Chapter 65: Pressure from the Queen Mother
Half an hour later, Yu Cheng walked into the hall with steady steps.
During this period, Yun Zhao left for a short period of time twice - the snacks, tea, and even the incense in the hall for afternoon tea, all needed her personal attention, and the burden of the Shangshi Bureau was not light.
Even more difficult is the palace maid.
The Shang Gong Bureau sent two people, both of whom were ruthlessly dismissed by Xiao Jin. One was dissatisfied with his "vulgar description, which offended the emperor's eyes," while the other was criticized for his "handwriting being like earthworms, which was unbearable to the eyes."
Yun Zhao smiled bitterly inwardly: [This is clearly taking advantage of the situation! In such a large harem, is it really impossible to find a suitable secretary?]
She knew very well that she was now in charge of a department and was overwhelmed, but the emperor was so picky that it seemed as if he deliberately wanted to put this task on her.
After serving Yu Cheng fragrant tea, Yun Zhao had no choice but to pick up the red pen again and stand beside the imperial desk, becoming the temporary clerk in front of the emperor.
When the shrewd Yu Cheng saw this scene, he felt embarrassed that there was no one available in the harem.
Xiao Jin seemed to think that there were not enough people, so he dismissed the rest of the palace servants in the hall, leaving only Zhang Fuan and Yun Zhao.
The air instantly became more stagnant, and an invisible pressure spread. Zhang Fuan looked at his nose and his heart, while Yun Zhao straightened his back and gripped his pen tightly. The emperor dismissed his attendants, and the next topic of discussion must be a confidential matter that should not be exposed to the public!
Sure enough, after a few pleasantries, Xiao Jin got straight to the point. His voice was low, but every word carried weight: "The Investigation Bureau... is already under construction. In the future, it will be led by Mr. Wang." He looked at Yu Cheng sharply, "Your Excellency understands the righteousness of the cause and supports it wholeheartedly. I am deeply comforted."
Yu Cheng stroked his beard, his posture respectful yet shrewd. "This is the product of Your Majesty's ingenious and far-sighted plan! If you can use this to control the government and the people, and deter the scoundrels, then the stability of the government will be just around the corner. All officials will be under Your Majesty's control, which will be a blessing for the country."
Yun Zhao's hand, holding the pen, trembled imperceptibly, a wave of shock rising in his heart: [The Investigation Bureau?! The Emperor has secretly formed a team of henchmen directly under his command! Specializing in investigations and criminal justice, to suppress the civil service clique!]
"For three months... I've walked around this palace every day, and yet I was completely unaware of this! This thought, this method..."
[What a foolish tyrant! Those stigmas were probably just dirty water thrown at him by his political enemies who had taken advantage of him! The man before him is clearly a dormant tiger, a sharp blade hidden in its grasp!] The immense impact of this information made Yun Zhao break out in a cold sweat, and his perception of the emperor was instantly overturned.
A hint of relief flashed across Xiao Jin's face, but it disappeared in an instant, and his brows were furrowed again: "But, we are short of money.
The person in charge of the Ministry of Revenue must be replaced. But…” He tapped the imperial desk with his fingertips, making a dull sound, “It’s difficult to find a good choice at the moment.”
Yu Cheng pondered for a moment, a gleam in his cloudy old eyes as he slowly spoke, "This old minister dares to recommend His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin. His maternal family has been involved in the finance and grain business for generations, and his uncle once served as Minister of Revenue. His family has a long history of scholarship. Furthermore, His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin was very adept at managing the last disaster relief funds, and his demonstrated talent makes him the perfect choice for the Ministry of Revenue."
"Prince Jin?" Xiao Jin raised his eyebrows slightly, his tone revealing neither joy nor dislike. "He volunteered to go to the Ministry of Justice a few days ago and has been working with them on cases. He seems quite interested..."
He paused, but Yu Cheng understood what he meant by the unspoken words. The current Minister of Revenue, Cui Jianan, was a die-hard lackey of Su Yuan (the Empress Dowager's party). Was the Prince of Jin testing the waters with this move, or was he scheming something else?
"This matter... let me think about it again. There is no need to rush." Xiao Jin finally chose to put it on hold, obviously having doubts about this proposal.
A name subconsciously flashed through Yun Zhao's mind: [The newly appointed Minister of War, Bai Qi! Back when he was at the Ministry of Revenue, he was renowned for his swift and decisive financial management skills! Unfortunately... now that he's in charge of the Ministry of War, he's probably no longer needed to deal with the mess at the Ministry of Revenue.]
This thought flashed through her mind, and she immediately collected her thoughts and focused on recording.
