GBP Chapter 149 Wishful thinking
Chapter 149 Wishful thinking
There must have been spies bribed by Lady Lu among Consort Qin's trusted subordinates. Otherwise, how could Consort Qin have repeatedly tried to deal with Lady Lu, only to have her seem to have prior knowledge of the situation and Consort Qin have suffered defeat each time?
Prince Duan was not unaware of this, but unfortunately, every time he reminded his mother, Consort Qin, she ignored him. She firmly believed that her trusted subordinates would never betray her.
Prince Duan had no choice but to secretly order his guards to protect his mother and keep her from danger. He stayed at the border for more than five years, and he was truly powerless to help with the affairs of the inner palace.
No matter how much he said or did, it would be to no avail if his mother didn't realize her own shortcomings. Fortunately, Lady Lu was a sensible person and never did anything to try to kill Consort Qin; otherwise, Prince Duan would have already taken action!
Qin Caihong smiled secretly.
My aunt just said that she is the future Princess Consort of Duan, hehe.
Before she could even finish reveling, Prince Duan sneered, "Future princess? Mother, are you senile? I'll say it one last time: I will absolutely not marry my cousins. Not only that, but even if they wanted to be my concubines, they wouldn't stand a chance! If they haven't left the palace within three days, you can pretend you never had a son like me! From now on, you can live a good life in the palace with your cousins!"
Upon hearing this, Qin Caihong was both shocked and furious. With tears in her eyes, she looked at Prince Duan and said, "Cousin, do you really look down on Caihong that much? What's wrong with Caihong? Please tell me, and I'll change!"
Prince Duan glanced at her coldly: "Whether you are well or not has nothing to do with me!" After saying that, he didn't bother to look at the crowd anymore, used his lightness skill to leap over the high wall, and disappeared in the blink of an eye.
Qin Caihong was dumbfounded and stood there stunned.
Madam Lu strode over arrogantly, scoffing, "Oh dear, sister, what are you doing? You've angered the prince again! Oh dear, I hope he doesn't never come back, otherwise when will you ever hold your grandson! My eldest grandson is already six years old this year! Hehe!"
Consort Qin was so angry that the veins on her forehead throbbed.
This was caused by anger from her son, and also by anger from Mrs. Lu.
Why is this son so stubborn? Rainbow is such a wonderful girl, why doesn't he like her? Besides, all of his other cousins are also incredibly beautiful, why didn't he like any of them?
Is that Shangguan Zisu really that good?!
Looking at her sobbing niece, Consort Qin was exasperated and scolded her impatiently, "Cry, cry, all you do is cry! Aren't you ashamed of yourself? Go back to your own courtyard, pack your things, and go home tomorrow!"
After saying that, he left without looking back.
Mr. Lu chased after her retreating figure, laughing heartily.
Qin Caihong was filled with resentment but had no choice. She hurriedly ordered her maid, "Quickly, go and fetch a doctor!" Her face was injured; would it leave her disfigured? What if she couldn't marry her cousin, or even any other noble family's son? That would be terrible!
After leaving the Prince's residence, Prince Duan went to the Imperial Palace.
"Hao'er, you're not young anymore, it's time for you to get married!" The Emperor had already chosen his princess, concubine, and secondary consort.
Prince Duan: "I don't want anyone else, I love Princess Yulin, and I will marry no one but her!"
"I can marry her, but I'll also need concubines and mistresses!" the Emperor said.
He spoke slowly and softly, yet his voice carried an undeniable severity.
Prince Duan angrily said, "If my imperial uncle forces me, I will flee to the ends of the earth and never be found again!"
The Emperor: "You little brat, are you trying to scare me with the same tricks you use to frighten your mother? Let me tell you, those tricks won't work on me! If you dare to run away, believe me, I'll throw the entire Protector General's family into prison!"
Prince Duan was dumbfounded and hurriedly begged for mercy: "Uncle, please have pity on your son! Princess Yulin will not marry a man with concubines, nor will she become a concubine. Moreover, if I am slow, Princess Yulin may be married off to a good son from another family! Uncle, please have mercy and help your son!"
The Emperor was amused and exasperated: "Look at your pathetic self! You'd rather have a concubine than a mere Princess Yulin! Do you know that you can marry two concubines and four secondary consorts? These six positions can help you establish connections with six powerful families. With the support of these six families, your future will be much smoother!"
Prince Duan: "Uncle, you are mistaken! I may speak disrespectfully, but if one day you were to pass away and another emperor were to take over, would they tolerate someone like me, whose merits overshadow their own? I believe it would be better for me to have no concubines or secondary consorts. That way, I would have no connection with other powerful families, and my power and wealth would be greatly reduced. In this way, the future emperor might be able to provide me with a place to live!"
