Chapter 169: The Crown Prince
"My dear ministers, if you still feel there is anything wrong, please tell us today and I will discuss it with you in detail." Xiao Chenglan's eyebrows were covered with a layer of coldness.
Despite the extremely low pressure in the hall, some people still came out to protest.
This group of officials is not concerned with conflicts of interest; they are purely diehards who believe in benevolence, righteousness, propriety, and filial piety, and are the most difficult to deal with.
The most representative one is Mr. Ge from the Censorate. He is a censor and regards advising the king as his greatest responsibility.
Seeing that His Majesty promoted the emperor to the rank of noble concubine, bestowed a name on the emperor three days later, and wanted to make the infant a crown prince, he had to endure it again and again and finally persuaded him.
"Your Majesty, since you ascended the throne, you have worked tirelessly, wholeheartedly for the country. We, your subjects, bow down to you. However, your Majesty's behavior regarding concubines is truly outrageous. Emperors expand their harems for the sake of the crown prince and the great unity, not simply to favor concubines. If you have few children, it will attract unscrupulous ministers to covet the throne. This will lead to unstable regimes and frequent internal strife, which will not only harm the people but also aggravate external threats. Then, Daye will be in turmoil."
"All of this is because Your Majesty favors the Imperial Concubine. In my opinion, Imperial Concubine Xi already bears the resemblance to Imperial Concubine Li, the Enchanting Concubine. Your Majesty must not follow in her footsteps. Your Majesty is determined to make the Imperial Concubine's son the Crown Prince, but according to ancestral rules, the Crown Prince only respects the Empress Dowager as his legitimate mother. I petition Your Majesty to select a new Empress, take back the Imperial Concubine's seal and seal, and select a virtuous woman to take the throne of the Empress Dowager to rectify the Emperor's harem. Your Majesty, if you favor the Imperial Concubine, would be forgiven for allowing her to be a powerless concubine."
Ge Huaichuan was the head of the Censorate. Whenever he spoke, many censors would interrupt him.
"Your Majesty, I petition you to appoint a queen, have the Crown Prince acknowledge the Empress as his legitimate mother, and take back the Imperial Concubine's seal and imperial decree!"
Xiao Chenglan looked at the ministers kneeling in the hall, the veins on his forehead and neck bulging. He stood up suddenly, the crown on his head shaking constantly, and an angry face was hidden behind it, becoming more gloomy and terrifying.
"Since you are forcing me to appoint a queen, I will tell you the truth. I have not yet appointed the Imperial Concubine as queen because I am concerned about your thoughts. If I did not want to suddenly appoint the Imperial Concubine as queen and cause her to suffer so much criticism, she would have been sitting in the Central Palace by now!"
"I tell you, as long as I am in power, the position of Empress will only belong to Noble Consort Xi Jiang Yingli. If you are dissatisfied with this, then feel free to rebel against me. Whoever you think can satisfy your wishes and ensure the eternal stability of Daye can rebel, and I will fight to the end!"
The ministers below were stunned by the emperor's anger, which they had never seen before.
The emperor in front of the dragon throne had a look of hostility between his brows, indicating that what he just said was definitely not spoken in anger.
Ge Huaichuan's lips were trembling, and tears were already flashing in his cloudy eyes.
"Your Majesty, I advise you not with any disloyal intention, but for the sake of Daye and its people! How could Your Majesty say such words as asking me to choose the monarch? I am heartbroken! It is really... really..."
Ge Huaichuan became more and more excited as he spoke, and suddenly stood up and bumped into the pillar in the hall.
"Stop him!" Shen Xi, the Minister of Revenue who was closest to him, was the first to react.
The people who were still shocked in their place suddenly woke up and rushed forward to stop the man.
Ge Huaichuan was rescued before he hit the pillar and cried bitterly.
Xiao Chenglan closed his eyes, turned around angrily, and left only eight words.
"My mind is made up, no need to say more."
**
According to the Imperial Astronomical Observatory, one month later is Fengtian Festival, the day when Daye is founded, which is an auspicious day.
On that day, Xiao Chenglan officially issued an edict, appointing the one-month-old Xiao Chen'an as the crown prince.
Jiang Yingli had just finished her confinement and personally held Xiao Chenan to receive the crown prince's jade seal.
