Chapter 49 Consort Duan
Consort Duan was flattered and overwhelmed by the favor.
She thought that being able to retire unscathed with her son and live a life of leisure and wealth would be the best outcome.
I never expected that I would be crowned a king!
It should be noted that since the late emperor's reign, very few members of the royal family have been granted the title of king.
The Empress Dowager never supported granting fiefdoms, and the late Emperor listened to her advice, only granting one princeship during his reign.
In the eyes of Consort Duan, things are already very good.
Even if it's just a title without any fiefdom, it's still a prince! The annual salary allocated by the imperial court is enough for the mother and son to live a life free from worries about food and clothing!
"On behalf of my son, I kowtow to express my gratitude to Your Majesty for your divine grace! And thank you for the Empress Dowager's kindness!"
Consort Duan bowed again.
"There's no need to be so nervous," Yuan Hua said calmly. "You are, after all, descendants of the Yu family. As long as you behave yourselves and don't harbor any improper thoughts, I will absolutely protect you for the rest of your lives."
This statement is both a promise and a warning.
The Dowager Consort Duan took her leave, bowed in gratitude, and withdrew with profuse thanks.
The atmosphere eased a little after she left.
Luan Xue helped Yuan Hua sit down and asked softly, "Mother, will my second nephew really accept his fate?"
Yuan Hua picked up the tea lid and gently skimmed off the foam, his movements slow and deliberate.
"Even if he wants to accept his fate, it depends on whether others will allow him to."
Her voice was soft, yet sharp and insightful.
"It's the best choice for Consort Duan to take her son away. Unfortunately, things don't always go smoothly. Jinghong is a hot-tempered and easily angered child. If you provoke him even slightly, problems will arise."
"He has his own agenda, and I doubt he'll follow his mother so easily. Now, it all depends on how determined Consort Duan is as his mother."
Luan Xue seemed to be deep in thought after hearing these words.
It turns out there are so many twists and turns in the affairs of the palace.
She secretly clenched her fists and made a silent vow in her heart that she must read and learn more so that she could share the burdens of her mother and Zhao Ning in the future!
As they were chatting, the Grand Eunuch Li Defu hurriedly walked in from outside with small, quick steps.
"Your Majesty, it is time for court. All the officials are waiting."
Yu Zhaoning nodded, took Luan Xue's hand, and looked up at her.
"Royal Aunt, you're coming with us too!"
"Me?" Luan Xue was astonished and quickly waved her hands. "How can that be? I'm just a princess, how can I attend court and participate in politics?"
Yu Zhaoning tilted her head, blinked her big eyes, and said matter-of-factly, "What's wrong with being a princess? I used to be a princess too, and now I sit on this dragon throne, don't I?"
"It is precisely because my royal aunt is a princess, the most noble princess of our Great Yu, that she should share the burdens of Great Yu even more!"
She grabbed Luan Xue's hand and shook it forcefully, her voice full of seduction.
"Imperial Aunt, you should come along! I'll arrange a good position for you in the court later! We, aunt and niece, along with the Imperial Grandmother, will work together to bring glory to the Great Yu!"
The little guy got more and more excited as he talked, puffing out his little chest and announcing with great pride.
"Let's work together to build Dayu into a super powerful country where everyone can have enough to eat, everyone can go to school, and no one dares to bully us!"
These words stunned Luan Xue.
Yes, so what if she's a princess?
Who says women are inferior to men?
The Empress Dowager, despite being a woman, was able to assist the late Emperor and wield great power.
My little niece is only four years old, yet she's already firmly in control of this empire.
As a princess of Dayu, why can't she do something for this country?
I was truly blinded by those so-called rules and that heartless person in the past!
In an instant, an unprecedented surge of pride rose in Luan Xue's heart.
She stared blankly into Yu Zhaoning's clear and bright eyes, and after a long while, nodded heavily.
"Your Majesty is right! So what if she's a princess? A princess can also achieve great things for the country and its people!"
Yu Zhaoning was escorted by her grandmother and aunt on either side as she entered the magnificent imperial court.
The civil and military officials had been waiting for a long time, and the shouts of "Long live the Emperor!" shook the dust on the roof of the palace as if it were about to fall down.
This was the first time Luan Xue had stood in such a position, looking at the sea of kneeling officials below, her heart filled with emotion.
This is the view from the pinnacle of power.
She clenched her fists, her eyes filled with unwavering determination. She too wanted to possess the power to protect the Great Yu, just like her mother and Zhao Ning!
The dragon throne was so big that Yu Zhaoning's small body sank into it, and her two little feet, adorned with gold-embroidered soft shoes, couldn't even reach the ground. She could only sway back and forth listlessly.
She waited obediently until all the officials had finished their greetings, then raised her chubby little hand and called out in a childish voice, "My beloved ministers, rise!"
Then, she rested her chin on her hand, and her big, dark eyes began to dart around in the crowd below.
[It's that boring court time again. Whose gossip should I follow today to cheer me up?]
[Let me see... if the person who got the new gossip gets cuckolded, won't they?]
This heartfelt message caused all the civil and military officials to become extremely nervous.
The civil and military officials, who had just been solemn, were instantly startled. Their straight backs bent again, and their heads were lowered even further.
Everyone was screaming wildly in their hearts.
Don't look at me! Don't look at me! Please! Please don't let it be me! My family is very harmonious! I've been behaving myself lately!
For a moment, the entire hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop, the atmosphere so tense it seemed to freeze.
Only Lin Xiang remained standing there, his demeanor refined and gentle, a faint smile playing on his lips.
In this silence, some people stand out conspicuously.
General Weiyuan stood tall with his chest out and his head held high, even with a hint of pride on his face.
The Minister of Revenue next to him twitched his lips, nudged him discreetly with his elbow, and whispered, "General! Keep a low profile! Keep a low profile!"
General Weiyuan raised a thick eyebrow, completely unconcerned.
He replied in a low voice, "What's there to be afraid of? So what if His Majesty is eating my melon seeds?"
"Aside from the last time and the recent incident where I was forced to kneel on the steps by my wife, I, the general, have acted uprightly, sat honestly, and been aboveboard and frank! There's nothing I can't say!"
The Minister of Revenue's eyes twitched violently upon hearing this.
Brother, you're quite proud of yourself, aren't you?
Your affair, once His Majesty voiced his true feelings last time, has now made all the ladies in the capital use you as a negative example to educate their husbands, do you know that!
Just then, the high-pitched voice of the chief eunuch Li Defu broke the silence.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, Empress Dowager, Minister Liu of the Ministry of Rites is requesting an audience outside the palace, saying he has important matters to report!"
Yu Zhaoning blinked and nodded her little head: "Should."