Chapter 462
Upon hearing this, Shangguan Mu, who had been drinking water, was so stunned that he forgot to react, and water actually dripped directly onto his clothes.
"What did you say?" Shangguan Mu really wondered if he had misheard.
This Second Miss Cheng, at first glance, did not seem like someone who liked him.
Yet now, she was standing before him, saying she wanted to marry him?
"What, the Third Prince is young but already hard of hearing?" Cheng Qingli looked at Shangguan Mu with a hint of sarcasm.
"Second Miss Cheng, I spare you on account of you being the Empress's younger sister, but do not mistake me for a paper tiger!" Shangguan Mu had never been known for a good temper.
He could not tolerate Cheng Qingli's repeated provocations.
"Whether you're a tiger or a cat, don't you know that yourself?" Cheng Qingli truly was not afraid of Shangguan Mu.
After all, there had never been anything in her life that made her back down.
Today was no different.
"Second Miss Cheng just said she wanted to marry me?" Shangguan Mu ignored Cheng Qingli's irritated words and pressed on instead.
In his mind, he was already calculating the advantages marrying Cheng Qingli could bring him.
Thinking about the hundred-year treaty his father had told him to bring back, if Cheng Qingli could help him get it signed, he wouldn't mind giving her a concubine's position.
After all, once Lannuo signed the hundred-year treaty, the crown prince position of Qinling Kingdom would be his.
"It is your honor that I, this young lady, am willing to marry you." No matter how she looked at Shangguan Mu, Cheng Qingli felt dislike.
And yet, this Shangguan Mu still put on such an air of arrogance. Cheng Qingli thought to herself, if it weren't to prevent Li Zhiwei from marrying him, she wouldn't spare a second glance at a man like him.
"Second Miss Cheng, is this how you ask for a favor?" Shangguan Mu raised an eyebrow.
"Which of your eyes sees me asking you for a favor?" Cheng Qingli demanded angrily.
"Then why is Second Miss Cheng so eager to marry me? Could it be that you're charmed by my handsome face?" Shangguan Mu asked, looking rather self-absorbed.
"Third Prince, does your Qinling Kingdom have no mirrors, or do you not even have urine? Don't you know to take a piss and look at your own reflection?"
Cheng Qingli rolled her eyes—which of his eyes saw her begging him?
"The way Second Miss Cheng acts now, it really doesn't seem like you want to marry me." Hearing Cheng Qingli's words, Shangguan Mu wasn't angry, but he was genuinely curious. Why, all of a sudden, would this Cheng Qingli insist on marrying him?
What exactly had happened?
Wen Zhaonan, who had originally come to take the Third Prince to the outskirts, walked in with a dark expression.
Clearly, he had heard every word Cheng Qingli had just said.
"Come with me!" Wen Zhaonan grabbed Cheng Qingli and left.
"What are you doing?" When Cheng Qingli saw Wen Zhaonan, the corners of her eyes reddened.
If she truly had to marry into Qinling Kingdom, the person she would miss most was Wen Zhaonan.
After all, he was the man she had dreamed of marrying since childhood.
Now that she had finally secured an engagement with him, she would have to marry into Qinling Kingdom.
"You're hurting me!" Cheng Qingli felt her hand throbbing from Wen Zhaonan's grip.
"Now you know pain? Cheng Qingli, what do you take me for?" Wen Zhaonan glared at her in anger.
This marriage had been proposed by the Cheng family in the first place.
And now, before they were even wed, Cheng Qingli was already crying out that she would marry someone else?
Did she think he was a dead man?
"Zhaonan, I'm sorry." Cheng Qingli lowered her head.
She buried all the grievances in her heart.
She didn't understand why Wen Zhaonan had immediately blamed her. If there had been another way, would she have humiliated herself by saying she would marry into Qinling Kingdom?
"Sorry? Cheng Qingli, do you take me for a fool?" Wen Zhaonan had actually guessed why Cheng Qingli had said she would marry the Third Prince.
But had she asked him?
Lannuo Kingdom was now strong enough to stand against Qinling Kingdom; there was no need to send a woman to marry into Qinling as a peace offering.
He didn't understand why Cheng Qingli would go out of her way to do something so foolish.
"I'm sorry!" Besides saying sorry, Cheng Qingli didn't know what else to say to Wen Zhaonan.
"Cheng Qingli, is your head filled with mush? How could you come up with such a stupid idea?" Wen Zhaonan sighed and finally looked at her with helplessness.
Cheng Qingli looked at him, confused.
"Alright, stop overthinking and go home quickly. This marriage alliance is none of your concern." Seeing her bewildered expression, Wen Zhaonan said helplessly.
After all, she was still supposed to carry out the Empress's orders and take the Third Prince out of the capital.
"No, it has to be me!" Cheng Qingli misunderstood his meaning, thinking he still wanted Li Zhiwei to marry the Third Prince, and she quickly interrupted.
"What marriage alliance? Go back home. I'll have a matchmaker come to your door to propose marriage soon." Wen Zhaonan thought that the reason Cheng Qingli was acting this way was probably because she was getting anxious about marriage.
Thinking of how this little girl had been chasing after him since childhood, marrying her sooner wouldn't be a bad idea.
Having said that, without waiting for Cheng Qingli to respond, Wen Zhaonan went straight to find Shangguan Mu.
After all, the Emperor's intention was to first get this Shangguan Mu out of the capital and give him a proper runaround.
When Shangguan Mu saw Wen Zhaonan again, he felt a bit uneasy.
After all, yesterday Wen Zhaonan had had a bunch of women pour him toasts, and he had to drink one cup after another.
He had even forgotten how he made it back last night.
Even now, he felt that there was still something important he had forgotten, though he couldn't quite remember what it was.
"Third Prince, did you rest well last night?" Wen Zhaonan walked up to Shangguan Mu and asked with a smile.
"Great, great, great! General Wen, that Second Miss Cheng came on her own." Shangguan Mu knew that Cheng Qingli was Wen Zhaonan's fiancée.
But he really hadn't done anything to her.
Who knew why Cheng Qingli had suddenly said she wanted to marry him?
Shangguan Mu glanced at Wen Zhaonan, thinking that Cheng Qingli must find him more handsome than this man.
She had fallen for his looks.
"Third Prince, I plan to take you out for some relaxation." Wen Zhaonan did not respond to Shangguan Mu's words but continued smiling.
"Where to?" Shangguan Mu asked nervously.
"I heard the Third Prince is an expert at horseback archery and hunting. So I specially petitioned the Emperor for permission to bring you to Lannuo's royal hunting grounds, so you can experience the joys of hunting in our kingdom." Wen Zhaonan smiled.
"Is it really just hunting?" Shangguan Mu asked suspiciously.
He did love hunting, but right now, being in Lannuo Kingdom, he couldn't help worrying that this General Pacifying the West might be setting a trap for him.
"Third Prince, you can rest assured. The Emperor has specifically instructed me to treat the Third Prince well." Wen Zhaonan said with great certainty.
