mtl008 Chapter 121 The Emperor's White Moonlight 3
Chapter 121 The Emperor's White Moonlight 3
As soon as he ascended the throne, the court officials jointly submitted a memorial, strongly requesting him to hold a selection and appoint a queen. His foundation was unstable at the time, and by appointing a queen and selecting concubines, he could use the power of various parties to help him consolidate his throne.
Yet, he felt like a puppet being manipulated. Though in a high position, he had no say in his own affairs. This feeling of helplessness and powerlessness haunted him like a shadow.
In the end, he made Prime Minister Zhang's legitimate daughter his empress and selected several concubines. On the day of the wedding, he quietly looked at the woman in gorgeous wedding attire before him, and somehow, the image of Lingjiu involuntarily emerged in his mind. He began to think about how charming Jiuer would look in that wedding dress. But when he thought that she might become someone else's wife in the future, he felt an inexplicable sadness in his heart.
That night, after knocking the empress unconscious, he hurried away. He went to the chamber where his mother had previously lived and began drinking alone. He didn't want to marry the women he didn't love. But as an emperor, he had many frustrations.
Gradually, he became drunk and lay powerlessly on the ground, mumbling with a somewhat painful expression: "Jiu'er, Jiu'er, you said you would accompany me."
Lingjiu had been keeping an eye on him. She thought, he was only twenty-one, having experienced so many ups and downs and hardships, so there shouldn't be anything wrong with his brain! Her fingers tapped lightly on the table, and she secretly decided to put her plan on the agenda as soon as possible.
The next day, the Emperor and Empress were enjoying breakfast when the tranquil atmosphere was broken by the sound of light footsteps. Ling Jiu slowly approached them and said, "My daughter is getting married."
The Queen had mentioned the matter of recruiting a prince consort to her before, but Lingjiu had always refused on the grounds that she didn't want to consider it. Now that she brought it up on her own initiative, the two of them were naturally overjoyed.
The queen took her hand and sat down, then asked softly, "Which one do you like? Tell me, and I will satisfy you."
The emperor nodded repeatedly: "Yes, yes, no matter whose family it is, father can help you get it."
Ling Jiu's eyes slowly swept over the two of them and said calmly, "Cangwu Country, Ji Heng."
"Ji, Ji Heng? You like Heng'er!" The queen's face was full of surprise, with a hint of surprise in her voice.
The emperor began to think about what he needed to do to seize their throne, and even thought about taking over their country?
Lingjiu nodded again: "Mother, I want to marry Ji Heng."
The Queen hesitated for a moment before answering, "But Heng'er just got married and was made Queen. If you marry her, you can only be a concubine. Are you willing to do that?"
Lingjiu smiled faintly, her eyes full of confidence: "Don't worry, mother. I have two purposes for getting married this time. One is to help him consolidate the throne, and the other is to tidy up his backyard. Sooner or later, the position of Queen of Cangwu Kingdom will be mine."
Then she asked back: "Besides, do you think Ji Heng is not good?"
The Queen patted her hand gently and said, "Ji Heng is naturally a good person. If you marry him, your mother will be relieved. He has suffered so much. If you are willing to help him, it will be considered as putting your mother's worries to rest."
"In that case, Your Majesty, you can issue an order to send envoys to discuss the marriage." She turned her head and said to the emperor who was in deep thought.
The emperor suddenly came back to his senses: "So soon?"
Lingjiu nodded: "Yes, it must be completed within a month. I can't wait to clean up the filth."
Seeing that she was indeed looking forward to it, the emperor didn't even eat breakfast and directly ordered people to enter the palace to arrange this matter.
A few days later, Ji Heng opened the letter from Ling Chengyu. He thought something had happened to Ling Jiu and opened it quickly, but it turned out that it said that Ling Jiu was coming to propose marriage.
This news was like a bolt from the blue, and it took him a long time to recover. He held the letter tightly and read it carefully word by word, fearing that he had read it wrong.
After confirming several times, it was confirmed that Jiuer was coming to propose marriage to him, and Jiuer really came to accompany him.
He laughed loudly in the imperial study, and his laughter frightened the servants outside.
It took him a long time to remember that the envoy would be arriving soon, and he had to prepare everything. He wanted to give Jiuer a grand wedding.
The next day, when Ji Heng announced this in the court, it caused an uproar as expected.
A minister opened his eyes wide, his face full of astonishment, and said anxiously: "Princess Changle of Yunlan Kingdom is coming to propose marriage, but His Majesty has already appointed a queen." His tone was full of surprise and worry.
Another minister quickly echoed this, his expression filled with confusion: "That's right! Then how could Princess Changle be willing to be a concubine beneath someone else?"
"Are you planning to depose the empress and appoint a new one?" As soon as these words were spoken, Prime Minister Zhang's expression instantly darkened. His brow furrowed, his eyes revealing unease and doubt. He wondered to himself, "Why would Princess Changle come to our Cangwu Kingdom for a marriage alliance? Could those rumors of her favored status be false?"
Seeing that everyone was talking endlessly, Ji Heng frowned slightly, his face darkened, he patted the table, and said loudly: "Princess Changle will enter the harem as a noble concubine in this marriage. Princess Changle is the apple of Emperor Yunlan's eye, so the wedding should be grand." His tone was full of unquestionable majesty.
Seeing that the people below started whispering again, Ji Heng glanced at everyone coldly, his eyes revealing a sharpness: "I am not discussing with you, I am informing you." After saying that, he turned around resolutely and strode out of the court.
"Prime Minister, look at this!" A minister looked at Prime Minister Zhang with a worried look on his face, seeking advice.
Prime Minister Zhang stroked his beard with a serious expression. After pondering for a moment, he said, "Your Majesty just wants to give Princess Chang'an a grand ceremony. We, as his subjects, will be satisfied." When he heard Ji Heng say that Princess Chang'an was a noble concubine, he felt a little relieved. After all, his daughter was the current queen. As long as the queen's position was stable, he didn't have to worry too much about other things.
Soon, Yunlan's envoys arrived in a grand procession. Ji Heng had already meticulously arranged everything, and after the two sides met, they sat down to discuss the wedding process in detail. When the Yunlan envoys heard about Cangwu's arrangements, their faces lit up with satisfaction. After all, their Princess Changle was the apple of Yunlan's eye, and she would not suffer any injustice.
The following days were a frenzy of planning the wedding. This month felt incredibly long, as if everyone was tightly bound by the ropes of time. From planning the wedding venue, selecting exquisite clothing and jewelry, to arranging the complex etiquette, each task required a tremendous amount of energy and time.
The entire Cangwu Kingdom was immersed in a frenzy of activity. Craftsmen toiled day and night, creating the most magnificent palace for the princess. Ceremonial officials meticulously scrutinized every ceremonial detail, ensuring perfection. This month was filled with anticipation, tension, and immense busyness, as if everyone was working tirelessly toward this grand wedding.