Silent Lover (The Silent Concubine) - Chap 154
Three days later, after a long wait, Jun Xuanxiao finally donned the imperial robe, ascended the Nine Dragon Pavilion, and offered wine to the heavens, changing the country’s name to “Jing.” Although it was only a slight difference from “Jing,” it marked a change of dynasties. The Great Jing ended after two hundred and twenty-nine years and would henceforth be referred to as the “Jing Era”…
As the morning bells and evening drums sounded, the citizens of the capital knelt towards the imperial palace…
All officials, whether sincerely or reluctantly, had to kneel and chant “Long live the emperor!” to congratulate the “Xuandi” on becoming the founding ancestor of the Jing Kingdom…
After all, the fates had been decided, and no one dared to oppose it. However, the first imperial decree issued by Xuandi left the ministers wide-eyed in shock…
No three palaces or six courtyards would be established, and Shen Yu would be honored as the empress. A man would be established as…
This was truly unprecedented, the first of its kind from ancient times to the present.
The court was abuzz with discussion, especially with the elderly Minister of Rites opposing it most vehemently. The old minister upheld the principles of propriety and etiquette, and to him, this was a shocking event that went against tradition and would disturb both heaven and earth…
“Your Majesty! Throughout history, there has never been a precedent for a king establishing a male empress! This is blasphemy against Confucius and Mencius and disregards the way of kings…”
“Then I will be the one to set this precedent.”
Jun Xuanxiao interrupted the Minister of Rites, who was almost prostrating on the ground, looking out to see nearly half of the ministers kneeling, all opposing his edict…
“But this is an act of great rebellion…” The Minister of Rites grew increasingly agitated. “Your Majesty is the founding saint ancestor of the Great Jing, yet you are captivated by beauty, favoring a male consort. This will be a stain on Your Majesty’s reputation in history books. Even if you are a wise ruler, future generations will only see you as foolish…”
Jun Xuanxiao said impatiently, “I’ll say it again: whether I am a wicked king, a tyrant, or a foolish ruler, I have never claimed to be a wise king. Future generations’ evaluations? Ridiculous. You all saw the fate of the overseer of the celestial observatory, right?”
“Very well… There’s nothing this old minister can do against the edict of establishing a male empress.” The Minister of Rites raised his head and asked, “Then why does Your Majesty abolish the three palaces and six courtyards? Since ancient times, a king should gather many concubines to ensure a prosperous lineage, allowing the nation to thrive.”
Jun Xuanxiao, with a profound gaze, asked, “Oh, do you mean to say that Shen Yu is not suitable to be honored as empress because he cannot bear children?”
If Your Majesty loves him, it is perfectly fine to keep him as a male consort, even make him a male concubine. There have been emperors throughout history who favored men. However, the position of empress should seek a virtuous woman, and a thriving harem is essential for Your Majesty to have offspring. Therefore, please retract your decree and take in beautiful consorts and concubines…
Jun Xuanxiao pondered for a moment, troubled, “This is a headache for me. There are so many beauties in the world; who could possibly be my empress? Do you have anyone in mind?”
The Minister of Rites’s expression softened as he cautiously replied, “Naturally, it should be someone Your Majesty admires, who can also serve as a motherly figure for the people… I personally believe that the daughter of Governor Shen, Shen Zhi, is gentle, kind, wise, and prudent; she is Your Majesty’s top choice.”
“How bold, Xie Guangcheng!” Jun Xuanxiao’s face suddenly darkened. “How much silver did you take from Governor Shen?”
The Minister of Rites was intimidated by Jun Wei and hurriedly knelt, saying, “Your Majesty, I assure you! I have not received anything from anyone. All my words are sincere; I have not accepted any bribes!”
“When Emperor Ye was in power, it was you who recommended the Shen family into the palace, right? You are close friends with Governor Shen; do you think I don’t know?”
The Minister of Rites felt as if his throat had been seized, and after a long moment, he kept bowing and begging for mercy…
“Strip off your official robes and send him to the Dali Temple, waiting for punishment! I can’t stand people who form factions for personal gain.”
The old minister never expected that despite his cautious behavior and thinking himself discreet in his dealings with Governor Shen, he would end up as an example for Jun Xuanxiao to establish his authority.
As the old minister was dragged out, he shouted for mercy, but Xuandi had the intention of intimidating the other ministers, and no one dared to speak for him.
“Is there anyone else who has objections regarding the establishment of an empress?” The court fell silent, no one dared to answer…
“Very well, then I don’t want to hear another word of dissent on this matter in the future. Those who oppose will be killed without mercy!”
After unleashing his anger in court, Jun Xuanxiao quickly got into his carriage to rush home.
Regarding the matter of establishing Shen Yu as empress, although Jun Xuanxiao had planned to persuade him beforehand, Shen Yu was preoccupied with thoughts of returning to his clan and would not listen to any explanations. Not to mention talking to him, Shen Yu had not given him a good face for three days…
Well, it was more like he had been completely ignored, treated like air…
“Yu’er, open the door! Let me explain. Although you are the empress now, you don’t have to live in the palace. I don’t have any concubines, so you won’t have to manage the phoenix seal or compete with anyone. I just want to tell the world that you are mine, so others won’t dare to harm you… Really, I won’t interfere with you; you can still go wherever you want and do whatever you want in the future…”
Jun Xuanxiao knocked on the door, speaking until his throat was dry…
