Ask the Nine Ministers

Chapter 482 The Emperor and Empress Rise at Dawn
Summer in the first year of Yongjing arrived earlier than usual.

In May, cicadas chirp, the sun blazes, and the heat is oppressive.

With the new policies of the Great Liang Dynasty just established, there were many things to be done. The memorials on Li Zhao's desk were piled up like a small mountain. He worked hard from dawn till dusk, reviewing them until the third watch of the night.

The court, thanks to the new emperor's diligence and vigor, was showing an atmosphere of renewal and reform.

Although Xue Sui did not have the title of Empress, she had the power of one.

All matters concerning the inner palace that were handed over to her were handled in a clear, orderly, and proper manner.

Li Zhao's favoritism towards her was utterly undisguised; he spent every day in the Pi Fang Pavilion, enjoying exclusive favor in the imperial harem—a level of affection unmatched in the previous dynasty. The officials were frantic, submitting several memorials advocating for the addition of more concubines, but the new emperor ignored them all. As time passed, they could only fall silent and cease their objections.

Fortunately, despite the discontent within the court and among the people, the palace guards were like an iron barrel, shielding Xue Sui from much prying and isolating her from outside rumors...

As soon as it was light that day, Li Zhao got up, changed his clothes, and prepared to go to court.

Xue Sui was a light sleeper; he would wake up at the slightest movement, but he would close his eyes and pretend to sleep until his cool lips gently touched her forehead.

"Your Majesty... so early?" Xue Sui opened his eyes, his eyelashes still heavy with sleepiness.

"Sleep a little longer." Li Zhao leaned down to look at her, his voice hoarse from the morning, and tucked her in. "I have nothing to do today, I'll be right back, you don't need to get up early to keep me company."

Xue Sui gave a soft "hmm" and reached out to tug at the hem of his robe.

"Your Majesty, please don't overwork yourself."

Li Zhao chuckled softly and squeezed her fingertips.

"I know, someone cares about their husband."

After saying that, he leaned down and whispered in her ear, his breath warm, "When I come back tonight, I will take good care of you."

Xue Sui met his burning gaze, and her ears felt slightly hot.

"In broad daylight, you scoundrel."

"How dare you! You dare to call me a rogue? You must be severely punished tonight."

Li Zhao smiled, put down the curtain, stepped out from behind the screen, and opened his arms as palace servants helped him put on his court robes.

Dressed in black robes and crimson skirts, with a jade belt buckle, his figure appeared even more upright and dignified, shedding some of the sharpness he had as a crown prince and gaining more of the composure of an emperor.

Xue Sui sat up, wrapped in the quilt, and looked at him quietly through the curtain. Suddenly, she said, "I need to go out of the palace at noon."

Li Zhao paused slightly and turned his head to look.

"My third aunt sent an invitation, saying that my third uncle's leg injury is gradually healing, and the Dragon Boat Festival is in two days. The family has prepared a banquet and would like to invite me back to visit." Xue Sui said calmly, lightly flicking the corner of the quilt twice.

"Several of my sisters will be there too, it's rare to have everyone together. I also need to go back and settle some old scores."

Li Zhao frowned almost imperceptibly, then relaxed.

"Go if you wish. I will only feel at ease if Yuan Cang takes a few more people with him."

"Hmm." Xue Sui responded, and seeing him turn to leave, he suddenly called out again, "Your Majesty."

Li Zhao turned around.

She looked at him and said very softly, "Dinner will be served when I get back."

A hint of a smile flashed across Li Zhao's eyes, and he nodded, saying:
"I know. I will instruct the Imperial Kitchen to prepare it in advance."
-
By the end of Chen Shi (7-9 AM), the sun was already high in the sky.

Xue Sui changed into a light blue Hangzhou silk dress, her hair was loosely tied into a bun, and a translucent white jade hairpin was inserted diagonally. Her face was bare of makeup, and the only adornment she wore was a touch of green on her wrist.

The number of accompanying personnel and vehicles should also be kept to a minimum.

Aside from Xiao Zhao, Ruyi, and Jinshu, only Yuan Cang was accompanied by a few plain-clothes guards, keeping a low profile.

