16 Robbery
Li Zhaoyi looked at the officials below who were begging for mercy, and a hint of sarcasm rose in her heart.
These people had previously advised her to choose a concubine, urged her to establish an heir, and talked about her relationship with Shen Zhiyuan behind her back. Now that Shen Zhiyuan is about to leave, they all jumped out to plead for her. In the final analysis, they still cannot do without Shen Zhiyuan's ability.
"I know everything you have said." Li Zhaoyi's voice sounded calmly but with a hint of unquestionable majesty.
"Lord Shen has worked so hard and made so many contributions, I will not let him go so easily. I have summoned you all here today to make an announcement."
She paused, her eyes sweeping across the officials below, and she spoke word by word, "I have decided to make Chen Zhiyuan my Prince, to enter the harem, and to share the throne with me."
With a loud "bang", the court exploded in an instant.
All the officials were stunned and could not believe their ears. They raised their heads and looked at Li Zhaoyi sitting on the dragon throne, their eyes full of shock and disbelief.
"Your Majesty! Absolutely not!" Prime Minister Wang knelt down hastily, his voice trembling.
"Chen Zhiyuan is a minister, and more importantly, your Majesty's imperial tutor. How can you take him into your harem? This is against moral principles and will surely lead to the ridicule of the world. Your Majesty, please revoke your order!"
"Lord Wang is absolutely right!" Imperial Censor Zhou Mingyuan also knelt down, "Your Majesty, you are the supreme ruler. The concubines in your harem must be selected from aristocratic families or clans.
Shen Zhiyuan is a man and a former minister. If he were to be included in the harem, it would not only be against etiquette, but would also shake the foundation of the country and make the people of the world question your majesty's wisdom!"
More and more ministers knelt down and pleaded in unison: "Your Majesty, please revoke your order!"
For a moment, the court was filled with voices of opposition. Even Tutor Xu, who had previously pleaded for Shen Zhiyuan, frowned and hesitated to speak.
Li Zhaoyi looked at the sea of heads below and became more and more angry.
She knew the decision would be controversial, but she didn't expect such fierce opposition.
In the eyes of these people, she, as the emperor, did not even have the right to choose her own partner, and could not even decide her own feelings.
"Enough!" Li Zhaoyi slammed the dragon throne with an imperial voice that instantly quieted the hall.
"I am the emperor, and I decide my own harem! Shen Zhiyuan is talented and virtuous, loyal to me, and has made great contributions to the country. Why can't he enter the harem?
What is ethics? What is etiquette? Is it right for me to marry someone I don't like and give up my heart for the sake of so-called 'ethics and etiquette'?"
Her voice grew louder and louder, her eyes filled with determination and anger: "I know that you are worried that this move will be ridiculed by the world and will shake the foundation of the country.
But I tell you, if I can't even follow my own heart and can't even keep the people I want to keep, how can I govern this country well and how can I convince the people?
"I have made up my mind to confer the title of Lord Chen upon Shen Zhiyuan and to bring him into the harem. There is no need to discuss this matter further! Anyone who dares to object will be charged with treason!"
She almost shouted the last sentence with unquestionable determination.
All the officials in the hall were stunned. No one dared to speak. Even Prime Minister Wang did not dare to kneel down and remonstrate. He could only stand there with a pale face.
Taifu Xu looked at Li Zhaoyi's determined eyes, sighed inwardly, and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty is wise and wise. We obey your command."
With Grand Tutor Xu taking the lead, the other ministers also bowed and saluted: "We obey your order."
Li Zhaoyi looked at the obedient officials below, but she did not feel the slightest joy in her heart, only a hint of fatigue and bitterness.
She knew that this decision would bring her infamy, plunge the court into turmoil, and put both her and Shen Zhiyuan in trouble.
But she had no choice, she couldn't let Shen Zhiyuan go, she couldn't lose the only person she had ever loved.
After the court was dismissed, Li Zhaoyi returned to the Yangxin Palace, where Shen Zhiyuan was already waiting.
He looked at Li Zhaoyi, his eyes filled with mixed emotions: "Your Majesty, you shouldn't do this."
"If I don't do this, you will leave." Li Zhaoyi looked at him with a hint of fatigue in her voice.
"Chen Zhiyuan, I know this decision will embarrass you and make you bear the blame. But I have no other choice. I can't let you go. I can't lose you."
Shen Zhiyuan looked at her red eyes, and his heart felt like it was pierced by a needle. He knew how much courage and pressure His Majesty had to bear to make this decision.
He wanted to refuse and tell her "it's not worth it", but looking at her expectant eyes, he couldn't say it.
“Your Majesty,” Shen Zhiyuan was silent for a moment and then said softly, “Do you know how much trouble this move will put you in?
The officials will not accept it sincerely, the royal family will take the opportunity to cause trouble, and the people of the world will also discuss your rights and wrongs."
"I know." Li Zhaoyi nodded, but her eyes remained firm.
"But I'm not afraid. As long as you're by my side, as long as we face it together, I can overcome any difficulty, no matter how big it is. Shen Zhiyuan, I just want to ask you, are you willing to stay and face this with me?"
Shen Zhiyuan looked at her determined eyes, and the struggle and hesitation in his heart gradually disappeared.
He knew that he would never be able to let go of this woman in his life.
He bowed, his voice trembling slightly but with unwavering determination: "Your Majesty, I...will. I will always be by your side, ruling the country together and overcoming difficulties together."
