I just want to be a princess, no, you want to be a queen

Not long after, the Empress Dowager issued an edict to confer the title of Emperor Chengtian on the third son of the late emperor, Prince Xianjin, and the title of Crown Prince on the eldest son of Emperor Chengtian, Chu Mingzheng.

As soon as the imperial edict was issued, the whole world was in an uproar.

Although everyone thought it was ridiculous, they didn't dare to say anything.

Before the emperor fell into a coma, he had appointed Prince Guangcheng as Crown Prince and ordered the Ministry of Rites to prepare for the ceremony, but no imperial edict was issued. Therefore, to avoid further incidents, the empress dowager, citing state affairs as the priority, skipped the ceremony and directly handed the crown prince's seal and golden seal to Prince Ningyuan.

The ceremony is considered complete.

The first decree Chu Mingzheng issued after becoming the crown prince was to appoint Shen Yan as the Minister of the Central Secretariat and to summon him back to the capital as soon as possible.

In the East Palace, Lu Mingyang sat beside the desk, fiddling with the ink stick in dissatisfaction.

"A scumbag, a big liar, he only knows how to say nice things to trick people."

Chu Mingzheng looked at the puffed-up face and smiled, "Yangyang, I think the Empress Dowager is right. The investiture ceremony is a waste of money and effort, and what our Crown Prince and Crown Princess did is not glorious. Anyway, we can't wait much longer. When the time comes, the coronation ceremony and the empress ceremony will be held together. Wouldn't that be much more grand than the investiture ceremony for the Crown Prince and Crown Princess?"

Lu Mingyang curled his lips and pointed at the imperial edict in front of him that appointed Shen Yan as the Minister of the Central Secretariat. "Where did you get the Crown Princess? Your first decree didn't even appoint me as the Crown Princess. In your heart, I am just second best."

Chu Mingzheng held the girl's waist and let her sit astride him, with a submissive look on his face: "The wife is the superior and the husband is the inferior. How can the inferior be the superior?"

In this position, she was indeed on top and he was on the bottom. Lu Mingyang suppressed a laugh: "Don't be so naive. Don't think I don't know what you're thinking."

"What was I thinking?" Chu Mingzheng felt guilty.

Lu Mingyang poked someone's nose and said, "You, you big pervert, are you waiting for those ministers to come to the East Palace and stuff women into your pocket?"

"I don't have any."

"There's none?"

Lu Mingyang was about to have a good argument with him, but Chu Mingzheng quickly changed the subject, saying aggrievedly, "Yangyang, you don't know how many memorials there are. I get dizzy reading them every day. I have to get Shen Yan back to help me."

"Then hurry up and write!" Lu Mingyang stood up.

Chu Mingzheng stood up and lifted her up. "There's no need to rush. I'll help you get to bed first."

"Who needs your service?"

Lu Mingyang wanted to jump down, but the man was holding her too tightly. She swung her fist in embarrassment, "Put me down now."

Someone refused and carried him directly into the inner hall.

Dasheng was plagued by internal and external troubles, but they still had a rare peaceful happiness. Lu Mingyang looked at the dark circles under his eyes and hoped that Shen Yan would come back to help him as soon as possible.

Although Shen Yan came back, he didn't come to help Chu Mingzheng.

In the court, with all the officials present, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince praised Shen Yan and appointed him the Minister of the Central Secretariat. Five promotions in a row, a truly magnificent honor. But Shen Yan not only refused, but also denounced Chu Mingzheng for disregarding the principles of father and son, claiming he had gained the position improperly and was a traitor.

His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was furious and had his official uniform stripped off and thrown out of the palace.

When Lu Mingyang got the news, he was in the Qinzheng Hall with Leng Lingfeng to examine the emperor.

Seeing Lu Mingyang anxious, Leng Lingfeng said, "You go first, I'm here."

Lu Mingyang asked, "Your Majesty's dragon body, can it get better?"

Leng Lingfeng said: "I'm afraid he won't be able to hold on for much longer, but I think I should be able to wake him up once."

