After the Emperor took his seat, the celebratory banquet officially began.
The Crown Prince was the first to stand up, offering three cups of wine to the Emperor, wishing for the stability and prosperity of the Great Zhou. Then, he offered three cups to Prince Dai, praising him as the War God of the tis, without whom there would be no current peace. With Prince Dai around, ministers and commoners alike would be at ease. He also said that having a brother like Prince Dai gave him peace of mind as a brother.
Regarding the Crown Prince’s praise, Prince Dai felt disdainful in his heart, but he humbly said that it was what he should do.
After the Crown Prince finished his toast, it was the turn of the Third Prince.
The Third Prince was known for his outstanding literary talent. He first composed a poem to flatter the Emperor, then praised Prince Dai as the hero of the era and a role model for them to learn from.
The Fourth Prince’s literary talent was not inferior to the Third Prince, but he did not use flowery words to flatter the Emperor and Prince Dai. He used simple yet sincere words to praise the Emperor’s wisdom. As for Prince Dai, he expressed his admiration and respect for his elder brother as a younger brother, and hoped to serve the court and the people like Prince Dai in the future.
His words were more sincere than the Third Prince’s. Many ministers listened and showed expressions of appreciation.
The ministers had a very positive impression of the Fourth Prince. Although the Fourth Prince was young, he was mature, steady, virtuous, and exceptionally talented. Moreover, the Fourth Prince’s maternal family was the Li Family. Many civil officials in the court supported the Fourth Prince.
Then it was the turn of the Fifth Prince and others. What they said was similar to the Third Prince, sowhat exaggerated.
When the Eighth Prince offered his toast, Zhao Yao noticed that the expressions of the ministers were sowhat disdainful. The Eighth Prince knew that neither the Emperor nor Prince Dai liked him, so he didn’t say much, just simple words of congratulation.
When it was the Ninth Prince’s turn, he rambled on quite a bit. The Emperor found him too long-winded and directly interrupted him, telling him to sit down.
Finally, it was Zhao Yao’s turn. He deliberately pretended to be sowhat frightened, stuttering while saying the congratulatory words.
The Emperor did not mind Zhao Yao being timid. Seeing his unease, he smiled gently at him.
After Zhao Yao finished his congratulatory words, it was the turn of the ministers. First were Pri Minister He and Grandmaster Liu. Their congratulatory words were simple, wishing for peace in the world, plentiful harvests, and prosperity. As for Prince Dai, they praised him for embodying the spirit of the young Emperor, though lacking sowhat compared to the young Emperor.
Prince Dai was very respectful towards Pri Minister He and Grandmaster Liu. Hearing them say that he was not as good as the young Emperor, rather than being angry, he felt very honored. He said that to have half the prowess of the young Emperor was enough for him.
Next ca Duke Zhen and Marquis Xuanping. Duke Zhen first offered so flattery, then wholeheartedly praised Prince Dai for his achievents over the years.
Hearing Duke Zhen praise him to the skies, Prince Dai sneered inwardly. He hastily told Duke Zhen that he was rely doing his duty and was not as great as Duke Zhen had said.
Before returning to the capital, Prince Dai received a letter from Marquis Xuanping. In the letter, Marquis Xuanping detailed the malicious tactics of Duke Zhen and the Crown Prince to elevate his status in the court, warning Prince Dai to be cautious upon his return to the capital.
Duke Zhen also congratulated Prince Dai on his engagent to the youngest daughter of Grand Master Kong.
Upon hearing Duke Zhen say this, Grand Master Kong’s heart skipped a beat, a premonition of bad things arose within him.
Both Prince Dai and Marquis Xuanping believed that Duke Zhen’s ntion of this marriage did not have good intentions. They furrowed their brows slightly, becoming wary in their hearts.
The Emperor, hearing this, raised an eyebrow slightly, then awaited Duke Zhen’s next words with interest.
What surprised everyone was that Duke Zhen did not say much about Prince Dai’s engagent to Grand Master Kong’s youngest daughter, instead wishing that, after the marriage, they would expand the branches of the Imperial Family since Prince Dai currently had no heirs.
Prince Dai married an official wife the year before last, but so far neither the official wife nor the concubines had borne him any children, while the Crown Prince had already had a legitimate eldest son early on.
