Chapter 35 Who is worthy of the position of Queen
"Greetings, Father. I have completed the homework assigned by the Grand Tutor."
It turned out that he was kept after school to do homework. Ji Qingwu couldn't take his eyes off Yuan Heng, who was as cute as a snowball.
She didn't know before that Yuan Heng was her son. Now that she knows, she only regrets that she didn't hug him more that day.
Yuan Heng went directly to the North Seat and sat side by side with Prince Yong. He sat upright with a cold and handsome face, looking quite gentlemanly.
Ji Qingwu's gaze remained fixed in that direction and never moved.
After a while, Emperor Wu Su said, "Yuan Heng, come to father."
There was confusion in Yuan Heng's dark eyes.
I began to think about whether I had done anything to make my father angry today.
He walked to Emperor Wu Su with short legs and a heavy face.
Ji Qingwu's gaze was still closely following Yuan Heng. From his expression, one could tell that he was reluctant but also a little afraid.
She thought of how Yuan Heng was slapped twenty times because of an argument with the grandson of Censor Yan. Even Ji Changlin, a grown man, had red palms, so how could a child like Yuan Heng bear it?
Ji Qingwu glared at Emperor Wu Su with a reproachful look, blaming him for being too cruel to his son.
As a result, he was caught red-handed by the man sitting high in front of the hall.
Emperor Wu Su raised his eyebrows and narrowed his eyes. Ji Qingwu quickly lowered his head.
What’s going on? Does the emperor have eyes on the back of his head?
Emperor Wu Su took his eyes off for a long time and said solemnly to Yuan Heng in front of him: "Just sit next to me."
Yuan Heng was a mature young man, but he was also shocked by his father's words. He had never sat next to the emperor when attending a palace banquet.
He frowned and said, "Yes."
Other people who frequently attended palace banquets were also secretly amazed. Emperor Wu Su was strict in his education of the little prince. They were not only father and son, but also monarch and subject. He had never been merciful just because the prince was his only son. But today, he wanted to get close to the prince.
Eunuch Li added a chair next to the emperor, and the father and son sat at the same table. Their identical sharp black eyes first looked towards Nan Xi at the same time.
Ji Qingwu lowered his head and quietly pretended to be a little quail.
The two turned their gaze back as if nothing had happened.
The Queen Mother was also happy to have the opportunity to get close to the little prince. After the last incident of falling into the water, Yuan Heng moved from Concubine Wei's Guanju Palace to Yongning Palace to live alone.
"Yuan Heng, the Empress Dowager hasn't seen you for some time. Are you afraid of living alone in Yongning Palace?"
"Won't."
Yuan Heng's answer was concise and to the point, and he directly interrupted what the empress dowager wanted to say next.
The Queen Mother choked up, and with a fake sigh, she changed her tone and started talking about the past again, "Although Concubine Wei did not fulfill her duty of care last time, fortunately my niece is a brave and kind person, otherwise Yuan Heng would be in great danger."
Concubine Wei, who was named, put down her wine glass, smiled faintly and nodded, saying, "Empress Dowager, you are right. I am also very grateful to Miss Ji, but His Majesty has already dealt with this matter. Concubine Luo, the mastermind behind the scenes, has also been ordered to commit suicide. The men of the Luo family have been exiled, and all the women have been enslaved. If you mention it again, won't it scare His Highness Yuan Heng?"
Ji Qingwu had long known that the Queen Mother and Concubine Wei did not see eye to eye and that it was common for them to bicker with each other.
But one said "Yuan Heng is in great danger", and the other said "I'm going to kill myself and exile him to slavery, but I'm afraid it will scare Yuan Heng", which clearly showed that they didn't really care about his safety.
Ji Qingwu frowned and looked at Yuan Heng's cold little appearance. It seemed that he had long been accustomed to it.
The Queen Mother continued, "This matter has passed, but there is one more thing. Isn't it time for the Emperor's harem to have some new people? If I remember correctly, the last selection was two years ago."
Compared with the previous dynasties, Emperor Wu Su's harem is simply not worth mentioning. Emperor Liang had three thousand beauties in his harem, while Emperor Wu Su's harem only had a dozen lonely people.
A few years ago, the first beauty contest was held after the new emperor ascended the throne. The balance of power between the former dynasty and the harem had to be taken into consideration, and those chosen to enter the palace were all daughters of meritorious officials, but there were no daughters of the Ji family. Now that the country is stable, he can choose women that the emperor likes.
All the noble ladies in the palace sat up straight, and some even secretly used lip balm to touch up their lips.
Emperor Wu Su looked indifferent and did not respond.
The Queen Mother rubbed her temples and said with a headache, "Your Majesty, I have been in charge of the six palaces, but now I am old and my energy and physical strength are not as good as before. It is time to establish a queen."
From selecting concubines to choosing a queen, the emperor raised his eyes and asked, "Who do you think is worthy of the position of queen?"
The position of Queen was not something the noble ladies from aristocratic families dared to dream of. Even a beauty like Concubine Wei, who had such a capable brother, could not sit on the throne.
Ji Qingyuan raised her head like a victorious fighting cock, and had extraordinary confidence in herself.
The most sober person in the hall was Ji Qingwu.
She shook her head slightly. The Queen Mother was in the vortex of the harem and had long been blinded by power.
The most unlikely candidate for the empress is the woman from the Ji family.
Last time at the Marquis of Loyalty and Bravery’s Mansion, Cui’s words also woke her up. After the new emperor ascended the throne, the empress dowager’s maternal family, the Ji family, became the most powerful. With the events of the previous dynasty as a lesson, they had long been feared by the emperor.
If a empress from the Ji family is appointed, the only prince will naturally be raised by the empress, the legal mother. With the young son by her side and the powerful mother's family, if he has the intention of disobeying her...
The Queen Mother looked at the Emperor's expression and continued, "I think that in addition to satisfying the Emperor, we should also choose a Queen who is of noble status and can treat Yuan Heng sincerely."
This thought is obvious.
The Queen Mother was from the Ji family, and her niece Ji Qingwu saved the prince who fell into the water regardless of her own safety. In everyone's eyes, the Ji family took good care of the prince, but the only unmarried girl left was Ji Qingyuan.
"What the Queen Mother said is absolutely right, but it also depends on whether Yuan Heng likes it or not."
Hearing Emperor Wu Su's resignation, the Queen Mother was delighted and pointed at Ji Qingyuan who was sitting in the south seat. "Grandson, look at the concubine in the red dress over there. Do you like her?"
Ji Qingyuan smiled at him gently.
The pressure suddenly shifted to Yuan Heng, but he looked away and said indifferently, "Grandmother, I don't like it."
Ji Qingyuan's smile was frozen on her face, her expression was fake but her heart was not smiling, which looked a little ridiculous. The empress dowager also closed her mouth awkwardly.
Emperor Wu Su smiled and said, "Is there anything in the palace that my son likes?"
Yuan Heng's eyes immediately locked on one person.
Ji Qingwu didn't dare to look up, staring at the plate of snacks in front of her. Although her little one liked her and she was touched, she couldn't use her as a target.
"I have someone I like, but if she becomes my mother——"
Yuan Heng seemed to have made up his mind and said loudly: "I am not happy about this!"
Emperor Wu Su was slightly surprised: "Why?"
Yuan Heng glanced at the emperor, pursed her lips, then leaned over and whispered something in Emperor Wu Su's ear.
Everyone saw the emperor's face turn dark in an instant.
Yuan Heng's heart was pounding. Seeing his father angry, although he was afraid, he still stiffened his neck and was determined to stick to his decision.
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