The Favorite of the Sick and Weak Lady - Chapter 72

the Emperor was silent, and the palace staff who had made a mistake didn’t dare to get up on their own.

When Xiao Yu returned to the Palace of Fu Ning, she found that a eunuch was missing from her side. She asked and learned that Fu Shun was still kneeling. She sent a young eunuch to call him back.

Inside the hall, Song Luoning sat demurely on a couch reading. Seeing her return, she got up to curtsy. Xiao Yu quickly supported her, her heart filled with helplessness instead of the anger she had felt earlier. “Didn’t I tell you not to bow? Why did you forget again?”

Song Luoning’s lips curved into a gentle smile. She placed her hand on the jade belt of Xiao Yu’s court robe, helping her change her clothes.

Xiao Yu naturally lifted her arms. “It’s all because…” She suddenly stopped speaking.

She had finally convinced her lady to live with her. If she were to find out about what happened in court today, she might move out tonight. Xiao Yu immediately shook her head. “Actually, it’s nothing. It’s just that those ministers don’t take me seriously.” Her tone showed a hint of awkwardness.

This was her first day on the throne. The ministers had already tried to sideline her. If she hadn’t been clever, she would have had to let the male lead return to Qingzhou and even reward him. Wouldn’t that be like planting a bomb for herself?

Song Luoning looked up, keenly catching a hint of dissatisfaction in her expression. She comforted her, “Your Majesty has just ascended the throne, and your foundation is not yet stable. Don’t be too anxious.” As she spoke, she gently placed the jade belt she was holding on a bronze tray and began to unfasten the ties on the front of the robe. The wide, heavy court robe, with its nine-clawed golden dragon embroidered in gold thread stretching all the way to the hem, made the inner garments damp with sweat in the humid, hot weather.

Song Luoning called a palace maid to help her take off the court robe and hang it on a clothes rack.

“I’m really about to die from the heat. Couldn’t this robe be made thinner and lighter? Thankfully, I don’t have to attend court every day, or I’d really die from the heat.” Xiao Yu sighed in relief, fanning her cheeks with her hands. She took the water Song Luoning handed her and drank it all in one gulp, waving her hand to dismiss the palace staff.

The palace staff bowed and exited the sleeping chamber.

Xiao Yu sat down on the couch and tugged at the tight chest-binding cloth, loosening it a bit. “Those old men are so despicable. They actually wanted me to release Xiao Chengze.”

Song Luoning paused, her brows slightly furrowed. “What did Father say?”

What did he say?

Thinking about this made Xiao Yu angry. It was one thing for others to say it, but the key was that her own father-in-law was the one who had led the charge.

“What else could he say?” She knew in her heart how many times her father-in-law’s family had helped her. Although her father-in-law had initiated the matter today, they were still family, and she wouldn’t truly blame him. Furthermore, she didn’t want to make her lady feel caught in the middle.

“Forget it,” Xiao Yu waved her hand, her tone calm. “It’s not a big deal anyway.” It really wasn’t a big deal; she had already resolved it. She had him placed under house arrest in disguise.

Thinking she had hidden it well, Song Luoning, being the astute person she was, immediately understood. Her father must have proposed the matter. Her father had always been concerned for the nation. This was indeed a difficult situation. On one hand, it involved the new emperor’s ascension. Pardoning the rebel leader would not only give the new emperor a good reputation but also let the world know of her magnanimity and benevolence, completely discouraging any other regional lords who were still watching. Furthermore, there were still 100,000 rebel soldiers outside the city. What if they caused chaos again?

On the other hand, Xiao Chengze was an ambitious man. Releasing him would be like letting a tiger loose. He had also wanted to kill her before, so it was no wonder that the “flirtatious scoundrel” would be unhappy about being asked to release him.

Song Luoning sat down next to her. After a moment of hesitation, she said softly, “I know Your Majesty feels wronged, but Father was also thinking of the country.”

She had been seen through?

Xiao Yu looked up, sighed slightly, and thought that nothing could be hidden from her. The earlier gloominess was gone. She took Song Luoning’s hand and held it in her palm. “It’s not really a grievance. In the end, I didn’t let them have their way. I wonder if my father-in-law will be mad at me for this?”

“Huh?” Song Luoning was surprised. She knew that this “flirtatious scoundrel” seemed unintelligent but was actually rebellious and would do anything to get her way.

Had she ordered him to be killed?

Song Luoning’s heart skipped a beat. If that were the case, she would be giving others a handle to use against her.

“Your Majesty…”

Xiao Yu smiled, interrupting her. “I’ve sent Xiao Chengze to guard the imperial mausoleum. I originally wanted to charge him with rebellion and have him killed, but then I thought, we’ve finally stopped fighting. If we cause panic among the rebels outside the city and another war breaks out, it wouldn’t be worth it. Releasing him in exchange for peace is a good deal.”

Upon hearing this, Song Luoning let out a sigh of relief, and her lips curled into a smile. Sure enough, this person would never take a loss. It was clever of her to come up with this solution.

Then, Xiao Yu grinned and told her all the details of the morning court session.

After listening, Song Luoning’s brows furrowed slightly. Although the issue was resolved, Qingzhou was now a land without a ruler. She couldn’t help but feel worried. “How will Qingzhou be managed now, Your Majesty? Have you thought about it?”

“Although Qingzhou is not a wealthy region, it has an iron mine that has always been managed by the local government. If it’s not handled properly, it might be used by those with ulterior motives.”

Management?

She hadn’t thought of that. The ministers hadn’t mentioned it either. If it was as her lady said, this iron mine must be firmly in her hands. She knew that weapons in ancient times were all made of iron, so this iron mine was a treasure.

