The two old ministers, who were at odds with each other, were not willing to back down and followed behind Gu Yi to express their sentiments to His Majesty.
"We, your subjects, do not mind!"
My daughter has a fierce personality. As long as she holds the title of the principal wife, she won't suffer any loss no matter how many concubines the Third Prince takes in the future.
Nowadays, the position of the Third Prince's principal wife is really a hot commodity, and it is being fought over by many people!
In the women's section, Yu Shanlai's brows were furrowed so deeply they could trap a fly, her eyes filled with intense jealousy as she looked at Gu Beiye sitting next to her.
Her round face was twice the size of hers, and her makeup was extremely exaggerated, with bright green powder on her eyelids and an unnaturally heavy blush on both sides of her cheeks.
The contrast between red and green is extremely bizarre.
You won't find such an ugly monster even in the Classic of Mountains and Seas!
At this moment, Gu Beiye, who was being watched, was resting her chin on her hands, staring intently at the Third Prince Xiao Ziwu across from her, her face showing an undisguised infatuated and silly smile, completely unlike her usual arrogant and domineering demeanor.
It seems that she admires Xiao Ziwu just as her father said.
Yu Shanlai clenched her teeth, her heart filled with rage. Such a disgraceful woman, yet she had a loving father…
They must have accumulated countless good deeds in their past life!
Listening to the debate among the senior officials in the hall, Tianyun's cherry lips gradually turned pale, and her mind raced.
I finally remembered where I had seen Gu Beiye before!
She once confronted Yu Shanlai outside the gate of Xinxiang Garden about stealing a hairpin, and the troublemaker next to her seemed to be named Gu Beiye!
When she left, she told me to always remember her.
—So it was her…
The Emperor of Liang was pleased with this situation. He smiled slightly and said, "Since we can't reach an agreement, I still need to hear what my son has to say. After all, we need to let him have his opinion."
The emperor's actions were truly unkind, passing the buck back to Xiao Ziwu.
I will never do anything that would offend anyone.
As a result, all eyes in the hall once again focused on Xiao Ziwu.
This also includes Tianyun's.
The woman's face was serene, her glassy eyes holding a faint sense of bewilderment and a sense of relief that all of this had finally come to pass.
Like a feather drifting in the wind, she still had room to be willful, to act capriciously, and to make His Highness shut them out.
But Gu Beiye...
Her father is Gu Yi, a third-rank general who will become a powerful ally for His Highness's ascension to the throne. She no longer has the right to indulge in her own desires.
You have to force yourself to accept it no matter what!
Even though she had foreseen this scene, just thinking about it made her heart feel as if it were being hammered repeatedly, and the endless pain made her fingertips tremble.
She turned around in a panic and, with Lingqi's help, hurriedly left her seat. The atmosphere was so stifling that she couldn't breathe; she needed to go outside and clear her head.
Unbeknownst to her, in the instant she lowered her gaze and turned away, she missed the sight of Xiao Ziwu's firm and profound eyes fixed on her figure in the main hall.
When Xiao Ziwu saw her get up and leave her seat, he assumed she was going to change her clothes.
He had already decided in his heart that it was her. Reluctantly, he withdrew his gaze, his voice slow and deliberate, yet filled with an unwavering determination that could pierce the heart: "Your subject only wishes to marry the woman he loves!"
It was as resounding as a vow.
"Nonsense!" The Emperor of Liang was not buying it. A vein throbbed on his forehead, and he muttered a rebuke.
How could the daughter of a fourth-rank official be worthy of being the third prince's principal wife?
And as a member of the royal family, how can you speak lightly of love?
The most ruthless place is the imperial family, and the most taboo thing for royal children is to fall deeply in love!
Just moments ago, the Emperor of Liang intended to have Shangguan Tianyun and Gu Beiye enter the Third Prince's residence together. However, Gu Beiye would be the principal wife, and Shangguan Tianyun would be a concubine.
Now that the Emperor of Liang has changed his mind, even Shangguan Tianyun's position as a concubine is up for debate!
If we put Xiao Ziwu in the military camp, given time, he will surely become the most indestructible blade of the Great Liang.
How can a cold-blooded and ruthless knife hilt have a weakness? Once it has a weakness, it becomes no longer invincible.
This is not a scene that the Emperor of Liang would want to see.
Emperor Liang rubbed his temples and glanced sideways at Wang Yu beside him. "Alright, alright, I'm a bit tired today. I need to think about your marriage again. This matter can't be rushed. Let's discuss it later."
"However, your establishment of a residence outside the palace cannot be delayed any longer. I will instruct the Vice Minister of Revenue to make proper arrangements. Yan'er is also of age, so once he regains consciousness, we will also arrange it together." The Emperor of Liang did not want to show favoritism and directly declared that Xiao Ziyan's residence as the Second Prince was also ready.
This last sentence immediately calmed down Consort Lin, who was about to get up and angrily denounce the injustice.
Xiao Ziwu's expression softened slightly. "Thank you, Father Emperor."
Building a separate residence outside the palace would make it easier for him to be alone with his beloved, which could also be considered a consolation for his unsuccessful attempt to obtain a marriage decree.
Emperor Liang nodded slightly and declined, saying, "My dear ministers, you have all had a good time. I still need to review some memorials, so I will take my leave first."
"His Majesty is departing—"
Wang Yu swept his whisk and helped the emperor leave his seat from the side of the hall.
Xiao Ziwu was slightly disappointed that he failed to obtain the imperial decree to grant him marriage, but it was not a big deal. Given time, once he had made more meritorious contributions, he would be able to bring the little woman home!
"Congratulations to Your Majesty!"
The assembled officials rose in unison to see him off.
After the emperor left, the powerful minister Mu Chengye became the sole ruler of the Taiji Hall, and even Prince Qi had to avoid his sharp edge.
Mu Chengye walked straight up to Xiao Ziwu with his hands behind his back, a perfectly timed smile on his face.
The ministers, however, felt a chill run down their spines, and it was somewhat unsettling.
He hissed and laughed, "The Third Prince has chosen a good time, today, to show off in front of all the civil and military officials. It's truly impressive."
"Oh? Did it also shock the Left Chancellor?" Xiao Ziwu's voice was cold as he met his probing gaze.
"Of course." Mu Chengye nodded, swaying slightly to reveal Mu Yaozhi, who was obediently following behind him. "If my daughter hadn't been with the Second Prince since childhood and didn't want to listen to my ideas, I would have also wanted to betroth my daughter to Your Highness."
Mu Chengye seemed to be joking, but his tone was full of seriousness, making it impossible to tell whether he was telling the truth or not.
Mu Yaozhi blushed instantly, and whispered, "Father...don't talk nonsense..."
Although her heart belonged to Brother Ziyan, the dashing and heroic figure that Xiao Ziwu displayed when facing Huyan Hongxue was something that Brother Ziyan had never shown before.
Undeniably... she had underestimated Xiao Ziwu before.
No, we can't be so superficial!
He is only slightly better at martial arts; in every other aspect, he is no match for Brother Ziyan. Her husband can only be Brother Ziyan.
—The future emperor of the Great Liang Dynasty.
Mu Chengye chuckled a few times, cupped his hands and said, "Alright, young ladies are shy, so I won't say any more. Farewell."
"Farewell, Prime Minister Mu." Xiao Ziwu kept his eyes fixed on him until he left, a slight smile playing on his thin lips.
He didn't glance at Mu Yaozhi once from beginning to end.
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