The Favorite of the Sick and Weak Lady - Chapter 77

Xiao Yu’s eyes lit up, a wide smile spreading across her face. Nothing could be better than finding a reliable teacher to guide her. She had just ascended the throne and didn’t understand many things. Having someone to mentor her would be a great help. But the question was, who should she choose?

The Grand Princess recommended Grand Tutor Li, while her father-in-law suggested picking someone from the influential aristocratic families. Whichever side she chose, she would offend the other. And at the moment, she didn’t want to choose either. She wanted to pick someone she favored, someone she could use for her own purposes later, rather than a political pawn for factions in the court.

Unable to make a decision, Xiao Yu deliberated for a moment. Perhaps she could consult her wife, Song Luoning. She was astute, had grown up in the Prime Minister’s residence, and understood the inner workings of the court far better than she did. She’d wait and ask her before making a decision.

“Today, the Grand Princess and my father-in-law both said I should find a teacher,” she said. “The problem is, I haven’t settled on a candidate yet. I could have chosen someone from a commoner family, but with the literati in the capital in such an uproar, who would be willing to be my teacher?”

“Your Majesty also wants to find a teacher?” Song Luoning asked.

“I do. There are so many things I don’t understand. It would be good to have someone to teach me,” Xiao Yu sighed helplessly.

Just thinking about it wasn’t enough. Now that she held this position, she naturally wanted to do her best. She didn’t seek to leave a legacy in the history books; she just wanted to be worthy of the people. She couldn’t bear to see them go hungry or be displaced under her rule.

Seeing her eagerness to learn, Song Luoning’s lips curved into a smile. “My husband, do you remember the rice-hulling tool you created earlier?”

“I remember it!” Xiao Yu shifted her position, resting her head on her wife’s lap. The thin fabric of their summer clothes allowed them to feel each other’s warmth. Song Luoning’s face flushed a little, her lips lifting slightly into a tender, gentle smile.

Xiao Yu’s heart fluttered. She turned to the side, pressing her cheek against her wife’s leg, lightly embracing her waist, and burying her face in her lap. After a moment, a muffled voice came out, “My lady, why did you suddenly ask about that?”

Song Luoning picked up a fan and began to gently wave it. “Your Majesty should promote it as soon as possible.”

“Hmm?” Xiao Yu was confused. She loosened her embrace, lifted her head, and blinked.

Song Luoning stopped fanning and met her gaze. “This is a beneficial deed for the people. Promoting it now will not only help the common folk, letting them know they have an Emperor who cares for them, but it will also silence those literati. No matter how eloquent their essays, they cannot compete with the voice of the people. After that, Your Majesty can issue a decree to recruit talented individuals without regard to their background. This will also give face to the literati, and you will win their hearts for your own use.”

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yu’s eyes lit up. She scrambled to a sitting position on the couch, blinking. She then pulled her wife into her arms.

“Song Luoning, I feel like you’re even smarter than before.”

Song Luoning froze, her expression complex. Why did that sound so strange? After a moment, she asked, “Does Your Majesty mean I wasn’t smart before?”

Realizing she had said the wrong thing, Xiao Yu quickly explained, “No… my lady, listen to me. You used to be…” She paused, choosing her words carefully. “It’s not that you weren’t smart, it’s just… you were just too sharp.”

“…”

Was that a compliment? Song Luoning ground her teeth, staring at the rogue who had married her.

Seeing her fall silent, Xiao Yu let go of her and cautiously glanced at her. She tried to change the subject, “My lady, isn’t it time for lunch?”

“…” Song Luoning choked on her words. She gave her a look and got up to summon the palace servants.

Winning Hearts and Minds

After the imperial decree was issued, the Ministry of Works quickly got busy, starting to promote the tool from the capital. Because the price was controlled in time, within just a few days, all the white rice in the grain shops was quickly bought up.

Even wealthy households that used to have their kitchens polish rice themselves now simply bought the polished rice from the grain shops, as the price was so low. Common folk weren’t as particular; they just wanted a full stomach. They usually ate coarse rice, which was filling but not good for the digestive system long-term. Now that polished rice was available and only slightly more expensive, people started mixing the two.

