Ci Jinzhi

Chapter 427 Establishing the Queen

In this sensitive time of establishing a heirloom, King Xiu's biggest advantage is his age. Many ministers may not necessarily be on good terms with him in private, but they will support him unconditionally just because he has the "long" character.

 What they support is not the King of Shows, but the rules and etiquette.

It is self-evident what it means for the emperor to choose to appoint a successor now.

"The throne has been vacant for many years. The noble concubine of the Zhou family is from a well-known family and is respectful and virtuous. I want to make her my queen. What do you think?"

When Emperor Xingyuan asked this question, all the ministers had different expressions.

Those who had unconditionally supported Emperor Xingyuan would certainly not object. Those who valued rules and etiquette had already asked for the throne many times due to the vacant post. Those who sincerely supported King Xiu wanted to object, but had no reason to object.

Since there is no owner of the harem, it is natural for the emperor to establish a queen. However, the biological mother of the third prince has no faults in terms of her birth, status, and virtues. It can be said that there is no controversy in appointing her as the queen.

 The ministers who supported King Xiu secretly exchanged glances, but no one dared to say a word.

It cannot be said that the third prince’s mother-in-law, the imperial concubine, is not suitable, but King Xiu’s mother-in-law, Concubine An, is suitable, right?

You must know that Concubine An was ignored by the emperor for many years. It was not until King Xiu left the palace and opened a palace at the age of fifteen that he was promoted to concubine. They said An Bin was suitable, but they couldn't even pass this test themselves.

Emperor Xingyuan looked around at the ministers and nodded with satisfaction.

“Since all the ministers have no objection, let’s choose an auspicious day and perform the ceremony of registration.”

As the ministers left the palace, news spread that Concubine Zhou, the biological mother of the third prince, would be appointed as his successor.

Xin You was sitting in the office, and saw a few people in Hua Waiti Zhao poking their heads, but stopped talking.

 She walked out and asked a few people what was going on with a smile.

"Xin Daizhao, is there anything going on behind the Yamen? If nothing happens, let's get together." Hua Daizhao's tone was quite natural, but his eyes were a little cautious.

Xin You knew that the imperial concubines had heard about the imperial concubine being granted the title of queen, thought she was unhappy, and asked her to have a drink to relieve her mood.

"Unfortunately, something happened today. I will invite some brothers to come another day."

Hua Daizhao saw that her expression was calm and her eyes were calm, and she didn't look particularly sad. He smiled and said, "Well, we are free every day. Xin Daizhao, please be busy, we have also returned to the west hall."

Xin You watched several people enter the waiting room, turned around to look at the clean and quiet office, and simply walked outside the Hanlin Academy.

  Along the way, I received countless strange looks.

Not long after leaving the Hanlin Academy, Xin You saw He Qingxiao standing under a tree by the roadside.

 She walked over and asked, "Are you waiting for me?"

He Qingxiao nodded calmly.

"Why don't you ask the doorman to deliver a message to me? If I come out of the office again, I'll have to wait for a long time." Xin You walked up to him, and the two of them walked forward together.

"I have nothing to do today, so I'll just pass the time while I wait." He Qingxiao looked at her expression.

"I'm not sad." Xin You guessed what he was worried about and spoke directly.

He Qingxiao paused and looked deeply into her eyes.

Xin You raised his head slightly and did not hide his emotions in front of him: "It seems that everyone knows the news about the appointment of a successor. Maybe everyone thinks that I am unhappy."

She took a few steps forward, and someone in the distance looked over curiously.

“I don’t feel anything if other people get what my mother doesn’t want.”

 It just made her see that person's decision more clearly.

 She was curious about how King Xiu felt after hearing about it.

At this time, King Xiu was surrounded by his staff in the study room, facing anxious and solemn faces.

“Your Highness, once the ceremony of enthroning the queen is officially held, the third prince will have the status of legitimate son!”

 Hsiu Wang looked at the speaker.

