After Rong Ning chose the wedding date, she announced it to the world. Everyone was preparing for the wedding, and even the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet was just a simple affair.
After the Mid-Autumn Festival, Rong Ning took Xie Chong out of the East Palace and settled him in a house next to the Princess's residence, because in a few days, the men of the Xie family would be beheaded in the street as a warning to others.
On the day the Xie family men were beheaded, Rong Ning gave him the princess's decree and told him, "If you wish, I can accompany you to collect the bodies of the Xie family men, but no tombstones may be erected on their graves."
You are also allowed to help the women, children, and elderly members of the Xie family who are in exile, but you must warn them that they cannot mention anything about you outside. You can help them, but they have nothing to do with you, understand?
Xie Chong's eyes were red, and he knelt on the ground, kowtowing three times to Rong Ning. "Your Highness's great kindness will never be forgotten by Xie Chong. From now on, my life belongs to Your Highness. I will do anything Your Highness asks me to do without a single complaint!"
Um...
This is exactly the effect I wanted!
Rong Ning was very satisfied.
After collecting the bodies of the Xie family men and settling the exiled women, children, and the elderly, most of the time had passed. The palace was handling all the wedding arrangements, so Rong Ning and Xie Chong had nothing to worry about and were quite relaxed.
After the wedding date was set, the topic of Rong Ning's rewards was brought up again. The emperor and the crown prince instructed some ministers to try to propose that after Rong Ning's marriage, she should take her husband to the northern border to take up her post and command the northern army.
She didn't want to be scolded by the censor, who said that since the princess was already married, she should be content with her family life and enjoy a life of luxury and leisure in Nanyang City.
Once one person stands out, others will follow suit.
In the past, whatever Rong Ning did was just minor stuff, but if she were really given military power, it would mean something else entirely.
They were unwilling to set a precedent and allow women to truly wield power over them.
Even Lord Chu, who had always sided with the emperor, held reservations; he neither objected nor agreed.
This was something Rong Ning hadn't expected.
But we can't let this stalemate continue; we need to find a solution.
A solution that solves the problem once and for all.
The emperor and the crown prince, especially the crown prince, were determined to put Rong Ning in this position, but there was no progress for the time being. Fearing that Rong Ning would lose patience, he personally came to the princess's residence.
After the wedding date was set, Rong Ning never went to the palace again, and naturally never saw the Crown Prince again.
Upon seeing this, Rong Ning was startled. "How come you've lost so much weight?"
The crown prince smiled wearily. "I'm exhausted from all the work lately!"
"You can't do this. Don't ruin yourself before you even get things done!"
"I know..." The Crown Prince patted her head. "I will be careful. I can't collapse, I can't fall down. I want to live a long and healthy life to protect you and Yang'er for the rest of your lives!"
"Hey...you don't have to make yourself so tired. If there are some things that are really inconvenient for you to do, or that are difficult for you to do, you can let me do them."
The Crown Prince shook his head. "You're getting married now. Just stay in your residence and wait for your husband to arrive. If you really want to help me, we can talk about it after you get married."
"Alright..." Rong Ning said, but then tilted her head and changed the subject, "Why don't you make a list of the ministers who have opposed my command of the Northern Border Army in court recently, and I'll talk to them one by one?"
The crown prince was so shocked by these words that his hair stood on end, and he quickly said, "A'Ning, don't do anything rash!"
"What do you mean by 'acting recklessly'? You know me, I can't stand the slightest bit of humiliation. If you don't give me this list today, I can easily get it by asking around. It's not a difficult task."
The crown prince felt a chill run down his spine. "You're not going to beat them all into submission one by one, are you?"
"How could that be!" Rong Ning smiled casually. "I believe in reasoning with people. Let me put it this way: I want to resolve this matter before my wedding, so as not to affect my mood for the big day!"
It's impossible for Rong Ning to persuade people with reason.
The crown prince paced back and forth, deep in thought... and quickly came up with a plan.
“That works too, but be careful not to go too far. Even if my father and I are very angry, we can’t lay a hand on them in court because of our status, but we can still stand up for you.”
As long as they don't take action, everything is fine. After all, Rong Ning is someone that neither he nor his father can handle. If things really get out of hand and it reaches the palace, it will just be a matter of raising a high flag and then letting it fall gently.
"I'm relieved to hear that!" Rong Ning patted the Crown Prince's shoulder. "Go back and get some rest. I'll talk to these old bastards and help you vent your anger!"
The Crown Prince, "..."
The key to causing trouble for someone is to do it unexpectedly, giving them no time to react.
You also need to find the right person to subdue the loudest one first.
So Rong Ning first set her sights on the censor who shouted the loudest.
She sent Aying to find out when the censor would return to his residence, confirming that he was there. Then, she led a large entourage, including spears and the princess's personal guards, to visit the censor.
Before she even left the mansion, Xie Chong stood before her, looking beautiful and charming. "Your Highness, please take me with you."
Rong Ning raised an eyebrow. "It's not something to be proud of for me to tear someone's mansion down. Are you really going to do it?"
"go!!"
Xie Chong was decisive!
"Alright... let's go..."
Rong Ning led her entourage away in a grand procession.
When Rong Ning arrived at the Censor's Mansion, she didn't go in. Instead, she had a chair brought out and placed in front of the gate, where she sat down with an air of nonchalance.
The people from the Censorate wanted to invite Rong Ning into the mansion, but Rong Ning refused. She lazily said to the censor standing at the front, "I heard that the Censor has a great deal of opinion against me in court, so I dare not enter this mansion."
The censor was completely bewildered by Rong Ning's actions, and passersby gradually gathered around to watch the spectacle. He felt as if his face was being rubbed into the ground, and there was nothing he could do about it.
But with things escalating like this, the censor felt even more determined not to lose face. He suppressed his emotions, straightened his back, and said, word by word, "When I spoke rudely to Your Highness in court, it was only to discuss the matter at hand, and I had no opinion on Your Highness personally."
If Your Highness is feeling resentful, I will allow you to vent your anger!
Oh, what a clever tactic of retreating to advance!
"No, no, no~ I'm not here to vent my anger today. I'm here to reason with you. I just want to ask the Imperial Censor why you are so opposed to me taking command of the Northern Border military?"
At this point, the censor became more confident. He put his hands behind his back and said frankly, "In the hundreds of years of history of the Southern Dynasty, there has never been a precedent of a woman holding real power. Your Highness's talent is evident to all, but the laws of our ancestors cannot be changed!"
"What are the ancestral laws? Is there any law that states that women cannot hold power?"
"Of course not, but it has always been so!"
"How true it has always been!"
Rong Ning laughed loudly, "As the Imperial Censor said, I am capable of shouldering this important task, so of course this age-old, accepted rule can be changed!"
"absurd!!"
The censor forcefully flicked his sleeve, "Your Highness is about to get married. Once married, you should settle down at home, be a good wife and mother, and not show your face in public."
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