Zhao Jing glanced quickly at the contents of the note, then looked down at Jiang Tian and whispered, "You want me to help you?"
Jiang Tian glanced at him: "If the general is not happy, then so be it, anyway I..."
Zhao Jing guessed what she was going to say next and frowned: "That's enough. I'll handle it."
Jiang Tian then straightened her posture, appearing poised and elegant.
Zhao Jing gestured for his subordinate to come over, and the subordinate, after listening, retreated expressionlessly.
The two acted discreetly, and the emperor, preoccupied with drinking and having fun with his concubines, did not notice anything amiss.
Inside the palace, singing and dancing filled the air, with people clinking glasses and exchanging toasts, thoroughly enjoying themselves.
Less than a quarter of an hour later, a palace servant rushed in, shouting, "Your Majesty, the Shuya Garden is on fire!"
The emperor's cup shattered, his expression changed drastically, and he abandoned his ministers to rush over.
The newly enthroned emperor's mother came from an extremely humble background, one that was difficult for others to talk about.
She was a wet nurse to a prince. She had been married before, but the late emperor, who was drunk, saw her and took her as his concubine.
His birth mother's identity was so awkward that he was raised elsewhere from a young age.
However, the adoptive mother was too strict and harsh on the new emperor, which caused the new emperor to always miss his birth mother. After ascending the throne, although he could not make his mother the Empress Dowager, he set up a memorial tablet for her and placed it in the palace next to Shuya Garden.
It's understandable that the new emperor was anxious; if the fire were too fierce and spread to the neighboring palace, the consequences would be unimaginable.
After the emperor left, the courtiers looked at each other, unsure of what to do.
Looking at the chaotic scene before her, Jiang Tian smiled slightly, her eyes narrowed: "General, you truly have excellent skills."
Zhao Jing glanced at her sideways: "I thought you wouldn't refuse to be the emperor's concubine."
“If he could truly unify the world and control the vast land, being his concubine would naturally be better than being your wife. But he has only been on the throne for a few months and has already become obsessed with women, neglecting state affairs. With you watching him like a hawk, I must be out of my mind to board a ship that is destined to run aground.”
A smile appeared in Zhao Jing's eyes.
Jiang Tian then looked at him: "Once today is over, the emperor will inevitably think of me again, so General, please be more attentive."
Zhao Jing frowned slightly; this woman was instructing him as if he were a servant.
However, he still made the promise.
He stared at her: "Don't worry, since I said I would protect you, I won't go back on my word. As long as you behave yourself, no one can force you to do anything you don't want to do."
Jiang Tian chuckled: "Unless you're not human."
Zhao Jing's expression was cold: "Except for me."
He was not a tyrant; otherwise, he would not have let the several incidents caused by Jiang Tian go unpunished.
The emperor did not return, and the palace banquet had to be held hastily.
The fire was extinguished in the middle of the night. Although the emperor managed to save what he wanted to protect, he was furious and ordered a thorough investigation of the inner palace to find the arsonist.
However, after investigation, it was found that the fires were caused by dry weather, and no one had any malicious intent.
After several days of fussing, the emperor had no choice but to give up.
Once he returned to his normal life, he naturally thought of Jiang Tian again.
A man in a high position may love a woman as much as he loves the flowers and grass by the roadside, since everything is readily available to him.
If Jiang Tian had let him succeed, that would have been one thing, but she didn't.
Remembering that she had already been with several men, the emperor's interest in her only increased.
He wanted to see what made her so special.
After a while, the emperor began to take notice of her.
He sent someone to inquire about Jiang Tian, only to learn that she had been staying in her mansion all day, not stepping out of the General's Mansion.
This is a bit tricky.
After some thought, the emperor decided to get straight to the point and summoned Zhao Jing to the palace.
He started by chatting with Zhao Jing for a few minutes, then quickly got to the point: "When my Consort met your wife last time, she seemed to hit it off immediately. These days she keeps asking me to see her again. If your wife is free, why don't you come to the palace tomorrow and stay with the Consort for a while?"
Zhao Jing's aura suddenly turned cold for a moment. Before the emperor could notice anything amiss, he cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, my wife has caught a cold and has been bedridden these past few days. If she were to enter the palace, even the Imperial Concubine would be implicated. Perhaps we should wait a while until she recovers before she enters the palace to accompany the Imperial Concubine."
"She's ill?" The emperor's expression was rather grim.
"Yes, I just saw a doctor a few days ago," Zhao Jing replied.
The emperor was getting impatient: "Then remember to send her to the palace when she recovers."
Zhao Jing's tone turned slightly somber: "Yes."
Afterwards, Zhao Jing discussed the matter of the rebel uprising with the emperor.
Although they have occupied the capital and several important cities, the rebels also have considerable resources. If we are not careful, they may very well make a comeback.
But the emperor looked unwilling to listen.
"With you here, I am at ease. You can discuss these matters with the officials."
The new emperor struggled to maintain the status quo even during peaceful times, and during times of war, he appeared even more vulnerable and easily defeated.
He became discouraged and incapable of handling important matters simply because the policy implementation failed.
Compared to a tyrannical ruler, the two are no better.
Zhao Jing concealed the contempt in his eyes very well and quickly retreated.
He returned to his residence and went straight to Jiang Tian's courtyard. After the servants had all left, he said to Jiang Tian, "I told the Emperor that you have caught a cold and are currently resting in bed. You should stay home for the time being."
"good."
After a moment's hesitation, Zhao Jing added, "Things will be a bit chaotic outside these days. If you still want to be your philanthropist, then make sure your people stay put."
"good."
Seeing that she only responded with a single word to everything he said, Zhao Jing's expression turned ugly again.
He turned around and left the yard.
Before long, some voices of discontent with the new emperor began to emerge in the capital.
After he ascended the throne, the lives of the people did not improve. On the contrary, some officials made a fortune. When the rebel army outside was about to besiege the city, he was still indulging in drinking and pleasure with his concubines. How is such a person any different from a tyrant?
These rumors intensified, and when the new emperor heard them, his face turned extremely terrified. He immediately summoned Zhao Jing and ordered him to quell the rumors.
Zhao Jing smiled wryly: "It is easier to stop the people from speaking than to stop a river from overflowing. Your Majesty, the best course of action now is for you to do something to restore the people's hearts."
The new emperor paced back and forth like a caged beast, his voice strained: "What can I do! I can't do anything! Only after ascending the throne did I realize the enormous mess my predecessor left me with! There are both internal and external troubles, I'm helpless!"
He even forgot to refer to himself as "朕" (Zhen, meaning "I, the Imperial Censor").
Zhao Jing lowered his head and said, "Your humble servant has a plan; you may wish to hear it."
The new emperor's eyes lit up instantly: "Speak!"
"Your Majesty might as well lead the expedition in person, showcasing the majesty of an emperor and letting the people see your determination to unify the land."
He had barely finished speaking when the new emperor flatly refused: "I will not go!"
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