Chapter 80 Turmoil

The man was refined and courteous, bowing respectfully to her and saying, "Greetings, Your Majesty."

Xiao Yu suppressed his doubts and looked at the Empress Dowager.

The Empress Dowager twirled the prayer beads in her hand and said, “This is my elder brother’s eldest son. He came to the palace today to see me. Speaking of which, he is about the same age as His Majesty. You young people should have something to talk about. Jun’er is not like his elder brother who likes to fight with swords and spears. Instead, he is like my sister-in-law. He has liked to write and paint since he was a child. But that’s good too.”

This is......

Does he want me to assign him a position?

Xiao Yu was unsure of the Empress Dowager's intentions, but he didn't dwell on it and waved his hand, saying, "Since he is the Empress Dowager's nephew, there's no need for formalities among family members. Please stand up and speak."

Li Jun expressed his gratitude and stood respectfully to the Empress Dowager's side.

Xiao Yu glanced at her indifferently. From the moment she entered, the Empress Dowager's attitude was not particularly warm. If she wanted to find a way out for her nephew, she would not have been so enthusiastic. Moreover, although the man stood next to the Empress Dowager, she did not show any extra expression. It was clear that the relationship between the aunt and nephew was not very close.

So today is...

Although Xiao Yu had many guesses in his heart, he did not show them on his face.

She had barely entered and sat down for a short while when the palace servants of Shou Kang Palace filed in and set out the meal. Because an imperial decree had been issued beforehand, the breakfast at Shou Kang Palace was no different from that at Funing Palace, consisting of only six dishes and a bowl of lotus seed porridge.

The Empress Dowager called out to her, "Let's go, have a meal first, we can talk about it later."

After saying this, he was helped up by his nanny and walked to the dining table to sit down.

"Jun'er, you may come along too," the Empress Dowager said calmly.

Xiao Yu was taken aback, and then realized that the Jun'er the Empress Dowager mentioned must be her nephew Li Jun.

How could a subject dare to sit at the same table as the emperor? Li Jun glanced at his aunt and immediately turned pale and knelt on the ground: "Nephew dares not, and nephew has already had breakfast before coming here."

"Oh?" The Empress Dowager smiled and enlightened him: "You are right. There is a difference between the emperor and his subjects. It seems that I am getting senile. Bai Sheng's country still needs young people like you. The emperor also needs loyal ministers and generals. My Li family has been loyal to the country for generations. You must also remember the ancestral teachings in your generation, understand?"

Li Jun knelt on the ground: "Nephew understands."

The Empress Dowager nodded: "Get up."

Li Jun secretly glanced at Xiao Yu and then lowered his head. Today, he was sent to the palace by his father to ask his aunt to recommend him to the emperor so that he could get a good job. Who knew that his aunt would summon the emperor and say such things in front of him.

Does she intend to remain loyal to the emperor from now on?

Li Jun had doubts, but dared not disobey, and respectfully kowtowed again.

"I will remember my aunt's teachings."

"That's good to know. Since you're not dining here, you should go back."

"Yes." Li Jun glanced at Xiao Yu again, then lowered his head and left the hall.

With only the two of them left in the hall, Xiao Yu took a closer look at her. Her well-maintained face carried a faint sense of aloofness. Even though she was sitting opposite him, she seemed ethereal and unreal.

The Empress Dowager spoke calmly: "The late Emperor loved his people like his own children, and spent his entire life reviewing memorials and serving the common people."

Xiao Yu looked up at her, unsure of what to say next.

The Empress Dowager smiled, unconcerned, and continued, "She said that a ruler should implement benevolent policies so that the people can live in peace and prosperity, and so that Bai Sheng's empire can be secure forever."

The old emperor the Empress Dowager spoke of was a diligent and benevolent ruler. This wasn't written in the original plot, so she couldn't make a judgment. However, she was certain of one thing: the Empress Dowager and the old emperor were deeply in love.

This old emperor had only one empress and two concubines in his harem, unlike other emperors whose harems were completely clean.

The Empress Dowager noticed that she was staring at her, waved her hand, and the prayer beads in her hand made a crisp clinking sound: "Am I being long-winded?"

Xiao Yu quickly shook his head: "How could that be? I am happy to hear the Empress Dowager say these things."

The Empress Dowager nodded: "Although I haven't left the palace during this time, I've often heard the palace servants talk about the Emperor. You've only been on the throne for a short time, and your foundation is not yet stable, so you've already done very well. However, some things need to be done slowly, especially the matter of consolidating power. No one is willing to relinquish power once it falls into their hands. Don't be impatient. When the late Emperor was alive, he was always worried about the successor. This was also her heartache. Now it seems... she can rest in peace in heaven."

When her secret was exposed, Xiao Yu smiled shyly: "It's all because of the circumstances."

What's going on here? Why is the Empress Dowager talking to her about these things? After hearing her conversation with Li Jun, she thought the Empress Dowager would say something for Li Jun, but the Empress Dowager is not playing by the rules. Every few sentences she speaks revolve around the late Emperor.

She missed the old emperor so much.

But thinking about it, if it were a rich young lady, I'd probably go crazy too.

The best solution would be to leave at the same time as the young lady.

Ptooey!

What is she thinking? This is so unlucky; she wants to live to be a hundred years old with the young lady.

The Empress Dowager looks to be about the same age as my stepmother.

She and the old emperor were childhood sweethearts, so it's very likely that the old emperor was only in his forties when he passed away.

Xiao Yu couldn't help but sigh.

The breakfast consisted of nothing more than the Empress Dowager rambling on about the past.

