Finest Servant

Chapter 335

Chapter 335 The Selection of the Prince Consort

"Why, Your Majesty?" Lin Wanrong was startled. The words came as a bolt from the blue, leaving him breathless for a good while.

"There is no 'why.' If I say it's not allowed, then it's not allowed." The Emperor's face was gloomy, his gaze upon Lin Wanrong as heavy as a ten-thousand-pound hammer. His imposing aura was as sharp as a knife's edge, intimidating.

But Lin Wanrong was not easily frightened. He looked fearlessly back at the Emperor. "Your Majesty, people must act reasonably. The princess is unmarried, as am I. Why can others attend, but I cannot? To be frank, I came to the capital for this very day. Even if you were to behead me, I will go. I take my leave."

He had been patiently enduring for Qingxuan for many days. Just as he was at the end of his tether, the Emperor put a wrench in his plans. How could he not be enraged? Regardless of whether it was the Emperor or his father-in-law, he had no time for either now. His wife mattered the most.

Seeing his resolute demeanor, the Emperor's face fluctuated. Despite the threats and scolding of the previous day, he hadn't managed to break Lin Wanrong's spirit. This Lin San was somewhat stubborn; it seemed force might not work. After a long moment of contemplation, the Emperor sighed. "Come back, I have something to say to you."

Lin Wanrong halted. The Emperor approached him, asking, "Do you truly wish to become the prince consort?"

‘What kind of question is this? I want to be my wife's husband, not your damn prince consort.’ Seeing Lin Wanrong's silence, a gleam sparked in the Emperor's eyes. "Being a prince consort does indeed bring prestige, but there are greater honors in this world. If you choose not to become the prince consort, there will be opportunities for greater glory in the future."

"Glory? What glory?" Lin Wanrong asked, puzzled.

"Glory that surpasses that of the prince consort tenfold, a hundredfold. As long as you remember what I told you last night, act more ruthlessly, more cunningly, you will have more than a half chance," the Emperor said solemnly, his face grave.

Lin Wanrong chuckled, "Old man, you're tempting me. But how can I give away my own wife? How about this, let me be the prince consort, and also grant me that glory you speak of. Isn't that a win-win, straightforward and delightful?"

The Emperor was taken aback by his proposition, then burst into laughter. "Well done, Lin San! Such audacious words, I doubt anyone else in the world could outdo you in shamelessness."

Seeing the Emperor's previously stern face finally soften, Lin Wanrong breathed a sigh of relief. This old man was indeed not easy to please. "Your Majesty, I will take my leave now, and we will carry on as we just agreed," he said cheekily.

"Hmph, you wish. To take my daughter, and then expect—," the Emperor huffed, "if you become the prince consort, you will certainly regret it someday."

"If I don't go now and my wife becomes someone else's, then that would be real regret." With the Prince of Goryeo and Ashile ready on the other side, Lin Wanrong felt a rush of urgency and darted off.

"Enough, enough, I will make an exception for you," the Emperor sighed, "You can compete for the prince consort today, but you must not make it public. Whether you will be a prince consort in the future or choose something else, that's up to you. I have been as kind and just as possible to you, take good care of yourself." After saying these words, the Emperor, with a sweep of his sleeve, departed without even turning his head.

...

Lin Wanrong, in a rush, darted down the stairs, only to find the square bustling with lively noise and vibrant excitement. The cause of this joyous uproar was the arrival of Princess Nishang, who had ascended to the tower.

Lin Wanrong felt a thrill of excitement. He hurriedly looked up towards the highest point of the tower, where he saw a thick pearl curtain hanging, and a vague silhouette seated behind it. The figure's features were obscured, and he couldn't tell if it was Qingxuan.

It didn't matter. He thought, ‘When in Rome, do as the Romans do.’ First, he would do his best and try to win the position of the prince consort. If the lady behind the curtain was not Qingxuan, there were other paths, as the Emperor had suggested. With this thought, he felt calmer and glanced a few more times at the embroidered tower.

"There she is, someone's coming out!" A commotion arose from the crowd. A charming little palace maid emerged from behind the curtain on the tower, her face adorned with a gentle smile and two cute dimples that were truly endearing.

"I am Cuiyun, a humble servant," she announced in a crisp voice, "I bring the esteemed order of Princess Nishang to announce today's marriage proposal rules. The princess herself has devised four intriguing questions. Anyone who meets the criteria, regardless of geographical origin or age, may participate in answering. Whoever answers the most questions correctly will be granted a personal audience with the princess. If she approves, he may be selected as the prince consort. Has everyone understood?"

"We have," the crowd replied in unison. Prince Yi Seung-Jae of Korea, Seo Jang Geum, and Senior Palace Lady Han quickly gathered together to discuss the matter. Ashile also leaned towards a man, who seemed to be a counselor, to whisper in his ear. The atmosphere was fraught with tension.

Both the Goryeo and Turkic delegations had brought along many wise strategists, while Lin Wanrong was at a disadvantage as he was alone. He wondered whether he should ask Old Xu for help. As he was mulling it over, the maid asked, "Is everyone ready? The princess is about to give the questions."

