Ministers Begging Me to Ascend the Throne

Chapter 1073: Chapter 119: Noble Princess Consort Rong Pleads Again (Part 2)

The Emperor reached out and helped Noble Princess Consort Rong up, "I was just joking with you, why are you kneeling?"

Noble Princess Consort Rong lightly pinched the back of the Emperor’s hand and coquettishly glared at him, "Cousin, your joke just now really scared me to death."

"When did you become so timid?"

"Cousin, don’t you already know my feelings for you, or do I have to pull out my heart for you to see?"

"There’s no need for that, it’s quite frightening."

Noble Princess Consort Rong twisted a piece of flesh at the Emperor’s waist, "Cousin, you’re being naughty again."

The Emperor caught Noble Princess Consort Rong’s hand and gave it a light pat, "Who’s really being naughty here?"

"Cousin... please spare my brother."

The Emperor looked deeply into Noble Princess Consort Rong’s eyes, asking with a half-smile, "Let me ask you, if it turns out your brother really was assembling troops and forging weapons in Annan, what would you do?"

Noble Princess Consort Rong saw the Emperor’s serious expression and her heart tightened, her coquettish smile frozen.

The Emperor asked again, "And if your brother really intended to help Second Prince rebel against me, what then?"

The palace maid standing by was so frightened by the Emperor’s questions to Noble Princess Consort Rong that cold sweat trickled down her back. However, Sun Kui remained calm.

Noble Princess Consort Rong paused before replying, "Cousin, my brother and Prince Dai would never commit such treason."

"But if they did?"

Noble Princess Consort Rong looked directly into the Emperor’s eyes with great seriousness and said, "If they did, I would surely kill them."

Seeing the sincerity in Noble Princess Consort Rong’s eyes, the Emperor knew she was telling the truth and wasn’t deceiving him.

"Your word is enough for me."

Hearing this, Noble Princess Consort Rong secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Cautious, she tested the waters by asking, "Cousin, as for my brother..."

"As you said, he’s just forging weapons in Annan and hasn’t brought them back to Great Zhou, so his crime doesn’t warrant death. I won’t take his life."

The great worry in Noble Princess Consort Rong’s heart finally eased. She gratefully thanked the Emperor, "Thank you, cousin, you’re the best."

"Alright, stop sweet-talking me."

"Cousin, how can you say that about me? What I’m saying comes from the heart, how can it be sweet talk?" Noble Princess Consort Rong looked at the Emperor with seductive eyes.

The Emperor pretended not to notice, stood up, and said to Noble Princess Consort Rong, "I still have a pile of memorials to read, I’ll head back to the Imperial Study first. You should go to bed early tonight, don’t wait for me." After speaking, he left.

"Cousin..." Noble Princess Consort Rong couldn’t believe the Emperor just left like that. She hurriedly stepped forward, grasped the Emperor’s hand, and looked at him with a sorrowful gaze, "Cousin, are you really willing to leave me behind?"

The Emperor raised his hand and lightly patted Noble Princess Consort Rong’s shoulder, gently comforting her, "I am truly busy. After a few days, when I’m not as busy, I’ll come to accompany you again."

Noble Princess Consort Rong, feeling wronged, said, "Really?"

"Really, when have I ever lied to you?" The Emperor added, "The meal you prepared tonight was truly satisfying."

Noble Princess Consort Rong’s smile reappeared on her face, "Cousin, then when you’re not busy in a few days, you must make it up to me."

"Alright, I’ll make it up to you then," the Emperor replied with a smile, "No need to see me out."

"I’ll still see Cousin out the door."

Noble Princess Consort Rong followed the Emperor out, and only when she could no longer see the Emperor’s back did she return to the hall. Her smile immediately turned into a terrifying gloom.

"Madam, I think the Emperor is truly busy, and not dissatisfied with you, so don’t overthink it," Jin Mei comforted Noble Princess Consort Rong. "It’s not the first time the Emperor has left after dinner, I guess he took a break tonight to accompany you for dinner."

Hearing Jin Mei’s words, Noble Princess Consort Rong felt better, but still, some anxiety lingered in her heart.

"Do you really think the Emperor is truly busy?"

"Madam, didn’t the Emperor say before he left that he’d make it up to you in a few days when he’s not busy? When has he ever broken his word to you?" Jin Mei offered Noble Princess Consort Rong a cup of tea, "Madam, stop overthinking."

