Chapter 367 Extra: Xiao Xuanyou
Three years later, Emperor Xuanzhao died of illness.
As the crown prince, Xiao Xuanyou naturally ascended the throne and changed the era name to Shunde.
Throughout history, the change of imperial power has always been accompanied by bloodshed, but when Emperor Xuanzhao was seriously ill, Xiao Xuanyou had already temporarily taken over the government. He held great power and was popular with the people, so everything followed the old system, and almost no officials, whether old or new, were replaced.
He was the emperor who ascended the throne most smoothly and effortlessly throughout history.
However, although this emperor was both talented in literature and military affairs and possessed both virtue and ability, and had his own insights into politics, since the death of Li Jinyan, who was then the Crown Princess, three years ago, Xiao Xuanyou was so grief-stricken that he had no interest in women. As a result, the position of Empress has been vacant and the harem is empty, causing his ministers great concern.
The petitions requesting Xiao Xuanyou to select concubines and expand his harem never ceased.
However, Xiao Xuanyou rejected all of these memorials on the grounds that he was unwell due to previous injuries in Yaocheng and should not indulge in women, as it would be mentally and physically exhausting.
As a result, many rumors began to circulate, saying that the current emperor was injured and unable to have sex, and some even said that he disliked women and preferred men.
The ministers were at a loss, deeply worried that the empire was about to become unstable again.
However, Xiao Xuanyou was a stubborn man who was not easily swayed by court officials, and he was deeply loved by the people. He refused to give in, and no one could force him to comply.
Six months later, Feng Chenghan, who had become a councilor, presented Xiao Xuanyou with a distant niece from the Feng family.
That distant niece is said to have a high reputation in Yaocheng. She once saved the people of the entire city and helped General Xie obtain evidence of collusion between the Northern Di and Xiao Yunheng. She is a true heroine.
After meeting her, Xiao Xuanyou took her into his harem without saying a word and immediately bestowed upon her the title of Consort Chen.
This action effectively dispelled the rumors circulating outside and greatly encouraged the court officials.
They all followed Feng Chenghan's path, collecting beautiful and capable women from their clans, regardless of their family background, as long as they had a clean origin, all hoping to send them into Xiao Xuanyou's harem.
But Xiao Xuanyou rejected them all, as if they were just a fleeting whim of his.
However, at least there is hope for an imperial heir, and the voices urging Xiao Xuanyou to take concubines have temporarily subsided.
Inside Changchun Palace, it was just getting dark.
After bathing and washing herself, Jiang Zhi, dressed only in a moon-white dress, leaned on a soft chair by the window. Her dark black hair was neatly styled and loosely tied up by Qing Xing, and even the moisture on her eyelashes carried a sense of languor.
Xiao Xuanyou entered at that moment.
Just as Qingxing was about to bow, Xiao Xuanyou gestured for her to be quiet, took the jade comb, and bent down to comb her hair.
Jiang Zhi's eyelids were half-closed, her eyes filled with drowsiness. She was completely unaware that the person behind her had changed. She only mumbled, "Good Qingxing, pour me a glass of water."
She heard the sound of clothes rustling behind her, and soon a cup of tea was handed to her.
Jiang Zhi took the drink and had just taken a sip when she belatedly realized something was wrong.
The hand that was just handed over had distinct knuckles and was slender and jade-like; it was definitely not Qingxing's hand.
Her drowsiness vanished, and she turned her head in surprise to see Xiao Xuanyou's smiling, noble, and handsome face.
She was so startled that she wanted to get up and bow immediately, but Xiao Xuanyou held her down, saying, "Don't move, I'll finish combing your hair for you."
His fair skin contrasted sharply with Jiang Zhi's dark hair.
Xiao Xuanyou was used to being waited on and was not skilled at tying hair. He simply loosely tied her hair up, found an exquisitely carved white magnolia hairpin and put it on, then held her on his lap and leaned down to kiss her.
Jiang Zhi pushed against his chest, looking at him with her dark eyes, "Your Majesty, I have said that I am very stingy and will not share a man with other women, even if you are the ruler of a country."
Xiao Xuanyou's phoenix eyes were serious. "Yes, I know. There will only be you in this harem."
“You may say that now, but who knows what will happen in the future,” Jiang Zhi leaned back, avoiding his lowered lips. “If you bring other women into the palace in the future, can I still divorce you?”
A indulgent smile played in Xiao Xuanyou's eyes. "Then what do you want me to do?"
Jiang Zhi lowered her head and thought for a moment, "I entered the palace now as Ji Zhiya. If His Majesty takes another woman, I will leave the palace under a different identity, just like before, so that you will never..."
Before she could finish speaking, Xiao Xuanyou lifted her chin and sealed her lips with a kiss.
His kiss was relentless, just like his usual personality, so forceful that it sent shivers down one's spine, as if the gentleness just moments before had been nothing but an illusion.
