101: Chapter 101 Wanqing doesn't understand our good intentions.

Hearing these words from her father, which felt like a bolt from the blue...

The color instantly drained from Ouyang Wanqing's usually dignified and gentle face.

She stared fixedly at the Prime Minister sitting in the main seat, her voice rising as she questioned him:

"Does Father know that although the First Prince has never appointed a primary consort, he has at least five or six concubines in his manor!"

"He even has several children born to concubines!"

"He is nearly forty now, while I... have only just turned twenty."

As she spoke, tears welled up uncontrollably in Ouyang Wanqing's crystalline eyes.

With a hint of disbelief, she bit her red lips hard:

"Father, why are you pushing your own daughter into a pit of fire?"

"Presumptuous!"

The Prime Minister's expression darkened abruptly, and he slammed his hand onto the red sandalwood desk with a deafening thud.

"The First Prince is the eldest son of the current imperial family; how noble is his status?"

"Is it not perfectly normal for him to have several concubines and children?"

He stood up and looked down at his daughter with an unquestionable tone:

"Furthermore, if you marry him, you will be his legally wedded primary consort!"

"The current Emperor's health is failing; this is already an open secret throughout the court."

"Although the Emperor has not yet appointed a Crown Prince, the First Prince is the eldest son, making his claim legitimate!"

"When the time comes, with our Prime Minister's Mansion providing full support from behind..."

A fanatical light flickered in the Prime Minister's eyes:

"The position of Crown Prince is as good as the First Prince's!"

"When the Emperor passes away and the new Emperor ascends the throne..."

"You will be the Empress, the mother of the nation, above all but one!"

The Prime Minister flicked his sleeve and snorted:

"I am paving a path to the heavens for you."

"I am planning a good future for you."

"How could such a magnificent opportunity be a pit of fire?"

Listening to her father's high-sounding "for your own good"...

Ouyang Wanqing suddenly laughed.

She tilted her head back slightly, forcing the tears back into her eyes.

On her beautiful face, there was no longer any trace of her usual gentle demeanor as a noble lady; instead, a piercingly sharp mockery emerged.

"Heh..."

A self-deprecating smirk touched the corner of Ouyang Wanqing's mouth as she spoke coldly:

"Sometimes, I really wonder how much better it would be if I weren't so clever."

The Prime Minister frowned. "What do you mean?"

"If I'm not mistaken, the Emperor's illness isn't just a simple ailment, but has completely worsened, hasn't it?"

Ouyang Wanqing stared directly at her father without backing down, her words like knives:

"In the current court, among the Six Ministries and Nine Ministers, more than half are protégés and former subordinates of our Prime Minister's Mansion."

"At this critical juncture, Father went to the Emperor to ask for this imperial decree of marriage, insisting on marrying me off to the First Prince..."

Deep in Ouyang Wanqing's eyes was a coldness that saw through everything:

"When the time comes, even if the First Prince truly becomes the Emperor..."

"Then throughout the court and the inner palace, inside and out, everyone will be from our Prime Minister's Mansion!"

"Father, you don't want me to be the Empress at all."

Ouyang Wanqing lowered her voice, piercing through the thin veil of deception word by word: "You want to..."

"Utter nonsense!"

Boom!

Before Ouyang Wanqing could finish her treasonous words...

A terrifying Martial Artist's Aura, as heavy as Mount Tai...

...erupted violently from within the Prime Minister!

This pressure was almost tangible, instantly whipping up a gale within the hall.

Ouyang Wanqing's voice cut off abruptly; her chest felt tight, and she was forced back two steps by the Aura, nearly losing her footing.

But she did not lower her head.

Her clear eyes remained fixed on her father, filled with a stubbornness that would rather break than bend.

The hall fell into a deathly silence for a moment.

Looking at his daughter's stubborn expression, the Prime Minister took a deep breath and slowly withdrew his rampaging Aura.

He sat back down in his grand armchair, his tone softening slightly as he began to advise her earnestly:

"Wanqing, you must understand one thing."

"Since ancient times, extreme prosperity leads to decline."

The Prime Minister picked up his teacup but didn't drink, only stroking the rim:

"Our Prime Minister's Mansion is indeed at the peak of its power in the court right now."

"But precisely because a tall tree catches the wind, we have already aroused too much suspicion and envy."

"In the past, the Zhenguo Marquis Mansion stood at the front, attracting most of the hatred and attention for us."

"Only then could I take the opportunity to secretly arrange things, placing my protégés throughout the court."

"But what about now?"

