Chapter 130: What a Coincidence

"Your mother is also reluctant to see you marry so young, so I only wish for you to be betrothed first to put my mind at ease. Furthermore, Zhou Siyuan is handsome, accomplished in both literature and martial arts, and possesses an extraordinary temperament. He is the legitimate son of the Duke of Dingguo. Most importantly, his mother was a highly revered and beloved princess of the Jing Kingdom, and the only precious daughter of the Jing monarch. After marrying into the Duke’s household, she gave birth to him, her only bloodline, so the Jing monarch holds his grandson in high regard and deep affection."

"Although the Jing Kingdom is a small border state, its influence cannot be underestimated. Zhou Siyuan’s distinguished background is unmatched across the entire Li Dynasty. Only you, the most noble Princess Danqing of the Li Dynasty, are worthy of him."

Guli knew that her mother and father were deeply entrenched in their views on social status—prejudices so deep-rooted they were practically unshakable.

Unwilling to argue, she replied listlessly, "Then how does Mother know for certain that he is handsome or has an extraordinary temperament? He has been at Mount Tianming for so many years and hasn't returned once. No one has seen what he looks like. Who says he is handsome? For all we know, he could look like a monster!"

The Empress was amused by her childish remarks. "It is not as if you didn't play with him when you were little. Even as a child, he had rosy lips and white teeth, a well-defined appearance; it was clear he would grow up to be a stunning man. Besides, look at the Duke of Dingguo—even at his current age, he is remarkably handsome and imposing. Zhou Siyuan is his son; how could he possibly be any less?"

"Even so, so what?" Guli pressed her point. "Just because he is talented and has a distinguished background, must I marry him? If I do not like him, I will not be happy."

"Nonsense." The Empress, dismissing her words as merely the petulance of youth, smiled and said, "You grew up together. You often played in the palace as children, have you forgotten? You used to follow him around, calling him 'Brother Siyuan,' and even said you would be his wife when you grew up. That is the bond of childhood sweethearts. The foundation of affection is already there; once he returns and you spend some time together, you will surely grow to like him."

"Those were just childhood jokes—how can they be taken seriously?"

Recalling the days of trailing behind Zhou Siyuan, Guli did have a faint recollection. That was only because her brother, the Crown Prince, was often pushed by their father to study and had no time to play with her. Among their peers, only Juan'an remained, but they had never gotten along, leaving Zhou Siyuan as her only playmate.

However, she had never entertained any other thoughts about him; she had truly seen him only as an older brother and a companion. Those jokes about "becoming his wife" were nothing more than childish prattle, learned entirely from the illicit romance novels she had stolen from the palace concubines.

Besides, her heart already belonged to someone else. She knew deep down that her feelings for Lie Chang'an had grown into a love that had no beginning but had already taken deep root. How could she possibly develop feelings for someone else just by "spending time together"?

The Empress, still assuming this was just a child’s tantrum, smiled again. "You might not know this, but when you went to Lihuai County last time, Zhou Siyuan had already been summoned back from Mount Tianming by the Duke. However, while passing through Suoluo Town, he heard that the Jing monarch was ill and had to detour to care for his grandfather. He stayed for some time until the monarch recovered before continuing his journey to the Li Dynasty. I hear he will arrive before the Empress Dowager’s birthday."

"Regarding Suoluo Town, your brother the Crown Prince mentioned that you passed through there on your way back from Lihuai County. It seems the two of you truly share a bond of fate."

Guli was completely defeated by her mother. It seemed that in the Empress's eyes, Zhou Siyuan’s position was unshakeable; even having passed through the same town was now being touted as a sign of destiny. By that logic, as a noble princess, she must share a fated connection with every single person who had ever set foot in Suoluo Town.