The next morning, all the concubines in the harem came to pay their respects to Song Xia. They all looked extremely haggard, which Song Xia found quite amusing.
"Why do you all look like this? Didn't you sleep well last night?"
Consort Shu sighed, "Your Majesty, you're still laughing!"
"With a stable court, a harmonious harem, and outstanding princes, I should be happy!"
"But……"
"It's alright." She glanced calmly at everyone, and that one glance calmed them down. Indeed, the Empress was so capable; she must have a way to deal with His Majesty. They shouldn't worry unnecessarily.
“I have acted uprightly and honestly, and I have no shame before Heaven, Earth, or anyone. Even if Your Majesty knows something, you cannot pin the blame on me.”
Everyone could only pray that this was the case. If His Majesty really held the Empress accountable, they would do everything in their power to save her.
At 1:15 AM, the auspicious day calculated by Master Qingfeng, His Majesty emerged from the pass in glory, greeted by his officials. He appeared to have bright eyes, a ruddy complexion, and a robust physique, looking much younger than his peers.
Upon seeing this, he laughed heartily and teased, "Minister Cheng, you are a pillar of the state, you must take good care of yourself!"
Minister Cheng bowed respectfully: "Your Majesty's blessings are boundless, a blessing to the people. How can I, your humble servant, compare to Your Majesty?"
The emperor had been quite resentful about the eight-year seclusion, but upon hearing this, his last trace of resentment towards Daoist Qingfeng completely dissipated. Although the cultivation time was long, it must be said that the effect was still very significant. Many court officials younger than him could not match his spirit.
He looked at the concubines again, and they had all aged. Even Consort Li had become a plain and uninteresting woman.
Consort Li had gone to great lengths to study his preferences and expressions in order to win his favor. So, with just a glance from him, Consort Li knew what he meant. She was so angry that she laughed. Did he think they were all doing this on purpose? As if anyone wanted to serve her willingly.
"My beloved ministers, rise. Today is a joyous occasion. I have decided to grant a general amnesty to the entire realm so that all may rejoice."
Upon hearing this, the Minister of Justice and the Chief Justice of the Court of Judicial Review immediately changed their expressions. Those imprisoned in the imperial prison and exiled to the frontier were all heinous criminals. If His Majesty granted a general amnesty, wouldn't these people be exempt from punishment? If even crimes can be pardoned, how can the judiciary retain its credibility and deterrent power?
But His Majesty is in high spirits right now, and this is the first imperial edict issued since leaving the pass. If they rashly disobey, they may not get away with it. Looking at the Empress, they saw that the Empress was also shaking her head at them.
Well, although His Majesty has issued an imperial decree, they still have room to maneuver. Let's see what instructions the Empress has!
Fortunately, we have the Empress all these years. Otherwise, the princes would not be so harmonious, and the forces behind each prince would not be so quiet. Why did His Majesty come out of seclusion? He should continue to cultivate his immortality techniques.
Could it be that he has mastered the technique? If he remains as suspicious as before, only thinking about the art of compromise, I'm afraid the court will soon descend into chaos again.
The two then looked at their other colleagues, only to see that each of them was extremely respectful, showing no sign of worry. Tsk, they were all old foxes. They could only hope that their loyalty to the Empress hadn't changed!
On this day, the emperor did not concern himself with court affairs, but instead lavishly invited all the officials, as if he wanted to revive the eight years of abstinence and indulge in extreme extravagance.
The concubines, unable to bear the absurd scene, returned to the inner palace early. Then, without prior arrangement, they all went to Fengyi Palace, looking at Song Xia with a mixture of sympathy and worry.
"What kind of looks are those?"
Consort Xian couldn't bear it: "Your Majesty, according to the rules, His Majesty will probably be staying in your palace tonight."
Song Xia sneered: "So that's why. Don't worry, His Majesty doesn't think much of me. He has more tender options now, so he probably won't come."
But even though she didn't come, everyone still felt sorry for her, because the Empress entered the palace at the age of fifteen and is only twenty-four now. As the Empress, she has never been favored even once. Although they all know that the Empress doesn't care, it is still a pity that she has never had a man in her life. It wouldn't look good if it were written into the history books.
Consort Xian even absurdly thought that since her brother was in charge of the safety of the capital, if the Empress took a fancy to any guard, it wouldn't be a problem to transfer him to entertain the Empress. Don't say that she was disrespectful; the Empress was so outstanding. Not only did she possess great wisdom, but she also had an extraordinary temperament, and her beauty was becoming more and more exquisite. She was just deliberately making herself look ugly in front of His Majesty. Whoever she chose was a matter of fate.
"What nonsense are you thinking!" Song Xia saw through her thoughts at a glance, because Consort Xian had mentioned it to her in a subtle way before. As expected of someone who sells great storybooks, her thinking is so advanced. Who would have thought that Consort Xian, who used to be the most disciplined, would be so bold now?
However, His Majesty's presence has indeed delayed the ladies of the harem. In her opinion, even the oldest concubine, Consort Zhuang, is not old. She herself is not interested in this kind of thing, but she has not stopped everyone from having fun.
Only when His Majesty is away can everyone have an excuse to leave the palace. At that time, in the princes' residences, they will be the old imperial concubines, and no one can control them. They can do whatever they want.
"Go back now. I have other matters to attend to later and won't have time to entertain you. Don't worry, there won't be any problems."
Everyone looked rather unwell; how could we be at ease? Even if His Majesty doesn't come to the Empress's palace, they're afraid to go there themselves!
In fact, Song Xia had made preparations for this day. The girls were all rescued from hardship. They were willing to come to the palace for a stable and wealthy life. So today, whether it was pouring wine for the emperor or helping him change clothes, they were all trained courtesans. Their unintentional charm had already captivated the emperor's heart.
Before the banquet was over, they had already led people to the back hall, where soon decadent music could be heard, and the ministers awkwardly took their leave.
Many ministers shook their heads in disappointment. They had only been suspicious in the past, not so outrageous. It seemed that after a few years of being celibate, he was about to unleash all his true nature. If it was just lust, that would be fine, but what if it manifested in matters of power?
"Your Excellency, does Her Majesty the Empress have any instructions?"
"Her Majesty only said that we would discuss it again after the First Prince and the Second Prince return to the capital."
"His Highness is already eighteen; it's time to establish him as Crown Prince."
Another minister shook his head: "To bring this up before His Majesty at this time would be to put His Highness in an unjust position."
The ministers fell silent. They had all witnessed the eldest prince's performance over the past few years and he was already considered the crown prince. Although the other princes were also very capable, only by making the eldest prince the crown prince could they gain the support of the people. Otherwise, it would be another struggle. They could only hope that His Majesty would not be confused.
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