"I obey your order." Yu Cheng bowed in agreement.
The atmosphere relaxed a little, and Xiao Jin ordered afternoon tea to be served.
Yun Zhao immediately sent word, and exquisite refreshments were quickly served. Yu Cheng was honored to drink with the emperor.
Amidst the aroma of tea, Xiao Jin, as if chatting casually, suddenly turned the topic to the Yun family: "Speaking of the Yun Guogong Mansion... Young General Yunfeng is about to reach marriage age, right? I wonder if the talented and beautiful granddaughter of the Lord's family has been betrothed yet? Yunfeng is a young hero, and the Lord's family is a distinguished family. If this marriage could happen, it would be a wonderful story."
His tone was casual, but his eyes seemed to pass over Yun Zhao's instantly tense profile.
Yu Cheng's hand, holding the teacup, was as steady as a rock. A perfectly composed smile graced his face as he answered flawlessly, "Your Majesty, I am deeply grateful for your concern. However... I only have this one legitimate granddaughter, and she has been spoiled since childhood. I dare not make a unilateral decision about her lifelong affairs. I need to go back and ask the girl herself. After all, a forced melon is not sweet."
These words not only saved the emperor's face, but also tactfully expressed the need for consideration, and even raised the shield of "the wishes of the younger generation."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Jin just smiled meaningfully and did not mention the matter again, as if it was really just a casual chat that happened on the spur of the moment.
Yu Cheng had just left and the tea and snacks in the hall had not yet been cleared away when the imperial edict from the Empress Dowager's palace arrived - urgently summoning the Emperor.
A hint of cold understanding flashed across Xiao Jin's eyes, but it didn't show on his face at all.
His gaze swept through the hall solemnly, finally settling on Yun Zhao. His voice was emotionless: "Zhang Fuan, Yun Zhao, follow me to Ci'an Palace."
"Yes." Both of them were startled.
As you step into Ci'an Palace, a strong smell of medicine mixed with the scent of precious incense hits you in the face, deliberately creating the melancholy atmosphere of a sickbed.
Yun Zhao caught a glimpse of Xiao Yao, sitting beside the Empress Dowager's couch, her eyes red and puffy, and his mind suddenly understood: "As expected! When one plan fails, another one comes up. They're using the Empress Dowager as an excuse to force Xiao Yao, this poisonous pawn, into the Yun Family!"
[Thinking of using marriage to gain control of the military? Dream on! Even if my brother were forced to marry her, he would never work for you two old hags and the treacherous King Qin!] Yun Zhao's anger rose in his heart, but his face became more respectful and lowered.
"Royal brother!" Xiao Yao rushed forward upon seeing Xiao Jin, her voice filled with tears, as if the sky was falling and the earth was collapsing. "Mother... Mother is very ill! The imperial doctors are helpless, and now she can't even... get out of bed..."
The coldness on Xiao Jin's face instantly melted, replaced by just the right amount of nervousness and worry. He rushed into the inner room and spoke with anxious concern, "Have you called the imperial physician? They're a bunch of useless people. What's the point of keeping them around?"
He rushed to the luxurious phoenix bed in a few steps and grasped Empress Dowager Zhou's hand, which was resting outside the brocade quilt. He said with earnestness and self-blame, "Empress Dowager! When did you become ill? Why are you so seriously ill? It's my negligence, my unfilial behavior! From today on, I will come every day to serve you medicine until you are well again!"
Yun Zhao followed behind, her eyes like lightning, quickly sweeping over the "sickly" empress dowager on the couch. One glance and she nearly sneered: "What a pretense! Her face is as pale as a painted wall, but the powder she's applied is so thick that it's dripping down, leaving a layer of frost on the pillow!"
Xiao Jin held the empress dowager's hand, twisting it with his fingertips almost imperceptibly, and then his eyes vaguely swept across the bright yellow pillow stained with white powder, and a hint of cold sneer flashed in the depths of his eyes.
Queen Mother Zhou coughed violently at the right moment, as if she had exhausted all her strength. She grabbed Xiao Jin's wrist tightly with her backhand. The force was so strong that she didn't look like someone who was terminally ill at all. Her voice was weak, but every word was clear, and it was filled with heavy sorrow:
"Emperor... I know you are the most filial... I am... completely satisfied that you can come to see me just this once..."
She panted, her cloudy old eyes trying to focus on Xiao Jin's face, full of "kindness" and "reluctance", "I am old... useless... Seeing you brothers and sisters grow up... my heart... my heart is happy... but... the only thing is that I can't let go of this girl A Yao..."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
