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News of the great victory at Gaoping spread throughout the land, and King Su Ning of Qin's fame soared to its zenith.

In Bianliang, Empress Fu sat in her palace, flipping through the lists of names sent from various places.

That was a list of eligible young women submitted by officials from various regions. They were all young ladies aged fourteen or fifteen to eighteen or nineteen, beautiful, well-educated, and of respectable birth.

This is for the selection of a concubine for the King of Qin.

Suning is nineteen years old this year; he should have gotten married long ago.

But over the years, he has been either fighting in the military or leading the National Defense Army on expeditions, so he has no time to think about his marriage.
Guo Wei mentioned it a few times before his death, after all, he was the only son left in the Guo family.

Unfortunately, Suning had no interest whatsoever, believing that with the world in chaos, there was no time for romance.

He also said that he would think about his personal matters after the world was at peace.

Guo Wei's health was also deteriorating at that time, and his biggest anxiety was for Wang Jun and Wang Yin, so he gradually neglected them.

When Guo Rong decided to arrange the marriage for Su Ning, Empress Fu, as the sister-in-law, naturally had to take charge of it.

"Your Highness," a palace maid whispered, "this roster was just delivered, having been transferred from Jiangnan."

Empress Fu took the register, flipped through a few pages, and suddenly stopped.

"Zhou Ehuang...daughter of Zhou Zong, the Minister of Works of the Southern Tang Dynasty..."

She carefully read the few lines of small characters: "Fifteen years old, beautiful, knowledgeable in music, skilled in poetry, well-read and reasonable, a famous talented woman in Jiangnan."

"This is not bad," Empress Fu murmured, "but..."

However, this Zhou Ehuang was from the Southern Tang Dynasty.

The Great Zhou and the Southern Tang were enemy states.

But then he thought, it was precisely because it was an enemy country that he should marry it.

If the King of Qin marries the daughter of the prime minister of Southern Tang, how can Southern Tang fight against Great Zhou?
How could those officials of the Southern Tang Dynasty still wholeheartedly follow the Li family?

Empress Fu closed the register and made up her mind.

"Someone, send a messenger to Jinling."

“He specifically named Zhou Zong’s daughter, Zhou Ehuang, to enter Kaifeng.”

"promise!"

……

The envoy, carrying Empress Fu's imperial decree, traveled south day and night.

Half a month later, in Jinling City, at the Situ Mansion.

Zhou Zong held the scroll of documents sent from Bianliang, his hands trembling.

"This...this..."

His eldest son, Zhou Hongzuo, came over and took a look; his expression changed as well.

"Father, is this a plan to send Ehuang to Kaifeng to marry the King of Qin?"

"Yes……"

"Then... what about the palace? The Emperor said yesterday that he wanted to send Ehuang to the palace to marry the Sixth Prince..." Zhou Hongzuo's voice grew softer and softer.

Zhou Zong closed his eyes and sighed deeply.

His family had served as officials in the Southern Tang Dynasty for generations, and he himself held the high-ranking position of Minister of Works, ranking among the Three Dukes.

The Southern Tang treated him well, and Li Jing trusted him implicitly.

But now, the imperial edict of the Great Zhou has arrived.

He specifically requested that his daughter, Zhou Ehuang, be brought to Kaifeng and married to the King of Qin.

How could he refuse?

They refused; the troops of the Great Zhou were already north of the river.

In the Battle of Gaoping, the Northern Han army of 30,000 men, along with the Khitan cavalry of 10,000, were utterly defeated by the National Defense Army.

How much stronger are the soldiers of the Southern Tang than those of the Northern Han?

You can refuse...

How can the Southern Tang explain that he married his daughter to the King of Qin of the Great Zhou?

What will the Emperor think?
What would the entire court of civil and military officials say?

"Father," Zhou Hongzuo said in a low voice, "should we... go to the palace first to report to the Emperor?"

Zhou Zong opened his eyes and gave a bitter smile.

"This is the only way."

……

On that day, Zhou Zong entered the palace to request an audience.

Li Jing was reviewing memorials in the imperial study when Zhou Zong entered. He put down his pen and smiled, "Minister Zhou, you've come at the perfect time. I have something to discuss with you. As for the Sixth Prince..."

"Your Majesty," Zhou Zong knelt down, "I have important matters to report."

Li Jing was stunned for a moment.

"what's up?"

