Can't a princess ascend the throne?

Chapter 177 There is a young man of marriageable age in my family.
However, this method can only work temporarily, not permanently! If the people find out that they do not have enough salt, and that they are even going to war with the Southern Miao because of it, wouldn't that cause even greater panic?
However, it seems His Majesty has no better solution. In the current situation, the only option is to stabilize the people first, and then explain the rest later.

The next few high-ranking officials and the emperor made more detailed arrangements for this matter. After these arrangements were finally completed, it was time to talk about another matter that no one wanted to mention but had to.

"Your Majesty, the new prefect of Qianzhou has taken office these past few days, and the imperial envoy you sent should be returning soon, right?"

Upon hearing someone mention the female official he disliked, the Minister of Rites couldn't help but snort coldly. As a woman, she didn't understand gentleness and obedience, and had even betrayed her family, traveling thousands of miles to a strange place. Although she had achieved some merit, this woman's competitive spirit was too strong; it was probably not a good omen.

"Lord Yuan, let me ask you something. What are you snorting about? If your throat is sore, go back and get it treated. Don't embarrass yourself here. Do you really think I don't know what you're angry about? It's just that your son is over thirty and still hasn't accomplished anything. He failed the imperial examinations and, under your protection, became a minor official in the Ministry of Rites. He's been hovering around the fifth rank for over ten years. He even mocked Lord Ying in public before, saying that women should stay obediently in the backyard, find a good husband, and that she should just find a way out by mingling with men. He's not a submissive person and will definitely never get married. I'm not saying this to be mean, but he's over thirty, old enough to be Lord Ying's father, and yet he speaks so viciously. It's really inappropriate. It's not unusual for people to throw mud at you when you're out in the world. You're bound to get your shoes wet if you walk in the dark. You don't need to be too sad about him. After all, you have more than one son."

"Are you looking for trouble, Mr. Hu? What business is it of yours how my son is?"

"How can it not concern me? His Majesty is speaking, what are you humming about? You are clearly showing contempt for His Majesty."

"You're talking nonsense, I didn't!"

"You think it's true just because you say so? Then what about your son saying bad things about that girl? Isn't that also making things up out of nothing?"

"you!"

"What? Did I say something wrong?"

Emperor Jingtai, feeling a headache coming on, told the two of them to shut up, feeling that Minister Hu's fighting spirit was exceptionally strong today.

After finally managing to stop the conflict, the group began to listlessly discuss what rewards to give Ying Jiuque and his party.

To be honest, they really didn't want a woman to lord it over them. After all, officialdom had always been a man's world; what kind of image would it project if a woman were to intrude?
"Your Majesty, although Princess Ying is a woman, she is brave and courageous. The trip to Qianzhou was extremely dangerous, yet she disregarded her own safety to sneak into the mine, collect evidence, and ultimately bring the culprit to justice. I think Princess Ying has made great contributions, so why not raise her title? It would set a good example for the noble ladies of the royal family."

The Left Prime Minister stroked his beard, looking very kind.

"To be honest, Your Majesty, I have several boys of marriageable age in my family. While they may not be prodigies, they are well-read, skilled in martial arts, and understand principles. As I grow older, I enjoy seeing happy and harmonious families. Seeing such an excellent young lady as Your Majesty, I've always wanted to arrange a marriage for them. I just don't know if the young men in Old Chen's family are fortunate enough to have such a daughter-in-law..." Minister Yuan, who had been indignant, suddenly became anxious. Although he looked down on Ying Jiuque's scheming and maneuvering in the officialdom, it didn't mean he didn't want such a daughter-in-law! Especially since his eldest son was utterly useless, and his eldest daughter-in-law had passed away a year ago; it was time for him to remarry. Ying Jiuque had already betrayed her family, was extremely rebellious, and her reputation was ruined; she could conveniently marry his eldest son as a second wife.

Even if she couldn't marry his eldest son, his youngest son was seventeen, the perfect age to get married. If they could find such a daughter-in-law, their sons could save at least twenty years of hard work! Who wouldn't want to make such a worthwhile deal? Unexpectedly, the usually mild-mannered and quiet Left Prime Minister, as expected of a seasoned veteran, had hit the nail on the head. But they couldn't let him have all the credit!

"Ahem, actually, I also have a son at home, about the same age as Lord Ying, and they could be considered a perfect match. I just don't know if Lord Ying would be willing to marry my good-for-nothing son..."

"You're so old, yet you're still discussing unmarried girls' marriages with outsiders. Aren't you ashamed? Luckily, the girl isn't here right now. If she were, would you dare say that? Although Lord Ying has left his family, all the land under heaven belongs to the emperor, and all the people are his children. If you want to propose to a girl, you should at least consult her parents and get His Majesty's permission, right? I didn't expect that Lord Yuan, at such an advanced age, would be so ill-mannered. And you're the Minister of Rites!"

Minister Hu habitually retorted a few words to the other party, then looked at His Majesty respectfully and bowed.

"I beg Your Majesty to make the decision. My family also has children of marriageable age. Of course, all of this must be done with the consent of the adults. After all, it is natural for men to marry when they are of age and for women to marry when they are of age. It is not shameful for a family to have a daughter. However, it would be impolite to visit them without permission. If Your Majesty could put in a few words of advice for me, that would be great."

Emperor Jingtai gave them a half-smile, but did not agree.

Despite their lively banter and the apparent support of Minister Hu for Jiu Que, their joking around is merely a ploy to divert attention. Given Jiu Que's achievements, a promotion to the third rank would be perfectly acceptable. Yet these people are focusing on her marriage, as if finding her a good match is the greatest reward. This is utterly insulting to her!
Moreover, even if they were to marry Jiuque to them, it would be a sure-fire win. If the family were even more shameless, they could easily claim the child's achievements for themselves. After all, husband and wife are one; what belongs to the wife is also what belongs to the husband, right?
Emperor Jingtai reigned for a full thirteen years. If he couldn't even see through their little lawsuit, he would have lived in vain.

So he waved his hand with a smile.

"I cannot agree to that. After all, I promised that child that she was free to marry. Besides, I didn't call you here today to discuss that child's marriage. Let's all speak up. When Jiu Que returns, what official position should be given to her to repay her for her hard work on the journey?"

That child...

The warmth in his words was palpable, and several high-ranking officials exchanged glances, all feeling a pang of jealousy.

These veteran officials found it extremely difficult to gain such closeness and trust from His Majesty, yet a mere young girl achieved it so easily. No wonder those hotheads in the court were constantly vying for the emperor's favor; even they couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy.

(End of this chapter)