The princess regretted it.

Chapter 244: It is safer to marry into the palace than to grant marriage

"Lin Qian?" The emperor frowned slightly after hearing what Mu Xiang said. He pondered inwardly. After a moment's silence, he seemed to suddenly remember something and said, "Ah! But what about the woman who was hit by the horse earlier?"

"That's right." Mu Xiang nodded slightly and replied calmly.

"Why did the Prime Minister mention her?" The emperor tilted his head slightly, not quite understanding the Prime Minister's intention, and asked with a puzzled look in his eyes.

"This Minister Lin came from a humble family, but he was able to stand out in the court and rise to the position of Minister. This shows his ability to make decisions, and his wisdom and ability. Moreover, in this matter of raising grain in the northern border, Minister Lin showed his extraordinary strategy and ability. Many key strategies came from him, and the supply of grain in the rear was stable and smooth. He is indeed a major contributor to the victory in the battle in the northern border." Mu Xiang said.

"His daughter, Lin Qian, is said to be gentle, virtuous, and talented, and she was originally of marriageable age. However, due to a previous accident, her marriage was affected. This matter has become a source of worry for Minister Lin, and his black hair is almost turning white.

I heard that Miss Lin, on the other hand, was able to handle it calmly. She used to be a talented singer and dancer, admired by everyone. But now, due to a leg injury, she can no longer dance with the same grace she once did. For an ordinary woman, this blow would be like the collapse of heaven and earth, enough to crush her will. But Lin Qian was different. Although she was depressed for a while at first, she quickly pulled herself out of her self-pity. This hardship actually helped to sharpen her mind and make her stronger. Now she devotes herself to poetry, calligraphy, music, and painting, convincing others with her talent and virtue. This woman is clearly strong-willed, with a heart and bearing that ordinary women cannot match.

At this point, Mu Xiang raised his eyes slightly and cast his gaze quietly towards the emperor, observing his reaction calmly. The emperor frowned slightly, and although there was still a look of doubt in his eyes, as he spoke, he gradually showed some praise and nodded slightly.

"I'm thinking that with this great victory in the northern border, Minister Lin's praise would be a welcome relief for him. If it brings another happy event to the royal family, it would be a wonderful thing." After saying this, Mu Xiang clasped his hands together, bowed, and waited quietly for the emperor's response. He had laid a lot of groundwork before, all for the final sentence.

After hearing him say "adding another happy event to the royal family," the emperor suddenly became suspicious and increasingly confused. He tilted his head slightly, his sharp gaze directed at Prime Minister Mu, and his tone was filled with inquiry and questioning: "Prime Minister, do you want me to grant her a marriage with my son?"

The Duke of Protectorate was also full of suspicion, thinking to himself: "What exactly is Uncle Mu planning? If he says he wants to grant the marriage to the second prince, wouldn't that mean that Minister Lin will be tied directly to the Zhang family's ship? This seems unlikely given the current situation. If it's not the second prince, could it be the third prince? But the third prince doesn't look like a good person. How can we entrust Minister Lin's daughter to him?" He was puzzled in his heart, but his face only showed doubt. He stared at Prime Minister Mu, full of curiosity, and eagerly hoped to know Mu Xiang's response.

"This old minister feels that it would be safer to directly summon her to the palace than to grant her a marriage!" Although Mu Xiang's voice was not loud, it was like a heavy thunder that exploded in the quiet health hall, startling everyone.

Hearing this, the Duke of Huguo subconsciously straightened his back. He looked up at Prime Minister Mu in astonishment, only to see that Mu Xiang had a calm expression on his face, standing there with his back bent, his body motionless, as if it was not him who had just said those earth-shattering words.

"Eh—?" The Emperor was momentarily stunned upon hearing what Mu Xiang had said, as if his thoughts had been yanked into an unknown direction by this sudden proposal. But he quickly recovered, a faint smile playing on his lips. He fixed his gaze on Mu Xiang and said slowly, "Is this Lin Song's idea? Or yours?"

"Your Majesty, please forgive my bluntness, but only by admitting Lin Qian to the palace can we dissuade those who are scheming to win over Minister Lin." Minister Mu bowed again, respectfully replying. He couldn't possibly reveal the full reason, after all, Jin An had thoroughly discussed this matter with him since Lin Song's request. Lin Qian's admission to the palace had a deeper meaning. Lin Song surely hoped his daughter would bear a prince, thus ensuring further prosperity for the Lin family. Therefore, until Lin Qian bore a child, Lin Song would undoubtedly be a devoted supporter of the monarchy. Therefore, while his response contained some concealment, it wasn't entirely deceiving the emperor.

The Emperor understood what was going on. Prime Minister Mu had made a brilliant move, one meant to ensure Minister Lin's unwavering loyalty and his lack of second thoughts.

The Duke of Huguo was secretly impressed and couldn't help but lower his head, laughing to himself that the old man was indeed the wisest. Prime Minister Mu's planning and calculations were truly admirable and had to be guarded against.

The Emperor slowly shifted his body, adjusting a position on the dragon throne that made him feel slightly relaxed and comfortable. Then, he narrowed his eyes slightly and began to carefully consider the feasibility of this matter. As soon as the figures of his two sons appeared in his mind, his mood involuntarily became a little gloomy. The second son was so confused that he was foolishly used as a pawn by the third son, and was instigated to come to him and make suggestions to lift the house arrest of Concubine Zhang and Jiaoyu, allowing them to come out. He kept saying that everything was for him, the father, and that Concubine Cen was in poor health, which made him, as a son, feel distressed. He also kept saying that his mother had always been by his father's side in the past, and his words were full of nostalgia for the warm times in the past.

It would have been fine if he hadn't mentioned the past, but the mere mention of it sent the emperor's rage soaring even higher. Given Concubine Zhang's temperament, it seemed clear now that all that so-called tenderness and affection she had shown before might have been a facade. The thought that he, the emperor, had been deceived by her for so long was simply too much to swallow. And now, the Zhang family's influence was still a constant clamor and rampage in the court.

Humph! Concubine Zhang should let her continue to reflect in her own palace! As for Jiaoyu, after all, she was a child he truly loved. Moreover, there was another reason. He had already arranged a marriage for Jin'an. It was reasonable for him to consider Jiaoyu's situation and thoughts in this palace.

He now had a clear and intimate understanding of the Third Brother's subtle actions; he simply didn't stop them. The Emperor pondered to himself that to become the ruler of a nation, one must employ extraordinary means, but one must also strike a precise balance. The Third Brother clearly hadn't grasped that balance. His actions were too obvious, and his methods were a bit ruthless. If this continued, he might not succeed.