After the meal, the Empress Dowager was about to perform Buddhist rituals when Xiao Yu stood up. The Empress Dowager didn't say much, as if she had already said everything.

A benevolent ruler...

Xiao Yu couldn't help but ponder this word. Could she really do it well?

The Empress Dowager escorted her to the outside of the palace, reached out to straighten her clothes, and said to her, "When the Emperor has nothing to do, he can come to Shou Kang Palace more often and chat with me."

Xiao Yu nodded blankly, staring at her. She really couldn't figure out what the Empress Dowager meant. She suddenly summoned her to Shou Kang Palace and saw Li Jun. She thought the Empress Dowager wanted her to take care of her nephew, but she only said a few words and talked about everyday matters.

Although she appears aloof, she inexplicably makes people feel comfortable and, on the contrary, very approachable.

Yes! That's the word.

I really can't understand why she would have this feeling about her.

Xiao Yu raised his sleeve: "I remember, Empress Dowager, please do not see me off any further."

The Empress Dowager smiled and watched her leave.

As soon as Xiao Yu left Shou Kang Palace, she saw a flustered palace servant who hurriedly bowed to her.

"Your Majesty, something terrible has happened! Something terrible has happened!"

"Insolence!" Fu Shun shouted sternly, "How dare you offend His Majesty..."

The palace servant was so frightened that she knelt down on the ground with a thud.

Xiao Yu raised her hand to interrupt him: "Tell me what happened?"

The palace servant knelt on the ground, trembling, and said, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. It was the Empress who sent me to invite Your Majesty to the Imperial Study."

"Hmm?" Xiao Yu frowned. Wasn't the young lady dining at Funing Palace? Why is she in the Imperial Study now? The little eunuch is so flustered. Xiao Yu's heart tightened. Could it be that the young lady is in danger?

She disregarded everything else and hurriedly asked, "What exactly happened? Is the Empress alright?"

Before the palace servants could answer, Xiao Yu quickened his pace and jogged towards the Imperial Study.

Fortunately, Shou Kang Palace was not too far from the Imperial Study. Before long, Xiao Yu arrived at the Imperial Study, where court officials were standing in front of it.

Xiao Yu adjusted her breathing and approached.

"Greetings, Your Majesty." The ministers knelt down and bowed in unison.

"Get up, everyone."

A palace servant opened the palace door, and Xiao Yu walked into the hall and sat down in front of the imperial desk.

"What matters do you gentlemen wish to report?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the Minister of Justice stepped forward to the crowd, cupped his hands, and said, "Your Majesty, a murder occurred today at an inn in the capital."

Murder?

Xiao Yu frowned. If there's a murder case, go investigate it. Why do so many people have to come looking for her?

According to her observation, half of the important officials in the court have come. Could it be another major case?

Xiao Yu felt uneasy. Would a murder case really alarm so many people? They were all high-ranking officials from the court. How could she not be suspicious?

However, she didn't have time to think about these things at the moment, and then she heard the Minister of Justice continue, "The deceased were Zhang Da and several others who had a conflict with His Majesty some time ago."

How many people were there, including Zhang Da?

Was more than one person dead?

Xiao Yu asked in surprise, "How many people died? Have you found the killer?"

"This..." The Minister of Justice hesitated for a moment: "Ten people died, and the murderer did not leave any clues."

What?

Xiao Yu was startled. Was the efficiency of solving cases in ancient times always this bad?

Dead, without a single clue...

This reminded her of the death of the male protagonist, Xiao Chengze, which also left no clues. The simultaneous murder of ten people could not possibly be a simple case of killing.

Could they all have been killed by the same person?

"Have you thoroughly investigated their backgrounds, their relationships, and whether they've offended anyone since arriving in the capital?" Xiao Yu asked.

"I have already had someone investigate. These people are all candidates who came to take the exam. They have no conflicts with anyone and have no enemies. The only conflict is..."

The Minister of Justice paused, slightly raised his head to look at Xiao Yu, and said carefully, "He did have a dispute with His Majesty."

? !

Are these people doubting themselves?

Xiao Yu was startled. She twitched her lips. Were these people really brainless? Who was she, all alone, to send to kill someone?

At this moment, the censor stepped forward and reported: "Your Majesty, it is widely rumored among the people that the deaths of these ten people are related to Your Majesty. Xiao Chengze was once killed silently because he offended Your Majesty. Now these candidates have also offended Your Majesty and have been killed silently as well. If this is not stopped, it may damage Your Majesty's reputation."

Heh~

I'm speechless.

Xiao Yu gritted her teeth. She was clearly the emperor now, so why did she always feel like she was being led by the nose? Which emperor was as pathetic as her? Even ordinary people dared to gossip about her.

And can these corrupt officials even use their brains?! How could she possibly be the murderer?!

Xiao Yu's eyes were filled with helplessness as he glanced at each of the ministers.

The hall fell into a deathly silence.

After a moment of silence, everyone's eyes were focused on Prime Minister Song.

Song Yunzhou paused for a moment before slowly stepping forward with a sorrowful expression: "The people are confused. How could Your Majesty be the murderer? The main task now is to find the murderer as soon as possible and clear Your Majesty's name. The palace examination is just around the corner. In order to prevent those scholars from harming Your Majesty, this old minister implores Your Majesty to postpone the palace examination until the case is investigated."

"This old minister agrees."

"I agree."

Are these people trying to obstruct my talent selection process?

The thought flashed through Xiao Yu's mind. Without making a sound, he glanced around. All the people who came were important figures in the court. Could the murderer be among them?

If the murderer is really inside, then who could it be?