https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-662-The-Promise-of-a-Royal-Marriage/13042056/
Chapter 663: Resignation
Chapter 663: Resignation
25th September 2017
Emperor Ling of Han could be considered an incompetent ruler, but he was by no means a true fool.
At the very least, in terms of intelligence, he was on par with the average person, perhaps even slightly above. It was just that his intellect and abilities were not sufficient to handle the situation before him, let alone defy the destiny that the system had subtly predetermined for him.
Inside the Hall of the Mysterious Chamber, despite being stunned by the conversation between Emperor Ling and Lu HaiKong, none of the officials dared to speak up after Emperor Ling's previous actions.
Lu HaiKong's marriage to Princess Tai Ping was decided upon, even though there was a prerequisite, neither Lu HaiKong nor Emperor Ling truly took it to heart. They were both equally confident about this matter.
What Emperor Ling didn't know was that when he spoke those words, a system prompt appeared in front of Lu HaiKong.
【You have triggered a quest: Marry the Princess!
Quest Description: You have gained the favor of Emperor Ling and received the promise of Princess Liu Yue's hand in marriage. Within four years, defeat the Wuhuan and Xianbei tribes outside Bing Province, bring the heads of their chieftains as betrothal gifts, and marry the third princess of the Han Dynasty, Princess Tai Ping!
Quest Reward: Marry the Princess, ???
Failure Penalty: ???】
Lu HaiKong was surprised that even this had become a quest, but in that situation, he didn't have time to pay it much attention. After Emperor Ling's promise, Lu HaiKong immediately thanked the Emperor for his grace.
After settling Lu HaiKong's matter, Emperor Ling left the Hall of the Mysterious Chamber, satisfied, and the officials also dispersed.
Interestingly, many officials glanced at Lu HaiKong before leaving.
Some officials with quick minds were already considering whether they should establish a connection with this promising young man. Of course, even if they genuinely wanted to, few would take immediate action within the Hall. It would be too embarrassing, akin to openly standing by Lu HaiKong's side. Whether they could establish a connection with him was uncertain, but the trouble would undoubtedly be significant.
Lu HaiKong's face showed some excitement, but otherwise, there was no noticeable difference as he followed the crowd out of the hall. After hesitating for a moment, he didn't head towards Yue'er's side but returned directly to the military camp, as he still had some matters to attend to.
When Lu HaiKong returned to the camp, Xin Ping was already waiting for him and hurriedly greeted him.
"How's the investigation I asked you to conduct?" Lu HaiKong inquired as he entered his tent.
"I'm sorry, sir, but I haven't found any clues yet. The only thing I can confirm is that this rumor doesn't seem to originate from He Jin or Yang Zui." Xin Ping replied, bowing his head.
Lu HaiKong had been aware of the rumors about him from the start and had dispatched people to investigate. However, after several days, not only had the rumors spread, but Emperor Ling had forcefully suppressed them, and Lu HaiKong still had no leads.
"It seems that someone in Luoyang, aside from He Jin, harbors such ill intentions towards me." Lu HaiKong's eyes flashed with cold determination.
"If it weren't for Zhang Lang's help, and Emperor Ling's forceful suppression, I might have been affected too. Such opponents are truly despicable!"
"I'll assign more people to the investigation and do my utmost to find the mastermind..."
"Never mind, don't bother. The opponent is well-hidden, and you probably won't find them. Since this matter has been suppressed, let's put it aside for now. Just focus on your tasks. The more you rush to deal with these hidden adversaries, the more they will retreat into the shadows. For now, set this aside. When the time comes for them to resurface, they will inevitably do so."
Lu HaiKong had one more thing to say. He always felt that the first princess he had met once was somehow involved in this rumor.
Ever since Lu HaiKong learned that Yue'er was in the imperial palace, he paid even more attention to the first princess. As they were both Outlanders and princesses, Lu HaiKong constantly worried that she might harm Yue'er. However, for now, Lu HaiKong could only mobilize all available forces to keep an eye on her, as she was still a princess, and he couldn't do anything about her at this time. He could only ask Zhang Lang to be more vigilant.
After this sudden and shocking rumor incident, Lu HaiKong finally seized the opportunity.
He didn't plan to stay in Luoyang for long, especially after this rumor incident, which made it clear to Lu HaiKong that Luoyang was like a deep pond for him at this time. The longer he stayed, the more likely he was to sink into it. He had no time to linger in Luoyang and no interest in dealing with opponents whose identities were unknown.
Therefore, after this incident, Lu HaiKong personally sought an audience with Emperor Ling the next day to resign.
During the meeting with Emperor Ling's audience, Lu HaiKong couldn't hide his eagerness, appearing as if he couldn't wait to return and bring back the heads of the Wuhuan and Xianbei chieftains to marry Yue'er.