Upon hearing this, the Emperor was taken aback. After a moment of silence, he said in a low voice, "Hmm, what you say makes a lot of sense. You are a prince and were once the Grand Marshal of the Northwest Frontier. If you have too close ties with many powerful families, you are indeed too influential. It would be impossible for the future Emperor not to be suspicious of you!"
In his heart, Prince Duan was like his own son, his most beloved junior. Frankly, he wanted this child to live a carefree and peaceful life. Previously, he had indeed misjudged the situation and hadn't thought things through. He originally thought that helping Hao'er marry the daughters of six powerful families would solidify Hao'er's status and allow him to live a life of wealth and comfort. He hadn't considered that the future emperor might not trust and cherish Hao'er as much as he did.
Prince Duan: "In truth, I should marry a girl from an ordinary family, a girl from a family with no background or connections. But I have no choice, I simply cannot bear to part with Princess Yulin."
The Emperor said, "You're right. Princess Yulin's father is the Grand General Who Protects the Nation and the Minister of War. His position is quite sensitive!"
Prince Duan said, “In fact, Princess Yulin had long hoped that General Shangguan would retire and return to his hometown to live a secluded life in the countryside. General Shangguan also promised her that once his three-year term was up, he would resign and retire, and would never again concern himself with matters of the court.”
Upon hearing this, the Emperor nodded in satisfaction: "Very good. General Shangguan is also indifferent to fame and fortune. It's good that you found such a father-in-law. I hadn't thought it through before."
Taking the opportunity, Prince Duan said, "Uncle, I also intend to resign from all official positions and no longer concern myself with court affairs. I beg you to grant my request. I have been on the frontier for many years and I am already very tired. I want to live a simple and happy life."
The Emperor said, “I cannot grant your request for the time being. The Crown Prince is still young. I know my own health very well; I don’t have many years left to live. In the future, the Crown Prince will need your support and assistance until he turns fifteen!”
At the very least, the Crown Prince must be at least fifteen years old before Hao'er can resign from his official post. Otherwise, the Crown Prince is very likely to be fooled by the court officials and become a puppet in the future.
Prince Duan: "Uncle, please don't say such discouraging things. If you take good care of your health, you will surely live a long and healthy life!"
The Emperor said, "Hao'er, promise your uncle to help the Crown Prince for a few years, until he turns fifteen. After he turns fifteen, you and General Shangguan will resign and retire, okay? Consider this your uncle's request!"
Prince Duan said, "Actually, I only know how to fight. I have no experience in court affairs. I think the Princess's husband is capable of handling important matters. Why don't we appoint him as Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel and let him gain experience gradually? In the future, he can be promoted to Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. When the Crown Prince ascends the throne, he can become the Crown Prince's right-hand man!"
The Emperor said, "Hmm, Consort Jiang is indeed excellent. He is of good character, commendably loyal, and very learned. He was once a renowned third-place scholar in the imperial examinations; otherwise, your eldest sister wouldn't have taken a liking to him! Your suggestion is good. I will think about it carefully and make a decision in a few days! However, you cannot resign from your post for the time being. Promise me you will assist the Crown Prince until he turns fifteen!"
The rule that a prince consort cannot be a high-ranking official in the court must be broken!
The eldest princess was his eldest daughter, and also his most beloved. This daughter was impeccable in every way; she was filial, kind, and exceptionally intelligent and wise. She far surpassed all his other children!
"Alright, I agree!" Prince Duan reluctantly agreed, and then took the opportunity to say, "Uncle, I plan to go to the Protector General's Mansion to propose marriage in a few days."
The Emperor said, "Should I bestow a marriage upon you? If I do, things will be much easier for you, and you won't have to worry about Princess Yulin refusing your request!"
Prince Duan: "Thank you, Imperial Uncle, but please accept this marriage decree. I want to win her heart with my sincerity!"
The Emperor shook his head: "What a foolish boy! Very well, since you've made this decision, then try your best! If you can marry Princess Yulin through your own abilities, then I won't force any women upon you. But if you fail, then you can't lose a single concubine, secondary consort, or maidservant!"
Prince Duan nodded: "I am only willing to remain chaste for Princess Yulin. If I cannot marry her, then there is no need for me to remain chaste!"
The Emperor waved his hand: "Go, prepare the gifts well, and go ask for my hand in marriage!" He then said to his personal eunuch: "Give Prince Duan some fine gifts, and let him take them to present as betrothal gifts!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!" The personal eunuch was overjoyed and went to the storeroom to fetch many fine things, which Prince Duan then took out of the palace.