"Thank you, Brother Leng!"

This was the answer she had hoped for the most. Lu Mingyang felt relieved and hurried to the East Palace. After searching for a while and not finding anyone, Lu Mingyang asked Zheng Hao.

"Where is your highness?"

Zheng Hao said, "It seems that His Highness has left the palace."

He didn't know where the prince had gone, but he saw him come back angrily, change out of his court robes and go out again.

"Forget it, I might as well go out and get some fresh air." Lu Mingyang didn't look for Chu Mingzheng again, but instructed Zheng Hao, "Go to the Chengyang Marquis's mansion now and tell him that Lord Shen is in danger. Tell him to protect him."

In public, Shen Yan was driven out of the palace by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. If someone with ulterior motives took the opportunity to kill Shen Yan, Chu Mingzheng's stigma would never be washed away in his lifetime.

Lu Mingyuan found Shen Yan in a tavern. He was drunk and couldn't recognize anyone. He was cursing at Chu Mingzheng.

Lu Mingyuan paid for the drinks and helped Shen Yan up to leave. Although Shen Yan didn't recognize him, the gentleness in his face made the curses in his mouth gradually disappear. He quietly lay on Lu Mingyuan's shoulder and fell into a deep sleep.

Shen Yan's house was empty. Lu Mingyuan could have asked Zhuxin and Qinxin to take care of him, but she stayed in the room and took care of him for some unknown reason.

The dim candlelight made her thoughts drift away.

When I was young, my father once said that scholars are spineless and that Yuan'er would never marry a country parasite who only knows how to talk about the bright moon and the clear sky. But the face before me.

He was not afraid of the imperial power, nor did he deceive the people. His thoughts and actions were all based on his heart.

This is what the so-called literary character should be like!

Lu Mingyuan touched it.

The man on the bed slowly opened his eyes and their eyes met. Before Lu Mingyuan could withdraw his hand, it was already tightly grasped by Shen Yan.

"Madam Yuan, you are finally here. Have you heard Zhijie's confession?"

"In the dream that day, Zhijie was rude and shouldn't have kissed Madam Yuan secretly. Zhijie has already punished himself. I only ask Madam Yuan not to ignore Zhijie again."

"You haven't appeared in my dreams these days. Do you know how anxious I am?"

"After Zhijie, I dare not offend Madam Yuan anymore. I only hope that Madam Yuan can come into my dreams every night."

Shen Yan held Lu Mingyuan's hand and rubbed it on his face.

With a bang, Zhuxin came in with a hangover soup. Seeing this scene, the coarse porcelain bowl in his hand slipped to the ground, and the hangover soup splashed all over the floor.

Shen Yan suddenly sobered up, looked at Rouyi in his hand, quickly let go, and slapped his own hand.

"I have offended the Marquis of Chengyang and deserve death. I beg you not to be angry."

"Don't mind my drunken words, sir. I don't mind them either." Lu Mingyuan had already stood up. She looked away and instructed Zhu Xin, "Go make another bowl of sobering soup."

"Yes!" Zhu Xin left in a hurry.

Lu Mingyuan did not leave and explained, "Today, I passed by the restaurant and accidentally saw you drunk, so I took the initiative to send you back. I hope you don't blame me."

"I'm sorry to have embarrassed you, Marquis Chengyang." Shen Yan looked at himself wearing only his undershirt, his face embarrassed, a little excited and nervous.

"My lord, you vomited. Zhuxin helped you take off your clothes." Lu Mingyuan lied subconsciously.

Shen Yan felt inexplicably lost at the moment, and clasped his fists and saluted, "Zhijie's clothes are disheveled and disrespectful. Please ask the Marquis of Chengyang to step aside for a moment."

After telling the lie, Lu Mingyuan realized she wasn't being forthright enough, and she felt a surge of courage she hadn't experienced before. She didn't leave, but instead moved over to a round stool and sat down.

"I don't mind at all, why should you be so polite, sir?"