The General's Daughter

Royal Banquet

Just a reminder, this story is purely fictional and based on my fantasy but also follows some of the Asian aspects. So, it is not true in real life at all. Lady in the picture is Lan Ying

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The Banquet was quite festive, the emperor had even bestowed gifts towards winners of the tournament and since Ying Yue and Li Jian had fought magnificently, Ying Yue was given the title Princess of the 2nd rank as the emperor adopted her into the imperial family. (A/N: I once read this in a manga where the emperor gave a princess rank towards a non-imperial bloodline but I could not remember where.)

Li Jian on the other hand was given a wish that the emperor could grant and what he asked for was none other than, "Your Majesty, as we have come here for a peace treaty then I wish to ask for the hand of Princess Ying Yue's hand in marriage".

The crowd gasp and the Ying family was lost for words. Especially Ying Yue as she did not expect this ending.

She only thought that since 1st Princess Wang Yi Yiu was still too young, they could actually postpone this exchange and the emperor would send a beauty which was a high official's daughter instead.

But now Li Jian had stated it was not for the emperor but for him instead. And he wanted to marry Ying Yue?

Ying Yue gave cold dagger looks towards Li Jian who gave her a warm smile as he was enjoying this. Lan Ying was seething in rage that she could not help but tear the handkerchief that she was holding.

Emperor Qi Shin was in a bind. His empress gave a resigned look as her dreams of matchmaking Ying Yue with the princes had vanished, Ying Jun and Ying Fan were fiercely scolding him through their looks and even his son, the two princes were looking at him with contempt.

Ying Yue let a breath she was holding and had thought rationally. She could not afford to offend the Qi nation and cause trouble for her family as well as her newly adopted one.

She had risen from her seat and went beside Li Jian who was facing the emperor and gave him a kowtow as she said, "This servant would like the Emperor to bestow her marriage towards Commander General Li Jian".

As Ying Yue's hand had covered her face, nobody could see what expression she had made. Nobody would know just how upset she was that she cursed her bad luck. Just escaped from the empress's plan and ended up in the enemy's hand.

With a sigh, the emperor then conveys his words "I bestow this marriage between Ying Yue and Wu Li Jian. May they live in harmony and may Qi and Zen nation be peaceful until eternity."

Though there was a firework display outside the palace, it did not brighten up the Ying family's mood as they decided to go home early. This is with the excuse of Ying Yue's health being a concern and it was their plan, to begin with but this time, they left earlier than planned.

When Ying Jun had entered the living room, he had bashed the nearest furniture as he let out a string of curses towards Li Jian.

Ying Fan did not stop him as she brought Ying Yue to the study room and waited for Ying Jun to calm down and come to talk with them.

"Yue-er, my poor Yue-er, mother has already not seen you these past few years and now they want to take you away from me forever", Ying Fan sobs as she hugs her daughter.

Ying Yue smiles looking at her mother, she was behaving like a child while Ying Yue was like the older one. "Ma, it's ok. You can always visit me in Qi nation and I will always write to you".

Ying Fan shakes her head, "That is not enough Yue-er." Ying Fan wanted to tell her about the dark side of managing a household, especially an imperial one as she would clash head with consorts in the future. Who knows how loving Li Jian would be with her?

Ying Jun could only bear to clench his teeth as his face was furious, "How dare that brat steal you away from us. Right under our nose" He was still frustrated how he could not do anything to stop his daughter from going away. The pearl in his hand, his only daughter was going to stray farther away from home.