Ministers Begging Me to Ascend the Throne

Chapter 1132: Chapter 146: Prince Han Becomes a Laughingstock

After Zhao Yao returned to the capital, he did not attend court immediately. However, he went to the palace daily, spending the morning talking to Lady Liang and the afternoon conversing with the emperor in the Imperial Study.

When he spoke with the emperor in the afternoon, the guards stationed at the entrance of the Imperial Study were dismissed. Only Sun Kui and his apprentice Sun Doudou remained at the door, and no third person knew what the father and son discussed.

The civil and military officials at court, along with the concubines in the harem, were all eager to know what the father and son were secretly discussing every day.

It was widely known that Prince Han was not in favor with the emperor. The emperor usually did not show him much regard. Such occurrences, where the emperor spent half a day talking privately with Prince Han, had never happened before. If it weren’t for some matter, the emperor would never spend half a day conversing with Prince Han.

The civil and military officials of the court were speculating about what Prince Han was discussing with the emperor. To their knowledge, nothing major had happened in Lingnan, and there were no conflicts at the Southern Border. Could it be that countries like Johor and Siam were getting restless and planning to invade the Great Zhou?

Impossible, countries like Annan and Johor had been obedient in recent years, paying tribute to the Great Zhou Dynasty annually. In recent years, members of the royal families of these countries often visited Great Zhou for leisure, and some had even settled there. Wouldn’t they be foolish to harbor ill intentions?

Since countries like Annan and Siam had no ulterior motives, what could Prince Han be discussing with the emperor? Could it be that the emperor was planning to attack countries like Johor and Annan?

Also unlikely. With the Xiongnu of the northern border still being a threat, the emperor wouldn’t choose this time to attack the countries near the Southern Border. Furthermore, attacking these small countries held no value.

These small countries had already submitted to Great Zhou, obediently paying tribute every year, so there was no need to go to great lengths to attack them.

Could it be that the emperor and Prince Han share a deep father-son bond, and, having not seen each other for a year or two, they have endless things to talk about?

Even more unlikely.

The ministers and concubines guessed and speculated but couldn’t figure out what the emperor was discussing with Prince Han.

With the New Year approaching, the civil and military officials were secretly praying, hoping that what Prince Han was discussing with the emperor was not something significant, so they could have a peaceful New Year without worry.

Before the court closed for the holiday, Zhao Yao’s entourage finally arrived in the capital.

When the ministers saw that Prince Han had brought back shiploads of good things from Lingnan, they were all left speechless and at the same time filled with jealousy.

Prince Han had spent over a year in Lingnan and managed to acquire so many good things, it showed that he had kept a low profile while in the capital before.

Zhao Yao gave most of what he brought back to the emperor, and some to his royal brothers. As for the civil and military officials, he did not give anything to any of them. This upset the officials, who thought he was being too tactless and stingy.

In the past few days at court, Zhao Yao could sense the cold stares and sarcastic remarks from the officials, but he pretended not to notice.

Because Zhao Yao gave away so many things, Prince Jing and Prince Dai started showing a kinder attitude toward Zhao Yao, their younger brother. They even took the initiative to invite Zhao Yao to visit their estates. Zhao Yao did not directly decline, merely smiling and saying they would talk about it later.

On the day before the court closed for the holiday, the emperor issued a marriage decree for Zhao Yao.

The ministers were already aware that Zhao Yao had returned from Lingnan to the capital for marriage. They were curious about whose daughter the emperor would decree to marry Prince Han. They speculated that the emperor would not decree a high-ranking official’s daughter to marry Prince Han.

Prince Han had never been favored. Although he won the emperor’s favor by bringing back many good things from Lingnan, the emperor did not hold him in high regard because of this. The emperor would likely select from officials of the fifth rank or lower.

When the emperor announced the marriage decree that day, the ministers were stunned.

The officials wore expressions of disbelief, unable to believe that the emperor had actually decreed a peasant girl to marry Prince Han.

A peasant girl, whose family had no officials, with ancestors who were farmers for three generations.

To marry a peasant girl as a princess, it seemed the emperor was humiliating Prince Han.

In an instant, Zhao Yao became a huge laughingstock.

The officials in court never held Prince Han in high esteem, but when they heard the emperor’s marriage decree, they couldn’t help but feel sympathy and pity for Zhao Yao.

Not in the previous dynasty, nor in any of the former dynasties, had there ever been a peasant princess. Even if the emperor disliked Prince Han, it wasn’t necessary to disgrace him like this. After all, Prince Han was his own flesh and blood.

The ministers felt pity for Zhao Yao, and the people of the capital felt injustice for Prince Han.

"Could it be that Prince Han is not the emperor’s biological son?" If he were, how could the emperor treat Prince Han so heartlessly?

"If Prince Han were not the emperor’s biological son, he would have been dead long ago."

"Since Prince Han is the emperor’s biological son, why is the emperor so cruel to him?"

"A peasant princess, what is the emperor thinking?"

"Does the emperor truly hate this youngest son, Prince Han, so much?"

"Prince Han is truly pitiable."

"Prince Han is such a good person, having made so many wonderful things and done so many good deeds; why does His Majesty treat him like this?"

The people of the capital felt indignant on Zhao Yao’s behalf. Many even shed tears for him.

Zhao Yao, pitied by all, was at this moment comforting the furious Prince Chu.

When Prince Chu heard about the imperial marriage decree, he was so enraged he nearly lost control. Had he not retained a shred of reason, he might have confronted the Emperor angrily in court.

