This turn of events, however, had the Emperor falling into a dilemma. With the prearranged Crown Princess falling ill, all the initial plans were now moot; without the selected Crown Princess, then – who should they crown? His Majesty naturally summoned Minister Liang in a hurry.
Qi Zhen Emperor sat on his dragon throne, troubled, “The Crown Princess must be selected tomorrow, why has such a thing happened now, and what has she fallen ill to?”
Minister Liang raised his fists in greeting, “The Young Miss of the Ji Family’s face and legs had all swollen up. The Imperial Physician said that it was an infection which was probably contagious and must be treated carefully and slowly, therefore she was sent out of the palace back to the General’s Estate.”
Qi Zhen Emperor sighed as he pondered, head propped up on his armrest, “Then in Minister Liang’s opinion, what should we do about this matter regarding the Crown Princess?”
“The Young Miss of the Ji Family hasn’t contracted some incurable disease, so if we push back the matter of the Crown Princess selection just a little…”
He was interrupted by Qi Zhen Emperor before he could even finish, “Impossible! The official selection date has already been finalised and cannot be changed!” Attitude steadfast, Qi Zhen Emperor shoved his throne back as he stood up, questioning Lord Liang sternly, “Who else is suitable for the position of Crown Princess in your opinion?”
Minister Liang had expected this of His Majesty and he pretended to be vexed by this question, only answering after a few moments, “It would not be difficult to pick someone from amongst all the talented young ladies from the various families. However, if we were to consider family roots and background, none of them would compare to the Young Miss from the Ji Family. This official does have a person in mind, but…”
“Speak!”
“Princess Huiwen!” Minister Liang answered.
Qi Zhen Emperor’s eyes narrowed, “Huiwen? Why her?”
“In this servant’s humble opinion, Princess Huiwen is a descendent of the late Empress’s family; when Her Majesty was alive, the Kong Family had some status within the court and held several positions within the military and civil departments, but since Her Majesty’s passing, the Kong Family seemed to have fallen into decline. Kong Qu, who used to be at the forefront of the Great Lin’s forces, asked to leave the Capital for Yi in the far south-west. Although it seems as though he has been isolated from power and authority, he now holds the title of city governor with control over the whole city. What’s more important is that Yi is an important stronghold if Huyi were to enter our gates; as the attack on a nation begins with attacking its cities, Yi naturally is crucial. Another man to be wary of is Kong Shenyi, who was the late Empress’s younger cousin. Although he has long hung up his official robes and returned to his hometown, he owns a fleet of elite troops and horses in Han Province. If Princess Huiwen were to become the Crown Princess, then the stronghold in Yi and the fleets in Han Province would fall into Your Majesty’s hands. If so, then besides that Young Miss Ji, Princess Huiwen is the most suitable candidate, more so than the other ladies!” Each word was delivered with the utmost sincerity.
In reality, Lord Liang’s words were not unreasonable! It was true that the Kong Family had fallen from grace, with the officials all leaving the Capital; at first glance it seemed as though they had left the center of power, but they had also scattered mines in all directions! If the Capital falls, then the Kong Family scattered in all parts of the Great Lin would assume an advantageous formation. If not for Minister Liang mentioning these today, Qi Zhen Emperor would have never felt the threat of these hidden influences, given that the Kong Family kept such a low profile.
As anger bubbled within him, Qi Zhen Emperor gathered his thoughts. He nodded gently and waved his hand, “Leave first, this Emperor will consider.”
Minister Liang eyed Qi Zhen Emperor’s gaze, then bowed and disappeared. As soon as he exited Fuyang Hall, he sent a messenger to Zhangzhi Hall: Everything was presented to His Majesty as Concubine Xiao had instructed.