Forced to Marry the Enemy Prince

To Zhan Yin’s shy and genuine feelings, not to mention Zhan Zhen even Xian Sheng got goosebumps.

Xian Shang didn’t know what to say, so he ate quietly. Like Xian Sheng, he ate slowly and behaved decently.

After a while Zhan Zhen said: “Eat.”

After the meal, they casually strolled on the street for a while. Before long, Xian Shang asked Xian Sheng, “Are you tired?”

“Not yet.”

After walking for a while, Xian Sheng slowed down and without waiting for Xian Shang to say anything, Zhan Zhen suddenly carried him on his back, saying, “Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of him.”

Zhan Yin followed, took another look at Xian Sheng, then lowered her eyelashes and tugged at her fingers.

Xian Shang and Xian Sheng looked at each other, the latter smiled lightly and he (Xian Shang) said, “It’s been a long day, go back and rest early.”

“Brother too.”

They said goodbye, Xian Shang watched his brother disappear and asked Tang Li, “Do you have something to say?”

Tang Li whispered in his ear and Xian Shang’s face changed slightly: “…This lunatic. Find an opportunity to tell Sheng’er.”

Xian Sheng was carried back to the carriage by Zhan Zhen. With a cold face, he called Zhan Yin away.

Zhan Yin cowered by the wall and Zhan Zhen who was leaning on the opposite wall felt his legs go weak.

“What do you mean by that expression just now? Do you like Xian Shang?”

Zhan Yin bit the bullet and said, “Sister-in-law’s brother… must be a good person.”

Zhan Zhen lowered his eyes, took a moment and asked, “Do the royal father and mother know?”

Zhan Yin shook her head.

Zhan Zhen said: “Okay, you can talk to them and see if they agree.”

He turned and left. Zhan Yin didn’t dare to breathe. When the carriage passed by the curtains were raised by the wind and she saw Xian Sheng sitting inside, the side of his face was stunning, like a jade.

She took two steps forward and watched the carriage leave, her eyes glowing slightly.

Suddenly someone patted her shoulder, Zhan Yin was startled and looked back and she became furious: “You still have the nerve to come back.”

“Sorry, something came up.” Zhan Jin asked, “Was it the royal brother just now?”

“Mm.” Zhan Yin’s expression was a bit depressed and Zhan Jin asked again, “Something on your mind?”

“I could have talked to you about what’s on my mind, but it turns out you’re a younger brother.” Zhan Yin was very dissatisfied: “How can you lie to me?”

“You can’t get over this, can you?” Zhan Jin said good-naturedly, “I didn’t do it on purpose.”

Zhan Yin frowned and Zhan Jin tentatively said, “What is it, you can tell me as you always did ……after all, father has ordered that I can only be a princess in this life.”

Zhan Yin showed a distressed expression, touched the head of her younger brother who was taller than her and said, “I am worried …… that something will happen to my sister-in-law.”

Zhan Jin grabbed her, walked inside again and asked, “You were distracted that day when you returned from Xian Shang’s residence, do you know something?”

“No.” Zhan Yin said, “I’m just a little worried.”

Zhan Jin looked at her and asked, “What are you worried about?”

“…I don’t know, I’m just worried, I always feel that something is wrong.”

“How else can you know that something is wrong? Honestly, did you hear something or see something?”

Zhan Yin didn’t say a word for a while. After a while she said, “I think my brother-in-law took the risk and sneaked here, probably because he was worried that my sister-in-law is being bullied by Da Jin and I want to do something for my sister-in-law. A’Jin, say if I marry to South Liang, will my father treat my sister-in-law more seriously?”

“You are crazy.” Zhan Jin said: “No matter how good Xian Sheng is, South Liang is also an enemy country. What are you………. thinking?”

“I think I seem to be in love with my sister-in-law.” 1

Zhan Jin: “…”

His expression twisted for a moment and suddenly snorted with laughter. Zhan Yin glared at him, Zhan Jin had to stop laughing and said, “In fact, at first, I thought she was a man disguised as a woman, then I confirmed her pulse with the royal uncle, only to find that it was my illusion.”

Zhan Yin was suddenly stunned.

The scene in Xian Shang’s residence suddenly flashed in her mind. She was acting strangely at that time. That day, when she lifted the quilt, for a moment, she hoped that Xian Sheng would be the same as Zhan Jin.

She said she didn’t see it, but she also saw it. But what she saw wasn’t so clear.

Zhan Yin suddenly lowered her eyelashes, she was in a trance for a while and thought of Qi Sile’s words again.

