Chapter 10: Tsk! What a mouth that makes people love and hate it! (2 / 2)

[Beep——]

[Beep——]

The old emperor gave a thoughtful glance at Xu Yanmiao.

[“What… what is it?”]

What does this mean?

He turned his cold gaze back to his daughter, who was still pleading for the Prince Consort’s pardon, and after a moment of thought, a sudden idea came to his mind.

“Wanshou.”

When the princess heard her father calling her, she looked up at him, tears still glistening in her eyes.

The emperor stood, looking down at her. His gaze was like a stone dropped into a calm lake, creating ripples that spread and expanded.@@novelbin@@

“I grant you the position of Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Revenue. Go to the Ministry to start your duties soon.”

“What?” The princess was stunned.

“What?” The Minister of Revenue was also stunned.

Prime Minister Dou tried to speak: “But…”

The emperor shot him a look, and Prime Minister Dou, though filled with words, dared not speak. He could only frown, staring at the princess, hoping she would be sensible and reject the offer herself.

The princess was initially confused about why her father had arranged this, but when she noticed the flicker of indignation on the Prince Consort’s face, she immediately understood.

In the Great Xia Empire, the position of Prince Consort was a title without any actual duties. No matter how talented one was, once you became a Prince Consort, you were forbidden from holding an official position or having interactions with court officials. Those who did so would be charged with forming factions and acting in their own interest.

Liu Yi had always resented this rule and had treated her poorly because of it. It was also the reason he stayed distant from the official court.

If not for her forcing him into the role of Prince Consort, he could have been a rising star in the court, climbing up the ranks from a new official to becoming one of her father’s trusted ministers.

It was all my fault…

I owe him…

And now, he’s angered my father, and my father is using this to mock him…

After a brief silence, the princess whispered, “I accept your decree.” She felt the Prince Consort’s angry and resentful gaze but did not dare turn back to look at him.

Prince Consort…

The princess softly thought in her heart: You hate me, don’t you? Only by making father happy can I get him to spare you.

The old emperor laughed heartily and patted her head. “Good child.”

The princess forced a smile.

The emperor patted her head again and spoke kindly, “As for men, I’ll help you find someone better…”

“No! Father! No, no!” The princess immediately interrupted the emperor, shaking her head in tears. “Father! Please! I beg you! Yi Lang is innocent! It was… it was I who forced him! I forced him to marry me! If it weren’t for me, he could have been with the one he loved. It was I who insisted…”

[Ah, so this is indeed manipulation.]

A voice suddenly interrupted.

The princess couldn’t hide the subtle change in her expression.

The voice was soft as silk, like a gentle breeze, easily cutting through the air. Each syllable was clear and pure, enchanting and unforgettable.

Such a beautiful voice, who could it be?

The princess was a fan of handsome men; otherwise, she wouldn’t have chosen the Prince Consort at first sight.

So, without thinking, she reflexively looked for the owner of the voice, her eyes locking on a group of handsome older men with a young man standing behind them.

Upon seeing him, despite her heart being with another, the princess paused for a moment, involuntarily turning her gaze away, too shy to look directly at his stunning features.

At that moment, nothing mattered—no thoughts of her beloved, no pleading for forgiveness. All she could think was: So… men can look so handsome? The Prince Consort seemed dull in comparison to him.

Then, the princess suddenly realized something.

This person… didn’t seem to be moving his lips when he spoke?

The princess looked more carefully. His lips, which were extremely beautiful, didn’t move at all under the sunlight, yet the youthful voice still reached her ears.

[Before marriage, he thought the princess was too domineering to refuse. After marriage, why wasn’t he afraid of her anymore? He bullied and mistreated her. Why didn’t he worry about this malicious woman finding the old emperor’s support?]

It’s… ventriloquism?

What is he saying?!

The princess’s eyes widened, about to retort in defense of the Prince Consort. But she was stopped by a slap on her shoulder from her father.

She turned her head to see the emperor pressing his voice down, speaking slowly but clearly, “Listen.”

Listen well to Xu Yanmiao’s mouth—so loved and hated!

The emperor was very pleased in his heart.

When Xu Yanmiao criticized him, he wanted nothing more than to drag him away and have him executed, but when Xu Yanmiao criticized others, it made him happy.

[Saying it was forced, trying to deceive those without social experience, really thinking he was forced, afraid of being harmed by royal power, but after marriage, he was doing whatever he wanted, marrying concubines? If he’s going to marry, he should wait until the old emperor dies, right?]

The emperor: “…”

The princess: “…”

The princess looked at the emperor seriously, trying to convey with her eyes: Father, is this what you want me to hear? Is this how you want to speak of your death?