Three months into the Crown Prince’s marriage, the Crown Princess Consort had good news and gave birth to the Imperial Grandson the following year. Now, the Crown Prince’s concubine was pregnant, diagnosed by the Imperial Physician as carrying a young prince.
In terms of progeny, the Crown Prince temporarily had the upper hand over Prince Dai.
Although Prince Dai had been married for two years, he spent most of these years quelling rebellions outside, so it was not surprising that the Princess Consort Dai and concubines had not beco pregnant.
The ministers saw that Prince Dai had no heirs and did not think much of it. Prince Dai himself did not pay much attention to this matter, but he also knew that if no heirs were born again, the court would inevitably be rife with rumors. The Crown Prince’s faction would surely use the issue of offspring to attack him. He had decided to stay in the capital this year and ensure the Princess Consort Dai and consorts conceive his children.
Originally, the fact that Prince Dai had no heirs was no big deal, nor was it strange, but now hearing Duke Zhen ntion it, everyone suddenly felt that this matter had beco sowhat different.
Now, everyone present looked at Prince Dai with a subtle expression. Prince Dai naturally felt it and his face darkened instantly.
The Crown Prince echoed Duke Zhen’s words at this mont, "Second brother, your most important task upon returning this ti is to quickly produce a grandson for Father Emperor like you." The Crown Prince spoke with a tone of a good elder brother, "Next month, Grand Master Kong’s youngest daughter will co of age, and you can marry her and quickly produce a hefty grandson for Father Emperor."
Upon hearing this, Marquis Xuanping’s eyebrows furrowed slightly. His daughter was Prince Dai’s official wife and had been married to him for two years without becoming pregnant. He hadn’t given this matter much thought, after all, Prince Dai had spent very little ti in the capital these two years, and it was normal for his daughter not to be pregnant. But now, he thought differently.
If Grand Master Kong’s youngest daughter were to beco pregnant first, then his daughter’s situation and status would be affected.
Marquis Xuanping knew clearly how important Grand Master Kong’s youngest daughter was to Prince Dai. Once Grand Master Kong’s youngest daughter entered the Prince Dai Mansion, Prince Dai would certainly favor her. If she were to beco pregnant, she would beco increasingly important in Prince Dai’s eyes. This would not be a good thing for his daughter.
The Kong Family was extrely important to Prince Dai. If Grand Master Kong’s youngest daughter were to give birth to the eldest son for Prince Dai... Thinking about this, Marquis Xuanping did not continue further. Emotionally, he felt that in Prince Dai’s heart, the Kong Family was definitely not as important as the Yu Family, after all, the Yu Family was his mother’s family. Rationally, he thought that Prince Dai would definitely use the Kong Family more than the Marquis Mansion in the future.
Upon this deeper reflection, Marquis Xuanping suddenly felt that Prince Dai’s marrying Grand Master Kong’s youngest daughter was sowhat unfavorable to the Yu Family.
If Marquis Xuanping could think of this, the Emperor naturally did as well. He originally thought that Duke Zhen would make a fuss about this marriage, but he didn’t expect that Duke Zhen was sowing discord.
The Emperor’s lips curled into a smile of ambiguous aning.
Prince Dai hadn’t thought in this direction; he believed that the Crown Prince and Duke Zhen were rely mocking him for being unfit.
How could a man allow others to say he is unfit?
"Rest assured, Father Emperor, this year your son will definitely give you a grandson!" If there isn’t good news from the Prince Mansion this year, the entire world might think he is unfit.
The atmosphere at the scene was sowhat subtle. The ministers bowed their heads, assuming a posture of "they had heard nothing."
The Third Prince and a few others were dumbfounded. They didn’t expect the situation to develop like this.
The Fourth and Eighth Princes had expressions as if it was none of their concern, while Zhao Yao kept his head down, happily eating the beef.
Not only did he eat, but he also secretly took so away, asking Tong Xi to hold it. After the banquet tonight, he could have a few more als of beef.
Zhao Yao thought no one noticed his action of secretly stashing beef. In fact, the Emperor had already observed it.
A hint of a smile appeared in the Emperor’s eyes as he laughed inwardly: This little rascal truly has so promising prospects.
He suddenly recalled that his eldest brother had also done such things before. Every ti they dined, his eldest brother would secretly hide at and pastries, along with other delicious items, then sneakily bring them back for his younger brothers to eat. At that ti, he was the youngest, and his eldest brother, who doted on him, would always give him the best food.
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