Right Xiao Wei General Chai Shao's residence.
The Chief Eunuch of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Wang Chengren, was reading the imperial edict."The sect is the foundation of the world. Chai Shao, the general of the right Xiao Wei, was a general. When he was young, he was brave and restrained the strong and helped the weak. He was the first to participate in the election of justice, from the humble to know the obvious, many times to establish military exploits. Today, I will recruit you as Pingyang's son-in-law and choose a date to marry. Respect this!"
When Wang Chengren read out the imperial edict, everyone in the Chai residence was filled with joy.
Only Chai Shao's father, Chai Shen, a white-haired old man, had a deathly pale face, as if the sky had collapsed.
After the imperial edict was read out, Wang Chengren said to Chai Shao, who was in a state of ecstasy,"General Chai, His Majesty asked me to tell you to quickly discuss an auspicious day with the Imperial Astronomical Supervisor to marry Princess Ping Yang as soon as possible.”
Chai Shao received the imperial edict and said happily,""Thank you for your suggestion, Eunuch Wang. I will definitely do as you say!”
He had admired Li Xiu Ning for a long time, and even dreamed of marrying her, but he had never dared to mention it to Li Yuan.
He did not expect happiness to fall from the sky today. Happiness came so suddenly that he almost fainted.
After Wang Chengren left, just as the entire Chai clan rushed up to congratulate Chai Shao.
Chai Shen's face was full of shock as he said in a trembling voice,"Si Chang, we can't agree to this marriage. We can't accept this imperial edict!"
Chai Shao was surprised, and the smile on his face froze. He looked at his old father with a puzzled expression and asked,"Father, this is a blessing! Princess Ping Yang is not a ferocious beast and I have admired her for a long time. Why can't I agree to this marriage?”
"You don't understand, you don't understand!"
Chai Shen's face was pale, as if he was greatly frightened, so scared that his face was devoid of blood.
He ordered everyone in the Chai Manor to retreat, leaving only Chai Shao behind.
"Princess Ping Yang is in love with General Tian Ce, she is Li Changqing's exclusive property!" Why did the White Robe Army rush thousands of miles to attack Yangzhou City? Why did Li Changqing kill Yuwen Cheng with three halberds? Why did the hundred thousand Yuwen soldiers be wiped out without leaving a single captive?
This was all because Yuwen Cheng had spoken rudely and insulted Princess Ping Yang!
During the Battle of Beiqi Mountain, Li Mi had already planned to lead the Wagang Village army to surrender to His Majesty, but Li Changqing refused to let him go. He rode alone into the battle, his white robe stained with blood, and beheaded Li Mi in the midst of thousands of troops.
This was because Li Mi had once threatened to take Princess Ping Yang as his concubine!
This imperial edict from His Majesty today is not a blessing to our Chai Manor, but a disaster!”
When Chai Shao heard this, his eyes widened, his pupils rapidly shrinking, and his face was filled with shock.
But soon, his admiration for Li Xiu Ning covered up his fear for Li Changqing.
"Father, I admire Princess Ping Yang. I will marry no one else but her!" Moreover, His Majesty has already issued an imperial edict. Now that what's done is done, it's not up to us to decide!”
Chai Shen blew his beard and glared, shouting,"If this old man says no, then no! You can marry anyone but Princess Ping Yang!”
"Disobeying the imperial decree and defying the imperial power is the crime of beheading! Father, do you want my Chai clan to be executed?”
"You may not die if you defy the decree, but you will definitely die if you offend the Heavenly Strategy General!”
"Father, why don't you think about your child's happiness?”
For half a day, Chai Shao was arguing with his father, Chai Shen.
When the moon rose and the stars dotted the night sky, the two sides had already reached a point where they could not be separated.
No one in the Chai Manor dared to approach.