He tore off his disguise, revealing his true nature, which he had suppressed for many years, once again before her.
“I don’t like hearing you say you want to leave,” he said, biting her lip. “Every time you mention it again, I will take you.”
Jiang Zhi had known all along that Xiao Xuanyou was not as gentle and refined as he appeared.
His deep-seated possessiveness was well concealed by his upbringing and manners, and he rarely revealed it.
But Jiang Zhi just happens to like him the way he is now.
He held her wrists, her lower back pressed against the cold, hard edge of the table, unable to move an inch. Her entire back was pressed against the table, her lips could only endure his unrestrained demands.
As the weather grew warmer, she wore light clothing with her collar open, revealing her smooth, jade-like skin, which carried the fragrance of a post-bath bath. This caused Xiao Xuanyou's eyes to redden and his breathing to become erratic.
He picked her up horizontally, stepped behind the screen, placed her on the bed, and held her waist with his warm hands.
Although they had done it many times in their previous lives, Jiang Zhi was still a little nervous and needed something to calm her inner turmoil.
"Your Majesty, how is Li Jinyan now?"
Xiao Xuanyou's hand had already reached in. Even though it was carefully maintained, his palm still had a thin layer of calluses, which brought a tingling and itchy sensation to his skin.
"She left Kyoto with her young lover and is said to be staying in Jiangnan for a while now." He watched with great patience as the woman below blushed, her eyes filled with tears, her wet pupils reflecting only his image.
"That's great, I want to go sometime..."
Seeing Xiao Xuanyou's eyes darken, becoming as gloomy as the sky before a storm, the hand holding her waist tightened.
Jiang Zhi immediately changed the subject, smiling as she reached out and wrapped her arms around his neck, "When will Your Majesty take me on your southern tour?"
Xiao Xuanyou paused, the oppressive aura in his eyes vanished as if it had never existed.
"Then we'll see if my beloved concubine can please me."
He leaned down, the scent of ambergris like a tightly woven net, binding her firmly within it.
The red candles in the sleeping quarters of Changchun Palace flickered and remained lit all night.
Qingxing stayed outside the palace all night, unable to help but worry about her young mistress's future.
The harem currently only has the young lady, and the emperor is young and at the peak of his energy.
Such insatiable and unrestrained demands will surely cause suffering for the young lady.
...
A year later, Xiao Xuanyou stayed at Changchun Palace almost every day, but Jiang Zhi's belly showed no signs of pregnancy.
The court officials began to stir again, urging Xiao Xuanyou to take concubines and have more children.
Xiao Xuanyou, however, continued to do as he pleased, showing an attitude of doting on Consort Chen alone and wanting to remain chaste for her.
The ministers had never seen anything like this before, and they all advised Xiao Xuanyou to prioritize the succession of the empire. Some even called Consort Chen a "demon consort" and demanded that the Empress Dowager execute her.
However, as soon as he said this, Shen Ci'an, who was already a Grand Secretary of the Wenyuan Pavilion, immediately stood up to rebuke him.
General Xie, who held great power, went directly to the official's residence and cut the gate in half.
The Feng family then listed the crimes of the official's nephews and nieces, and the entire family was imprisoned by Xiao Xuanyou.
Now no one dared to say a word.
Xiao Xuanyou even declared that even if he had no children, he would adopt from a collateral branch of the clan, so that people wouldn't have to keep an eye on his harem.
The turmoil in the imperial court had no effect on Jiang Zhi.
She began to use her power and the Feng family's influence in the court to establish the first girls' school in the Great Qi Dynasty in the capital, where students with excellent academic performance could even have their tuition waived.
At first, not many people dared to enroll, but once they heard that the lecturers included not only the upright, aloof, and erudite Grand Secretary Shen Ci'an of the Wenyuan Pavilion, and Feng Chenghan, the Vice Chancellor, but also many other retired but highly respected senior officials, the girls' school became a hot spot in the capital.
Even many scholars and literati wanted to enroll and listen to her lectures, but Jiang Zhi refused them all.
She not only recruited young ladies from the capital to enroll in her school, but what she truly wanted was for those poor but studious women to also have the opportunity to learn to read and write and break free from the shackles of fate.
Although there were many dissenting voices in the court, they were all suppressed by Xiao Xuanyou. With the support of many civil and military officials, the girls' school managed to persist and the number of students increased.
A year later, Xiao Xuanyou issued an edict abolishing the old system, allowing women of the Daqi Dynasty to participate in the imperial examinations and compete with men.
Although there were only a handful of people at the beginning, as girls' schools flourished in various places, the number of women participating in the imperial examinations also increased, and many women even began to serve as officials in the court.
With peace and tranquility prevailing, the Great Qi Dynasty gradually ushered in another golden age.
(End of Xiao Xuanyou’s extra chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
