The Prince Beimo wanted to arrange for the Prince NanAn and his entourage to rest at the Palace, but they refused.

Zhao Xu’s current identity is awkward, and them helping Zhao Xu to propose makes it even more awkward.

They came to help Zhao Xu, but it’s more like helping solve the issue of Zhao Xu having beaten the Prince Beimo twice.

Once this conflict is resolved and the marriage is agreed upon, Zhao Xu’s affair will be successful, and an envoy will be sent to Beimo to formally propose marriage.

They were just making the trip in advance to get Zhao Xu’s reassurance.

The reassurance would be obtained when Beimo seeks an explanation from Nanliang about Prince Cheng.

Prince NanAn and his entourage did not stay at the Palace. Prince Beimo did not make things difficult for them and returned to the palace.

King Beimo and the Beimo Empress have already met Zhao Xu; if Zhao Xu were a Beimo person, they would be wholeheartedly in favor of this marriage.

It’s a pity Zhao Xu is Nanliang person, now raising troops to rebel and overthrow the Nanliang regime.

Princess Jing Shan is their dearly beloved, and they really don’t want their daughter to marry too far away.

Once married, it might be difficult to see her again in this lifetime.

Even sending a family letter would take over half a month with urgent dispatch.

How many princesses marrying for alliances have not had tragic ends?

Especially if she might be marrying the new ruler of Nanliang.

But the Beimo Empress was moved by Zhao Xu’s deep feelings for Princess Jing Shan when he entered the imperial palace alone.

She hesitated between agreeing and disagreeing—it’s rare to marry someone you like who also happens to like you, missing it would be a shame.

Indeed, no one knows how long such affection will last.

Perhaps three to five years, perhaps three to five months, or maybe a lifetime.

Getting married might lead to regret.

Not marrying would definitely lead to regret.

The Beimo Empress didn’t want her daughter to hate her for a lifetime.

She couldn’t make this decision herself and decided to listen to King Beimo.

King Beimo was also troubled: if Zhao Xu could overthrow the Nanliang regime, he would certainly be willing to marry his daughter to him.

After asking for King Beimo and the Beimo Empress’s opinion, the Prince Beimo knew what to do.

He returned to his own chamber.

Since Princess Jing Shan knew the Prince NanAn and his entourage came to help Zhao Xu propose to her, she couldn’t sit still.

She couldn’t hold back and went to find her Imperial Brother.

The Prince Beimo was pondering what conditions to propose.

The door creaked open, Princess Jing Shan walked in. Prince Beimo looked at her, pretending to scold, "Imperial Sister, why don’t you knock before entering?"

Princess Jing Shan walked to the desk, leaning on it, "Imperial Brother, you don’t love me like you used to."

Prince Beimo, "..."

"How could I not?" Prince Beimo said strongly.

"I used to tear down your door, and you couldn’t even bear to say anything." Princess Jing Shan said.

"..."

Recalling Prince NanAn’s statement about how the elder brother’s arm cannot twist the younger sister’s leg, Prince Beimo felt exhausted.

The summary was so accurate and fitting.

He looked at Princess Jing Shan saying, "Zhao Young Master has beaten your Imperial Brother twice, and yet instead of retaliating for him, you plan to marry him."

"Imperial Sister, your Imperial Brother’s heart is devastated by you."

Princess Jing Shan was rendered speechless.

Prince Beimo clutched his chest, pretending to be in pain.

The palace maid standing by almost suffered internal injuries from holding back laughter.

Princess Jing Shan gripped the desk edge in grievance, saying, "If Imperial Brother can’t beat him, how could I?"

Prince Beimo, "..."

Raised his hand to support his forehead.

This Imperial Sister is too much.

"Imperial Brother?" Princess Jing Shan called.

Prince Beimo, heart-weary, said, "Father and Mother have agreed to your marriage, think about the conditions you want from Zhao Young Master, and your Imperial Brother will present them."

Princess Jing Shan’s face blushed.

The palace maid said first, "The first rule: no taking concubines."

Prince Beimo frowned, looking at Princess Jing Shan, said, "Imperial Sister, historically, no emperor has had only one partner all their life."

He also wished his Imperial Sister would not be troubled by matters of the royal household.

But is this possible?

An emperor not taking concubines, the officials wouldn’t agree.

Such an impossible demand written down, even if Zhao Xu agreed now, he would go back on it in the future.

Whether it’s by choice or forced, it would become a thorn in his Imperial Sister’s heart.

Rather than harboring such thoughts leading to future rifts, it’s better to recognize this reality now.

If she chose a man from Beimo, as long as her father was around, the Prince Consort wouldn’t dare to misbehave.

But could they constrain Zhao Xu?

Princess Jing Shan was feeling more depressed, the palace maid raised her hand to slap her mouth.

She regretted speaking out of turn, saying things she shouldn’t have, upsetting the princess.

Princess Jing Shan understood her Imperial Brother spoke the truth, she is just a princess, her father and mother showed deep love, yet there are many concubines in the palace, and even so, every two to three years, ministers would urge her father to take more concubines.

"Imperial Brother, I’ll go back first," Princess Jing Shan said.

After saying this, she turned and left.

Prince Beimo sighed.

The pen in his hand was hard to drop.

Sitting for an entire hour.

Still unable to write much.

The next day, nearing noon, Prince Beimo finally took the paper with few words to find Prince NanAn and his entourage.

Prince NanAn and his companions were waiting impatiently.

Although the Beimo Capital is bustling, they know no one, and they are worried about Prince Beimo’s arrival, unable to leave, bored in the house.

"It’s almost noon, Prince Beimo still hasn’t come, did he change his mind?" the Heir of Marquis Beining said.

The Eldest Young Master of Duke Dingguo glanced at the Heir of Marquis Beining, "Can’t you think positively?"

"Perhaps the demands are many?"

Just then, the door was knocked.

"Come in," Chu Shun said.

The door was pushed open, Prince Beimo walked in.

Prince NanAn and his entourage stood up, said, "You’ve finally arrived."

Prince Beimo handed over the paper, Prince NanAn casually took it and opened.

On the paper was written: One Death Exemption Token.

"That’s the only demand?" Chu Shun asked.

"..."

Prince NanAn looked behind Prince Beimo, asked, "Is there a big pile not brought up?"

Prince Beimo, "..."

The guard, "..."

Prince NanAn and his companions turned over the paper repeatedly.

A cartload of requests was normal, having only one was too abnormal.

Prince Beimo sat down, said, "There’s only this one demand."

"The rest depends on Zhao Young Master’s sincerity in marrying my Imperial Sister."

Indeed—

Beimo is not so easy-going.

True, giving demands won’t match Zhao Xu’s willingness to make statements.

But speaking of sincerity, the four of them brought enough sincerity.

Prince NanAn took out two sheets of paper from his chest, said, "On the way here, we four stood in Beimo’s perspective to make demands on Brother Zhao."

"See if this sincerity is sufficient."

Prince Beimo took the paper, glanced at it, his mouth twitched relentlessly.

He looked at Prince NanAn and his companions with a complex expression.

Prince NanAn gazed at him, said, "Is it still not enough?"

"This is almost the bottom line."