Chapter 951: Open Secret
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Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Yin Huaixi was worried that she would be angry, so he quickly explained, “Empress Ning has evil intentions. I was far away in Liaodong and was afraid that it would be too late for her to take advantage of the loophole, so I could only beat her at her own game and use the Empress Dowager to settle the marriage first.”
In the imperial family, all n.o.ble ladies with t.i.tles had to obtain the approval of the palace for their marriage. They could not decide on their own.
Those with more prominent statuses had their marriage personally arranged by the emperor, the Empress Dowager, or the Empress.
For a woman like Yu Youyao, the daughter of an external minister who had received the emperor’s grace, they would often be more serious about her marriage.
There was the belief that heaven, the earth, the king, one’s parents, and one’s teachers should be respected in that order. The king came before one’s parents. Even her parents did not have the right to decide on her marriage. Marriage was a big matter and always depended on her parent’s orders. Before the palace arranged a marriage, they had to seek her parents’ permission. However, the emperor’s orders could not be disobeyed, and the ministers could only listen.
The Yu Clan had a huge impact on the struggle for the position of heir. Yu Youyao’s status was n.o.ble, and she was at the age where she would get married. Knowing that the Empress had her eyes on Yu Youyao and wanted to use her marriage to make a big fuss, it was impossible for the Empress Dowager to be indifferent.
He only asked Eunuch Zhu to reveal a little information about King Yue Fei admiring Princess Shaoyi’s talent and character. Then, the Empress Dowager had some thoughts.
In the eyes of outsiders, Yin Huaixi’s leg had recovered because of Yu Youyao.
It was also because of Yu Youyao’s help that the drought in the North had eased.
It was also because of Yu Youyao that Yue Fei had avoided the sinister scheme of the Han family in Xi’an.
Furthermore, Yu Youyao had even helped King Yue Fei successfully promote the national policy in the North and stabilize the situation in the North.
At most, it was a favor for saving his life. At the very least, he owed her a
As long as he wasn’t ungrateful, she would more or less receive some kindness.
He would also be restrained by his wife’s family.
It seemed logical to arrange a marriage.
Seeing that she had her head lowered and was silent, Yin Huaixi panicked a little.
He was indeed in the wrong in this matter. Before he schemed against the Empress Dowager to bestow the marriage, he did not discuss it with the Xie family, nor did he tell her in advance.
After all, it was a lifelong matter. Anyone would be angry.
Yin Huaixi held her hand tightly and explained, “On the day of your departure, the news of the Empress rewarding you had already spread throughout the city. Someone among the royalists openly suggested in the royal court that the Fourth Prince go to Liaodong to patrol and observe the specific situation of the national policy, including the plague in the refugee camps, the settlement of the refugees, the Han family’s case in Xi’an, the promotion of planting sweet potatoes, and so on.” It was an open secret.
Yu Youyao was shocked.
In the past dynasties, as long as there were natural and man-made disasters, sending princes to relieve the disasters and comfort the people could better calm the hearts of the people. It could also play the role of stabilizing the country and gathering the hearts of the people.
The implementation of the national policy was not carried out overnight. In order to express the importance of the Imperial Court’s implementation of the national policy, it was normal to send someone to inspect.
The Han familys case in Xi’an was still in progress. The officials in the northwest who were most qualified to go and inspect were inevitably weak and the royalists were powerful. If the Imperial Court really wanted to send someone, the Fourth Prince was undoubtedly the best candidate.
The Empress had first used the fact that Yu Youyao had been heavily rewarded to make a big fuss. Then, she had instigated the court officials to suggest that the Fourth Prince go to Liaodong to inspect. It was difficult not to think of her.
Yin Huaixi said, “The Empress has rewarded you handsomely. The Fourth Prince is inspecting it, and each plan is interconnected. When the Fourth Prince arrives in Liaodong, as Princess Shaoyi, you have to step in and cooperate with the Fourth Prince’s inspection. Gradually, there will be some clues. When the time comes, release some rumors that the Fourth Prince admires you. There’s no doubt about this marriage.”
