My husband, who abandoned his father and kept his son, actually wants me to be his concubine.

Chapter 120: Death as a Warning
The heavy rain lasted for almost 15 minutes before it stopped.

After the rain stopped, it got much cooler outside.

Rong Yi then took Zhang'er outside to play. Since the weather got hot, Zhang'er had rarely gone out from the ice room.

It's unusually cool today.

Lu Jinshi followed Rong Yi, saying, "We'll kneel down later too..."

Rong Yi said, "You might have to kneel all night. You were already exhausted yesterday, so don't kneel."

Lu Jinshi said, "Then I'll stand here and keep you company."

Rong Yi raised an eyebrow and looked at Lu Jinshi, saying, "Okay."

When the two arrived at the palace gate with Xiao Zhang'er, they saw that the Prince of Yan was already kneeling among the officials.

"Ya ya, ya ya..."

Little Zhang'er pointed her little hands towards the sky and babbled.

Lu Jinshi looked in the direction Xiao Zhang'er was pointing and saw a rainbow hanging in the western sky.

Lu Jinshi smiled and said, "A rainbow after the rain is a sign of good fortune. Father Emperor was just about to draft an edict to establish an empress when a rainbow appeared in the sky. It is clear that even the heavens think this is a joyous occasion. The Imperial Noble Consort is a empress bestowed by heaven."

Rong Yi smiled faintly and said, "For more than twenty years since Father Emperor ascended the throne, there has never been an Empress. Now that an Empress is to be appointed, even Heaven is rejoicing for Father Emperor."

The group of civil officials, kneeling on the ground and soaked to the bone by the heavy rain, couldn't help but frown.

Not long after, Marquis Jiang of Wu'an and his son Jiang Yin arrived, along with several officers of the Xiaoji Guard.

The Prince of Yan, who was kneeling on the ground, saw the Marquis of Wu'an and his son kneeling down. He had a hint of smugness in his eyes. The Marquis of Wu'an's son usually hung around Qi Yi. Today, he was quite sensible.

After Marquis Wu'an and Jiang Yin and his son knelt down beside him, the Duke Rong and his son arrived shortly afterward, followed by the Duke Zhenguo and Yuan Fei.

Another half hour passed, and Prince An arrived with two generals and knelt before the palace gate.

When the Prince of Yan saw the Prince of An, he frowned deeply.

Prince An kowtowed and said, "Your Majesty's appointment of an Empress is perfectly legitimate. As the ruler of the world, Your Majesty's decree is inviolable. Some treacherous officials, under the guise of being wholeheartedly for Your Majesty's benefit, are forcing Your Majesty to rescind the decree. Their intentions are malicious, disloyal, and dishonest!"

Marquis Wu'an also kowtowed and said, "Your subjects will certainly be loyal to Your Majesty, obey Your Majesty's orders, and will never allow anyone to dare to defy imperial authority!"

"Your Majesty's investiture of the Empress is perfectly legitimate. Anyone who obstructs it is showing contempt for imperial authority. We beg Your Majesty to punish those who show contempt for imperial authority."

A group of military generals spoke with voices as clear as bells.

Rong Yi walked over and knelt beside Prince An, raising an eyebrow at Prince Yan who was kneeling to the side.

The Prince of Yan glared angrily at Rong Yi, “Obstructing my father’s investiture of the empress is not disloyalty or contempt for imperial power, but because Consort Rong was originally the wife of the Prince of Zheng. Making her a consort is already an exception. How can she be worthy of being empress? You are the traitors who want to ruin my father’s reputation.”

Jiang Yin retorted angrily, "What prestige? If His Majesty has to kneel and beg you to decide who he marries as Empress, what prestige does he have? You don't respect His Majesty at all!"

The Prince of Yan said, "We are thinking of His Majesty's reputation after his death, and the reputation of Dasheng throughout the world."

For a moment, the palace gates were filled with noise.

Lu Jinshi held Zhang'er in his arms. Seeing Zhang'er, he was not afraid at all, but instead giggled.

