Ministers Begging Me to Ascend the Throne

Chapter 780: Chapter 382: Future Princess

In the dining hall of Kunde Hall, Lady Liang and her son were accompanying the Emperor for dinner.

"You rascal, that’s my chicken leg." Just as the Emperor picked up a chicken leg, Zhao Yao snatched it away.

Zhao Yao grabbed the chicken leg from the Emperor: "What do you mean it’s your chicken leg? Whoever grabs it gets it."

"You rascal, I am your father, the Emperor, I order you to return the chicken leg to me."

"Nope." Zhao Yao not only refused but started eating it quickly. After just a couple of bites, he finished the chicken leg.

The last chicken leg was snatched away by Zhao Yao, and the Emperor, furious, pointed his chopsticks at Zhao Yao and scolded, "Unfilial son!"

Zhao Yao arrogantly shook his head at the Emperor and deliberately smacked his lips: "Delicious!"

The Emperor, enraged, reached out to pinch Zhao Yao’s face, but Zhao Yao eluded him.

"You rascal, do you not respect me, your father, the Emperor?"

"Nope, at the dining table, there’s no father and son, whoever grabs it gets it." Zhao Yao provocatively raised an eyebrow at the Emperor, "Stop flaunting your emperor status at the dining table, it’s useless!" With that, he quickly grabbed another piece of meat.

"You rascal, it seems I need to teach you a lesson or else you’ll become too unruly."

What followed was a chaotic "grab the dish" battle between father and son at the dining table.

Lady Liang initially couldn’t be bothered to stop them, but as their antics grew more outrageous, a piece of meat ended up on her.

Seeing Lady Liang’s face turn cold, the Emperor and Zhao Yao immediately became compliant, no longer daring to fight over food, and obediently ate their meal.

"Xiao Xiao, have some meat." The Emperor picked up a piece of meat and placed it in Lady Liang’s bowl, smiling at her ingratiatingly.

"Mother, eat more meat." Zhao Yao also gave Lady Liang two pieces of meat.

Lady Liang helplessly glanced at the Emperor and Zhao Yao and said in a deep voice, "Eat properly, no more fooling around."

Father and son nodded in unison: "No more fooling around."

While serving the Emperor some vegetables, Lady Liang asked, "Your Majesty, have you decided on Yao Yao’s marriage?"

Hearing this, Zhao Yao turned to look at the Emperor.

"Not yet." The Emperor replied with a smile, "Wait a bit longer."

"Wait longer? Until when?" Zhao Yao was a bit anxious, "Don’t tell me you haven’t chosen even after my ennoblement?"

"What, are you that anxious to get married?" The Emperor teased his youngest son, "Could it be you can’t wait anymore?" This rascal finally grew up.

"I truly can’t wait." Zhao Yao rolled his eyes at the Emperor, "I can’t wait to go to my fiefdom, I plan to depart for it the day after my ennoblement. If you haven’t arranged my marriage before then, wouldn’t I not be able to go immediately?" All princes marry after their coming of age ennoblement. Marry first, then take the princess to the fiefdom.

The Emperor hadn’t realized Zhao Yao was eager to go to the fiefdom, "Heading there the day after your ennoblement, are you that eager to reborn... ouch..." Before he could finish speaking, Lady Liang stepped hard on his foot.

Lady Liang glared at the Emperor: "What nonsense are you talking?"

The Emperor quickly smiled ingratiatingly at Lady Liang, "I misspoke."

"If I could, I’d leave for the fiefdom right now." Zhao Yao couldn’t understand why the Emperor was delaying his marriage arrangement, "Father, I’m not the Crown Prince, no need to meticulously select a Princess for me."

Upon hearing this, the Emperor and Lady Liang exchanged glances.

The Emperor was indeed selecting a Princess for Zhao Yao by the standards of a Crown Princess Consort, which is why it’s taking so long.

"Could it be that the ministers don’t want to marry their daughters to me?" Zhao Yao said with a face of astonishment, "Am I that disliked?" No way, is he really that unwelcome?

"You are my son, who dares to dislike you!" In the Emperor’s heart, his youngest son was the best. Only he had the right to dislike his son, no one else dared.

"Then why haven’t you arranged my marriage yet?" His birthday was a few months away, and if he didn’t get a marriage decree now, he couldn’t immediately go to the fiefdom after his ennoblement, he’d have to wait several months.

The preparation for a Prince’s marriage was quite complicated, requiring at least two months. If he were given a marriage decree now, the wedding preparations could start immediately. After ennoblement, he could marry right away.

"You arranged my elder brothers’ marriages early on, why is mine delayed?" The more Zhao Yao thought about it, the more he felt it’s because the ministers didn’t want to marry their daughters to him, "Father, just tell me honestly, is it because the ministers think I lack power and don’t want to give me their daughters?"

"No, no one dares dislike you." The Emperor looked at Zhao Yao, speaking gently, "Your marriage is delayed because the girl I’m selecting for your Princess hasn’t reached the age of maturity."

"What, she hasn’t reached maturity?"

Zhao Yao and Lady Liang both looked astonished.

"Father, why are you choosing a girl not matured for me? Aren’t there suitable ones who have?"

"There aren’t suitable ones who have."

"Father, I’m not picky. As long as she’s decent-looking and not troublesome in personality, that’s good enough."

