My father is Chongzhen? Then I have no choice but to rebel.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries and polite greetings, Zhu Cilang, without even having time to return to the Eastern Palace to bathe and change clothes to wash away the dust of his journey, addressed Xue Guoguan and the others:

"You have all been very kind in welcoming me. The situation on the border has been settled, and I will report the details later. I need to go to the palace to see my father immediately."

Although his tone was calm, it carried an urgent feeling that there was no time to lose.

Xue Guoguan and his companions were extremely astute. Seeing that although the Crown Prince appeared slightly weary, his brows held a sharp edge and a composed calm, knowing that a major breakthrough was imminent on their northward journey, they quickly stepped aside to make way.

"Your Highness has worked hard. The affairs of state are of utmost importance. Please leave!"

Zhu Cilang said no more, and with only a few personal guards such as Li Hu, he changed into a warm sedan chair prepared in the palace and headed straight for the Forbidden City.

The snow continued to fall heavily, and the sedan chair carriers trudged through the snow with steady and swift steps.

Kunning Palace, East Warm Pavilion.

This is Empress Zhou's bedroom, which, compared to the solemnity of the Qianqing Palace, has a more cozy atmosphere. Inside, it's warm as spring, with several gilded bronze basins burning brightly with charcoal, dispelling the chill outside the windows.

The air was filled with the faint scent of lilies, a fragrance the Empress loved. At this moment, Emperor Chongzhen was sitting opposite Empress Zhou on the kang (a heated brick bed) by the window, separated by a small sandalwood table on which were placed several delicate pastries and two cups of steaming tea.

The two seemed to be chatting casually, but their eyes kept glancing towards the pavilion door, clearly waiting for something.

Although Empress Zhou was doing needlework, she was somewhat distracted, and her stitches were not as fine as usual.

Emperor Chongzhen was examining a report on the snow disaster in Henan, his brows furrowed, but he didn't seem to fully understand it.

"Your Majesty, Your Highness, His Highness the Crown Prince has arrived at the palace gates."

Wang Chengen entered quietly and reported in a low voice.

Emperor Chongzhen and Empress Zhou exchanged a glance, both seeing a hint of relief and anticipation in each other's eyes.

"Announce it immediately!"

Empress Zhou put down her work, and a smile unconsciously appeared on her face.

Soon, footsteps sounded, the curtain was lifted, and Zhu Cilang, carrying the chill of the outside air and with unmelted snowflakes still clinging to his shoulders and hair, strode in.

He first bowed respectfully to Emperor Chongzhen and Empress Zhou:
"Your son greets Your Majesty and Your Majesty. Your son has returned."

"Get up, get up! Was the journey smooth? It's bitterly cold in the borderlands, did you catch a chill?"

Empress Zhou quickly stood up, disregarding etiquette, and stepped forward to take Zhu Cilang's hand, looking him up and down with eyes full of love and concern.

Seeing that although he looked a little thinner, he was still in good spirits and had bright eyes, I felt a little relieved.

"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I am well and everything is going smoothly."

Zhu Cilang replied in a gentle voice, and then said to Chongzhen:
"I have caused my father worry."

Emperor Chongzhen nodded, put down the memorial in his hand, and pointed to the brocade stool beside him:
"Sit down and let's talk. How's the situation beyond the Great Wall? How are the talks going with Abunai?"

Although he already knew the general outline from the secret briefings sent back by fast horse, he still wanted to hear his son recount the details in person.

Zhu Cilang declined the seat, and palace maids immediately served him hot tea.

He held the warm teacup, not immediately discussing military matters, but after a moment's thought, his gaze swept over Emperor Chongzhen and Empress Zhou before he spoke:

"Your Majesty, Abunai has clearly stated that he is willing to contribute the strength of the Khorchin tribe to cooperate with our Ming Dynasty's offensive next spring to jointly defeat the Jurchens. His tribe can deploy no less than 30,000 elite cavalry and has promised to contact the tribes in southern Mongolia. This was my primary objective for this trip, and it has been achieved."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Chongzhen's face showed satisfaction:
"Good! You've managed to persuade Abunai, so the northern route is safe! You've done a good job."

To subdue the enemy without fighting, and even gain their assistance, is undoubtedly the best option.

Empress Zhou nodded with satisfaction, but tactfully rose and said gently:
"You two, father and son, can hold off on your business for now. Your Majesty, Lang'er must be hungry and thirsty after his long journey. I'll go and tell the kitchen to prepare some snacks and soup."

She knew that the father and son would have more in-depth discussions on important military and national affairs, and that it would be inconvenient for her, as the head of the harem, to remain there.

However, just as she turned to leave, Zhu Cilang called out to her:
"Mother, please wait a moment."

Empress Zhou paused, turning around in surprise.

Zhu Cilang put down his teacup, a rare look of embarrassment flashing across his face, a look that was quite different from his decisive and ruthless image in public. Although it was fleeting, it was still caught by the observant Empress Zhou.

