Watching the two ministers, whose combined age was nearly 150, go from being at loggerheads to shaking hands and making peace the next, even starting to flatter each other and agreeing to deliver soup and chess scores to each other's homes after court, Xiao Tuan felt utterly exhausted.
He waved his hand weakly, indicating that they could leave.
The two ministers bowed gratefully and took their leave, their backs showing a hint of regret for not having met sooner.
The study was finally quiet again.
Commander Xiao let out a long sigh of relief.
The funding issue for the Yellow River dike has finally been temporarily resolved.
He knew that after today, these two officials would go back and treat the mess the other was in charge of as their own, and do their best to investigate it.
After all, you're obligated to someone who feeds you, and you're indebted to them if you take their money.
What's more, it was His Highness the Crown Prince who "personally" sent it out.
Thinking of this, a slightly cunning smile, just like his father's, appeared on Xiao Tuan's lips.
Why bother the imperial court when a matter can be resolved with a bowl of soup and a chess manual?
He stood up and stretched.
Well, now that state affairs are settled, it's time to take care of some "personal matters."
He looked up at the sky and estimated that the time was just right.
He knew that at this hour, the people at the villa in the suburbs of Beijing should be about... having dinner.
Today, I can go to the "Emperor's Residence" again to freeload a meal!
...
Unlike the intrigue and power struggles within the Eastern Palace, the royal villas on the outskirts of Beijing present a tranquil and idyllic scene.
Here, there are no towering palace walls, no strict guards, only a vast and open space.
A small bridge spans a flowing stream, bamboo groves provide shade, and in the distance, the rolling western mountains rise. Nearby, a neatly cultivated vegetable garden stretches out.
Lin Wanwan, now the Empress Dowager of the Great Xiao Dynasty, was reclining on a bamboo chaise longue, holding a folk tale she had found and reading it with great interest.
A gentle breeze blew by, lifting a strand of silver hair at her temple.
Yes, silver threads.
Two years have passed since Xiao Che abdicated and the two moved to this villa.
These past two years have been the most leisurely and pleasant time they've had since their marriage. Away from the turmoil of the court, Lin Wanwan felt that even time seemed to slow down.
And in the vegetable garden not far from her, a figure dressed in simple clothes, wearing a straw hat, and still tall and straight, was... holding a hoe in one hand and supporting his old back with the other.
It was none other than the current retired emperor, the former iron-fisted emperor, His Majesty Xiao Che.
Two years ago, Crown Prince Xiao Tuan had just turned eighteen and had his coming-of-age ceremony.
Xiao Che couldn't wait any longer and, almost as if he were "dumping a burden," abdicated the throne to his son.
The abdication ceremony was held in a very fast and urgent manner. It was announced one day and held the next, so fast that all the civil and military officials thought they were dreaming.
Their wise and mighty emperor, in the prime of his life, actually... retired early?!
That's right, I've retired.
Moreover, it was a complete and utter retreat.
As soon as the abdication ceremony ended, Xiao Che didn't even bother to change his dragon robe. He simply grabbed Lin Wanwan's hand and boarded the carriage to the villa in the outskirts of the capital, leaving a brand-new, somewhat bewildered empire and a confused court entirely to his son who had just come of age.
In Xiao Che's own words, "My empire has been conquered. The 'gourmet' who governs the empire has also been cultivated. It is time for me to retire and live my 'quiet life'."
And his "simple life" is...
"Wanwan!"
From the vegetable garden came the Emperor Emeritus's powerful shouts.
Lin Wanwan didn't even lift her eyelids, only giving a faint "hmm," her gaze still focused intently on the exciting plot of "The Domineering Prince Falls in Love with Me" in the storybook.
"Wanwan, look!" Xiao Che's voice was filled with an eager anticipation. "Look at this row of cucumbers I planted today! Aren't they much taller than the row that Old Zhang (the retired General Shen Ce) planted next door?!"
Lin Wanwan: "..."
Finally, with a sense of helplessness, she looked away from the storybook.
She raised her head, squinted, and glanced symbolically in the direction of the vegetable garden.
Then, in an extremely perfunctory yet incredibly practiced tone, he slowly uttered four words.
"Yes, it's a dragon seed."
After all, these cucumbers were grown by the Son of Heaven, so it's only natural that they're straighter and longer.
This set of words was a set of "all-purpose rainbow farts" that Lin Wanwan had summarized over the past two years in order to deal with Xiao Che's inexplicable "farming and comparing mentality".
