Chapter 30: Dog Licking

Yun Zhao knelt on the ground, "Your Majesty, please calm down." Her voice was steady, like a stone dropped into a deep pond, without causing any ripples. "You have been on the throne for three years, and there is no heir yet. It is only natural that the court officials are concerned about the succession of the country. As for the birth mother of your eldest son... This is a matter of great importance, affecting the political situation. Your Majesty, you are overthinking right now, and I am afraid it will harm your health. How about you rest for a while, have some food, and calm your mind?"

Xiao Jin's gaze shifted from the pile of memorials, and suddenly fixed on her lowered head with a sharp gaze. A sneer tugged at the corner of his mouth, "You're the one starving, yet you're using me as a scapegoat! Yun Zhao, your cunning skills are only getting better."

He leaned forward slightly, an invisible pressure spreading out, "Tell me, Queen Mother, how will you deal with me next?"

[Even if I know, I can't say it! Even the harem is not allowed to interfere in government affairs, let alone a humble maid like me? Too much talk leads to mistakes, and disaster comes from the mouth.]

Yun Zhao lowered her eyelashes, hiding all her emotions, and her voice remained respectful: "This servant is not very knowledgeable and does not know the truth."

"Don't you want to tell me, or do you really not know?" Xiao Jin's voice suddenly turned cold, as if it had been quenched by ice. "If you don't tell me, you won't be able to eat a single grain of rice in three days!"

[My stomach is already rumbling, yet I still want to go hungry for three days? This dog emperor is a real dog! He is so mean and ungrateful.]

A sense of stubbornness rose from the bottom of my heart.

Yun Zhao clenched her teeth, suppressing the words rising in her throat. "I am only a servant. How dare I make irresponsible remarks on matters of national importance? Your Majesty, why is it so difficult for me? If the Minister Yu is reinstated, he...may have some good ideas."

"Bang!" A memorial was thrown heavily on the imperial desk.

Xiao Jin stared at her with a deep gaze: "I want to hear your thoughts! Others are others, you are you! Or..."

He spoke in a long, scrutinizing tone, "Because I didn't immediately reinstate your father, do you harbor resentment? I believe your father never embezzled anything. But the source of the two hundred thousand taels of stolen silver remains unknown. Until this is investigated, he won't be able to..."

[Can't figure it out? It's clearly a frame-up by those two bastards Su and Qin Yan! The bastard emperor knows it all, he's just using this opportunity to cover it up! Believe it or not, it's all imperial manipulation.]

Yun Zhao could almost taste the faint scent of blood in his mouth, but his expression grew calmer, even showing a hint of resigned obedience. "Yes, Your Majesty is wise. Until this is fully investigated, my father should not stand before the court."

My father is old and frail, so it's best for him to spend his remaining years at home. Away from this cruel court, there's no need to worry. Wasn't the title he earned with his life almost stripped away? What loyalty and courage? In the eyes of the royal family, they are just pawns that can be discarded at any time.

Xiao Jin listened to her tearful accusations from the bottom of her heart, and felt as if a huge rock was blocking his chest.

Reports on the floods in the south of the Yangtze River, criticisms from the civil service clique, undercurrents within the imperial court and the harem...all sorts of worries suddenly surged up in his mind, causing his temples to throb. Looking at the pile of memorials before him, he felt only a gloom.

There was deathly silence in the imperial study.

Yun Zhao didn't wait for the emperor to speak again, but stepped forward silently, tidied up the scattered memorials with neat movements, and placed the new batch that needed to be reviewed neatly in the most convenient place on the imperial desk.

Xiao Jin stretched out his hand.

Yun Zhao immediately handed over the notebook he was carrying with both hands.

Xiao Jin flipped open the book, his eyes quickly scanning her notes from the past few days. The handwriting was neat, the structure clear, and the key words were concise.

What made him even more moved was that the notes recorded that in his dispute with Su Xiang and others today, they clearly stood on his side and denounced the other party as "traitors."

The dog emperor remained silent, apparently acquiescing. History is as sharp as a knife; the final word on how it is written is ultimately up to those in power.

