nashuaworldcup Chapter 217 The Concubine and the Emperor 4
Chapter 217 The Concubine and the Emperor 4
The news that Li Yu went to the Mohist school to convey the imperial edict spread throughout the imperial city in an instant, and almost all the ministers knew that the current emperor finally had someone in his harem.
Naturally, many ministers would go to the palace to make suggestions on such a major event. However, making suggestions to the emperor was something that only the emperor's close ministers should do, while most officials only cared about their own interests.
The vast majority of ministers felt that His Majesty's taking of a concubine was a signal to the court that he was interested in choosing a concubine.
If this is true, then the marriages of their children of marriageable age can be put on hold for the time being.
Instead of letting them marry into families of equal status, it is better to give them a try in a talent show.
If one's own children were really selected, or even became a favorite concubine, the benefits that would be brought to the family would be unimaginable.
Some ministers who had good relations with the emperor could not wait any longer, so they gathered together that day and started discussing it.
"Your Majesty, have you really taken a concubine? And it's a man?" someone asked anxiously before the tea was ready.
Someone with good information has heard some rumors: "Yes, I heard that it is the third son of the Minister of Revenue, Mo Chongmo."
Hearing Mo Chong, everyone had some doubts. It was not that they did not know Mo Chong, but the Mo family had so many children that perhaps even those who were on good terms with the Mo family did not know the names and appearances of all their children, not to mention that they were only minor officials below the fifth rank in the capital.
How could they, who were just hanging around on the fringes of the court, have the chance to learn about the family affairs of the Minister of Revenue, a first-rank official?
However, since the third young master has caught the eye of His Majesty, he should not be an ordinary person, which really makes people curious.
"The Third Young Master? What's his name?" someone asked.
"I think his name is...Mo Heng?"
Everyone looked around at the people around them and saw confusion in each other's eyes. It seemed that no one really knew this person.
Someone couldn't help but ask, "If he's such an outstanding child, why haven't we ever heard Lord Mo mention him?"
At this time, everyone's curiosity about the third young master of the Mohist school had reached its peak.
"Maybe he's just not favored by Lord Mo." This is the only guess everyone could make.
"I don't know why His Majesty suddenly allowed Master Mo to enter the harem."
Rumors always spread very quickly. Before the ministers had any news, there were already seven or eight versions of rumors about Mo Heng among the people, and they had already reached the ears of these small officials.
"Rumor has it that the third son of the Mohist school was so charming and handsome that he was comparable to the ancient beauty Pan An. Your Majesty happened to see him during a secret visit and was so captivated that he took this talented and handsome young man into his harem."
This is one version.
"No, no, no. Your Majesty recently dreamt of an oracle. In the dream, a young man in black robes appeared. He was of extraordinary bearing, a god descended from heaven, having experienced the trials of the mortal world. The god warned that if we treat this child well, he will surely bless the Chu Dynasty and ensure the prosperity of our country for generations to come. The dream was clear, and Your Majesty deeply felt its meaning. So, you decided to treat him with courtesy, hoping that God would bless the Chu State, bring peace and prosperity to the people, and bring endless peace and prosperity."
This is another version, which is more believed by everyone.
"That's quite plausible. If that's true, then the Mo family must have cultivated for many years to have the blessing of a god reincarnated here."
"Even if he is blessed, Mo Chong should squander it all. He..." someone couldn't help but speak.
"Ahem." Someone interrupted the other person hastily, indicating with his hand that there were ears on the other side of the wall.
Mo Chong's affairs were not to be discussed, and everyone turned the topic around and back to His Majesty's concubine: "Once there is the first person in the harem, there will be a second, a third..."
The official didn’t say anything after that, but everyone understood what he meant.
From ancient times to the present, which emperor did not have three thousand beauties in his harem? Even if the previous emperor had a deep relationship with the empress dowager, there was never a shortage of new beauties in the previous emperor's harem.
The current emperor has never had anyone close to him, either before or after he ascended the throne.