Suddenly," Bang!" Chai Shen angrily slammed the table and shouted,
"Si Chang, no matter what, this old master will never allow you to marry Princess Ping Yang! If you insist on doing this, this old man will draw my sword and commit suicide today, and my blood will splatter on the spot! It was better than witnessing Chai clan's calamity in the future!”
Chai Shao's face was filled with pleading," Father, I will not marry anyone other than Princess Ping Yang. I hope Father will grant my wish!”
Chai Shen looked deeply at Chai Shao, his eyes filled with helplessness and pain.
Then, he did something that made Chai Shao's soul scatter. He actually knelt down on both knees, kneeling straight in front of Chai Shao.
"For the sake of the entire family, I beg you to follow me into the palace and reject this marriage!"”
"Father, why do you have to do this!"
Chai Shao hugged his father's shoulders with both hands, desperately trying to pull him up.
His tiger eyes were filled with painful tears.
Chai Shen sighed heavily,"It's not that father doesn't want you to marry Princess Ping Yang, but this will bring disaster to my Chai family!" My Chai clan has a few hundred people, we can't die because of you! Chai clan's glory cannot end because of you!”
Chai Shao was furious." He and Princess Ping Yang are siblings. This is incest. Isn't he afraid of being criticized by the world?!"”
Chai Shen sighed again and said,"It is precisely because His Majesty is worried about this that he agreed to depose the Crown Prince and recruit you as Princess Ping Yang's husband."
If we agree to this marriage and accept His Majesty's imperial edict, the Chai family will definitely be destroyed!”
Chai Shao's eyes were bloodshot as he roared angrily at the sky,""Wahhh! Li Changqing has gone too far!"
When Chai Shen saw his son like this, his heart ached.
However, the Heavenly Policy Manor was powerful, and Li Changqing was like the sun in the sky.
For the sake of the clan, he had no choice but to defy the decree and sacrifice Chai Shao's happiness.
After a long time, Chai Shao finally vented a little of the anger and unwillingness in his heart.
He panted heavily, his eyes bloodshot. He squeezed out a few words from between his teeth."Shao, I'm willing to listen to father's arrangements."
"My son has suffered!"
The father and son hugged each other, feeling a deep sense of powerlessness.
To them, Li Changqing, the Heavenly Strategy General, was an insurmountable mountain. The difference between the two was like a natural moat!
Yuwen Cheng and Li Mi's fate had already told the world that once they angered Li Changqing, no matter what identity they had, they would instantly be destroyed!
While Chai Shen heaved a sigh of relief, his heart ached for his son.
However, love was nothing in front of the family's glory and survival.
He waved his sleeves and ordered his servants,"Prepare the horses. I'm going to the palace tonight to meet His Majesty."”
Soon, two handsome horses were brought out, and Chai Shen and Chai Shao entered the palace overnight.
Due to his fear of Li Changqing, Chai Shen was extremely alarmed the moment he received Li Yuan's imperial edict.
To other ministers, this was like a pie falling from the sky, but to him, it was a hot potato.
For this reason, he decided to defy the imperial edict!
Just because of Li Changqing's past deeds, they were afraid of him. From this, one could see how terrifying Li Changqing's reputation was!
Of course, even if he rejected the marriage, Chai Shen would not be so stupid as to directly defy the imperial edict. Otherwise, even if Li Yuan could not bear it, he would still kill him.
Chai Shen entered the palace this time to inform Li Yuan that Chai Shao had already arranged a betrothal with his cousin and would be getting married soon. Under such circumstances, he was not suitable to be Princess Ping Yang's husband.
It is better to tear down ten temples than to destroy one marriage. Although Li Yuan knew why the Chai family didn't dare to marry Li Xiu Ning, he couldn't find any reason to refute. He could also take advantage of the situation to withdraw the imperial edict without damaging the emperor's dignity. If word got out, it would be even more praised by the people.
It had to be said that although Chai Shen was a martial artist, his meticulous thinking was admirable.
This book comes from：m.funovel.com。