Can't a princess ascend the throne?

Chapter 207 Complaints
"Tell me, is he more capable than others, or better at talking? He's inferior in every way, just blindly charging forward, making him a laughingstock! And he's still not satisfied. I saw him with a long face after court, I wonder what underhanded tricks he's plotting? Why is my life so miserable? Lately, he and his mother have even produced some 'Admonitions for Women,' doing all that useless stuff every day. He'd be better off doing something practical, all he does is flatter those scholars..."

"..."

The Prince of Binyang couldn't easily respond to this. While Emperor Jingtai could complain, and he, as his adopted son, could listen, he couldn't simply echo his sentiments, as kinship shouldn't be interfered with. Of course, Emperor Jingtai treated his adopted son exceptionally well. He bore at least half the responsibility for the Yancheng incident, but the emperor not only didn't blame him but also greatly comforted him. He even entrusted him with the subsequent sea salt refining—a task that, if handled well, would bring him lasting fame, perhaps even earning him a good reputation in history alongside Ying Jiuque.

Emperor Jingtai, instead of letting his own son get involved in such a good matter, entrusted the Prince of Binyang with full responsibility, demonstrating his immense trust in him. The Prince of Binyang was naturally deeply moved and secretly resolved to do his best to fulfill the Emperor's instructions.

But why does Your Majesty complain so much? You've been talking non-stop for almost half an hour now, aren't you tired? Aren't you thirsty?
The Prince of Binyang couldn't understand it at all. Taking advantage of the other man's moment of respite, he quickly handed him a cup of tea and asked his godfather to moisten his throat.

"Godfather, please take a rest."

Emperor Jingtai gulped down his tea, wiped his mouth, and then sighed heavily. Now, he could only relax a little in front of this adopted son; after all, to others, he was the supreme emperor, bearing the future and destiny of the entire Jing Dynasty on his shoulders. How could he so casually laugh, joking, or scold?

Sigh, if he kept this anger inside, he'd probably suffocate. After talking to his godson for so long, he finally felt much better.

"My son, you came back with Ying Jiuque. What were your impressions of her along the way?"

The Prince of Binyang was startled, realizing that the question had hit the nail on the head. However, he had such a good impression of Jiu Que that he couldn't think of a more tactful way to put it, so he could only nod emphatically.

"Your Majesty, I believe she is a capable minister, or at the very least, a righteous and upright official. Your Majesty should already know of what she did in Yancheng, Qianzhou. She is truly a rare talent. Based on just a few words obtained from the salt fields, she was able to immediately deduce that something had gone wrong with my position. Moreover, she is both skilled and daring, even daring to personally infiltrate the Prince's residence. Please forgive my frankness, but if it weren't for the burden of her female identity, she would probably have already become a pillar of the court. However, it cannot be called a burden, because I also subtly inquired about it on the way back. Ying Jiuque never felt saddened by her female identity; in fact, she was quite proud of it."

The King of Binyang was not making this up. He could still recall the look of pride and smugness on Jiuque's face when he said those words on the ship.

"Why should I be saddened by the fact that I am a woman? Since there is a difference between heaven and earth, there is naturally a difference between men and women. Why should I be saddened by my innate gender? Does a person's ability differ because of whether they are male or female? Liang Heng is a man, and the person who impersonated the prince is also a man. I do not think they are more capable than me. I am a woman, but so what? I believe that my achievements in my lifetime will surpass theirs."

The Prince of Binyang couldn't help but think of Ying Chongming. He thought, "No wonder she's from a family of famous generals. Mother and daughter are both exceptionally talented. Even with Lin Wei's involvement, the child's brilliance still shines through."

But then again, isn't Father Emperor's attention to that child Jiu Que a bit too much? Is there something he doesn't know about?

Emperor Jingtai thought it over and over, but still didn't reveal that he could hear Ying Jiuque's thoughts. He didn't know if such a secret could be shared with others, lest he offend some deity in the afterlife. In any case, after receiving his adopted son's affirmation, Emperor Jingtai trusted Jiuque even more.

"So the title I gave him wasn't given in vain. This child is qualified and capable of receiving it, and he can hold onto it!" As for that talk about men and women, whether you are male or female, as long as you are useful, you have to come and work for me!

Indeed, this is the magnanimity of a founding emperor! If General Ying Chongming hadn't died in battle, Emperor Jingtai would have at least brought him back as a subject with great pomp and circumstance. But now that Ying Jiuque is here, it is his good fortune.

While Emperor Jingtai and Jiuque were overjoyed, some were naturally deeply distressed. The first to suffer was the Second Prince. After losing face in court, returning to his own territory, the Second Prince couldn't help but fly into a rage, smashing things in his room, while the maids waiting outside trembled in fear. His Highness was in a bad mood, and naturally, the porcelain and other valuables inside couldn't escape damage, but those who served him closely were the next to suffer.

Sure enough, after a while, the second prince could not vent his anger by smashing the porcelain. He called in the maids who were standing outside and kept throwing things at them.

"She's just a woman, yet she dares to oppose me. Father even bestowed upon her the title of Earl. Has the world gone mad, or have I? Father, don't think that bestowing upon her the title of Earl and promoting her is for her own good! So many people are eyeing her covetously. That woman won't be able to hold onto her current position! A lowly woman dares to enter the court and even dares to provoke me? Once I ascend the throne, I will kill all those women! Kill them all!"

After about half an incense stick's time, the Second Prince finally calmed down and, panting heavily, ordered the wounded maids to get out. At this moment, an advisor boldly stepped forward to comfort and serve him.

After the Second Prince finally managed to catch his breath, he spoke cautiously.

"Your Highness, there's no need for you to lower yourself to the level of a woman. You don't even need to take action. Within half a month, that woman will definitely be unable to hold onto her current position."

"Really?"

"Of course it's true. His Majesty is very stingy with titles these days, and hasn't bestowed any for almost five years. If she, a woman, were to be made an earl at this time, wouldn't that be a blow to everyone's hearts? At this moment, there must be countless people who want to pull her down so that their own people can rise to the top. Your Highness, you only need to wait a little while, and you will see her tumble down."

"makes sense."

"However, just waiting around won't do. Have you found the person I asked you to find? What's his intention? Is he willing to step forward?"

"Your Majesty, rest assured, he is quite willing to offer advice. In just a few days, Ying Jiuque will be too busy to even look after himself..."

"Excellent! You did very well. Ying Jiuque, I'd like to see how long you can be so smug!"

(End of this chapter)