He coughed softly, as if organizing his thoughts, before slowly opening his mouth. His voice was steady, yet it had thrown out a pebble of moderate size:

"The matter I am about to report... perhaps it would be good for Mother to hear it as well."

Emperor Chongzhen and Empress Zhou were both slightly taken aback and exchanged a glance. Empress Zhou sat down again as instructed, her doubts deepening. What matter required her to be present? Could it be related to the inner palace?
Meeting his parents' probing gazes, Zhu Cilang continued, trying to keep his tone calm:

"When he met with Abunai, he had great doubts about whether the Ming Dynasty would turn its attention to the Mongols after destroying the Manchus. In order to completely dispel his concerns, gain the trust of the tribes of the steppe, ensure the stability of the alliance, and for the sake of long-term peace in the future... he put forward a condition."

He paused, then clearly uttered the following words:

"He demanded that I marry his sister, Qiqige, to solidify the alliance between the Ming and the Mongols through marriage. He said that without this, the tribes of the steppe would not truly believe in the sincerity of the Ming Dynasty, and their tribes would not be able to fully serve the Ming Dynasty."

"what?!"

Upon hearing this, the air in the warm pavilion seemed to freeze for a moment.

The satisfied look on Chongzhen's face vanished abruptly, his brows furrowing slightly. Empress Zhou gasped softly, her beautiful eyes filled with surprise. Neither of them had expected Abunai to make such a demand, especially making a marriage alliance a prerequisite for military cooperation! This was almost blackmail, yet upon reflection, it seemed… both unexpected and yet perfectly logical?
After all, for grassland tribes, marriage is indeed the most direct and oldest way of forming alliances and providing guarantees.

After the initial surprise, Empress Zhou quickly regained her composure; she was more concerned about her son's thoughts. She looked at Zhu Cilang, her tone gentle yet inquiring:

"Then... Lang'er, what do you think? This matter concerns your entire life, as well as the national dignity, so it must be handled with care. However..." She changed the subject, a look of reminiscence and approval appearing on her face.

"To be honest, the Empress Dowager has a very good impression of that girl, Qiqige. She is intelligent and sensible, and also beautiful. Although she is of Mongolian origin, her character and temperament are all of the highest caliber. Since the time of the founding emperor of our Great Ming Dynasty, it has not been uncommon for women to take Mongolian or Semu concubines as wives. If you really think she is suitable, it would be fine to marry her. What do you say, Your Majesty?"

She turned her attention to Emperor Chongzhen, seeking his support.

Emperor Chongzhen, recovering from his initial surprise, tapped his fingers unconsciously twice on the kang table, and pondered:
"The Empress is right. I know Qiqige's identity. Her brother, Abunai, is one of the most powerful leaders in the southern deserts, and he is willing to help me suppress the Jurchens. If a marriage alliance can motivate him to serve wholeheartedly and stabilize the northern border, it will certainly benefit the country. Moreover, as the Empress said, our Great Ming has no ancestral rule that strictly prohibits taking Hu concubines. Since this matter involves national affairs, if you weigh the pros and cons and believe that the benefits outweigh the drawbacks, then marry her. It will simply mean one more concubine in the Eastern Palace. What do you think?"

His gaze also fell on Zhu Cilang, clearly believing that his son had returned to discuss this matter with them.

In their view, Zhu Cilang deliberately brought up this matter after reporting the military situation and asked Empress Zhou to stay as well, clearly to seek the opinions of his father and mother on this marriage with strong political overtones.

After all, the crown prince taking a wife is no small matter, especially since she is a princess from a Mongolian tribe. Her political influence, etiquette, and other aspects need to be carefully considered. They are prepared to analyze the pros and cons in depth with their son, and may even have some disagreements.

However, Zhu Cilang's next words dealt another heavy blow to their newly adjusted mindset.

Zhu Cilang's embarrassment deepened. He picked up his teacup but didn't drink, using the gesture to conceal his expression. Then, setting the teacup down and meeting his parents' expectant gazes, he spoke in a calm but earth-shattering tone:

"Father, Mother, I bring this up not to seek your permission. I want to report that at the time on the grasslands, given the circumstances, in order to solidify Abunai's resolve and facilitate the alliance, I... already agreed to this matter. And..."

He paused briefly, as if making a great decision, before speaking clearly:
"Qiqige, now... belongs to your son."

"..."

Inside the warm pavilion, it was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. The only sounds were the faint crackling of burning charcoal in the brazier and the distant, mournful wail of wind and snow whistling through the palace eaves.

The expression on Emperor Chongzhen's face changed from waiting to doubt, then to astonishment, and finally settled on a complex expression that mixed disbelief, annoyance, and a hint of amusement.

He opened his mouth as if to say something, but then became speechless.