"The Great Zhou... Empress Fu of the Great Zhou sent an envoy, specifically requesting that the daughter of an important minister, Ehuang, enter Kaifeng to be selected as a concubine by the Prince of Qin."

The imperial study was so quiet that one could hear the wind rustling through the leaves outside the window.

Li Jing's smile froze.

"What did you say?"

Zhou Zong lowered his head and repeated what he had said.

Li Jing stood up and paced back and forth in the imperial study.

"Zhou Ehuang...I have already decided to give her to the Sixth Prince." Li Jing's voice was low, but he couldn't suppress his anger. "What right does the Fu family have to specifically request her?"

Zhou Zong knelt on the ground, not daring to say a word.

Li Jing walked around for a few laps, then suddenly stopped.

"Zhou Qing, what do you think?"

Zhou Zong raised his head, looking at Li Jing's unpredictable face, and said cautiously, "Your Majesty... Your Majesty, I dare not speak presumptuously. I will only obey Your Majesty's orders."

Li Jing stared at Zhou Zong for a long time, always suspecting that the old man had betrayed him.

Even if you know the possibility is very low, once the seed of doubt is planted, it will quickly take root and sprout.

"You may leave now," he finally spoke. "I need to discuss this matter with my ministers."

After Zhou Zong left, Li Jing immediately summoned several important officials.

Grand Tutor Song Qiqiu, Privy Councilor Chen Jue, Minister of Rites Xu Xuan...

They were all influential figures in the Southern Tang Dynasty.

Li Jing told them what had happened.

There was a moment of silence in the imperial study.

Song Qiqiu spoke first, "Your Majesty, I believe this matter should not be agreed to."

Why?

“Zhou Ehuang is the daughter of the prime minister of our Great Tang. If she marries into Great Zhou and becomes the Princess of Qin, then Great Zhou will have a dignified banner – they can say that Southern Tang took the initiative to show goodwill and was willing to form a marriage alliance.”

"At that time, if the Southern Tang wants to fight the Great Zhou again, the morale of its troops will be affected. The generals will think, 'Our prime minister's daughter has already married into the Zhou, what are we still fighting for?'"

Li Jing nodded, agreeing that it made sense.

Chen Jue, who was standing to the side, shook his head.

“What the Grand Tutor says makes sense, but I have another concern.”

"explain."

"The Great Zhou's national defense army just defeated the combined forces of the Northern Han and Khitan at Gaoping. That Prince Qin personally led the charge and managed to turn the tide of the battle. Can we afford to offend someone like that?"

"If we don't agree, the Great Zhou will use this as an excuse to march south. What will we use to stop them?"

"Or rather, the Great Zhou Dynasty never intended to marry Zhou Ehuang; instead, they deliberately provoked conflict between the two countries."

The imperial study fell silent.

Li Jing's expression turned even uglier.

Xu Xuan pondered for a moment, then slowly spoke, "Your Majesty, I have a plan, but I don't know if I should speak of it."

"explain."

"If the Great Zhou wants people, we'll give them to them."

Li Jing was taken aback.

"Give it to them?" Song Qiqiu exclaimed anxiously. "Isn't that a sign of weakness?"

"Let me finish," Xu Xuan said. "We'll give them the people. But before that, we need to finalize the marriage between Zhou Ehuang and the Sixth Prince. Even if it's just a verbal engagement, we can still announce it to the outside world."

"The Great Zhou was supposed to marry the daughter of the Prime Minister of the Great Tang, but what they ended up marrying was the fiancée of the Sixth Prince of the Great Tang."

"If this gets out, how will the Great Zhou look good? How will the King of Qin save face?"

Chen Jue's eyes lit up.

"This is a brilliant plan! It avoids offending the Great Zhou while preserving our dignity."

Song Qiqiu nodded as well.

After a moment of contemplation, Li Jing finally revealed a slight smile.

"Alright, let's do it this way! Since the Great Zhou has plotted against our Great Tang, then don't blame us for making them miserable."

……

Three days later, Zhou Zong entered the palace again.

Li Jing said to him, "Minister Zhou, I will not stop the Great Zhou from asking for people. But there is one thing I need to discuss with you."

"Your Majesty, please speak."

"My sixth prince has long admired your Ehuang. My idea is to first arrange a marriage between the sixth prince and Ehuang. Even if it is just a verbal agreement, it will still fulfill the sixth prince's wishes."

