Can't a princess ascend the throne?

Chapter 3 An Affair Takes Them to the Palace
At this moment, Emperor Jingtai strolled down from the high platform and spoke to Minister Lin in a very amiable manner, while his eyes kept glancing at Minister Lin's hands, which were covered by his sleeve. Minister Lin had always been a refined and elegant gentleman, and many young women had been willing to die for him since he was young. Who would have thought that he had such an unspeakable secret?

Hehe, hehehe...

Lin, the Vice Minister, felt a chill run down his spine, but having served as an official for so many years, he was already used to Emperor Jingtai's unreliable behavior, so he remained quite calm, much to the regret of Emperor Jingtai, who hadn't witnessed the spectacle. As he lamented this, his eyes drifted to Ying Jiuque.

I hadn't seen her clearly from a distance, but now, looking closer, I realized this little girl had delicate eyebrows and almond-shaped eyes, and a tall, slender figure—she was quite the beauty. She just looked a bit sickly…

Well, Emperor Jingtai is getting old, and he likes to play matchmaker for young people. He's fallen into his old habit again.

"How old is this child now? Is he betrothed?"

Vice Minister Lin's smile remained unchanged, but he still seemed somewhat troubled when he spoke of the matter.

"This child has always been frail, frequently falling ill, which has delayed his marriage. Now he's eighteen, and still hasn't found a suitable match..."

"That's alright. I have a young lady of just the right age..."

Ying Jiuque, standing to the side, gave a shy smile, befitting the occasion.

[Is the next thing they're going to say is set me up with someone? An arranged marriage is no good! I've heard that young men these days like the idea of ​​a beautiful woman keeping them company. What if I'm pregnant before I even get married? Hmm… arsenic? That's difficult. Arsenic? That's easy, but doctors would spot it too easily. How about some smallpox virus? That won't work; it's too contagious and might infect innocent people. My values ​​won't allow it…]

Emperor Jingtai shuddered, but bravely looked at Ying Jiuque. Heavens, smallpox! Is it the same smallpox that, once it spreads, kills so many people and empties nine out of ten houses? Arsenic is one thing, it only kills one person, but smallpox kills many people!

Looking at Ying Jiuque, who appeared to be very gentle, Emperor Jingtai swallowed hard. Did this little girl even know what he was thinking? He knew that Ying Jiuque was somewhat extraordinary, and although he didn't know if she could actually do it, he still decided to be virtuous and not harm the young girl.

"...A young woman in the prime of her life, no need to rush, no need to rush, she can still stay for a few more years."

Huh?
Ying Jiuque Yile: [The old emperor is actually quite a good person. A woman is eighteen, in the prime of her life, why get married? It's not like her good days are coming to an end.]

Come to think of it, how come I had no idea I had so many relatives? For thirteen years, no one in the village knew me, but now that I've been granted the title of county princess, all my relatives have come out of hiding. This is what it means to be poor and unknown even in the bustling city… Ah!

Ying Jiuque suddenly let out a scream, her eyes darting around, which startled Emperor Jingtai. What was it now?
[What?! What shocking news has shaken the entire court and the public?! The current third-ranking scholar forced the top scholar to undress!! When he failed, he became enraged and brandished a knife?! What a terrible and horrific event! How was he forced? How far has it gone? Where are his clothes? Where is his belt? Where is the scene?! Why can't we see it with our own eyes...?]

Emperor Jingtai nearly bit his own tongue!

What?! What do you mean, the third-ranking scholar forced the top scholar?! This year's top scholar is already forty! The third-ranking scholar isn't even twenty yet, is he? Even if such homosexual acts could be openly discussed, it shouldn't be this blatant! The world is going to the dogs, people's hearts are no longer what they used to be! They're even having affairs in the imperial palace!

And how could they be carrying knives? What are those Golden Feather Guards doing! Can't they even do a body search? If something really goes wrong and the hall is stained with blood, his birthday banquet will be infamous throughout the land! He immediately beckoned Jiu Fu and whispered something to him. Jiu Fu's expression changed, and he immediately went downstairs. Unfortunately, he was a little late. Before he even got there, a scream was heard, followed by a series of chaotic footsteps, which attracted the attention of most of the people present.

How can this be considered quiet? Could anything be more eye-catching?

Even Emperor Jingtai's expression changed.

I originally wanted to keep this matter quiet, but now I have no choice but to make it public.

Emperor Jingtai was the first to rush towards the direction from which the sound came. His ministers, some worried and some curious, followed him, only to find a bloody murder scene. The current third-place scholar, a very handsome young man, was now covered in blood, held down by several eunuchs. He didn't struggle, but just stared intently at the top scholar, who was barely breathing.

Ying Jiuque was particularly curious, so he followed along. Peeking through the crowd, he saw that the top scholar, though well-preserved and barely qualifying as a handsome middle-aged man, had a beard and was almost forty. Then he looked at the third-place scholar, whose face was so delicate it seemed like you could pinch water from it. They just didn't match. Could it be that this third-place scholar had a thing for older men? Hmm, that's not a good habit…

Not only was Ying Jiuque curious, but Emperor Jingtai was also curious. He looked at it carefully several times, but he couldn't figure out why, so he could only remain silent for the time being.

"Your Majesty, the top scholar has been stabbed in the chest, just one point away from piercing his heart. Although he has lost a lot of blood, his life is not in immediate danger."

The top scholar slowly woke up, but his face looked terrible.

The dagger in the third-ranked scholar's hand was still lying on the ground. No wonder the Golden Feather Guards hadn't found it. The third-ranked scholar had somehow found a skilled craftsman who had cleverly crafted the dagger into the shape of a hairpin, with the exposed blade only half the length of a palm. Perhaps that's why the top scholar had survived.

The situation was so simple and clear that Emperor Jingtai was about to order the third-ranked scholar to be arrested. However, the top-ranked scholar's expression shifted for a moment before he suddenly spoke up.

"Your Majesty, Scholar Xin did not intentionally injure me; he merely accidentally stabbed me during the scuffle."

Xin Tanhua sneered, and what he said was so shocking that it blew everyone's minds.

"Bah! I don't want your fake kindness! You heartless bastard! I sincerely sought you out, spoke to you politely, and you want to cut ties and never see me again?! Do you think I'm dead?! You think you can just give me some money to get rid of me? Bah! Where in the world is there such a good deal! You wish!"

hiss--

People love a good show, otherwise most of the officials wouldn't have come all this way. Now that they heard such exciting news, their eyes lit up, and they were watching Xin Tanhua closely, wanting to hear some firsthand information.

So what exactly was the horrific truth that made the third-ranked scholar so enraged that he killed him?! Although he didn't manage to kill him, it still reached the ears of the emperor!

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, the top scholar's otherwise handsome face turned bluish-purple from holding his breath!
(End of this chapter)