ziyun Pavilion since she was a child.

Whenever the topic of Li Lingyue and Yun'er's marriage came up, Emperor Li Zheng and the Sixth Prince Li Lie would get a headache.

Now that Li Lingyue is getting married, only Li Yun remains.

Ugh!
What kind of young and promising man should we find for Li Yun to satisfy her?
-

The Imperial Palace of the Great Qian Dynasty, Ziyun Pavilion.

Li Lingyue and a woman were standing on the top floor of the pavilion, looking up at the entire imperial palace in the capital.

The woman was wearing a white dress and had a silver hairpin in her hair.

If Chen Jie were here, he would naturally recognize her.

Li Yun!

The woman Chen Jie encountered when he first shot and killed the Japanese ninja 'Shinzo Dozo' in Tianjin.

At that time, Jin San and Li Yun were engaged in a fierce battle.

If Chen Jie hadn't intervened, Li Yun would have already died under Tsuchimura Shinzo's blade.

Therefore,
Chen Jie can be considered Li Yun's savior.

"Lingyue, I never thought you would finally find your Mr. Right. You will definitely be happy after marrying Chen Jie!"

"Chen Jie is a very responsible person. I feel very reassured that you're marrying him!"

call--!
After Li Yun finished speaking, she sighed and said:
"To be honest, ever since I learned that the Emperor wanted to arrange a marriage between you and the government, I have been very worried about you."

"Later, when I learned that the person you were going to marry was Ximentang Chen Jie, I was completely relieved."

Li Lingyue smiled as she recalled her experience with Chen Jie in Songjiang Prefecture.

Chen Jie left a mark on the depths of her heart.

Whenever she thinks of Chen Jie, for some reason, she feels a deep and unforgettable longing.

in fact,

She's not the only one who feels this way.

Shinobu Nakajima, who was with her in the Black Dragon Society of the East, had the same feeling.

Furthermore, as Chen Jie's mental strength grew stronger, this mental imprint became increasingly clear.

Li Yun looked up at the entire palace and continued:
"Do you remember when I told you about my battle with the Japanese in Tianjin?"

Li Lingyue nodded and said with a smile:

"Of course I remember. You went to steal secret information from the Black Dragon Society's stronghold and were discovered by the Japanese samurai."

"That time, you were almost killed, but luckily you were saved."

"But my sister has never told me who saved you back then."

"For the past six months, Father and Sixth Uncle have been trying to arrange a marriage for my sister, but she has refused every time."

"If I'm not mistaken, my sister must have someone she likes, right?"

"Could it be the person who saved you?"

Li Yun sighed softly and said:
"He is Chen Jie from Ximentang! I can't believe how fast time flies; it's almost been a year already."

"I've only met him once, how can you say he's my 'ideal man'?"

"He saved my life, but after so much time, he probably doesn't even remember me!"

"Honestly, I never imagined that the person you married would be him!"

Li Lingyue smiled and turned to look at Li Yun, saying:
"Fate is so magical. I never thought I would marry him!"

“When my father talked to me about it, I firmly refused. I didn’t want a marriage alliance.”

"But after I got to know Chen Jie, I found that he was a pretty good person. Most importantly, my master agreed!"

finished,

She chuckled and continued:
"Sister, you need to find a good husband soon. Sixth Imperial Uncle has asked Master about your marriage several times."

"Master has said more than once that he needs to find someone to keep a close eye on you, so that you won't cause trouble outside the palace!"

(End of this chapter)