Chu Yanhan said, "I’ve thought it over carefully, and I’m afraid this isn’t a good idea. If we recommended Jiayi, the Royal Family might think we’re suggesting an illegitimate daughter and that we don’t take them seriously, which could affect the relationship between the Chu Family and the Royal Family."

Xuan Yu bit her lip, "What’s there to be afraid of? I’ve cultivated Jiayi these past two years. Whatever the young ladies in Nanga City can do, she can do just as well. There’s no difference between her and the other wealthy young ladies, and the Ya Family will certainly like her. Besides, there’s another point, I’m afraid... she can only marry into the Ya Family."

Chu Yanhan didn’t understand what his wife meant and looked at her.

Xuan Yu slowly said, "You should have also heard that, during the year Jiayi went missing in China, she was always with the young Huo in G City."

Chu Yanhan’s face tightened as he nodded.

Given the history between S Country and A Country, he was of course very aware of who the young Huo was.

"You didn’t see it with your own eyes, how possessive Huo Zhenyang was over Jiayi. To put it unpleasantly, he practically kept her as a pet. When Xinyu accidentally hurt Jiayi’s hand, he locked up Xinyu for two days, torturing her from head to toe. I went to the embassy to ask Ambassador Qiu to intervene so that he would let Jiayi return to the country, and he wouldn’t even give face to the ambassador. Do you know, he even... he even mocked, saying things like even if Jiayi returned to the country, probably no one would want her, no one would dare to marry a woman he had been with, and he said that for all we know, Jiayi might even be carrying his child... He completely regarded Jiayi as his own possession. Even when Jiayi returned to the Chu Family, I had to sneak her back without Huo Zhenyang knowing, otherwise, I couldn’t guarantee it would be successful."

As she spoke, Xuan Yu observed her husband’s face.

Sure enough, Chu Yanhan’s face had turned ashen.

She continued, "...Now I’m worried that once Huo Zhenyang discovers that Jiayi is gone, it will only be a matter of time before he causes trouble for us. Yanhan, our Chu Family’s daughter has been monopolized by him for a year, should we really send her back to him? In politics and military matters, S Country has always been subordinate to A Country, are we supposed to just give away our children to sleep with nobles of their country? Yanhan, honestly, can you swallow such an indignity? Thus, marrying Jiayi to the Ya Family isn’t a bad idea. No matter how powerful Huo Zhenyang is, he’s unlikely to defy the Royal Family of S Country, or snatch someone from the Ya Family, right? Even if he had the capability, he would have to consider the relationships and face of both countries. If Jiayi marries Ya Chen, Huo Zhenyang would know to back off and give up on his own."

Chu Yanhan’s tense grip slowly relaxed.

It had to be said, Xuan Yu’s reasoning was very sound.

After all, having his daughter marry a disabled man was better than her being toyed with by a rich playboy.

More importantly, he did not want his daughter to have anything to do with Huo Zhenyang.

A Country, resting on its former colonial identity, continued to press down on S Country and frequently interfered in its internal affairs.

Years ago, Chu Yanhan’s father took him, then a young child, to China to avoid trouble, also because A Country was stirring unrest in the political climate of S Country.

If not for A Country, how would Chu Yanhan have had to suffer as a refugee with his father from a young age, and be an orphan in an orphanage for twenty years, enduring the pain of being separated from his homeland and parents?

Over the years, Chu Yanhan had harbored a deep resentment toward A Country.

And that young Huo, who didn’t know he was related by blood to A Country internationally?

In Chu Yanhan’s eyes, Huo Zhenyang represented A Country, which he secretly detested.

He would not possibly marry his daughter to Huo Zhenyang, let alone send her back to be played with.

With these thoughts, Chu Yanhan finally said no more and let out a long sigh.

Originally, he had felt rather upset about Jiayi marrying Ya Chen, especially since he had learned that Xia Tingxuan was still alive. He had not wanted Jiayi to marry Ya Chen, feeling it was truly unfair to both mother and daughter.

Having already done a disservice to Tingxuan, how could he throw Jiayi into the fire, marrying her off to a man who was both blind and paralyzed?

If Ya Chen were to pass away young, Jiayi, carrying the title of the Crown Princess Consort, would have to live a lonely life, unable to remarry for the rest of her days.

But now it seemed, if Jiayi did not marry Ya Chen, she might end up facing an even greater ordeal.

Chu Yanhan sighed.

Tingxuan, this is also a solution born of desperation.

You will forgive me, won’t you...

After several minutes of silence, Chu Yanhan furrowed his brows again, "But, if the Royal Family finds out that Jiayi has been with another man this past year, they probably won’t agree to let her marry Ya Chen either."

No matter which country’s royal family, they value the chastity of their daughters-in-law above the background of the women. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

For instance, in modern times in royal families of Japan, Norway, Denmark, the United Kingdom, and other countries, queens, and crown princess consorts may come from commoner backgrounds, but they definitely have clean histories with absolutely no scandalous news.

Xuan Yu said, "Rest assured, when Xinyu and I went to China to find Jiayi, we did it secretly without much fanfare. After returning, I also cautioned the bodyguards to utterly not leak a word about Jiayi’s affairs in China; the Ya Family will not know."

——

Meanwhile.

On the second floor of the Chu Family, in a bedroom.

After Jiayi had a falling out with Xuan Yu, Xiaxia brought up her meal.

"Third Miss, please eat," Xiaxia said as she placed the piping hot meal on the table.

Because she was waiting for her mother to return, Jiayi hadn’t eaten until now.

Her stomach was a bit hungry, but she still couldn’t eat, feeling a blockage in her stomach.

Right now, she felt like a cat whose neck was being squeezed by Xuan Yu.

What made her more anxious was that she didn’t know what Xuan Yu intended to do by tricking her into returning with such determination.

Additionally, she was very worried about Mommy.

Underneath Xuan Yu’s appearance of virtue and kindness, there hid such profound ulterior motives; could Mommy be having a good time in her hands?

But now, Xuan Yu was controlling her with the safety of Mommy, definitely not telling her where Mommy was, let alone allowing her to take Mommy away.

...

"I’m not eating. Just leave it there," Jiayi said wearily, continuously pondering over the purpose of Xuan Yu asking her to attend the royal banquet.

Suddenly, as she thought about Xuan Yu taking Chu Xinyu and Chu Xinyue shopping for clothes today, a thought flashed through her mind.

Xiaxia sighed softly, prepared to leave first and let the Third Miss rest alone.

Seeing Xiaxia’s retreating figure, Jiayi hastily said, "Xiaxia, do you know that the Chu Family is going to the Ya Family to attend a banquet?"

Xiaxia nodded, "Yes, I heard from the mistress."

"Why has the Ya Family invited the Chu Family to the banquet?"

Xiaxia spoke softly, "I heard from the old servant in the house, the Crown Prince is twenty-one this year, and it’s time for him to get married. Our Chu Family has always had a good relationship with the Royal Family, the Ya Family. With the Second Miss being unwell, she’s definitely not a choice, and the best candidate is then the Eldest Miss. I heard that the Ya Family has always wanted the Eldest Miss to form a marriage alliance with the Crown Prince. At the banquet, they’re likely to finalize this matter and settle an engagement between the Eldest Miss and the Crown Prince."

Jiayi understood everything.

Ya Chen—

The only son of the nineteenth generation King of S Country, Ya Qianhuai, yet he bore a broken body.

The Ya Family wanted to enter a political marriage with the Chu Family, and the Chu Family could not refuse.

But Xuan Yu couldn’t bear to marry her precious daughter to a disabled man.

She wanted her to replace her precious daughter and marry Ya Chen!