Chapter 92 The winter is gradually passing away, the sharp north wind has subsided and turned into a gentle breeze, quietly brushing the eaves.
As the winter gradually fades away, the harsh north wind becomes a gentle breeze that blows quietly across the eaves.
Song Shiwei was wearing a black cloak, with the darkly embroidered python pattern faintly visible in the rising sunlight. She leaned against the chair with her arms around the heater, quietly listening to the daily quarrels among the officials of the palace.
The vitality from the fingertips was even fainter than the orange light from the palm. The sun's shadow passed over the brow bone, as if penetrating a layer of rice paper. Even the shadow cast by the eyelashes was so faint that it was about to melt away.
The high fever that continued for several days and nights had damaged her vitality. Seeing His Highness' increasingly vulgar and noisy behavior, Song Shiwei's head hurt even more. She frowned slightly and glanced down coldly.
The ministers, who were arguing fiercely, paused and subconsciously lowered their voices.
Some time ago, after Song Shiwei recovered from a serious illness, he used the excuse of being assassinated to thoroughly investigate the capital and found a lot of evidence against them. They were even involved in both assassinations.
After copying several pawns in a row, the patriarchs of the major families came to Song Shiwei to discuss the matter. After both parties got satisfactory results, the matter was settled.
These weak bones were frightened by the blood that had not dried in the vegetable market for several days and nights. Song Shiwei sneered and nodded to the prime minister who was looking at her with a smile.
I guess no one expected that Song Shiwei would act so quickly. Not only did he accurately find the evidence of their crimes hidden in the dark, but he was also extremely ruthless, executing each one he tried with the account book.
Seeing that the bickering was over, Song Shiwei rubbed his brows wearily and was about to leave the court.
Then a censor in crimson court robes shouted loudly.
"Your Majesty, I have something to report."
Song Shiwei glanced at the Prime Minister's men. It seemed that they were still going after Wu Qining. Interesting.
Song Shiwei raised his eyebrows, indicating that he should give advice.
"The foundation of a country lies in the altar of the state; the security of the altar of the state depends on the heir. Now that Your Majesty has reached the age of marriage, you should recruit men from good families to fill the harem, to carry on the family line and raise an heir."
As soon as these words were spoken, the ministers in the court looked around and made reports one after another.
"There is a little boy in my house, with a beautiful appearance and outstanding talent..."
"I have a grandson in my family, who is extremely beautiful..."
…
Wu Qining's face turned paler as he listened to the exaggerated boasting below.
They rushed to send people over, but in her eyes they were death warrants. With the birth of a young heir, she, the young and strong emperor, would die unexpectedly.
Besides, she likes women.
They must be stopped.
Wu Qining blinked and stared at the minister who was shouting the loudest in the front.
The minister noticed Wu Qining's gaze, and proudly signaled the noisy ministers around him to be quiet. He bowed to Wu Qining.
Wu Qining curled her lips and carefully looked at the minister's face, then pursed her lips in disdain, and then she turned her gaze to the minister who was gloating over the other's misfortune, and said casually: "I remember that you have two sons in your family, and the eldest son looks better. Why don't you send the eldest son to the palace?"
Upon hearing this, the smile on the minister's face froze and he remained speechless in embarrassment.
Wu Qining blinked in confusion, then looked at the prime minister in the front who had everything under control.
"Prime Minister, I have seen your child at a palace banquet. Although he is still young, his appearance and talent are in line with yours. If I don't send him to the palace, I will..."
Before Wu Qining could finish his words, he was interrupted by the prime minister. His usually smiling face suddenly became gloomy, and he did not give Wu Qining any face at all.
"Your Majesty, my wife has passed away for many years. I only have one son, and I have high hopes for him. Your Majesty, please don't expect him."
Wu Qining shrank his neck, said with some disappointment, and looked at the other ministers.
The originally bustling court became inexplicably deserted, and the ministers who had come to submit memorials retreated again.
Just like the male emperors, all men who entered the palace to serve were not allowed to interfere in government affairs, and they were imprisoned in the deep palace for a year or two without seeing each other. The eldest sons of those chosen by Wu Qining were all trained as heirs, so how could they waste all their efforts for this matter?
The minister, who was the youngest son in the family, held his head high and waited for Wu Qining's call, but Wu Qining pretended to ignore him unintentionally.
After several generations of emperors' efforts, most families now practice the system of primogeniture, with the first-born child being designated as the heir and inheriting the bulk of the family property. If they want to give away property, they will only give it to the youngest son who has no future.
Because all the emperor's children are legitimate, regardless of their biological father, sending someone to the palace is good for them, but the benefits are not much. They just need a young heir. It doesn't matter who the heir is.
Song Shiwei watched with interest the scene that had instantly changed its priority.
No wonder they gave up the control of Yongning Palace so readily. It turns out they were waiting here.
Compared to the small Yongning Palace, the huge harem is more popular and easier to arrange manpower for.
"Okay, this matter is of great importance. We should write a memorial to the emperor to explain it in detail and select carefully. It cannot be resolved in the short term, so let's discuss it later. The court is adjourned." Seeing that some ministers were gradually coming to their senses, Song Shiwei, who had seen enough of the excitement, waved his hand.
