Prince Beimo had no idea what to say anymore.

Could he just say that Prince NanAn and the others’ bottom line was actually this low?

He was starting to doubt who was really his Imperial Sister’s Imperial Brother here.

"You all... are really Young Master Zhao’s good brothers?" Prince Beimo’s eyes were full of doubt.

Hearing that, Prince NanAn and the others were finally at ease.

That proved their sincerity was truly moving.

Prince NanAn shook his jade fan and said, "Princess Jing Mountain is our future sister-in-law; of course we’re on sister-in-law’s side."

Prince Beimo, "..."

Yeah, he could see that.

These demands were absolutely made from his Imperial Sister’s point of view.

So meticulous it was downright terrifying.

Even if you tried to pick bones out of an egg, you couldn’t find a single thing to complain about.

Leaving the rest aside, they’d even written out the matter of Zhao Xu taking concubines.

As a King, it’s impossible for his harem to have only the Empress alone.

Only if three years after marrying, Princess Jing Mountain still had no children, could he take concubines—and even then, the concubines would be chosen by Princess Jing Mountain for Zhao Xu, and the number in residence could never exceed three.

Four people, just enough to make up a mahjong table.

"In residence?" Prince Beimo frowned.

Chu Shun explained, "At first glance it looks like it favors Brother Zhao, but it actually favors sister-in-law even more. If he wants to add one, he has to demote one to the Cold Palace to make room."

"You think these people won’t fawn over sister-in-law like their lives depend on it?"

"..."

"No need to take this clause too seriously. How could there possibly be three years without children? My sister-in-law has a secret recipe; just go ask her for one," Prince NanAn said.

"Writing it in just makes us look thorough on all fronts."

"..."

What could Prince Beimo say? He looked at another clause, the corner of his eye twitching. "A bestowed whip, with which she can beat the King above and the officials below, and no one is allowed to dodge?"

Mm.

This clause was inspired by Xingxing.

Su Jin lost her memories and didn’t know how to use a whip.

The whip the Emperor had bestowed was always carried on her, but she never had the chance to use it.

Not only that, she even had to worry that if she didn’t hit someone else, she’d end up hitting herself.

Xingxing had lamented more than once that it’d be great if no one dared dodge the Emperor’s bestowed whip.

And so—

Prince NanAn and the others decided to get Princess Jing Mountain a similarly invincible whip.

The whip’s authority was absolute, but Princess Jing Mountain couldn’t just use it to whip people for fun whenever she wanted. Otherwise Zhao Xu would have the right to revoke the whip; if she was going to whip people, it had to be with proper cause and reason.

"Of course, if Princess Jing Mountain doesn’t like whips, she can switch it to a cudgel," Prince NanAn said.

"..."

There was also the matter of boredom in the Imperial Palace and Princess Jing Mountain wanting to go out for a stroll.

Zhao Xu could accompany her out of the palace four times a year, but the exact dates would be decided by Zhao Xu...

...

Prince Beimo read from beginning to end and said, "Does Young Master Zhao know about the promises you’ve made on his behalf?"

"He doesn’t," Chu Shun said.

"..."

As expected—

If he knew, how could he possibly agree?

Prince Beimo set the letter aside and said, "If you can persuade Young Master Zhao to accept these terms, then Beimo will agree to send my Imperial Sister to marry him."

Prince NanAn and the others smiled. "Then this matter is practically as good as settled."

"We’ll go find Brother Zhao right away and have him write a copy himself. Let your guard come with us; he can hear Brother Zhao’s promise with his own ears on your behalf."

Prince Beimo thus sent his guard to make the trip in his place.

To prevent Zhao Xu from doubting them, Prince NanAn had Prince Beimo write down what he’d just said.

Though they hadn’t grown up with Zhao Xu, they’d spent quite a while living in the Dongxiang Marquis Mansion.

With Zhao Xu’s temperament, how could they not know him?

He was willing to beat up Prince Beimo for Princess Jing Mountain’s sake; clearly, he liked her immensely.