He was a cut sleeve but said that he fell in love with a woman, is it possible?

And A’ Jin, he is a man disguised as a woman, so he must know best.

His sense of perception, not to say that it is definitely accurate, but there must be some signs.

“A’ Yin?” She was thinking so deeply and Zhan Jin hurriedly called her back to her senses and said, “Don’t think about it, she is our Royal brother’s woman, there is no point in you liking her?”

Zhan Yin blinked and said, “Actually, I heard that there are many beauties in South Liang, so I want to go. Moreover, with my sister-in-law here, they will be very kind to me.”

“You… Just try to talk to our father and see if he agrees.”

Inside the carriage, Zhan Zhen has not spoken since he came in. His face was sullen and he didn’t know what he was thinking. Xian Sheng couldn’t help looking at him and said: “My brother did have a childhood sweetheart before. But when it was time to talk about marriage, the girl’s family died suddenly. In order to observe the mourning, the wedding date had to be postponed. Then when Marquis Qi invaded Nanyang, brother had to go to the battlefield, when he came back the girl’s child was one year old.”

“What are you trying to say?”

“My brother hasn’t married yet. First, the two countries are in constant wars. Second, it’s also because he doesn’t want to.” Xian Sheng said gently: “If A’Yin really likes him, I can talk to my brother about it.”

Zhan Zhen’s face was cold: “A Yin can’t marry South Liang.”

Xian Sheng retracted his gaze and the inside of the carriage was quiet for a while.

Of course he knew that if he had a choice, his parents would not be willing to let him marry into Jin. He could understand Zhan Zhen’s reluctance. After all, with the current national strength of Great Jin, there is no need for a princess to marry.

Even if it is necessary, it will definitely not be Zhan Yin.

Zhan Zhen didn’t know what he was thinking, his brows were wrinkled all the way until the carriage stopped. He carried Xian Sheng down and said casually: “A’Yin is still young, she has been spoiled since she was a child and doesn’t understand anything. If she went to South Liang alone, what can she do if she was wronged? The mountain is high and the road is long. We would only be able to see her a few times in this life and we won’t even know even if she died.”

“Hmm.”

Zhan Zhen habitually first put him in front of the stove, let someone change the hand stove to a hotter one: “Let her talk to Father and Mother by herself, I don’t care about her.”

Xian Sheng smiled and rubbed the flannel bag covering the hand stove with his thin white fingers. Zhan Zhen suddenly withdrew from his thoughts, looked at him quietly for a while and said, “Did I say something wrong again?”

“No.” Xian Sheng said: “Your concern is indeed justified.”

“… I don’t mean that your brother is not good. It’s just that when men change their minds, not everyone can be like me and be with just one person. In the end she is my sister, so I must help her choose.”

Xian Sheng laughed: “You do not have to explain so much, I understand.”

“But I don’t think you’re happy.” Zhan Zhen held his hand and said, “what’s the matter with you?”

“Nothing.” Xian Sheng said softly, “It’s just that if I die over here, maybe my parents will never know for the rest of their lives.”

“Nonsense.” Zhan Zhen quickly moved over and hugged him from behind: “I won’t let you die.”

“It doesn’t matter.” Xian Sheng covered his hand and said: “People will eventually die.”

“Baby ……” Zhan Zhen kissed him on the cheek, his voice low: “Why are you suddenly saying such things? What happened? Tell me about it?”

“It’s nothing.”

Xian Sheng gave him a kiss and said, “Do you think I look better in men’s clothes or women’s clothes?”

“Naturally, both look good.”

Xian Sheng thought for a while and said, “If possible, I still want to be buried in men’s clothes.”

“Why do you say all these depressing things?” Zhan Zhen felt uncomfortable in his heart but Xian Sheng snickered and touched his chin, “I mean, after you and I are 100 years old, if possible, I want to be buried in men’s clothing, do you mind?”

“How would I hate it?” Zhan Zhen said yearningly: “When I become the emperor in the future, you want to do whatever you want. I will comply with you even if you want to build a palace out of gold.”

Xian Sheng pushed his head and reprimanded: “You are such a faint headed ruler.”

“Coincidentally, beauty happens to be the standard for a faint headed ruler.”

He fished Xian Sheng into bed, covered the person with the quilt, tapped the tip of his nose with his finger, and said, “What gift do you want for your birthday, I will definitely get it for you.”

Xian Sheng rolled his eyes and said, “What do you think?”

Zhan Zhen’s eyes flashed slightly and suddenly said, “I know.”

“Know what?”

“Just watch, you will like the gift prepared by me.”