Zhou Zong was stunned.

He certainly understood what Li Jing meant.

This was to make Zhou Ehuang marry the King of Qin of the Great Zhou Dynasty under the title of "the sixth prince's fiancée".

This... isn't this just trying to sow discord between the Great Zhou and the Western Zhou?
But what could I say?
Zhou Zong could only kneel down and kowtow, "Your subject... obeys the decree."

When the news reached Bianliang, Empress Fu was discussing the selection of imperial concubines with Guo Rong.

After hearing the messenger's report, Empress Fu gave a cold laugh.

"Those people from Southern Tang are quite shrewd."

Guo Rong frowned and said, "Zhou Ehuang and the Sixth Prince are already engaged, so how can the marriage proceed?"

"Why can't we get married?" Empress Fu said. "It's just a verbal engagement, not a formal marriage. If the Southern Tang wants to make a fuss, let them make a fuss."

"Once Zhou Ehuang enters Kaifeng and becomes the Princess Consort of Qin, who will still remember the Sixth Prince?"

"Besides, we never said that Zhou Ehuang had to be the principal wife. We don't believe that with this relationship between Zhou Zong and the Great Zhou, the higher-ups in Jinling would still have complete faith in Zhou Zong."

She paused, then looked at Guo Rong, "Your Majesty, what do you say?" Guo Rong was silent for a moment, then nodded.

"The Empress is right."

He looked south, his gaze deep and thoughtful.

"The Crown Prince's marriage cannot be delayed."

"As for the Southern Tang... we'll have to fight them sooner or later."

"We'll settle this score then."

……

The day Zhou Ehuang's carriage arrived in Kaifeng was the 18th day of the third month of the second year of Xiande.

The convoy entered the city from the south gate and proceeded slowly along Zhuque Avenue.

People along the way stopped to watch and discuss the scene.

"That's the daughter of the Southern Tang Minister of Works? I heard she's as beautiful as a celestial being..."

"That's right. The Southern Tang even said she was the sixth prince's fiancée. Well, this is great; our Prince Qin is getting a good deal."

"What do you know? That's just the Southern Tang Dynasty trying to glorify itself. Empress Fu specifically asked for this person, so who cares about her being a fiancée or not?"

"That's right! This is what they mean by 'Under the vast sky, all land belongs to the king; on the shores of the earth, all people are subjects of the king.'"

Zhou Ehuang sat in the carriage, listening calmly to the faint whispers outside.

She wore a simple dress, her hair was tied up in a simple bun, and she wore no makeup.

The fifteen-year-old girl possessed a calmness in her eyes that belied her age.

Several other young ladies from prominent families accompanied them; they were all eligible women recommended by officials from various regions.

Some came from Huainan, some from Jingnan, and some came from Hedong.

Their carriages entered the city one after another and were settled in the inn in the city.

What awaited them was the upcoming selection of imperial concubines.

But no one expected that at this critical juncture, a major event would occur in Bianliang City.

Feng Dao is seriously ill.

When the news reached the military camp outside the city, Su Ning was checking the latest intelligence summary from Minglitang with Zhao Pu.

He quickly put down the secret report in his hand and remained silent for a long time.

When did this happen?

“Three days ago,” Zhao Pu said in a low voice, “someone from the Feng family said that the old master had been coughing for the past few days, and it suddenly worsened the night before last. The imperial physician went to see him and said that… he probably wouldn’t last much longer.”

Suning stood up.

"Get the car ready, let's go into town."

"promise."

The carriage entered Bianliang City and headed straight for the Feng residence.

The mansion gates were wide open, and Feng Dao's eldest son, Feng Ji, personally came out to greet them.

"Your Highness..."

Where is the gentleman?

Feng Ji's eyes were red as she led him inside.

Passing through the second gate and around the screen wall, we arrived at the main house in the backyard.

Feng Dao lay on the couch, his face sallow and he was so thin that he was just skin and bones.

Hearing footsteps, he slowly opened his eyes.

"Your Highness has arrived..."

Su Ning sat down on the edge of the couch and took his hand.

That hand was dry and cold, with clearly defined knuckles.

“Sir.” Su Ning’s voice was a little hoarse.

Feng Dao looked at Su Ning, and a glimmer of light suddenly appeared in his cloudy eyes.

"Your Highness has lost weight..." Feng Dao's voice was soft, like a leaf falling in the wind, "The battle at Gaoping was fought... fought well..."

