Since the Emperor had already departed the temple that afternoon for Beijing, Jiang Meiyu reasoned that since she had successfully caught the Emperor's attention and he must have had some impression of her, there was little point in staying any longer. So, she and Madam Jiang decided to rest for a night in the temple before returning to the Prime Minister's residence the following morning.
Soon, Chen Feng completed his mission and returned to the palace, reporting the information he had found to the emperor: "Your Majesty, this woman is the legitimate daughter of Prime Minister Jiang..."
Two days later, at the morning court, the ministers were discussing the matter. An imperial censor stepped forward, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty, the border states are eyeing our dynasty with eagerness, and the situation is dire. To ensure the stability of our country and the enduring power of our throne, I implore Your Majesty to appoint a crown prince as soon as possible. This way, the entire court can unite to resist the foreign enemies!"
Before he finished speaking, several other ministers echoed:
"I second this motion!"
"Your Majesty is wise and wise, please appoint a crown prince as soon as possible!"
"Only by establishing a crown prince can we stabilize the government!"
For a moment, the court was filled with excitement.
Emperor Wu of Yan sat on the dragon throne, his face gloomy as he looked at the people before him, his mind brooding. After a moment, he turned to the Prime Minister standing nearby and asked, "What do you think of this matter?"
Prime Minister Jiang, seeing the Emperor's intense gaze, knew that even a single wrong word could lead to his own death. Yet, he couldn't help but answer the Emperor's question. So, he steeled himself and stepped forward, bowing his head and saying, "Your Majesty, I believe the current strategy is to recruit more concubines into the harem. This will increase the royal bloodline, swiftly produce an heir, and ultimately establish a crown prince, thus strengthening the government."
After saying this, Prime Minister Jiang secretly raised his eyes to observe the emperor's expression. Seeing that his face became increasingly gloomy, he couldn't help but groan in his heart, but since things had come to this point, he had to say it.
"I heard that the Prime Minister had a daughter in his old age. This girl is graceful and beautiful, and she is truly a beauty that can topple a country! I am very happy and want to bring her into the palace and give birth to an heir for me. What do you think, Prime Minister?" The emperor asked casually with a smile on his face.
"This..." The Prime Minister knelt down and kowtowed, sweat dripping down his forehead. He secretly groaned inwardly. What should he do now? How should he explain this to his wife when he got home?
"What's the matter? Is the Prime Minister in trouble? Or... is the Prime Minister reluctant to let his beloved daughter enter the palace to accompany me?" The emperor's voice suddenly became colder, and he stared at the Prime Minister with a sharp gaze.
"I dare not! Your Majesty is so gracious. It is the greatest honor for my whole family that my daughter has received Your Majesty's favor. I will obey Your Majesty's command!" The Prime Minister said with his head bowed, his voice trembling slightly. However, at this moment, no one noticed the glint of pride that flashed across the emperor's eyes.
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