Chapter 70 The Shang Shi will become the Empress?

Inside Yanying Hall, the air seemed stagnant. Yun Zhao stood by, seemingly calm, yet his heart was tense.

The turbulent undercurrents of the previous dynasty finally hit the throne—the harem was empty, the emperor's heir had not been appointed, and the civil officials used this as a handle to attack her with every word! The spearhead even pointed directly at her, a "favored" female official!

Sure enough, Xiao Jin, who had just returned from court, was wrapped in thunderous rage. The moment he stepped into the palace gate, suppressed hostility swept over him!

"My harem! My offspring! When will it be their turn to dictate my decisions?!"

"No crown prince? I still need the imperial physician to 'treat' me?!"

"Relying on female officials? Relying on eunuchs? Doting on palace maids?! Great! What a 'every word is precious'!"

"This bunch of parasites! They eat the emperor's salary, but have no intention of serving the country! They only make a fuss about trivial matters and cause me trouble!"

He laughed in anger, suddenly picked up the jade teacup on the table and was about to smash it down! But his eyes caught sight of Yun Zhao standing beside him. His clear eyes were fixed on the teacup in his hand, with a hint of subtle tension.

Xiao Jin paused, his raised hand slowly lowered, his knuckles white from the exertion. He took a deep breath, lifted his robe heavily, and sat down. His chest still heaving violently, his voice as cold as ice: "Just wait for me! You bastards!"

Yun Zhao lowered his eyes, understanding dawned on him: [Su Yuan, the Queen Mother, and the Prince of Qin's faction have been severely damaged. How could these civil officials and their lackeys not be anxious? This is their final counterattack!]

[Catch the leader first! Once this old thief Su Yuan falls, the civil service clique will crumble!]

[The three-month period has passed... Xiao Jin is still alive, and everything has changed. The situation after rebirth is already different.]

When Xiao Jin heard her calm and clear voice, his boiling anger surprisingly subsided a little, and the terrifying hostility around him also subsided.

[Huh? Why is it suddenly quiet?] Yun Zhao was keenly aware of the change in atmosphere.

She stepped forward at the right time and offered a cup of warm tea with both hands.

Xiao Jin took it, without looking at it carefully, and drank it all in one gulp with remaining anger.

As the tea enters the throat, a strange feeling of sweetness quietly spreads, instantly soothing the burning pain and dryness in the throat.

He was slightly startled, then put down the teacup. His frown relaxed a little, and the corners of his mouth even curled up slightly. "What's in this tea today? It has a hint of sweetness that soothes dryness and stimulates salivation."

Yun Zhao felt a little relieved and explained, "Your Majesty, I added some monk fruit. The heated debates during the morning court sessions are extremely draining and damaging to the throat. When I saw Xiao Tao fiddling with the tea leaves, I remembered that monk fruit has a cooling and soothing effect on the throat. Paired with the richness of Dancong Oolong, it would create a delicate, sweet aftertaste that might help ease the discomfort in Your Majesty's throat."

Her tone was steady, yet it shone with professionalism and dedication. This Luo Han Guo was a cooling food, so it shouldn't be used long-term, but it was just the right remedy for Xiao Jin's recent liver irritability.

Zhang Fuan stood by with his hands hanging down, secretly praising him: "Your Majesty's temper is something only the Grand Chef Yun could resolve with such ease. This level of insight into the Emperor's physique, climate, and mood was something even the previous Grand Chef Su Ying couldn't match."

Xiao Jin clearly enjoyed it, the gloom between his brows largely dissipating, and he drank two more cups on his own. The Emperor of Daye, after all, had a penchant for just the right amount of sweetness.

…

The next day, when the court was dismissed, Xiao Jin walked quickly, but he could not hide his fatigue after handling the court affairs. There was a hint of habitual expectation between his brows, and he walked straight into the Yanying Palace.

After he sat down at the imperial desk, he stretched out his hand habitually -

The tea served was not the familiar warm and sweet taste of yesterday. The figure standing by was not the familiar figure as calm as water.

