Ever since Commandery Princess Dongyang ran into Mu Shaoling that day, the two of them had been together.
Mu Shaoling hadnât gone anywhere else and sped back to Shandong. He still remembered the task of searching for medicine.
Shandong generally started sea navigation earlier than Funan, with voyages beginning in early April. Before leaving, Mu Shaoling instructed the people at Muâs Clinic in Shandong to set out to sea as soon as navigation opened to search for the medicine, yet these fools went out twice and still hadnât found the medicine he needed.
It was a simple medicine that he had once harvested from that island. If only the medicine could grow elsewhere, he would have transplanted it long ago.
But oddly enough, the medicine would die as soon as it was removed from the island, leaving him no choice.
What on earth were these people doing? He had clearly told them the islandâs location, so how could they not find it?
If they didnât find it, that would be one thing, but couldnât they have searched the other islands?
They claimed no other islands had it, something he truly couldnât believe. Therefore, he planned to go to the islands himself to search for the medicine, but doing so would mean he inevitably couldnât make it back to the Capital City before his wedding. He heard that the Ministry of Rites had already picked the 18th of May. However, itâs not like he had any desire to get married, especially to a marriage decreed by the Emperor!
"You go back to the Capital City! When the Tayun Tribe Chief arrives, you return to Yunnan with him. As for the imperial edict, I will have the Mu Family ask the Emperor to cancel the marriage,"
The wedding banquet wouldnât happen, and he wouldnât be returning, so in the end, it would be Commandery Princess Dongyang who would face embarrassment. It would be better to cancel the engagement and let her return to Yunnan ahead of time so that she wouldnât have to hear what was said in the Capital City.
"I wonât go back! I just wonât go back!" Commandery Princess Dongyang pouted and took a step forward, clinging to Mu Shaolingâs arm, "Youâre going to sea, right? Iâll go with you. I donât want to go back alone. I donât want to return to Yunnan. I donât want to cancel the marriage either."
"You wonât go back? Let me tell you, the Emperor wrote that we should marry in May. You should know that the Ministry of Rites chose the 18th, right? I have the Emperorâs permission to leave the Capital City, so it doesnât matter if I canât return by that date. But thatâs not the case for you. If you canât get back in time, and the Emperor punishes you, involving your father and the Tayun Tribe, then it wonât be my concern," Mu Shaoling paused and then continued, "But if you do return to the Capital, and the Mu Family asks the Emperor to cancel the marriage ahead of time, you could still save some face."
"So in the end, itâs still because you donât want to marry me!" Commandery Princess Dongyang couldnât hold back and shouted, "When canât you search for medicine?"
"Do you even know what Iâm looking for?" Mu Shaoling glanced at her and continued, "Iâm searching for fish mint. After June, it will completely disappear, and if I want to find it again, Iâd have to wait until next year. But this matter canât be delayed until next year."
"Then why canât you talk to the Emperor and pick a new wedding date? The Mu Family can ask to cancel the marriage, so why canât they delay the wedding? Wouldnât that solve the problem?" Dongyang thought her idea was quite good.
However, Mu Shaoling lightly said, "But I donât want to marry you, do I? Why should I delay the wedding? Hmm?"
"You... you..." Even though he had told her many times, âI donât like you, I wonât marry you,â it had never felt so real until now.
But once Dongyang of the Tayun Tribe set her mind to something, how could she change it easily?
"Heh," Commandery Princess Dongyang chuckled, "So you donât want to get married? No problem! Iâll return to the Capital City right now! But if you think you can cancel the engagement, dream on!"