Li Zhaoyi looked at him and finally couldn't hold back her tears. This time, they were tears of joy and relief.
On the day the decree to enthrone Shen Zhiyuan as the Emperor was issued, an invisible haze seemed to cover the sky above the imperial city.
Inside the Yangxin Palace, Consort Li personally tied the jade belt symbolizing Shen Zhiyuan's status as a monarch. When her fingertips touched his slightly cool wrist, she softly asked, "Do you feel wronged?"
Shen Zhiyuan lowered his eyes and looked at her, his eyes hiding complicated emotions, but he still replied in a gentle voice: "I am not wronged to be able to accompany Your Majesty."
Having said that, the suppressed discussions coming from outside the hall were like needles piercing one's heart.
When Eunuch Zhang entered, his expression was grave. "Your Majesty, the royal family has sent someone to ask to see you to discuss the 'Etiquette of the Imperial Sovereign.'"
"Discussing etiquette?" Li Zhaoyi sneered and closed the brocade box in her hand. "They want to take this opportunity to cause trouble and embarrass Mr. Shen."
She knew the thoughts of the royal family too well. Since she ascended the throne, the royal family has been dissatisfied with her being a woman in power. Now that she broke the convention and appointed a male concubine, they have an excuse to question her decision.
Shen Zhiyuan held her hand and patted it gently: "Your Majesty, I will go with you to meet them. Matters of etiquette should be handled by me personally."
Li Zhaoyi looked at his determined eyes and felt a little relieved.
The two walked side by side to the side hall, where several old princes from the royal family had already been waiting. When they saw them come in, they just bowed slightly, and even addressed them as "Your Majesty" in a perfunctory manner.
The leader, Prince Zhao, spoke first, his eyes fixed on Shen Zhiyuan with undisguised contempt: "Your Majesty, we have come here today to ask what kind of etiquette should be followed for the position of 'Chen Jun'?
Should we follow the etiquette of a queen or a minister? If we follow the etiquette of a queen, Shen Zhiyuan is a man and has been your majesty's teacher, which is not in accordance with etiquette; if we follow the etiquette of a minister, he occupies a position in the harem and may be criticized by the world."
This statement seems to be asking about etiquette, but in fact it is accusing Li Zhaoyi of making an illegal decision.
Li Zhaoyi was about to open her mouth to refute, but Shen Zhiyuan stepped forward first, his tone calm but with unquestionable power: "Your Highness, Prince Zhao, the ritual system is meant to regulate order, not to restrict the monarch.
During the reign of the previous emperor, the rituals were modified to suit the times. Your Majesty has now appointed me as the Emperor, so that the emperor and his subjects can unite to protect the country. Why should you fear the criticism of the world?"
He paused, his eyes sweeping over the princes, and continued, “As for my status, I am both your Majesty’s subject and your Majesty’s companion.
In the future, I will continue to assist Your Majesty in the court as a subject; in the harem, I will accompany Your Majesty as a companion. With a clear distinction between public and private, how can it be said that this is against etiquette?
Several princes were speechless after hearing what he said. Prince Zhao's face turned pale and blue, but he could not find any reason to refute.
Li Zhaoyi looked at Shen Zhiyuan's calm response and felt proud. This was the man she chose. He had both character and wisdom and would never let her face the storm alone.
After sending off the royal family members, Li Zhaoyi leaned on Shen Zhiyuan's shoulder and whispered, "I'm glad you're here."
"Your Majesty is my monarch and my lover. I should share the ups and downs with Your Majesty."
Shen Zhiyuan hugged her gently, his voice gentle, "But next, I'm afraid there will be more troubles waiting for us."
His words soon came true.
In the following days, the voices of opposition in the court never stopped. Some ministers threatened to resign, while others deliberately mentioned in their memorials that "men and women are different" and "rituals cannot be abolished."
Some local officials even submitted memorials, saying that the people were discussing the matter of enthroning the emperor, which might cause public resentment.
What made Li Zhaoyi even more worried was that Prime Minister Wang, together with several old ministers, asked Shen Zhiyuan to accompany him with the "etiquette of a subject" on the pretext of "worshiping the Taimiao". In fact, they wanted to take the opportunity to belittle Shen Zhiyuan's status as the emperor.
"Your Majesty, Prime Minister Wang's move is clearly a deliberate attempt to make things difficult for you." Shen Zhiyuan looked at the memorial on the table, frowning slightly.
"If I go to the Taimiao with the rites of a subject, I will be admitting that my position as the Emperor is unworthy of its title; if I go with the rites of the Emperor, they will accuse me of usurping power."
Li Zhaoyi put down the memorial, her eyes cold. "They want to make things difficult for me, but I won't let them succeed. Tomorrow, when we offer sacrifices to the Imperial Ancestral Temple, you will accompany me with the proper etiquette of a sovereign. I want to see who dares to say 'no'!"
The next day, when offering sacrifices to the Taimiao, Shen Zhiyuan wore a bright yellow court robe and walked in front with Li Zhaoyi side by side.
The ministers looked at the two men walking side by side, some showed dissatisfaction, some lowered their heads and remained silent, but no one dared to stand up and object.
After the shock of the last court meeting, they already knew that Li Zhaoyi was determined to protect Shen Zhiyuan this time.
The sacrificial ceremony went smoothly, but Li Zhaoyi knew that this was only a temporary calm.
The royal family and opposing ministers will never give up easily. They will definitely find an opportunity to attack again.
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