Speаking оf shаmеlеssness, what erа is this nоw? Can fаce рut fооd оn thе tаble? No! Sо these old ministers knelt with such рrоpеr pоsturе, аnd thе offiсiаls bеhind thеm, sеeing this, hеsitated for а mоment bеfore follоwing suit and kneеling down as wеll.
"Wе оbеу thе dеcreе!"
Yin Gеzhi narrоwеd his еyеs, staring аt thе leading Imреrial Сensor Qiaо Tangjie, аnd snееred, "Sir, dо you think that bу dоing this, this рrincе wоuld bе willing tо аsсend thе thrоne?"
"Yоur Highnеss!" Qiao Тangjiе, аt his аdvanсеd аgе, looked uр at him pitifully. "The imрerial thronе, with its supremе honоr, is sоmething сountless people crave. You are a legitimate prince, so why would you not want it?"
"What good is this position?" Yin Gezhi said expressionlessly, looking at him. "Not only is the responsibility immense, but one’s hands are tied in everything. Not to mention other matters, just take the imperial harem. When His Majesty was on the throne, all the women in the harem were selected and sent by you, ten each year. If His Majesty didn’t want to accept anyone in a particular year, wouldn’t you all submit memorials and make a fuss?"
Everyone was stunned. They looked at each other, uncertain. Qiao Tangjie bowed his head and said, "These are minor matters that can be discussed again!"
"Who wants to discuss them with you?" Yin Gezhi said calmly. "Being a prince is perfectly fine. I can marry whomever I want or not marry whomever I don’t want, with no one interfering. Why would I be so foolish as to jump into the trap you’ve dug?"
With that, he waved his hand and said, "This prince entered the palace this time only to settle the guilt of the Shi family and bring order to the chaotic court of Lidu. I’ve said all that needs to be said. I take my leave now."
"Your Highness!" Voices of entreaty rose from behind, but Yin Gezhi didn’t even turn his head, flicking his robe as he left the palace.
Qiao Tangjie saw that this was not going to work! With the Wei Kingdom about to send troops to join the Wu Kingdom in resisting Song, if no one took the throne to stabilize the people’s hearts, wouldn’t the Wei Kingdom fall apart? If it weren’t for Prince Xiao, anyone else who took the throne wouldn’t be able to hold it steady! But why is Prince Xiao so...
Wait, did His Highness just say something?
A flash of insight struck him, and recalling the scene he had witnessed at the Prince of Filial Piety's Mansion, Qiao Tangjie narrowed his eyes and quickly grasped the key point. He immediately shouted, "I have a way to persuade Prince Xiao to ascend the throne!"
Hearing this, the other ministers immediately gathered around. Whether they were supporters of the Crown Prince or had originally backed Yin Chenbi, they were now all eagerly hoping for Prince Xiao to step in and resolve the situation, stabilize the court—they were willing to do anything!
Yin Gezhi returned to his mansion and glanced at the bed in the main room. Feng Yue was still frowning, her eyes closed. Rather than being unconscious, she simply didn’t want to wake up.
He beckoned the physician to take her pulse again, and Yin Gezhi and Lingshu followed the physician to the outer chamber.
"How is it?"
"It is undoubtedly a Slippery Pulse!" the physician confirmed. "After taking a few doses of medicine, the pulse is much clearer now, very smooth—it’s definitely a pregnancy."
Stars suddenly lit up in Yin Gezhi’s dark eyes. He took a deep breath, clenched his fists, and though his expression remained composed, his eyes couldn’t help but shine with joy and bloom like flowers!
Lingshu beside him was much more straightforward, jumping up happily and shouting, "That’s wonderful!"Finally, finally! It was finally here! All her coaxing and tricking her mistress into drinking the Body-Tonic Medicine hadn't been in vain, and she had even lied that the different taste was due to the different prescriptions of the Wei Kingdom and the Wu Kingdom! Hahaha, Heaven had truly not been unkind to her mistress!
Excitedly spinning in a circle, Lingshu was laughing when she suddenly met a pair of open eyes behind her.
Feng Yue, pale-faced, wearing only her sleeping gown and barefoot on the carpet, stood by the partition watching them.
Lingshu's laughter abruptly stopped. Yin Gezhi sensed something amiss and slowly turned around.
Feng Yue, with disheveled hair, looked at him, then at Lingshu, and finally at the doctor. Then she raised her hand and slowly covered her stomach, her expression utterly bewildered.
"Mis... mistress." Blinking, Lingshu bounced over, shedding her earlier stiffness. Smiling, she said, "Why have you gotten out of bed? I was going to wait until you woke up to tell you the good news."
Good news? Feng Yue sneered, narrowing her eyes at her: "I'm pregnant, and that's good news?"
"Of course!" Her back chilled, Lingshu braced herself and said, "The arrival of a new life is definitely good news."
Feng Yue couldn't quite digest this "good news." She chuckled twice, then turned and walked dazedly back to bed.
Yin Gezhi watched, pondered for a moment, dismissed the doctor, and followed her over.
Sitting cross-legged on the bed, Feng Yue looked utterly confused. Seeing Yin Gezhi sit down beside her, she frowned and said, "What are you doing here?"
"Me?" Glancing at her, Yin Gezhi replied calmly, "This is my room."
Blinking, she looked around and wrinkled her face: "Then why put me here?"
"I felt like it."
"I don't feel like it!" Bloody images flooded her mind, and Feng Yue's face darkened: "Did you and Lingshu hire that doctor to trick me? How could I possibly be pregnant!"
Looking at her, Yin Gezhi asked, "What, you're not happy about being pregnant?"
