Chapter 39: Palace Conversation
After a while, someone from the princess's mansion came out to meet them. It was Huai'en, who had been with Princess Shunde for many years.
"The situation is urgent. Your Highness cannot bear to drive away the guards' families, so he has to let them rest here for a while."
Zhang Fu could understand, of course, and said, "It's not easy, Your Highness."
Now that everyone is at the door, if the princess drives them away, it will only cause more trouble, but if she takes the initiative to come forward and promise to "take charge", it will sow the seeds of disaster for the future.
Today, Princess Shunde is in the same dilemma as them.
Zhang Fu followed Huai En into the mansion, and he already understood why Yu Qian acted so openly.
He wanted to make a promise to Princess Shunde and also to help her.
The fact that Princess Shunde was the regent was not because she was overbearing and dictatorial, but because the subjects needed someone to take charge of the situation.
Thinking of this, Zhang Fu couldn't help but turn his head slightly to look at Yu Qian who was following behind him. He saw that Yu Qian was still calm, as if he had no worries at all about taking the blame for the eldest princess.
I really don't know whether this person is simple-minded or wholeheartedly serving the country...
"We're here. Please wait a moment, I'll go and inform you."
As soon as Huai En finished speaking, Zhu Yuhuan said, "No need, just come in."
She was dressed in a moon-white Taoist robe, looking very simple and elegant, as if she was at home and relaxed.
The three of them entered together and saluted Zhu Yuhuan together.
Zhu Yuhuan glanced around and asked them to stand up before saying, "The situation is critical and manpower is scarce right now. How did you find time to come?"
It seems that the eldest princess has also heard something about the events at Tumu Fort.
Zhang Fu sighed inwardly before speaking, "Your Highness, I cannot make the decision, but Empress Dowager Cihui is your biological mother and the elder of the imperial family. I implore Your Highness to step forward and take charge of the situation and appease the people. Your Highness has also fought in battles before, and you know that regardless of the uncertainty of the current strength of the Oirat, if morale is low, even with a vast army in the capital, they may not be a match for the Oirat."
Zhu Yuhuan simply raised her hand to signal the servants in the mansion to serve tea to the three of them, while she scraped the foam with the lid of her cup. She glanced at the three of them and said, "Duke Yingguo is right. My great-grandfather, grandfather, and father taught me a lot when they were alive, always prioritizing the overall situation, rewards, and the country. Now that the overall situation is unstable, how can I just sit back and do nothing?"
Zhang Fu didn't expect Princess Shunde to agree so quickly. He was slightly stunned. The words he had originally intended to continue persuading her were all stuck in his throat. For a moment, he didn't know whether to spit them out or swallow them.
But Xu Yun on the side saw clearly that Princess Shunde had another trick up her sleeve, and what she said now was just to make Zhang Fu "relax his guard."
As expected, Zhu Yuhuan continued, "Does the Duke of Ying know how I got here?"
Zhang Fu didn't say anything, or rather he had nothing to say.
Everyone was aware of the situation the eldest princess might face, but because they were afraid of the emperor and Wang Zhen, they all chose to remain silent. However, anyone with a discerning eye could see it.
Zhu Yuhuan didn't mind Zhang Fu's silence. She continued, "Although I didn't attend court today, I can guess a thing or two." She looked at Yu Qian and Xu Yun and said, "Given Minister Yu's personality, I'm sure he's already mentioned letting the princess serve as regent."
Yu Qian didn't avoid Zhu Yuhuan's gaze and nodded, "That's right. Now only the eldest princess has the courage to stabilize the situation."
Zhu Yuhuan looked at Zhang Fu. Seeing he remained silent, she spoke, "Since you're still considering the regent, it means His Majesty's life or death is uncertain, not lost on the battlefield. In that case, I can't accept the heavy responsibility of regent." She sneered, "You're considering me so you can welcome His Majesty back in the future, aren't you? This way, you have the best of both worlds, ensuring both prosperity and future security. What a brilliant plan! Even I, a princess with a business background, can't match yours."
Zhang Fu certainly understood that most people had considered this matter when they supported Yu Qian, and knew that Princess Shunde was the best solution, so they spoke out.
Prince Ying was the second son of the late emperor and had the possibility of succeeding to the throne. No one would want to leave the throne once they sat on it. If Zhu Qizhen came back in the future, all the responsibility would be on the old ministers who had allowed Prince Ying to govern the country. However, the eldest princess was a woman, so they naturally did not have this worry. Compared with Prince Ying, Princess Shunde had more advantages.
As for Princess Shunde herself, as well as Empress Dowager Cihui, Princess Yongqing and the Hu family, naturally no one cared.
Zhu Yuhuan looked at the tea leaves floating in the cup and said with a smile: "I am a good sword. The late emperor used it, Your Majesty used it, and now even you are trying to ride on my head."
Zhang Fu knew that what Zhu Yuhuan said was not false, and he couldn't help but sigh in his heart.
What does it mean that "the ice three feet thick is not formed in a day"?
Seeing Zhang Fu's frown, Zhu Yuhuan put down the teacup in his hand and said, "It's not impossible for me to be regent, but I need you to submit a joint petition and invite me personally. With your petition, if someone wants to use their status to pressure me, I won't bow to them."
Zhang Fu was slightly stunned and immediately understood what Zhu Yuhuan meant.
Although Zhu Yuhuan, the eldest princess, hogged the limelight, Empress Dowager Sun was still nominally her stepmother. If Empress Dowager Sun intended to oppose her, even if the eldest princess could handle it, it would be a long and arduous process. With the ministers' "petition," Empress Dowager Sun had to compromise with the eldest princess, considering that she couldn't make the same decisions about ministers' appointments and dismissals as the emperor did. Similarly, the eldest princess also considered that the ministers were her shield and would not turn against Empress Dowager Sun.
In this way, everyone's "safety" can be guaranteed, which is indeed a good idea.
Apart from this, they really had no other reason to force the eldest princess to serve as regent.
They are not the eldest princess's emperor father and emperor brother, so they can't "want the horse to run without letting it eat grass."
Zhang Fu immediately stood up and said, "I will do my best."
Time waits for no one, and there is no reason for him to continue wasting time.
Zhu Yuhuan just smiled slightly when he heard this and said, "Where there is a will, there is a way. Duke Ying, just go for it. Even if the sky falls, I will hold it up, right?"
Zhang Fu heard a subtle hint of sarcasm in her words, but there was indeed nothing wrong with what she said.
The eldest princess's regent status can be explained as a temporary measure. In any case, they will not fall into the situation of "rebellion" in the future. Only the eldest princess may be imprisoned because of this.
But anyone who knows this princess well will realize that she has a selfless nature.
It was precisely because of this that the eldest princess was harassed by the emperor and Wang Zhen.
Zhang Fu's mood was inevitably a little complicated, but people always tend to choose the option that is easier for them to profit, even him.
After all, there are even fewer people like Princess Shunde.
Yu Qian and Xu Yun had originally planned to leave with Zhang Fu, but Zhu Yuhuan suddenly said, "I have something else to say to you two."
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