Chapter 25

In the imperial study of the imperial palace of the Zhuque Empire.

Duanmu Xue was holding the memorial but not reading it at all.

She was wondering where her husband and daughter were now. Supposedly, they would arrive two days later.

“Your Majesty, Princess Jing requests meeting you,” Hongfeng entered the hall and reported in a low voice.

Duanmu Xue slightly knitted her eyebrows. Why did Princess Jing come again?

“Let her in.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Hongfeng got out of the imperial study.

A moment later, Duanmu Shuang walked inside and saluted Duanmu Xue, “Greetings, Your Majesty.”

“Rise.”

Duanmu Shuang stood up as told with her head lowered.

“Why do you want to meet me today?”

Duanmu Xue glimpsed Duanmu Shuang and directly put down the memorial.

“Your Majesty, here is the thing. Qing falls in love with a man and wants to marry him so I’m here to ask Your Majesty to bestow the marriage on her.”

After knowing her aim, Duanmu Xue picked up the tea bowl, brushed away the tea leaves, took a sip of the tea and then spoke.

“Oh? Which man does Qing fall for?”

Hearing Duanmu Xue’s reply, Duanmu Shuang immediately bent down and said, “Si Yunhan, the legitimate son of General Si Ruxu.”

Duanmu Xue squinted her eyes and gave a teasing smile. Her sister just wouldn’t give up.

She knew Si Yunhan. This boy used to play with Xi quite often. She wanted to save him for Xi.

She could tell that Xi did like him. Unexpectedly, Xi was only away for more than one year and he…

In this case, she might as well do them the favor. That kind of man was not good enough for her daughter…

The next morning, Hongfeng entered the general’s mansion with the imperial edict.

“Si Yunhan, the son of the general, please come and receive the imperial edict.”

“I, Si Yunhan, shall receive the imperial edict.” With a pale face, Si Yunhan knelt down and received the imperial edict.

Unexpectedly, the imperial edict would be issued so fast. This time, he had no chance to go back on it anymore.

“Pursuant to the Mandate from Heaven, the Empress hereby announces that Si Yunhan, the son of General Si Ruxu, is handsome, talented, humble, upright and virtuous with a gentle and sincere disposition… Hence, he shall be the prince consort of Heiress of Princess Jing, Duanmu Qing. The couple will get married on the chosen date. Respect this.”

“I humbly receive the imperial edict.”

Si Yunhan took the imperial edict and kept kneeling on the ground.

…

In the Zhuque Hall, all the officials stood there in dispirit.

“Will Her Majesty the Empress not come to the morning court meeting again?”

“Possibly. Her Majesty has quit the morning court meeting for half a month.”

“I heard that Her Majesty has recovered greatly from her illness. Why doesn’t she come to the court meeting?”

“Who knows?”

“Here comes Her Majesty the Empress…”

Hearing the chanting, the officials immediately shut up and stood decently.

Dressed in a yellow phoenix robe with a phoenix crown on her head, Duanmu Xue slowly strode into the Zhuque Hall and stepped onto the jade stairs.

“Greetings, Your Majesty the Empress. Long live the Empress…”

All the officials prostrated themselves before the empress.

“All of you, rise.” Duanmu Xue raised her hands, her palms facing down.

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

When all the officials rose, Hongfeng standing on the left side of Duanmu Xue took a step forward and chanted.

“Report if you have anything to say and retreat if you don’t…”

“Your Majesty, I have something to report.”

A middle-aged woman dressed in a dark reddish-purple official suit stepped out of the row and saluted Duanmu Xue.

The official was Ji Sufen, director of the Ministry of Rituals.

“Say it.”

Ji Sufen bent her body and put on a humble look, “The sixth day of the next lunar month will be Her Highness the Crown Princess’s birthday. I wonder whether it shall be held as usual.”

Duanmu Xue glanced over the officials and saw their different facial expressions. Her purple eyes glistened and she opened her mouth.

“Of course, it must be held and in a big way.”

Duanmu Xue’s words caused an uproar among the officials. They were all confused.

“Her Highness the Crown Princess has been missing for more than a year. Why will the birthday party of Her Highness the Crown Princess still be held in a big way?”

“Does Her Majesty the Empress miss Her Highness Crown Princess too much?”

“Alas. No matter how well the birthday party is held, Her Highness the Crown Princess won’t come back anyway.”

…

“You bet.”

Ji Sufen didn’t understand either but she still said yes with a bow and then returned to her position.

Duanmu Shuang had a glint of anger flashing across her eyes and twitched her mouth dismissively.

Did she really think her useless daughter would come back safe?

Duanmu Shuang peeped at Left Prime Minister Qin Zhen in secret.

Qin Zhen immediately stepped to the right and bowed to Duanmu Xue.

“Your Majesty, I have something to report.”

Duanmu Xue slightly narrowed her eyes.

“Say it.”

Qin Zhen lowered her head, “Her Highness the Crown Princess has been missing for more than one year. Please make another person the crown princess to reassure the people.”

Duanmu Xue’s mouth curved into a sneer.

They were up to this indeed. Her sister was so calculating.

Seeing Duanmu Xue didn’t respond, General Si also stepped forward and bowed to Duanmu Xue.

“I second that.”

Duanmu Xue looked at Si Ruxu coldly with fierce eyes.

When all the other officials saw the left prime minister and the general both propose making another person the crown princess, some officials who got along well with them and those inferior ones who wanted to fawn on them all stepped forward to second the proposal.

For the moment, the three words–“I second that” reverberated through the Zhuque Hall.

Duanmu Xue looked terrifyingly gloomy. To her astonishment, more than half of the officials were on her sister’s side.

“I disagree with Lord Left Prime Minister.”

When the atmosphere in Zhuque Hall was scarily tense, a young and pretty woman stood forward.

Seeing the right prime minister, He Min, Duanmu Xue looked slightly softer.

She liked He Min. This official was young and talented, who always raised some good suggestions and helped her a lot with political affairs.

“Tell us your thought.”

“I think Her Highness the Crown Princess is only missing, who hasn’t made any major mistake. There is no reason to abolish the Crown Princess now. Besides, Your Majesty is still young. It is unnecessary to rush the matter of bestowing a new crown princess.”

Duanmu Xue nodded and then looked at a young woman standing foremost on the right side.

“What do you think, Princess Rui?”

Princess Rui, Duanmu Fei, was pretty and dashing.

Hearing the empress’s question, she took one step forward and bowed, “I second the Right Prime Minister’s opinion.”

“I think the Left Prime Minister is right. Her Highness the Crown Princess is missing and Your Majesty is sick. A new crown princess can help relieve Your Majesty’s daily burdens and worries.”

When Duanmu Fei just finished talking, Duanmu Shuang stepped forward.

Duanmu Fei snorted ironically.

“Humph. Shuang, do you forget the clan regulation by Emperor Taizu? There is no other imperial female descendent qualified to be the crown princess now.”

All the officials tensed themselves to listen. The anecdotes of the imperial family were always their favorite.

Anger just crossed Duanmu Shuang’s eyes. She glared at Duanmu Fei fiercely.

Duanmu Xue looked at the angry Duanmu Shuang and sneered.

The two princesses with military power came into a conflict. None of the officials dared to utter a word.

For the moment, the atmosphere in Zhuque Hall was somewhat weird.

When the hall was in silence, Hongye walked from outside the hall and whispered to Duanmu Xue with a bow.

Duanmu Xue nodded at Hongye, her face full of surprise.

Hongye immediately took the hint and chanted loudly.

“Summon His Highness the Royal Consort…”