When the carriage arrived at the gate of the Xue residence, the Xue family members, along with their servants and maids, were already waiting outside.

Not only did the Third Madam Qian, Xue Yuelou, and Xue Qingzhi arrive, but even the First Madam Fu, who had previously been at odds with Xue Sui the most, changed into a deep purple satin dress embroidered with gold thread, her hair meticulously combed, and waited respectfully to the side. In the past, she could use her status as the legal mother to intimidate others, but now, with the situation pressing, all her prestige was useless.

She had to consider not only her own future but also the future of her children and nephews, so she had to suppress her resentment and force a smile.

As soon as the carriage came to a stop, Madam Fu hurriedly stepped forward, greeting her with a beaming smile.

"Your Majesty is back. Please come in quickly, the sun is scorching outside, be careful in the heat."

Xue Sui glanced at her indifferently, pretending not to hear, and walked past her and Xue Qingzhi to Qian Shi and Xue Yuelou, who were about to bow gracefully, raising his hand to help them up.

"Third Aunt, Second Sister, you don't need to be so polite."

Her gaze was gentle, and she reached out to pat the little girl's head, her tone smiling.

"Today, we will only follow family etiquette, regardless of rank. Just call me Sixth Girl as before."

Fu's smile froze, and she awkwardly stepped aside.

Xue Qingzhi, feeling humiliated, stood behind the crowd, his hands clasped behind his back with an unhappy expression.

Madam Qian found it amusing and readily agreed, leading her inside.

"Your third uncle has been waiting for your return since early this morning. But his legs aren't very strong, so he's been waiting inside. Little Shi, Yi-ge, Ming-ge, you all, hurry up and pay your respects to the Empress..."

She was genuinely happy for Xue Sui, and her eyes couldn't hide her affection.

The boys, on the other hand, seemed quite awkward, bowing and making obedient gestures.

The tenth girl was a little bolder. She called out "Sixth Sister" in a soft, sweet voice, and then naturally led her inside, chattering away all the way.

The scenery inside the mansion is not much different from usual.

The plaque was newly painted, the red gauze lanterns were brand new, and the ground was swept clean.

It's clear they're trying their best to maintain a respectable appearance, but they can't hide the desolation of their deserted home.

Now the Xue family has produced a future empress, which is incredibly wealthy. However, everyone knows that the empress is unwilling to get close to her maternal family, and her in-laws and friends are reluctant to curry favor with her, mostly observing from the sidelines and not daring to visit her easily.

Xue Sui knew that inviting her back for dinner was also a way to leverage her influence and revitalize his family's reputation.

This is all for show, to outsiders.
-
The family banquet was held in a waterside pavilion, which was well-ventilated and cool.

Xue Qingxiu stood at the pavilion entrance, leaning on his cane. When he saw Xue Sui, he laughed heartily in a loud voice.

"Your Majesty has finally arrived!"

"Is Uncle's leg injury much better now?" Xue Sui asked with a smile, his tone casual.

"Thanks to Your Majesty, I am able to stand and greet you." Xue Qingxiu was a straightforward person. Having spent a long time in the army, his speech was even more rough. He waved his hand casually and patted his leg vigorously.

“Look—he can walk and jump even with crutches, taking on three people is no problem for him.”

Qian glared at him and sighed helplessly.

"Who would have thought it was Prince Duan... who secretly orchestrated this? He seemed so amiable in public, how could he be so ruthless and do such a despicable thing..."

Xue Sui remained silent.

The incident of Xue Qingxiu and his wife's horse being startled on their wedding day was later investigated and clarified.

It was Li Huan who ordered someone to bribe the groom of the Xue family to tamper with the road that Xue Qingxiu and his wife's carriage would inevitably take, and then chase a stray cat out to frighten the horse, framing the cat for the accident. This served two purposes: first, to prevent Lady Qian from going to Yiyuan to preside over the wedding ceremony; second, to prevent Xue Qingxiu from mobilizing the capital garrison to support the Crown Prince in time, and at the same time, to create chaos.

"It's all in the past," Xue Sui said calmly, his gaze sweeping over the path outside the waterside pavilion.

The three sisters, Xue Yuechen, Xue Yue'e, and Xue Yueman, arrived together.

(End of this chapter)