Can't a princess ascend the throne?

Chapter 408 Imperial Estate
When everyone received the news that Lin Wei had been imprisoned and that his servants and wives had voluntarily filed a complaint, revealing all the bribes he had received over the years and the things he had done for others, the officials could only sigh slightly, feeling that this once exceptionally noble scholar had failed to uphold his principles.

Of course, the fall of Lin Wei was nothing to them; their current anxiety lay in how to dissuade His Majesty from placing such excessive trust in Prince Chen. Indeed, Emperor Jingtai placed far too much faith in Jiu Que.

Not only was Qiuwu Palace, which was virtually identical to the Eastern Palace, allocated to her within the palace, but her former princely residence outside the palace was also not reclaimed. Doesn't this mean that Ying Jiuque could not only cultivate a relationship with Emperor Jingtai within the palace, but also recruit talented individuals to serve her outside the palace?

These days, besides submitting memorials in droves, the officials have been rushing to the palace to persuade the seemingly bewitched Jingtai Emperor. They also went to Prince Chen's residence, but they couldn't get in. Ying Jiuque had simply locked the gates, and he himself had to climb over the wall to enter and exit. This shameless behavior was unbearable for the noble officials who were extremely careful about their words and actions. They couldn't very well climb over the wall to offer their advice like Prince Chen, could they? Besides, that mischievous Prince Chen had inlaid a row of gleaming shards of porcelain on his courtyard wall. These officials, pampered for years, were too delicate to climb it.

The bullies, fearing the strong and bullying the weak, had no choice but to go to the palace to find Emperor Jingtai. However, Emperor Jingtai was no pushover. This emperor had entered a berserk state at some point, and anyone who slandered Ying Jiuque in front of him would be attacked indiscriminately.

One of the most typical sayings also spread outside the palace and became widely known among the people.

"If you're so capable, conquer a country for me. If you're not, shut up!"

Yes, the common people simply cannot understand. Why do you gentlemen advise His Majesty not to trust his own daughter? They are father and daughter. If he doesn't trust his beloved daughter, does he expect him to trust you old ministers with wrinkled faces and endless ramblings like old clods of vegetables? Do you really think you're so likable?
As for Ying Jiuque, who was at the center of the storm, she didn't care about the gossip at all. Since she had the Emperor's support, she simply let loose and did whatever she wanted. Anyway, she had been unhappy with the people's suffering for a long time.

The most important thing is to improve agriculture; the premise of doing anything is to ensure that the people have enough to eat.

The agricultural official was originally a low-ranking sixth-grade official under the Ministry of Rites. Although he didn't have much power on a daily basis, this meant he led a rather leisurely life. He only needed to show up at the yamen on time each day, have some tea and chat, and then go home. While there wasn't much extra income, his salary was enough to support his family. However, this time he encountered his Waterloo, or perhaps his pinnacle.

That morning, adhering to the time requirement, he stepped into the Ministry of Rites just in time to arrive late. However, he immediately sensed the strange atmosphere. His usual close friend, with whom he used to chat so amiably, was now sitting obediently at his desk, reviewing documents. The official in charge of agriculture thought he was seeing things, rubbed his eyes to make sure he was seeing clearly, when he heard a soft laugh beside him. It was a woman's voice! The official knew that many female officials had recently joined the court, including in the other five ministries, but their Ministry of Rites, always prioritizing ancestral etiquette, had resisted pressure and not allowed a single woman in. The official in charge of agriculture didn't really care whether his colleagues were male or female. He was nearly sixty years old, always optimistic and easygoing, with two exceptionally intelligent granddaughters. If this matter of women becoming officials could be resolved, it would be easier to manipulate things later, perhaps even getting his two granddaughters into official positions…

Of course, these were all fleeting emotions. When he turned around and saw the person sitting confidently in his seat, he broke out in a cold sweat and quickly bowed.

"This humble official greets Prince Chen! Long live Your Highness!"

"Lord Wei, there's no need for such formalities. Please rise."

Jiu Que smiled and asked the old man to get up. Seeing that the old man still looked terrified, he could only speak helplessly.

"I wonder if Lord Wei is free today?" "Of course I am! Your Highness, please feel free to give any instructions you may have, and I will do my utmost!"

Seeing that the old man was truly trembling with fear, Jiu Que could only try to soften his expression and got up to walk outside.

"His Majesty has granted me the Jia-grade imperial estate. The soil there is fertile and the irrigation is convenient. It's just a pity that I'm not very good at farming, so I specifically asked Lord Wei to take a look for me. I've heard that if you fertilize the land well in winter, the crops planted the following spring will grow extremely well. If Lord Wei has the time, you might as well come with me to take a look."

"I am deeply honored."

Lord Wei quickly rose and followed closely behind Prince Chen. Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced to the side, only to see envious looks from his colleagues. He felt as if a huge pie had fallen from the sky and landed on his head. Who didn't know that Prince Chen was the most sought-after figure in the court these days? The honors and rights bestowed upon her by His Majesty were practically equivalent to those of the Crown Prince.

As a lowly official, he couldn't possibly fathom what His Majesty was thinking. He only knew that Prince Chen held a prestigious position and was now his superior. But did Prince Chen even know anything about farming?

And it's the dead of winter now, so there's not much farm work that can be done, right?

His mind was a jumbled mess, and he couldn't sort out his thoughts for a moment. Only after stepping outside did he realize there were several high-ranking officials standing next to the Ministry of Rites. What a coincidence! He knew all of these officials. The six ministries were all on the same street, and by now, many people had heard the commotion and were peeking out from their doors, eager to try their luck.

When they discovered that Prince Chen had personally visited the Six Ministries only to take away a few minor officials, they were completely baffled. What was His Highness trying to do? If he really wanted to win over the court officials, shouldn't he be trying to win over the high-ranking officials of the Six Ministries? These minor officials were at most fifth-rank; what use could they possibly be?
Jiuque naturally noticed these probing gazes, but she didn't care. She packed up the ministers she had already inquired about and took them away, arriving at the imperial estate without their knowledge.

The head of the estate, responsible for guarding the imperial estate, was stunned! How did such a distinguished person end up in their place? However, he dared not be careless, after all, the whole court knew how much the emperor valued this precious daughter. He knelt down to greet her with trepidation, while racking his brains to see if he had done anything out of line.

"Long live Your Highness!"

"Alright, enough with the formalities. I'll just go in and take a look around. Bring me the harvest records from the estate over the years; I want to see them."

I want to see it.

These three casually uttered words nearly scared the head of the estate to death. He was about to say something when he realized that His Highness the Prince had already left in high spirits, followed by a long string of officials. Even if he had more to say, he could only swallow his words and run back to find the account books.