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墨書 Inktalez
Shizi Mo broke the silence among the three.
Zhang Yiwen held Gu Wanning's hand and looked at Shizi Mo.
"Then I will defy the decree," Gu Wanning declared, as if she had made a monumental decision.
This was a crime punishable by death; at the very least, it would result in exile. How could this be allowed?
Zhang Yiwen disagreed.
A flicker of determination crossed Gu Wanning's face as she said, "At worst, I will die. I absolutely cannot let them use me to control my brother."
The Second Prince wanted to easily seize military power through her. As the daughter of Duke Gu Changqing, she could not allow others to manipulate her in order to gain leverage over her brother.
If she were to die, it must be for a worthy cause—this was the pride of one born into a family of generals.
As soon as she finished speaking, Shizi Mo felt a jolt of panic surge within him.
Zhang Yiwen thought for a moment and said, "Don't rush; perhaps there will be a turn of events."
Gu Haotian was stationed at the front lines. If she couldn't even protect his beloved sister, how heartbroken he would be!
Shizi Mo suppressed the fear in his eyes and nodded. They needed to wait and consider their options carefully.
Zhang Yiwen chose not to disturb Gu Wanning's rest. After the three shared dinner, they left the Duke's residence together with Shizi Mo.
In the imperial study,
Prime Minister Song looked up at Emperor Jing with a dark expression in his eyes. He glanced at the Minister of Rites, Liu Hongye, and the Director of the Astronomical Bureau, Luo Tian, before stepping forward to speak. "Your Majesty, shouldn't we reconsider the marriage decree?"
Liu Hongye saw that the Prime Minister had taken the lead and quickly stepped forward to express, "Your Majesty, there is an ancestral rule: those with congenital disabilities cannot enter the royal family. I hope Your Majesty will think this through!"
Emperor Jing sat at the desk with his head slightly bowed, looking at Song Jianzhong and Liu Hongye for a long while before finally speaking.
"This has already been decided; my loyal ministers should not speak further on this matter."
Song Jianzhong replied calmly, "It wouldn't hurt to wait until Duke Zhongyuan returns victorious before bestowing any grace."
Seeing Emperor Jing's demeanor, it seemed there was no room for negotiation on this matter; it would be better to take a step back and persuade him gently.
"This is unacceptable. We cannot destroy the traditions established by our ancestors. Even if Lord Zhongyuan achieves military merit, it should be expected of him as the Grand General of the banquet. Gu Wanning has been afflicted with a congenital eye disease, and the Second Prince is the eldest among the princes; how can she serve as a model for the other royal consorts?"
"If this sets a precedent, it could lead to endless troubles in the future."
Liu Hongye stated with righteous indignation that as the head of the Ministry of Rites, he could not allow such an event to occur during his tenure.
"Even if the Second Prince is the eldest son, he cannot act without restraint."
Emperor Jing was so furious that he wanted to throw the paperweight on the table at Liu Hongye, but after a moment's thought, he suppressed his anger.
Afterward, he felt something was amiss and realized it was too late to pursue an imperial decree. However, Song Jianzhong also had a point; it would indeed be better to wait for Gu Changqing to return from the border before discussing this further.
The atmosphere in the imperial study was terrifyingly tense.
Zheng Luotian from the Astronomical Bureau stood silently, observing these two men recklessly charging toward confrontation.
Song Jianzhong shot him a glance, hoping he would step forward and say something.
Luo Tian completely ignored him; not only did he not take a step forward, but he unconsciously retreated two steps instead.
It was only later that he learned Emperor Jing had not informed him beforehand.
Being an outsider is indeed the way to go.
"This matter is no longer open for discussion. You may all withdraw," Emperor Jing said, his head buzzing as he gradually lost patience, waving his hand at several people.
Everyone exited the imperial study.
Eunuch Zhou, with keen eyes, approached holding a bowl of lotus seed and mung bean soup. "Your Majesty, this is a sweet soup personally sent by the Noble Consort to cool your temper and soothe your lungs. Why not give it a try?"
"Just place it there," Emperor Jing replied, glancing at it before stepping toward the threshold. "Tell me, do you think Jing'er is gone?"
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