Several high-ranking officials filed in, and after bowing, the Left Chancellor, an elderly minister with white hair and beard, stepped forward, his voice loud yet carrying an unquestionable traditional authority: "Your Majesty has just ascended the throne and has worked diligently to govern, earning the praise of the people. However, for a long reign, an heir is the foundation of the state! Your Majesty's harem consists only of His Highness the Imperial Consort, which is contrary to propriety and detrimental to the foundation of the nation! We humbly request Your Majesty, for the sake of the country, to hold a grand selection of imperial concubines to enrich the harem and produce an heir as soon as possible, so as to reassure the hearts of the people!" Several ministers behind him echoed in unison: "We second that request!"
The atmosphere in the imperial study instantly froze. Xiao Chengkang remained calm, as if he wasn't the one being discussed, simply standing quietly beside Xi Lingyuan, like a silent mountain.
Xi Lingyuan put down her teacup, her fingertips lightly tapping the smooth imperial desk, producing a crisp sound. She raised her eyes, her gaze sweeping over the ministers below her. Her phoenix eyes, which inherited Xi Linghao's majesty, now contained a sharpness colder than spring ice.
"Offspring?" Her voice was not loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears, carrying a power that seemed to see into people's hearts. "Is the Left Prime Minister worried that I will have no heir, or is he worried that... His Highness the Emperor's Consort enjoys exclusive favor, and that the princes he will bear in the future will not have 'pure' blood?"
The Left Chancellor and the others' expressions changed slightly, and they quickly bowed: "This old minister dares not! This old minister's heart is only for the sake of the country..."
"Enough." Xi Lingyuan interrupted him, her voice suddenly turning cold, carrying an undeniable imperial pressure. "When did it become your place to interfere in my private affairs? Etiquette? Etiquette is for people, not shackles to imprison wise rulers and virtuous ministers! My consort, Xiao Chengkang, risked his life to protect me in my time of crisis; he devoted himself to saving the nation during the turmoil of the court! His talent, virtue, achievements, and abilities are beyond the reach of ordinary men! I have my consort alone, which is worth more than a thousand armies! With me and my consort united, how can Xi Lingyuan worry about the prosperity of the nation? Why use three thousand concubines to paint a picture of peace?!"
She stood up, the gold-threaded feathers on her dark robes gleaming in the spring light streaming through the window: "The matter of the imperial concubine selection is no longer worth mentioning! Anyone who dares to speak ill of the harem or sow discord between the Emperor and his consort will be considered to be disrupting the government and will be severely punished! Step aside!"
His words were powerful and resounding, like gold and jade striking the ground! His powerful aura instantly made the old ministers break out in a cold sweat, and they dared not speak again. They could only nod and agree, bowing as they left the imperial study.
Once the palace doors closed again, Xi Lingyuan's tense shoulders relaxed slightly. She turned to look at Xiao Chengkang, her eyes filled with apology and exhaustion: "Kangkang, I'm sorry you had to go through all this."
Xiao Chengkang stepped forward and gently took her hand, his palm warm and firm: "It's alright. Being able to stand shoulder to shoulder with you and protect the country you want to protect is enough. Don't take those old sayings to heart." He looked at the dark circles under her eyes and said gently, "You're tired too. I'll help you sort the rest of the documents. Take a short rest."
Unlike the hustle and bustle of the court and the busy Imperial Study, a secluded palace deep within the Forbidden City—Zhilan Palace (the former residence of A Yuan's birth mother)—was exceptionally quiet. Several old plum trees in the courtyard had already finished blooming, their new leaves just beginning to unfurl. Under the eaves, on a chaise lounge covered with thick cushions, Xi Linghao, wrapped in a thick fox fur coat, looked gaunt, yet his eyes were unusually clear as he gazed at the magnolia tree in the courtyard, blooming its most beautifully. A spring breeze swept by, and pure white petals drifted gently down.
“Yuan’er… has ascended the throne… just like you…” he murmured to himself, his withered hand unconsciously stroking a faded, crooked sachet on the armrest of the recliner—it was a birthday gift that Yuan had given to her birth mother when she first learned needlework as a child, and it was treasured by her mother. Later, it became his only solace for remembering her.
“She did a good job… better than me… having Kang by my side… is very good…” His cloudy eyes welled up with tears, but a relieved smile played on his lips. “You… can rest assured now…”
He no longer cared about court politics or worldly affairs. In the final moments of his life, he only wished to remain in this palace filled with the scent of his beloved, amidst the warm spring sunshine and the fragrance of magnolias, repeatedly recalling the warm moments that had long since passed between him and her. This secluded palace at dusk was the most peaceful final resting place he had chosen for himself.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com