Chapter 25: The Perils of Female Charms

Chapter 25: The Perils of Female Charms

The Emperor finally arrived at Qianyuan Hall.

Even though he reluctantly agreed to come, the Emperor disdainfully glanced at his left arm, then again, feeling uncomfortable all over. Eventually, unable to tolerate it, he had Zhang Zhongguo set up a bamboo screen in the Hall of Diligent Governance, and behind it, he summoned five Chancellors.

The five were Xie Wu, the Chancellor of the Zhongshu Province, two Vice Chancellors from the Menxia Province, Hua Guang and Linghu You, and from the Shangshu Province, which had no Chancellor, two Deputy Chancellors: Guo Wu, the Left Deputy, and Shang Quan, the Right Deputy.

Hua Guang and Xie Wu were old ministers left by his father, the late Emperor.

His father left him three ministers in total. Another was the Chancellor Liu Leque of the Shangshu Province, who died not long after his ascension. He did not appoint anyone else to this position. Being in charge of six ministries, the Shangshu Province was the most important of the three, and the position of Chancellor was known as the title of Lord.

Liu Leque was known for his straightforward criticism. He initially opposed the construction of Fuhua Palace, leading the opposition. As a respected old minister, the Emperor had to show him some respect despite his displeasure. Fortunately, Liu Leque passed away before the construction began.

The Emperor bestowed high honors on Liu Leque posthumously, including the Wen Zheng posthumous title and a burial next to the late Emperor, who had greatly admired him, allowing them to accompany each other in the afterlife.

Right after, the Emperor demoted several officials who had been most vocal in following Liu Leque's lead, sending some to herd sheep in the northern borders and others to swelter in the southern swamps.

The position of Chancellor remained vacant.

He promoted Guo Wu and Shang Quan as Left and Right Deputy Chancellors, dividing the management of the Shangshu Province. Linghu You, the Vice Chancellor, was also his own appointee, so he preferred consulting these three, especially on personal matters.

Like today, he actually only wanted to see these three.

Xie Wu and Hua Guang had intruded uninvited.

"Your Majesty, why have you avoided court for five days, and today, why meet us behind a curtain?" Hua Guang, immediately upon being seated, was the first to challenge.

"I don't want to see you,"

The Emperor had anticipated this and calmly prepared his response, "If only all of you were as handsome as Linghu Lang, I wouldn't need to put up a curtain to spare my eyes."

As soon as these words were spoken, Linghu You, sitting at the far right, suddenly became the focus of four displeased and scrutinizing gazes. He responded with an awkward smile, embodying unique charm and elegance.

Hua Guang was the first to withdraw his glare, stammering, "Your... Your Majesty," but then fell silent, as if struck by lightning. Despite being accustomed to the Emperor's whimsical nature and occasional unconventional behavior, he never expected to be criticized for his appearance, reminiscing about his own youthful good looks...

Wait, he was getting off track.

How could he be thinking about this following the Emperor's remarks?

Hua Guang felt like crying. How could he face his ancestors with such embarrassment?

Xie Wu glanced at his old colleague. Despite their usual disagreements, they shared a plight, prompting him to offer support, "Your Majesty, appearances are deceiving. One must look beyond the surface to see the essence. Though we may not compare to Minister Linghu in looks, our dedication to the state and loyalty to Your Majesty surpasses mere physical appearance."

"I appreciate your loyalty, Xie, but I still don't want to strain my eyes."

Since his youth, Xie Wu had prided himself on his eloquence, until he met the Emperor, who often left him speechless with his unorthodox responses. He had heard of the Emperor's fondness for beauty in his younger days, dismissing it as youthful vanity. But rather than diminishing, this predilection seemed to intensify with age.

He pondered whether to advise further.

But before he could speak, Hua Guang preempted him, rising and kneeling on the ground, "Your Majesty, as the ruler of all, how can you judge people by their looks? Favoring or disfavoring someone based on appearance will lead to the same downfall as previous dynasties. Without capable officials, the inner court will be filled with favored concubines, and the court will be overrun with flatterers. Your Majesty, you have many favored consorts, and today you suspended the court for five days due to one concubine's illness. In the future, will you forsake the realm for a concubine? The calamity of beauty has historical precedents; the Shang and Yin dynasties serve as a warning."

"Your Majesty has repeatedly suspended court due to Lady Zhu's illness, this time being the most severe. In my view, Lady Zhu is a calamity like Daji or Meixi, bewitching Your Majesty and neglecting state affairs. To preserve Your Majesty's reputation, I implore you to demote Lady Zhu and dismantle Fuhua Palace, to set things right..."

Xie Wu initially thought the beginning of the statement was reasonable.

