"I'm innocent, my lady. When I was in love with you... I didn't even know if you were round or flat."
Yin Jiuxiao was taken aback, then chuckled. He stepped forward, gently touched her cheek with his fingertips, and whispered his grievance.
He stroked her chin with his fingertips, his voice gentle yet firm: "Whether you wear a mask or not, I like you. However, you can continue to wear the mask, so that only I will know what you look like."
"Azi, what I love has always been you as a person, not your appearance."
"Your Majesty has forgotten that you once said I was nothing more than a lowly assassin. Now you speak such sweet words so casually, I wonder if they are sincere or not."
Zi Xi's ears felt slightly hot, and she turned her face away, letting out a soft hum as she argued.
Yin Jiuxiao chuckled, then suddenly scooped her up in his arms. Amid her gasp, he leaned down and gently bit her ear: "Then let your husband prove it with his actions?"
On this day, the emperor personally put a mask on the young assassin and proved it on his bed: he had never loved just the physical appearance.
*
The next morning at court, Yin Jiuxiao announced that he would make Azi his empress.
The Minister of Rites, his beard bristling with anger, was the first to jump out and object: "Your Majesty! To make a royal assassin empress is against ancestral rules! How can this woman, of humble origins, be fit to rule the world?!"
"Oh? Then, my dear minister, who do you think is worthy?"
Yin Jiuxiao lazily propped his chin up, a slight smile playing on his lips.
He disdained to hide it and felt that being a death squad member was not a bad thing. He wanted the whole world to know that Azi was going to become his empress.
The Minister of Rites puffed out his chest: "Naturally, she should be a noblewoman from a distinguished family, possessing both virtue and talent to be worthy of being a mother..."
"For example, your granddaughter who can't even recite the entire 'Admonitions for Women'?"
"Just last month, your wife dragged you home from Qingya Pavilion, a place that only caters to female guests, by the ear?"
Yin Jiuxiao raised an eyebrow; this was an amusing story that Azi had told him.
The reason I remember it so vividly is entirely because of Qingya Pavilion, where even the madam was a man, and the various men under her only served female customers.
Azi has been inside three times because of missions.
He wasn't a petty person, but he would never let Azi be seduced by the men inside!
The Minister of Rites was speechless: "..."
The entire court seemed to be under a silencing spell, and the hall was unusually quiet.
After all, which family's younger generation is completely obedient? They are all spoiled rotten by their elders and become lawless.
After a long silence, the Vice Minister of Revenue stepped forward with a stiff upper lip: "Your Majesty, Miss Azi was, after all, a former assassin, her hands stained with blood. I fear she will not be able to convince the public..."
Yin Jiuxiao was waiting idly, and chuckled, "My dear minister, the blood on my hands is no less than that on my empress. Does my intention mean... to change the emperor?"
The Vice Minister of Revenue's legs buckled and he knelt down, prostrating himself on the ground.
The old prime minister, keeping his eyes downcast and focused on his own thoughts, finally stepped forward, leaning on his cane: "This old minister believes... Miss Azi's humble origins are not a problem at all..."
"Okay, alright, you're old, so don't worry about it."
"I heard that the Prime Minister's hands trembled. The last memorial he reviewed was written so crookedly that I thought it was crawling like a centipede. The Empress just happened to have prepared a plaster to cure trembling hands, and I am giving it to you as a reward."
Yin Jiuxiao had a guard take away a box of ointment. The old prime minister held the ointment and tears streamed down his face. His Majesty has grown up. And the empress is so thoughtful.
No one objected, so naturally the emperor's word was law. After the court session, Zi Xi peeked out from behind the screen and said, "Your Majesty was so kind today!"
"Nonsense, what benevolence? I was just in a good mood."
"They only disagree because of your family background, but if they dare to say a bad word about you... I will not let them off so easily."
Pulling Zi Xi into his arms, Yin Jiuxiao played with a strand of hair by her ear.
"I know, I know."
"His Majesty will execute nine generations of his family~"
Zi Xi smiled and stuffed the osmanthus cake in her hand to his mouth.
"Hmph, it's enough that you know I'm good to you."
Yin Jiuxiao viciously devoured the osmanthus cake, as if he were gnawing on the flesh of the minister who had just opposed him.
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