Chapter 1226: Outrageous!

The officials of the court were all practiced at reading expressions and weighing moods. Many of them had long been dissatisfied with Shao Pingbo receiving favor for no apparent reason. The moment they saw His Majesty's reaction, it was obvious he was unhappy with the Princess's choice.

Hadn't he just asked everyone whether they were willing to share their sovereign's worries?

Why did that suddenly cease to apply the moment Shao Pingbo's name came up?

His Majesty actually favored and trusted Shao Pingbo to such a degree?

The ministers only grew more dissatisfied.

"Brilliant!" someone suddenly cried in praise. "Your Majesty, this truly is a perfect solution that satisfies both sides. This subject asks Your Majesty to approve the marriage!"

"Your Majesty, the Princess speaks correctly. Lord Shao was directly involved in the matter. If he marries the Princess, the rumors will collapse of their own accord!"

"Your Majesty, Lord Shao has received Your Majesty's favor. He should naturally share Your Majesty's worries!"

"Anyone Your Majesty values cannot possibly be mistaken. Lord Shao is a talented young man, and the Princess possesses beauty and grace. A gifted man and beautiful woman—they are an excellent match!"

"Your Majesty, since Your Majesty personally made a promise to the Princess, the word of a sovereign cannot be treated as a jest. You cannot go back on it!"

"Your Majesty, where is Lord Shao? Why not summon him to court and ask his opinion face to face?"

The man who said that simply did not know the truth. Shao Pingbo was not in the capital at all.

Several of the foremost ministers remained silent, exchanging looks. They understood how malicious the suggestion was.

If Shao Pingbo were actually summoned before the court, everyone here had already publicly agreed to share their sovereign's worries and said they would be willing to take the Princess. How could Shao Pingbo possibly voice a refusal in front of everyone?

They were trying to force him to agree.

Although those senior ministers were also dissatisfied with the degree of favor His Majesty showed Shao Pingbo, they knew certain confidential matters of state. They were among the few who knew what Shao Pingbo was doing at present.

The man was laboring over plans to ensure the war proceeded smoothly. There was no possibility he could suddenly appear in the court hall.

Voices surged through the hall. Everyone spoke at once, joining in one after another without pause.

Faint anger burned in Taishu Xiong's eyes as he sat above them all.

How could he fail to see that an entire court of ministers had suddenly united against Shao Pingbo?

Taishu Huan'er was also watching the reactions of the officials around her.

She discovered that Jia Wuqun, that Hidden Chancellor, had been exactly right.

Shao Pingbo had no one in the court. He was isolated and weak. Once a spark caught a favorable wind, it would become a prairie fire. The scene before her matched Jia Wuqun's prediction almost perfectly.

When it came to affairs like these inside a court, what kind of man was Jia Wuqun?

He had spent years speaking heart to heart with Song Chancellor Zi Pingxiu and understood the court intimately. In manipulating this sort of situation, even Niu Youdao was far inferior to him. Had Niu Youdao acted personally, he might still have found a solution, but it would inevitably have been a completely different method.

Taishu Huan'er also noticed the men who had yet to speak. She immediately raised her voice. "If anyone believes this princess is unworthy of Shao Pingbo, if anyone means to destroy this princess's chastity and reputation, then if you wish this princess to marry into your household instead, I will also give the matter serious consideration!"

Jia Wuqun had never taught her to say that.

Her meaning could not have been clearer.

She was openly threatening the assembled ministers: if any of you objects and prevents me from marrying Shao Pingbo, then I will marry into your family instead!

The foremost ministers exchanged glances and secretly smiled bitterly.

How could they fail to hear the threat?

Even knowing she was threatening them, however, they still said nothing.

If Shao Pingbo rose to power within the court, it would bring them no benefit. He did not belong to any of their factions, so they had no reason to help him.

Yet because they knew certain confidential matters, they also understood it would be inappropriate to kick him while he was down at this particular moment.

Remaining silent was best.

By now, however, they understood the situation.

Most of the other officials did as well.

The Princess had bitten down on Shao Pingbo and refused to let go.

She hated him for destroying her.

This was revenge!

Taishu Xiong, his face dark, naturally saw it too. He stared coldly at his precious daughter.

Today, he felt as though he were meeting her for the first time.

He had never imagined she possessed the ability to command the court and make the assembled ministers bow their heads and follow her lead.

At first, he had somewhat suspected that someone had taught or incited her through this entire sequence.

But after watching her for a while, he began to doubt it.

