Zhuo Ni gave them a minute to think. Four people, except for the Marquis of Yong'an, were clearly unwilling, but they didn't say anything, and Zhuo Ni couldn't do anything.
"Since you two are in love, I will now issue a decree to bestow marriage upon you."
Zhuo Ni had someone draft the imperial decree. Those below still showed no reaction. It wasn't until she repeated the previous content that Chu Xiangyin suddenly stood up: "Your Majesty."
"Your Majesty."
A moment later, Nangong Cai stood up. As the female lead, she had her own demeanor and style. She disdained and could not bear for her own younger brother to marry a woman he didn't love because of her.
Zhuo Ni raised her eyebrows and looked at them.
"Does Imperial Sister have anything to say to Miss Chu?"
Nangong Cai said, "Haoxuan does not like Miss Chu. He has long admired the County Princess of Qin's mansion, Qin Dan. I request Your Majesty to bestow marriage between Haoxuan and County Princess Qin. Also, I wish to go to my fief."
Upon hearing this, everyone looked at her in surprise.
Nangong Cai, the Prince of Anyang.
Anyang was located in the south. The south at that time was not yet the fertile land it would become. Many areas were vast marshes. Compared to Anyang and Lingnan, Anyang's only advantage was that it didn't have so many poisonous miasma areas. However, it was also a place that was sparsely populated and extremely desolate.
Many people felt that it was better for Nangong Cai to stay in the capital than to go to her fief. Although she would be restricted in the capital, she could at least be a leisurely prince, with no worries about food or drink, and live a decadent life in her mansion.
Going to her fief, even if she were lucky enough not to die on the road, to a place like Anyang with poor mountains, bad waters, and widespread ruffians, she might die even faster.
The fief was chosen by the late emperor, precisely to keep Nangong Cai in the capital forever, forever a prince without real power. No one would have thought that she would actually propose to go to her fief today.
Then, think about the person she mentioned, the County Princess of Qin's mansion, the future Prince Qin. The Qin family was already nobility of the Vermillion Bird Kingdom. Qin Dan's mother had been stationed at Qiuling Pass for a long time. That was the only open pass between the Vermillion Bird and Azure Dragon, and it was also the place where wars between the two countries occurred most frequently in the past.
Emperors of all dynasties had to rely on the Qin family to guard Qiuling Pass. The Qin family became the only royal clan of a different surname in the entire Vermillion Bird Kingdom. Qin Dan's mother held over a hundred thousand troops. Of the three major passes of the other three kingdoms of the Vermillion Bird, the Qin family occupied the largest one. Such a status was high, and cold.
High places were unbearably cold. To be in such a position, one had to first be able to defend against the enemy country, then guard against the emperor discarding them after they were no longer needed, and also guard their own conduct. It was a position that immensely tested people's hearts.
But people's hearts often could not withstand such tests.
Therefore, Qin Dan lived in the capital year-round, firstly to preserve the bloodline of the Qin Prince's mansion, and secondly, as a chip for the emperor to balance power.
Nangong Haoxuan and Nangong Cai were born of the same father and mother. In terms of familial relations, they were naturally closer. Once Nangong Haoxuan married Qin Dan, everyone would suspect that their two families were colluding to rebel.
Therefore, after Nangong Cai finished speaking, she requested to go to her fief.
Anyone with a brain could understand her implied meaning. Chu Xiangyin also immediately knelt down: "Your Majesty, I am guilty. I already have someone I admire. I am afraid I will fail Your Majesty's trust and the Prince's. I have deceived the emperor and rebelled. I beg Your Majesty to punish me."
The Marquis of Yong'an seemed to hear the sound of a slap on her own face.
It was her own daughter slapping her.
Her face was bruised and purple. If it weren't for being in front of the empress, she would have rushed up to hit her.
Nangong Haoxuan, after his initial astonishment, also knelt down.
Zhuo Ni looked at this group of infatuated men and women, finding them both pitiful and tragic.
Whether it was Nangong Haoxuan, a prince of a kingdom, or the female lead who had been reborn, before they had grown up, they were all pitiable individuals who were not in control of themselves in the face of imperial power.