He lifted the teacup and took a sip before his brows furrowed in a frown. As he set the cup down, a subtle hardness etched in his expression. His gaze, like a sharp, icy blade, swept across the maid serving the tea. "Are you... from the Ministry of Food?" His voice was calm, yet it caused the air in the hall to freeze.

Wu Lingyu's heart tightened, and she bowed her head respectfully: "Your Majesty, I am Wu Lingyu, the seal holder of the Food Bureau."

"You don't even know how to make tea?" Xiao Jin's voice was still flat, but it contained an invisible pressure. "If you don't know, go ask Yun Shangshi. Don't bring such crude things to annoy me." He did not hide his disgust for the tea in front of him.

Wu Lingyu knew full well that His Majesty's anger wasn't directed at the tea, but at the fact that the person serving it hadn't changed. She steeled herself, speaking in a clear and respectful voice, "Your Majesty, please calm down. Chef Yun worked until three o'clock last night developing a new recipe. This morning, he served Your Majesty breakfast again. Right now... I'm really exhausted and am resting to catch up on some sleep."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jin's gaze fell upon Wu Lingyu, as if it were real. With scrutiny and a hint of interrupted anticipation, his voice deepened a bit. "Oh? So... you're speaking up for Yun Zhao?"

Wu Lingyu's back stiffened slightly, and she still lowered her head. "I dare not. I am only telling the truth. Your Majesty, do you want me to go and invite the chef here immediately?"

"No need." Xiao Jin interrupted her, tapping his fingertips on the table. "I was asking about the tea. Why did you change it?"

Wu Lingyu calmed his mind and said calmly, "Your Majesty, Yun Shangshi said that Luo Han Guo is cold in nature and should not be consumed every day. Today, we have switched to Pu'er, which is warm and mellow. And since Shangshi has observed that Your Majesty is in a good mood this morning, there is no need to add anything else to the tea."

Xiao Jin was silent for a moment, his eyes passing over the cup of despised Pu'er tea, and finally he just said "hmm" lightly: "Got it. Leave."

Wu Lingyu secretly breathed a sigh of relief and retreated respectfully, with a thin layer of sweat on his back.

Yun Zhao got up from her sleep, changed into a refreshing palace dress, and just as she stepped out of the side hall, she met Wu Lingyu who was retreating.

"Sister Wu," Yun Zhao asked softly, "How is His Majesty feeling today?"

Wu Lingyu glanced at her with a complicated expression: "It's okay."

Yun Zhao nodded: "Then I'll go see how the lunch is prepared. I'll have to trouble Sister Wu here."

Wu Lingyu paused, her gaze swiftly scanning the surroundings—the eunuchs were still a ways off. She lowered her voice, practically whispering in Yun Zhao's ear, with an anxious note of caution: "Chef Yun...are you truly not planning on leaving the palace? It seems His Majesty can't bear to leave you any more. Could it be that...Chef Yun is harboring ambitions of entering the Imperial Palace?"

Yun Zhao's heart skipped a beat, but he tried his best to remain calm. "Thank you for the reminder, sister. Right now... you're much more sober than I am."

Wu Lingyu stared at her intently, her voice lowered to a level with a brutal bluntness that bordered on cruelty: "Shangshi comes from a distinguished family, has the support of her father and brother, and is loved by her family. She is also a master of both civil and military arts, and possesses a keen mind. Judging by her qualifications, becoming the Empress Dowager... is not a fantasy."

She seemed to be stating the facts, but also seemed to be testing.

Yun Zhao met her gaze and nodded slowly, his voice devoid of emotion: "Sister, you reminded me...it's time."

The words "it's time" carry a subtle heaviness.

Wu Lingyu looked at her deeply, said no more, bowed, and left quickly.

Yun Zhao stood there, the afternoon sun streaming through the window lattice, yet she felt no warmth at all. Wu Lingyu's pointed words were like heavy stones dropped into the depths of her heart, instantly stirring up a thousand waves and casting a lingering, heavy shadow over her.

The Emperor...could he...really have feelings for her like that?!

Once this thought arose, it entangled her like a vine, making it difficult for her to breathe.