On a summer morning, the lush branches of the trees are covered with a little dew, and the normally upright leaves are bowed slightly by the dew.
The palace road was very quiet. The palace servants had become accustomed to completing their tasks in silence over the years, and even their footsteps were usually hard to hear.
Dozens of Imperial Guards, swords at their waists, stood guard outside the Yong'an Palace with expressionless faces, completely unaware of what was happening inside the palace just a door away.
Suddenly, the sound of porcelain hitting the ground rang out in the hall, sounding particularly jarring in the silence and startling the people standing outside the door.
The two eunuchs closest to the palace gate looked up, exchanged glances, and tacitly remained still.
Princess Ruining knelt upright in the center of the hall, her back straight, her lips tightly pressed together, stubbornly and silently confronting Emperor Zhenlong.
The chill from the stone slab seeped up her knees, making her heart feel cold as well.
She enjoyed imperial favor from a young age.
Emperor Zhenlong was deeply in love with his late empress, and they only had one daughter. After the empress passed away, Princess Ruining practically grew up on Emperor Zhenlong's lap.
The father and daughter have always been close. This is the first time they've been so starkly opposed.
Emperor Zhenlong's chest heaved, his eyes filled with anger, but in the end, he softened first, sighed, and said, "The ground is cold. Whatever it is, get up and we'll talk about it!"
Having only one daughter, and her first child, it's inevitable that I'll always show her more favoritism.
Princess Ruining shook her head, remaining kneeling upright at the foot of the steps. A tea leaf, perhaps splashed onto her palace dress earlier, clung to her light blue skirt, appearing somewhat jarring.
She stubbornly insisted, "I don't understand! Qin Yuxiu is morally corrupt and has deceived the emperor, why don't you punish him! Why do you still want Aqiu to marry him! What right does he have!"
"Just because he was the top scholar chosen by your father! Just because this marriage was arranged by your father!" Emperor Zhenlong replied irritably when he saw that she was still being stubborn.
His daughter entered the palace early in the morning and waited in Yong'an Hall. He had just returned to Yong'an Hall after court and saw her.
After Ruining left the palace to establish her own residence, the father and daughter saw each other much less often than before, sometimes only catching a glimpse of each other from afar during court assemblies. Today, seeing his daughter waiting for him in Yong'an Palace, he was naturally overjoyed.
Unexpectedly, Rui Ning came here to demand the annulment of the marriage between the new top scholar Qin Yuxiu and Xie's daughter, Xiao Aqiu, and also wanted to severely punish Qin Yuxiu.
He was naturally furious that Qin Yuxiu dared to deceive him. However, this woman was exceptionally talented and indeed capable. In the end, it was merely a matter of trouble in the inner quarters and improper conduct, nothing more.
It wasn't that he didn't dislike Qin Yuxiu's behavior. However, there were very few truly capable people with both excellent character and learning, and those who entered the court and became officials all had some petty, unsavory thoughts.
Rather than cutting off their path to advancement and leaving Emperor Zhenlong with no capable people to rely on, resulting in a talent shortage, it would be better to use both kindness and severity to make them aware that a sword hangs over their heads, thus making them more cautious and diligent in their future duties.
Moreover, the bestowal of marriage was an imperial edict, and the emperor's word is not to be taken lightly. How could it be changed? If this precedent is set, what will happen if, in the future, someone is dissatisfied with another imperial decree and the same thing is done?
But no matter how much he tried to persuade her, Ruining just wouldn't understand. She kept insisting that Qin Yuxiu was not good enough for Aqiu.
His anger had not subsided, but he still patiently said, "Father knows that A-Qiu has been wronged. How about that when she gets married, Father will arrange for the palace to provide her with a dowry, and your mother will escort her to the wedding, so as to give her enough face? How about that?"
As Emperor Zhenlong spoke, he looked down and saw that the teacup he had thrown in his anger had shattered on the ground, and the tea had spilled onto the floor, some of it already reaching Ruining's skirt.
A flicker of heartache crossed his eyes, and without a word, he reached out and lifted Princess Ruining from the ground. Princess Ruining struggled to get up, but after a glare from his dragon eyes, she obediently stood up.
But she was still indignant: "What use is face! Once you're married, you'll live together, and what matters is the person! What good is face at the wedding?"
Seeing that Emperor Zhenlong remained unmoved, she continued to plead, "Father! How can someone as righteous as Aqiu have a good life when she meets Qin Yuxiu?"
She drew out her words—"Father..."
Emperor Zhenlong was somewhat at a loss after being begged. He did not have many concubines, and only two children in total. So, regardless of gender, he allowed them to participate in politics, and their education and upbringing were all in accordance with the same regulations.
Rui Ning is kind-hearted and cares deeply for the people, yet he disdains court politics and acts with a clear distinction between right and wrong, and is extremely stubborn.
His son, Zhao Yang, was extremely adept at the art of checks and balances for a monarch, but he was also somewhat shrewd, and even his father, the emperor, was sometimes amazed by his cunning.
He said helplessly, "Yaoyao, you are now just a pampered little princess, so it's natural for you to hate evil. But you are also involved in political discussions now, so you should know that there are too many helpless things in the world. For the sake of the greater good, you will inevitably have to give up some things."
Princess Ruining, like a firecracker that had been lit, said, "Why abandon Aqiu? Just because she is a woman, while Qin Yuxiu is the top scholar appointed by your own hand?"
"That's right! It's because Qin Yuxiu is the top scholar in the imperial examination and a compiler in Dacheng. If we can use her, she might become a pillar of Dacheng in the future! Xie Danqiu, on the other hand, is just a useless noblewoman! Her greatest use is to win people's hearts!"
Emperor Zhenlong's imposing aura came suddenly, and Ruining was somewhat taken aback by the emperor's power, standing there stunned.
She murmured, "But you clearly said that in your heart, although I am a woman, I am no different from my brother. You hoped that I could also participate in government affairs with you and have my own place in the world. You even issued a new policy, saying that you could grant thousands of women like me the freedom to not be confined to the inner quarters, and that if they had talent, they could put it to use..."
"Because you are my most beloved daughter! I am willing to dote on you! It's all for you! If you ever rise to my position, you can protect whomever you want! Right now, you'll have to listen to your old man!"
Emperor Zhenlong spoke quickly and urgently, and after he finished speaking, he glared at his daughter while blowing his beard.
Princess Ruining looked bewildered, and for the first time, a desire for power arose in her heart.
Is this power? The ability to protect those you want to protect.
However, she had no lofty ambitions. As a woman herself, she only hoped that women would no longer be treated as objects or tools for families to consolidate their power.
Emperor Zhenlong said, "The imperial decree for the marriage has been issued, and the two of them must get married! The Xie family girl will have to get married sooner or later, and Qin Yuxiu is a young talent, so she has not been treated unfairly. If you come here to your father today and make a scene, she may not appreciate it."
Princess Ruining said urgently, "A Qiu is not that kind of person! If A Qiu knew what Qin Yuxiu had done in the past, she would definitely not want to have anything to do with her anymore."
Moreover, she is a girl carefully raised by the Xie family, and must be talented. Since you have granted her this imperial decree, she will be able to enter officialdom in the future; how could she possibly still look favorably upon Qin Yuxiu?”
Emperor Zhenlong smiled mysteriously, with a hint of melancholy.
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