Di Xin: "I Will Take No Consorts!" Then He Turned Around: "Su Hu, Send Your Daughter to Keep the Queen Company"

Fei Zhong and You Hun quickly turned to Su Hu and gave him a perfunctory bow.

"Marquis Su, we were rude earlier, please forgive us."

Su Hu's words stuck in his throat, and he felt so uncomfortable that his old face turned red.

He was not convinced.

I'm extremely dissatisfied.

"Your the King, these two thieves..."

Just as he was about to speak, Jiang Huanchu on his left turned slightly, blocking part of Su Hu's view.

Jiang Huanchu's voice was steady and deep.

"Your the King."

"Since His the King has personally refuted the rumors, we, as his subjects, naturally understand His the King's impartial intentions."

"Marquis Su, since it's a misunderstanding, you should stop now."

The words of the leader of the Four Great Vassal Lords carried immense weight.

Although Su Hu had a fiery temper, he still held Jiang Huanchu in some respect.

He gritted his teeth and could only mutter in a low voice.

"Your subject... accepts the decree."

Although they failed to kill the two traitors, at least the King personally promised not to take concubines, so the sword hanging over their heads was gone.

He was about to get up, thank the emperor, and leave this unpleasant place as quickly as possible.

On the imperial steps, Di Xin suddenly spoke again.

"By the way, Minister Su."

"I do have a private matter I'd like to discuss with the Marquis."

Private matters?

Su Hu's heart skipped a beat.

"Your the King, please speak. I will do anything I can, even at the cost of my life."

Di Xin sighed, a hint of helplessness on his face.

"It's about the Queen."

"The Queen has been in a bad mood lately."

"Although there are many people in the palace, there are few with whom she can have a truly intimate conversation."

"I'm usually busy with official duties and don't have much time to spend with her."

"Seeing the Queen so depressed all day long makes me feel bad too."

Di Xin paused, his gaze falling on Su Hu, appearing exceptionally sincere.

"I just heard those two fools, Fei Zhong You Hun, say that Minister Su's daughter is not only exceptionally beautiful, but also incredibly talented, skilled in calligraphy, painting, and music."

"I wonder if Your Excellency would be so kind as to send your daughter to the palace to keep the Queen company and alleviate her boredom?"

What do you think, my dear minister?

Boom!

These words were like another thunderclap exploding in the hall.

Every single official in the court was completely dumbfounded.

What does Your the King mean by this?

He just said he had no intention of taking a concubine, and then he wants someone else's daughter to enter the palace?

This... this is just another way of saying it, you still don't want to give up?

The ministers looked at each other, none of them daring to speak.

To directly refute him would be to openly question the King's integrity and suspect that he intends to take a concubine.

But if we don't refute it, how can we explain the King's actions?

Su Hu froze completely, staring at Di Xin in disbelief, his mind blank.

Keep the Queen entertained?

What's the difference between this and taking a concubine?

Once inside, isn't it still up to the King to make all the decisions?

This is clearly just a different pretext; they're still after his daughter!

"My daughter grew up on the frontier of Ji Province, and is untamed and ignorant of etiquette!"

"Her meager talents are hardly worthy of serious consideration."

"If I were to enter the palace and disturb Her Your Ladyship's carriage, or offend His the King, then I would truly be guilty beyond redemption and deserve to die a thousand deaths!"

"Your the King should choose another virtuous and capable person!"

Di Xin looked at Su Hu's terrified face and pretended not to understand.

"Oh? Is that so?"

"Incompetent and ignorant? Don't they know the rules?"

His gaze shifted to Fei Zhong and You Hun, who had just gotten up.

"Fei Zhong, You Hun, that's not what you said just now."

"Didn't you say that Minister Su's daughter has extraordinary talent, unparalleled in the world?"

"Between the two of you and Marquis Su, who is truly deceiving me?"

Fei Zhong and You Hun reacted extremely quickly.

This is a great opportunity to redeem myself!

The King is handing them a ladder!

Fei Zhong immediately jumped out.

"Your the King! We dare to stake our lives on this!"