The Prime Minister sighed:

"Ever since Chen Yun died suppressing the rebellion ten years ago, Chen Shanzhi, the only descendant of the Zhenguo Marquis Mansion, has turned into the capital's number one useless playboy!"

"The Zhenguo Marquis Mansion has long since begun its decline and is gradually falling into ruin!"

"Once they fall, our Prime Minister's Mansion, this towering tree..."

...will be completely exposed to everyone's sight, becoming a thorn in the side of those who wish to eliminate us!"

At this point, the Prime Minister looked at Ouyang Wanqing and said earnestly:

"So, if you can marry the First Prince, our Prime Minister's Mansion will effectively have an imperial status as a protective talisman."

"This will not only silence the public but also discourage many who are secretly plotting against us."

"Wanqing, your marriage to the First Prince..."

...is the best and most stable move our Prime Minister's Mansion can make...

...to resolve the current precarious situation!"

Only the Prime Minister's low voice echoed in the hall.

Ouyang Wanqing stood in place, silent.

But clever as she was, from her father's seemingly heartfelt words...

...she had heard a truth that made her whole body go cold.

Tall trees catching the wind, precarious situations...

They were all excuses!

The Prime Minister's Mansion's power was already enough to cover the sky with one hand; who would dare move against them lightly?

Did they really need to take this risky step of marriage alliance?

Not at all!

To put it bluntly, her father's ambition had expanded to the extreme.

He wanted to use the opportunity of the Emperor's critical illness to firmly grasp the imperial power of the entire Great Jiang Dynasty in the hands of the Prime Minister's Mansion!

And she, the daughter of the Prime Minister's Mansion who was usually praised for her intelligence and pampered by everyone...

...was nothing more than a pawn in this grand game of usurping the throne, a chip to be sacrificed at any time to bind the First Prince.

Ouyang Wanqing turned her head slightly.

She saw her elder brother, Ouyang Jing, who had been sitting nearby in silence.

When Ouyang Jing met her gaze, he shifted his eyes away unnaturally and picked up his teacup, pretending to drink.

Clearly, her father and brother had long since planned all this behind her back.

They had even calculated that once she knew of their plans...

...as the daughter of the Prime Minister's Mansion, she would have no room to refuse.

Ouyang Wanqing suddenly felt that the Prime Minister's Mansion, which she once found so warm and proud of...

...now seemed like a bone-chilling ice cellar in her eyes.

"I... understand."

After a long silence...

Ouyang Wanqing slowly lowered her head.

A few stray strands of hair fell, hiding her now completely cold eyes deep in the shadows.

Her tone was so cold it lacked any emotional fluctuation, as if she were stating something that had nothing to do with her:

"If there is nothing else, I will take my leave."

With that, Ouyang Wanqing didn't wait for her father's reply and turned around.

Without any hesitation, she walked out of the Meeting Hall's doors with stiff steps, never looking back.

Watching his daughter's lonely figure gradually disappear into the night...

...the Prime Minister's expression was terrifyingly calm.

He picked up the slightly cooled tea from the table, took a sip, and said in a low voice toward Ouyang Wanqing's retreating back:

"This marriage will be announced only after Chen Shanzhi's imperial marriage decree from the Zhenguo Marquis Mansion is fully proclaimed to the world."

"Only then will your marriage to the First Prince be made known to everyone."

"Wanqing, take any opportunity you have during this time to spend more time with the First Prince."

The night wind carried the Prime Minister's words clearly into Ouyang Wanqing's ears outside.

Ouyang Wanqing's steps paused for a fraction of a second.

Then, she walked on with even more determination.

Inside the hall, Ouyang Jing, who hadn't dared to speak while watching his sister disappear, finally couldn't help but stand up.

He frowned, a hint of reluctance on his face:

"Father, isn't doing this... a bit too cruel to Little Sister?"

After all, Ouyang Jing had watched his sister grow up; seeing her in such a state made him feel uneasy.

"Cruel?"

The Prime Minister shot a cold glance at his eldest son and slammed the teacup onto the table.

"What is cruel about it?"

He stood up, looking toward the direction of the Imperial Palace with fanatical eyes:

"Once that old Emperor passes away and the First Prince ascends the throne, she will be the most noble Empress in the world!"

"In a woman's life, what could be more glorious than that?"

The Prime Minister withdrew his gaze and snorted, his tone revealing the coldness and decisiveness of a ruler:

"Wanqing is still young and short-sighted."

"She simply cannot understand the well-intentioned efforts of us, father and son!"