Recently, Emperor Jingming had taken a liking to playing chess with the Empress Dowager. The game itself wasn’t the focus, nor was winning or losing the key point. The main purpose was that chess consumed a lot of time, allowing him to exchange plenty of gossip with the Empress Dowager.
“Seventh Brother has run into trouble,” Emperor Jingming said leisurely as he placed a piece.
The Empress Dowager gave Emperor Jingming a deep look.
Why did she see schadenfreude in Emperor Emeritus’s upturned mouth corners?
The Empress Dowager calmly asked, “What trouble has His Majesty encountered?”
If the Emperor Emeritus could feel schadenfreude, the trouble couldn’t be too serious.
Emperor Jingming blinked, his schadenfreude becoming more evident, “Some officials have suggested that Seventh Brother should expand his harem.”
The Empress Dowager’s hand, holding a chess piece, paused, “Expand the harem?”
Would someone as henpecked as His Majesty dare to expand his harem?
No, given His Majesty’s behavior of practically hanging onto the Empress’s leg, would he even want to expand his harem?
The Empress Dowager lost interest in the game and frowned, holding the chess piece, “How did His Majesty respond?”
Emperor Jingming’s lips twitched, his tone indescribably complex, “That boy stormed out.”
“Stormed out?” The Empress Dowager’s eyes widened involuntarily.
“Yes!” Emperor Jingming slapped the table, filled with indignation, “How can he handle matters like this? It’s not some irreconcilable major issue with his officials. Even if he’s unwilling, he should at least express his stance to the officials. At most, they might argue. How can he just avoid it?”
The relationship between a ruler and his officials is a constant process of probing and compromise. What use is avoidance?
The more Emperor Jingming spoke, the more dissatisfied he became, “I thought Seventh Brother had quite a bit of resilience, but I didn’t expect him to be so willful…”
Emperor Jingming was full of jealousy.
Faced with officials squawking like ducks, he had wanted to storm out countless times. Did he do it?
Why was Seventh Brother, that little brat, allowed to do so?
The Empress Dowager’s face darkened slightly, “Jiner is the Emperor now. The Emperor Emeritus shouldn’t be too harsh.”
Emperor Jingming glared, “He may be the Emperor, but I’m still his father. He can handle state affairs, but family matters still need to listen to me.”
The Empress Dowager raised an eyebrow, “Then what does the Emperor Emeritus think about the officials’ suggestion to expand the harem?”
Emperor Jingming snorted, “I won’t interfere in such matters. Let him solve it himself. Actually, what’s there to avoid? He should just follow the officials’ wishes.”
Did he think he could have only the Empress as his woman?
Even if he didn’t like other women, he could keep them around just for show.
The Empress Dowager chuckled and forcefully placed a chess piece, “I win.”
Emperor Jingming: “…” Why did she have to sound so murderous just because she won?
This woman’s temper had grown since becoming Empress Dowager.
Hmph, he would storm out too!
Emperor Jingming left, flinging his sleeves.
The Empress Dowager’s expression remained unchanged as she instructed a palace maid, “Peel me a plate of grapes.”
Yu Jin’s abrupt dismissal from the court had infuriated the officials. They were all rolling up their sleeves, ready to teach the new Emperor a lesson at the next court session.
This bad habit of dismissing court on a whim couldn’t be indulged!
However, the next day, when the officials gathered outside Qianqing Gate, they only heard young Lezi’s announcement: “His Majesty is in a poor mood. All officials may disperse.”
After young Lezi disappeared, the officials realized: His Majesty wasn’t physically unwell but in a poor mood…
What kind of excuse was a poor mood?
The officials dispersed with angry hearts.
On the third day, the officials, whose anger had reached its peak, still couldn’t see the Emperor.
Jiang Si watched Yu Jin walk in after practicing swordsmanship and asked with a smile, “Are you not going to court again today? Aren’t you afraid the angry officials will tear you apart?”
