TPATTHU Chapter 81

Chapter 81 Perhaps…Perhaps It Can Prolong Consort Shen’s Life…

Chapter 81 Perhaps…Perhaps It Can Prolong Consort Shen’s Life…

Before dawn, Xiao Zhinian, after warning Huai Wen not to untie Shen Zhejiang without permission, hurried back to the palace.

Having not slept all night, Xiao Zhinian showed almost no signs of fatigue except for some bloodshot eyes. Sitting in the court, he inexplicably exuded an aura of authority without anger.

Even Prime Minister Hu felt inexplicably apprehensive seeing Xiao Zhinian like this.

Moreover, last night, for some unknown reason, the Emperor had the commander of the Lu Imperial Guards flogged eighty times, and the man was still lying in his residence recovering from his injuries. Coupled with the overnight demolition of Qingfeng Pavilion, these two events made the civil and military officials of the court carefully weigh their words several times in their minds.

Who knew if they would be the next to suffer?

“Reporting to Your Majesty, all procedures for the Consort Investiture Ceremony are on schedule. The crown and boots are being sewn by the Shangzhi Bureau in haste. The auspicious robes are adorned with three hundred and thirty-three pearls from the South Sea, offered as tribute from the Western Regions, along with a hundred bolts of silk, thirty-seven pieces of gold, silver, and jewelry, and a jade *ruyi* scepter…”

This was the Emperor’s first wedding ceremony, and the size of the auspicious robes was personally given to the Shangzhi Bureau by Xiao Zhinian. Except for being forbidden from using bright red, the regulations were no less than those for establishing an Empress.

The Minister of Rites observed Xiao Zhinian’s expression on the throne with every sentence he read. Seeing his expression ease slightly towards the end, he also breathed a sigh of relief, “…The Qintian Supervisor has selected the eighth day of the second month of next year as an auspicious day for marriage.”

Wouldn’t that be another two months?

That was too long.

Xiao Zhinian couldn’t wait to marry Shen Zhejiang as a true husband and wife tomorrow, writing Shen Zhejiang’s name beside his, for all eternity, only to follow him.

Seeing that Xiao Zhinian was neither pleased nor angry, the Minister of Rites couldn’t fathom his meaning for a moment, and hesitantly asked, “Is Your Majesty satisfied?”

Xiao Zhinian pondered for a while, a good day was never too far away, so he waved his hand and said, “Acceptable. Order that there must be no oversights.”

“Yes.”

As the marriage was being discussed, the Minister of War reported that the Northern Yi, who had been quiet for many years, had recently shown signs of unrest, attempting to break through the border defenses and invade southward.

During the first year of Shuncheng, when Xiao Zhinian’s father, Wu Kun Emperor, ascended the throne, his foundation was not yet stable enough. Faced with the Northern Yi’s invasion, he resolved the issue through negotiation, marrying the current Minister of Personnel’s sister as Princess Anhe to a foreign land, securing over thirty years of peace in the Northern Borders.

Not long ago, Princess Anhe died of depression and homesickness, returning to Yan Country, at the age of only forty-seven. However, before her bones were even cold, the Northern Yi’s ambition was revealed.

Now that the border was frozen, the Northern Yi couldn’t break through for the time being, so they secretly trained their troops. If it weren’t for the scouts’ reports, it would have been difficult to detect the Northern Yi’s movements.

When the ice and snow melted next year, a war would likely be unavoidable.

“This minister believes that negotiation is the best policy. Since the late Emperor ascended the throne, Princess Anhe has stabilized the country and brought decades of peace to the people of both countries. Therefore, a suitable noble lady should be chosen as an envoy. Speaking of which, Minister of Rites’ daughter, Feng Biying, is just of marriageable age.”

The one who said this was precisely Lord Qiu, the Minister of Personnel. The reason he made such a suggestion was to preempt others, after all, he only had one unmarried daughter in his residence, who was waiting to become the Empress.

Moreover, the north was bitterly cold, and not everyone could endure it. Lord Qiu couldn’t bear to let his little daughter suffer.

Minister of Rites Feng knew the reasoning behind this. Who knew which family the Empress’s seat would ultimately fall to? How could he allow his own legitimate daughter to become some kind of peace princess for no reason?

Therefore, Minister of Rites Feng righteously said, “Lord Qiu’s family is loyal and righteous, and should inherit Princess Anhe’s legacy, setting an example for our Yan Country. What do you say, Lord Qiu?”

