Dingbei Hou's doctor brother

Chapter 184 Marriage

"Oh, the Marquis is finally back." He hurriedly called to the servant who was clearing the dishes in the courtyard, "Go and set a table for the Marquis."

"No need, Uncle Wu. I ate on the way back." Xiao Yan said, "I just came to see Dad."

"Oh, yes, yes." Butler Wu slapped his forehead with a smile and said happily, "The master is in the backyard."

After he finished speaking, he hurried inside, jogging and calling cheerfully, "Master, Master, the Marquis is back."

Xiao Yan followed him in. As soon as he passed the ceremonial gate in the backyard, he saw the old man standing in the yard with crutches under his armpits, staring blankly at the door, and calling him happily.

"Yan'er."

Xiao Yan's face showed alternating expressions of surprise and joy. He walked over excitedly, then looked around with a look of doubt on his face, and even stuttered when he spoke.

"Dad? What's happening to your leg...?"

Xiao Cong said with a smile: "Your father can finally stand up now."

Xiao Yan still couldn't believe it, it was like a dream.

"Dad, wasn't your leg already healed? Why is it happening again now... Which doctor did you hire to treat it? Why haven't you ever told your son about it?"

Xiao Cong chuckled and deliberately kept the question a secret, "Hasn't that doctor always lived in your house?"

Xiao Yan was startled again, "Ziqing? Is it him?"

Perhaps it was because Lu Ziqing had many unspeakable and inseparable entanglements with him, coupled with his past.

He couldn't calm down for a while, the excitement brought by this surprise that was as big as the sky, and no words could express his gratitude.

Xiao Yan calmed down his excitement and listened to Xiao Cong say, "The first time I saw him, I felt a sense of déjà vu. I don't know if it's because he also has the surname Lu, or because he looks familiar, but I always felt that I had a good connection with this child."

Xiao Cong slowly moved his crutches and walked towards the main hall.

"He was able to heal my leg, which had been crippled for years. I, your father, was truly astonished. He's so young, yet his medical skills have reached the pinnacle. There are probably few people in this world who can match him. He's truly a miracle doctor."

Xiao Yan followed Xiao Cong slowly into the house. His heart was already blossoming when he recalled the past. He said softly.

"He is truly kind. He saved my son from life and death several times. This trip to Shuzhou is also thanks to him. Otherwise, my son would not be able to come back and see his father today."

"What's wrong?" Xiao Cong looked at him from the side and asked worriedly, "Are you injured?"

Xiao Yan helped him sit down, "It's okay, it's resolved."

"As long as everything is fine." Xiao Cong said, and then mentioned something else.

"Oh, by the way, I'm glad you're here. I have something to tell you. His Majesty came in person today. Besides congratulating you on your birthday, he also discussed something with me."

"What's the matter?" Xiao Yan asked.

"It's about Princess Xining." Xiao Cong said slowly.

"Ever since the kidnapping incident, the princess's mental state has not been as good as before. Besides being frightened, I heard from the Crown Prince and the Emperor that the princess is interested in you. As a result, she has lost her appetite and is depressed."

He sighed deeply, paused for a moment, and continued.

"You saved the princess, and you know best whether she is innocent or not. Prince Jin is a kind person who treats the people with kindness. Although my Xiao family is not close to him, we are not strangers to him."

"Now that something like this has happened to the princess, if she gets married in the future, others won't know her well enough and will certainly not treat her sincerely. Prince Jin only has one daughter. He may be able to protect her well while he's alive, but after a hundred years, I'm afraid the princess won't live a happy life."

At this point, Xiao Cong paused with concern, hesitated for a moment, and asked: "The princess..."

"The princess is fine." Xiao Yan knew what he meant by asking, "She was just frightened."

Xiao Cong nodded reassuredly and continued.