"Sir, please don't speak, just rest well."

“What’s the point of raising…” Feng Dao shook his head, “I’ve lived to be seventy-three, that’s enough… enough…”

He took a breath and continued, "Your Highness... I have a few words... a few words I'd like to say to Your Highness..."

Suning bent down.

"Please speak, sir."

Feng Dao looked at Su Ning, his cloudy eyes seeming to be churning with countless emotions.

"Your Highness... your heart is too hard..."

Suning was stunned.

“A hard heart is a good thing…and a bad thing…” Feng Dao’s voice was broken. “The good thing is…that I can hold this country together…the bad thing is…that I don’t have many people around me…”

"Your Highness, please remember... to be gentler with those around you..."

Su Ning held Feng Dao's hand but did not respond.

Feng Dao looked at Su Ning and suddenly smiled.

"Your Highness... In my lifetime... I have served four dynasties... eleven emperors..."

"Some people are calling me an old man... a fence-sitter... an old fox..."

"But all I want is... to... reduce the number of deaths in this world..."

He was panting, his voice growing weaker and weaker.

"Your Highness... I have taught you everything I should have taught you..."

"Your Highness, please walk back by yourself..."

Feng Dao's hand slipped from Su Ning's palm.

Slowly close your eyes.

Su Ning knelt before the bed, looking at that withered face, watching the last trace of color fade from it.

He knelt for a long time.

long time.

Feng Ji knelt on the other side, weeping, and kowtowed heavily.

Su Ning stood up and bowed deeply to the old man on the bed.

Then he turned around and walked out of the room.

The sun was shining brightly in the courtyard, and the spring breeze was blowing through the newly sprouted willow buds.

Su Ning stood there, gazing at the old locust tree.

Feng Dao loved to read, play chess, and drink tea under this tree.

Every time he came, the old man would have a chessboard set up under the tree and invite him to play chess.

Suning is bad at chess and always loses.

When the old man won the game, he would stroke his beard with a smile and say, "Your Highness, that move was wrong. Let's try again."

From now on, no one will ever ask me to play chess again.

At this moment, Zhao Pu walked up behind Su Ning and whispered, "Your Highness, about the selection of concubines..."

"put off."

Zhao Pu was taken aback.

"Your Highness, the young ladies have all arrived and are staying at the inn, waiting. Postponing this now..."

"I said I'd postpone it."

Zhao Pu stopped talking.

He knew what the King of Qin was thinking.

Feng Xiang has left; the King of Qin needs time.

The selection of a concubine can wait.

The news spread throughout Bianliang.

The young ladies staying at the post station were all talking about it.

"His Highness Prince Qin postponed the selection of a concubine because of Prime Minister Feng?"

"Prime Minister Feng is His Highness's teacher. I heard that His Highness knelt at the Feng residence for a long time..."

"Your Highness is truly loyal and affectionate..."

Zhou Ehuang stood by the window, listening to the discussions, her gaze calm.

She recalled her father's words before she left: "That Prince Qin is no ordinary person. When you go, stay here well. Don't always think about Southern Tang, and don't think about the Sixth Prince. From now on, you are the Princess Qin of Great Zhou."

Zhou Ehuang did not speak at that time.

Now, as Zhou Ehuang looked out the window at the gray sky over Bianliang, she suddenly realized that her father was right.

The person who would postpone the selection of a concubine for the teacher must not be a bad person.

……

Three days later, Guo Rong issued an edict posthumously conferring upon Feng Dao the title of Prince of Ying, with the posthumous name Wenyi.

The funeral was extremely grand and solemn.

Guo Rong personally wrote the eulogy and read it aloud before the spirit tablet.

Su Ning, as a disciple, kept vigil for Feng Dao for three days.

All the civil and military officials in the court who could come, came.

Throughout his life, Feng Dao was both cursed and looked down upon.

But in the end, the street was filled with people seeing him off.

On the day of the funeral, Su Ning accompanied the coffin for a long way until it disappeared at the end of the post road.

Su Ning stood on the post road, gazing at the gray sky in the distance, and remained motionless for a long time.

Zhao Pu said softly, "Your Highness, let's go back."

Suning nodded.

He turned, mounted his horse, and galloped towards the military camp outside the city.

Behind them, the dust on the post road gradually settled.

An era has come to an end.

A new era is beginning.

...(End of this chapter)