In the era of feudal empires, the courtiers and nobles always attached great importance to the issue of the emperor's marriage and heirs, and even regarded it as a fundamental issue of the country, which was related to the stability of the empire.

The emperor got married late, no, the throne cannot be vacant for a long time.

The emperor has no heirs for a long time after marriage, and this is not good, no one will inherit the empire's inheritance, which will make the empire unstable and uneasy.

The fundamental reason for this phenomenon is that the emperor's power is too great, hundreds of millions of lives and deaths are gathered together, and the slightest wind and grass that happens to the emperor will make the country experience shocks together.

The emperor's private affairs are the official affairs of the empire.

Moreover, the average life expectancy of the emperor's group is not long, and accidents often occur, so it is indeed a matter of course for the sake of safety to get married early and give birth to an heir as soon as possible.

The ministers also know this truth.

However, in today's court meeting, the ministers almost collectively support the emperor and stand on the emperor's side, on the one hand, because they are ministers, the emperor's "domestic servants", and they are supposed to protect the emperor's interests or positions.

On the other hand, the aristocratic faction's attitude is too tough and arrogant, the ministers who are too rude to the emperor, and there are many contradictions on weekdays, are very unhappy, and of course they want to go against them, and of course they will not let the tough demands of the aristocratic faction succeed...... Even if it's a reasonable request.

In short, the contradiction between the two factions has almost reached the level of "I will oppose what you support, I will support what you oppose, and oppose for the sake of opposition."

So how did the aristocratic faction think about it?

The aristocracy was actually very anxious and grossly insecure.

Especially the old prince, his anxiety was the most serious, to the point of tossing and turning every night and making it difficult to sleep.

Why?

One, after the "Empire Take-off" plan began to unfold, dozens of large-scale projects started one after another, in just a few years, agricultural output increased significantly, industrial output skyrocketed year by year, commercial activities, year by year more and more active, the empire's financial situation, last year for the first time to achieve a financial surplus of 10 million gold rupiah.

However, the take-off of the empire is mainly the take-off of the states and counties in the "royal territory", and dozens of large-scale projects are all in the royal territory.

The main ones that have increased their strength have been the imperial family and ministers who support the emperor.

The balance of power is shifting at a speed visible to the naked eye...... The situation is becoming more and more unfavorable for the aristocratic faction.

In this case, only if the emperor agrees to marry early and completes the marriage with the aristocratic faction, the anxiety in the old prince's heart will be greatly alleviated.

Two, time waits for no one.

The emperor wants to delay for a few years, and it is okay to get married later, after all, he is only 16 years old, and he will delay until he is 18 or 20 years old, and it will take two or three years, not that he cannot be forgiven.

But the old prince can't afford to delay!

He is 93 years old this year, and he is one of the old people who live as a spirit in this world, but as an ordinary person, it is impossible for the old prince to live to the age of 100, and he cannot live so long...... In the past few years, he has felt that his body is not as good as day by day, and he feels unable to do many things.

The old prince also realized: I am afraid that there is not much time left for him.

If he didn't force Noctis to fulfill his promise when he was alive, and didn't promote the marriage between the royal family and the Lucis family, after he left, Noctis, whose wings were even stiffer, would probably not take the Lucis family even more seriously, and I am afraid that he would directly betray his promise and kick the Lucis family aside!

"Noctis is a hundred times more ruthless than his father, and if he is not forced to submit now, I am afraid that in the future, the nobles will be completely trampled under his feet, and they can only submit to him! The old prince, who saw the essence of the problem, said to his son.

Therefore, the attitude of the old prince is: no one shall delay for a year! Within this year, no matter what the day, Noctis must fulfill his promise!

And now it is the middle of July, and there is less than half a year left for Zhou Ming.

If he doesn't marry Elsa this year, next year, he will bear all the consequences!

After three days of quarrels to no avail, at this day's court meeting, the old prince tore his face and issued the strongest warning.

The hall was suddenly silent.

Then there was an uproar.

The ministers rebuked one after another!

"Lord Lucis, what do you mean by this, are you intimidating Your Majesty?"

"Old Prince, you can make it clear, what do you want to do?

"Old Wangjue, don't rely on the old and sell the old anymore, you can be presumptuous again, can you try to get out of this hall?!"

The minister's faction is not a vegetarian, and he doesn't eat the old prince at all, so he stubbornly went back one by one.

The old prince ignored these voices, glared at Zhou Ming, knocked on the cane in his hand and said: "Noctis, you forced me! I also know what you think in your heart, but if you don't fulfill your promise, even if you die, I will make you pay!"

Everyone in the hall fell silent for a moment.

They all looked at the old prince, extremely surprised by his naked warning.

His Majesty the Emperor, who has heavenly authority in his face and heavenly constitution in his mouth, and his authority is unshakable, someone dares to warn loudly, or in front of everyone.

This......

Zhou Ming was also silent for a while.

Then he asked in a deep voice: "Lord Wangjue, do you really ask me to fulfill my promise to Elsa within this year, without a moment's delay?"

"Yes, I'm 93 years old, and I want to see my great-granddaughter Elsa marry into the royal family and get married, do you want to drag me to death? Besides, getting married early is not the same as getting married late, you can't fulfill my old bones?"

The old prince's tone was still tough, but he also gave his reasons, showing that he was not vexatious.

"Good!"

Zhou Ming nodded: "Lord Wangjue, since you are so impatient, then I will fulfill you, and I will fulfill my promise to Elsa within this year, I don't know how this is?"

"Huh! That's pretty much it!"

Feeling the significant changes in Zhou Ming's aura, the old prince also realized that the kid Noctis was angry, and when the kid was angry, the old prince suddenly felt a little worried in his heart, and had the idea of "accept it when he sees it".

Of course, he still didn't forget to remind: "Noctis, so many ministers and nobles are here, everyone has heard it, I hope you speak count." ”

"A gentleman's words, the horse is difficult to chase. ”

Zhou Ming said lightly.

Seeing that the emperor was soft and compromised, the ministers on the left side lowered their heads one after another, their faces depressed, like defeated roosters.

Some ministers gritted their teeth and said: "Damn nobles, you are so persecuted, sooner or later you will bear the wrath of the king!"

However, the ministers did not know, and the aristocratic faction did not know, and more than three months later, when the "promise" that Zhou Ming said had fulfilled was placed in front of everyone, they were all taken aback and in an uproar.