Another half month passed without a drop of rain.
The earth cracked, crops withered, and countless people knelt in the fields, weeping and praying for rain.
Rumors that the Crown Princess was an evil consort who had incurred heaven’s wrath, causing the drought in the capital, ran rampant.
Yu Jin’s anger reached new heights every day with these reports.
“How dare the commoners gather to petition for the Eastern Palace to divorce the Crown Princess? It’s utterly foolish!” Yu Jin slammed the table hard, kicking a small stool far away.
The palace maids in the room didn’t dare breathe.
Jiang Si glanced at the maids and said softly, “You may all leave.”
The maids left, as if granted amnesty.
Outside the hall, the sun blazed, and the scorching heat could be felt in the air.
One maid, looking worried, whispered to another, “What will happen to our Crown Princess? Will she be—”
“Don’t talk nonsense. Outsiders might not know, but don’t we? His Highness deeply loves the Crown Princess. How could he believe rumors and hurt her?”
The maid bit her lip, “But His Highness might not always have a choice, right? Didn’t a censor run into a pillar…”
Aman, standing on the jade steps, put her hands on her hips and scolded, “Do you all have nothing better to do? Keep gossiping and I’ll tear your mouths off!”
Aman and Aqiao were now ranked female officials and favorites of the Crown Princess. The maids didn’t dare provoke them. Seeing Aman’s fierce appearance, they scattered immediately.
Aman spat and turned to Aqiao with a dark face, “It’s infuriating! It’s bad enough that outsiders spread nonsense, but these little hussies dare to gossip too.”
Aqiao smiled, “They’re just worried about the Crown Princess. Why get so angry?”
“I’m worried about our mistress too. How can you be so calm?”
Aqiao’s expression was serene, “I believe our mistress has a plan. Don’t you remember? That’s our mistress—”
Aqiao only said half the sentence, but a strange image flashed through Aman’s mind: on a dark, windy night, their mistress holding a kitchen knife, smiling coldly at some unfortunate person’s lower body…
Aman let out a long breath, as steady as a mountain.
Aqiao was right. That was their mistress, after all.
Inside the room, Jiang Si was also calming Yu Jin, “We anticipated this. Stay calm. Why take your anger out on a small stool?”
Yu Jin’s face was ashen, “I didn’t expect people to dare say anything, even commoners daring to gossip about you.”
Jiang Si was unfazed, “Public opinion is formidable. Many have been ruined by rumors. We’re not controlled by rumors; instead, we’ll use them to uproot the problem. After this storm passes, no one will dare slander our reputations again.”
Yu Jin was barely persuaded when an attendant from Yangxin Hall came to summon him.
Yu Jin rushed to Yangxin Hall, his brow twitching as soon as he entered the main room.
All the ministers of the Six Departments and Nine Courts were present.
Seeing him enter, the officials greeted him, “Greetings, Your Highness.”
Yu Jin walked in and cupped his hands towards Emperor Jingming, “May I ask why Father Emperor has summoned me?”
Emperor Jingming, already with a massive headache, secretly sighed in relief upon seeing Yu Jin. He tried to speak gently, “Regarding the Eastern Palace matter, the ministers have some thoughts. I called you to hear them.”
Hearing this, all the ministers wanted to roll their eyes.
The Emperor’s words were too much. Their loyal hearts were all for the country and its people, not just thoughts about the Eastern Palace.
Yu Jin’s phoenix eyes swept over the ministers as he calmly asked, “Well, what thoughts do the ministers have about the Eastern Palace?”
His demeanor was cold, and his dark eyes seemed to have been steeped in ice and snow. Those he looked at felt chills down their spines, and for a moment, no one dared to speak.
The Crown Prince was a bit frightening. Even before he was titled a prince, he dared to brawl with the other princes, and he had even beaten up the former Crown Prince…
Seeing this situation, Emperor Jingming nearly burst a blood vessel.
These fellows were like quacking ducks in a vegetable market when arguing with him, but now they cowered before the Crown Prince?
Feeling indignant, Emperor Jingming directly called out a name, “Minister Gu, didn’t you just have a suggestion? Why are you silent now that the Crown Prince is here?”
Minister Gu inwardly cursed the Emperor’s ruthlessness. Meeting Yu Jin’s cold gaze, he steeled himself and spoke, “This minister believes that the rumors about the Crown Princess among the people cannot be ignored any longer. We need to quickly find a suitable solution.”
“Does Minister Gu have a suitable solution?” Yu Jin asked coolly.
Minister Gu glanced at those around him and cupped his hands, “The people are saying that the Crown Princess is an evil consort incarnate, causing the drought in the capital—”
“Evil consort?” Yu Jin exploded with anger after hearing just half the sentence, slamming his palm against a golden pillar. The entire room seemed to shake.
Minister Gu was like a quacking duck suddenly choked, his words stuck in his throat.
Emperor Jingming, his face dark, reprimanded, “What are you slamming? Don’t forget you’re the Crown Prince!”
When he was Crown Prince, did he dare to slam pillars in front of the Minister of Personnel? This unruly brat was simply absurd!
Glancing at the handprint left on the golden pillar, Emperor Jingming silently sighed.
Even if he had slammed it, it would have been useless, just causing hand pain…
“Father Emperor’s rebuke is justified. Minister Gu, please continue,” Yu Jin said.
Minister Gu looked up at the ceiling.
What should he say? He still wanted to live a couple more years.
The ministers wiped the sweat from their brows.
They couldn’t provoke him… The Crown Prince only used his fists, not his brain. What would happen when he became Emperor?
More accurately, what would happen to them?
Yu Jin glanced at everyone and smiled, “If the ministers have nothing else to discuss, I won’t disturb your meeting with Father Emperor. The Crown Princess has been troubled by rumors lately and is in low spirits. I’ll go back to keep her company.”
Hearing this, Minister Gu was so angered he forgot to be afraid.
In front of everyone, the Crown Prince said he was going back to accompany the Crown Princess. Was this to show his deep love for her? No, this was challenging them, the important ministers.
Such a crooked trend must not be encouraged!
“Your Highness, if the rumors persist, they might endanger the stability of the Eastern Palace—”
Yu Jin’s tone remained calm, “So I’d like to hear Minister Gu’s thoughts.”
Minister Gu took a deep breath and said, “The best solution would be to demote the Crown Princess to a consort and select someone of exemplary character as the new Crown Princess—”
Yu Jin immediately kicked out, sending Minister Gu tumbling.
Looking at the old minister sprawled before him, Emperor Jingming strangely felt like laughing at that moment.
See? He knew his Seventh Son would fight tooth and nail if anyone tried to touch his wife, but these old fools wouldn’t believe it until they saw it with their own eyes.
After that moment passed, Emperor Jingming became furious, “Outrageous! Minister Gu is a pillar of the court, a cornerstone of the nation. How dare you kick Minister Gu?”
Yu Jin knelt, “Son was wrong.”
Emperor Jingming spoke sternly, “What use is an apology? What if you’ve injured Minister Gu? Guards, send the Crown Prince to the Imperial Clan Court for reflection!”
The ministers, having regained their senses, hurried to intervene, “Your Majesty, please reconsider!”
The Crown Prince had barely settled into his position, and now he was being sent to the Imperial Clan Court? How would that make them look?
Minister Gu also joined in the plea.
If people knew the Crown Prince was sent for reflection because of kicking him, how could he save face?