Su Daji: Ha, men. You can't fool me!

Marquis of Ji Province Post Station.

"Su Daji" was already eagerly waiting at the door.

When she saw Su Hu walking towards her, looking as dejected as a wilted eggplant, she immediately understood what was going on.

It's done.

She quickly went to greet him, her face immediately switching to a worried and concerned expression.

"Father, you're back?"

She held onto Su Hu's arm, feeling that it was icy cold and trembling slightly.

"Father, what happened in court? You... you look very pale."

Su Hu raised his head, looked at his daughter's face filled with concern, opened his mouth, but couldn't say anything.

What could he say?

Is it true that he was completely fooled by the King in front of the entire court?

Is it true that he was driven to a dead end by a flimsy excuse?

The frustration and resentment stuck in his throat, making it difficult for him to even breathe.

"Su Daji" helped him into the house and sat him down, then personally poured him a cup of hot tea and handed it to him.

"Father, please have some water and catch your breath."

Su Hu did not accept the tea, but stared blankly at her, his tiger-like eyes filled with pain and struggle.

for a long time.

He then spoke with difficulty in an almost hoarse voice.

"Your the King... summons you to the palace."

"... to accompany Her Your Ladyship the Queen." Su Hu practically spat out these words through gritted teeth.

Accompanying the Queen?

Su Daji sneered inwardly.

Ah, men.

Isn't it just because they're attracted to my good looks that they want to bring me into the palace?

That sounds very dignified.

Is this ridiculous reason you've come up with to demonstrate your benevolence as a ruler, or to conceal your shady desires?

How hypocritical and ridiculous!

She felt utterly disdainful, yet her face subtly revealed a hint of relief, which quickly transformed into worry for her father.

She stretched out her soft, boneless little hand and gently placed it on Su Hu's large, calloused hand, softly comforting him.

Father, don't be sad.

"It's just going to the palace to accompany the Your Ladyship, not some dangerous place."

"I have heard that Your Majesty the Your Ladyship is virtuous and kind, a model of virtue for the world. It is my blessing to be able to accompany Your Ladyship."

She paused, then looked up, her clear, bright eyes glistening with tears, filled with genuine emotion.

"For my father, for my brother, and for the Su Clan of Ji Province, your daughter... is willing."

Looking at his daughter kneeling on the ground, saying "I do," Su Hu felt as if his heart was being torn apart.

"What good fortune!"

Su Hu suddenly stood up, his eyes bloodshot, and the anger that had been forcibly suppressed erupted completely at this moment!

"To accompany the Queen? What a ridiculous excuse!"

"He's only after your beauty and wants to take you into his harem!"

"He publicly declared in front of the entire court that he would not take concubines, yet he resorted to such despicable means to coerce his ministers! What kind of ruler is he!"

He is unworthy to be a ruler!

Su Hu practically roared out those last four words, filled with endless disappointment and anger.

"Father!"

"Su Daji" was shocked and quickly stepped forward to cover Su Hu's mouth.

"Father! Be careful what you say!"

Her face was filled with terror, as if she was truly terrified by Su Hu's outrageous words.

"Father, this is Chaoge, not Ji Province! How can you utter such rebellious words!"

"Perhaps... perhaps Your the King truly has no other intentions?"

She let go of his hand and tentatively probed in an almost naive tone.

"Perhaps, His the King truly only admires my daughter's talent and wishes for her to enter the palace to serve the Queen, and has no other intentions?"

"After all, His the King has personally promised in front of all the civil and military officials that he will not take any more concubines."

Upon hearing this, Su Hu felt as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world, and he gave a bitter laugh.

Who would believe such a thing?

If he truly had no such intentions, why did he choose you out of the blue?

"There are so many daughters of high-ranking officials in the court, why choose the daughter of a feudal lord from faraway Ji Province to accompany the Queen?"

"Even a three-year-old wouldn't believe that!"

