Translator: TYZ Editor: Book_Hoarder
The empress was sitting on her throne in the throne room. Looking down at everyone, she said, "If you have anything to say, say it now."
"Your Majesty, I know you want to have a heir, but this man simply doesn't suit you," a huge man stepped forward and said.
"Your Majesty, this man has an unknown origin, and he is too weak. I feel that he isn't suitable for you."
"Your Majesty, I hope you can rethink your decision. After all, this is a very important decision."
"Your Majesty, there are countless good aboriginal men, why don't you find a suitable partner from among them?"
"Your Majesty, this man is definitely not suitable for you."
Sitting on the throne, the empress propped her chin on the back of her hand and looked at the raucous scene beneath her, feeling extremely amused.
After the officials quarreled for quite some time, she sat up straight and spoke with a cold voice, "What's the matter? Do I need your approval before I choose someone to marry?"
Upon hearing these words, everyone quieted down.
However, someone still said, "Your Majesty, you have to think twice about this decision."
"I am choosing a husband now, why does it matter if he is strong or not? In this world, who else is stronger than me? Other than Li Yuanzhu and those five persons, can you tell me who is stronger than me?" The empress said coldly, "Furthermore, they might not even be able to defeat me now."
"Even if he isn't powerful, he can't be too weak. This person is frail and weak, he might not be able to produce an heir with Your Majesty," someone added.
"Given our imperial depository, don't you think we can push him to the level of Earth Wheel? What a joke," the empress sneered.
"Hmm…" Everyone appeared at a loss for words.
If the empress really wanted to push a fool into the level of Earth Wheel, she could definitely do it. Even though the level of Earth Wheel couldn't make an individual an expert, it would still allow him to produce a heir.
"But this man has an unknown background…" someone said.
"So, what if his background is unknown? What are you scared of?" the empress replied to that man with a question.
What's there to be scared of?
Everyone was just finding excuses to make her to rescind her edict. Even if the person she chose was on the level of Earth Wheel, she could swat him to death with one slap. What's there to be scared of?
After hearing the empress's words, nobody had the guts to say , "Can't you change another candidate to marry? You should at least give a reason for your choice, right?"
"He looks exactly like the Seventh Prince, it is impossible that they are not related. Your Majesty, you have to be careful. If he is really from the imperial family of Great Xia and you take him as your husband, Dayao will be in deep trouble," another person spoke again.
"The imperial family of Great Xia doesn't have the capability to do so, I can prove that he isn't related to Great Xia," the empress waved her hand replied. The imperial family of Great Xia definitely could not make someone appear out of nowhere. Furthermore, the things that Ren Baqian made weren't from Great Xia as well.
After raising objections for quite some time, the officials still couldn't change the empress's mind. Upon seeing this situation, Hong Wu stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, I have no objection to your decision, but I wonder why you choose him?"
The empress extended her pure white hand to rub her chin.
After thinking for quite some time, she replied, "He isn't annoying."
This was the empress's reply.
Three words — He isn't annoying.
No matter what, she had to find someone to produce an heir with. The empress knew this fact very well.
However, in this world, how many men were actually worthy of her?
Everyone only knew her as the seventh most powerful expert in the world. However, given her current strength, her rank might even be higher.
Even if there were individuals that were more powerful than her, they would be more than half a century old.
She ascended the throne at the age of sixteen, other than the court officials and imperial guards, how many men had she come into contact with before?
As for the aboriginals, she did not even consider them at all. All of them trembled with fear when they saw her. As for the aristocrats from other nations, she found them to be utterly boring.
On the contrary, even though Ren Baqian was weak and frail, she found him to be rather interesting.
He knew how to cry at will and say flattering words, and he had a bunch of tricks up his sleeves. At least, he was a rather interesting fellow.
For someone who was at the top of the world like her, she did not care whether or not Ren Baqian had status or strength. In any case, he wouldn't be as powerful as her. In her eyes, he was merely "rather interesting".
She liked those candies very much.
She liked the mirror very much.
And she liked the words he said just now very much.
She had a very favorable impression of him just because he did a few things that delighted her.
By choosing him as her marriage partner, she could stop everyone from bugging her to get married.
Hong Wu looked at the empress with an indescribable, complicated feeling in his heart. He really hoped she wouldn't choose that lad to marry. He resembled a father that did not want his daughter to marry a tramp.
Given Ren Baqian's strength and status, why would the empress fall for him?
For the past few years, the court officials had been introducing potential marriage candidates to Her Majesty but she just wasn't interested in a single one of them. Just as he was feeling worried about her, she suddenly chose such an unexpected marriage partner. Furthermore, the reason for her decision was "He isn't annoying".
"Your Majesty, why don't you give him an official position first? When he attains the level of Earth Wheel and you feel he is ready, you can proclaim him as your King," Hong Wu said after maintaining a moment of silence.
"Sir Hong Wu!" Everyone was shocked. They did not expect him to say such words.
"I agree with General-in-Chief Who Supports the Nation's words," Shi Qing, who had maintained silence for the whole night, suddenly said.
"This shall be the plan then, all of you are dismissed," the empress bluntly concluded.
Since Hong Wu and Shi Qing had already made their stand, and the empress had concluded the session, the rest had to accept the reality.
After everyone exited the throne room, everyone crowded around Hong Wu and Shi Qing. "Sirs, Her Majesty really wants to choose that lad as her husband?"
Hong Wu stopped in his tracks. He turned around and cast a glance at the closed palace door, saying, "Do you think your objections will work?"
"Of course I know it's hard to make Her Majesty change her mind, but this matter is too important. I really hope Her Majesty can rethink her decision," someone immediately responded.
Hong Wu shook his head. If they kept raising objections, they would be courting death. Her Majesty was no longer that young innocent girl of the past.
It wasn't like the rest did not know Her Majesty's temperament. However, at this point in time, they did not know what to do, except to object her decision.
"Even if Her Majesty helps him, it will take at least two to three years' time for him to reach the level of Earth Wheel. During this period of time, many things can happen," Hong Wu continued. Following which, he did not care about them and left.
Shi Qing's words were somewhat similar to Hong Wu's. "Two to three years' time is enough for Her Majesty to think through this matter carefully."
If Her Majesty still stood by her decision by then, then so be it.
Upon hearing Shi Qing's and Hong Wu's words, everyone else understood what they meant. Since they could not change the empress's mind, they could only leave the matter at that.
A lot of things could happen in three years' time. Perhaps the empress might hate Ren Baqian by then and slap him to death.
Perhaps Ren Baqian might die of illness. Who knows?
If Her Majesty still stood by her decision by the time Ren Baqian reached the level of Earth Wheel, everyone could only accept it.
At least she could produce an heir, right? When compared to everyone prompting her to get married and making her unhappy, this way seemed much better.