Chapter 59 Please punish me, Father Emperor.
The emperor was stunned.
He only heard this morning that Xiao Duo's drunkenness that day was caused by Li Yuanzhao's subordinates, who used the pretext of a drinking contest to get him completely intoxicated, leaving the Imperial Guards leaderless.
Coincidentally, this happened exactly half an hour before the assassins launched their attack.
In the chaos of the hunting grounds, he made a moment of folly and temporarily handed over command of the Imperial Guards to her.
Looking back, everything happened too coincidentally, leaving him no choice but to suspect: was this a setup she deliberately orchestrated?
But now, she actually knelt down in front of him, begging for forgiveness for Xiao Duo, and even willing to return the power to lead the Imperial Guards.
Could it be... that I really misunderstood my daughter?
The Emperor composed himself and said, "Xiao Duo knew he bore a heavy responsibility for defense, yet he indulged in drinking, nearly putting me in danger. His crime is unforgivable. Why do you plead for him?"
Li Yuanzhao continued, "But if it weren't for my failure to properly manage my subordinates, how could this mistake have occurred? If Father Emperor wishes to punish General Xiao, please also punish me. I will have no complaints whatsoever."
The Emperor stared at Li Yuanzhao, who was kneeling on the ground.
Her back was straight, and even when she was kneeling, she exuded a tenacious spirit that refused to bend.
He slowly spoke: "Xiao Duo's own dereliction of duty has nothing to do with you. Since your guard has already dealt with it, let's just let this matter go and not mention it again."
Li Yuanzhao wanted to persuade him further, "Father..."
"No need for further words," the Emperor interrupted her. "As for Xiao Duo, considering his past diligence, let him be demoted to the position of Deputy Commander of the Imperial Guard."
He paused, then changed the subject: "You saved the emperor at the hunting grounds that day, and according to custom, you deserve a reward. Tell me, what do you want?"
Li Yuanzhao lowered his eyes and said, "Your subject dares not ask for rewards, but only prays for Your Majesty's good health and for the peace and prosperity of the Great Qi."
Seeing her "uncompetitive" demeanor, the Emperor's doubts finally dissipated.
"Get up." He stretched out his deeply furrowed hand, intending to help Li Yuanzhao to his feet.
"Thank you, Father Emperor." Li Yuanzhao quickly stepped forward, gently took his wrist, and slowly stood up.
The Emperor then angrily berated Eunuch Xu, "Why haven't you prepared a seat for the Princess yet?"
"It was my negligence," Eunuch Xu quickly apologized, then turned and winked at the palace servants.
The palace servants immediately and nimbly moved Li Yuanzhao's sandalwood chair to the front of the emperor's bed.
After Li Yuanzhao sat down, he had just picked up the teacup offered by a palace servant when the Emperor slowly spoke, "Que Nu, what have you thought about the matter of choosing a consort that I mentioned to you last time?"
He paused, his gaze sweeping over her almost casually, as if making a casual remark: "I've noticed you've been spending a lot of time with that Lin family boy lately. Could it be that you've taken a liking to him?"
Upon hearing this, Li Yuanzhao suddenly remembered last night.
Lin Xuean's wet eyes, soft lips, and firm, taut body...
It's just a pastime, not even worthy of being given a proper title.
She smiled and said, "Father is too kind. Young Master Lin is kind, humble and respectful, and a man of propriety. It is indeed pleasant to be with him. But my interactions with him are merely ordinary and not romantic."
The Emperor said "Oh," and pressed on, "Then do you have one in mind? Last time I picked out so many young men for you, some were learned and some were skilled in martial arts, some had good family backgrounds and were talented. Surely there must be one that suits your taste?"
Li Yuanzhao sneered inwardly.
Her father wasn't really concerned about her feelings; he was just testing her.
The prince consorts that his father had originally chosen for him, including Prince Xu, had already been killed on his orders; as for Lin Xue'an, he did not intend to give her any official title.
Now, all that's left on the table are Shen Churong and Pei Huaijin.
Pei Huaijin is no longer the down-and-out eldest son who was manipulated by his uncle, but the head of the Pei family who holds real power and has a solid foundation.
Shen Churong has the support of the Shen family and is a rising star in the Imperial Guard.
These two men, one wielding power in a noble family and the other holding military authority, would the Emperor really be willing to make them his consorts and join forces with her?