Su Hu slumped into the chair, utterly dejected.

"I'm so useless! I couldn't protect you!"

Seeing his expression, "Su Daji" knew that the time was almost right.

She crouched down, raised her tear-streaked face, and spoke in an incredibly calm, even resolute tone.

"Father, does it still matter whether you believe or not?"

"Su Daji" looked directly into his eyes and said, word by word.

"The important thing is that the reason given by the King was 'to accompany the Queen'."

"This is a reason we cannot refuse, and absolutely cannot refuse."

These words were like a bucket of ice water poured over Su Hu's anger, instantly calming him down.

yes.

The reason is not important.

The important thing is that those were the reasons given by the monarch.

If the king says he is accompanying the queen, then he is accompanying the queen.

If you do not believe, that is your sin.

"If we agree, it would mean we are loyal to the emperor and the country, understanding the bigger picture and prioritizing the overall situation."

"That would be defying an imperial edict, questioning the monarch's integrity, and being ungrateful!"

"At that time, how will the King treat us in order to maintain his royal authority and prove that he did not lie?"

"How will those two treacherous officials take advantage of our misfortune?"

"Father, when that time comes, our Su Clan will not only face a simple issue of 'offering a daughter,' but also annihilation!"

These words were like daggers to the heart.

Every word struck Su Hu's most vulnerable spot with precision.

He is not unaware of this principle.

I'm just unwilling to accept it.

He simply couldn't accept that he was personally sending his daughter into the lion's den.

Seeing his wavering expression, "Su Daji" added fuel to the fire.

"Father, I know you feel sorry for me."

"But things have come to this point, and we have no other choice."

"The arm can never twist the thigh."

"Please send your daughter to the palace."

"Regardless of what Your the King truly thinks, at least on the surface, my daughter is a distinguished guest accompanying the Queen, not a sycophantic concubine."

"The Su Clan's reputation has been preserved."

"And you, too, have fulfilled your duty as a subject, safeguarding the safety of Ji Province."

"This is the best outcome we can expect right now."

The best outcome...

Su Hu chewed on these words, feeling only bitterness in his mouth.

Is this the best possible outcome?

He traded his daughter's lifelong happiness for the sake of his family's continued existence.

He looked at his daughter, whose words were calm and clear, dissecting all the stakes with perfect clarity.

This Marquis of Ji Province, who had spent half his life fighting on the battlefield, was, at this moment, not as insightful as his daughter, who had been raised in seclusion.

yes.

There was no other choice.

From the moment the King uttered those words in the Golden Hall, the Su Clan had no other choice.

Su Hu slowly closed his eyes.

a long time.

He opened his eyes, and all the anger, resentment, and struggle in his cloudy tiger eyes had faded, leaving only a deathly silence.

"Good..."

A single word seemed to have exhausted all his strength.

"As your father... I'll send you to the palace."

"It is because I, your father, am incompetent."

I can't protect you.

Su Daji was overjoyed, but her face showed even more sorrow.

She lowered her head, buried her face in Su Hu's knees, her shoulders trembled slightly, and she let out a suppressed sob.

"Father, please don't say that."

"It is a daughter's blessing to be able to share her father's burdens."

She buried her face in Su Hu's robes to hide the barely suppressed smug smile on her lips.

It's done.

This stubborn old man has finally bowed his head.

This melodramatic performance is truly exhausting to act out.

However, the outcome was good.

Once you can enter the palace, what happens next will no longer be up to That One so-called Human Emperor.

Just wait and see.

What accompanies the Queen?

What does it mean to be averse to women?

Once it's in my hands, even if it's a stone, I can warm it up and turn it into water.

Di Xin, oh Di Xin.

Since you've gone to such lengths to get me in, then I'll play along with you.

I'll show you that it's easy to invite a god in, but hard to send him away.

I'm determined to ruin this Great Shang Dynasty dynasty for you!