"You mean Lord Wang only submitted the memorial today?" Zhao Shusen asked coldly.

Xiao Zhu nodded, "Yes, I just read the document that was submitted today. After court, everyone was still in the Taihe Hall, so this matter is probably settled today."

Zhao Shu pondered for a moment. Her aunt was probably going to marry Song Tianhe. She was concerned about her aunt's feelings and had no other choice. But Lin Xiuxue, humph!

"Who has Lin Chaoying been associating with lately?" The Lin family is merely a minor family, not affiliated with any political party, so they can only stand aside. Hopefully, he will be smart and not get entangled in the conflict between the old and the new like others.

Xiao Zhuzi hurriedly replied, "Lord Lin is currently ill and staying at home. The Lin family is now in the hands of Master Lin, who is currently serving as a compiler in the Hanlin Academy and enjoys a very high reputation."

"Hanlin?" Zhao Shu thought of that Lord Rong and sneered, "Father is a Grand Secretary, son is a Compiler. Give him a few years and he'll become a Prime Minister? Go prepare, I want to enter the palace."

Xiao Zhuzi hurriedly went down to instruct people to prepare a carriage, his heart pounding. The princess's mood had never been good since she returned to the capital, and everyone was trembling with fear. It was much more comfortable in Guanzhou. In Guanzhou, the Empress Dowager was the most powerful, but she didn't manage anything. Even though the princess held absolute power, everyone lived a comfortable life.

Although she felt depressed, she quickly prepared the carriage. Zhao Shu picked up a white jade bottle, picked a few thousand-day roses and put them in the bottle, and then left the palace.

The carriage traveled smoothly along the bluestone street. She sat silently in the center, gently stroking the globe amaranth in the white jade bottle. Chu Chun and the others looked at each other, unsure how to comfort the princess.

Suddenly, Zhao Shu raised her voice: "Let's go back to the manor."

Xiao Guozi and Xiao Zhuzi were driving the carriage outside when they heard this. They looked at each other, wondering why the princess had changed her mind so quickly.

As soon as she turned her horse around, Zhao Shu said, "To the Marquis of Yiguang's residence."

The two turned their horses around again before slowly heading towards the Marquis of Yiguang's residence.

Fortunately, Zhao Shu turned her horse around in time; otherwise, if she had gone to the palace for this matter, Emperor Mingde would have had more reason to think about it.

At this moment, even Liang Yunsi was not in the Taihe Hall. Instead, Qin Ji and Wei Tingsi were waiting in front of him. Qin Ji was over sixty years old and dressed in black. Perhaps because he practiced martial arts, he did not look old. He looked very strong, with dark skin and wise eyes.

"Does Wei Caitao also agree to this marriage?" Emperor Mingde spoke of Wei Caitao with extreme disdain, his tone cold and showing no courtesy whatsoever despite him being Wei Tingsi's father.

Wei Tingsi remained silent, answering Emperor Mingde's question with silence. "That vixen has wanted to get rid of Chang'an for so many years. She has always prevented Chang'an from marrying, fabricating stories everywhere, causing Chang'an, the eldest son of the Wei family, to be unable to find a decent wife. Now that Chang'an has taken command of troops, she wants to use marriage to suppress him. Her foolish son even wants to marry a royal child as a concubine. Your Majesty, this cannot be tolerated. Please, Your Majesty, do justice for Chang'an!" Qin Ji said.

Emperor Mingde snorted coldly, "I used to think Wei Caitao was not so foolish. Now it seems he is all show and no substance. There is no need to worry too much. How could a vixen like Wei Caitao control your marriage? There is no need to worry."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Wei Tingsi said.

"Yes, Fourth Prince's wife is hosting a flower banquet. Go and take a look. If you see anything you like, come and tell me. I'll take care of it for you. I watched you grow up, and I treat you like my own son. I would never let you suffer any injustice." Emperor Mingde flipped through the memorials in his hand. "This is a memorial submitted by Zian. There is a person named Liu Ren'an. Do you two remember him?"

“Your Majesty, Chief Secretary Liu is a capable man. He comes from a humble background and has been working in the Jingzhao Prefecture for many years,” said Wei Tingsi. He knew the relationship between Zhao Shu and Liu Ren’an, and upon hearing Emperor Mingde say this, he knew it must be Zhao Shu’s arrangement.

