Chapter 98 Triumphal Tools

Ayun felt as if she had fallen into an icy cave, and understood everything completely - it turned out that all the honors and favors she had received today were just tools used by the emperor to provoke Yun Zhao!

Once she loses this role, she will be nothing in the eyes of the emperor, and may even be doomed at any time for offending Yun Zhao!

The wealth and glory you have obtained are like flowers in the mirror and the moon in the water, which may disappear in a blink of an eye!

Boundless fear gripped her. She practically prostrated herself on the ground, her voice trembling, "Your Majesty, spare me! I know my crime! I truly do! I'll go kowtow to Consort Yun and admit my fault! I'll clean the Zhaixing Tower myself and won't trouble you! Please, Your Majesty, give me another chance!"

Xiao Jin looked at her coldly, as if he were looking at an ant: "Go away! Do as you say!"

"Yes! Yes! I'll go right away! I'll go right away!" Ayun felt as if she had been pardoned. She crawled to her feet and was about to leave tremblingly.

"Stop!" Xiao Jin suddenly shouted at her again.

Ayun was so frightened that his whole body froze and he almost fell to the ground again.

Xiao Jin listened attentively to the noise outside the hall, then suddenly stood up, walked over to her, and offered her a hand to support her. His voice softened slightly, completely different from the cold tone just now. "Are you frightened by me?"

Ayun was still in shock, neither nodding nor shaking her head. She had no idea what the emperor's ever-changing mind was thinking, and she felt even more terrified than before.

Xiao Jin's gaze swept across the tightly closed palace door, and his tone suddenly became gentle, even carrying a hint of ambiguity: "There's no need to go and apologize, to avoid any further trouble. You should go to Zhaixing Tower and settle down first. Tonight... I'll come to see you."

Ah Yun was stunned, almost thinking she had misheard. It wasn't until Xiao Jin waved his hand that she woke up from her dream and hurriedly replied, "Yes... yes, I obey your command."

She almost fled from Yanying Palace and walked towards Zhaixing Tower with unsteady steps, without even the courage to look back.

Only then did she truly understand the unpredictable power of heaven and the heart of a king. She only knew that after having walked through the gates of hell, if she dared to be arrogant and domineering again, the next time, she would definitely die!

The shadow of death had never loomed so clearly over her.

Xiao Jin sat alone in the empty hall, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the place where Yun Zhao had just supported his arm, with an unresolvable depression and irritability between his brows.

When Zhang Fuan bowed and returned to the hall, he saw Xiao Jin sitting alone in the empty hall, his fingertips tapping unconsciously on the table, making a dull sound.

"Where is she?" Xiao Jin spoke, his voice slightly hoarse and tired.

Zhang Fuan respectfully replied, "Your Majesty, Consort Yun said that preparations need to be made for Marshal Yun's triumphant return tomorrow, and she has already gone to work."

Xiao Jin was silent for a moment, his gaze cast towards the gray sky outside the palace. Suddenly, he asked in a much lower voice, "Did I just... scare her?"

Zhang Fuan carefully considered his words and spoke cautiously, "Well...it's only natural that Concubine Yun would feel a sense of awe under His Majesty's majesty. However...concubine Yun is a woman after all, and no matter how strong her heart is, she was ultimately hurt after the incident with His Royal Highness the Prince of Qin. She entered the palace as a criminal, and now she's completely devoted to her official duties, fulfilling them conscientiously. I'm afraid...she hasn't given much thought to other matters."

Xiao Jin keenly grasped the key to his words and raised his eyes sharply. "You mean to say that the King of Qin hurt her deeply, leaving her with lingering fears; and that what I did today, along with the endless stream of vile tricks in the harem, has made her feel sick and afraid, to the point that she avoids anyone in the royal family as much as possible and dares not even have anything to do with them?"

