Chapter 43: Not Becoming an Imperial Consort

  Thank you for the reward of sachet and small knife by Tingyuan after the rain, thank you for your support to Qianqian!

  "In response to the Crown Prince's words, I think that since Father Emperor didn't say anything else, he should be satisfied. The cold and stern man thought for a moment before speaking in an even tone."

  Inside the grand hall, after watching the princes leave under the lead of the crown prince, the officials started discussing and inquiring among themselves about the emperor's intention to go to war or not. Some wise ones smiled but didn't speak, while some foolish ones were confused and didn't understand. Of course, there were many wise people, but also many foolish ones.

  So on the second day, in the imperial court, there were still many debates about whether to fight or make peace, but the voices of the main station were obviously louder than yesterday. The emperor sat high in the hall, closing his eyes and cultivating his spirit as he did yesterday, but unlike yesterday, from the morning court to the afternoon court, he didn't say a word.

  On the third day, the Son of Heaven remained silent from start to finish with his eyes closed.

  Two days later, even the most foolish person understood the emperor's determination to go to war with Mongolia. On this day, the emperor finally opened his eyes and asked the ministers whether to fight or make peace. The group of officials below the jade steps all knocked their heads together and said in unison: "…Fight—"

  The Emperor on the high throne heard the unanimous words of war, and his face, which had been silent for several days, finally saw a smile. "Well, since all of you are willing to go to war with Mongolia, and Mongolia has provoked this war without reason, invading our territory, and all of you have asked to go to battle with such unity and high morale, I, too, cannot fall behind all of you. I have decided that in this defense against Mongolia, I will personally lead the expedition!"

  When the Ming Emperor wanted to personally lead the expedition, a conservative old minister heard the emperor's words and was about to stand up in opposition. He was pulled back by his colleague who whispered: "Are you looking for death? Can't you see that His Majesty is not to be disobeyed, with a fiery look on his face? You can go ahead and seek death if you want, but it's a pity that your whole family will also be implicated. Just kneel down obediently!"

  The old minister was pulled by the person next to him, receiving the meaning of the person next to him. He hesitated for a moment, quietly raised his head, and coincidentally met the cold gaze of Emperor Ming, who was looking over with eyes as sharp as knives. A layer of cold sweat broke out on his back, and he quickly lowered his head, no longer daring to look directly at the emperor's face. The ministers next to him, who wanted to advise Emperor Ming to reconsider, all involuntarily lowered their heads and shouted in unison: "The sacred majesty of the emperor, heaven blesses the great dynasty, Mongolia will surely be defeated!"

  The Emperor Ming saw this scene, and his eyes were filled with a strong sense of justice, shooting straight up into the sky.

  In the thirty-seventh year of Emperor Taizong's reign, in May, the emperor personally led a campaign against Mongolia. The third and sixth princes accompanied him on this expedition, while the crown prince remained in the capital to oversee national affairs.

  Anji Marquis Manor, Gu Qingjin's third uncle was unexpectedly also in the ranks of this imperial expedition, although he was just an inconspicuous military officer. However, Qingjin knew that after this war, her third uncle would become the lifesaver of the Emperor and the two princes, and Mengguo and Dajing would negotiate a peace treaty with no losses on either side.

  The only achievement of this battle will be her third uncle, and her third uncle will lead the Anji Hou Mansion to reach new heights, with the added benefit that the unmarried daughters of the Anji Hou Mansion will see their value doubled.

  Qing Jin looked at her third uncle, who appeared even more handsome and majestic under his armor. She felt a mix of emotions in her heart. If it were her past life, knowing that her third uncle would become the emperor's and crown prince's lifesaver, she would have been overjoyed. However, having reincarnated once, without the ambition and naivety of her past life, she actually didn't want him to go on this expedition with the emperor. In fact, she had thought of ways to stop him half a month ago, but in the end, she didn't take action.

  Saiweng lost his horse, who knows if it's not a blessing. But she is not Saiweng and does not know whether the lost horse was raised with golden respect and jade honor or caught and slaughtered in a slaughterhouse.

  In this era, personal honor and the family's reputation after one's death are closely linked. The merits that Third Uncle will establish with his passing are not only his own personal achievement but also a credit to the Anji Marquis Manor.

  She couldn't rely on being reborn once and knowing some future events to arbitrarily deprive others of their opportunities, so she didn't take action. In this era where the monarch ruled with an iron fist, saving the emperor was the greatest merit after ascending to the throne, something many people sought but could not obtain. Once one had achieved this merit, as long as the Duke of Anji's household did not commit treason or usurpation during Emperor Ming's reign, they would be guaranteed a hundred years of honor and glory.

  Although she felt that such glory and honor, in an era where the emperor was supreme and accompanying him was like accompanying a tiger, might not necessarily be a blessing, ancient people thought deeply and tried every means, reading diligently by the cold window, going to the battlefield to kill enemies, wasn't it all for the sake of achieving success and fame one day, and bringing glory to their families?

  Although she didn't think that kind of glory and dignity was a blessing, she also didn't want to intentionally destroy it. All she could do was grasp her own destiny; this time she didn't want to marry into the royal family again, marry a prince, whether he was the sixth prince or some other prince. She wasn't a woman born and raised in ancient times, the mark of a modern person had already been deeply branded on her soul, although she suppressed it, concealed it, there would always be a day when the truth would come out.

  Royal chaos, the struggle for the throne is perilous, she doesn't want to bring any trouble or disaster to her loved ones and family because of herself. Most importantly, although she was married to Long Han in her previous life, it doesn't mean she's unaware that the Sixth Prince also yearns for the throne.

  Apart from the current crown prince, there is also a powerful and formidable enemy like Long Han Yuan. If she really marries the sixth prince to become the sixth princess, she will have to accompany the sixth prince in competing for that position. If they fail, the emperor's mercy might only limit this son to being confined; if it were another prince or the crown prince who took that position, it would be even harder to say what would happen. In any case, she, as the sixth princess, would not be able to escape the three-foot white silk or a cup of poisoned wine.

  This is still good, what I fear is that kind of narrow-minded person sitting on the throne, for brothers who failed to seize the throne, it's possible that they would let you live a life that is neither human nor ghostly for many years, and only when they get tired of it would they let you die in torment

  On the other hand, if the sixth prince were to take that position, she may not necessarily end up well. Haven't you heard of "rich and easy to change wives, noble and easy to change friends"? When he becomes the supreme ruler, even if she is a yellow-faced old woman, without a strong background, she will be 100% cannon fodder. Even if the sixth prince has feelings and righteousness, if she were to sit on the empress's position, without a powerful family, without brothers or nephews who are great generals, isn't it just like being a beautiful ornament?

  This is still not dragging down the situation, it's a matter of life and death, whether it's a daughter or son. If it's a daughter, you have to worry that she might be married off as a concubine, if it's a son, it's even more worrisome. This battlefield without gunpowder is simply a graveyard for infants, from the moment they're in the womb, you have to be extremely cautious, and after birth, you have to be even more careful, growing up is even more worrying. Born into royalty, or being the legitimate child of an empress with no background, isn't this just asking to be someone else's pawn? The struggle is fraught with danger, not struggling means certain death without a burial ground.

  So for the rest of her life, she must never have anything to do with royalty again. She wants to strive to get her mother, Junshi, to arrange a marriage for her before the news of Third Uncle's rescue reaches the capital...