Emperor Mingde glanced at him, picked up his vermilion brush and circled it on the paper, "Since he has been in Jingzhao Prefecture for many years, he shall be sent to Xiliang as the magistrate."

After he finished speaking, he thought for a moment and then said, "I used to value Zheng Hongsheng highly, but no one has mentioned him to me since then, so I have forgotten about him. Now that Ajun has brought him up, I intend for him to be the governor of Gansu, Nanning and Taizhou. Liu Huan has been in Qianzhou for many years, so I will transfer him to be the imperial inspector for Zheng Hongsheng."

Wei Tingsi and Qin Ji remained silent, listening quietly. The governor of Dayong was no longer a regional envoy like in the previous dynasty, and the governor was under the jurisdiction of three departments, as well as a censor. Wei Tingsi did not value him highly.

Qin Ji wouldn't say anything more. His duty was to protect the emperor and he didn't participate in court affairs. His appearance at this time was only at the request of the Imperial Guard to bring up the matter of marriage.

Of course, Emperor Mingde was not discussing this with the two men; he simply wanted to have a chat. After speaking, he said to them, "Go down and let Ji Dongxue and Qiu Tangshi come in."

"Yes, Your Majesty, I shall take my leave." Wei Tingsi bowed and withdrew, while Qin Ji disappeared into the shadows, remaining silent and unnoticed by anyone.

Wei Tingsi stepped out of the Taihe Hall, nodded to Qiu Tangshi to convey Emperor Mingde's intentions, and then strode away, leaning on his newly acquired sword. However, he always felt that this new sword was extremely unsuitable for his hand.

Qiu Tangshi and Ji Dongxue exchanged a glance. Ji Dongxue snorted coldly and entered Taihe Hall first. Qiu Tangshi followed closely behind, her phoenix eyes filled with affection.

"Your humble servants pay their respects to Your Majesty. Long live the Emperor!" The two knelt down and bowed.

Emperor Mingde sat before his dragon throne, the memorial presented by Wang Jiyang unfolded. "Rise," he said calmly.

The two men thanked the emperor and stood up, standing on either side. Emperor Mingde glanced at Qiu Chengshi, whose eyes seemed to hold affection, and Ji Dongxue, who looked indignant, and then announced his decision: "I intend to appoint Zheng Hongsheng as the governor of Gansu, Nanning, and Taizhou, and Liu Huan as the governor's censor. What do you two think? I grant you both the right to speak freely."

Upon hearing this, Ji Dongxue immediately stood in the center, bowed, and objected, "Your Majesty, Zheng Hongsheng is currently only a fourth-rank prefect, with relatively little experience. If he were to become the governor of three prefectures, I fear his colleagues would be disheartened, and the officials would be dissatisfied, Your Majesty."

After he finished speaking, Qiu Chengshi immediately threw off the front of his official robe and knelt down. "Your Majesty, I disagree with what Lord Ji said. Lord Zheng is diligent in his duties and loves the people. In the past six years, he has governed Guanzhou in an orderly manner. There has never been a case of incomplete tax collection, late payment, or non-payment. Moreover, in recent years, Guanzhou has become a commercial hub between the north and south, and the surrounding counties have also developed. I believe that Lord Zheng's achievements deserve to be promoted beyond the usual ranks to become the governor of three counties. It is truly appropriate."

Ji Dongxue nearly vomited blood. That shameless scoundrel Qiu Tangshi! Aside from Chunyuan and Sanguzhai, which sell shampoo and other necessities, Guanzhou has nowhere else to buy goods. Where else would merchant caravans buy their goods if not from Guanzhou? What does this have to do with Zheng Hongsheng? Besides, most of the residents of Guanzhou are members of the imperial family, and imperial family members don't have to pay taxes!

"Yes, Qiu Aiqing is absolutely right. Zheng Aiqing has made great contributions to making Guanzhou so prosperous. I hereby grant him the title of Linlang. If anyone is dissatisfied, let him go and govern a second Guanzhou. I will appoint him as governor-general and enfeoff him as the governor of a region." Emperor Mingde said shamelessly.

Ji Dongxue cursed inwardly, "What a tyrant! He summoned me here not so that I could speak freely, but so that others would mistakenly believe that it was he and Qiu Cheng who first petitioned for this matter!"

At that moment, he wanted to curse, "You son of a bitch!"