"The selection of candidates will be put on the agenda at tomorrow's court meeting. It is futile for us to speculate on what His Majesty will decide then."
"The country cannot live without an heir for a single day. Your Majesty's wedding should be in the next few years."
"The Wei, Nalan, and Lin families are all very powerful nowadays. The Queen Mother is the elder sister of the head of the Wei family. If the Queen Mother interferes with your Majesty's marriage, the position of Queen will most likely fall to a woman from the Wei family."
Everyone discussed this, but they couldn't figure it out.
Thinking of the empress dowager in the harem, everyone thought of the same thing: when the current empress dowager was still the queen, she already held great power and was an extraordinary woman who was as capable as any man.
However, since the emperor ascended the throne, the empress dowager has gradually faded out of government affairs and retreated behind the scenes, but the power in her hands is still feared by others.
If the Empress Dowager insists on her own opinion on the issue of the Empress's position and refuses to compromise, it will be difficult for the Emperor to make the decision on his own.
The decision on the position of Queen is in the hands of the Queen Mother. It is hard to say which family will be the queen in the end.
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As the sun rose, court officials had already lined up in the Golden Palace waiting.
Yesterday, the court officials were turned away by Chu Yun and returned empty-handed.
Helpless, I can only wait until the court session today to make my statement.
"The Emperor has arrived!"
As the emperor arrived, the court officials knelt and bowed, performing the ritual: "Long live the emperor."
However, when Chu Jun sat on the dragon throne, the tranquility in the court was instantly broken.
"Your Majesty, we heard that Your Majesty took a male concubine yesterday. This matter concerns the dignity of the state and must be treated with caution. I hope Your Majesty will reconsider and revoke your decision."
The person who spoke was the old man standing at the top on Chu Yun's right. Chu Yun remembered that it was Prime Minister Nalan, who was diligent and conscientious in the young emperor's impression and was usually trusted by the young emperor.
With Prime Minister Nalan taking the lead, the ministers below were like a lit powder keg, coming forward one after another to give advice.
Some ministers echoed, "Your Majesty, this is truly against ancestral rules and is against etiquette. How can you allow a male concubine into the palace?"
Some worried that this move would affect the imperial prestige: "Your Majesty, if this matter were to spread among the people, it would surely cause controversy. Where would the dignity of the imperial family be? How would the people view us?"
"Your Majesty, if this matter is known to foreign countries, it will become a laughing stock and the dignity of the country will be damaged. What should we do?" Some even tried to use foreign countries to put pressure on Chu Yun.
This was not Chu Jun's first time attending court, and he had some impression of the faces of those who were eager to speak in the audience.
Chu Jun estimated that the people who spoke most excitedly just now were from several different forces.
Now, we can actually reach a consensus and put pressure on myself together.
Chu Jun did not think that these court officials were truly wholeheartedly serving the Chu Dynasty. Apart from a small number of truly loyal officials, most of them just wanted to test his attitude, or the attitude of his mother who was far away in the harem.
The ministers in the audience spoke one after another, but after half a minute, no one really got to the point.
Chu Jun felt a little bored after listening to this. He supported his head with one hand and looked at the ministers below with an expressionless face, wanting to see what kind of performance they were going to put on.
The current emperor Chu Jun, who has not yet reached the age of twenty, has inherited the peerless elegance of the late emperor and the empress dowager. His handsome appearance is enough to make anyone who looks into his eyes feel awe, or even panic.
As subjects, everyone had naturally seen the Holy Face and knew that His Majesty's appearance was not intimidating, but rather had a kind of affinity that made people unconsciously want to get closer.
His overly beautiful face, gentle yet heroic, often makes people let down their guard inadvertently.
Over the past year, Chu Yun had always presented himself as harmless, causing the court officials to gradually relax their vigilance towards him, and even to regard him as a monarch who was easy to control.
However, the court officials suddenly felt that Chu Yun was different today.
He had an expressionless face and stared at the courtiers with his eyes lowered. His dark and deep eyes seemed to be able to see through people's hearts and see their deepest intentions.