Chapter 211

While the nobles supporting the Second Prince tried to prevent their prince from getting involved with the troublesome duo, no one expected that the Second Prince himself would step forward, declaring his intention to collaborate with this foreign husband and wife in the future. This move felt like a slap in the face for those who had spoken on his behalf.

At this point, they were left with only dissatisfaction. Everyone knew that the Second Prince was heavily influenced by the Wang. Although every decision made by the Wang had been beneficial in the past, this was not a matter their prince should agree with. Couldn’t he see that disaster was looming over those two? Why should the higher-standing Second Prince follow the Wang’s whims and bring trouble upon himself?!

In their foolish thinking, they had no idea that once the truth of the matter came to light, they would almost worship the Wang for prioritizing the Second Prince so highly. As long as it was the Wang’s decision, it would inevitably be to the Second Prince’s benefit. Only they were blind, unable to see the truth, nearly obstructing the prince they supported.

"Well said, Second Brother," the First Prince said happily, his eyes full of mockery before turning to his father.

"In that case, Father now knows the truth. Second Brother is backing the two who are the cause of the destruction of the Bai Region. These two are from the Du Region. When given the chance, they let this plague spread everywhere. Even the capital is now in chaos. Their people will surely be displeased, Your Majesty."

The Crown Prince spoke bluntly. This was his main point from the beginning, and when he mentioned the people, the nobles supporting the Second Prince became restless.

If it weren’t for the Wang favoring the Second Prince more than anyone else, and the Second Prince himself remaining unexpectedly calm, they might have already knelt down to beg for mercy.

Of course, the Second Prince’s nobles noticed this oddity, and the Crown Prince’s nobles did too. The experienced old man observed the Emperor, who was sitting on the throne. From beginning to end, the Emperor had not spoken a word, nor was there any anger in his eyes. It was as if he was merely watching an opera performance.

The old man was not foolish; he simply did not know how the other side was planning to respond. Even so, he gave the Crown Prince a meaningful look. He had said what needed to be said, so there was no need to say more. The Crown Prince received the signal from his grandfather, whom he trusted the most, and stepped back, allowing the minister to speak calmly.

"Your Majesty, the Crown Prince has been overly concerned with the thoughts of the people. In recent days, he has personally met with the citizens, which has caused him significant worry. Additionally, the arrival of the Governor of Red Earth City has drawn much attention. The court should indeed take measures after his arrival. Perhaps the Governor has some good ideas, as he even knows about methods of concocting medicine. In summary, this is merely a matter of expectation, Your Majesty."

With just one sentence, the minister transformed his side’s negative attitude into a deep concern for the people. The Wang let out a bitter laugh; if the minister were not this clever, how could he become a minister? Thus, he believed that the other party was not someone who would foolishly follow a plan without closely observing the situation.

Their goal had been stated. If a serious issue arose and the people were truly dissatisfied, the Governor of Red Earth City would be easily dealt with. Furthermore, this would demonstrate their foresight and ability to anticipate future events, abilities suitable for someone to ascend the throne.

But if the Governor could find a solution, they would be happy to cooperate and express their expectations for the Governor, praising him as a capable person who might succeed.

Of course, this was a setup to see if the Governor of Red Earth City could be eliminated if he was not competent enough. However, if he proved capable, it would show their willingness to listen to others’ ideas and provide opportunities for others to demonstrate their abilities and resolve problems.

If the minister and his nobles were to counter with someone else, it might go as planned. Even the Wang would tire of the debate, and any flowery speech wouldn’t turn into a significant issue.

As soon as the minister realized that they had something hidden, the cunning old man would not make a significant move that would make their actions obvious. Yet, they forgot that this battle was not just a contest of cunning men.

Yueqian, who had been eavesdropping for a long time, decided to pretend to be foolish upon realizing how clever this group was. Her beautiful face turned crimson, and tears began to fall uncontrollably.

The Emperor, noticing this, raised an eyebrow slightly. He had been around many women, he knew that the other party’s display was just an act. How could he not know it?! However, the political battles in the court bored him. Wouldn’t it be more entertaining to drag someone else into it? He hoped to see something more entertaining.

Moreover... even if he didn’t pull her in, the cunning woman from the Du Region would surely find a way to join the conversation soon enough.

"Furen of the Governor of Red Earth City, what has happened to you?" The Emperor, who had been silent for a long time, finally spoke, drawing everyone’s attention to Yueqian. They then saw that her eyes were very red and filled with tears.