Yu Jin wiped the sweat from his brow and said nonchalantly, “Once, twice, thrice, and it’s over. After these three days, they’ll probably be too worried to be angry, and instead hope that I’ll quickly return to court.”
As Yu Jin predicted, the officials soon suppressed their anger, overwhelmed by worry and anxiety.
The new Emperor was different from the Emperor Emeritus. Could he be an incompetent ruler?
Did ordinary people think they could overthrow an Emperor just because he was incompetent? Don’t joke. Even the most incompetent Emperor had to be endured.
They hoped the Emperor would return to court soon. At least if he attended court, there was still hope.
After countless days of disappointment, the officials finally welcomed the new Emperor back to court.
At this moment, the officials nearly burst into tears. They looked at each other, and for a while, no one dared to be the first to criticize Yu Jin’s willfulness in dismissing court for days.
Finally, all eyes fell on Minister Gu.
Let the tall one take the lead.
Minister Gu coughed lightly, “Your Majesty, state affairs cannot be trifled with. Do you know how much impact your absence from court for several days has had on your officials and subjects?”
Yu Jin wanted to roll his eyes as he listened.
The old fox was trying to fool him again.
Would the sky fall if he didn’t attend court for a few days?
When faced with Emperors who didn’t attend court for years, didn’t the officials live just fine, even feeling like they were in charge and working with more enthusiasm?
However, his face showed a teachable expression, and his tone was gentle, “Minister Gu’s words are reasonable. Let’s begin discussing matters then.”
Soon, the officials took turns presenting their reports.
Yu Jin listened attentively, either making decisions or offering suggestions, all quite appropriately.
The officials were truly moved.
Thank heavens, the Emperor wasn’t incompetent!
Until an official brought up the matter of expanding the harem again.
Yu Jin’s face suddenly turned cold, and he stared at that official with a chilly tone, “Is Minister Li so concerned about my harem?”
That official immediately knelt, both angry and frightened, “Your humble servant wouldn’t dare. Expanding the harem to provide heirs for Your Majesty is a matter of great importance for the stability of the state. We must pay attention to it!”
“Enough!” Yu Jin stood up, his face like ice, “I’m in a poor mood. The court is dismissed.”
The new Emperor stormed out again, leaving all the officials staring at that particular official.
That official felt extremely wronged, “Was my suggestion inappropriate? Are you all going to let His Majesty continue like this?”
Someone smiled bitterly, “No one said it was inappropriate, but His Majesty has dismissed court again.”
When the news reached Emperor Jingming’s ears, he couldn’t help but rush to the Empress Dowager to gossip, “Seventh Brother is thinking too simply. Just wait and see, the next time he holds court, someone will surely remonstrate to the death.”
This time, Yu Jin’s “poor mood” lasted even longer. When he finally returned to court, an outspoken official passionately criticized him and then rushed to bash his head against a golden pillar in the hall.
A guard hidden somewhere steadily held him back.
“Let me go! Such an incompetent Emperor will ruin our Great Zhou!” The official seemed frenzied.
Yu Jin laughed coldly, “I have just ascended the throne. The weather has been favorable, the people are at peace, and although I may not handle state affairs as skillfully as the Emperor Emeritus, I haven’t made any major mistakes. Yet you, Censor Wang, are so eager to label me an incompetent Emperor. What are your true intentions? I think you’re not concerned for the country or the people, but merely seeking fame!”
The official was so ashamed he wanted to die, but he couldn’t break free from the guard’s grip.
“Guards, drag Censor Wang to Wumen Gate for a public caning, then throw him into the imperial prison!”
“Your Majesty, you mustn’t!” A group of civil officials, led by Minister Gu, knelt to plead.
The military officials watched the spectacle with interest.
After all, so many civil officials pleaded for Censor Wang merely because the Emperor’s action against an outspoken official touched on the interests of all civil officials. It had nothing to do with the military officials.
Hehe, they had long been annoyed by these meddlesome outspoken officials who had often criticized them.
