Flowery Hair: A Maidservant

Chapter 555 Who is fit to succeed as Empress (2)

When Prince Rui mentioned Consort Jin, no one in the hall voiced their opposition, but most of the court officials disagreed.

Although Consort Jin was the birth mother of the eldest prince and was deeply favored by the emperor, her background was an insurmountable flaw—if a maidservant from a marquis's household were to become empress, wouldn't it make her a laughingstock among the noble families of the world? However, no one dared to say this outright, as everyone could see the emperor's favoritism towards Consort Jin.

As for Consort Shun, although she had the backing of Grand Commander Han, the title of "adopted daughter" was ultimately a barrier. Only two military officers who had old ties with Han Guangbi spoke up, making them seem weak and isolated.

Consort Chun, on the other hand, has the most powerful foundation in the court, with a prestigious maternal family like the Marquis of Lin'an and the birth of the second prince. However, Vice Minister Wei's "praise to death" remarks just now have made many ministers who originally wanted to support her hesitate.

On his throne, the Emperor listened quietly for a long time before raising his eyes to scan the hall.

The civil and military officials stood on both sides, and the hesitant expressions of the Minister of Revenue and several others naturally caught his eye. The other senior officials who spoke up seemed to have conflicting opinions, but in reality, they all harbored veiled sarcasm.

Some of these words, upon careful consideration, are quite thought-provoking.

For example, the words of Vice Minister Wei of the Ministry of Personnel seem to be praising the virtue of Consort Chun, but the phrase "to build a shrine for her" may have a deeper meaning in other people's ears.

However, the emperor's eyes flickered slightly, and he understood in an instant.

Vice Minister Wei was related by marriage to Song Di, the Left Guard General who had been punished and demoted from the capital years earlier for destroying tribute. Song Di had offended Tang Xian, which led to his downfall. Therefore, Vice Minister Wei's words, seemingly praising Consort Chun, were actually intended to provoke his suspicion of the Marquis of Lin'an and his daughter.

As for Prince Rui, the emperor's uncle... The emperor's gaze swept over the old prince with his white hair and beard.

The Imperial Uncle has always been adept at discerning the Emperor's intentions, so mentioning Consort Jin at this moment is perfectly normal. However, the Imperial Uncle's beloved daughter, Princess Yongping, has always been very close to Madam Yun. It remains to be seen whether his words today are truly from his heart or if he has ulterior motives.

Finally, the Emperor's gaze fell on Li Minde, the Grand Secretary of the Wenhua Pavilion, who stood behind Prince Rui, and lingered there for several breaths.

Just as everyone held their breath, Grand Master of Ceremonies Su Han couldn't help but sigh inwardly. His in-law, Tang Xian, was truly a prophet; he had foreseen seven or eight tenths of the situation in the court long ago.

Thinking of this, Su Han calmed himself down and, following the instructions in Tang Xian's letter a few days ago, stepped forward steadily, bowed, and knelt to report: "Your Majesty, I believe that the matter of establishing an empress concerns the foundation of the country and should be handled with utmost care."

"The two princes are still young. Although they are talented, their temperaments are not yet settled and their studies are not yet complete. If we hastily establish an empress at this time, it may cause an imbalance in the harem and make it easier to shake the foundation of the country. I humbly request Your Majesty to postpone this matter and wait until the princes have made progress in their studies and their virtues have begun to show before making a decision."

These words neither negated either side, nor did they use the prince's young age as an excuse to postpone the date of establishing an empress; they also subtly implied an assessment of the prince's aptitude. A moment of silence fell over the room as everyone carefully considered the matter.

The Emperor's gaze shifted slightly, a barely perceptible hint of approval flashing in his eyes. Su Han's father was a veteran of three reigns, and the Emperor himself had been tutored by Su Han in his youth. Hearing such mature words, the Emperor naturally assumed it was Su Han's instruction and did not suspect a thing.

And this is precisely where Tang Xian's brilliance lies.

Knowing that Consort Chun had little chance of winning the battle for the empress's position, he decisively adopted this strategy of "delaying".

Although the Second Prince was born sickly, he has gradually recovered under the careful care of the Zhen family physician and his apprentice, Jian Zhi. Given time, if the Second Prince demonstrates talent and intelligence in his studies, as the late Prince Rui said, "a mother's status rises with her son's," then Consort Chun might very well have a chance to compete...

At this point, Tang Xian and his wife, Lady Yun, had a rare disagreement.

The Tang family had poured half their lives into this project, exhausting countless resources. Could they really expect it all to be for the maid they had nurtured? How could he accept that? Tang Xian privately believed that the game was still in its early stages. If they could delay it for three to five years, his daughter might still have a chance.

Regardless of Tang Xian's elaborate schemes in Lin'an, the Emperor's voice rang out in the court: "Minister Su's words are quite right. The establishment of an Empress is a matter of great importance to the nation and should not be decided hastily. With spring planting imminent and the border settlements needing to be coordinated, all ministers should prioritize national affairs. This matter can be discussed again another day."

Upon hearing this, all the officials in the hall knew that the discussion on establishing an empress had come to an end, and they all bowed and said in unison, "Your subjects obey the decree."

News of the court assembly at Taiji Hall reached the inner palace.

Upon hearing the news, Meng Shu couldn't help but look at Yu Nu'er, who was fast asleep beside her.

Although spring was gradually warming up, the wet nurse still wrapped the little guy up like a brocade ball, only revealing his fair and round little face. He had played with Kang Ge'er for a long time in Huining Palace, and now his breathing was even and he was fast asleep.

Once outside the warm pavilion, Donggua spoke softly, "Shushu, if things can stay as they are now, I think... it would be better not to establish an empress. The ladies in the harem, including the palace servants and eunuchs, would be more at ease."

Meng Shu smiled slightly upon hearing this, deeply agreeing: "Donggua sees things very clearly. Without the Empress's title pressing down on us, many formalities and rules can be dispensed with, making things much easier for everyone. Those who are familiar with each other can visit each other more often, while those who don't like each other rarely meet except during festivals and palace banquets—isn't that a peaceful world?"

As she spoke, she looked up at the sky at the four corners of the palace wall, her tone carrying a rare hint of relief: "Now, everyone can live a peaceful life with their children, which is the best situation."

......

Inside the Funing Palace, the warm spring sun shone through the window lattices, casting dappled light and shadow on the imperial desk. A few newly picked willow branches were placed in a jade vase, adding a touch of vitality.

The emperor stood with his hands behind his back by the window, hearing footsteps approaching behind him.

Jingming bowed and reported, "Your Majesty, Commander Wei has arrived."

Wei Ying entered the palace, looking weary from his journey. He knelt and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, I have been ordered to secretly travel to Lin'an before the New Year. For several months, I have been secretly investigating. The Marquis of Lin'an is indeed in his residence observing mourning, and he has not even come out when Prefect Qin came to visit him."

The Emperor turned around, his gaze sharp: "Have you found any correspondence? And to which places were the letters sent?"

“Your Majesty,” Wei Ying reported, bowing his head, “when the disaster in Yuzhou was urgent, the Marquis sent many people to provide relief and maintained frequent contact with the managers in Yuzhou and other places. Before the New Year, the Tang residence was busy with holiday affairs, and people came and went in an endless stream, but most of them were servants handling general affairs and managers from various places. As far as I know, apart from Lady Yun in the capital sending a letter every ten days through a merchant guild, the Marquis has not corresponded with any other officials in the capital…”