Princess Nishang was indeed impatient. Everyone perked up their ears, eager to listen.

Cuiyun, with a soft smile, took out a yellow satin envelope sealed with wax, proof that it hadn't been tampered with. She opened the envelope to reveal a small jade bead, sparkling and translucent under the sunlight. The jade bead was small, with a tiny hole drilled through the center, but it was not transparent, making its purpose unknown.

Cuiyun said in a sweet voice, "The first question is called threading the needle. This is a jade bead from the Eastern Sea with nine twisted holes. As the name suggests, it has nine twists inside, so even though there is a hole, you cannot see straight through it. The princess said, if anyone can thread this fine silk through the nine holes, without damaging the jade bead, they will have answered the first question correctly."

‘Oh, heavens! Who came up with such a difficult question?’ Lin Wanrong, initially brimming with confidence, found himself stumped by the first question proposed by Princess Nishang. He racked his brain, yet no solutions seemed to come to mind. Over at the Goryeo section, Yi Seung-Jae, needless to say, was struggling. Seo Jang Geum was doing her utmost to assist the prince in winning the princess of Great Hua, but even she was taken aback by this conundrum, unable to find an answer right away. The Turkic envoy, Ashile, whispered back and forth with the adviser at his side. Several suggestions were proposed, only to be swiftly dismissed one by one.

The maidservant, Cuiyun, placed the jade bead with nine curved holes onto a jade plate. Its hole was positioned to face the audience. A wave of discussions broke out amongst the crowd as everyone racked their brains for a solution.

"Minister Xu, can you figure out a solution to Princess Nishang's riddle?" The Emperor, seated upon his throne, inquired with a smile. Several high-ranking officials stood by his side.

Xu Wei shook his head, replying, "The princess is very clever, Your Majesty. I can't find a way to solve her puzzle."

"What about you, Su Mubai?" the Emperor then turned to ask Su Mubai. Since the loss of his role as a reception envoy the previous day, Su Mubai had been notably quieter. Hearing the Emperor's question, he promptly responded with a bow, "Your Majesty, I haven't found a solution yet either."

The Emperor gave a bitter laugh, "Nishang has not shown me a pleasant face since she returned. The difficulty of this first question she posed for this marriage proposal... If nobody can answer it, isn't she intentionally embarrassing me? Making Goryeo and the Turks laugh at Great Hua for its lack of capable men. Brother Cheng, you have countless talents in your service. Find someone to solve this question."

A sharp look flashed through Prince Cheng's eyes. As he bowed his head in respect, he concealed his intense gaze, "Your Majesty, those under my command are merely idle men of no use, not fit for the public eye. However, if we are to truly solve Princess Nishang's puzzle, I am willing to recommend someone."

"Oh, who might that be?" The Emperor asked with interest.

"Your Majesty, according to common folk tales, Lin San, the reception envoy, is a clever and quick-witted individual. He has performed feats such as 'sprouting beans to lift a Buddha statue', 'washing hands in boiling oil', and 'burning copper coins'. He is a master in these crafty tricks. If there is anyone in Great Hua capable of solving this, it must be Lin San," Prince Cheng replied with a smile, throwing an intentional or unintentional glance at Su Mubai. Su Mubai kept his eyes down, remaining silent.

"Is that so?" the Emperor asked, intrigued, "Lin San possesses such abilities? Why have I not heard of this? Minister Xu, is this true?"

"Your Majesty, it is indeed true. My daughter, Zhiqing, has verified the three feats mentioned by the Prince. They encapsulate the principles of all things. This Lin San is clever and well-educated. We don't know if he could come up with an ingenious solution this time," Xu Wei explained.

"Interesting indeed," the Emperor's eyes gleamed with amusement. He murmured, "Let's hope Lin San can surprise us all."

As Lin Wanrong wracked his brain, feeling rather vexed, he was unaware that he had become the target of everyone's attention. His gaze happened upon several ants crawling on the ground at a slow pace, their tiny legs suddenly sparked a light bulb in his mind.

Meanwhile, in the Goryeo camp, Seo Jang Geum pondered for a moment before her eyes lit up with an idea. She quickly relayed her thoughts to Senior Palace Lady Han, and Yi Seung-Jae, overhearing the conversation, was visibly thrilled. The trio engaged in a detailed discussion, eventually reaching a consensus.

"I've got it—!" Two voices rang out in unison, one crisp and the other solid, startling the deep-in-thought crowd back to awareness.

Seo Jang Geum, standing up at the same time as Lin Wanrong, smiled over at him, "Sir, have you also found a solution?"

Lin Wanrong chuckled lightly, "Of course, if you have one, how could I not?"

Upon seeing the two voices raise simultaneously, the maidservant Cuiyun interjected, "Is this young lady speaking on behalf of her prince? If so, please come forward. And you, young master, whom do you represent?"

Stepping onto the stage, Lin Wanrong replied with a smile, "I don't represent anyone. I only represent myself. Miss Jang Geum, what solution have you come up with? Why don't you go first?"

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