Can't a princess ascend the throne?

Chapter 394 Report

Leaving aside Yang Linyuan, that foolish son who gave his own father a headache, many young people in the room were genuinely tempted. They had, of course, weighed Ying Jiuque's value in the marriage market beforehand. They knew she was an outstanding talent, and the benefits of marrying her would be immeasurable for themselves and their families. Now that she was a prince, marriage was no longer a concern. Even if they married into her family, their future would still be bright, since the Great Jing Dynasty didn't have strict requirements for sons-in-law who married into the family. Otherwise, Lin Wei wouldn't have had such a smooth career in the officialdom.

Previously, I was too embarrassed to speak up, but now I can take this opportunity to test Prince Rui's opinion.

As for the issue of those husbands, they didn't take it to heart. Wasn't that just a joke? In this world, what woman would have two husbands? Even the once-renowned General Ying Chongming only had one husband, Lin Wei. Even when Lin Wei couldn't hold back and revealed his true colors, General Ying still managed to tear him to pieces, didn't he?
Furthermore, after marrying Prince Rui, having her bear several children is a given. Once a woman has children, her attention is focused on them. She won't have the time or energy to pursue a career in officialdom. Naturally, she'll dedicate herself to supporting her husband and raising her children. Putting aside other considerations, if the children inherit even half of Prince Rui's intelligence, how could the family not prosper in the future?

No one found this idea shameful, because everyone thought the same way. After all, Prince Rui couldn't possibly remain childless his entire life, could he? Now that he was still young and in the prime of his life, shouldn't he have the opportunity to choose carefully?
What a coincidence! Those who are able to attend the palace banquet with their elders today are all among the best young men in their families. Putting aside everything else, their appearance and demeanor are the finest in their families, so there's no need to worry that Prince Rui won't take a liking to them.

These people all seemed to share a common goal, which was a real hardship for Ying Jiuque, who was surrounded in the middle. She could certainly guess what these men were thinking, but in front of so many ministers and foreign envoys, she couldn't afford to get angry. However, with so many people surrounding her, each saying a few words, the constant chatter was incredibly noisy and bothersome.

If you try to scold them, those who are thin-skinned will naturally blush and leave, but some who are thick-skinned will pester you relentlessly.

Prince Long had long been squeezed into a corner. He wasn't happy at the moment, staring with a worried expression at Ying Jiuque, who was heavily surrounded. Before coming, his elder sister had given him strict orders: he must befriend this Prince Rui. But seeing how tightly Da Jing guarded him, they weren't giving him a chance to be alone with Prince Rui. If they could be alone, he would definitely show Prince Rui his good qualities. What was so good about these men from Da Jing? They were incredibly arrogant and conceited, and he didn't know where they got their confidence that just because they were men, they could be favored by Prince Rui. How could they compare to his gentle and considerate nature?

But he was unwilling to be pushed out like that, so he gritted his teeth and squeezed back into the crowd, determined to make a lasting impression on Prince Rui.

Faced with such an absurd scene, the court officials who were originally bound by etiquette all pretended to be deaf and dumb.

They certainly didn't like this scene either, but what could they do when some of the young people who gathered around were from their own families?
Emperor Jingtai, seated high above, saw this scene and his smile vanished without him realizing it. Did they really think he was seeing and hearing things? These people who attacked Jiuque before had probably long forgotten how they did it, and now they still dared to dream of marrying their good-for-nothing son to Jiuque? Did they really think they were so smart?

Emperor Jingtai slammed his wine glass down on the table, a smile appearing on his face in the sudden silence.

"My esteemed ministers are certainly in high spirits; look how shy our Prince Rui has become..."

The ministers were racking their brains trying to figure out why His Majesty had been so angry when they suddenly heard gasps of breath coming from beside them. What was wrong now? Turning around in the direction of the sound, they saw a figure with firm steps emerging from the family quarters. The person wore a wide dress, the hem fluttering wildly in the wind.

Yes, a sudden gust of wind swept through the entire hall from the entrance, causing everyone to squint and making them see more clearly the figure striding forward.

Some acquaintances couldn't help but whisper among themselves. "What's she doing up here?"

"You're not trying to manipulate Prince Rui again with things like filial piety, are you?"

"Prince Rui has nothing to do with her. He shouldn't be that stupid..."

Officials in the court noticed this scene and couldn't help but look at a certain unusually silent figure. When Lin Wei noticed something was wrong and looked up, he was shocked to find that the person striding towards His Majesty was none other than his concubine, Xu Minghui.

Although he didn't know what the other party was going to do, Lin Wei suddenly felt a sense of foreboding. He subconsciously got up and wanted to chase after them, but the golden-armored guards stationed nearby suddenly moved, their weapons clanging.

Lin Wei froze, a hint of hesitation flashing across his face. The Golden Armor Guards always obeyed only His Majesty; without His Majesty's permission, they would never dare to lay a hand on an official in the main hall. What was His Majesty trying to do? No, what was Xu Minghui trying to do?
Seeing Xu Minghui step forward, Jiu Que was somewhat surprised. Hadn't they already discussed that after this palace banquet, Jiu Que would hand over the evidence of Lin Wei's crimes to His Majesty? Was she already impatient?
Xu Minghui appeared calm, but her heart was pounding. After all, she was just an ordinary woman, and having spent more than ten years in the inner quarters, she had lost some of the sharpness of her youth. However, when she thought of the agreement she had reached with that person, Xu Minghui suddenly felt a surge of courage.

At this moment, Emperor Jingtai also noticed the woman who was constantly moving forward.

The women who are able to attend the palace banquet today are all relatives of high-ranking officials and nobles. Why are they stepping forward at this moment, disregarding the rules? Is there some grievance they have?
The once bustling hall suddenly fell silent, even becoming deathly still. Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Xu Minghui took a deep breath, slowly bowed, and performed the three kneelings and nine kowtows ritual before raising her voice and speaking loudly.

"Your Majesty, please forgive me. I have a matter of utmost importance to report to you. I beg Your Majesty to forgive my deception over the years. I have no choice but to speak now."

"Oh?"

Emperor Jingtai became interested, sat up straight, and looked down at Xu Minghui.

"What important matter do you have to report? Rest assured, today is a momentous occasion, and I will forgive what you have to say."

Those ministers who had originally wanted to offer some advice all fell silent. His Majesty had already spoken, so wouldn't it be too tactless for them to offer any advice now? Besides, they were also very curious about what important matter Lord Lin's concubine had to say under such circumstances.