"How am I supposed to be happy?!" A bit agitated, Feng Yue snapped, "Carrying the bastard child of the Yin family, am I supposed to feel honored?"
Lingshu panicked inwardly and stepped forward to soothe her. After all, this was a prince standing before them. Insulting him like this would only drag him into the insult as well.
However, Yin Gezhi didn't seem to mind at all. He lifted his eyelids calmly and said, "I thought you were clever enough to understand the key point here. It seems pregnant women are all fools, and you're no exception."
Lingshu was stunned, and so was Feng Yue. She looked at him, puzzled: "What do you mean?"
Smoothing his sleeve, Yin Gezhi asked softly, "You hate the Yin family, right?"
"Yes."
"But you can't kill all the members of the Yin family." Yin Gezhi raised an eyebrow: "You truly had no way to take revenge. The game was dead at this point. But Heaven has given you a gift, a chance to turn things around. Instead of being grateful, you're complaining?"
A chance to turn things around? Feng Yue looked bewildered, clutching her stomach as she asked Lingshu, "Do you understand what he's saying?"
Her watery eyes darting around, Lingshu glanced at Yin Gezhi's expression and suddenly understood: "I understand!"
"What?""Master, think about it!" Sitting down by the bedside, Lingshu hugged Feng Yue's arm and spoke earnestly: "How could the Yin family ever be completely wiped out? When one dies, another can ascend the throne—they will pass down the imperial seat generation after generation. Perhaps there will be another Emperor Wen of Wei, and another after that. But now, you are with child! As soon as the prince ascends the throne, the child in your belly will be a royal prince! With a Yin family prince in your grasp, wouldn't that be your chance to turn things around?"
Feng Yue frowned: "Do you really think I'm foolish? Even if he ascends the throne, my child could never be a prince!"
"With enough effort, an iron rod can be ground into a needle—what in this world is truly impossible? Isn't that right, Your Highness?" Lingshu turned her head, winking directly at Yin Gezhi.
Yin Gezhi said: "You may be ruthless, but this prince is a man of flesh and blood. This child is my first offspring, so naturally I will not treat him poorly. If one day I ascend the throne, he will undoubtedly become the Crown Prince."
These words carried a heavy weight, startling even Lingshu. Feng Yue shook her head even more: "What nonsense are you speaking?"
"Nonsense?" Giving her a deep look, Yin Gezhi turned and asked outside: "Guan Zhi, are there any guests?"
"Replying to my lord, yes. The Censor has already presented his name card at the gate."
Yin Gezhi stood up, reached out to lower the curtain at the partition, then sat in the outer chamber and said: "Invite him in."
"Yes."
Qiao Tangjie led six senior ministers through the door. As soon as they saw Yin Gezhi, they knelt down, presenting something with both hands: "Please, Your Highness, take a look!"
Glancing at the memorial-like object, Yin Gezhi asked indifferently: "What is this?"
"Replying to Your Highness, this is a pledge from all officials." Qiao Tangjie looked up, speaking very seriously: "The court officials humbly request Your Highness to ascend the throne. As long as Your Highness is willing to save the nation from peril, the officials pledge not to interfere in any matters of the inner palace, including the appointment or dismissal of the empress, the promotion or demotion of consorts, and the selection of palace ladies each year. All regulations of the inner palace will be entirely subject to the emperor's will!"
Reaching out to take the unusually thick memorial, Yin Gezhi raised an eyebrow, pinched both ends, and pulled—the thick stack of papers folded inside rustled to the floor. Densely covering them were the names of ministers.
Qiao Tangjie truly lived up to being the one in court who best understood people's hearts. Even Guan Zhi inwardly nodded in approval. This move was brilliant!
But was Yin Gezhi the kind of person who would not act coy after gaining an advantage?
He was not!
Rising with a troubled expression, Yin Gezhi sighed: "I am grateful for the great efforts of all you ministers, but the Wei Kingdom is currently beset by internal and external troubles, its national power is declining, and the loyalty of its subjects is unstable. Even Chenbi would not dare rashly ascend the throne."
"Your Highness is too modest!" Qiao Tangjie hurriedly said: "As long as Your Highness is willing to succeed to the throne, we old ministers will surely give our full support, cleanse the court, and revive the prosperous age!"
"But many of Chenbi's ideas conflict with those of you ministers."
"No matter, no matter! Everything can be properly discussed!"
"What if Chenbi insists on having his own way?"
"Your Highness is not an unreasonable man. If there is something Your Highness insists upon, there must be a reason for it. We ministers can yield!"
With these words spoken, sincerity was fully expressed. Yin Gezhi was finally satisfied, letting out a soft sigh as his expression eased.
Seeing this, Qiao Tangjie was overjoyed and immediately said: "We ministers will now return to make preparations! We respectfully welcome our emperor's ascension to the throne!"
With that, he led the others in a bow, then stood up, grabbed his official robe, and stumbled out in a rush, shouting as he ran: "Quickly, great joy! Great joy for the Wei Kingdom!"The voice traveled from the main courtyard of the prince's residence, all the way into the palace.
Yin Gezhi turned his head and lifted the curtain at the partition.
Inside, Lingshu and Feng Yue both stared at him in stunned silence.
"Make a choice, Guan Qingyue." Leaning against the partition, Yin Gezhi glanced sideways and said calmly, "The first path: give up this child. Since your vengeance remains unfulfilled, why not abandon all these people and die alone? It would be a relief."
"The second path: marry me as my queen, bear the Crown Prince, and let someone with the blood of your Guan family rule over the Yin dynasty!"
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