Chapter 102 A Heart Full of Springtime Feelings

The morning court session ended in an unprecedentedly efficient and peaceful manner.

The ministers filed out, most of them bearing the relief of surviving a disaster and a lingering sense of bewilderment.

They spoke in hushed tones, discussing the unusual mental state the emperor had displayed that day.

Huo Lin paid no attention to the whispers of his ministers. He stepped out of the Golden Palace and was about to head to the Imperial Study to handle subsequent government affairs when a voice with obvious mockery rang out behind him.

"Oh, Your Majesty, you look so energetic today! Tsk tsk tsk, you're radiant! Could it be that you've obtained some kind of miraculous elixir to nourish your imperial body?"

The speaker was Huo Yunxing, dressed in royal court attire, waving a jade-bone folding fan, and looking Huo Lin up and down with a mischievous smile.

Huo Lin paused upon hearing this and glanced at them coldly.

"Is the Imperial Uncle very free?" The voice wasn't loud, but it carried the imperial pressure, enough to make the officials who hadn't gone far shrink back and quicken their pace to leave.

Huo Yunxing, however, was not afraid of death. Instead of retreating, he grinned and moved closer.

He half-covered his mouth with his folding fan, lowered his voice, and winked, giving off an "I understand you" look.

"Your Majesty, don't pretend in front of your uncle. Your face clearly shows that you're 'heart fluttering with love'."

"I also noticed that this morning, Eunuch Wang was carrying a food box. Was that from Consort Zhuang's palace? No wonder His Majesty is in such a good mood and seems to be handling state affairs with divine assistance."

Is Huo Yunxing feeling the heat of spring? He must be itching for a beating.

That was... that was the mental energy that came from a clear mind after dealing with important military and national affairs all night.

Huo Lin's expression remained impassive, but his eyes were sharp as knives.

"It seems I have been too lenient with my uncle." His voice was not loud, but it carried the pressure of an emperor. "Since my uncle is so free and still cares about my mental state, he must be very energetic. Why not share my burdens?"

Huo Yunxing's smile froze instantly, and his heart skipped a beat, a sense of foreboding washing over him.

Sure enough, Huo Lin's voice rang out clearly, like a verdict.

"The backlog of military reports from the southern border, as well as the disaster reports from various prefectures in the north, should be copied once. This will surely deepen your understanding, Your Majesty. I want to see fifty copies that Your Majesty has completed before the morning court tomorrow."

"Fifty, fifty copies?" Huo Yunxing's folding fan fell to the ground with a thud, his eyes almost popping out of their sockets.

"Your Majesty, my nephew, my dear nephew! I was wrong, I spoke without thinking! I will go and reflect on my mistakes in seclusion right away, please forgive me..."

Sixty portions.

Huo Lin interrupted him expressionlessly, his tone resolute and leaving no room for negotiation.

"Wang Degui, take the Imperial Uncle to the side hall, provide him with writing materials, and have someone watch over him. He is not allowed to leave the palace until he finishes copying the text."

Wang Degui suppressed a laugh and bowed, replying, "This servant obeys the decree."

Huo Yunxing let out a wail and was "invited" away by Wang Degui. Before leaving, he looked back at Huo Lin with a resentful expression.

Huo Lin snorted coldly, flicked his sleeves and continued walking towards the Imperial Study. However, no one saw that his ears turned slightly red after he turned around.

That bastard Huo Yunxing has a sharp eye.

He wasn't flirting at all...

Meanwhile, at Chang Le Palace.

The hall was in a mess; precious porcelain vases were shattered on the floor, tablecloths were torn off, and tea and fruit platters were scattered everywhere.

The palace maids and eunuchs knelt on the ground, trembling and not daring to breathe.

Consort Jia sat in front of her dressing table, her eyes bloodshot, and her originally exquisite makeup was distorted by anger.

Her trusted palace maid, Lanwei, was kneeling before her, trembling as she reported the information she had gathered.

"Your Majesty, please calm down. This servant has inquired and found out the truth. Last night, the Imperial Study was in the middle of the night with General Lin and His Majesty alone. His Majesty did not leave anyone to serve him."

"No one was left to serve you?" Consort Jia spat out these words through gritted teeth, her voice filled with sarcasm and disbelief. "Then what happened to His Majesty in court this morning?"

Lan Wei was so frightened that she buried her head even lower.

"I also learned that before dawn this morning, the woman from Weiyang Palace personally carried a food box to the Imperial Study and waited outside until General Lin left."

Consort Jia's eyes instantly became even more sinister and terrifying, like needles dipped in poison.

Lan Wei's voice trembled violently: "She didn't go in. It was Eunuch Wang who took the food box in, and then... then the Emperor had breakfast, and when he went to court, his mood was... then..."

She really didn't dare to say that word.

"You're in a great mood, aren't you?"

Consort Jia's voice was shrill and slightly distorted. She suddenly stood up, her fingers, painted with bright red nail polish, gripping the edge of the dressing table tightly until her knuckles turned white.

"Well done, Jiang Huan! Well done, Consort Zhuang!"

Her chest heaved violently, the poisonous fire of jealousy almost burning away her reason.

"I practically offered myself up, and my brother even spoke up for me, but the Emperor wouldn't even give me a second glance. His mind was filled with that damned military intelligence. But what about her? A bowl of broth and a few side dishes are enough to make the Emperor so happy. Why is that!"

The embarrassment of being coldly dismissed by the Emperor last night, and the helplessness of his brother's failed hints, have now transformed into the deepest hatred for Jiang Huan.

Why is it that she, a noble consort from a prominent family, is not as favored by the emperor as Jiang Huan, who comes from a humble background?

Why is it that Jiang Huan's concern can soothe the emperor's heart, while her care is considered a disturbance?

"Your Majesty, please don't upset yourself," Lan Wei advised tremblingly.

"Your body?" Consort Jia sneered, her eyes flashing with resentment.

"What does my body matter? My reputation, the reputation of the Lin family, has been trampled into the mud by that bitch! Does she think she can monopolize the Emperor's favor with such petty favors? Dream on!"

Consort Jia took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing her surging anger, her eyes turning sinister and cold.

She walked to the desk, spread out a sheet of plain paper, picked up her brush, dipped it in ink, and wrote with a fierce and forceful hand.

Jiang Huan has become an obstacle by bewitching the emperor. She has taken advantage of the disaster and war to curry favor with the emperor through some tricks, which has made the emperor favor her and shaken the stability of the harem. She hopes that her brother will find an opportunity to implicate Jiang Huan in the defeat on the southern border.

If things succeed, Jiang Huan will definitely be eliminated, which will also help me consolidate my position in the harem.

After writing, she blew on the ink to dry the letter, carefully sealed it, and handed it to Lanwei in a very low voice.

"Send it to my brother immediately through the fastest means. Remember, it's top secret."

Lan Wei took the letter and felt that the thin paper was as heavy as a thousand pounds, and her palms were covered in cold sweat.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Watching Lan Wei disappear through the door, Consort Jia slowly sat back down in front of her dressing table, a triumphant smile playing on her lips.

She wanted Jiang Huan to know that in this deep palace, imperial favor could be both honey and poison.

If the Emperor knew that Jiang Huan was the culprit who caused the soldiers on the border to die unjustly and the grain to be burned, would he still find her soup heartwarming and comforting?