Chapter 165 (1/2)

Chapter 8.9 – G.o.ddess of the Harem

The centre palace, the Imperial study.

What happened in the harem yesterday had been spread throughout society by the morning. Today, memorials from courtiers and an admonishment from the Imperial Censor were piled high on the teapoy. Many of the memorials came from the Nan faction in the Imperial court. The Nan faction was a stubborn faction headed by Imperial Censor Nan. It had always been the most troublesome group of people for Dongfang Yao to deal with. After the original host of the body had ascended the throne, these old codgers looked for trouble a lot with him. These two were not only veterans of the court, they also had the Empress Dowager’s support. Dongfang Yao could only silently endure.

However, he did not expect this old man’s hands to grow really long, to be so meddlesome as to bother with matters in the Imperial harem.

Looking at the reprimands on the table that rebuked him for being too tyrannical, Su Rui just smiled coldly. What do you mean ‘tyrannical’? You guys don’t even know what real tyranny is. They are merely a group of self-opinionated old fogeys who flaunt their seniority.

Dongfang Yao was concerned about past relations.h.i.+ps and also wanted to stabilise the court. He had no choice but to compromise with the Nan faction, but now that Su Rui has become Dongfang Yao, he doesn’t care about what this group of people had to say. If all else fails, just cut them down, so what?

“Your Majesty.”

w.a.n.g Yi, who was originally outside the door guarding the study, hurried to Su Rui’s side, bowed and spoke with his head lowered: “Your Majesty, a messenger from the Cining Palace has come, the Empress Dowager invites you to come to Cining Palace for a meal.”

Empress Dowager?

“Zhen is very busy. No time.”

Regarding the current dynasty’s Empress Dowager, Su Rui didn’t like her one bit. This young, widowed mother-in-law had been in close contact with her relatives. She always has delusions about governing the country. What’s more, she was not actually Dongfang Yao’s biological mother. The mother and son are naturally not of one mind.

Blu: The mother and son are naturally not of one mind – Meaning, they’re not on the same page/ have different goals in mind. (Explained because Teh didn’t get it and I thought some of you guys might not get it as well)

Hearing Su Rui’s words, w.a.n.g Yi was not surprised. His Majesty’s behaviour has been very unusual these past few days. w.a.n.g Yi, who experienced the occurrence of too many unexpected things, had learned to be calm.

Isn’t it just rejecting the Empress Dowager? Isn’t this what His Majesty had always wanted to do but had no chance to do so?

w.a.n.g Yi couldn’t help but frown at the thought of the person in Cining Palace. He reminisced on how gentle and virtuous she was back when the previous Emperor was still here. But after the previous Emperor entrusted the present Emperor to her, she immediately changed. She formed a faction and was obsessed with the ambition of wanting to be a female Emperor.

Blu: Fun fact, there was a female Emperor. She was the first and last female Emperor of China. After her death, she was vilified bc men back then had serious cases of beta male pride. I rate them small pp. (Don’t quote me on this. I’m not sure of all the facts.)

Teh: Her name was Wu Zhetian if you’re curious. She was cool.

After w.a.n.g Yi left, Su Rui casually browsed a few memorials. When he saw a certain memorial on people who would become imperial guards, Su Rui’s movements stiffened and his eyes fell on a person’s name.

Chen Shengbei.

He was Su Wan’s fiance in the original plot and the Male Lead daren of this world. And this memorial was sent in by the imperial guards with the intention to promote some of the outstanding imperial guards. Chen Shengbei is also included in this time’s promotion list.

Su Rui frowned for a long time, and finally wrote the word “Approved” on it.

As for the other memorials, without exception they were all ignored by General Su…

Harem, Shangfu Bureau.

Such a major incident happened yesterday, a good number of people from the Shangfu Bureau had died and now they were seriously understaffed. Liao Siyi brought Yan Yunuo to the Imperial Household Department to look at the register of some ladies who just entered the palace. She was planning to look for some little palace maids who had decent needlework skills to replenish the manpower in Shangfu Bureau.

“Xu Bingyue?”

In that register of palace maids, Yan Yunuo was surprised to see Xu Bingyue’s name. When she was in Imperial Hospital that day, she met that little maid servant. She knew that she and Su Wan sent her to the Imperial Hospital. Later, she also told her that her full name was “Xu Bingyue”.

“Yunuo, do you know her?”

Hearing Yan Yunuo’s voice, Liao Siyi turned to look at her and asked in a questioning tone.

“Replying to Liao Siyi, the slave-servant was infected with the cold yesterday, it was she and Su Wan who sent the slave-servant to the Imperial Hospital.”

Speaking of this, Yan Yunuo couldn’t help but think of Su Wan who had been sent to the Xinzheku, and she immediately became despondent: “I wonder how Su Wan is over there? Her body isn’t that healthy and I don’t know whether she can endure it or not.”

Because it was so busy in Shangfu Bureau today, Yan Yunuo did not have time to meet Chen Ji and did not know how things went on his side.

Hearing Yan Yunuo’s words full of worry, Liao Siyi only sighed in the bottom of her heart. Su Wan was also a good seedling, but she had offended the Emperor. Although he only said to dispatch her to the Xinzheku for a month, if they did not receive instructions from His Majesty after the stipulated period, who would dare to let her out without permission?

“Yunuo, everyone deep in the palace is like rootless duckweed, everyone has their own fate, you just need to take care of yourself.”

Liao Siyi could see that Yu Nuo was too kind-hearted and soft, and she had to mention this from time to time so that Yan Yunuo would not lose her little life in the future because she did not heed her warnings.

Hearing Liao Siyi’s words, Yan Yunuo moved her lips but did not speak. She knew that Liao Siyi had her own way of life, but Yan Yunuo also had her own principles. She knew that Su Wan suffered such punishment because of her, and she had to find a way to rescue her no matter what.

“Since you know Xu Bingyue, what do you think of her?”

Seeing Yan Yunuo was no longer speaking, Liao Siyi set her sights on the palace maid register in her hands.

“Bingyue is very kind and pa.s.sionate, she is a good girl.”