Zhou Yunshen's eyes opened wider than they ever had before.
The emperor had never been so terrified.
The emperor: Wait, Second Brother, let me defend myself! Pah, I mean, let me explain!
Zhou Yunshen: Explain, my ass!
Zhou Yunshen gave a smile that never reached his eyes. "To think that in the blink of an eye, even Luming has found a match. Yet neither the Crown Prince nor the Second Prince is married. Your subject is truly anxious."
"Your subject believes both princes are of marriageable age. Settling their matches sooner rather than later would also benefit the court. What do you think, Your Majesty?"
The emperor chuckled foolishly, using the sound to cover his embarrassment.
"The Marquis of Zhennan is quite right. The Empress has also mentioned the Crown Prince's marriage to me. There are several suitable candidates now, but I do not know which one the Crown Prince favors."
"That is easily resolved. Ask the Empress to hold a flower-viewing banquet. If the Crown Prince takes a liking to someone and both parties are willing, the matter can be settled. As for the Second Prince, he was raised at the Empress's side, so regarding his candidates..."
Zhou Yunshen's meaning was clear.
If the Second Prince and Crown Prince chose their consorts at the same time, the candidates for the former certainly could not be too inferior.
Otherwise, it would be a public slap in the Second Prince's face.
He might be a toad, but having been born into the imperial family, he was still a toad made of gold.
Family scandals were not to be aired in public. Zhou Yunshen knew the emperor's convictions and did not want to touch the dragon's forbidden scale unless necessary.
The emperor had no good solution either.
At that moment, Huahua spoke: