My father, Gao Huan, is an invincible prince!

Chapter 57: For tokens of trust, it is sufficient to have a name; what need is there to distinguish

Upon hearing this, the commotion in the hall abruptly ceased.

Everyone instinctively looked up toward the source of the sound.

As the lights flickered, a woman dressed in a plain-colored dress, with a beautiful face and a gentle temperament, walked in slowly with her head bowed.

The woman was slender and resembled Li Zu'e by six or seven points, but she had a calmness between her brows that was not in line with her age, and her eyes were clear and bright, showing no fear whatsoever.

However, after seeing the newcomer's face, everyone in the hall frowned and showed dissatisfaction.

This is because the woman's name was Li Zuyuan, and she was the daughter of Li Xizong and a laundry maid in his early years.

According to the Li family's ancestral rules, illegitimate daughters are not qualified to interfere in clan affairs. They are not even allowed to step on the threshold of the main hall, let alone interfere in important matters such as marriage.

When Li Xizong realized that the person who had come was his illegitimate daughter, he frowned instantly and shouted sternly, "How dare you! Who gave you permission to enter the main hall? Where is the family law?"

However, Li Zuwan seemed oblivious to the strange expressions throughout the hall, and even when she heard Li Xizong's rebuke, she remained calm.

She quietly approached the steps and bowed gracefully to the crowd.

Without waiting for anyone's response, she stood up straight, looked calmly at Li Xizong, and said, "Father, my second sister is strong-willed. If we continue to pressure her, something untoward may happen. For the sake of the three hundred members of the Li family, I am willing to marry in place of my sister and serve the Duke of Taiyuan, Gao Yang."

After these words were spoken, the hall fell into a deathly silence, but then it exploded with a deafening roar.

"Outrageous! How dare a mere concubine's daughter speak so recklessly about matters of great importance to the clan!"

Second Uncle Li Xiyuan was the first to slam his fist on the table and stand up, his eyebrows furrowed, and he rebuked, "Even if the Duke of Taiyuan is ugly, he is still the legitimate son of Prince Gao. How can you use a concubine's daughter to fool him?"

"If this matter gets out, how can the Li family, with its century-old reputation, still stand among the other families in Hebei?"

No sooner had these words been spoken than someone added, "This is absolutely right. Our Li family has been a prominent clan for centuries. If we were to engage in such a thing as a substitute marriage, wouldn't we be ridiculed by the world, and people would say that our Li family has no one left to serve?"

Li Xizong frowned deeply and slammed his fist on the table: "Nonsense! Although Gao Cheng did not explicitly state whether the daughter was legitimate or illegitimate, his intention was clear. If we use an illegitimate daughter as an excuse, how can the Li family survive under Gao's wrath?"

"Retreat immediately! If you dare to utter another word, you will be punished according to family law!"

The shouts came like a sudden downpour.

However, Li Zuwan still stood with her head down and her back straight, as if all those foul words had passed right through her ears.

After everyone finished speaking, she slowly raised her head and said calmly, "Father, you are wise. The marriage alliance between the Gao and Li families is not just about a woman, but also a token of the loyalty of all the families in Hebei."

"A token of trust is enough; what does it matter whether the daughter is legitimate or illegitimate? Father, you only need to register your daughter in the direct line of the family genealogy and tell others that she has been raised by the family since childhood, so she is no different from a legitimate daughter. The Gao family has ambitions for the world and wants to use the power of the Li family to control Xun Gui. How could they possibly turn against the Li family over such a trivial matter?"

As soon as Li Zuwan said this, the noise in the hall subsided.

The elders of the Li family looked at each other, their eyes filled with surprise and doubt.

Even Li Xizong was stunned and stood there dumbfounded.

This is because Li Zuwan's words hit the nail on the head: what Gao Cheng wanted was the submission of the powerful families of Hebei, not just one of his daughters.

Just as everyone was filled with surprise and doubt, Li Zuwan spoke again, her tone becoming increasingly heavy: "Moreover, given Second Sister's current state, if Father insists on forcing her to marry, it would be fine if Second Sister dies today; but if she is lucky enough to survive, and later enters the Gao family, she will harbor resentment towards the Duke of Taiyuan, causing a rift between the Li family and the Gao family, and the disaster would be a hundred times worse than today."