“I just don’t know if I can get it.”

“…You have to believe in your husband” Zhan Zhen said sternly: “Even if you are discovered, I will protect you. If the worst comes to the worst, I will elope with you to the remotest corners of the earth and lead a wandering life.”

Xian Sheng’s eyes glistened, his lips curled and he said, “You just keep coaxing me. Accompanying to elope with you with this body is like looking for death.”

“Then, when we leave, let’s go to the treasury to steal some gold and silver treasures? To save you from suffering later.”

“Who cares about your treasury, I guess it’s not as much as my dowry.” 2

Zhan Zhen didn’t hold back anymore, “The frog at the bottom of the well3, when I ascend the throne, I’ll show you.”

“You are going to elope with me and still ascend the throne?”

“…… that will not do, I’ll just elope with your dowry, it will be enough to eat for a lifetime.”

Xian Sheng couldn’t help it. He kissed him on the mouth and said with a smile, “look at you, so poor. I’m very delicate, that little dowry is not enough to feed me.”

“It’s a big deal, I’ll just move boxes to the dock and support you.”

Xian Sheng laughed out loud. When Zhan Zhen saw him happy, he couldn’t help but be happy too. Xian Sheng thought for a moment and added: “Let’s arrange for my brother to go at the end of this month, I can rest assured when they leave.”

“Okay.”

Perhaps it was Zhan Yin’s words about wanting to marry into Liang. Zhan Zhen suddenly understood Xian Shang’s mood. His own smelly sister can’t let go of Xian Sheng’s charm, let alone Xian Shang’s. 

He took Xian sheng’s words to heart and the next day he went to test Emperor Jin’s thoughts, who suddenly looked at him and asked: “What are you afraid of?”

“It’s not just because of  the old troops of the Marquis of Qi, I feel that it is not safe enough. If something happens to Prince Shang by mistake, we will not be able to save face.”

Emperor Jin was making a new bow, twisting the bowstring in his hand, and said with a smile: “There is nothing to be afraid of those people, at this point if they can’t distinguish the situation and angers Prince Shang, pull them all out and kill him to relieve his anger. The marriage between the two countries cannot be destroyed.”

“If we do this, won’t you chill the hearts of the soldiers?”

“If Prince Shang is unharmed, cutting down this group of old men will naturally chill people’s hearts, but if Prince Shang is dead, killing them would be justified.”

Zhan Zhen’s heart jumped: “Father wants to break the union?”

“That depends on Liang’s sincerity.” Emperor Jin glanced at him and said gently, “Zhan Zhen, do you think they are sincere?”

It was a test.

Zhan Zhen’s expression looked slightly grave and displeased, “If the Crown Princess is not considered sincere, then what is meant by sincerity?”

Young and energetic, it was the time when young people were in love, Emperor Jin was amused and pacified him: “Don’t be angry, of course I know you like her.”

Zhan Zhen dodged his outstretched hand, his face still gloomy: “Since you know that your son likes ‘her’, you shouldn’t have ideas about harming ‘her’ family.  If ‘she’ dies, I will hang myself at the entrance of your palace, so that everyone knows that you have made your own son a widower.”

“You kid…” He defended Xian Sheng so righteously, but Emperor Jin felt that he thought too much. After all, he knew his son, whatever secret that Xian Sheng has, he(XS) would definitely not be able to hide it from his(ZZ) eyes. He patiently said: “You can rest assured, I will not touch your little baby and I also told your mother to take her to the temple to worship Guanyin in two days, so that she can be safe and also to give you a nest full of little immortals”

“It’s still a nest of little immortals. If ‘she’ knows that you are going to use the former subordinates to fight Prince Shang, so that you can kill two birds with one stone, and maybe vomit blood in a fit of anger and probably after your son is left behind, I will hang myself in front of the imperial mausoleum , so that you can see what it means to have “Children and Grandchildren4” in advance.”

Eunuch Liao covered his mouth and snickered, but suddenly he saw Emperor Jin pointing at Zhan Zhen and said to him, “See, my own son dares to talk to me like this, pull him down and chop him up.”

1

poor Zhan Yin and her unrequited love

2

haha Xiang Sheng is so savage

3

井底之蛙 [jǐng dǐ zhī wā] be like a frog at the bottom of a well — able only to see the little patch of sky above;   a frog living at the bottom of a well — a person with a limited outlook;   be but a frog in a well — a person of narrow view

4

an idiom of sort to describe the elderly enjoying their old age, such as: children and grandchildren in the hall, children and grandchildren around the knees