Sure enough, upon hearing those four words, Xiao Che straightened up a bit, even as he was supporting his aching back.
However, His Majesty the Emperor Emeritus today does not seem to be satisfied with this.
He dropped his hoe, strode out of the vegetable garden, and walked over with a childlike...dissatisfaction on his face.
“Wanwan.” He stood next to Lin Wanwan’s recliner, looking down at her, his tone full of accusation.
"Hmm?" Lin Wanwan reluctantly shifted her gaze away from the "domineering prince" once again.
"You praised Old Zhang next door three times today!" Xiao Che's tone was sour.
Lin Wanwan was taken aback.
Is there?
She thought about it carefully.
Oh... I think so.
In the morning, Old Zhang brought over some eggs that had just been laid by his family. She remarked, "The general's chickens are really well-raised."
At noon, Old Zhang was practicing boxing in the yard, her movements powerful and vigorous. She said, "The general is still vigorous despite his old age."
Just now, Old Zhang's grandson came over to give her a painting he had done, and she said, "The general has taught his grandson very well."
Hmm... no more, no less, exactly three times.
“But,” Xiao Che’s tone became even more aggrieved, “you only praised me once today!”
Just now, that extremely perfunctory statement, "It's a dragon seed, after all."
Looking at the former emperor in front of her, who was throwing a tantrum because he hadn't received enough praise, Lin Wanwan felt a mix of amusement and exasperation.
In the last two years, he has really regressed.
Freed from the troubles of court politics and the scheming of power, his childish and arrogant nature, hidden beneath the cold mask, was completely exposed.
In particular, after becoming neighbors with General Shen Ce, who was also "retired" next door.
For some reason, the two of them started arguing.
From whose vegetables are better grown, to whose chickens crow louder, and even who can receive more praise from the Empress Dowager...
That's absolutely childish!
Lin Wanwan put down her storybook, sat up straight, and looked at him with amusement: "That's because Lao Zhang doesn't have as many 'inner monologues' as you do."
"Huh?" Xiao Che was taken aback. "What inner monologue?"
A sly smile appeared on Lin Wanwan's lips.
She stretched out her slender finger and tapped Xiao Che's forehead, then pointed to the empty space above his head.
She spoke slowly, in a tone that conveyed "I've seen through everything," and said softly:
"Your Majesty, right now, above your head, isn't there a huge, constantly flashing golden light floating above you...?"
She deliberately dragged out the last syllable.
"【Praise me quickly.gif】?"
"Is that right?"
For a moment, the air seemed to freeze.
Xiao Che's usually calm and dignified face, that of an emperor emeritus, froze instantly.
Immediately afterwards, a suspicious blush spread visibly from the base of his neck all the way to the tips of his ears.
He... he was right!
In the past two years, as the tacit understanding between the two has deepened, his "artificial voice package" system has also evolved into a brand new version.
It has evolved from the initial "verbal announcements" to today's "real-time bullet comments".
Lin Wanwan, the "sole designated user," has clearly mastered the functions of this new system to a high degree.
Seeing Xiao Che's unusually embarrassed expression, his face flushed red, Lin Wanwan couldn't help but burst out laughing.
Xiao Che was even more embarrassed and angry by her laughter.
He forced himself on, put on a stern face, stiffened his neck, and stubbornly said:
"……nonsense!"
"I...I didn't!"
"I...I was thinking..." His eyes darted around, and in a flash of inspiration, he quickly came up with an excuse for himself.
"I was thinking, tonight... tonight, let's have cucumbers with dipping sauce!"
This excuse was so flimsy, so... utterly unconvincing.
However, Lin Wanwan did not expose his clumsy stubbornness. She just smiled, stood up from the recliner, and casually straightened his slightly disheveled collar.
"Okay, whatever you say." Her eyes crinkled into a smile, her voice filled with tenderness. "Then tonight, we'll have cucumbers with dipping sauce."
Xiao Che looked at the mischievous smile in her eyes and knew that she had seen right through him. He felt even more embarrassed.
He gave a soft hum in response, then turned around, attempting to conceal his embarrassment by continuing to diligently "inspect" the vegetable garden.
Watching his retreating figure, which seemed to be fleeing in disarray, Lin Wanwan's smile deepened.
These days are wonderful.
They were free from the burdens of governing the country and the troubles of power struggles.
There were only sweet bickering between ordinary couples, and... a knowing smile exchanged between those who had already seen through everything.
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