Ch1 – He won’t marry me

The 30th year of Dasheng, the country was at peace, people live in harmony and happiness.
In his youth, Emperor Sheng Yuangong was brave and excel at war.
In the 18th year, he took back all the wastelands at the border and established 23 trading towns.
From then on, it was a time of prosperity, the country had wealth, the army had strength.
A Golden Age. 

The 31st year of Dasheng, Shu Shi country in Southwest sent an envoy.
Traveling through mountains and rivers for half a year, they finally reached Dasheng’s Royal City – Yongge, to sign an alliance treaty, vowing to live in peace forever, and also present many specialties and rare pets to express their sincerity.

In return, Dasheng rewarded the envoy and announced the treaty negotiations to the ministers.
In the end, both sides reached a consensus: commercial trading between the two countries would be opened, on the condition that, a young prince of Shu Shi would come to stay at Yongge as a long-term “guest.” The treaty was concluded in the following year.

The 33rd year of Dasheng, in early summer, the Ninth Prince of Shu Shi, Du Ci, brought 500 guards and servants, hundreds of horses, and countless specialties of Shu Shi to enter Yongge.

The 35th year of Dasheng, the 14-year-old prince met Qi Nanke, who was five years older than him and the eldest son of Duke of Dasheng, for the first time. 

In a flash, a few years went by, Du Ci, who listened to all kinds of stories about Qi Nanke every day, turned 18 years old.
Emperor Yuangong wanted to grant him a marriage.
As soon as he heard this, Du Ci declared in front of everyone in the study: except for the little duke, he will never marry anyone else in this life.

“Nonsense!” Emperor Yuangong was in his prime age, still healthy and strong.
At this time, he sat in the dragon chair with a cold face and imposing air.
“Qi family’s three generations are all martial generals.
Qi Nanke went to the battlefield at 17, guarded the border in his father’s place at 19.
His marriage must be decided by the Empress Dowager and the Empress, when was it your turn to have a say?”

“But I like him so much, so why not?” Du Ci was Shu Shi’s most favored prince.
And while living in Dasheng in recent years, no one had dared to provoke him.
The nobles tried hard to please him, even the emperor doted on this naïve and straightforward child, indulging and rewarding him by not a small amount.

Although Du Ci had been staying at Yongge for a few years already, his fluency in Dasheng’s language was still low, his speech was thick with a strong Shu Shi accent.
Flat tone, low tone, high tone, what is that? They’re all the same! With distorted pronunciations, he spoke “I admire him.
I like him.
I love him! Your Majesty, are you going to match him with a princess? That won’t do, I heard he didn’t like girls! Besides, how could a rough general like him know how to care for flowers and cherish jades? Marrying a princess to him is a waste, it was better to give him to me…”

“The more you talk, the more outrageous it is!” The emperor slapped the table, not knowing whether to laugh or cry, “Qi Nanke is the eldest son of the Qi family, how can he give his hand to you in marriage?”

Du Ci thought for a moment, then regretfully said, “Then, I can give my hand to him.” (1)

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“What do I need those nuisances for?” Du Ci didn’t care, “This prince is ranked ninth in the family, it wasn’t like I could inherit a title, it doesn’t matter!” 

“It doesn’t matter to you.
Do you think it doesn’t matter to Qi family as well?” The emperor said, “It’s still broad daylight, are you daydreaming here?”

Du Ci pouted, his rosy lips had a faint luster, looking very soft and sweet, “Whether it matters to Little Duke Qi or not, only he knows.
What others say doesn’t count!”

The Emperor laughed, “Good, good! Looks like you won’t look back until you hit the wall.
It just so happens that Nanke is coming back to the Royal City to report, you can ask him yourself then.”

Du Ci’s eyes lit up: “What? Your Majesty just said that the little duke is coming back?” 

“A few days ago, I received a letter stating the chaos at the frontier has been subdued…”

The emperor started talking about politics.
Du Ci stood absentmindedly on the side, his mind had long flown somewhere else.

After the business talk was over, the emperor asked all the ministers to retire, except for one person, Guojiu, Ming Xuanfei.

In the study, the incense tributed by the Western Region was burning.
Its scent was strong but not pungent, and had the effect of invigorating the spirit.
It was the emperor’s favorite incense. 

At this moment, the emperor was leaning against the chair, his eyes slightly narrowed, his finger tapped slowly on the armrests.
Guojiu knew the emperor very well.
When he saw him like this, he bowed and asked, “Your Majesty, are you thinking a