The weak prince's queen

Under the respectful guidance of the eunuch, Xiao Yichen slowly stepped into the magnificent and solemn hall. After scanning the surrounding area, he quickly noticed Master Lin kneeling on the ground, and a few doubts filled his heart.

Xiao Yichen walked steadily to the front of the hall, then bowed deeply to the emperor, who sat majestically on the dragon throne. He saluted loudly with an extremely respectful tone, "Your humble servant pays homage to the emperor. Long live the emperor!"

The Emperor raised his hand slightly, motioning him to stand and dispense with the formalities. He then asked, "Stand up... Do you know why I summoned you here today?"

Xiao Yichen stood up straight, bowed his head and replied, "Your Majesty, I really don't know. I hope Your Majesty will clarify."

The Emperor stared at Xiao Yichen with his eagle-like eyes and said slowly, "Someone reported to me that you actually attacked Princess Jin in the street. Is this true?"

Hearing this, Xiao Yichen thought to himself: So it's because of this matter! But at this moment, Xue'er must not be involved, otherwise she will be severely punished. Thinking of this, Xiao Yichen knelt on his knees without hesitation, bowed his head and confessed his guilt: "Your Majesty, this is indeed the case. Please punish me severely."

Seeing this, the Emperor frowned slightly and continued to ask, "Humph! Then why are you so disregarding the royal family's dignity and etiquette? Could it be that Princess Jin's behavior is inappropriate and her moral character is lacking that has caused you to act so impulsively?"

Xiao Yichen quickly shook his head in denial and explained, "Your Majesty is wise. This matter has nothing to do with the princess. It is all my fault. I beg Your Majesty not to blame the princess."

The emperor said grimly, "Since you have admitted it, and this matter has now caused a great uproar in the city, then as the ruler of a country, I must give the people of the world a clear explanation! Therefore, I have no choice but to punish you..."

Just when the emperor was about to announce the punishment measures, suddenly, a loud shout came from outside the palace: "The Queen is here--" This shout was like a thunder that split the sky, making the already tense atmosphere even more solemn.

The Queen, carefully supported by her personal nanny, walked into the hall with dignified demeanor. Following closely behind her was Chu Xiyue, who looked apprehensive.

After the Queen entered the palace, she first bowed gracefully to the Emperor and said softly: "Your Majesty, I pay my respects to you. Long live the Emperor..."

The emperor raised his hand slightly and gestured, "Please stand up. The Queen has come here uninvited today. What's the matter?" His eyes swept over the Queen and finally fell on Chu Xiyue who was standing beside her.

The Queen stood up and replied with a smile: "I have the audacity to come here without informing the emperor, and I hope that the emperor will forgive me. It is true that I heard some trivial matters between Prince Jin and Princess Jin. Because some people did not know the truth, they mistook their flirting as Prince Jin beating Princess Jin, and the rumors spread, becoming more and more outrageous. I think this is a misunderstanding, don't you think, Princess Jin?" As she spoke, the Queen turned to look at Chu Xiyue with a questioning look in her eyes.

Chu Xiyue walked forward quickly with a nervous look on her face, knelt on her knees, and performed a profound salute respectfully. Her delicate and clear voice rang out: "I, the Princess of Jin, pay my respects to the Emperor. Long live the Emperor!" She lowered her head slightly, not daring to look him in the face.

The emperor sat on the high dragon throne, looking majestically at Chu Xiyue who was kneeling below, and said slowly: "Stand up, stand up and answer me, tell me what is going on."

Chu Xiyue slowly stood up, adjusted her skirt, bowed again and said, "Your Majesty, the prince and I have always treated each other with respect and harmony, and there has never been any discord between us. As for the rumors that the prince and I have fought each other, they are completely false. Your Majesty, please take a closer look!" Her tone was firm and her eyes were clear, revealing an unquestionable sincerity.

At this time, the queen on the side smiled and interrupted: "Yes, Your Majesty, since it is just a misunderstanding, there is no need to make a big fuss. It is better to make a big thing small and a small thing nothing." The queen's words were gentle and tactful, as if she wanted to calm the storm.

The Emperor nodded, agreeing with the Empress. He then turned to look at the officials who had just impeached the Prince of Jin and his wife. His expression darkened instantly, and he sternly declared, "Hmph! You, the few who spoke nonsense without any thorough investigation, impeached the Prince of Jin and his wife. How audacious! I fine each of you three months' salary as a warning to others! In addition, I grant you a flower carriage to take the Prince of Jin and his wife back home. This will also help to dispel this false rumor and dispel misunderstandings among the people of the capital."

Upon hearing the emperor's decision on punishment, the officials were terrified and their faces turned pale. They trembled all over and immediately fell to their knees, kowtowed and begged for mercy, saying, "Your Majesty, please spare us. We acknowledge our crimes and will never act so recklessly again!"

Prince Jin Xiao Yichen and Princess Jin Chu Xiyue, who were standing aside, looked at each other and breathed a sigh of relief. They hurriedly bowed again to express their gratitude: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your great grace. I (your concubine) am deeply grateful and will remember it in my heart." After saying that, the two of them bowed deeply to show their awe for the emperor's grace.

Seeing this, the emperor waved his hand and said with a slightly tired look: "Forget it, everyone, get up. Now that this matter is over, let's adjourn the court..."

As the emperor's resounding, majestic voice slowly fell, the solemn atmosphere of the court was instantly shattered. Everyone bowed respectfully, performing standard etiquette gestures, and shouted in unison, "Long live the emperor!" The voices were unified and powerful, seemingly piercing the palace roof and reaching the heavens.

The Emperor then turned slightly and walked out of the hall with steady, powerful steps. His dragon robe fluttered in the wind, emitting an invisible aura of authority and dignity. The ministers, not daring to be lax, followed closely behind him, exiting the court in an orderly fashion according to their rank.

At the same time, the Queen also lightly followed the Emperor into the back room. After entering the back room, the Emperor stopped, turned around, looked at the Queen with a sharp gaze, and asked, "Queen, what just happened? Why did Princess Jin suddenly come to see you?"

The Queen quickly stepped forward, bowed slightly, and replied, "Your Majesty, it was the Princess of Jin who just came to me. She said that after considerable effort, she has successfully gained the Prince of Jin's complete trust. Therefore, we must not act rashly at this moment and do anything that would alienate them. She has promised to bring us even more important and valuable news."

The Emperor pondered for a moment, then said, "Hmm... If that's the case, then I'll trust you this time. However, regarding the matter of Prince Jin, we still need to find a proper solution as soon as possible. This matter concerns the stability of the country and must not be taken lightly."

The Queen quickly bowed her head and replied, "Yes, I will obey your Majesty's orders. I will do my utmost to assist the Emperor in handling the matter concerning Prince Jin."

Seeing the queen's sincere attitude, the emperor nodded with satisfaction, then waved his hand and said, "Okay, you can leave first."

The queen bowed again and replied softly, "Yes, I'll take my leave." After that, she carefully left the back room, leaving the emperor alone there, deep in thought.