After leaving court, Prince Chu wanted to go to the Imperial Study to demand an explanation from the Emperor, but Zhao Yao stopped him.

"Fourth Brother, you mustn’t accept this marriage decree." Prince Chu had never been more furious. Since he was young, he knew that Father didn’t like Tenth Brother, but he never thought Father would humiliate Tenth Brother like this. "Father has gone too far; I’m going to the palace to reason with him." Prince Chu even wanted to say the Emperor was unworthy of being a father.

Zhao Yao personally poured a cup of tea for Prince Chu and handed it to him.

"Fourth Brother, have a cup of tea to calm down."

Prince Chu put down the teacup, seeing Zhao Yao’s cheerful demeanor, he felt even more grieved.

"Tenth Brother, don’t worry, Fourth Brother will definitely refuse this marriage for you." The Emperor intended to make the entire world laugh at Tenth Brother. Tenth Brother was his own flesh and blood; how could he be so cruel as to treat Tenth Brother this way.

Towards the Emperor, Prince Chu had always held admiration and awe. Though the Emperor consistently treated Zhao Yao poorly, Prince Chu felt aggrieved for Zhao Yao and harbored some dissatisfaction towards the Emperor, but he had never used the word "cruel" to describe the Emperor.

He thought that if Father didn’t like Tenth Brother, then let it be. As an elder brother, he would cherish Tenth Brother. But he’d never imagined Father would detest Tenth Brother to such a degree.

"Fourth Brother, I think Father’s arrangement for this marriage is a good one." Initially, Zhao Yao didn’t understand, but later he grasped Father’s intention. To be honest, he initially didn’t want to accept the marriage, but later learned that his future Princess had been learning various things for his sake. If he refused the marriage, it would be too cruel to Xiao Siyun.

Prince Chu stared at Zhao Yao, seeing him calm and without a trace of dissatisfaction or anger, he was quite surprised.

"Tenth Brother, do you truly think this marriage is good?"

Zhao Yao gazed into Prince Chu’s eyes, with a serious and calm tone he said, "Fourth Brother, I truly believe this marriage is good."

Prince Chu could tell Zhao Yao wasn’t just trying to comfort him but genuinely felt it was good.

"Tenth Brother, you shouldn’t just accept fate like this." Prince Chu thought Zhao Yao had become numb, after all, Zhao Yao had never received the Emperor’s favor since childhood. He believed Zhao Yao was beyond grief and had no expectations from the Emperor. Even if the Emperor bestowed upon him a humiliating marriage, it was of no concern.

Seeing that Prince Chu misunderstood, Zhao Yao smiled and said, "Fourth Brother, I haven’t accepted fate; I genuinely think having a farmer as my Princess isn’t a bad thing. Don’t forget, our Lao Zhao family roots are farmers."

Prince Chu was stunned hearing Zhao Yao say this. He’d never considered it from this perspective.

"Grandpa Emperor and Father were both farmers; Grandpa Emperor always emphasized that we Zhao family are farmers, reminding us not to forget our roots." Zhao Yao smiled, "I think marrying a farmer as Princess isn’t a bad thing; I don’t see it as shameful."

In that moment, Prince Chu thought of many things, "You mean Father deliberately arranged for you to marry a farmer girl as Princess."

Zhao Yao nodded slightly, "That’s right, after all, our Lao Zhao family for generations are farmers."

"Father had you marry a farmer girl as Princess to tell the world that we Zhao family have not forgotten our roots?"

"Yes, I suspect Grandpa Emperor entrusted Father before his passing to ensure our Zhao family never forgets its origins, that the Zhao family’s bride must have a farmer background." Zhao Yao was spinning a tale, he couldn’t let Prince Chu think otherwise, "When Father ascended to the throne, Great Zhou had just been established. For the stability of Great Zhou and to balance various forces, Father’s concubines came not from nobility or literary families but official households, none from commoners."

Prince Chu asked, "That’s true, but why doesn’t Father let us marry farmer Princesses and makes you marry?"

"Fourth Brother, your maternal tribes are either elite families or literary households; Father couldn’t have you marry farmer girls." Zhao Yao pointed at himself and said, "I’m not favored, my maternal tribe isn’t elite, isn’t literary or official households, marrying a farmer girl as Princess is most fitting for me."

"Eighth Brother isn’t more suitable than you?" Prince Chu accepted Zhao Yao’s explanation but still felt wronged for him.

Zhao Yao didn’t expect Prince Chu would think Prince Wei more suitable. His mind quickly came up with a reasoning.

"Fourth Brother, when Eighth Brother got married, Eldest Brother was still around."

"Just because you’re not favored, you’re considered useless, so they arrange for you to marry a farmer girl as Princess?" Prince Chu smiled angrily.

"Fourth Brother, that’s not at least a humiliation, right," Zhao Yao smiled with squinted eyes and said, "I genuinely think marrying a farmer girl as Princess is good."

"Tenth Brother, you don’t need to pretend before me."

"Fourth Brother, I’m really not pretending." Sigh, he’s pleased that Fourth Brother is angry and indignant for him, but Fourth Brother... looks down upon farmers. It’s not Fourth Brother’s fault; amongst court officials, no one respects farmers, even if they come from farmers themselves. "I don’t have any dissatisfaction within."

"Tenth Brother..."

"Fourth Brother, even if you argue with Father, Father won’t agree," Zhao Yao said, "Being mocked, looked down upon, is insignificant to me."