Chapter 28 The Widowers "The two have a daughter, a little over a year old."...

Su Panyue's breath hitched. This was the first time she had ever heard this man speak to her in such a tone, his superior authority completely overshadowing her words, leaving her speechless.

He could only grit his teeth inwardly: He was a notorious tyrant, and this was perhaps his true nature; he was simply offering himself up to the tiger.

Xie Lanzhou sat back down, listening to her inner self-evaluation, and thought maliciously, "She provoked him and thinks she can just run away? How is that possible?"

The atmosphere froze for a moment before Su Panyue finally responded with an "okay".

Then, somewhat awkwardly, he changed the subject: "By the way, Your Majesty, have the assassins from that day been caught?"

Xie Lanzhou glanced at her and replied, "They've been caught and are all locked up in the dungeon."

Su Panyue pressed further, "What about those Yan envoys?"

For some unknown reason, Xie Lanzhou said jokingly, "Kill them all."

Su Panyue was startled, and thought anxiously to herself: [They even killed the envoy, will I die an even more gruesome death?]

Hearing her inner thoughts, Xie Lanzhou looked up in confusion, unable to understand why this woman felt like she was going to die all the time.

He reminded him, "I even killed that fifth prince, what do you think of that?"

Unexpectedly, he asked that question. Su Panyue hesitated for a moment before tentatively replying, "Your Majesty is mighty. How dare the small and insignificant Yan Kingdom provoke the might of our Great Qi Kingdom!"

Xie Lanzhou chuckled softly and said, "I remember you greatly admired that Fifth Prince."

Having been locked up and tortured for three days, Su Panyue had no recollection of any princes and stared at him blankly.

What is he saying? What Fifth Prince?

Xie Lanzhou seemed to be in a better mood, and he reached out to touch her hair.

Su Panyue was already used to his unpredictable temper. Her face remained expressionless, but she silently thought to herself:

Stop touching me! I haven't washed my hair in three days. Let me go back and take a bath.

Xie Lanzhou reluctantly released the strand of long hair that was wrapped around her fingertips and called out to the little eunuch guarding the door: "Prepare water."

Why the sudden insistence on a bath in broad daylight? Did they just declare me a beauty so they could just take me right here and now?

As she thought about it, Su Panyue started to panic. "No way, I'm not ready yet."

Xie Lanzhou sighed and said, "Go take a bath."

Su Panyue let out a soft "oh," relieved but also pouting unhappily: "That jerk! How dare he complain about me! Even if I haven't washed my hair for three days, I still smell wonderful!"

Seeing her walk towards the bathhouse without turning her head, Xie Lanzhou moved her lips and silently repeated "dog man," then shook her head helplessly and got up to go to the main hall outside.

Eunuch Fu and Physician Gao were still waiting there, and they both looked worried when he came out.

Eunuch Fu stepped forward and asked with concern, "Your Majesty, how is your headache?"

Xie Lanzhou waved his hand to indicate that he was fine and asked Imperial Physician Gao to take his pulse. Imperial Physician Gao stroked his white beard, frowning as if he were thinking about something.

"Lord Gao, how is it?" Fu Gonggong, who was unaware of the situation, couldn't help but ask.

Imperial Physician Gao withdrew his hand. "It seems His Majesty's headache has improved again?" His tone was very uncertain.

Xie Lanzhou nodded and said something that surprised everyone present: "Su Panyue can alleviate my headache."

He had only guessed before, but after seeing her obvious symptoms today, he was finally convinced that these two were his confidants and that it was not wrong to tell them.

Grandpa Fu looked puzzled: "How...how could this be?"

Xie Lanzhou turned to look at Imperial Physician Gao: "I also find this very strange. Does Elder Gao know the reason?"

The imperial physician Gao's expression was somewhat solemn. After hesitating for a moment, he said, "This old minister remembers seeing this matter in a medical book that specifically recorded miscellaneous evil arts when I was an apprentice. However, it has been too long, and I can no longer remember it clearly. Please allow me to go back and look for it."

Xie Lanzhou nodded: "Thank you for your trouble."