As soon as he uttered those words, the entire room fell silent.

The entire hall stared in disbelief at this illegitimate daughter who usually walked close to the wall.

No one could have imagined that this shadow, overlooked by everyone, would possess such courage and insight.

Li Xizong stared blankly at the concubine's daughter before him, who usually even held her breath, his heart filled with turbulent waves.

Because he had to admit that Li Zuwan's words did make sense.

Given Li Zu'e's attitude today, even if she were forced to marry him, it would probably not have any effect and might even backfire.

Therefore, in the blink of an eye, he had already made a move.

However, with the prestige of a century-old family at stake, there was still an insurmountable obstacle in his heart.

He pondered for a long time, still unable to make up his mind, and only frowned and said, "What you say makes sense, but this matter is of great importance, so please allow me to think it over."

"What are your thoughts, Father?"

Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, Li Zuwan retorted in a deep voice, "My second sister would rather die than marry, and my eldest sister is three years older than the Duke of Taiyuan. Forcing her into a marriage with him would only make us a laughingstock. Besides my daughter, what other choice does Father have?"

After saying this, she softened her tone and said, "Father, do not worry. Although I am born out of wedlock, I am still a daughter of the Li family. If you grant my request, after I marry into the Gao family, I will certainly uphold the virtues of a wife, serve the Duke of Taiyuan, and keep an eye on the Gao family's movements to share the burdens of the family."

Li Xizong was taken aback by her question, but after thinking it over, he couldn't help but nod in agreement.

After all, Li Zuwan was right; he really had no choice now.

Given Li Zu'e's attitude, he naturally couldn't possibly force her to her death.

As for marrying Li Zuyi, he never even considered it. Not to mention that Li Zuyi was three years older than Gao Yang, even if they were the same age, he could not bring himself to do something as immoral as marrying his younger daughter to his elder brother and his elder daughter to his younger brother.

Although it is a poor choice to have a concubine's daughter marry in place of another, it is the only feasible option at present.

With this in mind, he finally made up his mind.

He then looked up at Li Zuwan and asked thoughtfully, "You met Gao Yang a few days ago. He's ugly and has a fiery temper; he's certainly not a good match. I'll ask you one last time: Will you regret what you've done in the future?"

Upon hearing this word of compromise, Li Zuwan finally managed a faint smile.

She then nodded slightly and said, "Although I am a woman, I know that the rise and fall of a family does not depend on one person alone. Therefore, it is my blessing to be able to share the burden of the family, and I have no regrets."

"As for the Duke of Taiyuan..."

She paused, then her tone returned to calm: "Although he is not handsome, I find him to be resolute and possessing the qualities of a hero. Now, he is highly regarded by the Crown Prince, and he will surely achieve great things in the future. It is already a great honor for me to marry him; how could I dare to complain?"

She spoke these words in a dignified and respectful manner, and every word revealed her sincere concern for her family.

However, no one knew that what she was thinking was never about the greater good of the family.

Having spent over a decade living in seclusion, she had long seen through the fact that although she bore the title of a noblewoman of the Li family, her status as an illegitimate daughter destined her to be nothing more than a tool for the Li family to win people's hearts.

Without this unexpected turn of events, her fate would likely have been to hastily marry a illegitimate son of a powerful family or become a concubine of an old man, living a life of subservience like an ant.

Marrying Gao Yang was her only chance in this life to escape her predetermined fate.

After all, although Gao Yang was ugly in appearance and stubborn in nature, he was the second son of the King of Gao. Now that Gao Cheng was in charge of all affairs in Ye, he relied on him more and more.

Moreover, given the current state of affairs, it is clear to anyone with discerning eyes that the Gao family's usurpation of the Wei dynasty is only a matter of time.

When that day comes, Gao Yang will be second only to the emperor, and if she marries him, she will be the future princess, no longer the lowly concubine's daughter who is looked down upon by others.

That's why she disregarded her dignity today and wanted to fight for herself, even if the future was uncertain, it was better than sitting and waiting for death.

Of course, she would never say these words aloud.

After she finished speaking, she simply stood there quietly, her expression composed, waiting for Li Xizong's reply.