At this moment, two palace maids, Wan Chun and Mu Xia, carried a golden basin into the large bedchamber. They placed the basin on a sandalwood washbasin stand far from the dragon bed. Wan Chun walked over gently and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, Your Highness, it is noon. It is time to wash up."
"Is it noon?"
Upon hearing this, Qin Chuan realized he had been sleeping too long; the morning court session had long since ended, so why bother attending it now…
Thinking of this, he lightly patted his empress wife's buttocks, "Your Majesty's wife, get up! The morning court session is over, you big lazybones!"
The Empress stretched out a long, beautiful, snow-white leg and kicked him off the dragon bed onto the white marble floor, saying coquettishly, "Isn't my current state all your fault?"
She sat up, her thin clothes barely concealing her snow-white skin, and continued to say coquettishly, "I was originally a wise ruler, but it's because of you that I can't get out of bed and can't attend the morning court. You, this malevolent devil, not only are you unwilling to share my burdens, but you also dare to call me a lazybones. I really want to stab you to death with a sword!"
"A handsome man is a source of trouble?"
Qin Chuan was slightly taken aback, then stood up from the white marble floor. "Have I become a femme fatale?"
Fortunately, the Empress's wife didn't kick him hard; she just caught him off guard.
Hearing her say she was a heartbreaker, he immediately became unhappy and muttered, "If you're lazy, fine, but if something goes wrong during a major project, don't blame me..."
You're saying... I'm lazy?
The Empress stared at him with her phoenix eyes, and stretched out her long, beautiful white leg again, as if she wanted to kick him again.
To everyone's surprise, Qin Chuan chuckled and dodged her beautiful legs.
Just thinking about the image of those legs draped over my shoulders last night fills me with immense satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment…
"I'm not going to argue with you anymore. Wanchun, come here and help me change my clothes."
Upon hearing His Majesty's order, Wan Chun went over to help the Empress change her clothes.
Muxia then helped Qin Chuan with his dressing and grooming.
...
The imperial kitchen delivered breakfast and lunch to the bedchamber. Qin Chuan and the Empress sat down together and ate and chatted as they ate.
"Your Majesty's wife, do you think... it's still not too late to send people to arrest the Prince of Zhao's family and relatives?"
"Treason is punishable by the extermination of nine generations of one's family. How could they possibly escape and cause trouble?"
"Wait a minute, Your Majesty's wife, if the entire family is to be executed, wouldn't that include us?"
"We? I was referring to Xiao Jingze's nine generations of relatives. What does that have to do with us?"
"Aren't you Xiao Jingze's niece?"
As he said this, Qin Chuan took a sip of his iced mung bean soup and cautiously glanced at his empress wife, afraid that she might kick him over again...
The Empress remained calm and said indifferently, "It doesn't count. His nine generations of relatives do not include my branch."
"Does that mean we should exterminate all members of the royal family except for your branch?"
The Empress was suddenly stumped by his question, blinked her phoenix eyes, and said, "It seems that we cannot exterminate his nine generations, but it would be just right to wipe out his three generations."
Slightly startled, Qin Chuan continued, "Are Li Zongmin and his family still imprisoned in the imperial prison? What are your plans to do with them?"
"Kill them," the Empress uttered expressionlessly.
Qin Chuan thought for a moment and said, "Is it really necessary to kill them all?"
The Empress snorted and glanced at Qin Chuan, saying, "Husband, you are too kind. You are unaware of the wickedness of people's hearts. Do you think they will be grateful to you if you spare some lives?"
"They won't. They'll only remember that you killed their patriarch, ruined their lives, and caused their once-happy lives to plummet to rock bottom. They won't be grateful; they'll only hold a grudge. Given the chance, they'll pose a threat to you or the entire country."
Hearing her say that, Qin Chuan first nodded, then shook his head. "What I mean is, kill a few ringleaders, and the rest can be exiled or forced into labor, depending on the severity of their crimes. They can even be sent to plant or dig potatoes."
Upon hearing this, the Empress blinked her phoenix eyes and glanced at Qin Chuan: "My husband is right. Let's do as he says."
"Alright, then regarding sending men to Nanyang to apprehend the relatives and family members of the Prince of Zhao..."
"My husband can decide what to do."
"I always have to discuss it with you."
"..."
The couple chatted casually for a while, with several palace maids attending to them.
Finally, the Empress stood up first, looked at Qin Chuan who was still eating, and couldn't help but smile, saying, "Husband, I have never left the capital. I really want to go out and see the scenery."
Hearing this, Qin Chuan quickly put down his jade bowl and golden chopsticks, stood up and said, "Great! Once the direct roads from the capital to the provinces are completed, I'll drive you around to different places. We'll leave state affairs to Xiao Yue then, hehe, and we'll go on a road trip!"
The Empress smiled and said, "That's a good idea. It's the car you mentioned. What kind of car?"
Qin Chuan gestured and said, "My car is an off-road armored vehicle, it's not afraid of any weapon attacks, I'll take you to see it in a bit."
"Very well, take me to see it!"
As she spoke, the Empress took Qin Chuan's hand.
Qin Chuan hurriedly said, "Xiao Yue hasn't returned yet, and there's no one to handle important matters. Can we take care of the important business first before we go?"
"What important matter is it?"
"Send men to Nanyang to arrest the relatives and family members of the King of Zhao."
"Oh, I almost forgot, so who do you want to send?"
Qin Chuan thought of someone, walked out of the bedchamber, and called over a eunuch, "Go and fetch Zhang Cheng!"
Before long, Zhang Cheng was summoned before Qin Chuan and the Empress.
Qin Chuan handed Zhang Cheng a sapphire blue waist token inlaid with gold and said, "Zhang Cheng, you've been working as a messenger eunuch for a long time, thank you for your hard work. From today onwards, you are promoted to Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial and appointed as Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard!"
Upon receiving the waist token, Zhang Cheng was so astonished to see the words "Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard" that he immediately knelt down on both knees: "This servant kowtows to thank Your Majesty for your honor! Thank you for the reward! This servant is willing to go through fire and water for Your Majesty and Your Highness, even unto death. May Your Majesty and Your Highness be a perfect match, a dragon and a phoenix in harmony..."
"Alright, alright..."
Qin Chuan interrupted him; the flattery was endless. No wonder many emperors in ancient times favored eunuchs; these people were more obedient than dogs and provided so much emotional value…
"Take three hundred men from the Embroidered Uniform Guard and go to Nanyang to arrest the relatives and family members of the Prince of Zhao and bring them to justice..."
Zhang Cheng immediately nodded and accepted the order.
"Go quickly!"
Zhang Cheng nodded vigorously, slowly took three steps back, and then turned and left.
Once out of Qin Chuan and the Empress's sight, Zhang Cheng murmured excitedly, "I'm a grand eunuch now, and a commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard! I have power, I have influence, I'm strong! Hahahaha!"
Zhang Cheng had been covering his mouth and laughing, but seeing that no one was around, he burst into laughter. After laughing for a while, he muttered to himself, "Young Master Qin... oh no, Your Highness Prince Yan, from now on, my life belongs to you..."
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