Wu Qining breathed a sigh of relief, his back was already wet.
In the following morning court sessions, those ministers from aristocratic families all discussed this matter.
She even violated palace rules and brought men who had been prepared long ago into the palace, letting them hang around the places where Wu Qining usually went to and from court, allowing Wu Qining to choose them.
A few days later, Wu Qining fell ill.
"Your Majesty is ill?" Hearing Song Lin's report, Song Shishi's slightly raised voice was not surprising.
"Yes, I heard that the young master of the Ying family climbed up a tree to shoot a swallow, and the arrow deflected towards Your Majesty who was attending the morning court, and almost hit Him. Your Majesty was frightened for a moment, and got a fever that night, and it took him a whole night to get better."
Song Shiwei nodded vaguely and ordered: "Go to Yongning Palace and visit our frightened Majesty."
As soon as the shaking sedan stopped, Song Shiwei heard a commotion before he got out of the sedan.
A young man in a moon-white brocade robe, with a golden crown on his head, holding food in his hands, stood arrogantly in front of the closed palace door, pointing at Xuan Jian who was blocking the door and yelling:
"I am the youngest son of the Wu family in the capital. I have been ordered to visit His Majesty. How dare you, a servant girl with no background, stop me? Do you believe me..."
"She is my woman. Didn't anyone in your family tell her?" A cold voice came from behind. Song Shiwei walked slowly towards him, his narrow eyes were cold and a little scary. He froze, shivering and bowing deeply.
"Your humble servant, your humble servant pays homage to the Grand...Grand Tutor." Song Shiwei didn't even look at him, leaving him kneeling on the ground, and stepped into the Yongning Palace alone.
Behind the dim curtains, a young man stood up with difficulty, and placed his cold hand lightly on her forehead.
The fever has gone away.
The sticky hair stuck to her rosy cheeks, and her bloodshot eyes were misted over as she looked at Song Shiwei in a daze.
She called out in a hoarse voice: "Master."
The slightly bent fingers trembled, Song Shiwei withdrew his hand, tucked the quilt that had slipped off her shoulders, and said softly: "It seems that His Majesty's injury is really serious this time."
"What else can I do? I have to drag it on like this." Wu Qining's eyes became even redder beneath the hoarse voice.
"But how long can Your Majesty hold on like this? Those aristocratic families don't have that much patience." The gentle voice cruelly tore off her meaningless persistence of these days. Song Shiwei had been watching the fire from the other side of the river these days.
The thin body trembled, and the watery eyes looked at Song Shiwei with curved eyebrows without blinking.
She was as ambitious as those noble families who wanted to put people in her harem. She was even more cruel and insatiable than them. She was waiting for her to beg her. She wanted to force her into a situation where no one could be trusted, and she could only rely on her and trust her. She wanted to hand over her soul completely to her.
Silent tears fell from her eyes, and the small mole under her eyes trembled for a long time. She placed her head on Song Shiwei's knees and lay on them obediently. Her eyes, filled with water vapor, met her lowered gaze.
"Master, help me."
The cold hands gently stroked her hair, again and again.
"Your Majesty, how do you know that I am different from those people and don't want a more obedient little emperor?"
"Taifu, choose me. I am more useful than that illusory young son. I have good eyesight and can speak. Taifu is now in power, but he is still restrained by those powerful families. Don't you want to taste the feeling of holding power alone?"
"Master, just spare my life. I'll listen to you about the rest." Her cheek, which was still slightly hot from the residual fever, rubbed lightly against Song Shi's slightly cool palm.
Perhaps she was a little confused after having a fever all night, Song Shiwei actually saw attachment in her watery eyes.
Song Shiwei paused and covered her eyes. His wet eyelashes brushed against her palms in panic, one by one, as if scratching into her cold heart.
She had a thin body and a slightly arched back. She leaned over, opened her arms and gently held her head.
Disasters continued to hit various places, and the families were intertwined, making it difficult to implement government orders, and there was little relief supplies left for the people. They could no longer live happily.
She could only help what was in front of her, but what about the dark places? The scorched earth was covered with corpses, a horrible sight.
She alone can't hold on. Her power is only useful in the capital, and other places are still dominated by aristocratic families, which is why they trust her so much.
Her surname is not Wu, she has no destiny, and she cannot achieve what is destined for her.
She had no other choice. If she appointed a new emperor, the situation would only get worse. The little emperor in front of her was the best choice.
If you rule the world and have the support of the people, you will surely be able to pacify the world and enjoy peace.
Endurance of humiliation is the breeding ground for growth. She no longer has the patience nor the time to raise her like she did that child. She needs to force her to grow up quickly.
Perhaps, ever since she woke up from this body and continued to act in the same way as her original body, she has been doomed.
Her end would be even more tragic than in her previous life. No emperor with great power could tolerate the humiliation she suffered in her childhood.
"Your Majesty," Song Shiwei moved his lips slightly, but still couldn't utter these soft-hearted words.
In the end, Song Shiwei just called out softly as if rewarding him: "Good boy. Don't be afraid."
"Don't worry, they will soon have no time to care about your majesty's harem."
She let go of Wu Qining, took out a memorial from her arms and threw it into her hands.
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