Ning Chen did not go to the border to see Jin Dongxing until the next day.

He knew Jin Dongxing wanting to see him meant nothing good, and he had no wish to go.

But a man who has eaten at your table has a soft mouth, and a man who has taken from your hand has a short arm... Jin Dongxing had kept his word and supplied Qingzhou twice over. Refusing to see him would not do. (TL Note: 吃人嘴軟，拿人手短 — a paired saying: eat a man's food and your mouth goes soft, take a man's gifts and your arm goes short. You cannot bargain hard with someone whose generosity you have already accepted.)

Toward evening Ning Chen reached the border.

Jin Dongxing had brought only a hundred-odd soldiers.

Ning Chen had not brought many either. Besides Pan Yucheng and the rest, thirty-odd of the Ning'an Army.

Jin Dongxing had heard Ning Chen was coming and had come out early to stand beyond the border line and wait for him.

Ning Chen walked straight across the line and smiled. "Your Highness is in a hurry to see me. Is there good news?"

Jin Dongxing's smile was warm. "My lord prince, the wind is strong out here. Come inside the tent and talk."

Ning Chen nodded.

They went into a spacious tent.

"My lord prince. Sit, please."

Ning Chen sat, and Jin Dongxing had hot tea brought in.

Ning Chen drank his tea and said nothing.

Jin Dongxing hesitated a moment, then stood up and bowed low. "There is something I would like to ask my lord prince's help with."

The corner of Ning Chen's mouth twitched. He had known it. Nothing good.

"What could be worth a bow like that from Your Highness?"

Jin Dongxing said, "The Gaoli Kingdom wishes to make a marriage alliance with the Great Xuan. I ask my lord prince to marry the Seventh Princess of my Gaoli Kingdom."

Ning Chen was struck dumb.

He looked at Jin Dongxing in blank astonishment. Has this bastard been taking the wrong medicine?

Jin Dongxing said, "My lord…