The next day, at Chen Shi (7-9 AM).
At that time, in the main hall of the palace, civil and military officials would occasionally peek out and look outside the hall.
Today, during court, I received a military report that the army had already arrived outside the new capital city yesterday.
If the matter concerned reporting to the emperor, the Crown Prince of Libei should have entered the palace by now.
Now that no one has appeared yet, the civil and military officials have been standing for several hours, and their calves are almost numb.
The second prince observed the emperor's expression and, seeing that the emperor's face remained unchanged, he knew that the emperor was deliberately indulging the officials and military officers, causing them to have many complaints about Song Yanqing.
The Crown Prince of Libei has always been self-willed and has never cared about this.
Just as the emperor was about to have the chief eunuch announce the end of the court session, the sound of the Prince of Libei entering the hall could be heard from outside.
Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Song Yanqing, dressed in a black robe embroidered with gold thread, strode into the main hall, his posture upright, neither humble nor arrogant.
"Your Majesty, this humble subject pays his respects."
Song Yanqing arrived late, but showed no remorse or remorse whatsoever.
The emperor naturally took in his expression.
Considering that Song Yanqing was now a meritorious official, the emperor did not allow him to bow for too long, and said loudly, "No need for formalities, get up."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Song Yanqing straightened up and looked up to meet the emperor's gaze.
After a moment, the emperor said, "The army has returned victorious, and you have made an indispensable contribution. As a reward for you, I will have the Empress Dowager arrange all the wealth, silver, estates, and shops for you."
Upon hearing this, the civil and military officials all raised their eyes to look at the person sitting in the main hall, and then looked around to observe the expressions of their colleagues.
The emperor's words were eloquent, and the rewards he bestowed were all in the form of money; he didn't mention any official position or power whatsoever.
Even so, not a single one of the civil and military officials present stood up to speak for Song Yanqing.
This was the first time Song Yanqing had ever experienced such a helpless and isolated situation; there had been times when people had spoken up for him.
But that man died unjustly, his wife died for love, leaving only one son in the world.
He could no longer hear that sound.
Then the emperor said, "I will give you another reward. Tell me, what else do you want?"
This surprised everyone, and for a moment people began to speculate about his intentions.
Song Yanqing's lips curled up slightly, revealing a smile.
However, the smile was slightly mocking and subtle, so the emperor naturally didn't see it.
The emperor's move was merely a test to see if he had any plans to enter officialdom.
If that's the case, even if he's given an official position, they'll probably try every means to sideline him, making it difficult for him to move forward in the court, and forcing him to back down.
Having experienced the Battle of the Border Town, Song Yanqing had long since become indifferent to fame and fortune and had no desire to get involved in the struggle for the throne.
He said, "When I was guarding the border, I fell in love with a woman."
I once promised her a grand wedding, and I hope Your Majesty will understand my sincere heart.
He used his official title to obtain a noble title, and then betrothed her to his minister as his wife.
The imperial decrees bestowed upon women were originally a form of reward from the emperor to meritorious officials.
To exchange official rank for a title would be like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut, making a mountain out of a molehill.
The emperor was surprised that Song Yanqing would give up such a good opportunity.
However, this also shows his intelligence.
At this time, it is wise to stay away from the court, avoid factional strife, and protect oneself.
The emperor breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, "I wonder whose daughter this is?"
The border town of Zeng's Little Night City was home to many officials and wealthy merchants.
Even a year ago, when the border town was conquered by the Tartars, these people still returned to the border town to settle down after the Great Jin army recaptured the city.
After all, that is their hometown, the place where they can live and settle down.
Upon hearing the name "Border Town," Chen Zirong, standing among the officials, felt his heart skip a beat for some reason.
Lu Qiqi, whom the Marquis of Lin'an had just found, was granted the title of Princess of Kangle County by the emperor for her meritorious service in treating soldiers on the border.
Chen Zirong secretly hoped that it wouldn't be his niece.
Their family had gone through so much trouble to find her, and besides, the royal family has always been cold and heartless. He didn't want his niece to follow in her mother's footsteps and suffer from an unhappy marriage.
But his hopes were destined to be dashed.
In front of all the civil and military officials, Song Yanqing announced loudly, "The woman I admire is none other than the Princess of Kangle County, whom His Majesty has just bestowed upon me by imperial decree."
These words caused an uproar among the civil and military officials.
The title of Princess of Kang Le County even provoked opposition from civil officials.
Now, the heir of the Northern King is actually asking to marry a woman with no background and only a mere title. He must have injured his head while fighting on the battlefield!
The civil officials who had previously opposed the title of Princess of Kang Le all turned pale.
Their opposition at the time was simply to prevent the occurrence of women holding official positions like Qin Shiyu in the Great Jin Dynasty, and they deliberately suppressed such cases.
Now that the Crown Prince of Libei has suddenly asked the Emperor to bestow a marriage upon him, isn't this a direct slap in the face to them?
It should be noted that when the Empress Dowager was selecting a consort for the Crown Prince, they all commissioned painters to create portraits of their daughters and present them to the Empress Dowager for her approval.
The young master of the Northern Prince's son, who looked down on all the women in the various mansions in the new capital, insisted on marrying a commoner county princess.
Of course, those who also looked unwell included Marquis Chen Zirong.
If there were a bronze mirror in front of him now, one could see the expression on his face, which was as black as charcoal.
The emperor was busy with state affairs and couldn't immediately recall who Princess Kangle was.
Fortunately, he had a steward with a good memory by his side. After Li Defu reminded him, he realized who Song Yanqing was proposing to.
It would be better for Song Yanqing to marry someone whose family has no power or influence than for the Empress Dowager to arrange for him to marry a noblewoman from the capital as his principal wife.
But this would surely anger the Empress Dowager, and she might refuse to open the palace gates again.
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