As soon as Gan Lin finished speaking, the entire hall fell silent.
The Empress Dowager kept her head turned away, looking at Gan Lin with a stiff smile. At this moment, it was as if her and Gan Lin's roles had been reversed, and she was the puppet on the strings.
Ever since Kou Ning'an recommended Gan Lin as emperor, Gan Lin has been very obedient. No matter what she says, Gan Lin will cooperate. Even when she asked Gan Lin to drink poison, Gan Lin never hesitated.
The only place Gan Lin would not allow anyone to touch was Gan Qiongying.
But Kou Ning'an couldn't understand what was happening today. Gan Lin had clearly agreed before coming to the banquet, so why did he go against her wishes?
"Has Your Majesty drunk too much?" After a long while, Kou Ning'an spoke again, her face still bearing that standard yet terrifying smile that seemed to have been measured with a ruler. She asked Gan Lin, "When this matter was brought up in my palace today, didn't Your Majesty say that you had someone in mind who could match Princess Xue'e with a happy marriage?"
The Empress Dowager's voice was soft and gentle, but every word carried a chilling threat.
She gave Gan Lin another chance, hoping that Gan Lin would change his mind.
The regent also turned to look at Gan Lin, at this puppet emperor who had always been subjected to his torture and beatings, never resisting or escaping, and never uttering a sound of complaint.
Gan Lin met the Regent's gaze. He almost never looked directly at the Regent like this before. Gan Lin had always appeared weak and timid, and this was the first time the Regent had seen into Gan Lin's eyes.
He never knew that this puppet emperor had such a gaze; his eyes were deep and sharp, even sharper than those of the late Emperor Huicheng.
He was like a dragon that had been sleeping for a long time and had finally been provoked. He raised his head slightly and blinked, causing the bastard regent to unconsciously tremble, and the cup in his hand fell to the table with a "clatter".
This faint sound was like a signal, or the prelude to a sleeping dragon finally breaking free of its shackles and letting out a low roar.
Gan Lin even gave Regent Sima Rui a contemptuous smile, his eyes full of disdain. Although he had been controlled by the Regent for many years, he had never looked down on this bastard.
Gan Lin slowly turned his head to look at the Empress Dowager, his eyes filled with the intense heat of a raging wildfire, an indescribable sense of exhilaration and comfort.
He had been thinking about this day for a long time. One day he would no longer be restrained by anyone. Even if it meant mutual destruction, it would be better than being a puppet under someone else's control.
Therefore, the flames in his eyes almost burned through the false shell of the woman in front of him, revealing her despicable and shameless true face.
"What is the Empress Dowager saying? I don't understand." Gan Lin said with a smile, "Who Princess Xue'e will ultimately marry is naturally decided by Princess Xue'e's father, the King of Jingxi."
"As the saying goes, marriage is arranged by parents and matchmakers. It is a matter of lifelong importance, and we should ask the opinions of the Prince of Jingxi and his wife. I cannot take away the right of the other party's father-in-law. The Empress Dowager should not play matchmaker indiscriminately."
Gan Lin looked at Regent Sima Rui, who was staring intently at him, and relaxed in his seat. He was more at ease than ever before. He didn't need to deliberately maintain his imperial dignity. His brow swayed slightly, but there was no hint of frivolity or unruliness. He was simply awe-inspiring and impossible to look directly at.
Gan Lin said with a hint of sarcasm, "What if we misjudge a person and ruin a woman's life? Wouldn't that be terrible?"
"Princess Xue'e, you should put on another layer of clothing. Autumn is just around the corner, and it's never good to catch a cold. The King of Jingxi regards the princess as the apple of his eye. If he knew that the princess was out there entertaining his ministers with her maids, he would probably be furious and send troops... to gouge out the eyes of everyone in the hall today."
Wen Xueling immediately knelt down with a thud, and Gan Qiongying suspected that she had broken her knees.
"Your Majesty, please forgive me..."
Regent Sima Rui clenched his fingers tightly, the wine spilled on his fingertips burning, the heat spreading from his fingers all the way to his heart and eyes.
He wished he could stand up immediately, grab Gan Lin, and take him back to teach him a lesson he wouldn't forget. Just then, a new batch of five-poisonous moths arrived at the Regent's Palace from the southern border!
Wen Xueling's face was deathly pale.
The emperor's words were like slaps to her face.
She's smoking because she doesn't respect or love herself.
Furthermore, it cut off the path for Princess Xue'e to choose her own husband. In ancient times, filial piety was the top priority. With the phrase "the command of parents and the words of matchmakers" suppressing all such sentiments, if Wen Xueling dared to say who she loved, she would be considered unconventional, unfilial, and unchaste.
The banquet had completely fallen into chaos.
Kou Ning'an was so angry that she trembled all over. Gan Qiongying watched as Gan Lin finally revealed his imperial majesty, which almost made the old witch and the little demon king crooked with anger. However, she was not happy at all, fearing that Gan Lin would be punished later.
Although I don't know why Gan Lin suddenly unleashed her power, it was exhilarating!
That felt so damn good!
Gan Qiongying was like a confused parent. Her "child" had committed a terrible crime, but she didn't blame him at all. At first, she was scared, but when she saw Gan Lin, she was able to keep her composure. In the end, all she could do was smile.
Gan Qiongying gave Gan Lin an encouraging smile.
Gan Lin also raised an eyebrow slightly at Gan Qiongying.
During the second half of the banquet, the Empress Dowager left first, citing illness. The Regent Prince could not leave and sat there with a gloomy expression, staring at Gan Qiongying with a deathly gaze for a moment, and then staring at Gan Lin with a deathly gaze for a moment.
But no matter who he was staring at, the siblings were already strutting around like peas in the pan, and they usually only glanced at him out of the corner of their eyes. Sima Rui wouldn't be able to act arrogantly tonight, at least.
The latter half of the performance was lively and bustling. Even though the emperor did not leave, no minister in the court, regardless of whose side they were, dared to be the first to leave.
Gan Lin immediately summoned Gan Qiongying to sit beside him, and the two siblings watched the songs and dances together.
Finally, they looked out at the fireworks outside the main hall, which were launched into the sky, a dazzling display of light and color.
They were like those two children from years ago, sitting on the steps in a desolate palace, enjoying the moon together while eating mud cakes as if they were delicacies.
At least tonight, this world, like that desolate courtyard back then, belongs to the two siblings.
Gan Qiongying drank two bowls of old duck soup, and her stomach was full.
However, as the banquet ended and people began to disperse, those two bowls of old duck soup turned into a wavering worry in Gan Qiongying's stomach.
The ministers left the palace one after another, but the regent delayed his departure, ostensibly to assist the emperor in seeing off the court officials.
Gan Qiongying naturally wouldn't leave, while Gan Lin seemed very relaxed, showing no concern whatsoever about what might happen.
With a smile, she urged Gan Qiongying, "Sister, hurry back. Once the palace gates are closed, you won't be able to leave."
"The prince consort kept staring at his elder sister all night, as if he had something to say to her."
Gan Lin even joked with Gan Qiongying, "Seeing my elder sister and her husband living in harmony, I feel relieved."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com