Imperial Physician Gao added, "However, it's not a bad thing that Miss Su can alleviate His Majesty's headaches. His Majesty might as well make good use of her."

Xie Lanzhou waved his hand: "I know what I'm doing."

Imperial Physician Gao bowed and withdrew. Xie Lanzhou personally ground the ink, and Eunuch Fu hurriedly stepped forward to take it, saying, "Your Majesty wants to draft an edict? This old servant can handle such menial work."

Xie Lanzhou remained unmoved and asked, "Has Seventeen returned?"

Eunuch Fu said, "Not yet, but a secret message has been sent back by carrier pigeon. Would Your Majesty like to read it now?"

"Wait and see." Xie Lanzhou said, picking up his pen and writing swiftly on the blank imperial edict. After a moment, he stopped writing and asked Eunuch Fu to put the edict away.

Upon seeing the contents of the imperial edict, Eunuch Fu exclaimed with delight, "Your Majesty's move is brilliant! By bestowing the title of 'Beauty' upon Miss Su, she can stay by Your Majesty's side at all times and alleviate Your Majesty's headaches."

Upon hearing this, Xie Lanzhou frowned slightly, but simply told him to fetch the secret letter.

On two thin sheets of paper, Seventeen described in detail the situation in Sujia Town.

The town was located in a remote and impoverished area, and several families had lost daughters in the past few years, but the ages of the missing daughters did not match the records. As for the sickly widower he had ordered to be investigated, there was indeed such a person.

Xie Lanzhou frowned even more deeply, turned to the next page, and continued reading.

The widower's name was Lü Jiade. He had passed the imperial examination three years earlier and married a woman named Su Man that same year. Su Man was not a local; he had met her on his way to the capital for the examination. The two fell in love and soon got married.

However, the man's career was not going well, and the following year he contracted tuberculosis. The woman took care of him for a year, and one day she suddenly disappeared and never came back.

Xie Lanzhou held the letter between his fingers, staring down at the last sentence: "The two have a daughter who is a little over a year old."

Unaware of the contents of the letter, Eunuch Fu, holding the imperial edict he had just received, asked, "When does His Majesty intend to issue this edict?"

Xie Lanzhou remained silent for a long time, so long that Eunuch Fu wondered if he had said something wrong, before he finally spoke.

"Tomorrow then," Xie Lanzhou said in a deep voice, his tone unreadable.

After saying this, he raised his hand and placed the letter over the candle flame, whereupon it instantly turned to ashes.

"Find someone to retrieve the list of scholars who have passed the imperial examinations three years ago from the Hanlin Academy."

Eunuch Fu acknowledged and went to make the arrangements.

Xie Lanzhou stepped back into the inner hall. Through the layers of gauze curtains surrounding the bath, he listened to the sound of water and the faint laughter of women inside. He closed his eyes, turned around, and left the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

*

While taking a bath in the inner room, Su Panyue was completely unaware of what was happening outside. Although she was unhappy that the man was looking down on her, she found it incredibly comfortable to soak in the private bathhouse.

The two maids Xie Lanzhou had arranged for her had also arrived; their names were Feiyan and Feixue.

Su Panyue, who was being the mistress for the first time, was very uncomfortable and waved her hands repeatedly, saying that she didn't need them to take off her clothes.

After getting into the water, she gradually relaxed, letting the two men massage her shoulders. She sighed comfortably, feeling their strong grip, and asked, "His Majesty said that you two know martial arts?"

The two replied, "Yes, we are here specifically to protect your safety."

Su Panyue also knew some basic martial arts, so she asked curiously, "How long have you been practicing martial arts?"

“It has been ten years since I was five years old.”

Su Panyue turned to the two girls, who were clearly quite young, with surprise and asked, "You started learning martial arts at the age of five? Your family was willing to let you do that?"

"Both of us are orphans, and we are only able to live today because of His Majesty's kindness in taking us in," Feiyan replied, her voice filled with gratitude.

Su Panyue nodded, somewhat shocked. Xie Lanzhou was only twenty-six years old this year, which meant that he had started cultivating his own power ten years ago when he was just a teenager.

She tentatively followed up with, "Are there many girls like you?"

