Chapter 462: Seduction (3)
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
When Xu Yan said this, even Imperial Duke Wei was stunned.
The surrounding guards of Imperial Duke Wei’s Mansion also looked at each other. At this moment, the noisy voices on the official road seemed to have disappeared.
Imperial Duke Wei looked at Xu Yan deeply.
Emperor Taizu had always been the most respected person today, and would most likely agree.
When Emperor Taizu first established the country, he suggested that men and women were equal and that women also had the right to inherit t.i.tles. However, over the years, those n.o.bles in the imperial family would rather adopt their nephews than pa.s.s the t.i.tles to their daughters.
Xu Yan could naturally tell that Imperial Duke Wei was moved. He said, “Brother, does Imperial Duke Wei’s Mansion have a t.i.tle for Yao’er?”
This was the greatest bargaining chip Marquis Ji’an could offer.
Even if Wei Wan returned with her daughter, Xu Yao, who had lost the protection of her father’s family and was living with her uncle, would probably be worse off than others in the future.
“What do you think, Brother?” Xu Yan struck while the iron was hot and continued to increase his leverage. “I can also guarantee that I won’t let Yu Qing and Xu Luo get in Wan’er’s way.”
When he said the word “deal with”, his tone was cold and heartless. He didn’t shout for a fight, but anyone could understand what he meant. Yu Qing and Xu Luo would not survive.
“As long as you agree, I’ll enter the palace immediately. I beg the Emperor to confer the t.i.tle of prince on Yao’er.”
After saying that, Xu Yan stopped talking. He continued to look up at Imperial Duke Wei, waiting for him to make a choice.
Their eyes met in midair, as if they were in a silent showdown.
Time seemed to have stopped at this moment.
Imperial Duke Wei looked at Xu Yan with increasingly deep and profound eyes, seemingly contemplating, with a hint of doubt and weighing the pros and cons of the situation.
After a long silence, Imperial Duke Wei narrowed his eyes, which were slightly droopy because of his old age, as if he had finally made a decision. He said, “Xu Yan, enter the palace with me.”
When Xu Yan heard this, his eyes widened slightly, and his back, which was originally as tense as a bowstring, relaxed. He heaved a sigh of relief.
He gestured, and his manservant came over with his mount.
Xu Yan quickly got on his horse and smiled at Imperial Duke Wei as if nothing had happened. “Brother, let’s go.”
A warm smile appeared on his face, as if there had never been any conflict between them.
The two of them entered the west gate side by side. The personal guards of Imperial Duke Wei’s Mansion followed closely behind. At first glance, the atmosphere was quite harmonious.
Wei Jiaoniang, who was in the tea shop, was simply dumbfounded. If not for Feng Yang beside her, she would probably have rushed forward.
Wei Jiaoniang frowned and was so anxious that she was scratching her ears and cheeks. She muttered, “What did Xu Yan say to Grandpa?”
She had long disowned Xu Yan as her granduncle, so she called him by his name impolitely.
Wei Jiaoniang craned her neck and watched as Imperial Duke Wei, Xu Yan, and the others walked past the tea shop. Her eyes were almost on fire.
The servant she had brought with her was a smart person. He ran to find Imperial Duke Wei’s personal guards to inquire about the news. Not long after, he returned to the tea shop and roughly repeated the conversation between Imperial Duke Wei and Xu Yan.
Wei Jiaoniang’s small mouth opened slightly, as if she had been struck by lightning. Her mouth opened and closed, but she didn’t say a word for a long time. Her expression seemed to be saying: Grandpa won’t agree, right?!
Gu Yanfei only glanced at the top of Xu Yan’s head gently before looking away. Her eyes were calm as she drank her tea.
“Heh.” Feng Yang let out a mocking chuckle.
Wei Jiaoniang’s eyes lit up. She keenly saw something wrong with Feng Yang’s smile and quickly asked, “Did you see something?”
Before Feng Yang could answer, she said, “Grandpa shouldn’t be moved by this mere marquis, right?”
The little girl stared at Feng Yang with bright eyes.
“A mere marquis?” Feng Yang laughed. At this moment, the seemingly kind old woman had a hint of sharpness in her eyes and eyebrows. Even the waiter in the tea shop couldn’t help but look in Feng Yang’s direction.
Feng Yang put down the teacup in her hand and said in a teaching tone, “Let me ask you, how many marquises are there in the Great Jin Dynasty now?”
Wei Jiaoniang replied without thinking, “During the founding of the empire by Emperor Taizu, he enfeoffed 28 marquises, but later, three… no, four marquises had their t.i.tles revoked.”
As she spoke, Wei Jiaoniang turned to look at Gu Yanfei with a complicated gaze. The fourth marquis whose t.i.tle was confiscated was from the Gu family..