Chapter 140: Transparency

Chapter 140

Transparency

The Emperor did not immediately respond to Princess An Le’s request. Instead, he cleared his throat and gently suggested that his beloved daughter return for now, as this matter required further consideration. An Le didn’t think too much of it. Since her father needed time to think, she wouldn’t press him. After all, her father always catered to her wishes. There was no way he would give away the second young master to some princess from the Xi Region.

As much as the Emperor loved and doted on his daughter, he still had the natural protectiveness of a father. Moreover, who exactly was this young man who had charmed his daughter without his knowledge? Suddenly, for no real reason, the Emperor found himself irritated with the second young master of the Hou Manor.

Before departing, Princess An Le reminded her father one last time,

"You can’t let him marry that princess from the Xi Region, Father."

Shortly after, news from the border arrived. General Song had crushed the Qin forces and successfully captured one of their border cities—a significant achievement. Instead of requesting a reward, General Song only asked that his younger brother be granted a marriage with the woman he loves. Song Qilin, stationed at the border, was unaware that Song Ren’s engagement with Chen Yuelan had already been called off. After the victory, he hurriedly sent a letter, hoping to secure his brother’s freedom.

In hindsight, Princess An Le had good perspectives. Song Ren had a spotless reputation, and people from the Hou Manor had shown nothing but loyalty to the Emperor. Despite the current political climate where officials were already picking sides—even though the Emperor remained in good health and had yet to name a crown prince—the Hou’s family stood neutral, not aligning with either faction. On one side was Rui Wang, the Empress’s son; on the other, Jun Wang, born to Mu Gu Fei, representing two powerful forces vying for control.

After much contemplation, the Emperor couldn’t find any real fault with Song Ren. He sighed deeply. His love for An Le made it difficult to accept that she would one day marry and leave. The thought of not seeing her every day left him feeling melancholic.

"What did you say?!"

Nie Shuang’s eyes grew as wide as goose eggs when she heard An Le’s words. Seeing the expression on Sister Nie’s face, An Le burst out laughing.

"Sister Nie, why do you look so shocked? I merely asked my father for the second young master."

Nie Shuang stared in disbelief. She had only just begun to suspect Song Ren’s feelings, and now Princess An Le had boldly made the first move. The princess’s openness was truly admirable, even by modern standards.

"Your Highness, do you realize that this means Song Ren would become an imperial son-in-law?"

An Le nodded with delight.

"I couldn’t win an argument with my father. If he decided to grant the Xi princess the marriage, then it would have to happen. When it comes to reasoning, he’s always able to justify anything. The only way to win is to make a direct request that he can’t refuse,"

She proudly declared.

“So, do you like Second Brother, Your Highness?”

"Does it matter? He’s pleasant to look at and has a good personality. I doubt there will be any issues being together, right? Sister Nie, you don’t know. Not every princess is as easy to talk to as I am. In the inner palace, the other princesses may speak sweetly in front of you, but they all have ulterior motives. None dare cross me, though, for fear that I would expose their true nature. Who knows what that princess from the Xi Region is like? If she marries into your family, wouldn’t you be in for a hard time?"

An Le spoke with a serious expression. Nie Shuang, though touched by her concern, couldn’t help but feel it was quite the sacrifice on An Le’s part. More importantly, she didn’t know what Second Brother would say. Whether the woman he secretly admired actually be Princess An Le was the bigger issue.

"Your Highness, have you considered whether Second Brother would be willing to marry in?" Nie Shuang asked, realizing too late she had used the wrong wording. ’Marry in’ was a phrase typically used when a woman marries a man. She quickly corrected herself, "Would he be willing to accept this marriage?"

"Why wouldn’t he? I’m practically perfect," An Le responded confidently. "He should be grateful. Marrying someone he’s never even met is far worse than marrying me."

An Le stated this as though it were an undeniable fact. Sometimes, Nie Shuang felt like she and the princess lived in completely different worlds. In the princess’s world, everything bent to her will. If something displeased her, she had the power to change it. It wasn’t surprising that she rarely worried or hesitated like most people.

"Has this been officially announced yet?"

Nie Shuang asked, unsure whether she should inform Second Brother about this development.

"My father said he needs time to decide, but I’m sure it’ll go through,"

An Le said nonchalantly. To her, it was inevitable that Song Ren would belong to her. Once the royal decree was issued, she would stop by to inform him so he wouldn’t be too shocked. In her mind, Song Ren would be speechless with gratitude, honored to have caught her attention. How many lifetimes of merit would one need to earn such favor?

The two returned to discussing the progress of the tea house. An Le offered to handle the design of the tableware for the shop, noting that the current white cups with the shop’s logo were too plain. She wanted to design something herself. Seeing the young princess’s enthusiasm, Nie Shuang agreed to let her handle it. She wasn’t afraid that An Le’s inexperience would lead to mistakes or failure, as the risk was manageable after she had assessed it. If the princess was willing to learn, mistakes were part of the process, and if she succeeded, all the better.

"If I decide on the cup design, I’ll immediately have the Royal Kitchen order them for production."

Nie Shuang quickly stopped her.

"That won’t do, Your Highness. This is a private business of ours, and we cannot involve the royal resources. Your Highness...if you wish to partner with me, you must clearly distinguish between personal and imperial matters."

An Le frowned in confusion.

"But the imperial craftsmen are more skilled. If I simply ask, Father will surely permit me to borrow them."

In her mind, the empire belonged to her father, so borrowing resources seemed perfectly reasonable. Nie Shuang almost wanted to hold her head in her hands, trying to explain the concept of transparency to the princess.

"If the tea house becomes a success one day, will Your Highness feel proud?"

"Of course. I was part of its founding, so success will be mine as well."

"And what if people say the tea house didn’t succeed because of the founders’ abilities, but because the princess misused her power and took royal resources for personal use?"

"Who would dare!? I’d have their tongue cut out!"

Nie Shuang held her temples again.

"Your investment and the land are your private property, so that’s not wrong. But the imperial craftsmen work for the court. They can’t be used for personal projects or business ventures."

At this, An Le slowly nodded in understanding.

"In that case, I’ll hire skilled craftsmen from outside instead."

Once they were on the same page, Nie Shuang excused herself to leave. While riding in the carriage, she pondered how Second Brother would react if he found out about the potential royal marriage.