The promotion in the capital was a huge success. From there, it spread to various counties, eventually covering the entire nation. The good reputation of the Emperor as someone who cared for the people spread among them. The literati in the capital, feeling they had lost face, also wisely held their tongues.

At the same time, imperial notices were posted throughout the country. The new Emperor would break with tradition and recruit talented individuals. Anyone with an education, regardless of gender, could take the exam to become a government official.

The announcement shocked the entire nation. In this society, women were not treated well. For them to take an exam and even become officials was unprecedented. Those literati came out again to criticize and comment, but it didn’t stir up a big storm. After all, the Emperor was personally selecting talent, and the opportunity was rare. How could they truly offend the Emperor at this time? Even if women participated in the same exam as them, so what? They had to be talented enough to begin with, right?

Xiao Yu didn’t mind. The decision to allow women to take the exam was simply preparation for her eventual plan to open a girls’ school. She wanted the whole world to know she valued women.

A New Problem and a New Plan

“My lady, why are you sitting here? I’ve been looking for you.”

The fish in the lotus pond scattered at the sound of the voice. Song Luoning looked over to see the young Emperor walking toward her with a smile on her face. She put down the fish food in her hand. “Your Majesty, did something good happen?”

With that, she stood up and pulled a handkerchief from her sleeve to gently wipe the sweat from Xiao Yu’s brow.

Xiao Yu took her hand, her face full of joy. “The list of talented individuals from all over has been sent to the palace. Guess what?”

“Oh?” Song Luoning raised an eyebrow. The only thing that could make this scoundrel so happy was that women had signed up for the talent selection. She curved her lips. “I really can’t guess. Why don’t you tell me?”

“You probably wouldn’t guess. This time, five women signed up for the talent selection! It’s a great start. I was worried no one would. Now, I can rest assured. Regardless of how they do on the next exam, this is good for my plan to open a girls’ school,” she said, her eyes twinkling with excitement. She repeated, “I really didn’t expect it.”

Song Luoning chuckled. “Congratulations, Your Majesty.”

“It’s nothing, just a pleasant surprise. Also, while the previous case hasn’t progressed much, it’s been pushed aside because of this. People are saying I was right to kill him; a traitor like Xiao Chengze deserved to be killed. It was for the good of the people. As for the Chen Ziyi case, people also believe I’m innocent. They’re even praising me as a good Emperor,” she said, her tone filled with pride.

Seeing her like this, Song Luoning reached out and tidied the hair at her temple. “That is good news. What are your plans next?”

Xiao Yu thought for a moment, her expression turning serious. Her tone became more formal. “The mastermind must be found, otherwise, we don’t know what he’ll do from the shadows. The Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review don’t seem to be getting anywhere with this. I think I’ll hand it over to Captain Liang for a secret investigation.”

At her words, Song Luoning’s eyes trembled slightly. The hand she had reached out paused, then slowly withdrew, her hands clasping together under her wide sleeves. She lowered her gaze, hiding the turmoil in her eyes. Her mind raced. If he kept investigating, it would eventually lead back to her father. Could she really become enemies with her own father?

Xiao Yu saw she was distracted. She leaned down and kissed her forehead. “What are you thinking about, so lost in thought?”

“Your Majesty…” Song Luoning snapped back to reality. She took a step back, instinctively glancing around, creating distance between them. Her gaze darted away. “We’re outside, how can you…”

“What’s wrong with being outside? In my hometown, when two people love each other, they can kiss. Besides, we’re already married. What’s wrong with a little kiss?” Xiao Yu said matter-of-factly.

“…”

Were the people of Chen Village really so open-minded? Why hadn’t she realized it before? Or was she right in her previous suspicion? Song Luoning’s heart ached with alarm. Why was she thinking of “body possession” again? Such a bizarre thing…

She suppressed the suspicion and gently pushed Xiao Yu, motioning for her to sit down. “No matter what, you must be careful about these things. You are the Emperor now; you must pay more attention to your image and not be so reckless.”

Reckless? Xiao Yu was unhappy. She pouted, but obediently sat down. She felt truly wronged, her delicate face looking pathetic as she held Song Luoning’s hand.