In this state, Lu HaiKong made Emperor Ling feel particularly close. Indeed, he liked the loyal and trustworthy Lu HaiKong, but the Lu HaiKong who always had a stern expression made the Emperor feel that he was somewhat mature beyond his years, creating a sense of distance. At this moment, Lu HaiKong seemed much more comfortable, appearing as a young man should.
Moreover, as an emperor, there was an innate desire for control. Compared to the previous Lu HaiKong, Emperor Ling naturally preferred the current version, as this Lu HaiKong was clearly under his command.
So, when Lu HaiKong sought to resign, Emperor Ling deliberately teased him for a while, causing the originally mature young man to blush with embarrassment. Of course, it was hard to tell how much of Lu HaiKong's current state was genuine and how much was deliberately put on at Zhang Lang's suggestion. However, the part about Yue'er was likely not fake.
After teasing Lu HaiKong, Emperor Ling eventually agreed to his resignation.
Thinking that this young man before him was about to leave, Emperor Ling, for once, felt a rare sense of sentiment. He patted Lu HaiKong and even spoke a few heartfelt words.
"HaiKong, when you go to Bing Province, be careful about everything. Don't rush to fight the Wuhuan or Xianbei tribes. Prepare well before going to the battlefield, and be extra cautious there. I'm still waiting for you to come back and become my son-in-law!"
Although Emperor Ling had some suspicions about Lu HaiKong, these words genuinely came from his heart. Lu HaiKong, looking at the sincere, chubby Emperor Ling, nodded heavily.
"Enough, I won't say much more. As you said, a real man should wield a three-foot sword and achieve greatness. Go! Do your best!" Emperor Ling patted Lu HaiKong's shoulder and sent him off with a flourish.
However, after Emperor Ling finished speaking, he noticed that Lu HaiKong's face turned slightly bitter, showing no intention of leaving. Startled, Emperor Ling wondered what this young man was up to.
Lu HaiKong scratched his head and said with some embarrassment, "Your Majesty, before I leave, can I... can I go to Princess Taiping's palace once?"
In the 1619 book bar, there is no error in the version!
Hearing this, Emperor Ling's chubby face broke into a smile, "You little rascal, go, go!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty. I bid farewell!"
Lu HaiKong jumped with joy, bowed to Emperor Ling, and left after receiving his permission.
Watching Lu HaiKong depart excitedly, Emperor Ling's chubby face revealed a sincere smile, "Father, I truly adore this young man. If only he were my son, how wonderful it would be!"
As Emperor Ling watched Lu HaiKong's departing figure, he did not notice Zhang Lang's complex expression. Being Lu HaiKong's ally, he naturally knew how much of Lu HaiKong's behavior was genuine and how much was an act. To be honest, even he was impressed by Lu HaiKong's acting skills. He never expected Lu HaiKong to be such a good actor, earning Emperor Ling's favor.
Of course, at this moment, Zhang Lang could not expose Lu HaiKong's act, saying, "To receive such favor from Your Majesty is his blessing."
"Blessing? Who can say for sure? I even said that having such a son would be a great blessing. I wouldn't have to worry about this vast empire."
At this point, Emperor Ling suddenly remembered Lu HaiKong's previous appearance and teased, "However, if he were my son, this young man might cry if he couldn't marry Princess Taiping."
Lu HaiKong, unaware of Emperor Ling's deep affection for him, was currently rushing towards Yue'er, or rather, Princess Taiping's palace.
Lu HaiKong had been to Princess Taiping's palace countless times recently, and he knew the way well. Less than half an hour after leaving Emperor Ling, he arrived outside Princess Taiping's palace.
As before, the palace gates were tightly closed, just like the previous few times.
Previously, Lu HaiKong had been forced to leave in this manner, but this time, the situation was somewhat different.
On the one hand, Lu HaiKong had received Emperor Ling's verbal order, and on the other hand, the news of Emperor Ling's secret marriage proposal had already spread. At this moment, the group of palace maids and eunuchs at Princess Taiping's palace dared not block this future son-in-law.
As soon as Lu HaiKong arrived, a gap opened in the palace gates, and two familiar heads poked out.
To Lu HaiKong's surprise, Yue Qian Liu and Leng Ning both looked sullen when they saw him. After simultaneously calling him a pervert and retracting their heads, they closed the door.
Lu HaiKong was left with a head full of question marks. What was going on? When did he become a pervert?
Lu HaiKong seemed to have forgotten that he had asked Emperor Ling for a marriage proposal in front of the entire court and that he preferred this underage princess over the adult one. If that wasn't being a pervert, what was?
(End of Chapter)
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