Noble Princess Consort Rong took the teacup, drank a few sips, and her inner unease diminished significantly.

"I’m just afraid Cousin is unhappy that I pleaded for my brother."

"You’re Marquis Xuanping’s sister, it’s only right to plead for the Marquis. If you didn’t plead for the Marquis, now that would be strange."

"Do you think the Emperor will really let my brother go?"

"The Emperor said as much, so he’s sure to spare the Marquis. You can put your mind at rest, Madam."

Noble Princess Consort Rong’s face darkened instantly: "The fact they were assembling troops and forging weapons in Annan was kept from me. If the Princess of Annan hadn’t brought it to light, I’m afraid they would have hidden it from me forever."

"Madam, I think neither the Prince nor the Marquis really intend to rebel, it’s just a precaution."

"I certainly know they don’t intend treason, but by doing this, they have touched the Emperor’s raw nerve." Regarding her son and brother hiding this from her, Noble Princess Consort Rong felt both anger and resentment. "Now I still have to clean up their mess."

"Madam, didn’t the Duke Zhen’s Mansion do the same?"

"A bunch of fools digging their own graves." Having been by the Emperor’s side, Noble Princess Consort Rong understood the Emperor’s temperament somewhat. "If the Emperor were to fly into a rage over this, it would be nothing. But now, the Emperor ordered Prime Minister He and others to investigate thoroughly, which means the Emperor is genuinely angry. The more upset the Emperor is, the calmer he appears."

"I see the Emperor in a good mood."

Noble Princess Consort Rong sighed lightly, "The more upset, the happier he smiles."

"Madam, didn’t the Emperor say he would spare the Marquis’ life? You shouldn’t worry."

"I’m just afraid Marquis Xuanping’s title can’t be preserved."

"The Emperor shouldn’t strip the Marquis of his title, right?" Jin Mei said, "Even if the Emperor does strip the Marquis of his title, with you around, the Emperor will restore the Marquis’ title sooner or later."

This truly struck a chord with Noble Princess Consort Rong, "You’re right. As long as I’m here, the Marquis Xuanping’s title will never permanently disappear."

"Madam, do you think the Emperor will spare the Duke Zhen Country Mansion and Duke Anyang Mansion?"

"Duke Zhen Country Mansion is hard to say, but Duke Anyang Mansion won’t escape this time." Noble Princess Consort Rong sneered, "The beastly acts committed by the son of Consort Shu are intolerable. How could the Emperor possibly spare Duke Anyang Mansion?"

"Madam, I don’t understand why the Emperor would spare Consort Shu," Jin Mei asked puzzled. "I don’t believe Consort Shu was unaware of all those things Prince Zheng did in the past. She must have known and even covered for him."

"The Emperor has already decreed that the beast will be beheaded. If he also threw Consort Shu into the Cold Palace, wouldn’t that make people call him cold-blooded and heartless?" Noble Princess Consort Rong understood the Emperor’s reason for not harshly punishing Consort Shu, "No matter what, that beast is the Emperor’s own son. As the saying goes, even a fierce tiger won’t eat its cub. The Emperor decreeing the execution of his own son would lead people to call him cruel, no matter how much wrongdoing the son has done."

"For all the heinous things Prince Zheng did, the Emperor is a wise ruler and couldn’t possibly spare him from death." Jin Mei felt that the Emperor’s edict to execute Prince Zheng was entirely justified.

"Therefore, Consort Shu is clever to take all the blame on herself and not let the Emperor bear even a hint of failed upbringing." Though Noble Princess Consort Rong disliked Consort Shu, she had to admit the woman was smart. "She’s not pleading for her son or interceding for Duke Anyang, she’s strategically retreating to advance."

"Consort Shu is truly cunning," Jin Mei finally understood why the Emperor didn’t send Consort Shu to the Cold Palace after hearing Noble Princess Consort Rong’s explanation.

"That’s her being smart, unlike Princess Consort Liang, who is foolish. The smart survive, while the foolish perish." Noble Princess Consort Rong sighed inwardly: she hoped her son and brother wouldn’t act foolishly in the future. She could clean up their mess this time, but not necessarily next time. Her cousin might forgive them once, but never a second time.