The Challenge of a Farmhouse Son-in-Law-Chapter 1008 - 1003: The Conditions to Become Crown Prince

"Ah, you..." The Protector of the Nation had not expected to be contradicted by Lin Xingyi. Although Lin Xingyi was known for his outspokenness, due to the relationship between the Lin Family and the Ducal Residence, as a junior, he rarely contradicted him.

Before the Protector could finish speaking, Lin Xingyi continued, "What Minister Jie has written in his petition merely repeats what the common people say; he is merely passing on their words."

Chancellor Zhang had always sided with the Protector of the Nation, but the affairs of his two daughters had deeply hurt him, so he decided to give the Ducal Residence a warning and, rarely for him, contradicted the Protector of the Nation.

"Protector of the Nation, perhaps what Minister Jie says is putting it lightly. The words actually spreading out there are even harsher. Isn’t King Jin also carrying out disaster relief in the afflicted areas? Didn’t you send a private letter to inquire?"

The Protector of the Nation was so angry he was practically gasping for air. Did he not check the almanac before leaving home today? Why were these two men, who normally stood by him, the first to contradict him today?

Wasn’t it always Jie Huanzhi who used to do things like this?

He had been waiting for an opportunity to impeach him when Jie Huanzhi was absent.

Unexpectedly, these two troublemakers popped up halfway.

The Protector of the Nation, bristling his beard in anger, said, "Jie Huanzhi is a senior official devoted to his duty. As a subject, being loyal to the Emperor is his obligation. How can he be compared to those troublesome commoners?"

With several slaps, more petitions landed on the desk.

The Emperor seemed somewhat weary, his appearance always seemed older than his years.

He said, "These petitions, too, come from various prefecture governments and all concern discussions among the common people about the legitimacy of imperial authority." freewebnσvel.cѳm

The Emperor’s petitions successfully silenced them. Eunuch Wan took the petitions and distributed them to the ministers, and then everyone stopped speaking.

Especially the Protector of the Nation, whose face was metaphorically slapped by the petitions.

As expected, the words in Jie Huanzhi’s petition were nothing compared to what the other prefecture governments had submitted, which were even more offensive.

The petition that the Protector of the Nation held from Ji Prefecture had a royal decree that faintly revealed discontent with the Imperial Court and the Emperor through the writer’s strokes.

He was feeding off the Emperor’s grace, yet he felt vaguely double-hearted.

"This is outrageous," the Protector of the Nation slammed the petition to the ground.

This act was a major disrespect to the Emperor, but at this moment, the assembly was so grave that no one cared to bother about an eighty-year-old man throwing a fit over a petition.

"My dearest subjects, have you nothing to say?" The Emperor said, looking exhausted.

At his side, Eunuch Wan sighed painfully and silently signaled to the Palace Maiden serving sweet tea; she quickly replaced the Emperor’s cup with a fresh one steaming hot.

He had been by the Emperor’s side the longest. Although he could not be privy to everything the Emperor thought or did, he understood enough to know just how difficult it was for the Emperor to have made it this far.

"Nothing to say?" the Emperor asked again when no one responded.

The assembly, previously noisy, now fell deathly silent.

He thought: Perhaps they have become complacent from long peaceful times. Once real trouble arises, they fall silent.

And those who do have ideas keep to themselves, not wanting to be the ones to stick out.

Well then...

The Emperor sighed and said to Wan Decheng, "Issue an imperial decree that among the three Princes, whoever can resolve these natural and man-made disasters will be appointed as Crown Prince."

Upon the Emperor’s words, the entire court was in uproar.

The hall which had just been silent as a graveyard was now buzzing like a sparrows’ conference.