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The Emperor looked at him dissatisfied and asked again, "I hear the Chen family from Jiangnan has opened a shop in the capital city. Do you have anything to say about that?"

The Chen family from Jiangnan? They are merely a somewhat stubbornly proud wealthy household.

Contempt flickered in Zhao Hongsheng’s heart, and his tone carried a hint of disdain, "Replying to Father Emperor, in past years the competition for Imperial Merchant always saw the Chen family of Jiangnan as champions. This year, their Radiant Brocade was slightly inferior to the Wu family of Jiangnan’s Jadeite Silk, and they lost the title of Imperial Merchant, inevitably feeling aggrieved.

But please rest assured, Father Emperor, your son will certainly not allow them to cause trouble. "

Listening to his second son incessantly talking about feeling aggrieved and causing trouble, the Emperor felt greatly dissatisfied and admonished him, "The competition for Imperial Merchant values fairness and justice the most. If they truly are inferior in skill, it is unlikely they would feel this way.

You also should not be too hard on them.

Although they are based in Jiangnan, that region is a land of abundance, and extreme actions must absolutely be avoided. Do you understand?"

While talking to Zhao Hongsheng, the Emperor’s tone was noticeably deeper than when talking to Zhao Hongde. Zhao Hongsheng pursed his lips and replied, but inwardly he gave a scornful sneer.

The Emperor knew his own son all too clearly and shook his head internally. At this moment, the Grand Eunuch from outside had already come to report that Xia Zheng had arrived.

Thinking of this nephew who gave him both headaches and joy, the Emperor grew somewhat restless and couldn’t help asking, "Is he alone?"

The Grand Eunuch, with his usual shrill voice and monotone delivery, replied, "Replying to Your Majesty, Second Young Master Xia has brought along a woman."

A woman?

Upon hearing these two words, everyone in the room couldn’t help but feel both shocked and curious.

The Imperial Study Room is a place for the Emperor and his ministers to handle government affairs, and women are mostly not allowed to enter or exit freely.

At most, the Empress and a few favored concubines can come over, but they also have to wait for the Emperor to finish political matters before entering.

As the saying goes, "The harem must not meddle in politics," precisely because of the fear that palace concubines may interfere with state affairs and cause disaster.

But today, Xia Zheng actually brought a woman during the time the Emperor was handling state affairs. What was he planning?

The other ministers in the room pondered, could it be that this Second Young Master Xia, always away from home, is selecting beauties for the Emperor?

However, Third Prince Zhao Hongde and Ma Junying were somewhat eagerly shifting in their seats. If not for the Emperor’s presence barring them from moving freely, they would probably rush out to greet her already.

As for the crafty Su Zhe, there was no need to guess. Recalling the resolute words of his second son when he went to the General Mansion to find Xia Zheng, Su Zhe almost wished he could chop up the woman Xia Zheng brought!

"A woman?" the Emperor feigned ignorance while being fully aware, "We are discussing important matters at present, so let’s have that woman wait outside for now."

The tone of the Grand Eunuch finally changed slightly, speaking with reluctance, "Replying to Your Majesty, Second Young Master Xia said that, if Your Majesty does not grant the woman an audience, he will take her out of the palace to enjoy drunken shrimp by the Linjiang riverside."

After finishing, the Grand Eunuch even wanted to slap his own mouth. How could he speak of drunken shrimp in front of the Emperor? But that Little Tyrant had said if he did not report exactly as told, he would burn his most treasured possession hidden inside the palace.

That was the root of his life that he had severed when he entered the palace as a young man, thinking that after his death, he would retrieve it and be buried with him.

Isn’t there a saying that if you can’t leave whole in this life, you can only be reincarnated as an animal in the next?

He had failed to live as a normal man in this lifetime; he did not wish to be an animal again in the next.

After hearing the Grand Eunuch’s words, the Emperor couldn’t help but twitch the corner of his mouth; only this little rascal would dare to say such things to him!

