Can't a princess ascend the throne?

Chapter 474 The dust has settled
"No no no!"

The Minister of Rites tried desperately to make a sound, but the other party had covered his mouth so tightly that he could only manage a faint whisper. Even if the sound was faint, the officials nearby should have been able to hear it, but they all pretended to be deaf and dumb. Some officials who were on good terms with the Minister of Rites couldn't help but step forward to try and rescue the poor minister, but somehow, a newly appointed official had appeared beside them, now vigorously poking himself in the back.

These officials weren't fools. They looked up at the furious Emperor, the inscrutable Prince, then at the Minister who was being forced to faint by having his mouth covered and being pressed to the ground, and at their silent colleagues around them. What else could they not understand?
Even His Majesty the Emperor has tacitly agreed to make Prince Rui the Crown Princess. These people are merely employees of the royal family, so why say so much? Moreover, over the past six years, they have observed that His Highness the Prince's conduct is far superior to that of the four princes before him. It can be said that the current prosperity of the Great Jing Dynasty is largely due to His Highness the Prince's strong support! What more can be said about this?

Thus, the entire court maintained a delicate balance at this moment. The only victim was probably the Minister of Rites, who was lying on the ground.

Emperor Jingtai was immediately delighted and clapped his hands in laughter.

"Excellent! It seems my daughter is the one everyone wants! In that case, I order the Ministry of Rites to prepare for the investiture ceremony. I want to hold a grand and solemn investiture ceremony for Prince Rui, so that all the gods and people in the world can see how outstanding my chosen successor is!"

At this point, Emperor Jingtai also felt somewhat emotional.

"In the first half of my life, I struggled to survive in a chaotic world. I finally ascended the throne, but I was troubled by not being able to find a suitable successor for this country. Fortunately, Heaven took pity on me and bestowed Prince Rui upon me, and upon the entire Great Jing! In the future, under Prince Rui's leadership, Great Jing will surely prosper and become a prosperous and glorious era! After my death, history will surely record my name, because I have found the best successor for this world!"

"His Majesty……"

Some of the veteran officials were genuinely saddened by Emperor Jingtai's words. For twenty years since his ascension to the throne, Emperor Jingtai had worked tirelessly, day and night, never slacking off. His only worry was the questionable abilities of his four sons, but now that His Majesty had found a better successor, they had nothing more to say. Over the years, the relationship between ruler and subject had been marked by disagreements, arguments, and even bloodshed. But through all these trials and tribulations, the bond between them was something others could hardly comprehend. Hearing His Majesty's words now, they felt a sense of impending doom, how could they not be saddened?

"Your Majesty is in the prime of life, why do you say such a thing?"

The Minister of War couldn't help but say something. Those around him echoed his sentiments.

Emperor Jingtai was quite magnanimous; he waved his hand dismissively, not caring much.

"How can an emperor reign for thousands upon thousands of years? To have lived peacefully for these past twenty years is already a blessing from Heaven, especially with the recent favorable weather and few natural disasters. This is the best reward for me. However, I am truly not young anymore. Now that the Crown Princess has been chosen, I can live a peaceful life from now on. In my entire life, I have truly not enjoyed many good years..."

Although he had been emperor for so many years, deep down, Emperor Jingtai was still the son of a peasant who had once run and leaped in the fields, yearning to fill his stomach. He could never learn the inherent superiority complex of aristocratic families, nor could he truly regard the common people as mere dirt beneath his feet. He desperately wanted everyone in the land to live a good life. Although his own abilities were limited, he was fortunate to have found a better master for this empire. He believed that under Jiuque's leadership, the future of the Great Jing Dynasty would be brighter. After all, in the past six years, he had personally witnessed the changes in the Great Jing Dynasty. Such rapid changes were something he himself could never have achieved. Since Jiuque possessed such abilities, why keep her pinned down and prevent her from fully displaying her talents? This beautiful land only needed one master, a master with absolute authority.

He looked forward to this day and sincerely hoped that he would see it.

The ministers were completely speechless, only feeling helpless. It was rare for an emperor to die before his reign, let alone someone rushing to find a successor halfway through. However, the fact that the crown princess had held the position for so long inevitably aroused the emperor's suspicion. But the probability of this happening to this father and daughter was probably low; after all, throughout history, there had never been a ruler who treated his crown princess as well as His Majesty had.

But who can be sure what will happen in the future?

Everyone could only wait and see, hoping that His Majesty would get his wish in the future.

They never expected to see such a scene when they attended the palace banquet. However, they had a premonition to some extent beforehand, since anyone with eyes could see the preferential treatment His Majesty had given to Prince Chenrui over the years.

Furthermore, even the most stubborn old folks couldn't help but think, "Wouldn't Prince Chenrui be a better choice as the Crown Princess than the four princes? Not to mention that most of them are already dead, and the one still alive isn't a good option either. Leaving aside their abilities to govern the country, their talent for vying for power, forming cliques, and engaging in corrupt practices is unparalleled."

The Great Jing Dynasty is currently thriving, and they're even hoping to become harmonious rulers and ministers with His Majesty and the future Crown Princess. Perhaps they'll even be mentioned in future historical records!
Faced with this situation, Jiu Que maintained a calm expression throughout. Only Emperor Jingtai, sitting above her, could see the child's tightly clenched hands, and he nervously touched his chin. Emperor Jingtai only wanted to give the child a surprise, but he forgot whether Jiu Que could accept it. After all, such a thing was unprecedented in history.

However, this child has always been strong. Besides, he has become quite adept at handling government affairs over the years. It's just that he's now more legitimate. What's wrong with that?
Jiu Que glanced at Emperor Jingtai and sighed inwardly. Oh well, wasn't this something she had expected? The day had finally arrived, giving her a sense of relief, as if the sword of Damocles had finally fallen.

Leaving aside the excited Chunyu Shuang and others, even for herself, after handling state affairs for so many years, if she were to suddenly relinquish them, those who came after her wouldn't be grateful; instead, they would find her a hindrance. After all, how can one tolerate someone else snoring beside one's bed?

Amidst the bustling palace banquet, Jiu Que took a deep breath, feeling as if the dust had settled. Perhaps, this was the best outcome.

However, there was probably only one person who was unhappy throughout the entire palace banquet: the Minister of Rites, whose mouth had been covered for so long! This was utterly outrageous! Where was the integrity of these officials? They didn't utter a single word against the decision to make a woman the Crown Princess—weren't they afraid of being ridiculed by future generations?!