Chapter 140 The Unloved Princess 15
"Choose...choose a concubine?"
Looking at the obviously older-looking Minister of Rites, Lord Wang, who was sitting below her, the newly crowned empress was a little bewildered.
The new emperor took pity on his old minister and specially gave him a seat in the imperial study, while the other two had to stand.
Although Lord Wang was old, he was still full of energy. He sat upright, his eyes lowered, not daring to look directly at the empress sitting above him. He only replied respectfully:
"Your Majesty, the harem cannot remain without a master for even a single day. Now that Your Majesty has ascended the throne, it is indeed time to select concubines and continue your lineage..."
Select concubines and have more offspring.
This is quite true.
But coming from the mouth of the Minister of Rites, who was always known as a conservative and sour scholar, it was quite strange that Nan Qiao, who had stayed in the temple for a long time, was a little at a loss as to how to respond.
Pursing her lips somewhat awkwardly, Nan Qiao said, "I know how to handle matters concerning offspring. There's no need to be so anxious."
Even after ascending the throne, she was still an unmarried girl. Although she had stayed in the temple for many years and had not had many romantic affairs, she still felt uncomfortable when faced with things in this regard.
In particular, there were more than just her and Lord Wang in the imperial study at the moment.
The empress tried hard to maintain her imperial dignity, but the slightly red cheeks faded away the coldness that had always been on her body.
Lord Wang agreed, glanced at the two people on the side who were obviously not feeling well, and quickly bowed his head and left.
The imperial study fell into silence.
Nan Qiao focused his attention on the memorial in his hand, trying hard to ignore the two gazes below that seemed to be scalding.
"Your Majesty, are you interested in appointing a queen and selecting concubines?"
A voice with a hidden smile sounded. Nan Qiao raised her eyes and looked down, and soon met the smiling eyes of Prime Minister Lin.
Feeling even more uncomfortable, Nan Qiao lowered her eyes evasively: "I don't have such thoughts."
She was weak, and it was even a problem whether she could live long, let alone have children. In the past, she had never considered getting married.
It had been two months since she ascended the throne. Nan Qiao was aloof, but not dull. The two men before her seemed respectful and courteous on the surface, but their passionate glances and tender words made her sense that something was surging undercurrents.
From the initial panic and helplessness to the deliberate coldness now, it happened in just a matter of a day and a night.
The two people in front of her helped her a lot, and she was grateful in her heart, but it was just gratitude. She could give them more gold, silver, money, house deeds... to express her gratitude.
But no matter how much more there is, there is really nothing else.
The blush on her cheeks gradually faded, and Nan Qiao said with a cold expression, "It's getting late, my two beloved ministers, please leave first."
Wei Ce had been busy with military affairs for the past month, and had little time to see people in the palace. This day, he finally had some free time, but he was sent away after less than a quarter of an hour. He was a little reluctant and said hurriedly:
"Your Majesty, this time..."
But before he could finish, he was interrupted by the voice of Lin Qinghuai beside him.
Lin Qinghuai: "Then we will take our leave first. I hope Your Majesty takes care of yourself. If there is anything important, please send someone to summon me."
Wei Ce's face froze, and he was a little annoyed, but he still stopped talking.
Nan Qiao paused slightly, and hummed vaguely, his eyes fixed on the pleated note in his hand.
The two of them quickly turned around and left, with the memorial still in their hands. However, Nan Qiao felt that she could not bear to watch it anymore. She looked at their backs as they left, and there was a rare hint of distress in her eyes.
It's been cold and neither salty nor bland for more than half a month, why is it still like this?
It doesn't matter if Wei Ce comes. She knows that he is not that sensitive and may not notice her resistance, but how could Lin Qinghuai, who is so sensitive and thoughtful, not notice it?
They are all the most important ministers in the court. Does she really need to point it out directly?
*
It was almost evening when two important ministers, one civil and one military, came out of the imperial study and walked towards the palace gate. Wherever they passed, the palace maids and clerks all bowed their heads and greeted them.
Wei Ce looked angry: "Why did you stop me just now? If you hadn't spoken up, I would have definitely..."
Lin Qinghuai: "Why did I say that? Didn't the prince notice it?"
Wei Ce paused.
They are all smart people, and what Your Majesty did was so obvious. He is not stupid, so he will naturally notice it.
Lin Qinghuai: "His Majesty is hiding from us."
Wei Ce's expression darkened. How could he not know? He said, "So what?"
It is said that a virtuous woman is afraid of being clingy with a man, and Your Majesty has no one in his heart. If you want to pry open his heart, clinging is also a trick.
Lin Qinghuai didn't continue speaking, but his eyes flickered a few times.
One of them controls most of the military power, and the other controls most of the government. If they really want to embrace the newly crowned empress, they can do it at any time as long as they are ruthless enough.
But if that's the case...
This would also break the backbone of Your Majesty as an emperor.
This emperor with a broken spine will no longer be an emperor, but just a puppet bird in a cage locked in the palace and chained to the throne.
Maybe I will never smile at them, maybe I will always hate them, maybe in the history books they will be described with dirty words...
They don't want this.
What Wei Ce said is actually not bad.