"Su Hu's daughter Su Daji, was absolutely exceptional in both talent and skill!"

"We have seen it with our own eyes, and there is absolutely no falsehood in it!"

You Hun also joined in the shouting.

"Yes, Your the King, I have also heard that Miss Su is known as a talented woman in Ji Province."

"Marquis Su, the King merely wishes to have Miss keep the Queen company. Your hesitation suggests you may have some ulterior motive."

Su Hu was so angry that his face turned pale.

"You... you all..."

Di Xin ignored Su Hu's anger and simply watched him quietly.

"Minister Su."

"Doctor Fei and the others have pledged their lives to guarantee it."

"Could it be that you, my dear minister, are unwilling to let your daughter enter the palace?"

The smile on Di Xin's face vanished.

"Minister Su, I have already stated in front of the entire court that I will not take any concubines."

"I only wish to find someone to keep the Queen company, to fulfill my duty as a husband."

"What, my dear minister, you won't even help with this small favor?"

Di Xin's voice deepened, carrying an invisible sense of oppression.

Or perhaps...

"My dear minister, you don't believe me at all?"

Do you think I'm a dishonest and untrustworthy person?

"Do you think that I, under the guise of being a companion to your studies, actually intend to lure your daughter into the palace to commit those lewd acts?"

Destroying the spirit!

This is a blatant attack on the heart!

Su Hu slammed his head against the ground again with a thud, this time even harder, and blood seeped from his forehead.

"Your subject dares not!"

"Your Majesty, I would never dare to question the King!"

"Your Majesty... Your Majesty only..."

Su Hu was deeply distressed.

He was like someone who had been forced to the edge of a cliff.

Your the King has already put it this way.

If they don't give it, that's disobeying the imperial decree, showing distrust of the emperor, and committing a great act of disrespect.

But if we give it to them... that would be like throwing a lamb to the slaughter!

Seeing Su Hu's inner turmoil and pain, Di Xin did not press the matter further.

"Alright."

"I am not one to force others to do things against their will."

"Since you have concerns, please go back and think about it carefully."

This sounds like a concession.

But then, Di Xin's next words plunged Su Hu into an icy abyss.

"However, I must also remind you of something."

"If even something as simple as keeping the Queen company is something you're hesitant to do, my dear minister..."

"Then I must truly doubt the extent of your loyalty to my Great Shang Dynasty."

After saying that.

Di Xin didn't look at Su Hu again, flicked his sleeves, and turned to walk towards the back hall.

"Dismiss the court!"

After Di Xin left, the ministers in the main hall looked at each other, completely baffled.

What... what's going on here?

Is the King truly planning to take a concubine, or is he simply looking for someone for the queen to keep her company?

Shang Rong and Bi Gan exchanged a glance, both seeing the confusion in each other's eyes.

Logically speaking, the King is not the kind of person who lusts after beautiful women.

But there's something strange about this whole thing.

"Your the King, what... what does this mean?"

"Could it be that Your the King truly... harbors such thoughts?"

A minister immediately objected.

"Stop talking nonsense!"

"Since Your the King has personally stated in front of all of us that you have no intention of selecting a concubine, there is absolutely no way you would go back on your word. This is a matter of absolute loyalty!"

"In my opinion, Your the King's move must have a deeper meaning!"

"It's just that we are too dull to understand His Majesty's will at this time."

The court officials discussed it for a long time, but couldn't come to a conclusion. In the end, they could only disperse in twos and threes, full of doubts.

Fei Zhong and You Hun walked triumphantly to Su Hu, who was still looking lost and dejected.

"Lord Su," You Hun said in Yinyang tone.

"The King Majesty, you should really consider what I have to say."

Fei Zhong patted Su Hu on the shoulder, leaned close to his ear, and spoke in a voice only the two of them could hear.

"Don't disappoint the King."

After saying that, the two looked at each other, burst into unrestrained laughter, and strode away.

Inside the main hall, only Su Hu remained, standing alone in the same spot.

He watched Fei Zhong and his companion leave, his fists clenched, his eyes wide with anger.