Hearing the command, Yu Qingyu pushed the door open, entering the study.
The room was spacious and well-lit, with the sun coming through large windows at the back, with dark crimson curtains hanging on the sides. There were rows of tall bookshelves on both sides of the room. The center stage was taken by a massive ebony desk, a sofa, two armchairs, and a small coffee table.
Behind the desk, on a chair with a tall, sculpted backrest, sat the Crown Prince, Alnar Solvin Feynen. The space in front of him was filled with piles upon piles of documents, which he was currently busy reading. He lifted his head upon hearing the door open, and when he saw Yu Qingyu, a gentle smile appeared on his face.
"Your Highness," Yu Qingyu greeted the Crown Prince, bowing politely. He wasn't sure if that's how Prince Allen used to greet his brother… But that's what the etiquette dictated, so that was his best guess.
"Sit down, sit down," Prince Alnar smiled, gesturing to the sofa. His behavior was much more casual than Yu Qingyu expected. During the meals, he observed the Crown Prince acting very much like, well, a crown prince, addressing everyone with their titles, and using formal speech. But it appeared that in private, his attitude was far more relaxed.
So Yu Qingyu just followed his example, smiled back at the prince, and took a seat.
"Ask someone to bring some tea and refreshments," the prince ordered his guard, who bowed down and closed the door.
"Now, what brings you here today? It's unusual for you to come to my study." Now that they were alone, the prince turned back to Yu Qingyu.
Thankfully, Liu Wei was unable to enter the study. However, Yu Qingyu still had to remain careful. With the other guard having gone to the kitchen, Liu Wei was the only one left by the door. What stopped him from listening in?
So before bringing up the peace negotiations, he started with the subject of his engagement.
"Well, I would like to discuss my betrothal. I understand that it is necessary for me to marry, but can we consider other candidates?" he asked carefully.
Prince Alnar knitted his brows in response. "Is there something about Lady Elowen that dissatisfies you?"
"That…" Yu Qingyu paused for a moment. He hasn't really thought things through.
'Everything? Especially the fact that she's, well, a woman?'
He couldn't really say it out loud though. So instead, he answered, "She is undoubtedly a beautiful woman of high status, and her manners are impeccable. However, I believe that our characters are not a good match. It would result in an unhappy marriage."
"Is that so?" Prince Alnar leaned forward, resting his chin on his interlocked hands. "I thought that she would be a great match for you…"
'Well, maybe for the original Prince Allen. But he's gone now,' Yu Qingyu thought. A strained smile appeared on his face, as he said, "Brother, I'm afraid you are mistaken. I don't mean to insult Lady Elowen in any way, but she's way too bold for me."
Well, Lady Elowen being bold was not exactly the problem here, but it was the best excuse Yu Qingyu could think of.
Prince Alnar remained silent for a while, lost in thought. Eventually, he let out a sigh, leaning back in his chair. "I understand. I will see what can be done."
Yu Qingyu breathed in relief, his shoulders relaxing. But before he could even offer his thanks, Prince Alnar continued,
"However, that might be difficult right now. This betrothal is of high political importance. As you know, we are currently during the peace negotiations… And Duke Sethor plays an important role, as he rules over the border territory. Any conflict could have a negative impact on the peace treaty…"
"Does the Duke not want the war to end?" Yu Qingyu asked, suddenly alerted. Of course, he was already aware of the Duke's true intentions. However, he didn't know how open the Duke was about his plans of expanding his territory. But most importantly, it was his chance to steer the topic of the discussion to what he actually came here to learn about.
"About that," Prince Alnar hesitated, unsure how to answer. Although he cared for his brother, he was reluctant to reveal any sensitive information, including his own suspicions, as Prince Allen had the tendency to be quite… talkative. No matter how much he trusted his little brother's good intentions, he couldn't trust his loose tongue.
"The Duke has been making some demands that the Vestavian side doesn't want to accept," he explained finally, deciding it should be fine as long as he kept things ambiguous. "Moreover, Father has wanted to strengthen the bond with the Sethor house. Your marriage would be the best way to ensure their loyalty to the Crown…"
"Oh." Yu Qingyu's face dropped. But the matter of the marriage wasn't actually crucial to him. He'd be gone from this world soon enough, so the betrothal was just a minor, temporary discomfort. What worried him though, were the demands the prince has mentioned. So he tried probing, "What sort of demands?"
But unfortunately, it was not something Prince Alnar was willing to reveal. He just waved his hand dismissively, and said, "You don't need to worry about that. I will find a way to deal with him."
"Is there anything I can do to help?" Yu Qingyu tried again.
Prince Alnar's eyes widened, as he looked at Yu Qingyu, slightly taken aback. Since when did his younger brother want to involve himself with politics? Didn't he always say that all those official matters were boring, over-complicated, and dreary?
As such, Prince Allen definitely did not have the necessary knowledge or experience to deal with the matters. But as his older brother, Prince Alnar didn't want to extinguish the young man's enthusiasm. If he wanted to learn…
So, he suggested, "You may try discussing the situation at the border with Lady Elowen, if you want? Although it's unlikely she knows much, you might be able to pick up a thing or two. You need to be subtle about it though, not to alert the Duke." He paused for a moment, a smile appearing on his face. "And who knows? Maybe as you spent time together, some feelings will develop between you two?"
"Oh… Okay…" Yu Qingyu answered, completely defeated.
Why does even the Crown Prince have to push him toward Lady Elowen?!