Xiao Jin closed the notebook and casually threw it back on the table. His eyes fell on her again, and he asked curiously, "Is the position of secretary unfair to you?"

[Here we go again! What does this mean? Testing? Punching?]

Yun Zhao's heart was filled with alarm, but her expression remained calm. She even boldly met his gaze and spoke clearly, "If Your Majesty finds me unfit for service, please release me from the palace. I also beg Your Majesty to show mercy and cancel my engagement with the King of Qin. I am willing to take my parents and brothers and leave the capital, a place of trouble."

"Leave the palace?" Xiao Jin raised an eyebrow, an elusive light flashing in his eyes, which then turned into a calculating smile. "Yun Zhao, I'll give you a chance. If you can earn the position of a fifth-rank female official within a year, I will allow you to leave the palace. How do you do it?"

[Sure enough! The bastard emperor wants to use me as a pawn to deal with Wu Lingyi, the empress dowager's confidant! Clearing out the imperial court? Asking me to stir up a hornet's nest? What a cruel plan.]

Her mind raced, and a desperate determination suddenly rose. Rather than treading on thin ice in this deep palace, it was better to give it a try! She straightened her back and looked at Xiao Jin with a burning gaze: "Your Majesty, what are your words?"

"Sir, you are not joking." Xiao Jin's smile deepened.

"Okay!" Yun Zhao bowed deeply, her voice resounding. "I will definitely live up to your Majesty's expectations! And when the time comes, please remember your promise to cancel the engagement!"

As long as this bastard emperor doesn't try to trip me up in secret, judging by his public attitude, anyone in the palace who wants to touch me will have to consider the consequences.

Xiao Jin was pricked by her instantly ignited fighting spirit and the hidden edge in her expression. His fingers unconsciously tapped the imperial desk. "Are you confident? Wu Lingyi has been managing the harem for eighteen years and has a strong foundation. You... may not be her match."

Yun Zhao raised his head, a faint yet sharp smile spreading across his lips. He looked directly at Xiao Jin, "But she is no match for Your Majesty after all."

[Be the dog emperor's sword? Then make the sharpest and most deadly one.]

[My family was destroyed in my previous life, and it wasn't all the fault of the damn emperor! If I could help him eliminate evil spirits and monsters, and earn a name as a female official that will go down in history, wouldn't that be a great pleasure?]

A surge of hot heroic spirit instantly dispelled the previous frustration, and the road ahead seemed to suddenly become bright!

Xiao Jin caught a glimpse of the burning edge that flashed across her eyes, and the satisfaction in his heart finally came true.

He raised his hand: "Pass the snacks." The exquisite pastries were quickly presented. He raised his chin slightly and gestured to Yun Zhao: "I've tried it."

Yun Zhao did not refuse and tasted everything quickly to confirm that they were non-toxic.

With her stomach full, she bowed and took her leave, her steps becoming lighter.

Zhang Fuan quietly entered the hall to take over the service, and at a glance he saw the rare, almost imperceptible curve on the emperor's lips.

Ever since the Duke of Yun's legitimate daughter entered the palace, His Majesty's temper has visibly calmed down, his meals have become more enjoyable, his sleep has become more peaceful, and most importantly—he hasn't cried out for war or killing in over ten days! It's truly a miraculous effect.

'After all, she is the daughter of the Duke's Mansion who was carefully educated. Her appearance, talent, and ability are all top-notch... It's a pity that she was supposed to be the Princess of Qin. Now it seems that she will become His Majesty's woman sooner or later.

King Qin? Oh, I don’t have that blessing. The old eunuch knew it clearly.

"Old man," Xiao Jin's cold voice suddenly sounded, interrupting his thoughts, "You seem to be in a good mood?"

Zhang Fuan's heart trembled, but he wore a perfectly flattering smile on his face. He bowed and said, "I am happy for Your Majesty! Congratulations, Your Majesty, for your discerning eye and for finding a good minister! With Miss Yun as your capable assistant, everything will surely go smoothly for you, both in the court and the harem!"

Xiao Jin snorted and laughed, his gaze slashing across him like a knife. "Who in the whole palace can match you, an old fox, in your ability to adapt to changing circumstances and to divine your superiors' intentions?"