The Eldest Daughter Is Beautiful and Saucy
Chapter 1298: Prepare
Chapter 1298 Preparation
Xiao Rongyan looked at Yue Shi’s serious expression and was amused by her. He put down the memorial in his hand, squinted at Yue Shi and asked, “Who did you learn this from?”
“Uncle Feng!” Yue Shi said seriously, “Today, I talked to Uncle Feng about this… When we were in the palace, the master left too quickly, so I didn’t have a chance to ask Wang Jiuzhou how to hide his emotions. Then Uncle Feng told me that this time, the plan of your majesty and the master will definitely make the queen mother come to persuade the master. If others want to get information from me, I will just sigh, shake my head, and then stop talking, pretending to be in pain but unable to say it!”
Xiao Rongyan smiled and nodded: “Then you better remember it!”
“Master, rest assured. Yue Shi will remember everything!” Yue Shi patted his chest and promised.
This time, after arranging the affairs of Yan State and heading to the capital, Xiao Rongyan planned to bring Feng Yao with him. Uncle Feng was an old man who had taken care of his mother, and… it was Uncle Feng who saved him when he was a child, and later he served his brother wholeheartedly. After his brother passed away, Uncle Feng stayed by his side and refused to rest and enjoy his retirement, saying that he could not sit still.
In fact, Xiao Rongyan knew that Uncle Feng was just worried about him.
This time when he went to the capital to see the two children, Xiao Rongyan also wanted to let Uncle Feng meet them. In Xiao Rongyan’s heart… although Uncle Feng was a family servant, he was also his elder.
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On the second day, when the court was in session, almost all of the most important officials of Yan State knew about the Queen Mother’s overnight visit to the Regent’s Palace.
Some court officials speculated that the Queen Mother must have gone to reach an agreement with the Regent Prince Ninth and would never gamble with the State of Yan.
Naturally… some people also speculated that Queen Mother Yan still cared about her son, and she went to the Regent’s Palace last night to lower her posture… and asked the Regent to agree with the Emperor’s gambling with the country to prevent the Regent from really having the idea of replacing a new emperor.
Just as the court officials were speculating, Emperor Murong Li had already arrived, but Regent Murong Yan had not yet arrived. Instead, the Queen Mother’s personal maid brought the Queen Mother’s decree to the front hall and announced it to all the officials… She said that she had been unwell for a few days, and now that the Regent had returned, the Queen Mother would rest in seclusion and would no longer be involved in state affairs.
The court officials stared at each other in surprise. They saw Murong Li on the high platform instructing the Queen Mother’s personal maid to take good care of her. He went to visit her after leaving the court. Then Murong Li looked at Zhong Xingxiao below the high platform and said, “The Queen Mother is not feeling well and needs the company of her family the most. If you have nothing else to do after leaving the court, why don’t you go with me to visit the Queen Mother?”
Zhong Xingxiao hurriedly stepped forward and kowtowed: “Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace! The Queen Mother is not feeling well, and I am very worried about her.”
The court officials of the Queen Mother’s party all looked at Zhong Xingxiao. Zhong Xingxiao had received news from the Queen Mother last night that the Regent had been persuaded. However, he did not expect that the Queen Mother would suddenly announce today that she would no longer be involved in government affairs.
However, ever since the Regent brought back two of General Cui Shanzhong’s closest confidants, the Queen Mother’s party headed by Zhong Xingxiao had vaguely guessed that this day would come, and this was already the best outcome.
Compared to the previous time when the emperor was furious and wanted to trap the empress dowager in the harem on the pretext of recuperating from illness, at least this time the empress dowager was given dignity. Since His Majesty still allowed Zhong Xingxiao to visit the empress dowager, it means that Emperor Yan and the empress dowager are still close.
As for the Regent Party, the Queen Mother’s sudden claim of illness and rest at this time, although unexpected, was also reasonable. The Queen Mother had caused such a big mess and put the State of Yan in danger of a catastrophe. If she continued to assist in the administration, they, the court officials, would not agree.
Although there was the example of Queen Ji before, they did not dare to say “hens crowing at dawn” in the court, but this queen dowager was so different from Queen Ji back then, not even one-tenth as good as her. I hope that the queen dowager will realize her mistakes from now on and stop interfering in state affairs, and just stay in the harem to take care of the flowers and feed the fish.
“The Regent has arrived…”
Just as the court officials were thinking about their own things, the eunuch outside the hall announced that the Regent had arrived.
The court officials immediately turned to face the entrance of the hall and knelt down to greet them. Murong Li also stood up and looked in their direction.
Seeing the Regent wearing court robes and a silver mask walking towards the jade steps, Murong Li also bowed and said, “Uncle Nine…”
Xiao Rongyan climbed up the high steps from the side and sat down on the regent throne set up next to the emperor’s throne: “Everyone, stand up!”
Murong Li looked a little afraid of the Regent as he slowly sat down on the dragon throne. Some court officials couldn’t help but secretly complain that the Regent had too little respect for the imperial power and authority, treating His Majesty like a child and not behaving like a subject at all.
Some court officials also wondered in their hearts whether the regent was planning to depose the emperor this time and replace him with an obedient puppet emperor.
“Yesterday, after I returned home, I thought carefully about your majesty’s plan to send envoys to Zhou to determine the outcome based on the politics of the two countries and thus merge the two countries into one.” Xiao Rongyan rested his elbows on the armrests of the chair and spoke slowly, “Although I still feel that there are many inappropriate things, but… your majesty is the emperor of our Yan State after all, and the emperor of Yan State cannot go back on his word!”
“Uncle Jiu…” Murong Li’s face was filled with guilt, “But right now, there is no better way! The Great Zhou is strong… After conquering Xiliang, it is now unstoppable.”
Xiao Rongyan nodded: “So as your majesty said, the most important thing right now is not to get the Yan court officials to agree, but to try to get the Great Zhou to agree.”
“Uncle Jiu, so you agree!” Murong Li’s eyes were full of surprise, like a child who trusted Xiao Rongyan very much.
Xiao Rongyan nodded, “After all, I really can’t think of a better solution right now. Yesterday, the Queen Mother discussed with me and decided… that I will go to the Great Zhou in person. This is enough! I… led troops to rescue Jiangzi City and rescued the Great Zhou Emperor. The Great Zhou Emperor has always said that their Great Zhou puts the people first. This time, I will use the people of the world to talk to the Great Zhou Emperor, hoping that the Great Zhou Emperor will take into account the people’s opinions and agree to our Yan Emperor’s merger plan.”
“No, Ninth Prince!” The ministers of the Regent Party knelt down hurriedly. “If the Emperor of Great Zhou disagrees with your Majesty’s strategy, it would be too risky for the Regent to go to Great Zhou!”
“I am the regent of Yan State, and this is enough!” Xiao Rongyan said calmly, telling the court officials what the Queen Mother of Yan had said to him yesterday, “If I don’t go, can your Majesty go in person?”
The court officials were silent.
Xiao Rongyan turned to look at Murong Li: “Before I leave, I will arrange the defense of Yan State. If… I fail to convince Great Zhou to accept your majesty’s plan to merge the two countries, your majesty must be prepared for a war with Great Zhou!”
Second update…