The Emperor retorted mockingly, "So you’re really not picky."

"Father..."

The Emperor interrupted Zhao Yao, "You might not be picky, but I am. Not just anyone can be my daughter-in-law."

"Father, the Princess you chose for me didn’t reach maturity, does that mean I can’t immediately go to the fiefdom after my ennoblement but have to stay in the capital for a while?" Just after speaking, Zhao Yao realized he forgot to ask the most crucial question, "Father, when will my Princess mature, is it this year or next year?"

"In two years."

Bang, a loud crash.

Zhao Yao sprang to his feet, the chair behind him fell to the ground.

"What, in two years?" Zhao Yao couldn’t accept it, hurriedly waving his hand, "I don’t want this Princess, choose someone else for me." Is Father crazy, picking someone who matures in two years?

The Emperor laughed in anger at Zhao Yao’s attitude of disdain, "No way, she must be your Princess."

"Father, are you saying I am to wait for her maturity, and then stay in the capital for two years?" Zhao Yao said with a gloomy face, "Once my birthday passes, I’ll leave the capital."

The Emperor understood Zhao Yao’s eagerness to go to Lingnan and didn’t deliberately make it difficult for him.

"I never said you had to stay in the capital waiting for your future Princess to mature."

Hearing this, Zhao Yao’s eyes brightened, and he couldn’t help but smile with delight.

"Really?" Would Father really be so kind?

"Go to your fiefdom first, then return to the capital for the wedding when your future Princess matures." The Emperor thought, that way, I can see this rascal again in two years.

"That’s great."

"Now, do you still mind her not being mature?"

"I don’t mind anymore." As long as he wasn’t delayed in going to Lingnan, he wouldn’t mind. "Father, how about picking one for me who matures in five years... ouch..."

Before Zhao Yao could finish, the Emperor tugged on his ear.

"Or should I send you to become a monk?"

"I haven’t seen through worldly desires, can’t be a monk." Zhao Yao pleaded for mercy, "Father, I was joking, please forgive me."

Hearing Zhao Yao’s plea, the Emperor finally let go of his ear. Then, he raised his hand and lightly slapped the back of Zhao Yao’s head.

"Father, who is my future Princess?" After all this talk, he still didn’t know whom his future Princess was.

"You’ll know in two years."

"Can’t you tell me now?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Afraid you’ll go and bother her."

"Am I that kind of person?" Zhao Yao angrily stared at the Emperor, "Father, don’t insult me."

The Emperor said, "You are."

"Father, explain how I would bother her..."

Seeing father and son going at it again, Lady Liang sighed helplessly in her heart.

Sun Kui, guarding the door, heard the bickering and scolding between the Emperor and Zhao Yao and shook his head helplessly: The Emperor is at it again with the Tenth Prince.

Usually, the Emperor is quite dignified, how come before the Tenth Prince he turns into a three-year-old, playing and bickering with him?

Neither father nor son would give in, wrestling each other, until eventually, Lady Liang intervened to separate them.

"Your Majesty, didn’t you have something to discuss with Yao Yao?" Lady Liang reminded the Emperor.

The Emperor said angrily, "I have nothing to say to this rascal."

Hearing this from the Emperor, Lady Liang knew the Emperor had forgotten the important matter.

"Weren’t you going to discuss the fiefdom with Yao Yao?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Yao’s heart skipped a beat. Then, with a wary look, he asked, "Father, you aren’t going to change your mind about letting me go to Lingnan, are you?" The matter of going to Lingnan had been discussed with the Emperor last year, and the Emperor had agreed to it.

The Emperor playfully teased Zhao Yao, "If I don’t let you go to Lingnan, what will you do?"

"Fight you." Zhao Yao wasn’t joking. If the Emperor really changed his mind and didn’t let him go to Lingnan, he’d literally fight.

The Emperor wanted to tease Zhao Yao further, but Lady Liang’s warning glare stopped him cold. He didn’t dare tease Zhao Yao any longer, "I keep my word, having agreed to let you go to Lingnan, go you shall."

"That’s good." It’s lucky Mother is here; otherwise, with Father’s unreliable nature, he might truly change his mind about letting him go to Lingnan.

Zhao Yao asked, "Is something happening in Lingnan?"

"Indeed, something’s going on over there."

Zhao Yao’s heart tightened, and he quickly asked, "What’s happening there?"

"Annan and Siam have been at odds recently, there’s a high chance of war breaking out, which would affect Lingnan."

"Why are Annan and Siam going to war?"

"Over a gold mine."

Hearing the words "gold mine," Zhao Yao’s eyes lit up, and he showed a thoughtful expression.

Seeing his son in deep thought, the Emperor instantly knew what Zhao Yao was up to.

"What, you want to meddle in it?"

"A bit." Zhao Yao thought he could get involved and then profit by claiming the gold mine. "Father, I have a question for you."

"You want to ask if you can conquer those small countries Annan and Siam?" The Emperor really understood Zhao Yao, seeing through his little scheme at once.

Zhao Yao nodded, "Can we conquer them?"

"If you have what it takes, go conquer them." The Emperor gave Zhao Yao a deep look, "However, you must rely on your own abilities; the court won’t assist you."

"I never expected the court to assist me; I’ll handle it myself when the time comes."