"Since the princess is interested in you, she is still a virgin, and you are of marriageable age, a marriage between our two families would be a match made in heaven. This is also the intention of His Majesty and the Queen Mother. The Crown Prince has a close relationship with you and he strongly supports this matter. I will discuss this with you now, but you must understand that His Majesty is here in person."

Xiao Yan lowered his eyes and remained silent. It felt like there was a huge stone pressing down on his heart, and he couldn't breathe. After a while, he calmed down and spoke.

"Father, I have no feelings for the princess at all. Forcing ourselves to be together like this will only harm her for the rest of her life. I would rather remain single than be a sinner."

"Even if you all think this marriage is perfect, to me, it is pain."

He paused as he spoke, as if he was thinking, or making a decision, then he tilted his head and took a deep breath.

"I know that with His Majesty and the Queen Mother here, Dad is in a difficult situation. To prevent Dad from being embarrassed, I am willing to apply to guard the border."

When Xiao Cong heard this, his already serious face darkened even more, but he did not get angry.

"If you are really sent to the border to garrison, your father has nothing to say, but if you are going to escape this marriage, I do not agree."

"In the past few years, you could use the excuse of being young and wanting to make achievements and serve your country, but now that you are older, it is time to start a family."

"You rejected Grand Tutor Shen's daughter two years ago, and again later. Back then, His Majesty and the Queen Mother, mindful of your youthful arrogance, indulged you once or twice. Are you going to refuse again now? What will happen in the future? How many times can you refuse?"

He sighed softly, "My Xiao family has been loyal to the emperor and the country for generations, and has never slacked off. It is precisely because of this that my Xiao family has received so much favor and care from the royal family. However, the rule that the emperor is superior and the ministers are inferior has been an insurmountable gap since ancient times.

"Although we are loyal, we must still strictly observe our duties as subjects and not overstep our bounds. Sometimes, even if we have a thousand ideas and suggestions in mind, we must consider them carefully."

"The Emperor means that if you mind the impact of the Princess's incident, you can remarry her in the future. This will save her reputation and that of Prince Jin, and also put an end to the worries of His Majesty and the Queen Mother."

Not every sentence mentions oppression, but every word is coercion.

But what Xiao Cong said was not wrong. The emperor is above and the ministers are below. They have to accept the emperor's grace and favor on the surface, as well as the orders from within.

Even if you are unwilling and unwilling, you will not be able to escape in the end.

Xiao Yan felt so much pain from the oppression, as if he was torn into pieces and trampled into the ice and snow outside the house, turning into a pile of broken flesh and blood. The cold and pain intertwined and tortured him, making him truly taste the pain that penetrated into his bones.

He clutched the armrest of the chair and remained silent, and remained silent again. Only the sounds of maids and servants talking and laughing outside the yard could be heard.

a long time……

He responded in a hoarse voice, "Son, just obey."

The son who had always opposed the marriage finally gave in. Xiao Cong relaxed his brows as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders, and at the same time comforted him.

"Father knows you don't like the princess. It doesn't matter if you don't like her now. Maybe you can develop feelings for her after marriage. Even if you don't have feelings for her in the future, you can always go find someone you like."

Xiao Yan did not answer this question. He was silent for a moment and asked something else softly.

"Ziqing came to Dad's place today and hasn't left yet. Where is he?"

Xiao Cong said "Oh", "He's drunk. I asked someone to take him to the side yard to rest."

Xiao Yan nodded silently, stood up and said, "It's late, Dad should go to rest, I will take him back home."

"and many more."

He hadn't taken a few steps when Xiao Cong called him and gave him some instructions.

"Lu Ziqing has done me a great favor. Please thank him on my behalf. He originally said he wanted to resign and leave the capital a while ago, but I forced him to stay and attend today's birthday banquet before leaving. He had already submitted his resignation letter, but the Crown Prince hadn't agreed yet, so Your Majesty is still trying to keep him here today."

"What?" Xiao Yan's face suddenly changed, and he felt unwell. "He wants to resign?"