Princess Wencheng broke free from the Empress's grasp and stuck out her tongue.
"I don't want to get married! I'm ignoring all of you!"
With that, she skipped off into the distance.
"When will Zeng Lang depart?"
The Empress hesitated. Her eyes flickered slightly as she looked up at Zeng Anmin.
Her chin was raised high, carrying a trace of stubbornness.
"Within the next couple of days." Zeng Anmin pondered for a moment.
He had stayed in Jiang Kingdom for rather a long time this visit. More than two months had passed since he obtained the Heavenly Lotus.
Less than a month remained before the spring examinations.
Time was running a little tight.
"Mm... then why not prepare yourself, Zeng Lang? Shall we marry tomorrow?"
As she said this, the Empress stared fixedly at Zeng Anmin.
"Marry?"
The moment Zeng Anmin heard those two words from the Empress, his scalp went numb.
"Yes."
The Empress's gaze was resolute.
"No... Nan'er, isn't this a little too hasty?"
Zeng Anmin felt as though even his tongue had dulled.
He hesitated, then looked at the Empress and said:
"My true identity absolutely cannot be exposed in Jiang Kingdom."
"But if I marry you as Wu Yanzu... that would be far too unfair to you."
At this point, tenderness seeped into Zeng Anmin's voice:
"I know Nan'er's feelings for me run as deep as the sea."
"But precisely because I know that, we cannot be so hasty over marriage."
The Empress's eyes dimmed slightly.
She gave a soft laugh and waved her hand.
"I was only saying it."
"Zeng Lang's concerns are indeed justified."
This was the time to change the subject.
By coincidence—
Zeng Anmin did have something else to tell the Empress.
"Oh, right, Nan'er."
His expression turned serious.
"There is