The Second Prince Zhao Hongsheng was very shrewdly looking at the Emperor, not passing up any chance to suppress Xia Zheng, "Father Emperor, Xia Zheng is truly too arrogant.

The Imperial Study Room is a vital military hub, how can an irrelevant woman be allowed to come and go as she pleases?

This is a provocation to you, Father Emperor! "

As for who that woman was, Zhao Hongsheng had already guessed, but he was puzzled—wasn’t today about discussing the matter of movable-type printing?

Why did Xia Zheng bring that little village girl with him?

Could it be that he was thinking of taking this opportunity to ask the Emperor to grant a marriage?

Thinking of the grant a marriage, Zhao Hongsheng immediately regretted saying those words just now.

If Xia Zheng really came to ask for an imperial decree for marriage, wouldn’t that mean he was giving Su Qiuyu away?

Wouldn’t that increase his chances of winning over Prime Minister Su?

It seems Zhao Hongsheng wasn’t the only one with this thought; Su Zhe understood as well.

It was said that the idea of movable-type printing was proposed by Xia Zheng, and today, the Emperor had summoned them all for the purpose of discussing merits and awards.

Hearing about Xia Zheng’s fondness for a lady of lower birth, could it be that Xia Zheng intended to take this opportunity to ask the Emperor for a marriage grant?

Thinking this, Su Zhe suddenly felt a tightness in his chest; he absolutely couldn’t let Xia Zheng ask the Emperor for a marriage decree. If Qiu Yu found out, wouldn’t that leave her bedridden with grief?

"Your Majesty, this old official also feels that what the Second Prince has said is very true. We absolutely cannot allow a woman to come and go from the Imperial Study Room at will, nor can we let her meddle in political affairs. This goes against all reason, Your Majesty!"

When the Prime Minister spoke out, the other officials naturally echoed his opinion.

The Emperor’s eyelids twitched slightly, feeling a bit of schadenfreude. This time, it wasn’t that he wouldn’t allow Lin Yuan to come in—it was these people who weren’t allowing her. If anyone was to be blamed, it was these old sticklers!

As he reveled in their misfortune, Xia Zheng’s voice rang out at the entrance. Although they hadn’t seen each other for a year, he was still as cavalier and unconcerned as ever.

"Who said the woman I brought was entering the Imperial Study Room at her leisure? Let me tell you, without the person I brought today, don’t even think about discussing politics."

With that imperious voice, Xia Zheng had already walked to the center of the room, and everyone turned their heads, as if dazzled by a flash of light.

They saw Xia Zheng dressed in a crescent white robe with two pieces of jadeite jade fastened at his waist, a Jade Crown upon his head, a touch of his unchallengeable mischievous smile hanging on his cheeks.

Anyone who could still smile like that in front of the Emperor—probably only the Little Tyrant of the General Mansion, Xia Zheng, in the entire Capital city.

And the woman Xia Zheng led by the right hand, dressed in a long dress made from the unique flowing brocade of the Chen family of Jiangnan, the goose-yellow dress highlighting her even more stunning and beautiful appearance, with a touch of loveliness yet not losing her grace.

Especially the faint smile on her face and those tranquil eyes, deep as ancient wells, showed no sign of panic at all.

At the same time as they were taken aback, all were astonished. Was this woman really entering the palace for the first time to meet the Emperor? Such composure and demeanor were not of an ordinary woman.

If anyone was the most surprised, it naturally was Second Prince Zhao Hongsheng.

He had seen Lin Yuan before, but it seemed that every time he met her, this woman gave him an unprecedented shock.

The first time was like this, and this time was no different; each time she overturned the impression he had of her in his heart.

For the first time, Zhao Hongsheng felt that this little village girl of common birth seemed more suitable to be his Imperial Concubine than Su Qiuyu, more beneficial for the path of his great achievements.