Yu Jin swept his expressionless gaze over the kneeling officials and asked coldly, “Do you all want to go kneel at Wumen Gate to remonstrate?”
The officials were stunned.
If the Emperor was truly adamant, they did have such thoughts.
Yu Jin sneered, “Let me make this clear: anyone who kneels to remonstrate at Wumen Gate today will be thrown into the imperial prison. I refuse to accept the accusation of being a ruler who will ruin the country!”
The officials looked at each other and stood up sheepishly.
They were dissatisfied with the Emperor’s outburst against the outspoken official, but they couldn’t agree that the Emperor was a ruler who would ruin the country.
They couldn’t say such things even to truly incompetent Emperors, let alone an Emperor who still had room for improvement.
“Court dismissed.” Yu Jin stormed out.
After this incident, the officials didn’t dare bring up the topic of expanding the harem for a short while.
Until the Empress became pregnant, and someone became active again.
The new Emperor stopped attending court again.
The officials: “…”
Minister Gu and others, unable to bear it any longer, gathered in the imperial study, using both coaxing and persuasion, “Your Majesty, not attending court is not a way to solve problems. What are your plans regarding this matter?”
“Plans? I have no plans.”
Minister Gu steeled himself and said, “Your Majesty, we need to establish some guidelines for this matter—”
Yu Jin chuckled, “Minister Gu has misunderstood. I meant I have no plans to expand the harem. The Empress alone is enough.”
Several people were shocked, “How can that be?”
“Why not? Aren’t you all concerned about this matter for the sake of imperial succession? The Empress and I can just have more sons.”
“But Your Majesty—”
Yu Jin’s face darkened, “Or are you all hoping to send your daughters and granddaughters into the palace to gain benefits for your families?”
They hurriedly said, “We have no such intentions.”
That was indeed the case, but how could the Emperor say it so directly? Didn’t they need to save face?
Yu Jin smiled slightly, “I knew you were all loyal ministers. My regard for you won’t change because of a woman. Don’t bother me with this matter again in the future.”
The group left the palace defeated, exchanging thoughts.
“Let it be. The Emperor and Empress are deeply in love. Perhaps when His Majesty can’t bear it during the Empress’s pregnancy and postpartum period, he’ll bring it up himself.”
After the little Prince’s first birthday.
“Who would have thought His Majesty would be so devoted? Let’s wait a couple more years until he’s no longer infatuated with the Empress.”
After the second and third Princes were born successively.
“His Majesty still won’t select consorts. What should we do?”
“Why don’t we wait until the Empress has a few more Princes?”
“Wait for what? There are already three Princes. Does it matter anymore whether His Majesty selects consorts or not?”
Did they want to send their daughters into the palace only to be killed by the Empress with a single finger?
After years of delay, the court had no choice but to accept the Emperor’s willfulness not to take consorts.
At the same time, a strange trend swept through the capital.
Countless young wives would scold their restless husbands, “You want to take a concubine? Know your place! Even His Majesty only has the Empress. How dare you think of taking a concubine? Pah! Give up that idea!”
Even the grey-haired Madam Gu banished Minister Gu to sleep in the study for two days, saying, “Let your two old concubines massage your shoulders. My hands hurt.”
The men of the capital, young and old: Life has become unbearable!
Meanwhile, the still-spirited Emperor Jingming was so jealous he nearly twisted himself, angrily telling the Empress Dowager, “Seventh Brother took the Empress out for a spring outing!”
When he was Emperor, he only had one day off a year. Why could Seventh Brother take the Empress out for a spring outing?
The Empress Dowager didn’t even lift her eyelids, “Can’t be helped. The officials are worried His Majesty might be in a poor mood.”
Emperor Jingming: “…”
At that moment, in the outskirts, the Emperor and Empress stood hand in hand on a mountain peak.
“Asi, the world is so vast. When Le’er grows up, I’ll toss the throne to him, and we’ll go everywhere to see it all.”
“Alright.”
Their fingers intertwined as they gazed at the beautiful landscape.