The Ultimate Prodigal Son - Chapter 303

[Chapter 303: Queen]

As they were still talking, a eunuch’s voice came from outside.

“The Queen has arrived!”

Just as the eunuch finished shouting, a beautiful woman wearing a red and yellow gold and silver silk dress with phoenix embroidery walked in.

Everyone knelt down and saluted.

“Greetings, Queen, may you live a thousand years!”

“No need to be polite!”

The Queen motioned for everyone to sit down, and everyone stood up and sat down.

Only Lin Tian and Liu Zhang were still standing in the middle of the aisle, blocking the Queen’s way.

The Queen also saw the two at this time. She came to Liu Zhang and was about to perform the junior ceremony, but was stopped by Liu Zhang and had to say softly.

“Dad, long time no see!”

“The Queen is the mother of a country. You don’t have to be so polite to me. Just call me Prime Minister Liu!”

Liu Zhang explained to the Queen.

Now it’s at the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, not at home. Even if he is the Queen’s father, he can’t overstep the boundaries.

In ancient times, the order of respect was: Heaven, Earth, Emperor, Parents, and Teachers. The distinction between the emperor and the minister was higher than the flesh and blood relationship. The Queen was considered at the same level as the emperor.

No matter how much seniority the queen’s relatives have, they must kneel down and pay respect to the queen when they see her, and in front of outsiders, they must address each other as monarch and minister.

“Yes, I see. Thank you Prime Minister Liu for reminding me!”

The queen nodded, indicating that she knew. Then she saw another person standing beside her, wearing the uniform of a fourth-rank official, and she knew that this was Lin Tian.

But the queen did not say it, but asked Liu Zhang who was standing beside her.

“Is this Prime Minister Liu’s subordinate? Is Prime Minister Liu so busy that he has to listen to the reports of his subordinates before attending the Mid-Autumn Banquet?”

The queen pretended not to know who Lin Tian was, and acted as if she thought Lin Tian was here to do business, not to attend the banquet.

The queen had always heard the eldest prince say how Lin Tian bullied him, so naturally she could not give him a good face.

“Your Majesty, this is Minister Lin, who was specially allowed by the emperor to attend the Mid-Autumn Banquet.”

Liu Zhang replied respectfully.

“I, your humble servant Lin Tian, greet the Empress. May the Empress be blessed with good health!”

While they were talking, Lin Tian took a look at the Empress. Although she was not young, she still had a charming demeanor. She must have been a great beauty when she was young. After all, she was the Empress. How could she be the Empress if she was ugly?

Before Liu Zhang could continue, Lin Tian took the initiative to salute the Empress. After all, etiquette should not be criticized by others.

“Oh, since you are here for the banquet, then take a seat quickly! Prime Minister Liu, please take a seat as well!”

The Empress said to the two of them in a flat tone.

“Your Majesty, this Minister Lin is standing here because there is no place to sit.”

Liu Zhang, who was standing aside, saw the Empress say this and hurriedly explained, as if he was also anxious that Lin Tian had no place to sit.

“Huh? How can there be no place to sit? How do the people from the Ministry of Rites do their job? Madam Li, go and call the people from the Ministry of Rites who are in charge here.”

The Empress seemed a little angry and ordered the nanny beside her.

The nanny retreated afterwards, and soon, the Minister of Rites came.

As luck would have it, the person in charge of this matter was Luo Xiang, the Minister of Rites, who opposed Lin Tian’s participation in the Mid-Autumn Banquet at the court meeting.

When Luo Xiang heard the Queen calling him, he hurriedly put down his work and rushed over. He was thinking about the arrangements for today’s Mid-Autumn Banquet and wanted to know where he had gone wrong.

“I am Luo Xiang, the Minister of Rites, to greet the Queen!”

Luo Xiang arrived and saw Lin Tian standing next to Liu Zhang, and the Queen was right in front of him.

He was just a small official, and he had worked hard for more than ten years to finally get the position of Minister of Rites. He could only run around for the Mid-Autumn Banquet.

But Lin Tian, a half-baked Minister of Works, was able to attend the Mid-Autumn Banquet, so he was very angry about this.

“Minister Luo, how do you do things? Why does Minister Lin have no place to sit?”

The Queen asked Luo Xiang with a slightly angry tone.

Luo Xiang was even more scared when he heard the Queen was angry.

But when he heard the Queen ask why Lin Tian had no place, he was also very confused.

Because the Mid-Autumn Banquet was said to be the responsibility of the Ministry of Rites, but in fact the specific matters were decided by the Queen herself, so it was impossible for the Queen not to know that Lin Tian had no place.

But seeing the expression of the Queen, the Minister of Rites did not dare to say directly that it was arranged by the Queen, and could only take the blame.

“I don’t know either. It should be the negligence of the subordinates.”

“Negligence. I think you don’t want to be the Minister of Rites anymore. Minister Lin is specially allowed by the Emperor to attend the Mid-Autumn Banquet. How dare you neglect it and not prepare it!”

The Queen’s tone was very calm, but the invisible pressure made Luo Xiang dare not look up.

Although she seemed not angry, she would lose her head if she was not careful.

“Yes, yes, I will add a seat for Minister Lin right away!”

Luo Xiang quickly stood up, hunched back, and was going to find someone below to add a seat for Lin Tian. After

the Queen finished speaking, she turned around and said to Lin Tian with a smile.

“I am really sorry. The subordinates made a mistake and left Minister Lin with no place to sit. Please forgive me!”

“No, no, Your Majesty, you are too polite! Even if I don’t have a seat, it’s okay for me to stand!”

Lin Tian didn’t show his anger. Since you, the queen, are smiling, then I will accompany you!

Master Yang Sheng has said that the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet has always been organized by the queen. It must be the queen’s idea not to leave him a seat.

The eldest prince is very favored by the queen. This is known to everyone in the court and the country. This must be to give me a warning.

As they were talking, another eunuch’s voice came from outside.

“The emperor has arrived!”

It turned out that the emperor had arrived. Everyone had almost arrived, and it was time for the emperor to come out.

The emperor did not wear court clothes, but a dress that matched the queen’s clothes.

Everyone knelt down and saluted, and the queen was no exception.

“Your Majesty, long live the emperor!”

The emperor walked in front of the queen, helped the queen up, and signaled others to stand up.

“Queen, why are you still here and haven’t you taken your seat yet?”

The emperor asked the queen with a smile on his face and a gentle tone, and then saw Liu Zhang and Lin Tian next to him.

“Oh, the father-in-law is here, and Minister Lin is here too. What are you talking about? I heard the Queen talking outside.”

When the emperor came, he happened to hear the Queen scolding the Minister of Rites, so he asked the Queen.

“Your Majesty, I was just talking about the Minister of Rites. I scolded him for not arranging a position for Minister Lin!”

The Queen explained to the Emperor.

“Oh, what do these people from the Ministry of Rites do? Where is the Minister of Rites?”

The Emperor looked at the Queen, but the Queen looked like she had no idea, so she could only vent her anger on the Minister of Rites.

The Minister of Rites was wronged. The Queen caused the trouble, and she turned around and scolded him. Now the Emperor also knows about it, and his official hat is probably not safe!