A virtuous woman is afraid of being pestered by a man. Even if Your Majesty is unwilling to give in now, they have enough ability to keep Your Majesty and separate him from other heroes who have feelings for Your Majesty. Day after day, even the most resolute refusal will eventually fade away.
The two walked in silence until they left the palace, one got on the carriage and the other got on the horse, and they went their separate ways.
*
"Wei Ce, Lin Qinghuai..."
The noble young man in brocade robe had handsome features. He looked a little lazy as he listened to the report from the secret guards below.
As if remembering something, Qin Yizhi curled his lips and smiled: "I am not surprised that Qiao Qiao was pushed to the throne."
The secret guards below lowered their heads a little, as if they were not surprised that their master called the current emperor's maiden name so intimately.
After just a few days away from the imperial capital and a trip to the south of the Yangtze River, his Highness actually became the Emperor of the Great Zhou.
Although he had met several princes several times, he did not feel too much regret for their tragic deaths, even though one of them was the third prince with whom he had cooperated.
It's true that some of the late emperor's subordinates were stupid, but as far as he knew, they were not very brave. They died one after another. He didn't believe that no one was fanning the flames.
But so what?
Qin Yizhi thought casually, but he felt a little expectant in his heart. He had no ability but was dreaming of things beyond his ability. If they didn't die, who would?
I just don’t know how stunning and magnificent his Highness would look in the dragon robe.
I really want to take a look...
But is there any way to enter the palace?
If he remembered correctly, the imperial court should still owe his Qin family a lot of silver...
Thinking of this, Qin Yizhi's eyes lit up. He asked the secret guards to withdraw and called the servant who had been with him since childhood into the study. He said, "Yuanbao, go sort out the account books and calculate the silver borrowed from the court in recent years. Come up with a total."
Yuanbao was stunned.
In recent years, the Great Zhou Dynasty has been plagued by frequent natural disasters, including floods in the Yellow River, severe droughts in the northwest, locusts in the east, and displaced people... Time and time again, the national treasury has been depleted.
With the national treasury out of money, the court's attention naturally turned to merchants. As a wealthy family among merchants, the Qin family naturally lent a lot of silver to the court over the years.
Although it is called a loan, it is well known that things borrowed by the court are never returned.
The head of the family now asked him to sort out the account books. I bet he really wants the court to pay back the money.
Yuanbao was confused and wanted to say something, but when he saw the head of the family's firm look, he swallowed his doubts.
Qin Yizhi looked relaxed, and asked someone to take out the communication token given by the late emperor. Although the Qin family was extremely wealthy, they were still common people without any rank or status. Logically speaking, they could not enter the palace without the emperor's summons.
However, now he has the account books of the money the Qin family lent to the court, and he has a token at the palace gate that can be passed by someone. If he wants to enter the palace to see the emperor in the dragon robe, the one he longs for, it should not be difficult...
*
Even though His Majesty did not agree to take a concubine, there is no wall that is impenetrable, and the news soon spread in the court.
In the past, most people, whether they were sons of nobles or upright people, would marry wives and concubines, and never thought of marrying into the woman's family and sharing a woman with someone else.
But if this woman becomes the current emperor, then things will be very different.
That was the former Princess Lingqiao, now His Majesty!
In the past, before His Majesty ascended the throne, he could only marry one man. Even though the young men in the imperial capital were longing for her, they felt that they had no chance of catching His Majesty's eye.
But things are different now.
Your Highness is now His Majesty, the Emperor.
It is common for emperors to have three palaces, six courtyards and seventy-two concubines, isn't it?
The young masters of the imperial capital who were obsessed with Princess Lingqiao were excited again. Even though His Majesty had not issued an order yet, they began to dress themselves up in a serious manner.
The Great Zhou Dynasty was different from the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties. Few men wore makeup. Even though people admired a handsome appearance like a gentleman, no man would put powder on his face.
Therefore, if you want to highlight your physique and temperament, the only things you can do are clothes, accessories and hair crowns.
So overnight, the more famous Huashang shops on the streets of the imperial capital received many orders from young masters of various families. Even the jade jewelry shops received many orders for carved jade pendants and hair crowns...
It seems like everyone is looking forward to the day when His Majesty will select the best...
But things went against their wishes. No matter how much the young men in the imperial capital expected it, the day when His Majesty would select the concubines might never come!
In the court, the powerful Prime Minister Lin Qinghuai rejected the Ministry of Rites' proposal to let His Majesty choose a queen and a concubine, saying that His Majesty was weak and that premature exposure to sexual activities was not good for his health.
Your Majesty enjoys the support of the people of the world, so good health is naturally the top priority. Therefore, after Prime Minister Lin raised this issue, the matter of selecting a queen and taking a concubine was postponed indefinitely.
His Majesty, who was sitting on the dragon throne, felt a pang in his heart when he looked at Prime Minister Lin, who was standing below him with a serious look in his eyes and spoke righteously, as if he had no selfish motives.
Although she had no intention of choosing a male empress or concubine, and was thinking about how to reject the Ministry of Rites' proposal, when the person who helped her reject it turned out to be either Lin Qinghuai or Wei Cezhong, she felt a little strange...
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