Back when they were staying at the Dongxiang Marquis Mansion, they’d once chatted about taking concubines, and Zhao Xu had said that in this lifetime, having one person to devote his heart to was enough.

As for the whip—

Xie Jingchen had only been able to marry Su Jin, detoxify himself, and survive because he’d been publicly tied up with the whip the Emperor bestowed on Su Jin. With a cousin blazing the trail ahead, how could a younger cousin not be mentally prepared?

And even if Zhao Xu refused one or two clauses, they could tell Prince Beimo was mentally prepared for that as well.

At the very least, their sincerity had already made Beimo far less resistant to marrying Princess Jing Mountain to Zhao Xu.

As for the rest, they could discuss and negotiate. How could the marriage not work out?

Prince NanAn and the others didn’t delay; they hurried back to the border, riding hard.

Taking along the wedding gift Xie Jingchen had prepared for Dong Chenglang, they went straight to the Zhao Family.

They happened to arrive at a good time: the Zhao Family was decked out with lanterns and streamers; the next day would be Dong Chenglang and Miss Zhao’s grand wedding.

Seeing Prince NanAn and the others arrive, Zhao Xu was ecstatic.

But the joy on his face froze for a fleeting moment when he saw Prince Beimo’s guard.

He couldn’t help it; the guard and Prince Beimo’s post-beating faces were an image that refused to leave Zhao Xu’s mind.

So why was Prince Beimo’s guard at the Zhao Family?

And he’d even come together with Prince NanAn and the others.

When he learned that the ones who had gone to Beimo to help propose for Princess Jing Mountain were Prince NanAn and company, Zhao Xu’s head went a little fuzzy; he just felt like a gigantic pit was hurtling toward him.

He hadn’t forgotten their earlier suggestion about wearing a thorn vest to plead guilty.

After reading the conditions Prince NanAn and the others had negotiated, Zhao Xu let out a huge sigh of relief.

"Is there anything in these terms that Brother Zhao is unwilling to agree to?" Prince NanAn asked. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

"As long as you’re not making me wear a thorn vest and plead for forgiveness, I’m perfectly content," Zhao Xu said.

"..."

Prince NanAn’s mouth twitched as he looked at Prince Beimo’s guard. "See? I told you he’d agree."

The guard, "..."

What else could he say?

These people’s bottom lines were lower one after another.

They were all Princes; how could their demands be this low?

How to put it... in Zhao Xu’s mind, Prince NanAn and the others were the very definition of "unreliable."

The pit they’d actually dug for Zhao Xu was nowhere near as big as the one he’d imagined they would dig.

That gap instantly made him feel satisfied.

As for taking concubines or whipping people—he wasn’t the type to take concubines, and Princess Jing Mountain wasn’t someone who’d casually whip him either.

"And about accompanying her out of the palace four times a year—isn’t that too few?" Zhao Xu asked.

"..."

The guard pressed a hand to his forehead. "It’s not suitable to make it more. Outside the palace isn’t safe."

"If possible, I’d like to change ’accompany her out of the palace four times’ to ’no more than four times,’" Zhao Xu said.

"..."

Prince NanAn and the others all had black lines on their foreheads.

Wasn’t Beimo the one setting conditions for Brother Zhao?

Why did it sound like Brother Zhao was the one laying out conditions for Beimo?

Zhao Xu agreed to all of these terms.

Of course, all these conditions were on the premise that Zhao Xu successfully overthrew Nanliang.

Zhao Xu personally copied the terms over, stamped them with his private seal, and handed them to Prince Beimo’s guard.

The guard said, "I need to hurry back and report to the Eldest Prince, so I won’t stay to drink the wedding wine."

Zhao Xu didn’t insist on making him stay.

After the guard left, Zhao Xu looked at Prince NanAn and the others. "So how did you convince Prince Beimo to let bygones be bygones?"

Prince NanAn and the others laughed. "Nothing much. For the beating you gave him, we helped him beat it back from you—on your behalf."

Zhao Xu, "..."