Yu Youyao was also a little shocked. “If Empress Nings scheme succeeds, the
Fourth Prince and the royalists will form an unbreakable benefit relationship.
Empress Ning and the Fourth Prince will definitely be able to gain the initiative in the compet.i.tion for the throne. Could it be that Concubine Lan and Imperial Concubine Xu will sit back and do nothing?”
Yin Huaixi said, “Why do you think the Empress Dowager has always been in control of the royalists, making them follow her lead and allowing her to maintain her high and mighty authority as the Empress Dowager? Even the current emperor is respectful to her. Don’t underestimate the Empress
Dowager’s control of the royal court. Of course, Concubine Lan and Imperial Concubine Xu don’t want to sit back and do nothing, but their hands aren’t long enough to reach into the royalists.”
Yu Youyao suddenly understood. “The establishment of the throne is for the sake of peace and the continuation of the country. It’s decided by the emperor, but the struggle for the throne is overstepping the emperor’s power. One can be suspected of usurping state power and rebelling. No matter how many schemes Empress Ning has, it’s also within the royalists. No one can surpa.s.s the Empress Dowager. On the surface, the struggle for the throne is already becoming more and more intense. However, because of the Empress Dowager’s suppression, no one dares to really make a fuss and take off the layer of disguise to expose it in front of others.”
As the mother of a country, the Empress had the right to reward her family. If she used the matter of rewarding Yu Youyao and mixed in private schemes, no one could criticize her.
Could it be that Concubine Lan and the others could stop the Imperial Court from giving Princess Shaoyi a reward?!
As long as Empress Nings reward was sent to Liaodong, more than half of Empress Nings plan would be completed. The remaining half would be tied to the Fourth Prince.
To put it bluntly, Liaodong was already the territory of the royalists. It was impossible for Imperial Concubine Xu and Concubine Lan to take the risk to send the Third and Second Princes to Liaodong to inspect.
If they wanted to break through Empress Nings scheme, it was only possible if an “accident” happened to the Fourth Prince, preventing him from coming.
However, the Empress had planned everything. How could she not be prepared?
Now that the Empress Dowager was in charge of political affairs and the royalists were powerful, no one dared to act rashly without the a.s.surance of “necessity.”
Yin Huaixi nodded and said, “The matter of inspecting Liaodong was debated in the court for a few days. The Empress Dowager never made a decision. It wasn’t until the reward from the Imperial Court and the decree from the Empress Dowager arrived in Liancheng that the Empress Dowager ordered someone to send the jade plate that was conferred to you into the Imperial Temple. Then, it was spread in the palace that the Fourth Prince wanted to copy Buddhist scriptures for the Empress Dowager and pray, so he temporarily closed the palace door. Only then was the matter of inspecting Liaodong settled.”
Officials of the Great Zhou Dynasty who were third-grade and above were usually called “recorders.”
Officials below the third-grade were all drafted by the Ministry of Official Personnel Affairs. After they were reviewed by the Imperial Court and approved by the emperor, the officials would issue an “appointment letter”. It was not personally decreed by the emperor, so it could not be considered an appointment.
The conferment of t.i.tles to clans and concubines was called “conferment.’
When clans were conferred with t.i.tles, there would be books and precious seals.
When concubines were conferred with t.i.tles, there would be books, but no treasures.
Meanwhile, the emperor, the Empress Dowager, and the Empress had books and treasure seals, which were also called “book treasures.’
In Yu Youyao’s case, her clan was conferred with a t.i.tle. There was a book and a precious seal. When clans were conferred with t.i.tles, the books were mostly made of gold or jade, so they were also called “jade plates” or precious plates. Like the privilege proof, the jade plate was divided into two parts. One was given to the recipients for generations to inherit, and the other would be consecrated in the Imperial Temple.
If the jade plate was sent to the Imperial Temple, it would be equivalent to telling the world about the conferment..