Yu Zizhen commands a vast army and possesses the highest military power in the world, so she can make and change rules (for example, she nationalizes as much land as possible), and she can also change customs directly through a decree (for example, she encourages widows to remarry and advocates that women get married after the age of eighteen). She can even transcend the laws and ethics that ordinary people must abide by (for example, not only does she not have to obey her parents' orders, she can even firmly suppress the King of Zhenbei in the court, forcing him to behave like a subject in front of her instead of acting like his father).
An example of a situation completely opposite to hers is Xiao Shaoyuan and his youngest son. Although these two were once emperors, they had lost power and were just puppets at the mercy of others, so they had to listen to others in everything.
Going further, in the families of noble officials who have titles to inherit and places of imperial favor to compete for, aren't the people with the highest status in the family the heads of the family who hold great power and can decide the ownership of inheritance rights and places of imperial favor?
There are also those aristocratic families with large wealth and many members. Those who have the greatest say in the family are always those who can stand on their own.
On the other hand, if those heads of families and clan leaders themselves are just figureheads with no real power, then it will be very difficult for them to ensure that they can sit firmly in their positions, let alone control their families and clansmen.
The Prince of Zhenbei judged the situation and thought that Yu Zizhen was in the limelight at the moment. He really shouldn't provoke her at this juncture and give her the opportunity and reason to deal with him, the Prince of Zhenbei's Mansion and the Yu family.
At the same time, he was also very confident that he could rely on his own ability and prestige to subdue his wives, concubines, children, clan members and in-laws who were resentful because of their unfulfilled expectations.
The development of the situation was indeed as the King of Zhenbei had expected. Although his wives, concubines, children, clansmen and relatives all had complaints about him, only a very few of them had the courage to complain in front of the King of Zhenbei.
The vast majority of the remaining people did not dare to express their true opinions in front of King Zhenbei.
But they dare not confront King Zhenbei, but that does not mean they will not try every possible means to gain more benefits for themselves and their families.
Look, even though the Princess of Zhenbei had been repeatedly warned by the King of Zhenbei, after arriving in Beijing, she still ignored Yu Zicheng's dissuasion and took the initiative to find Yu Zizhen, whom she had openly disliked before and now secretly hated.
She is also a smart person. Although she favors her son and mistreats her daughter, she has never been confused when it comes to using her brain.
This time was no exception. When facing Yu Zizhen, who had the power to decide the life and death and future of their family, Princess Zhenbei's performance did not contain any grounds for people to criticize.
She first put on makeup according to her rank and dressed appropriately to enter the palace. Then, when she saw Yu Zizhen, she knelt down respectfully and pretended to kneel down to Yu Zizhen.
Yu Zizhen was the emperor, and state etiquette was more important than family etiquette. Even if she really accepted the courtesy from Princess Zhenbei, others would at most say a few words in private. However, Yu Zizhen still did not want Princess Zhenbei to perform the three kneelings and nine kowtows ceremony on her when it was not necessary.
After all, although she did not receive the love of her father and mother from the Zhenbei Palace, the body she was using now still came from the Zhenbei Prince and his wife.
Since Princess Zhenbei had no intention of acting like a mother, Yu Zizhen didn't mind giving her the proper respect and courtesy in this matter.
Therefore, the moment Princess Zhenbei was about to kneel, Yu Zizhen raised his hand and said, "No need to be polite, please take a seat."
Upon hearing this, the palace maid immediately brought a brocade stool. After Princess Zhenbei thanked Yu Zizhen, she sat down with her head tilted forward.
Since she was so respectful and obedient, Yu Zizhen found it difficult to confront her.
The two chatted briefly. Of course, they were not talking about the family affairs of the Zhenbei Palace. Yu Zizhen was just concerned about the families of his subjects in his capacity as emperor.
Princess Zhenbei was also very tactful. She did not bring up her mother-daughter relationship with Yu Zizhen. No matter what Yu Zizhen asked, she treated herself as the first wife of Yu Zizhen's minister and responded with careful words.
It was not until Yu Zizhen had gone through the motions and was ready to send Princess Zhenbei out of the palace that Princess Zhenbei tentatively brought up her son's marriage.
Princess Zhenbei meant that she hoped Yu Zizhen could arrange a marriage for Yu Zicheng, because in this way, her beloved son would be able to marry a girl from a noble family with both face and substance, and in a grand ceremony.
But how could Yu Zizhen do such a thing? Not to mention that she knew that Yu Zicheng already had a sweetheart, the Princess of Beiyan. Even if she didn't know, she would not rely on the power in her hands to manipulate other people's marriages and lives without scruples.
She clearly told Princess Zhenbei that unless two young people fell in love with each other and their respective families agreed to the marriage between the two families, and then they came to persuade her in person to grant the marriage, she would never grant a marriage to anyone in China.
In order to prevent anyone from targeting Xiao Yuanjin, Yu Zizhen also expressed his opinion on Xiao Yuanjin's behalf.
According to her, she and her royal husband were not matchmakers, and they did not want to get involved in such a purely personal matter.
Princess Zhenbei really wanted to say: "You are Zicheng's biological sister, so his affairs are your affairs. What's wrong with you giving him a good marriage?"
However, thinking of Yu Zizhen's stubborn temper, Princess Zhenbei didn't dare to anger her when she had already taken ninety-nine steps out of a hundred.
She thought that as long as she could repair her relationship with Yu Zizhen and let people see that there was no longer any resentment or estrangement between them, those families who were now refusing to marry into the Zhenbei Palace because of her family's delicate situation would surely gradually change their attitudes.
It has to be said that Princess Zhenbei is quite talented in understanding people's hearts and taking advantage of situations to gain profits.
However, what she didn't know was that her good son Yu Zicheng, whom she had high hopes for, had already chosen his future wife.
Before, because of the embarrassing situation of the Zhenbei Palace, he had been accompanying the Zhenbei Prince everywhere, so he had not paid any attention to the Princess of Beiyan who made his heart beat but also made him entangled.
But after Yu Zizhen ascended the throne, got married, and then sent him and the King of Zhenbei back to the northern border, Yu Zicheng's mind couldn't help but become active again.
Especially when he heard that the reason why the Zhenbei Army was able to detect the situation in time and quickly adjust its defenses to ensure that the checkpoint would not be breached by Beiyan was actually because his sweetheart, after discovering Beiyan's spies, risked being unpopular with both sides and being involved in numerous crises, and secretly sent a secret letter to his trusted guards who stayed in the northern border, he became even more unable to give up his relationship with the Princess of Beiyan.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
