Phi-Fic Chapter 292 The Emperor Arrives!
Chapter 292 The Emperor Arrives!
Inside the Imperial Study, the Emperor watched Mu Chang'an leave, his eyes still gazing absently at the doorway.
"Your Majesty, the bird's nest soup is ready. Would you like to have a bowl now?"
The eunuch's voice wasn't loud, but it was enough to rouse the emperor from his reverie: "Hmm. Leave it there."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The Emperor picked up the bird's nest soup and took a couple of bites. For some reason, he frowned again and said, "You may all leave."
"Yes." The chief eunuch dismissed all the eunuchs from the Imperial Study and stood guard at the main gate outside the Imperial Study, forbidding anyone from approaching.
The Emperor slowly finished eating the bird's nest, then wiped his lips with a handkerchief. "How's the matter I asked you to investigate?"
A dark figure appeared silently in the imperial study.
"Your Majesty, the Mu family indeed has very little contact with the Ming Prince's people. As for the news that the Duchess of Anguo had repeatedly said she wanted to recognize the second young lady of the Mu family as her goddaughter, that was just wishful thinking on her part. As it stands, no one in the Mu family agrees to it."
"Hmm. This Duke of Anguo is as if he wants everyone to know that he and Prince Ming are in cahoots. It's utterly ridiculous! My Prince Ming was originally an excellent prospect. If he had been a prince, he could have properly assisted the Crown Prince and surely made great contributions! It's a pity that he was all instigated by these scoundrels."
"Your Majesty, it seems that the Duke of Anguo intends to marry his eldest daughter, Yang Yu'er, into the Eastern Palace."
"Oh? To become the Crown Prince's concubine?"
The man's body visibly stiffened for a moment. "Your Majesty, I wish to marry His Highness the Grandson."
"Hmm?" The Emperor's face instantly contorted with rage, his cold brows slanting upwards, making him appear quite intimidating. "How dare they covet my Chen'er? This is utterly absurd!"
"The emperor said so."
“Chen’er is the eldest grandson of the emperor and the only legitimate son of the current crown prince. He will surely inherit the throne in the future. If it weren’t for the fact that the crown prince has such an outstanding child as Chen’er, I would not have been so determined to never change the crown prince.”
The Emperor sighed softly at this point, "To be honest, in military matters, the Crown Prince is inferior to my fourth son, and in handling affairs, he is also inferior to my second son. Yet he is the eldest! He is also the eldest son of the legitimate wife, and since being made Crown Prince, he has not made any major mistakes. He is quite cautious. I have heard that his reputation among the people is not low?"
"Your Majesty, that is indeed the case. His Highness the Crown Prince enjoys far greater prestige among the people than His Highness the Prince of Ming. The people all say that he loves the people like his own children and will surely be a wise ruler in the future."
The emperor's troubled expression finally eased somewhat.
"Chen'er and Chuze are the same age. Speaking of which, Chuze should be having his coming-of-age ceremony soon. I haven't even thought of a name for him yet. He can't have his coming-of-age ceremony without a name, can he? He will still have to get married and have children in the future."
"Your Majesty, I heard that the Ministry of Rites has already selected several dates and is just waiting for Your Majesty to make the final decision."
"Hmm. There's no rush. The fourth prince has made many contributions in the past few years, and he's also very sensible. It's just that since returning to the capital, he's been claiming illness and taking leave from court every now and then. I wonder what that rascal has been busy with all day?"
"I heard that His Highness Prince Chang Le has been having people carefully tend to his villa outside the city recently."
Upon hearing this, the Emperor snorted, "That was a villa that his mother bestowed upon him when he first went out to build his own residence. He certainly took it to heart."
"His Highness Prince Chang Le personally brought Miss Mu with him that day. Moreover, their behavior was quite intimate!"
"what?"
The Emperor's eyebrows furrowed immediately. "This Mu Xin Nuan, isn't she always known for her manners? How could she do something so shameless?"
"Your Majesty, from what I observed at the time, it didn't seem to be entirely Miss Mu's fault. It was the young princess who tricked her into going out to play."
"That Jing girl is getting bolder and bolder! She's actually helping Fourth Brother to kidnap girls. This is outrageous!"
“Your Majesty, the little princess and the fourth prince are the closest in age, so it’s natural that they have the best relationship. It’s not surprising that the little princess would help him.”
"I heard that Jing really likes that Mu Xinnuan?"
"Your Majesty, that's right. The two get along very well. Moreover, when the princess gets angry, even the empress's words are useless, but she has never contradicted this Miss Mu."
The Emperor nodded. "Hearing you say that, I do think that Mu Xin Nuan is indeed a clever child. Yesterday, the Crown Prince and Crown Princess also came to me, asking for an imperial decree to bestow Mu Xin Nuan upon Chen'er as a concubine. I did not grant their request."
The man in black kept his head down, remaining silent. The Emperor didn't even look at him. "I was thinking of asking Chen'er what he thinks. But I'm a little worried. What if Chen'er himself says he's taken a liking to Mu Xin Nuan? I promised the Fourth Prince, I can't go back on my word!"
"Since His Majesty is willing to comply with Prince Chang Le's wishes, what is there to worry about?"
"You don't understand! I think Mu Xin Nuan is no ordinary child. Her upbringing goes without saying, and I've heard that she's very intelligent and talented. Such a woman should marry into the royal family! However, while it's said that such a girl is a perfect match for the fourth prince, I worry that she might become a source of trouble for me in the future."
The man in black was puzzled, but dared not ask further. It was best to know as little as possible about royal affairs. Although he was now a secret guard, he was still not himself; he had become a sharp sword for the royal family with his whole heart and soul, and he understood that.
"Alright, I'll think about this matter again later. How's things going with Prince Ming lately?"
"Your Majesty, everything about Prince Ming has been normal lately. However, some time ago, when he was at Qiyun Temple, he thought of harassing Mu Xin Nuan, but for some reason, he later gave up the idea and went back directly."
"Hmph! I knew this kid had ulterior motives for wanting to marry Mu Xin Nuan, and sure enough! He's after the Mu and Li families. If he didn't have the Zhenguo General's Mansion as his backer, why would he go to such lengths?"
"What the Emperor said is absolutely true."
"Alright, you may leave now. I will think about it myself."
The Emperor stayed in the Imperial Study for less than an hour before setting off for Kunning Palace.
Unexpectedly, after entering Kunning Palace and turning a few corners, before even reaching the main entrance, they heard the Empress's still cheerful laughter coming from the main hall.
"What could possibly make you so happy?" Perhaps infected by her laughter, the Emperor also chuckled softly.
"I was unaware of Your Majesty's arrival and failed to greet you properly. Please forgive me, Your Majesty."
The Empress rose to pay her respects, but the Emperor stopped her.