Xiao Yu thought for a moment, her eyes fixed on Song Luoning, her tone full of inquiry. “Should I find a reliable person to take over Qingzhou, or does my lady have another idea?”

Song Luoning couldn’t help but smile. “It doesn’t need to be that complicated. It would be better to directly reclaim Qingzhou and have the imperial court take it over. As for…”

“I understand!” Xiao Yu’s eyes lit up, and she excitedly slapped her thigh. “As for the iron mine, the court must take it over, too. And all iron, coal, and salt mines should be managed by the court with a unified appointee, and local officials should have no right to interfere.”

Song Luoning nodded, not expecting her to be so clever.

Xiao Yu stood up, her expression a little excited, and began pacing back and forth. “I’ll go now.”

“Wait a moment,” Song Luoning called out to her. “Has Your Majesty thought through how to do this?”

“Yes, we definitely need to send a reliable person to Qingzhou, and the iron mine must be taken back by the court. And for the future, I want to abolish the feudal states,” Xiao Yu said.

She had seen the rebellion of feudal lords on TV more than once and had just experienced it herself. Abolishing the feudal states was a necessity, so she might as well start with Qingzhou.

Abolishing the feudal states?

Song Luoning was shocked. How did it escalate to abolishing feudal states? This was no small matter. If not handled properly, it could force the princes to rebel. How could this “flirtatious scoundrel” be so impatient?

“Your Majesty, some things cannot be rushed. The various powers are intertwined. One action can affect everything. If you really want to do this, it will definitely harm the interests of some people, and the resistance will not be small,” Song Luoning said.

Xiao Yu was stunned. It was true. The root cause of so many failed reforms in history was that they touched on the interests of certain people. If she didn’t have enough power in her hands, she couldn’t rely on a surge of passion alone.

Xiao Yu calmed down. “I understand. I’ll wait on the matter of abolishing the feudal states, but the Qingzhou issue must be resolved.”

Song Luoning nodded.

Who in court could be trusted?

Her father-in-law’s family?

Xiao Yu quickly dismissed the idea. Judging from her father-in-law’s attitude today, he might not stand with her. Besides, half of the court officials were her father-in-law’s protégés. Who could say whether her reforms would touch on their interests?

Grand Princess?

Her suggestion today was indeed from her side, but with the enemy-or-friend status still unclear, she didn’t dare to trust her rashly. Moreover, she and Xiao Chengze were rivals in love, so it was normal for her to wish her rival’s death. Just thinking about the sad and romantic story between her lady and the male lead in the original plot made her want to kill Xiao Chengze.

Maybe she could find another opportunity to test the Grand Princess.

However, the most important thing was to cultivate her own power. The imperial examination was the most direct way throughout history, but the spring exam was not until next year, and she didn’t have that much time to wait.

Xiao Yu couldn’t help but sigh. How had she become a “loner” for real?

A lonely person above all? She wasn’t like this now, was she?

She sat back on the couch, her brows drooping. She lay down slowly, resting her head on Song Luoning’s lap. “It seems like I can’t even find one person I can trust.”

A trustworthy person?

Song Luoning looked down at her delicate features, not missing the bewilderment in the young woman’s eyes. She was a little taken aback. Wasn’t her father a person she could trust?

After a moment of silence, she asked, “Does Your Majesty have a suitable candidate in mind?”

A suitable candidate?

She was a loner; what suitable candidate could she have? The thought made her sigh again. She shook her head and said truthfully, “I want to cultivate some of my own people so I won’t be constrained when things happen.”

Song Luoning pursed her lips, her eyes filled with an indecipherable depth. She wanted to ask if her father was not considered her own person, but in the end, her question turned into a sigh, and she said nothing.

It was difficult to fathom the mind of an emperor. Although she knew that she might not have meant it that way, there was still some sadness in her heart.

Seeing that Song Luoning remained silent for a long time, Xiao Yu looked up. “Does my lady have an idea?”

Song Luoning paused, hiding her emotions, and smiled. “The best way to select talent is through the imperial examination, but there is still some time until then. I’m afraid the Qingzhou matter cannot wait that long.”

This coincided with her own thoughts.

“Your Majesty, why not issue an imperial edict to recruit talents widely? To show your appreciation for talent, you could even personally select them,” Song Luoning said.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yu’s spirits lifted. She sat up straight, her eyes full of anticipation. “My lady, who do you think is best to handle this matter?”

Song Luoning pursed her lips. From their conversation, she hadn’t mentioned her father or brother, so she made a decision. “Your Majesty, you should give this matter to the Grand Princess. The Grand Princess is a just person. I heard a little about her when I was still in the inner chambers, and also…”

She glanced at Xiao Yu and didn’t continue.

How much did this person understand about imperial power?

Xiao Yu didn’t dwell on her silence. She smiled and said, “Then I’ll listen to my lady, but I can’t fully trust the Grand Princess either.” As for someone to trust…

A few figures flashed through Xiao Yu’s mind, and her lips curved. “My lady, why don’t we go back and see my mother today? I haven’t been back to see her since I entered the palace. I wonder if she’s worried?”

Song Luoning nodded. She took a set of casual clothes from the clothes rack. Unlike the court robe, the casual clothes weren’t heavy or difficult to put on. Xiao Yu smiled and took them, her tone intimate. “I’ll do this myself.” Even after becoming emperor, she hadn’t gotten used to being waited on hand and foot.

The two of them got dressed and left the palace in plain clothes, accompanied by only two personal guards. They arrived at the residence at noon.

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