Chapter 25: Is Your Brain Filled with Mud?

Ji Yucang leaned back in his chair, his eyebrows cold and deep, tapping the armrest lightly without a word.

The silence created an intense pressure that made one’s heart palpitate.

Regarding the marriage between Qin Yanshu and Princess Pingyao, he made no indication, leaving his thoughts unknown.

At this moment, his mind was on another matter.

After a brief silence, he raised his eyes to look at Yan Qingchen: “Has Yan Zheng been idle at home recently?”

The young Left Prime Minister was taken aback and instinctively looked up at Ji Yucang before lowering his gaze: “There’s not much to do, she just reads books at home and paints birds, fish, flowers, and plants.”

Yan Zheng was Yan Qingchen’s younger sister, fifteen years old, and the siblings depended on each other and shared a deep bond.

“She can host a flower-viewing banquet at home recently.” Ji Yucang said indifferently. “The Princess Consort has just married into the estate and is bored staying in the Regent’s Estate. It will give her a chance to go out.”

As soon as these words were spoken, the people in the study were astonished.

From the imperial decree of marriage to the end of the wedding, they had been shocked by the Regent’s sudden marriage, and even more so by the fact that he had married a woman who had lost her reputation. Many questions had already arisen in their minds.

However, following this master who rarely showed his emotions, they usually did not dare to reveal too much emotion on their faces, so their expressions remained relatively normal.

Nevertheless, they couldn’t help but be curious about why the Regent had married Shen Ning, based on what reasons?

Yan Qingchen nodded. “Yes.”

Ji Yucang raised his hand to gently rub his temples: “Spread the word that I have long been enamored with the eldest daughter of the Duke of the State’s household, but she refused me several times, so I used forceful means to ruin her innocence, causing the Qin family to withdraw their engagement, and ultimately, an imperial decree brought her into the Regent’s Estate as my wife.”

“Your Highness, this must not be done!” Xie Tinglan was alarmed and looked at him in disbelief, “Once this rumor spreads, it will be detrimental to Your Highness’s reputation—”

Ji Yucang frowned: “Is my reputation good?”

Xie Tinglan was momentarily speechless, his expression still disapproving: “The Duke of the State’s household is clearly aligned with the Emperor. Even if Your Highness is considering the Princess Consort, she is still the daughter of the Duke’s household. Having such a liability could be detrimental to Your Highness. I implore Your Highness to reconsider.”

“I am not discussing this with you.” Ji Yucang’s gaze was cold, his voice devoid of emotion. “Within two days, make sure that such rumors are circulating in every street and alley.”

Xie Tinglan’s expression changed, and he argued stubbornly against his better judgment: “I am not intentionally defying Your Highness’s orders, but this is really—”

“Compared to the rumors of my homosexuality, how do you think the damage of such gossip compares?”

Xie Tinglan was stunned and then took a deep breath, completely at a loss for words.

After the Regent purged several corrupt officials from the court, he promoted Yan Qingchen and Xie Tinglan to be the Left and Right Prime Ministers, which caused widespread dissatisfaction among the civil and military officials. There were even rumors in private that Yan Qingchen and Xie Tinglan were the Regent’s male concubines, and that promoting them to their positions was to suppress the royalists and completely disrupt the rules of the court.

The Regent did not explain, and they had always assumed that the Regent was unaware.

They didn’t expect that he was fully aware.

Ji Yucang said indifferently: “After three to five days of fermentation, the rumors will die down. At most, in two months, everything will be clear.”

Xie Tinglan was silent for a moment: “Your Highness means that the Princess Consort’s previous ordeal can lead us to the mastermind?”

“You will investigate this matter.”

Xie Tinglan: “…”

Yan Qingchen’s brow furrowed slightly, as if he was concerned about something: “Your Highness, regarding the marriage alliance between Nan Dynasty and the Kingdom of Yong, I have something to say.”

Ji Yucang did not speak.

Yan Qingchen continued: “Although Nan Dynasty’s strength is not as great as that of the Kingdom of Yong, they are still a sovereign nation. If their princess were to marry the Emperor, it would only give the Emperor another ally. If they join forces against Your Highness…”

“Nan Dynasty can barely take care of itself, does it have the energy to join forces with the Emperor?” Ji Yucang’s expression was indifferent, “Is your brain filled with mud?”

The air stiffened, and the young Prime Minister’s face turned slightly pale as he knelt in silence: “I am foolish.”

“I have my own plans for the marriage alliance, you need not say more.” Ji Yucang glanced at him. “What has Princess Pingyao been up to recently?”

As soon as this question was asked, the expressions of everyone in the study became subtly strange.

Xie Tinglan replied: “She’s been staying at her residence, drinking and having fun with her male concubines.”

As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere in the study became awkward.

“It’s truly absurd.” Song Sihan lamented with heartache. “The late Emperor showered Princess Pingyao with so much love and even gave her a talisman for protection, yet it’s led her to such wanton behavior.”

Song Sihan was not very old, only in his thirties.

For the old ministers in the court, reaching the position of Minister at his age was rare. However, to the people in the study at this time, he seemed slightly older.

Because the Left and Right Prime Ministers were even younger.

This was also one of the reasons why the Empress Dowager viewed the Regent as a thorn in her side.

During the late Emperor’s reign, which of the key ministers in the court were not elderly officials over fifty years old?

But after the Regent took power, he frequently found reasons to cleanse the court, resulting in a third of the old ministers being either demoted or executed. He even disregarded everyone’s opposition and placed his young confidants in several important positions of real power.

No matter how knowledgeable or capable they were, in the eyes of others, it was against the rules. The Empress Dowager believed that the Regent was disrupting the order of the court on purpose, deliberately placing his confidants to restrain the Emperor when he took direct control in the coming year.

There were also those who believed that the Left and Right Prime Ministers were the Regent’s male concubines, promoted because of their outstanding looks and the Regent’s favor.

This was considered serving with one’s appearance, disrupting the order of the court.

It was something that everyone should condemn.

This was why Ji Yucang said his reputation had never been good.

“Princess Pingyao’s affairs are not important; Minister Song need not take it to heart.” Xie Tinglan said with a faint smile. “She is the late Emperor’s eldest daughter, and although he loved her dearly and perhaps spoiled her to the point of unconventional behavior, she neither interferes in politics nor leads troops, nor will she cause chaos in the court. She will have no impact on the stability of the kingdom.”

Song Sihan seemed as if he wanted to say something more, but in the end, he just sighed deeply: “Yes.”