When a prince leaves the palace and opens a mansion, he will be assigned a team. These subordinate officials are destined to suffer losses and prosper with him. He understood the mood of these people, but he had no strength to care about their mood.

 “Your Highness——”

King Xiu looked at him coldly and said in a cold tone: "Do you want Xiao Wang to tell his father not to appoint a successor? If Xiao Wang's words are useful, then my father will not appoint a successor at this time."

Several staff members were silent.

Originally, the eldest prince and the third prince had a considerable advantage in the dispute. It can be said that it was logical for the ministers to make the eldest prince the crown prince. Even if the emperor favors the third prince, there will be a lot of resistance.

 But the emperor did not mention the establishment of a third prince at all, and did not give the officials a chance to argue. Instead, he established one first and then the other.

This is tantamount to pulling firewood from the bottom of the cauldron and blocking the way for the eldest prince.

 One of the staff members sighed.

Being an official of the prince is actually not bad, but His Highness is obviously the most suitable candidate and has the greatest chance. Such a result is really unacceptable!

“Gentlemen, please go out, Xiao Wang is tired.”

　A few people stood up, bowed, and left silently.

King Xiu sat motionless in his study.

It was getting dark little by little, and there was no lamp in the study. King Xiu closed his eyes, and a tear fell quietly, hidden by the darkness.

Afterwards, the Qintian Supervisor had to choose an auspicious day, and some yamen, led by the Ministry of Rites, regarded this as a top priority and began to make preparations.

Generally speaking, it takes at least a month to prepare for such a grand ceremony, and the auspicious date given by Qin Tianjian is just over a month later.

When King Xiu went out again, he saw that everyone was busy with the ceremony of conferring the queen, and everyone was talking about the ceremony.

 “I have met His Highness King Xiu.” The two officials who were talking noticed that King Xiu was passing by. They stopped in a hurry and saluted nervously.

King Xiu nodded and walked over, hearing a voice of relief coming from behind him.

In just a few days, the most powerful competitor for the crown prince became a pitiful person in the eyes of hundreds of officials and nobles.

 In the palace, Emperor Xingyuan asked about King Xiu’s reaction.

“His Royal Highness King Xiu seemed a little depressed, but he did not express dissatisfaction.”

Emperor Xingyuan nodded after hearing this and asked Xinyou how he was doing.

 “Princess Ayou, everything is business as usual.”

Emperor Xingyuan didn't quite believe it, and was too embarrassed to summon Xin You into the palace, so he ordered Sun Yan to send many rewards to Xin's house.

 The third prince has the position of crown prince, and Xin You is favored. This contrast makes King Xiu even more pathetic.

King Xiu, however, returned to normal after being depressed for a few days. He was gentle and humble when dealing with his ministers, which was secretly regrettable.

The third prince still can't see that King Xiu is generous and gentle, and it is good for him to be a conservative king.

It is a pity that no matter what the officials think, the preparations for the ceremony are proceeding step by step and will not stop because of the regrets of some people.

One day before the ceremony for the establishment of the festival, Honglu Temple set up a treasure case for festival registration in the Fengtian Hall. On that day, all the officials kowtowed, and after the queen's registration was completed, they thanked the queen mother and received congratulations.

 The next day, according to the regulations, the prince entered the palace to celebrate.

 There was only one prince in the dynasty, King Xiu, so he took him as the leader and brought all the princes to pay homage to Queen Zhou.

The etiquette officer asked the queen to ascend her throne. King Xiu knelt down and said, "My dear, Chen Ping, I would like to lead all my brothers to congratulate the Queen Mother."

 One bow and then another. King Xiu bowed eight times in a polite manner and then got up with several princes. After that, Princess Xuan and her two younger sisters bowed eight times to the new queen.

King Xiu watched silently as his three sisters kowtowed to the queen, but Xinyou was not among them.

Unsurprisingly, she avoided such an occasion as she was not recorded in the royal jade certificate.

 He looked at the third prince Chen You with his peripheral vision.