Wang Hao reached outside the house of the Prime Minister and hopped down from his horse. The guard quickly came down. "Take care of it," Wang Hao commanded him and walked in. He went straight to the main house to meet the Prime Minister.
After informing the chief servant of the Prime Minister about his visit, he waited for his call. The chief servant came out of the room and allowed Wang Hao to go in.
The Prime Minister stood up and told Wang Hao to sit on the chaise. He nodded and made himself comfortable on the chaise.
The Prime Minister also sat down on the other one, resting his palms on his thighs.
"General Wang, what's the reason for your sudden visit?" the Prime Minister asked him politely.
"I do not want to marry Miss Ai. I think that I am not capable enough for her," Wang Hao told the Prime Minister, who was shocked to hear that. The smile from his lips vanished slowly.
"Can General Wang tell me the reason? My daughter was eagerly waiting for General Wang. You are also aware of her feelings for you. Did you not like something about Ai Huian? I-I will try my best to correct," the Prime Minister tried to convince Wang Hao. His daughter's heart would break down. She waited for him for many years.
"Miss Ai Huian's personality is wonderful. However, I do not find myself capable of her. I know that she has feelings for me, but since I never knew about her, I never developed feelings for her– not even after today's meeting. I see someone else as a woman. I cannot tell the Prime Minister about her. However, I do not want to keep him in the dark. There is no use if I go ahead with this marriage because I believe that I will not be able to keep Miss Ai happy."
Wang Hao after fighting with his inner self for almost two hours landed on this conclusion– not to marry Ai Huian. When Sheng Li asked him if he liked Bai Yaling by any chance, something shook him inside. He never bothered for women in his life except for his younger sister Yin Na. After knowing Bai Yaling, his heart got attracted to her. That's why he decided to tell the Prime Minister first before things slipped out of his hands.
"What can I say when General Wang already has someone in his heart," The Prime Minister said and sighed.
"Forgive me," Wang Hao lowered his head because he was guilty.
"It is not the mistake of General Wang either. My daughter had never met him before until today, so it is obvious that General Wang would have never known about her. I am glad that he truthfully told me about his feelings rather than going on with this relationship. I, as a father, want my daughter's happiness and cannot let her marry a man who will never love her," the Prime Minister accepted the decision of Wang Hao.
Though, he was a little disheartened thinking his daughter might cry after knowing that the person whom she loved, did not want to marry her.
"Thank you, respected Prime Minister. I am glad that you accepted my decision wholeheartedly," Wang Hao said and bowed. He stood up and took his leave.
On the other hand, the Prime Minister went to meet his daughter as he wanted to deliver this message to her.
Wang Hao came out of the residence of the Prime Minister. He hopped on his horse and rode to his home. He went straight to his room. He removed the upper robe and handed it to the servant standing beside him.
"Master was looking for you," the servant informed him.
"Prepare the bathhouse first. I would like to have a bath first," Wang Hao stated.
The servant bowed and walked out of the chamber. Wang Hao looked at himself in the mirror. "Will Princess Bai accept me? I took such a big decision, however, I do not know if she would like to go forward with this marriage or not," Wang Hao murmured.
Another servant walked in with the white silk bathrobes. He placed it on the table and went out. Wang Hao wore them and left for the bathhouse.
After getting into the hot water bathtub, he rested his arms on the wooden platform. He did not like the way Shi Zhihao pointed the fingers at Princess Bai Yaling's child. "I could not even punish him for saying such a rude thing," he mumbled. Taking a dip into the water, he picked the hemispherical wooden mug and took out the water from the bucket that was placed on the platform. He poured it over his body and put the mug back on the platform.
Thirty minutes later, he called in the servant and ordered him to send a message to his father that he would meet him in the next ten minutes. "Send the Chrysanthemum tea to my father's chamber," he commanded the servant, who left the bathhouse while Wang Hao came out of the bathtub. He got dressed and after getting ready went to meet his father.
Wang Fuxing was eagerly waiting for his son in his chamber. The tea server brought the tray and placed the cups and teapot on the floor desk. Wang Hao entered the chamber and greeted his father.
"I was waiting for you. Have a seat," Wang Fuxing said with a smile. "You just had a bath," his father said as he saw the open shoulder-length hair of his son.
"Yes, Father." He gestured to the tea server to leave. Picking the teapot, Wang Hao poured the tea into the two cups. He forwarded one to his father, who lifted the teacup.
Sipping the tea, Wang Fuxing said, "What's the matter? It seems you have something important to say to me. Did something happen in the Palace? I heard from Huo Jin that for the past few months, how much politics occurred in the Palace." He again sipped the tea and told Wang Hao to drink too.
"Father, Prince Shi Zhihao refused to marry Princess Bai Yaling," Wang Hao informed him.
"Oh. That's sad news. The former Emperor had shown trust in him. Why did he do this?" Wang Fuxing asked his son.
"Because Princess Bai is pregnant," Wang Hao replied.
"What?" Wang Fuxing was a little surprised to hear it.
"Yes, Father. The Emperor had turned furious. Also, I chased Prince Shi's convoy," Wang Hao said. His father knitted his brows and confusedly glanced at his son.
"Did the Emperor give you orders regarding that?" Wang Fuxing asked, but Wang Hao shook his head. By now, he had gotten the idea that his son would say something big to him. It was odd that he chased the convoy of the Eastern Prince without the permission of the Emperor.
"I wanted to know why Prince Shi did this. I was confident that he would accept this marriage. Father, Princess Bai tried to take her life by jumping in the lake of the Palace. And, I thought this incident might trigger her again. It is strange that I intervened in the matter of the Palace, but there is a reason behind it," Wang Hao affirmed.
"Why don't you finish the tea first? Your facial expressions are telling me that you have made a big decision," Wang Fuxing stated. It was not surprising for Wang Hao to see that his father saw through him. He picked the teacup and touched it with his father's. Raising it a little, he sipped the tea and finished it soon. Wang Fuxing also finished the tea and they both put the cups at the table.
"Father, I met Princess Bai too. She questioned me why I saved her life. I promised her that I will not give up on her life. Also, she thinks nobody would marry her because she's carrying the child of the Late Second Prince," Wang Hao stated.
"Do you perhaps want to marry Princess Bai?" Wang Fuxing asked him immediately.
Wang Hao nodded his head. "That's not because I pity Princess Bai, but, somewhere I like her as a woman. That's why I went to the Prime Minister's residence and refused him from going ahead with the marriage of his daughter," Wang Hao revealed the truth finally to his father.
He lowered his eyes. "Forgive me if I disappointed you, Father. I wanted to make you happy by getting married as soon as possible."
"Then get married," Wang Fuxing interrupted him. Wang Hao widened his eyes because he thought that his father would be angry at him.
"I don't have any problem with that. If you have feelings for Princess Bai, then marry her and bring her to this house," Wang Fuxing said with a smile. "You did good by not keeping Miss Ai in the dark," Wang Fuxing supported his son's decision.
"But does Princess Bai like you, or after this incident will she marry you? Are you ready to fight with the people around you? You know what I mean," Wang Fuxing stated.
"Yes, Father. With your blessings, I can do anything. Since you already have given the support for it, I can do anything to go forward with my feelings," Wang Hao assured his father. Wang Fuxing smiled and picked the teapot.
"My son is indeed brave. I am proud to be your father," Wang Fuxing said and poured the tea into their respective cups.
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Hello Dear Readers,
Finally, Wang Hao has accepted his feelings but how will he convince Bai Yaling? Do share your thoughts ?.
THANK YOU
HAPPY READING
