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As the two women entered the gates of the Queen's Chengxiang Palace alongside other noble ladies and princesses, they knelt in respect to the Queen before being guided to their seats by palace maids.
Li Zhenyao noticed that the expressions on the faces of all the noble ladies were far from relaxed. A few familiar princesses looked particularly pale, their faces a mix of tension and fear, with red-rimmed eyes.
"You are all aware of the Tubo Embassy's arrival in the capital to seek a marriage proposal," the Queen stated. "Yesterday, His Majesty received word that envoys from the Abbasid Caliphate, Heavenly India, Zhonggesar, and Hol King will also arrive shortly."
The Queen paused for a moment before continuing, "The Emperor and I have discussed this matter. We cannot agree to every proposal from these nations. However, for the past two years, Tubo and Zanpu have been persistent in their attempts to form a marriage alliance with our Tang dynasty. They have been rejected time and again since six years ago, but now they have sent a Great Minister to propose again. It is only reasonable that we respond this time. Therefore, the Emperor and I have decided to select a princess from the Clan Relatives branch to bestow as a bride to Tubo's Zanpu."
After finishing her statement, the Queen fell silent for a while. When no one spoke up, she raised her phoenix eyes and scanned the crowd, a fleeting glimmer of something unnoticeable flashing in her gaze before she let out a soft huff. "I wonder if any of you noble ladies or matriarchs have any recommendations?"
The hall was filled with an eerie silence. Li Zhenyao noticed a young princess nearby who looked as if she might burst into tears, which made her want to laugh.
It was just a marriage to Tubo; was it really necessary for them to be so frightened?
However, before her smile could fully form, she suddenly heard a loud "thud" beside her.
"Your Majesty, I humbly report that I, Consort the Zeng from Jiangxia County Prince's Mansion, wish to recommend my daughter Yao'er to relieve Your Majesty and His Majesty's worries by marrying into Tubo!"
In the royal palace's imperial garden, behind a pile of artificial rocks, strange sounds could be faintly heard along with barely audible soft hums.
Consort the Zeng truly regretted her impulsive decision; she felt as if her insides were twisted with remorse.
In her eagerness for victory, she thought that by using this opportunity for Tubo's marriage proposal, she could send away Zhenyao and enjoy unrestricted freedom at Jiangxia Prince's Residence. Little did she remember that as long as Li Zhenyao remained there for even a day, she would not be able to claim the title of "the first" in Jiangxia Prince's Residence.
"Do you want to marry me off to Tubo? Do you think that just because the Emperor and Empress have arranged the marriage, I can't do anything about it? Do you think I'm the kind of person who can be easily manipulated?"
Li Zhenyao raised her fist and struck the Zeng's stomach hard, yet her expression remained unusually gentle. "Is that the look of a princess who is unwilling? It's fine, go ahead and shout! Let everyone see how my daughter dares to defy her superiors! Hurry up and scream!"
The Zeng was in so much pain that tears streamed down her face, but she didn't dare make a sound.
Heaven knows, she had just recommended this girl to the Empress for a marriage to Tubo, praising Li Zhenyao as an exemplary woman in front of the Empress and everyone else.
If word got out about this girl beating her stepmother in the palace, it would be a small matter of losing face for her lack of teaching; if the Empress found out she had recommended such a "Savage Shrew" to become a queen in Tubo, she wouldn't be able to survive.
"Is it that you really don't want to marry into Tubo? What’s wrong with Tubo that you would rather bear the name of being unfilial and unjust than go through with the marriage?"
A rough accent from the Central Plains suddenly rang out from above, startling both the Zeng and Li Zhenyao.
Looking up, they realized that someone was sitting atop the rockery.
"You... you're not..." Li Zhenyao's tongue suddenly stumbled over her words, thrown off by Lu Dongzan's unexpected appearance and his commanding position above them.
In truth, while she didn't want to marry so far away, she didn't have much aversion to Tubo itself.
She simply disapproved of the Zeng's actions and wanted to take this opportunity to teach her a lesson. Unexpectedly, she was caught red-handed by this Tubo "Great Minister," leaving her feeling guilty and unsure of how to respond.
"It’s me!" Lu Dongzan interrupted her without hesitation, revealing a whip in his hand that he hadn't had moments before.
Li Zhenyao felt a sharp tug in the air, and before she knew it, her waist was tightened. In the next moment, her feet were off the ground as she was hooked onto the rockery by the whip in Lu Dongzan's hand, much like a fish caught on a line.
"Hey, what do you think you're doing? Just because you're strong doesn't mean you're impressive! This is the palace! Do you think I'm just some little fish or shrimp from the river?" Li Zhenyao couldn't hold back her anger. As soon as she regained her footing, she lunged at Lu Dongzan, determined to strike first.
Since her mother's death, she had suffered many hidden losses at the hands of the Zeng family. Gritting her teeth, she had gone to her maternal grandparents' home to learn martial arts for two years, and now she could show off her skills with a semblance of grace.
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