"Hic. Y-your Majesty, I deserve to die!" Yueqian pretended to be startled at being caught crying. Mu Heng, who hadn’t caught up with his wife’s performance, was momentarily stunned before rushing to support her delicate frame.

"I was just feeling slighted, Your Majesty. My behavior was inappropriate..." She wiped away her tears, but they continued to flow like a broken dam, showing no sign of stopping.

"What are you upset about?" The Wang felt as though the entertainment he had been waiting for was unfolding. He was tired of sparring with the nobles supporting the eldest nephew, as such actions wore him out. However, he didn’t mind embarrassing those troublesome ones.

After all, they often caused trouble for him even though he preferred to work quietly and do his best for the Bai Region’s people. Certainly, he was well aware that his work often obstructed the interests of many, leading to their dissatisfaction.

"I... I was just upset because I was too happy before. I received a direct royal decree from Your Majesty, transforming me from a person of the Du Region to one of the Bai Region. Therefore, I considered myself a complete citizen of Bai. I never thought...”

“I never thought that in truth, I remain a person from the Du Region. This fact cannot be changed. No matter how hard I work for the Bai Region, I will always be from the Du Region."

The beautiful woman spoke with a trembling voice, her sorrow causing everyone to pause immediately. Even the Emperor, who had been sitting relaxed all this time, began to frown deeply.

What does the most powerful person dislike the most? It’s when he issues an order, and no one pays attention! Yueqian had hit the nail on the head. He had issued a royal decree accepting the couple as citizens of Bai. Therefore, no matter what, these two must be considered people of the Bai Region.

Yet, it turned out that the nobles in his court, including his eldest son, who had the position of crown prince, were disregarding his decree as if his orders were nothing more than the chirping of birds. This seemed... rather too arrogant, didn’t it?

Sensing the brewing anger, the minister quickly intervened. He did not even look at the cunning woman, who deserved to die, but instead focused on the Emperor’s increasingly emotional expression and began to amend the situation.

"The Governor of Red Earth City and his furen are undoubtedly citizens of Bai. However, the remarks we discussed were merely the words of common folk who still cling to their original identity."

"Nevertheless, if the Governor of Red Earth City and his furen kindly help resolve the current issues, I believe that no one will bring this up again. As Grandmaster Hong once said, “Changing people’s minds cannot be done overnight, but it can be changed with sincerity.” Therefore, Governor’s Furen, there is no need to be overly distressed. As long as you earnestly strive for the people of Bai, you will soon be accepted."

The minister’s response, coupled with a reference to the wisdom of a grandmaster, left the Emperor with nothing more to say despite his displeasure. However, the Emperor was no fool. He knew that this was just the scheme of a cunning woman. Even though he understood, he couldn’t help but feel angry. Was the other party too clever for their own good?

Now, the minister shared the Emperor’s sentiment. He believed that this woman could not be kept around. She had the audacity to deceive everyone with her performance, crying convincingly in front of so many eyes. She almost brought severe punishment upon them, and even the Crown Prince nearly fell into her trap. This showed them that the pit of disaster was still right in front of them.

He had already anticipated that the Wang was not unreasonable. Wasn’t it because the Wang wanted to support the couple as they could disrupt their plans effectively?

"Is that so? Then I am greatly relieved. I am happy that no one will see me as a person from the Du Region anymore. I am a person of Bai, under the rule of the great Emperor of Bai. This brings me great joy."

Yueqian smiled happily. However, her words served as a reminder to the nobles who had spoken ill of her earlier.

Not just the Crown Prince’s nobles, but also the nobles supporting the Second Prince who initially tried to distance him from her should realize that she was not someone to be easily bullied.

"Since Furen Mu is so upset, let’s give her a gift to console her. Fang Gonggong... go and bring the Winter Jade I received from the Hu Region and present it to her as a gift," the Emperor slightly waved his hand.

Fang Gonggong, who was not far away, quickly stepped forward to receive the order. Despite his slight displeasure, he dared not show any disrespect. It was clear that even the skilled minister had almost been outwitted by her, so it was fortunate that this cunning woman hadn’t harmed him too severely.

Many nobles wanted to object because the Winter Jade mentioned was incredibly valuable. Even they hadn’t received such a significant reward. However, after narrowly escaping a severe situation, no one dared to act rashly. They wanted to speak but could not.

"Continue," the Emperor was not waiting for Fang Gonggong to return. He motioned for the Second Prince to continue discussing important matters. This caused the Crown Prince to raise his eyebrow slightly.

It seemed that his father and his second brother shared some secrets known only to the two of them. He glanced at his grandfather, the minister, who signaled him to stay silent, so he did not say anything further.