Rebirth: The Journey of an Heiress
Chapter 288 - 286: Fate is Predetermined_1

Chapter 288: Chapter 286: Fate is Predetermined_1

Yesterday, you asked to marry the Princess of Nandu. Today at the birthday feast, you seek to marry the Princess of Zhen. How can this be?

Wei Qiheng was stunned, turning his head to look at Bai Qingyan with disbelief in his eyes.

"Bai Qingyan has long sworn never to marry in this life! And the Fourth Prince may not know that Bai Qingyan was injured early in her years, making it difficult for her to bear children. She dares not delay the Fourth Prince." Bai Qingyan bowed respectfully, showing no hesitation in revealing this matter, looking determined not to marry.

Mrs. Dong frowned and tugged at a handkerchief, sighing.

Wei Qiheng was bewildered.

Liu Ruofu released her tightly clenched fist and smiled. "Princess of Zhen, you shouldn’t belittle yourself. Though the Fourth Prince of Daliang is infatuated with you, he surely wouldn’t mind the issue of children..."

"Ruofu!" King Xian looked at Liu Ruofu, signaling her to calm down and sit.

Since the Emperor had spoken, he likely wouldn’t allow Bai Qingyan to marry into another nation. If Liu Ruofu persisted, she might incur the Emperor’s displeasure.

"The Princess of Nandu is the Jin Kingdom’s first beauty. Although the Fourth Prince mistook her identity, it doesn’t hinder the possibility of a great match between him and the Princess of Nandu!" Lady Qiu smiled at the Emperor. "Don’t you see, she is willing to mediate even after learning about the Fourth Prince’s affection for the Princess of Zhen, showing that she has feelings for the Fourth Prince too."

Bai Qingyan was quite surprised, her eyes falling on Lady Qiu. Was she covering for Liu Ruofu?

She then looked toward King Xian, the only foreign-titled king of the Jin Kingdom, holding military power...

The hand hidden in Bai Qingyan’s sleeve tightened slightly. Could it be that King Liang had already conspired with King Xian?

The Emperor nodded, his attention solely on the beauty beside him. "Lady Qiu is correct."

Liu Ruofu’s face became even more unsightly. Was Lady Qiu insulting her?

King Xian’s face also turned ugly. He was about to refuse when the Daliang envoy smiled and said, "Lady Qiu is right. This implies that the Princess of Nandu and the Fourth Prince of Daliang are destined to be together."

Seeing the Emperor nod, King Xian had to swallow his refusal words to avoid offending the Emperor.

The Daliang envoy signaled his deputy to pull the stunned Fourth Prince back to his seat.

Wei Qiheng found himself in a dilemma. Though he had no aspiration for the throne of Daliang and thus could forgo taking a side consort or concubine, being without offspring was absolutely unacceptable.

If he married the Princess of Zhen, he couldn’t go back on his vow not to take a side consort or concubine. The Princess of Zhen certainly wouldn’t marry him under those conditions.

"At this birthday banquet, the Emperor has blessed us with the union of the Princess and the Fourth Prince of Daliang, as well as the Crown Prince and the Princess of Xiliang. Truly, it is a joyous occasion!" Lady Qiu gazed at the Emperor.

"My beloved consort speaks rightly."

The Empress cleared her throat, but the Emperor, still lost in Lady Qiu’s eyes, was oblivious. Consort Yu intervened, saying, "The Emperor cares so deeply for the Crown Prince, as the Crown Prince does for the Emperor, wishing to present the sacred white deer to him. Truly, it is a blessing for Jin!"

The Crown Prince seized the moment and immediately ordered the white deer to be brought in.

In the Jin Kingdom, the white deer was a sacred beast. Such an enormous white deer was a rarity, making everyone at the banquet intensely curious.

The Jin Emperor, filled with joy, praised the Crown Prince. He stood up, raised his glass, and his voice echoed like thunder, "Heaven sends auspicious signs to bless our Jin. May our Jin Kingdom prosper and endure!"

"Long live the Jin Kingdom!"

"Long live the Jin Kingdom!"

"Long live the Jin Kingdom!"

The officials prostrated and chanted three times for prosperity.

As if believing such acts would genuinely ensure the Jin Kingdom’s flourishing.

Bai Qingyan followed in the bow, her face expressionless.

A small eunuch, taking quick steps, circled around behind Gao Demao, whispering in his ear.

After hearing, Gao Demao waved the eunuch away and walked smilingly to the Emperor’s side. "Your Majesty, the Eldest Princess has sent Nanny Jiang with a birthday gift and wishes to see Your Majesty."

"Aunt still remembers my birthday." The Emperor, in high spirits, said, "Let Nanny Jiang in!"

Gao Demao signaled a eunuch to bring Nanny Jiang in.

Soon, Nanny Jiang, hands folded before her, walked in gracefully and respectfully, followed by others carrying a large object covered in red cloth, hinting it was a screen.

After bowing, Nanny Jiang said, "Your Majesty, the Eldest Princess has been praying for the country at the Qing Temple and especially commanded me to bring a birthday gift to Your Majesty..."

Nanny Jiang slightly turned and ordered the cover to be lifted. It was indeed a screen.

The Emperor’s pupils contracted, and he stood up abruptly.

Nanny Jiang seemingly ignored the Emperor’s reaction and began, "Does Your Majesty still remember, the Eldest Princess’s daughter, Miss Suqiu, once promised to embroider Your Majesty’s painting into a screen as a birthday gift? However, she passed away before completing it. The Eldest Princess kept it stored away. Unexpectedly, she encountered a remarkable girl whose embroidery skills are identical to our Miss. Thus, the Eldest Princess had the screen completed this morning and sent it to Your Majesty as a way to fulfill Miss’s promise."

The Emperor’s lips trembled, hastily descending from the dais to examine the screen. The embroidery, half old, half new, was indeed uniformly as if crafted entirely by Bai Suqiu’s hands.

Seeing tears in the Emperor’s eyes, Nanny Jiang knelt beside him, kowtowing. "Your Majesty, the Eldest Princess seeks a favor. You once promised our Miss the title of Commandery Princess after her return from Jiaozhou. But the epidemic ended without her return! The Eldest Princess wishes to adopt this girl with identical skills and grant her the title in our Miss’s stead."

The Emperor frowned deeply. "Has my aunt become senile? Despite her identical skills, she cannot replace Suqiu!"

His Suqiu was unique in this world!

Nanny Jiang kowtowed, hesitating before speaking, "But, Your Majesty, this girl... this girl..."

"Nanny Jiang, tell my aunt if she likes the girl, she can keep her as a pet. A commoner cannot be equated with Suqiu!" The Emperor’s irritation surfaced, and his tone was sharp.

Nanny Jiang gritted her teeth, kowtowing heavily before saying, "Your Majesty! This girl is eighteen, born on February 6th! Not only does she share my Miss’s embroidery skills, but she also looks almost exactly like her!"

Nanny Jiang’s words spilled out in a rush, followed by a tearful kowtow. "Originally, the Eldest Princess forbade me from revealing it, but... Your Majesty, to the Eldest Princess, this girl is not a mere pet. We both believe she is our Miss reincarnated!"