Methods could be taught.

Yet this calmness, this clear reasoning, this ability to respond to changing circumstances in court—those were not things someone could simply teach into another person.

What a pity she was a daughter.

Judging only from the ability she had shown today in controlling the court, Taishu Xiong found himself thinking that if she had been a son, he might have had to consider whether to cultivate her as heir to the throne.

The ministers continued clamoring.

They were plainly pressuring their sovereign as a united body.

The anger inside Taishu Xiong finally flared.

Nor could he casually agree to this marriage.

He abruptly rose and shouted, "Making such a racket in the court hall like marketplace hooligans—what kind of conduct is this? All of you can calm yourselves before speaking again. Court is dismissed!"

Having found an excuse, he flung his sleeve and strode away.

There was no way for him to remain any longer.

Faced with so many voices united as one, if he stayed, he feared the moment would come when even refusing would no longer be possible.

"Court is dismissed!" Tao Lue called, then immediately turned and hurried after the Emperor.

"Imperial Father!" Taishu Huan'er shouted. "Do you truly mean to break your word? If you cannot do what you promised, why did you promise your daughter in the first place?"

She too was pressuring the sovereign.

The other ministers refused to let the matter go either.

Someone shouted, "Your Majesty, the matter of conscripting young able-bodied men has not yet been fully discussed. Why dismiss court now?"

"Your Majesty, leaving in a fit of temper and abandoning affairs of the army and state—how is that proper conduct?"

Taishu Xiong pretended not to hear.

He ignored every shout from behind and disappeared without looking back.

The man himself had already fled. Who could charge after him, grab the Emperor, and drag him back?

No one dared, and no one had that ability. Even if they recklessly tried to force their way through, they could never get close to Taishu Xiong.

There was nothing for it but to disperse.

Facing the ministers as they began to leave, Taishu Huan'er shouted harshly, "If I cannot marry Shao Pingbo, then I will marry into one of your households!"

Jia Wuqun had certainly never taught her to say that either.

The ministers were rendered speechless.

They already had a common target, so they were not truly afraid of her threat.

Still, now that she had said it, they could not help keeping it in mind.

It would probably be best not to become an eyesore to this princess.

Otherwise, if she truly began crying and shouting that she intended to marry into your family, were you supposed to accept her or refuse?

One after another, the ministers cupped their hands toward her but said nothing further. Then they turned and left.

"His Majesty actually abandoned the affairs of court over one Shao Pingbo. Absolutely outrageous! What a muddleheaded ruler!"

"Shao Pingbo created this whole affair himself. Naturally, he should clean it up himself."

"This truly is a solution that benefits both sides. It restores the Princess's chastity and shares His Majesty's worries. As the man directly involved, Shao Pingbo could not be more suitable."

"My lords, the imperial household has no private affairs. This too is a matter of the court. Tomorrow, we should submit memorials together!"

"Exactly. This concerns the dignity and chastity of the imperial clan. How can it be treated as a game? We should all remonstrate with His Majesty and urge him to awaken. Private favor must never be allowed to override public duty!"

"I second the proposal!"

"We second it as well!"

A group of eunuchs appeared carrying umbrellas.

The ministers took them one by one, opened them, and descended the jade staircase amid constant discussion.

The eunuch who had slipped and fallen earlier overheard them and secretly shook his head.

These lords truly meant to join hands and drive Lord Shao into a dead end!

Then he suddenly saw Taishu Huan'er emerge from the great hall.

The umbrella he had prepared immediately opened above her. He stepped forward to shield the Princess from the rain and accompanied her away.

At the moon gate, Noble Consort Lan had seen court disperse and seen her daughter returning.

Her heart was filled with nervous uncertainty.

...

Crash!

Back in the imperial study, Taishu Xiong vented his fury by smashing a teacup.

He paced back and forth, roaring, "Outrageous! Absolutely outrageous!"

Tao Lue stood to the side with his hands folded.

He knew His Majesty had just been pressured in court by both the civil and military ministers and his own daughter. The anger had nowhere to go, so Tao Lue did not dare make a sound.

He quietly motioned toward a young eunuch at the door, indicating that he should come in and clean up the broken cup.

"Heh! We truly never imagined Our precious daughter had grown so capable. Someone must have taught her this!" Taishu Xiong suddenly slapped the imperial desk and spun around. "Go! Summon Noble Consort Lan!"

"Yes!" Tao Lue accepted the order and immediately gestured toward another eunuch at the door.

The man bowed and ran off at once.

