CH 42.2

Chapter 42.2 – This Minister Is Sincere (2)

Qi Yang, whose Mother Consort died early, was raised by the Emperor’s knee when she was little, and was taught by the Crown Prince himself. The relationship between the three were incomparable to the others. The Emperor had always liked when Qi Yang acted spoiled with him. The more casually Qi Yang acted around him, the more he had a peace of mind.

But now that daughter finally grew up, and her spoiled act was for the sake of another brat, so the Emperor felt even worse. He immediately chased her away again with a stern face, “Go go go, do you think Royal Father would eat him? If this kid is too cowardly, then he’s not worthy of my daughter.”

Qi Yang also knew when to stop, so she didn’t say anything else at the moment. She just smiled at the Emperor, glanced outside the hall again, then went to wait behind the screen.

Lu Qipei quickly arrived. The youth had a clear temperament and calm demeanor; even facing the Emperor, they were neither humble nor overbearing…

This was something that the Emperor discovered from the very beginning. He had a high position full of authority, and ordinary people would become timid when they see him. But the youth in front of him acted normally from the start; he was respectful, but not timid.

Today, he met her again after leaving her to hang for the whole afternoon. Others who were timid would become more afraid, but her temperament was still the same as ever.

Honestly, if this brat hadn’t snatched his daughter, the Emperor would really appreciate her. Unfortunately there was Qi Yang in the mix, so the Emperor could only look at her like a father-in-law would his son-in-law. He could only be nitpicky to this eyesore.

Lu Qipei bowed and gave a salute. The Emperor waited for a long time before acknowledging it, then did not say anything else. What came out from her mouth next would be her first test.

The Emperor hadn’t had much contact with Lu Qipei. Other than the answer sheet from the Spring Exam that took him by surprise, the only other time they met was during the lecture on the scriptures that she did two days ago. These were proof of her excellence, but it wasn’t enough for the Emperor. He had to choose the best for his beloved daughter.

Lu Qipei talked about things from various regions, from matters of the court to the people’s livelihood. Looking at her appearance, she was indeed a rare talent. Even with the Emperor’s nitpicky heart, he began to show some appreciation towards her.

The two were talking about the situation in the northern border when the Emperor suddenly asked in a deep voice, “Do you know why I summoned you today?”

If it was anyone else, they would think twice about what to say. But Lu Qipei said frankly without thinking, “This Minister have heard rumors in Hanlin Academy today. Your Majesty’s sudden summons, should be because Her Highness Qi Yang.”

When the Emperor saw her being so calm, he raised his eyebrows in surprise. “So what do you have to say about it?”

Liang State valued scholars highly, and officials rarely got on their knees in front of the Emperor. But Lu Qipei suddenly lifted his robe and knelt down when she heard this.

She raised her head and looked at the Emperor with her clear black eyes, saying, “If This Minister may be presumptuous, my heart really yearns for Her Majesty. I beseech Your Majesty to grant me her hand in marriage.”

These words were too straightforward. Even Zhang Jian, who was standing by the side, couldn’t help but look over with twitching eyelids.

Qi Yang who hid behind the screen also heard this and stood up even more abruptly, but Zhi Ting pulled her sleeves after she took only two steps forward.

Qi Yang stopped and looked at the person kneeling outside through the screen. She pursed her lips with frowning brows, obviously very worried.

The Emperor outside the screen did not say anything. He quietly sat on his dragon chair, his gaze sharp and deep. The hall suddenly became quiet, as if everyone were holding their breath. His mighty presence seemed to push Lu Qipei’s head down, making her flustered.

Lu Qipei could not be calm, because on top of the Emperor’s oppressive majesty, the man in front of her was also Qi Yang’s father. She could face his imperial majesty without acting humble nor overbearing, but she couldn’t help but compromise with his status as Qi Yang’s father.

So she slightly lowered her head, but her back was still straight and her attitude still firm. She let the Emperor’s gaze fall upon her, silently waiting his judgment.

After some time, or maybe a long time, the Emperor finally said, “You seek to marry my daughter, relying on what?”

Hearing this, Lu Qipei thought for a moment and replied, “This Minister is not relying on anything. What This Minister have learned are all for the sake of contributing to the Royal Family, and cannot be considered what This Minister could rely on. All This Minister have is a sincere heart for Her Highness.” After saying that, Lu Qipei paused for a moment, then added, “Her Highness also feels the same.”

Zhang Jian stopped breathing, and his gaze towards Lu Qipei turned strange – no one had ever spoken to the Emperor like this before.

Talking about feelings to the Emperor seemed naïve, but Lu Qipei had her own plans.

Qi Yang had already told her that the Emperor had no intention of making her marry into high society. On one hand, it was for her sake, and on the other hand, he didn’t want to give more influence to the young and powerful Crown Prince.

The Emperor wanted to choose a son-in-law from among the scholars from this time’s imperial examination. Lu Qipei was confident that her academic capability surpassed anyone else’s, and would not dissatisfy the Emperor. So, she would have met the Emperor’s criteria for a Prince Consort.

In such a situation, what else could she say? Was she really supposed to show off her family status and wealth like when facing an ordinary father-in-law? What a joke! If she really said that, the Emperor would probably have her kicked out on the spot!

But when the Emperor heard such an answer, although he did not have her kicked out, his face visibly turned dark.

Lu Qipei blinked, once again not knowing what she had said wrongly. Just then, she heard the Emperor say, “You may leave now.”