She put the drafted imperial decree back on the desk and said to those below, "Since it's not yet decided, go back and discuss it before coming again. If Imperial Brother wishes to form an alliance of two surnames with County Princess Qin, he must first ask for her wishes. If you both admire each other, come to the palace at the same time tomorrow, and I will bestow marriage upon you. As for going to your fief, when the late emperor was alive, he decreed that Imperial Sister was not allowed to leave the capital without orders. This matter need not be mentioned again."
Nangong Cai lowered her head slightly: "Your subject obeys."
Nangong Haoxuan quickly said, "Thank you, Your Majesty!"
The others all knelt down to express their gratitude.
"The Consort is here."
A palace servant's voice sounded from outside. Chong Yan soon walked in and, seeing others in the palace, knelt down to pay his respects.
"Your subject attendant greets Your Majesty."
"You may stand." Zhuo Ni frowned. "How many times have I told you not to kneel? Do you intend to defy the imperial decree?"
Chong Yan slowly straightened his body and looked at the person on the high platform: "I dare not."
Zhuo Ni smiled at him and extended her hand: "Come up."
Chong Yan hesitated for a moment, but ultimately dared not disobey her wishes, and walked up slowly.
After Zhuo Ni took his hand, she said to those below, "If there is nothing else, you may all leave. Imperial Sister, please handle the cases in your hands as quickly as possible. Regardless of who is involved, all will be dealt with impartially. The ancients said: 'Punishment for transgressions shall not avoid high officials, and rewards for good deeds shall not omit commoners.' (Records of Lord Shang, Han Feizi, On Law) Imperial Sister, do not disappoint me."
Nangong Cai bowed: "Your subject obeys."
"The Marquis of Yong'an deceived the emperor and rebelled. She is fined three months of house arrest and one year's salary."
The Marquis of Yong'an felt bitter in her heart. Fortunately, the penalty was trivial. She quickly knelt down and kowtowed: "Your subject thanks Your Majesty for your great grace."
"You may withdraw."
"Your subjects take our leave."
Once everyone had left, Chong Yan asked, "Is it decided?"
"What?"
"Your Highness's marriage."
Zhuo Ni shook her head. "She changed her mind temporarily. I'll wait for them to discuss it and then come again."
"Who does Your Highness want to marry?"
"Qin Dan."
Chong Yan was stunned for a moment and exclaimed, "Prince Qin's mansion, Qin Dan?"
Zhuo Ni pulled him to sit down and accompanied her as she looked at the memorials. "Are there any other people named Qin Dan in the capital?"
"Then Your Majesty does not plan to agree?"
"Am I such an unreasonable person? Am I that bad?"
Chong Yan said, "This is not about being reasonable or unreasonable. The Qin Prince's mansion already has considerable power. Prince Qin holds significant military power and guards an important pass. Although Prince Anyang is usually quite well-behaved, no one in this world would believe that she has no ambition. She is older than Your Majesty. This realm..."
"Should have been hers?"
Chong Yan saw that she was not at all concerned and was no longer so cautious: "This statement is rather treasonous, but it is indeed true. If it weren't for our father, she would have been the most likely person to become the new ruler."
Zhuo Ni said meaningfully, "It's a pity there are no 'ifs'. What has happened has happened. Now I am the emperor. If she wants the throne, she will have to rely on her own efforts to push me down, and she cannot use underhanded tactics, or she will be scolded by future generations."
Chong Yan: "...How can you be so loose-lipped?"
Are these words something that can be said casually?
Zhuo Ni waved her hand. "That's the fact. If she has the ability to push me down and silence the public opinion of the world, then as a wise ruler for all time, that would be true success. The victor becomes king, the loser becomes a bandit. I have nothing to say."
Unfortunately, if it were before, when she didn't care about the throne, she might have voluntarily given it to her. Now, even for Chong Yan's sake, she had to sit firmly in this position.
Nangong Cai would never have that chance.
"...So you agreed to bestow marriage if they were in love?"