Zhang Fuan's forehead instantly broke out in a fine layer of cold sweat, and he quickly bowed. "This old servant dares not presume to speculate on the Shang Gong's intentions! It's just...it's just that I see that the Shang Gong usually acts meticulously, courageously, and decisively, and her mind is more focused on practical matters. Perhaps...perhaps she really disdains the harem's vying for favors, the oppression and framing, and does not want to get involved in it."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Jin's eyes darkened and he remained silent for a long time.

He roughly understood Zhang Fuan's subtle message. After a long pause, he waved his hand, seemingly helpless yet compromising, his voice carrying a barely perceptible bitterness. "Forget it. Let her be. As long as she's not dead-set on leaving the palace, I can agree to any of her other conditions."

In this cold winter, without her nagging and making arrangements by his side, and without her meticulous care, he didn't even know how he would get through the winter.

"Your Majesty," Zhang Fuan said tentatively, "How about... I, this old servant, find an opportunity to explain Your Majesty's feelings to the Imperial Concubine? The Imperial Concubine is still young and perhaps ignorant of the relationship between men and women. I'm afraid she hasn't figured out many things yet..."

"No need." Xiao Jin interrupted him, his eyes regaining some of the calmness and depth of an emperor. "Wait a moment... I still have one thing I haven't finished."

"Yes, I understand." Zhang Fuan said no more.

Xiao Jin paused, then asked, "Recent rumors in the palace about me being blind, going berserk at night, and even killing people have been circulating wildly."

Zhang Fuan lowered his head even more. "...Yes, Your Majesty. The rumors are spreading like wildfire, and I'm afraid they've already spread outside the palace. I've failed to do my job well, so I'll send more people to find the source and put an end to this matter once and for all!"

"No need." Xiao Jin raised his hand to stop him, a cold smile on his face. "Early tomorrow morning, I will personally lead all the civil and military officials to welcome Duke Yun and Minister Bai Qi back in triumph. You should select a few smart and reliable eunuchs to stay by my side tomorrow and make sure they serve me well."

Zhang Fuan's heart tightened - Is His Majesty going to confirm the rumor and continue this?

He didn't dare to ask more questions, so he could only respond respectfully: "Yes! I will arrange it right away."

…

The next day, it was still dark and the wind was freezing.

Duke Yunfeng of Yun and Minister of War Bai Qi led an army of 100,000 from the capital and returned in triumph, with flags flying and the troops in neat order.

Xiao Jin, dressed in elaborate and solemn court robes, led civil and military officials to greet him outside the palace gate before dawn.

Yun Zhao led the six female officials, palace maids, and eunuchs, standing quietly behind the emperor's dragon chariot in accordance with the rules. According to etiquette, the left side is the most honorable, and as women in the harem, they were honored to be able to observe the ceremony here.

If the triumphant coach today was not Yun Zhao's father, she would not even be qualified to stand here.

Yun Zhao stood in the crowd, looking at the familiar yet blurred tall figure from afar, feeling mixed emotions.

The Prince of Jin and the Prince of Qin stood on the left and slightly in front of the emperor. The three brothers of the Xiao family all had tall and straight figures, with the bearing of dragons and phoenixes, and were particularly eye-catching in the dim light of morning.

The emperor read aloud the commendation edict that had been prepared long ago, and his voice spread through the cold air.

Afterwards, he led all the ministers to the Taimiao to offer sacrifices to the ancestors.

The Sixth Bureau and the Ministry of Rites had already been busy preparing for all of this process for over ten days, striving to ensure that every step was flawless and without any room for error.

However, just as he was walking up the stone steps to offer sacrifices to his ancestors in the Taimiao, an accident happened - Xiao Jin seemed to lose his balance and stumbled and fell again!

Seven or eight eunuchs rushed forward in panic and hurriedly helped him up.

Xiao Jin showed a hint of pain on his face, but waved his hands and insisted on completing the rest of the ancestor worship ceremony surrounded by eunuchs.

This scene was seen by all the civil and military officials and palace maids present.