At that moment, Noble Consort Lan had already met her daughter beside the moon gate.

After thanking the eunuch holding the umbrella and waiting until he withdrew, she immediately leaned close and asked in a low voice, "How did it go?"

Taishu Huan'er said, "I did everything according to Mother's instructions."

As she spoke, hatred flashed in her eyes.

Her mind was filled with the image of Imperial Father flinging his sleeve and leaving court.

So Imperial Father would rather see her reputation destroyed than allow one of his ministers to suffer a grievance!

Noble Consort Lan asked, "What did your Imperial Father say?"

Taishu Huan'er gritted her teeth. "Nothing. He dismissed court and left."

Noble Consort Lan looked somewhat worried. "I only hope Sir's judgment was not mistaken... Come. Go back and take a proper hot bath. Later, tell Mother exactly what happened inside the court hall."

She personally held the umbrella over her daughter and supported her as they walked away.

But before they could reach the Noble Consort's residence, a eunuch came running up with a message. "Noble Consort Lan, His Majesty summons Your Ladyship to come over immediately!"

The Emperor had summoned her. There was no avoiding it.

Noble Consort Lan could only hand her daughter over to the servants, draw a deep breath, and follow the eunuch.

She knew it was now her turn to enter the stage.

Her heart was equally nervous.

She was led all the way to the imperial study.

The moment she entered, she was about to bow in greeting when Taishu Xiong, seated behind the desk with a dark expression, swept one hand. "No need!"

Then he rose.

Taishu Xiong walked directly in front of her and stared down coldly. "Did you know Huan'er was going to barge into the court hall?"

Noble Consort Lan wore a deeply aggrieved expression. "This concubine knew!"

"We do not believe a girl barely more than ten years old understands things like this!" Taishu Xiong gritted his teeth. Then he suddenly shouted, "Who taught her?"

Noble Consort Lan collapsed in an instant.

The grievance on her face dissolved into tears. She dropped to her knees, wrapped both arms around the Emperor's leg, and wailed, "Your Majesty, that is Huan'er! That is the daughter You have always loved! Huan'er wanted to die! If this concubine had not discovered it in time, Huan'er would already have taken her own life!"

"Your daughter suffered such an enormous grievance and had nowhere even to voice her pain. Even her Imperial Father would not see her. Even her father abandoned her! How was she supposed to think? She could not get past it! She wanted to die!"

"This concubine had no choice! I could only use such a desperate method. I could only teach her to do this!"

"Your Majesty, men's words are fearsome. Do You truly mean to force her to death? She is this concubine's own flesh and blood!"

"Shao Pingbo reduced my daughter to this state. Only if he marries my daughter can her chastity be proven. If I do not go to him, whom am I supposed to seek?"

"So long as I can protect my daughter, this concubine would rather die! Your Majesty, please show mercy and save Huan'er..."

She cried so violently it seemed to tear her heart and lungs apart.

She had prepared herself before arriving.

There was only one method.

Cry!

Cry with everything she had!

Cry as miserably as possible.

She also insisted without hesitation that the entire idea had been her own.

She was not stupid. If she said a foreign strategist had taught them, would that not simply be inviting trouble?

So she did nothing but cry.

She cried until she seemed half-dead, making it impossible for Taishu Xiong to get a clear answer to anything else he wanted to ask.

In the end, he waved impatiently.

Tao Lue immediately called people in. They lifted the inconsolable Noble Consort Lan and carried her away, sending her all the way back to her residence.

The imperial study became quiet.

Yet Noble Consort Lan's miserable crying still seemed to echo beside Taishu Xiong's ears.

Some of the words of a mother desperate to protect the daughter she loved had genuinely moved him.

His cheeks remained taut.

Both fists clenched tightly.

He said nothing.

"Hu..." Only after finally regaining himself did Taishu Xiong raise his face and release a long, pent-up breath.

Then he slowly began pacing.

Rationally, he truly did not wish to wrong Shao Pingbo.

Emotionally, however, Shao Pingbo undeniably bore some responsibility for what had happened.

The method mother and daughter had come up with was also, in truth, a solution born from having no better solution.

Most importantly, Taishu Xiong knew perfectly well that some things could not be escaped simply by dismissing court and running away.

The ministers had already found a target to attack.

The pack of wolves had opened their jaws.

They would not stop until they tore off flesh.

Just wait and see.

Before long, a mountain of memorials would come flying at him, all using this affair to drown him.

[End of Chapter 1226]