Lu Jinshi couldn't help but wonder if her Zhang'er was stupid. She quickly shook her head; her Zhang'er was very clever.

The two sides argued back and forth for an hour until it was completely dark. The civil officials, who had just been caught in the rain, were now hungry and cold, and their knees were starting to ache.

After everyone knelt for another hour, the sound of court proceedings came from inside the palace. This was the first time that court had been held when the palace gates were already locked.

The civil officials, soaked by the rain, helped each other as they made their way into the main hall.

Lu Jinshi, who was sitting to the side, followed Rong Yi's lead when he saw this scene.

When Rong Yi saw Lu Jinshi arrive, he took her hand.

Instead, Prince An, walking beside Rong Yi, frowned slightly and said to Lu Jinshi, "Miaomiao, this is the main hall and the imperial court. You are a woman and you cannot go."

Lu Jinshi looked at Prince An and said, "Uncle, although this is the imperial court, today's discussion is about the matter of the empress's investiture. This matter also concerns the family, so it is not wrong for me to enter the main hall."

Rong Yi and Lu Jinshi held hands tightly and said, "Uncle, Jinshi is right. She entered the court today, so I don't think Father will blame Jinshi."

Prince An sighed softly.

The main hall was filled with candles, making it as bright as day.

After everyone entered and knelt, Emperor Huiyuan slowly approached.

"See your majesty, long live your majesty."

Emperor Huiyuan looked at the assembled officials and said, "I am holding court late tonight to issue the imperial edict of bestowing the title of Empress. Effective immediately, I hereby bestow the title of Empress upon Consort Rong, the mother of the Seventh Prince. The Grand Secretary shall draft the edict and proclaim it to the world."

Grand Chancellor Huang Liu knelt down and kowtowed, saying, "Your Majesty, I absolutely cannot accept the decree. I cannot stand by and watch you make one mistake after another. Consort Rong was originally the Princess Consort of Zheng. Her background is truly unworthy of being Empress. Your Majesty... Your Majesty, I would rather die than help you issue this decree that will be infamous for ten thousand years."

"Your Majesty, please rescind your decree. Consort Rong is truly unfit to be Empress!"

"Your Majesty, please retract your order."

Lu Jinshi said, "What a fine Grand Chancellor! His Majesty has ordered you to convey his decree, and you still dare to speak so much... Do you even respect His Majesty?"

Lu Jinshi said, "His Majesty has already issued the imperial decree. Is there anything more for you to say?"

As soon as Lu Jinshi said this, the ministers from the military families all kowtowed and said, "Your Majesty's appointment of an empress is perfectly justified. Long live Your Majesty! Long live Empress Rong!"

"Your Majesty, Consort Rong is not to be made Empress. Please rescind your decree."

"Long live Empress Rong, may she live a thousand years!"

Emperor Huiyuan said coldly, "I have already issued an edict that there is no longer any Imperial Noble Consort Rong, only Empress Rong."

The Prince of Yan looked at Huang Liu, the Grand Secretary.

Huang Liu frowned deeply and slowly rose to his feet, saying, "Your Majesty, if you intend to make the Imperial Noble Consort Empress, I can only remonstrate with my life."

Prince An stood up and said, "Your Majesty's decree is firmly supported. If anyone dares to obstruct Your Majesty, Your Majesty's imperial power will be protected with your life."

The military officers all stood up and said, "We swear to protect Your Majesty's imperial power with our lives."

Huang Liu looked at the Prince of Yan, and after a moment, he stood up and said, "Your Majesty, my loyalty to you is as clear as day. I cannot stand by and watch you be ridiculed by thousands in the history books. I can only beg Your Majesty to rescind your decree by sacrificing my life."

Huang Liu closed his eyes, seemingly wholeheartedly loyal to His Majesty, and rammed his head against a pillar in the main hall.

Before Huang Liu could even bump into his master, Prince An swung out his whip and slammed Huang Liu to the ground.

Huang Liu was seriously injured in the fall, but at least he survived.

Prince Yan stood up and frowned, saying, "Father, Prince An dared to bring weapons to the court. I beg you, Father, to punish Prince An!"