He thought his son had come back to "seek instructions," but... good heavens, this wasn't a request for instructions! It was clearly a "notification"! It was "acting first and reporting later"! No, it was "doing the job first and reporting later"!
The crown prince, the future emperor, had his marriage—a political marriage involving diplomatic relations—arranged by himself... on the northern grasslands?! What kind of decorum is this?! Does he have no regard for the emperor or the laws of the court?!

A surge of annoyance at being "ignored" and "overstepped his bounds" instantly rose to Chongzhen's head, making his face turn somewhat pale.

Empress Zhou's reaction was slightly different.

After the initial shock, she quickly came to her senses. Looking at her son's unusually guilty and embarrassed expression, and considering his words about "the circumstances" and "to strengthen the alliance," and then thinking about Qiqige, her surprise was quickly replaced by a sense of "I see," "this child is indeed decisive," and even a subtle, motherly relief that her son had "grown up" and "becomes decisive."

However, it was not appropriate to show this relief in front of the emperor, who was clearly in an awkward position.

Seeing that Chongzhen's expression was displeased and he seemed about to lash out, she quickly spoke first, her face already displaying a gentle smile, and she spoke lightly to smooth things over:
"Oh dear, I thought it was something serious. Oh, it's just like this."

She smiled at Zhu Cilang, her eyes filled with both reproach and tolerance.

"You're too hasty, child. But... since things have come to this point, and what's done is done, there's nothing more to say. Anyway, they're all members of the Zhu family, so what difference does it make whether it's sooner or later? As long as you feel it's appropriate and beneficial to the overall situation, that's fine."

Then she turned to Chongzhen and softly advised him:

"Your Majesty, please don't be angry. Lang'er wasn't unaware of the gravity of the situation; he must have been forced to do so by the urgent circumstances. He did this for the sake of expediting the alliance and annihilating the Jurchens. Our child has grown up, has his own opinions and responsibilities, and we as parents should be happy. Besides, I think that girl Qiqige is truly wonderful; it wouldn't be a disservice for Lang'er to marry her. Let's settle this matter then, shall we?"

When Empress Zhou spoke to Emperor Chongzhen, she both subtly rebuked and offered him a way out. He felt a lump in his throat, unable to vent his anger, yet feeling stifled if he didn't.

He glanced at his son, who looked both composed and somewhat embarrassed, then at the empress, who had clearly accepted and even welcomed the outcome. Considering that this matter was indeed related to the grand plan of exterminating the slaves, Zhu Cilang's actions, though "out of line," seemed to have a result... that wasn't so bad? At least Abunai's side was completely secured.

He gave a heavy "humph," which was a way of expressing his dissatisfaction, but his tone had softened, carrying a hint of helplessness and resignation.
"Alright! Matters of state must be handled according to their urgency and expediency. I... I won't blame you! However, this is ultimately against propriety! After the Jurchens are wiped out next year and the war is over, we must choose an auspicious day to announce it to the world and hold this matter in a grand manner, with the ceremony for the Crown Prince to take a concubine, to make up for the lack of proper etiquette! We must not be so hasty again!"

These words were both tacit approval and a definitive statement.

Since things have come to this point, the only option is to hold a ceremony to "legalize" and "standardize" the matter.

Zhu Cilang secretly breathed a sigh of relief, knowing he had passed this test, and quickly bowed:

"Your subject will respectfully follow Your Majesty's teachings. We will hold the ceremony after the victory against the Jurchens is achieved."

Emperor Chongzhen waved his hand, as if to chase away some troublesome matter:

"Alright, alright, let's get down to business! Tell me in detail the specific strategies you've discussed with Abunai, and your estimates of his Khorchin troops' strength and logistics..."

The atmosphere inside the warm pavilion finally shifted from the slightly awkward and tense family interlude to a serious discussion about military and national affairs.

Meanwhile, at the Eastern Palace...

A slender figure, dressed in a light blue cotton-padded jacket embroidered with plum blossoms and a moon-white mink cloak, stood quietly under the eaves, occasionally stamping her feet and gazing towards the direction of the palace gate.

The cold wind whipped up the fur collar of her cloak and a few strands of hair, and her little face was slightly red from the cold; it was Zheng Xiaomei.

She was accompanied only by a young palace maid carrying a hand warmer.

Ever since she learned that the Crown Prince had returned from his northern tour and had entered the palace for an audience, her heart had been restless.

On the one hand, she was naturally happy for Zhu Cilang's safe return; on the other hand, she was also uneasy because of some vague premonition.

What she missed even more was the Mongolian princess, Qiqige, who had been with her for more than two years and was like a sister to her.

Three months ago, Qiqige was ordered to return to the grasslands to contact her brother Abunai. The journey was long and arduous, with harsh weather and little chance of communication. Zheng Xiaomei was constantly worried about her brother.

In this deep palace, besides Zhu Cilang, the person she was closest to and could confide in most was this straightforward yet sensitive grassland princess.

She was truly afraid—afraid of the vastness and freedom of the grasslands, which ultimately kept Qiqige with her; afraid that this parting would be a final farewell. (End of Chapter)