Chapter 30 Everyone Wants to Kill Him

After Ye Yunshu entered the Hall of Diligent Governance, she saw Emperor Xiao Xuan pacing around inside.

She quickly and respectfully performed a deep bow.

Before Ye Yunshu could get up, Eunuch Xue signaled all the eunuchs and palace servants serving in the Hall of Diligent Governance to leave and told them to stand far away.

Eunuch Xue himself stood guard at the entrance of the Hall of Diligent Governance, brandishing his whisk.

"Alright, get up! No need for so much formality."

"Get up quickly! I'm tired of reading memorials. Come and play a game of chess with me!"

Emperor Xiao Xuan gestured for Ye Yunshu to stand up.

Ye Yunshu immediately got up and went to the chess table.

The chessboard was already set up, and there was a small tea table next to the chessboard.

There were four plates of pastries and a cup of freshly brewed tea on top.

Ye Yunshu glanced at the pastries: walnut shortbread, sweet fermented rice and osmanthus lotus root starch cake, Guanghan cake, and sandalwood sweet dew cake—all her favorites.

There was originally no chess table in the Hall of Diligent Governance. This was where Emperor Xiao Xuan read memorials and handled government affairs. Court officials came and went, so how could they play chess here?

But for some reason, Emperor Xiao Xuan insisted that the Imperial Household Department set up a chess table there.

When he was tired, Emperor Xiao Xuan would pull his court officials here to play chess and relax.

But at present, the only people who are qualified to be invited by Emperor Xiao Xuan to play chess here are Prime Minister Lin and Ye Yunshu.

Ye Yunshu walked somewhat reluctantly to the chessboard, and frowned as she looked at the chessboard that had already been set up.

"Does Your Majesty really wish for me to play chess with you?" Ye Yunshu asked softly.

Emperor Xiao Xuan glanced at her, hummed in response, and sat down.

Ye Yunshu was still a little embarrassed.

"You can take back your moves, but only two moves at most!" Emperor Xiao Xuan said.

Ye Yunshu said "oh" but still hesitated to sit down.

"Alright, alright! Three steps is enough!" Emperor Xiao Xuan conceded again.

Ye Yunshu then sat down.

The two of them remained silent, and continued their back-and-forth banter...

...

Eunuch Xue stood guard outside the Hall of Diligent Governance, glancing inside from time to time.

His Majesty will surely be in a good mood today...

Just as Eunuch Xue was pondering when to go in and pour tea for the two of them, he saw someone approaching from not far away.

Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be Consort Wu leading two palace maids this way.

Consort Wu held only a palace fan with a phoenix tail and ivory handle, while the two palace maids behind her each carried a food box.

Eunuch Xue understood that this meant more food had been brought to His Majesty...

"Greetings, Your Highness!" Eunuch Xue respectfully bowed to Consort Wu.

Consort Wu looked at Eunuch Xue with some surprise.

Wasn't His Majesty supposed to be reading memorials at this time?

Why isn't Eunuch Xue serving in the Hall of Diligent Governance?

"Is His Majesty still busy?" Consort Wu asked softly.

Eunuch Xue nodded.

"Lord Ye had important matters to report to His Majesty, but after reading the memorial, His Majesty dismissed us all."

"Your Majesty, you know His Majesty's temper. We mustn't disturb him at this time!" Eunuch Xue lowered his voice as much as possible.

Consort Wu felt a chill run down her spine.

Does Lord Ye have important matters to report to His Majesty?

That must mean they've found something wrong with one of their accounts!

The last time His Majesty sent everyone away, it was because Ye Yunshu had some leverage over some accounts in the inner palace, and then used that as an excuse to make a fuss.

Finally, one of the people Consort Wu had planted in the inner palace was eliminated...

If Ye Yunshu goes to the palace on her own initiative, it's definitely not going to be good!

I wonder whose family will be in trouble this time.

I've come at the wrong time! If I had known Ye Yunshu was here, I would have come later.

"In that case... then we'll have to trouble Eunuch Xue!" That was all Consort Wu could say.

As he spoke, he gestured for the two palace servants to bring over the food boxes they were carrying.

"These past two days have been very hot, so I personally brewed a cooling drink for His Majesty and also made two refreshing snacks."

The imperial kitchen staff said His Majesty had been eating very little for the past two days, so I sent this over." Consort Wu also introduced it to Eunuch Xue.

Eunuch Xue immediately signaled two eunuchs to come over and take the food box.

As the two eunuchs took the food box, Consort Wu glanced at the door of the Hall of Diligent Governance.

"Your Majesty, once Lord Ye has finished presenting his official report, this old servant will immediately deliver the items inside."

It's been very hot these past few days, Your Majesty, please return home!

"If we make Her Majesty uncomfortable, His Majesty will be worried again," Eunuch Xue said softly.

Consort Wu smiled, nodded gently, and returned home with the help of two palace maids.

Only after Consort Wu's figure had disappeared from sight did Eunuch Xue stand at the entrance of the Hall of Diligent Governance.

"You two stand over there! We'll take them in later," Eunuch Xue instructed.

The two eunuchs immediately stood at a distance from the gate of the Hall of Diligent Governance.

...

Inside the Hall of Diligent Governance, Emperor Xiao Xuan sighed more and more as he went downstairs.

"You've already ruined more than five steps by now. Can't you show some gentlemanly manners?" Emperor Xiao Xuan sighed.

Ye Yunshu kept her eyes fixed on the chessboard, without even looking up.

"I'm a woman!"

"Then you can be a virtuous woman!"

Also, you're so smart, why can't you learn to play chess?

"I remember you were at this level when you were seven!" Emperor Xiao Xuan said angrily.

Ye Yunshu chuckled.

"You remember so clearly! You even remember how well I played chess when I was seven years old."

I don't have time to learn.

I started looking at account books when I was five years old, and when I entered the Supervisory Department at fifteen, I was constantly surrounded by account books.

His head was full of ledgers.

All I see are ledgers, accounts to be settled in various places. If you ask me to learn anything else, my head will explode!

My head is buzzing right now...

"Can we go down here? If we go down here, are you going to eat a whole bunch of us?" Ye Yunshu said, looking up at Emperor Xiao Xuan with a puzzled expression.

"Of course not! Going down there is just a dead end."

"You have to get off here!" Emperor Xiao Xuan pointed to a place.

Ye Yunshu suddenly realized what was going on, and then quickly placed the chess piece in the spot that Emperor Xiao Xuan had just pointed to.

"Your Majesty, it's your turn!"

Emperor Xiao Xuan...

After resigning himself to his fate and making a move, Emperor Xiao Xuan was a little angry.

How could he enjoy playing chess with this terrible chess player...?

"You sent someone yesterday to say that you would be entering the palace today. Is there something you need?" Emperor Xiao Xuan asked, looking at the chessboard.

Ye Yunshu also stared at the chessboard, and then made a move.

"Yes, something's up!"

"What is it?" Emperor Xiao Xuan placed another piece on the board.

"I want to kill someone!" Ye Yunshu still didn't look up.

Emperor Xiao Xuan was taken aback.

She said I wanted to kill someone, not that I wanted to kill someone!

That means she will kill you regardless of whether you agree or not!

Telling myself this now is simply giving myself face...

"Who is it? Why do you have to do it yourself?" Emperor Xiao Xuan asked deliberately.

"Young Marquis Cai Boju of the Marquis of Wu'an's Mansion!" Ye Yunshu placed a piece on the board with a snap.