Seeing that the two of them were about to argue, someone suggested, “Reporting to Your Majesty, forgive this minister’s frankness, but this minister has thought of someone: Wang Xiuyi, the descendant of a convicted official.”

First, Wang Xiuyi had been on the border battlefield for a full three years, and had long adapted to the hardships of the frigid lands. Naturally, she wouldn’t be looked down upon by the Northern Yi people.

Second, after all, she was the descendant of a convicted official, and should have the awareness to sacrifice herself for the country. Appointing her as a peace princess was already looking highly upon her.

Figuring out these layers of meaning, the ministers nodded in agreement, actually wanting Xiao Zhinian to make the decision.

Xiao Zhinian didn’t say a word.

These old things, were they ungrateful or shifting blame East?

Truly, each and every one of them was a cunning old fox.

If Wang Xiuyi were to find out that these people were pushing her out like this, according to her violent temper, she might not stop until she had beaten them half to death.

Wang Xiuyi on the battlefield was a fierce general.

To put it bluntly, without her, if the Northern Yi really attacked southward, Xiao Zhinian wouldn’t know where to find such a general.

“Is our Yan Country inferior to the Northern Yi?”

Xiao Zhinian’s finger joints slowly tapped the patterns on the dragon throne’s armrest, his eyes as deep as pools of water sweeping over the ministers below.

The civil and military officials were all stunned upon hearing this, not knowing what to make of it, and retreated to their positions.

“Or are you all saying that you think the stability of our dynasty needs to be maintained by sacrificing women? In that case, what’s the point of having you all in the court? Just go home and wait to be fed!”

On the high platform, Xiao Zhinian stood up, his dragon-patterned robes fluttering with his movements, like cloud waves roaring and surging.

“Those who invade our Yan Country, send troops to annihilate them.”

That was a deafening dragon’s roar.

Almost in the next instant, the court officials all shouted in unison, “Your Majesty is wise!!!”

–

With Shen Zhejiang not in Yanqing Palace, Xiao Zhinian didn’t want to stay for a moment. As soon as the court session ended, he headed straight towards the palace gate.

The snow had stopped, but the wind was still so bitterly cold. A layer of lead-grey clouds was condensed in the sky, gloomy and heavy, just like Xiao Zhinian’s mood at the moment.

The urgent horse galloped on the palace road, and the palace servants who were clearing the snow all put down their work and knelt down to salute in a flustered manner when they saw him.

Xiao Zhinian ignored them all, his sharp eyes fixed on the road ahead.

“Your Majesty! Your Majesty!!”

As he approached the palace gate, he vaguely heard someone calling him.

Xiao Zhinian turned his head to look.

He saw Zhao Taiyi, that old thing, running towards him from the opposite direction leading to the Taiyi Hospital, struggling with his old bones, his old legs running so fast they were almost sparking.

Did he have something to tell him?

Xiao Zhinian made a decisive decision. While pulling the reins, the horse’s hooves rose high, and with a neigh, they landed steadily on the ground.

“What is it?”

Zhao Taiyi knelt down in the snow with a thud. Before he could speak, his hands trembled as he offered a medicine bottle to Xiao Zhinian, then, gasping for breath, he said, “Your…Your Majesty, this minister has searched through ancient books for days and found a formula to prolong the life of Grand Empress Dowager Jing…I have made it into honey pills, perhaps…perhaps it can prolong Consort Shen’s life…”

“When did I ever say I wanted him to prolong his life?! He is not sick! You quack doctors!”

Xiao Zhinian almost crushed his molars, roaring out a sentence, the veins on the back of his hand holding the reins bulging like surface roots.

Zhao Taiyi said in a trembling voice, “But—”

“Nonsense!”

The whip suddenly swung, a blur sweeping past Zhao Taiyi’s eyes. Before Zhao Taiyi could react, the medicine bottle hit the palace wall, and after a crackling sound, the pills were scattered all over the ground.

In the white snow, black specks were particularly conspicuous.

Zhao Taiyi shuddered in fright, but dared not say another word: “…”

Xiao Zhinian stared down at him: “If you dare say that Consort Shen is ill again, see if I don’t take your dog’s life.”

After saying that, his long legs tightened against the horse’s back, passing by Zhao Taiyi like lightning.

Zhao Taiyi looked at Xiao Zhinian’s back as he moved away from the palace gate, and sighed deeply.