She shook her head, feigning distress, "After looking around, I feel that all these men are pretty much the same. Please, Father, make the decision for me. The one you choose will surely be right."
The Emperor, however, seemed to have been prepared all along, and slowly uttered a name, "Chu Rong has rendered meritorious service in saving the Emperor this time, displaying great bravery. I think it would be good to betroth him to you as your son-in-law, what do you think?"
Upon hearing this, Li Yuanzhao immediately frowned. "Father, you know perfectly well that Shen Churong and I have never gotten along! If we were to become husband and wife, wouldn't we be arguing every day, causing chaos and conflict? Perhaps we would end up like my aunt back then, unable to make it work. Wouldn't that be a disgrace to the royal family?"
"Oh, really?" The Emperor raised an eyebrow. "I think Shen Churong is a bit unruly, but he doesn't seem like someone who can't care for others. Besides, you saved him this time, so the two of you might get along well."
Li Yuanzhao's tone softened, carrying a rare hint of coquetry, "Father, I like men who are obedient and sensible. If you love me, please help me choose such a man."
This charming and innocent demeanor is completely different from her usual decisive and ruthless attitude in the imperial court.
Upon seeing this, the Emperor couldn't help but laugh out loud, "Very well, as you wish."
Looking at his daughter, who rarely showed such a charming side, his guardedness gradually faded.
He didn't genuinely want to bring her and Shen Churong together; in fact, he secretly tried to sow discord between them.
Over the years, it was precisely because Shen Churong and Li Yuanzhao had a long-standing feud that he dared to entrust some of his power to Li Yuanzhao.
If a powerful family like the Shen family were to join forces with Li Yuanzhao, a child with power and influence, backed by military forces, would pose a tremendous threat to him.
Now that he heard Li Yuanzhao say that, he was finally relieved.
The Emperor's tone carried a hint of helplessness, "But Chu Rong has rendered meritorious service in protecting me this time, and I have always wanted to reward him in some way. Since you are unwilling to marry him, then I will reward him with something else."
He looked at Li Yuanzhao, a hint of probing in his eyes: "Que Nu, what do you think about handing over the command of the Imperial Guards to him?"
Li Yuanzhao sneered inwardly.
As expected, the Emperor was afraid that she held too much military power and was eager to find someone to take it back.
Shen Churong is indeed the most suitable candidate at present.
He had always been at odds with the Second Prince's faction, and harbored a deep-seated grudge against himself.
By putting him in charge of the Imperial Guards, there's no need to worry about which side he'll side with. Father Emperor has really made a brilliant plan.
However, these continuous probing attempts are truly impossible to guard against.
I'm afraid that even if I say it's good, my father, the emperor, might not think so.
A hint of worry appeared on her face as she feigned disagreement, saying, "Father, I'm afraid this is inappropriate. Chu Rong is still young. Although he is brave, he has little experience in commanding the Imperial Guards. The Imperial Guards are in charge of the defense of the capital, which is of great importance. How can we easily entrust this to someone who lacks experience? I'm afraid he is not up to the task and may even cause a major blunder."
Upon hearing this, a hint of satisfaction flashed in the Emperor's eyes.
Li Yuanzhao's opposition completely dispelled his last remaining doubts.
He said, "It's not a big deal. I'll just assign him a few more capable deputy commanders to assist him."
Li Yuanzhao wanted to say something more, "But..."
"Alright, no need to persuade me any further." The Emperor interrupted her, picked up his teacup, took a sip, and his posture indicated that he had made his final decision.
Li Yuanzhao feigned reluctance and said, "Father's mind is made up, so I dare not say anything more. However... I only hope that Shen Churong can live up to Father's expectations."
The Emperor assumed she was just being resentful and said, "You're just prejudiced against Chu Rong. Don't worry, it's always good for young people to gain more experience."
He paused, as if suddenly remembering something, and then said, "By the way, those officials you recommended before, I have read their files and they are indeed all talented. Just do it that way, there's no need to report back to me again."
This is both a gesture of goodwill and an attempt to maintain balance.
She appeased her discontent at losing her command of the Imperial Guards by promoting the people she had recommended.
Li Yuanzhao immediately showed gratitude and said, "Thank you for your kindness, Father Emperor."
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