The civil and military officials looked at Jiang Yingli holding Xiao Chen'an and walking beside Xiao Chenglan, their eyes full of worry.
Especially Ge Huaichuan, when his gaze fell on Jiang Yingli, the sadness in his eyes was about to overflow, and he sighed repeatedly.
Jiang Yingli knew that Xiao Chen'an was appointed as the Crown Prince because His Majesty single-handedly overcame all objections.
Even though she felt uneasy about the looks from the ministers, she remained calm and carried Xiao Chen'an through all the procedures of ancestor worship.
His Majesty has taken on everything for her and Lin'er, so she can't make any mistakes.
Even if there was a mistake in etiquette, it would give the ministers a handle to criticize her and then write letters to criticize her, making it difficult for Your Majesty.
She was determined in her heart and was already familiar with all the procedures for enthroning the crown prince, without making any mistakes.
Even though he knelt for a long time to offer sacrifices to heaven, he did not even stumble when he stood up.
After the ceremony, Jiang Yingli returned to Changyang Palace, and the tension in her heart finally relaxed. The immense fatigue enveloped her, and she fell into a deep sleep near dusk.
When Xiao Chenglan returned to Changyang Palace, he looked at her slightly tired face with eyes full of heartache and guilt.
He didn't stand high enough, so Jiang Yingli was so tired.
He obtained the throne halfway through his career. He never sat in the Eastern Palace as the crown prince and had no chance to connect with various forces. He could only use the strategy of maneuvering to mediate in the vortex of power.
When he first ascended the throne, he was surrounded by enemies on all sides, and Jiang Yingli was his pillar of support.
It has been a difficult journey. Now he can be a dictator in state affairs, but he cannot stop the rumors.
So all those suspicious eyes fell on Jiang Yingli.
All of this can be easily solved as long as he has enough merits.
Therefore, he must march north to expand his territory.
Only when he stood high enough and Jiang Yingli stood shoulder to shoulder with him, those questioning looks were replaced by awe-filled admiration.
After the crown prince was enthroned, Xiao Chenglan asked the Imperial Astronomical Observatory to divine a very auspicious day to hold the ceremony of crowning Jiang Yingli as queen.
The censors still insisted that Concubine Xi could not be crowned as queen, and she knelt in Changqing Palace for a long time and refused to get up.
Xiao Chenglan showed no sign of relenting. "We'll have to choose an auspicious day for the ceremony, but I'll issue a decree today to enthrone Consort Xi as empress. After today, she'll be my empress, both the crown prince's biological mother and his legal mother."
Ge Huaichuan had been playing the game for several days, and today he looked as if he would kill His Majesty if he insisted on doing so.
"Your Majesty, I am a censor, a censor. My duty is to advise the king. If I cannot persuade Your Majesty to change his mind today, I would rather die than betray Your Majesty. If Your Majesty insists on decreeing the empress, I ask Your Majesty to grant me death."
"Lord Ge's words are so high-sounding, as if you are loyal to the emperor and earn his keep. But in reality, you are just seeking fame and reputation, hoping to leave your name in history! If His Majesty orders the historians to erase everything you said today, will you still speak so bluntly?"
Jiang Yingli's voice suddenly rang out in the hall.
The ministers in the hall looked back and saw Jiang Yingli entering the hall alone, staring at Ge Huaichuan with sharp eyes.
Xiao Chenglan's eyes lit up, but then he showed a look of worry.
But before he could say anything, Jiang Yingli knelt beside Ge Huaichuan without any fear.
Jiang Yingli knelt down and saluted Xiao Chenglan, then saluted the other ministers with her sleeves folded, and then she fixed her eyes on Ge Huaichuan, who was stunned with shock.
"Lord Ge, you constantly offer your remonstrations, and every word revolves around loyalty to the emperor and the people of Daye. His Majesty has been troubled by three things lately. The first is the Northern Expedition. I'm wondering if you've come up with a strategy to present to His Majesty to alleviate his worries. The second is the protests of the candidates. Do you have a strategy to appease His Majesty? The third is the establishment of a new empress. You've been obstructing them in every way, pushing His Majesty to the forefront and causing him so much distress. Of all these things, which one is loyal to the emperor, and which one is for the sake of the people of Daye!"
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