Feixue explained, "Please don't misunderstand, Consort Su. Those who have been cultivated by His Majesty include both men and women. We all serve His Majesty and are his tools."

Alright, they actually misunderstood that she was jealous. Su Panyue smiled awkwardly and didn't say anything more.

When she finished washing up and came out, Xie Lanzhou was no longer in the Hall of Mental Cultivation. Su Panyue breathed a sigh of relief. Although she often longed for his body in her heart, she was still a little nervous and scared when it came to actually serving him in bed.

Back in her maid's quarters, Su Panyue cherished the moment. After all, she had slept in the bed in the Cold Palace, where she was treated worse than a mere maid. If Xie Lanzhou were to grant her the rank of a beauty, she would have to be careful that she might displease him and be locked up in the Cold Palace one day.

She drifted off to sleep after a short while, lost in thought.

*

The Hall of Diligent Governance was brightly lit.

Xie Lanzhou sat in the main seat, while several trusted ministers, who had been summoned in the middle of the night, sat in the hall.

The group exchanged bewildered glances, unsure of what had transpired. It was the Right Chancellor who spoke first, asking, "What is the purpose of His Majesty's summons in the middle of the night?"

Xie Lanzhou put down the memorial in his hand and said, "I would like to ask my ministers what they think of today's events?"

Those present were either loyal ministers or supporters of the royal family's legitimacy, and naturally they listed all of Prince Rui's faults, with some even accusing him of having wolfish ambitions.

Xie Lanzhou remained calm and continued their conversation: "Then, according to what you all say, I should issue an edict to execute Prince Rui?"

Upon hearing this, the hall fell silent. Royal relationships have always been complicated. Although His Majesty and Prince Rui have always been at odds, they are, after all, half-brothers.

However, given that he was capable of patricide and usurpation, the true value of brotherhood in his heart remains unknown.

For a moment, no one spoke. Xie Lanzhou then pointed to the youngest and most promising Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review present, "What does Vice Minister Li think?"

Li Shaoqing, who was called upon, visibly stiffened for a moment before slowly speaking: "This humble subject believes that this matter needs further investigation. It is possible that Prince Rui has been misled by treacherous officials of the Yan Kingdom."

Xie Lanzhou's expression remained unreadable as he said, "Very well, then tomorrow we will send Prince Rui to the Dali Temple for you to interrogate him personally. You must find out the truth."

Li Shaoqing reluctantly agreed to the task, his forehead covered in cold sweat.

Xie Lanzhou then inquired about the long-past imperial examinations and the recently reformed taxes. Everyone spent most of the night in the Hall of Diligent Governance, filled with anxiety, wondering why he had suddenly become so concerned about state affairs.

By the time Xie Lanzhou released the officials, the sky was already beginning to lighten.

Eunuch Fu advised, "There is still an hour before court; Your Majesty should go and rest for a while."

Xie Lanzhou asked, "Did she go back?"

Eunuch Fu knew almost without thinking that Xie Lanzhou was asking about someone, and replied, "Miss Su returned to the palace maids' quarters after washing up."

Xie Lanzhou nodded. "Find someone to clean up Jingchun Palace."

Eunuch Fu couldn't help but remind him, "Your Majesty, Jingchun Palace has always been the residence of concubines and above. Isn't this...?"

Xie Lanzhou glanced at him indifferently, and Eunuch Fu swallowed back the words "not in accordance with the rules" and withdrew to make the arrangements.

Standing by the window, Xie Lanzhou stroked the Buddhist prayer beads on his wrist and released a carrier pigeon.

He wants Seventeen to bring the widower and his one-year-old child to the capital. What will she choose then?

If she made the wrong choice, then he would have no choice but to imprison her within these palace walls forever. Thinking of this, Xie Lanzhou felt a secret sense of anticipation.

My gaze followed the homing pigeon as it flew away, my eyes filled with deep emotion as I watched that white figure disappear into the distance.

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Author's note: Men who don't speak up deserve to sulk. [doge emoji]

I received so much nutrient solution! I'm so happy, thank you everyone! [Sprinkling flowers][Sprinkling flowers]