Chapter 469 Madam Song’s Interrogation
The news that Emperor Chu chose study companions for the two young princes spread, causing quite a stir among the nobles in the capital.
What kind of maneuver is this?
The princes dropped from their elation over the missed duties like a stone, pondering over the choice of study companion for the Fifth Prince, their faces turned as black as the bottom of a pot.
Father is so biased!
This blatant favoritism was just short of an official decree proclaiming the Fifth Prince worthy of becoming Crown Prince, appointing him as the heir apparent. Just look at the resources brought by the study companions, which of them does not withstand scrutiny?
Oh, the one from the Song Family is just a nephew, and that boy’s father is still a commoner?
No problem, being the nephew of Prime Minister Song is enough; lineage remains unbroken, who cares if it’s the son or nephew.
Regardless of close or distant relations, they belong to the same clan, and the most important thing is that Prime Minister Song is currently the emperor’s favored person, and now his family’s young men are serving as study companions for the Fifth Prince.
The princes felt as though they had been fed a mouthful of dirt, extremely uncomfortable, secretly speculating whether Father really intended to make that little boy the heir apparent.
In any case, this maneuver by Emperor Chu made the noble circle observe with caution, and astute families thought maybe it was not urgent to pick sides.
This is the court’s landscape.
At the Prime Minister’s Mansion, Madam Song was completely dumbfounded.
Since the trip to the Hot Spring Mountain, she had vaguely guessed and was confident that if a study companion were chosen for the Fifth Prince, it would definitely be her son Su.
But the decree was actually directed at Song Lingjie?
How could this be, was there a mistake? How could it possibly be Lingjie!
The Jiang family was also a bit stunned, how did such a good opportunity fall on their son’s head? Had heaven gone blind?
Madam Song waited with difficulty for Song Zhiyuan to return to the main courtyard, immediately asking what was going on with this decree for the study companion.
"Didn’t the emperor make a mistake? Why is it not Su’er?" Madam Song was extremely anxious.
It wasn’t just any prince, but the Fifth Prince, legitimately born and orthodox, his study companion would have limitless prospects.
Song Zhiyuan was speechless: "With matters of such importance, how could the emperor make a mistake?"
"Impossible!" Madam Song couldn’t accept it, her voice rising sharply: "Su’er is your own son, how could he not become it, and Jie’er did? Didn’t you fight for Su’er?"
Song Zhiyuan’s face darkened, he patiently said, "Although Jie’er is just my nephew, he is a child of the Song Family. To me, he and Su’er are no different. As for Su’er, the emperor also intended to choose him, it was I who declined!"
"What!"
Madam Song was full of shock, looking at him in disbelief: "You declined?"
"Su’er is already fourteen, I have planned for him to take the exam this year. I’ve already spoken with Mr. You; we are taking him out for study and travel in a few days," Song Zhiyuan said calmly, "Compared to Su’er, Jie’er is more suitable as a study companion for the prince. The emperor allowed me to choose one of the two, and I recommended Jie’er."
"How could you do this! That is your own son, you’ve crushed his promising future with your own hands?" Madam Song was so angry that her heart ached, furious: "Even if he is to take the exam, what conflict is there with being a study companion? How can you hand over the future that belongs to him? He is just your nephew, is he more important than your own son?"
"Madam Guo!"
Song Zhiyuan sternly reprimanded, looking at her coldly: "Are you questioning my decision?"
Madam Song was stunned into silence by his shout, her face turned pale, and her lips trembled.
Outside the door, Mammy Fang swallowed hard, and pushed the maids a bit further away. She glanced back worriedly; would the Madam really oppose the Prime Minister?