But as he heard the rest, he realized trouble was brewing.

Indeed, before the speech was finished, a furious shout came from behind the curtain, "Minister Hua, silence! My staying in Fuhua Palace has nothing to do with Lady Zhu." After a brief pause, Xie Wu could hear the sound of exasperation from behind the curtain, indicating that Hua Guang's words had greatly angered the Emperor.

The Emperor continued scolding, "Why demolish a perfectly good palace? Doesn't construction cost money? If I'm not comfortable every day, what use do I have for a clear reputation? As for the calamity of women..." He scoffed coldly, "I wish there were such a thing. At least it wouldn't be as painful to the eyes and heart as Minister Hua."

"I called you here to inform you that from now on, the morning court will be held every five days. Also, I will not be attending court for the next half month. Any matters should be submitted in memorials."

This announcement was like a thunderclap, startling the remaining ministers, causing them to become unsettled in their seats.

Especially Xie Wu, a highly cautious man, hesitated no longer. As a minister entrusted by the former Emperor, he immediately rose and knelt, "Your Majesty, daily court meetings are a time-honored tradition and must not be altered..."

"I am informing you, not consulting you,"

The Emperor spoke sternly and tapped his paperweight on the table. He had had enough of attending the Hanyuan Hall every morning, listening to endless, pointless debates. He wondered what his ancestors were thinking when they established such a rigorous routine.

"Besides, look, during these five days I haven't held court, none of your affairs have been delayed. There's no need for this formality every morning, causing suffering for both you and me."

"That's all, you may leave." With this final statement, the Emperor behind the curtain rose and left hastily, fearing that Minister Hua might actually start crying in front of him.

He hadn't neglected any important matters, yet they were still dissatisfied.

Some old ministers were simply too shameless.

It's either crying or obstinate admonition.

Another reason was that his father, the previous Emperor, had indulged these ministers too much, fostering their bad habits. He was not willing to continue this indulgence. With the remaining few being quite old, he had no choice but to outlive them.

Stepping out of Qianyuan Hall, he instantly felt refreshed and invigorated.

He assured himself that he had addressed all necessary matters, hoping that Ah Yan wouldn't find another reason to send him away.

However, he didn't expect to escape the old ministers' tears only to face those of the harem. Seeing a swarm of concubines at the Hou Sheng Pavilion behind Qianyuan Hall, each coming forward with inquiries and concerns, he immediately understood what was happening.

It must have been Ah Yan's doing.

She had leaked news of his injury.

Seeing the tearful, delicate faces of the beauties was infinitely more pleasing than witnessing Minister Hua's weeping, but remembering Ah Yan's purpose soured his mood, especially with his immobile left hand and the unsightly splint.

His good mood vanished.

Thus, he didn't leave the palanquin, nor did he linger long, "What are you all doing here? To those who know, it seems like concern, but to those who don't, it looks like a funeral. Disperse, all of you."

The assembled concubines felt their tears were in vain.

Those who were genuinely crying stopped at his words, afraid to continue.

He had no interest in distinguishing their true intentions and ordered the palanquin to move on.

He ignored even Liu Cairen stumbling beside the palanquin.

He was in no mood to deal with these matters.

Passing through the crowd, anxious to return, he urged the bearers to hasten to Fuhua Palace. Seeing the closed doors, his face darkened, and he couldn't help but laugh bitterly, "Xing En, go knock on the door."

"Yes."

Xing En promptly responded and hurried to knock on the door, knowing any delay could direct the Emperor's anger towards him.

The door was quickly opened.

It was Ping'an, the chief eunuch of Fuhua Palace, who opened the door.

The Emperor entered and asked, "Where is your mistress?"

"In the Bimo Pavilion, reading."

"She seems quite relaxed, stirring up trouble yet still able to sit still." The Emperor didn’t bother with anything else and headed straight to the Bimo Pavilion. Seeing Zhu Yan engrossed in a book on the desk, he snatched it from her hands. It was a history book of the current dynasty, freshly transcribed by the scholars of Lantai Pavilion and delivered just yesterday.

"Why did you disclose my injury?"

"You never said it couldn’t be told," Zhu Yan retorted, her tone naturally not too pleasant as her reading was abruptly interrupted.

The Emperor found her reasoning sound; indeed, he hadn’t explicitly forbidden it. However, he didn’t believe Zhu Yan was unaware of his wishes. He was reluctant to spread such unflattering news, "I think you did it on purpose."

"You guessed right, but there's no prize," Zhu Yan quipped, snatching the book back. She was surprised at the Emperor's quick return, wondering if Concubine Chu Li hadn’t visited.

Author's Note:

Going bug hunting tomorrow~~ Good night, kisses.