Song Luoning’s heart softened. She began to wonder if she was being too strict. Since ancient times, which Emperor wasn’t a bit outrageous? A simple kiss didn’t seem like a big deal. But… given this rogue’s personality, if she indulged her this time, who knew what shocking things she would do next?

Having sorted out her thoughts, Song Luoning’s expression returned to its usual composure. She wasn’t foolish. For the sake of the future, she could only let this rogue feel a little wronged. “Sit properly. What do you plan to do next?” she said, her face becoming more serious.

Seeing her expression, Xiao Yu sat up straight. Her eyes twinkled, and a hint of smugness appeared on her face. She pulled her chair to sit directly across from Song Luoning, looking ready to explain everything in detail.

“The scholars coming to take the exam should have arrived in the capital in the last few days. I plan to personally devise the exam questions.” Since she was choosing people to work for her, she had to choose them herself. She couldn’t trust anyone else to do it.

Song Luoning nodded. “What did the officials say?”

“Some are watching to see what happens, others are supportive. It varies. Because of the popularity we gained from promoting the rice-hulling tool, they can’t really say anything. But even if they had an opinion this time, I wouldn’t indulge them. If I had to listen to them on everything, I’d be a useless Emperor.”

Song Luoning’s fingers tightened. She knew what this person was thinking. She might seem a little naive, but she was wise in her own way and had her own ambition. She wouldn’t be easily swayed by others. What was truly rare was that she didn’t have the arrogance of other rulers. She was willing to listen to the opinions of others. Regardless of what she accomplished in the future, this alone made her better than countless other rulers.

When Xiao Yu finished, she stared intently at Song Luoning. “My lady, what do you think?”

Song Luoning nodded, a look of appreciation on her face. “It’s a good plan. This can solve the problem of Your Majesty having no one you can trust, and you can select a truly virtuous and talented Grand Tutor. Also, the men Father sent to search the Prince of Chang’s residence have returned. It’s time to send someone to take over Qingzhou.”

Xiao Yu smiled. “My lady and I are thinking the same thing. The Ministry of Revenue hasn’t had time to count the confiscated goods yet, but I’ve seen that there’s a lot. We should know the total in the next couple of days. My father-in-law did a good job this time. What do you think would be a good reward for him?”

The national treasury had been nearly depleted by Xiao Cheng’an’s extravagance. The confiscated wealth from the Prince of Chang’s residence would fill it up, so they wouldn’t be without funds when they needed them.

Over the past few days, she had also reviewed the historical records of the nation. She noticed that the Jiangnan region always suffered from floods during the summer. It was the rainy season now, and it was always good to be prepared. She had already decided on the exam topic for the second half of the test: a policy paper on how to handle the rainy season. She didn’t want talent who could only write poems; she wanted people who were truly capable and could think about the well-being of the people. A policy paper was the best way to see a person’s ability to respond to a real-world problem.

With that thought, Xiao Yu raised her eyebrows, a hint of youthful pride on her face. “My father-in-law is already a first-rank official, so I think a promotion is out of the question. Why don’t we give the reward to your third brother instead? He has been with your eldest brother but doesn’t have a formal position. It just so happens that we need an examiner for the talent selection this time. I can put him in charge. With him supervising, I can feel at ease.”

Song Luoning’s eyebrows lifted. She pondered for a moment, then slowly lowered her gaze, lost in thought. After a long while, she said slowly, “That’s a good idea. It is indeed a bit improper for both my eldest brother and third brother to be in the Imperial Guards. It’s very thoughtful of Your Majesty to think of this.”

Why would she suddenly want to move her third brother away from the Imperial Guards? The Imperial Guards were responsible for the security of the Imperial City and were always led by the Emperor’s most trusted individuals. Yet, she was moving her third brother away.

Song Luoning was unsure if she had also suspected something. She looked at Xiao Yu, who, when she smiled, looked even more delicate. Her lips were just the right thickness, and she seemed so sincere.

Song Luoning pursed her lips, conflicted inside. She waited a moment, and just as she was about to speak again, she heard Xiao Yu say, “In that case, I will go and draft the decree.”

So fast? Looking at the person who was already standing up, Song Luoning bit her lip. After a long moment of internal struggle, she took her hand. “I’ll go with Your Majesty.”

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