Song Yu circled the name of the new top scholar with a vermilion brush.
While circling the name, Song Yu suddenly chuckled.
To think that he, the previous top scholar, was now using the imperial vermilion brush to personally designate the new one.
Perhaps because Song Yu had also climbed his way up from the county-level examinations step by step, he understood all too well the hardships one must endure to become the top scholar.
"Congratulations."
Song Yu softly uttered a word of congratulations to the name on the imperial decree.
"Your Majesty, Lord Zheng, Lord Ling, and Lord Feng request an audience outside."
"I was just thinking of seeing them."
Song Yu laughed, "Bring wine. Today, I shall drink heartily with these three."
When the drinking reached its peak, Zheng Fang giggled foolishly, "Who would have thought the person who once called us brothers would turn out to be the emperor."
"Indeed, these past two years, I've nearly worn the soil flat in front of my Ling family ancestral graves from kowtowing in gratitude," Ling Ming chimed in. "Such incredible fortune actually landed on me."
Song Yu pointed at Zheng Fang, "How's your eldest daughter doing?"
Hearing this, Zheng Fang grinned even more foolishly, "All she does is eat and sleep, plump and fair, just like my wife."
"What a sight."
Song Yu simply couldn't bear to look. Back when he wanted to arrange a marriage for Zheng Fang, this fellow was initially unwilling.
"Then I must hurry and have my wife bear a son, so we can become in-laws in the future."
As soon as Ling Ming finished speaking, Zheng Fang's face instantly darkened.
Watching Zheng Fang verbally attack Ling Ming at every turn, Song Yu kept nodding in agreement. No father feels comfortable when someone sets their sights on his daughter.
He understood that perfectly well.
"Recently, the Ministry of Rites has been talking about the emptiness of Your Majesty's harem."
Feng Kuizhi cheerfully spoke up. He was now the Chief Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, and his wife had become the first female coroner ever appointed in the court's history.
The couple was in perfect harmony, extremely happy.
"Let them talk."
Song Yu drank another cup of wine, "After all, it's not as if I have no heir."
Seeing this, Feng Kuizhi understood. It seemed the officials in the Ministry of Rites were about to face some hardship.
......
Tai Chi Palace.
"Ahuan, your imperial father is heading for big trouble."
Song Shihuan was taken aback. The words somehow carried a feeling of... schadenfreude.
"What happened?"
Song Shihuan's life recently had been one of extreme leisure. She either spent time at Tai Chi Palace keeping Emperor Yuanyou company, accompanied the Qing Sect Leader on tours around the capital, or visited the Gu residence to see A'Tuan and Gu Mingzhu.
Her complexion had even improved compared to before.
"The Ministry of Rites is recently plotting matters of selecting consorts."
Emperor Yuanyou snorted like a fighting cock, "In the past, he wasn't the emperor, so his refusals couldn't be faulted too much. But being the emperor is different. Selecting consorts every three years is a rule followed by all previous dynasties!"
"Selecting consorts for an emperor is the most troublesome, requiring a balance of interests among various noble families. The slightest misstep could throw both the court and the harem into chaos."
Emperor Yuanyou spoke while shaking his head. If one ignored the gleeful look in his eyes, he appeared like a father truly concerned for his son.
Hearing this, Song Shihuan also felt a pang of anxiety for Song Yu. "However, I haven't heard Imperial Father mention anything about selecting consorts recently."
"That's because he's embarrassed to admit he's being constrained by court officials and ritual regulations."
Emperor Yuanyou, convinced he understood Song Yu well, waited cheerfully to see Song Yu besieged by the courtiers. After all, he had been besieged himself!
This kid needed to experience it too.
After the palace announcement ceremony for the new scholars, the courtiers from the Ministry of Rites finally found an opportunity to bring up the selection of consorts.
During the morning court.
"What? The wind is too loud, I didn't hear clearly."
Yet the palace doors were closed, with no trace of wind.
The officials from the Ministry of Rites instantly turned pale, then flushed. Gathering their courage, they spoke again, "We implore Your Majesty to commence the selection of consorts in accordance with ritual regulations."
"What ritual regulations? Are they rules set by my Song ancestors?"
The officials' legs went weak, and they knelt on the ground, "Your Majesty, they are... the regulations of previous dynasties."
"I am the emperor of Great Qi. Why should I follow the rules of previous dynasties?"
Song Yu curled his lips into a slight smile, "As far as I know, the Grand Emperor did not hold selections every three years in his later years either. Therefore, I need not follow this tiresome rule."
"I will select consorts whenever I please."
"You'd be better off using your energy to maintain clean conduct yourselves, so Cheng Guang doesn't seize your faults and bother me about them in court. Stop obsessing over the affairs of my harem. Broaden your horizons."
With that, Song Yu calmly departed.
He left behind courtiers with stunned expressions and Cheng Guang, whose face had darkened.
The Emperor actually found him bothersome!
The sky was falling.
Tai Chi Palace.
"What? That scoundrel actually used me as a shield?"
Emperor Yuanyou was furious, nearly overturning the Go board.
"I stopped selections because I was old and it was no longer appropriate. How can he be compared to me?" Emperor Yuanyou felt it was unfair. Why was it that when he was in power, the courtiers wouldn't easily let him off, but when it came to this scoundrel, they couldn't muster a sound?
And they just let that scoundrel slip away so easily?
"Grand Emperor, Imperial Physician Mei instructed that you must not stir up great anger."
Wu Qi felt utterly helpless. Were they really comparing even this?
"Based on my experience, this group won't give up easily."
Emperor Yuanyou clenched his fists, cheering for the officials of the Ministry of Rites in his heart.
......
Several days later, the matter of selecting consorts was brought up again.
This time, Song Yu did not engage with the topic directly. Instead, he leisurely began, "My eldest princess is about to have her coming-of-age ceremony. Has your Ministry of Rites prepared all the necessary protocols? If there are any mistakes when the time comes, I will have your official caps removed."
"This is the first joyous event since my ascension to the throne. I attach great importance to it."
With those two sentences, the officials from the Ministry of Rites fell silent.
Perhaps... they should wait until after the princess's ceremony to bring it up again?
"The ceremony will be held within the palace, but there must also be public feasts throughout the capital. The silver will come from my private treasury. I am not afraid to spend."
"She is my only child."
Hearing Song Yu's words, the matter of selecting consorts was immediately cast aside by the Ministry of Rites officials. The pressing matter now was the princess's coming-of-age ceremony!
Failure would mean losing their posts.
Once again, Song Yu "averted danger," which in turn made Emperor Yuanyou stamp his feet in anger.
However, Emperor Yuanyou also quieted down.
Everyone began preparing for Song Shihuan's coming-of-age ceremony.
Zi Chen Palace.
By the time Song Yu put down the memorial in his hand, the night had grown deep.
"Your Majesty, the princess said you must light calming incense before sleeping, as it helps you fall asleep faster."
"Ahuan is always so thoughtful."
Song Yu walked outside the hall. The coolness of the night air sharpened his senses slightly.
Once again, Song Yu pondered the question that had troubled him for nearly a month: What kind of coming-of-age gift should he give Ahuan?
As a father, his gift must not be outshone by anyone else!
Did they think he didn't know? The old man was also secretly preparing something big recently.
Under the bright moonlight.
Song Yu suddenly had a flash of inspiration. He quickly walked back inside. He knew what gift to give Ahuan!
"Grind the ink. I am going to draft an imperial edict."
