The Whole Dynasty Spoils the Tyrant's Beloved Youngest Daughter-Chapter 456 - 452: Everyone Feels Sad

Everything about her would no longer be her own, but belong to the people of the world.

She had to be responsible for her people!

Jun Ning nodded heavily, indicating she understood Emperor Yongning’s words. Her gaze towards him was filled with unwavering determination.

"Alright." Emperor Yongning’s body was somewhat weak, and after saying this, he signaled Xiao Lizi to find an excuse to have him retire.

He couldn’t faint in the court.

Both within the court and beyond it, there were many eyes watching. He couldn’t afford to have anything happen at this crucial moment of power transition. He needed the handover of power to be smooth and steady.

He still had to hold on for a while longer.

Once the young girl had warmed the throne a bit, it wouldn’t matter if he died.

Xiao Lizi used the excuse that Emperor Yongning’s medication time had arrived and had to leave to take his medicine, pushing him away. Next was to greet the new emperor and discuss preparations for the enthronement ceremony.

Jun Ning listened to the ministers for a long time and finally decided to hold the enthronement ceremony and her wedding to Qi Xiao on the same day. This would save the national treasury’s expenses.

The Kingdom of Dong Chu just fought a war, and she had to lead by example in increasing revenue and reducing expenditure, avoiding extravagance.

Some ministers agreed, while others opposed.

The dissenters said, how could the nuptials of the new emperor be mixed with the enthronement ceremony?

In such a case, the wedding would inevitably be a secondary event, since the main ceremony was the enthronement.

Thus, the presence of the emperor’s consort would be too low.

It was somewhat unfair to the new emperor and to the emperor’s consort alike.

But after much debate, they finally acceded to Jun Ning’s proposal due to a limited budget from the treasury.

Jun Ning feared Qi Xiao might feel disappointed, so she specially approached him after the court session to discuss this matter.

Qi Xiao listened for a long time. He was not someone unaware of the situation, recognizing that the treasury was overloaded due to the war expenses, and extravagance should be avoided.

Yet, he felt somewhat upset.

Ah Ning spoke of it so casually, yet it’s their wedding, a once-in-a-lifetime event he cherished and regretted deeply. Was she truly indifferent? 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

"Crown Prince?" Qi Xiao hesitated a few times, unsure if he should speak, but ultimately decided to do so.

He asked, "Do you... like Xiao Er?"

Jun Ning widened her eyes to look at Qi Xiao, "Why do you ask like this?"

Qi Xiao pursed his lips, "Xiao Er just wants to know, could the Crown Prince please answer Xiao Er?"

As Jun Ning looked at Qi Xiao’s emotionless face, it was starkly different from when he looked at her affectionately as a child.

No more did he have the inclination to approach, to be close and rely on her.

She thus thought, perhaps his sudden question arose because there truly was someone else in his heart. Yet, due to her status, it was difficult to say, so he asked just to let her understand and step aside.

Jun Ning took several deep breaths, turned her back to Qi Xiao, and said, "Xiao Er, the marriage between us was arranged by the Emperor at your birth, known throughout the nation. Now, regardless of whom you or I like, we must marry."

"Otherwise, we would be breaking our promises, contradicting ourselves. The words we say and the Imperial Decrees we announce would no longer be trusted."

"And being untrusted is an incredibly frightening thing!"

"I hope you understand, it hasn’t been easy for the Kingdom of Dong Chu to get to where it is today. In recent years, whether it’s the power transition or the Crown Prince’s marriage, changes are not easily made."

"The Kingdom of Dong Chu needs to recuperate to face even stronger enemies ahead."

Qi Xiao: ".........."

So, with so much explanation from Ah Ning, does she really not like him?

A scorching tear suddenly rolled down his cheek and onto his neck, burning him. Especially in the heart, hurting him deeply.

Seeing Jun Ning about to turn to face him, he quickly wiped away the tear and said, "Alright, Ah Ning, I understand."

Jun Ning said, "Rest assured, even if we marry, it will only be superficial. After marriage, we can live separately. In the future, if you find someone you like, I can find a way to help you leave this marriage. However, I need time to plan carefully and cannot act rashly."

Qi Xiao: "..........."

His future was arranged for him too?

Haha!

"Crown Prince, let everything proceed according to your plan," Qi Xiao said, "Recently, I’ve been promoted and have work to attend to, so I’ll return to the Ministry of War."

"Alright, go ahead."

Qi Xiao left, Jun Ning gazed at his departing figure, so resolute, without a hint of reluctance, as if spending even a minute more with her was torture.

She felt overwhelming sorrow.

Xiao Er, do you really find our marriage so unacceptable?

"Someone, summon Ye Ying to come over," Jun Ning said, "And bring some wine."

Jun Ning had something weighing on her heart, wanting to speak to someone, but Jing Shu hadn’t been around recently. After several attempts to find her, she had no luck, and there was no one else close enough.

Only Ye Ying was someone she could talk to about anything and everything.

Ye Ying had experienced the false identity of the Eldest Prince being exposed and went through this battle. No one dared to ignore his contributions anymore, and now Jun Ning held more real power in her hands than she had in previous years, rewarding Ye Ying was but a trivial matter to her.

Ye Ying had now been ennobled, bearing the foreign title of Ye Wang.

Ye Ying quickly entered the palace after being summoned.

During the time he took to enter the palace, Jun Ning drank quite a bit herself, becoming somewhat drunk, her cheeks flushed, displaying a bit of girlish softness.

Her usual sharpness, determination, had been dimmed considerably.

Ye Ying sat on the small table in front of her, took a sip, and said, "You finally think of drinking with me? Only, how are you already drunk?"

"Ye Ying, you’re here!" Jun Ning said, "Had you not come, I’d have to digest all the sadness from Qi Xiao by myself, and it would be too late to tell you about it."

Upon hearing this, Ye Ying’s hand holding the drink suddenly froze mid-air, "......"