The prince is more stable

Chapter 895 Talk Between Husband and Wife
Bianjing, Yanfu Palace, Funing Hall.

Zhao Xiaoqian lay on his back on the bed, staring blankly at the beams, his expression numb, like a dead fish.

Di Ying dressed with satisfaction, occasionally reaching out to gently stroke Zhao Xiaoqian's face to express her appreciation for his hard work.

"My lord is truly remarkable." Di Ying said with a smile, "Tonight I will return to Kunning Palace so as not to disturb your rest. Keep up the good work next time!"

Zhao Xiaoqian turned his head, staring blankly at her. Seeing the woman's satisfied expression, like a fox that had stolen a chicken, he felt utterly exhausted and wanted to report her to the authorities...

“My dear wife, I know how desperately you want a child, but you can’t treat me like an animal. You’ve squeezed me dry these past few days. If this continues, you’ll become a widow…”

Di Ying playfully pinched his chin and said, "My lord, don't speak so harshly. What widow? She's clearly the Empress Dowager..."

"Damn it..." Zhao Xiaoqian gritted his teeth. Who did this woman learn to be so unruly from?

Dressed neatly, Di Ying lay on his chest, gazing at him with her beautiful eyes, and whispered, "Only after I took over the harem did I realize that from the time you ascended the throne until we returned to the capital, you didn't favor a single woman in the harem."

"To be honest, I am quite shocked. I thought our family would have a few more sisters, but I didn't expect my husband to be so composed. But I am very puzzled as to why?"

"Don't tell me you've become celibate since you became emperor. Judging from your behavior just now, you're still the same beast you were back then."

Zhao Xiaoqian: “…………”

I'm inexplicably feeling proud even though I'm criticizing myself...

You're so good at swearing, you can swear a few more times.

"The imperial harem is a bit complicated. It is actually a miniature version of the imperial court and officialdom. In fact, the struggles in the harem are more brutal than those in the officialdom, and people often die. That is why I dare not favor women in the harem casually. I am somewhat wary of women whose backgrounds I do not know."

Di Ying smiled happily: "My husband is so good, it's rare that you didn't use your lower half to think."

"I know that my husband's status is different now. If it were just us sisters, it would not be enough. The court officials would find fault with us, and those annoying censors might even submit a memorial impeaching me, the empress, for being jealous."

"Therefore, I will carefully observe those unfamiliar women in the harem. First, I will observe their character, and then their personality..."

Zhao Xiaoqian sighed and said, "Women are so superficial. Can't you just calmly look at their faces?"

"Pah! You're dreaming. There are plenty of women in the world who are as beautiful as peach blossoms but as venomous as snakes. If the harem were to have a few like that, the whole harem would be in chaos. My lord would have to devote so much energy to worrying about the affairs of the harem. I, as the Empress, would be far too derelict in my duty."

Zhao Xiaoqian said indifferently, "Anyway, the harem is in your hands. How to manage and control it is your business. I only realized after becoming emperor that court affairs are really busy. I don't want to spend my energy worrying about the harem, so I'll leave everything to you, my lady."

"Rest assured, my lord, you only need to focus on governing the prosperous country. I now have a goal: to become a virtuous empress like Empress Zhangsun, and perhaps even go down in history."

Zhao Xiaoqian sighed, "Stop dreaming. You should take better care of me. If you drain me into a pulp, you won't be remembered in history. People will curse you for a thousand years, bestowing upon you the title 'the ancient Greek god of sex,' and you'll be worshipped by countless men for generations to come..."

Before he could finish speaking, a sharp pain shot through his arm. Zhao Xiaoqian gritted his teeth and said, "Arrogant—!"

"Now that you're the emperor, your words are even harsher than before. Haven't the censors in the court impeached you for your sharp tongue?" Di Ying said reproachfully.

"Am I some kind of five-step snake? Have they been bitten by me?"

Di Ying had just bitten him, and now she was rubbing his arm. The tenderness between the couple at this moment was sweeter and more satisfying than a cigarette after sex.

Although they were the most honored couple in the land, Zhao Xiaoqian and Di Ying still maintained the same relationship as before, no longer addressing each other as "Your Majesty" or "Empress," but as "My Lord" and "My Lady."

This is a point that Zhao Xiaoqian insists on.

If a couple knows each other inside and out, there's no need to put on airs in front of each other.

If a couple has to address each other in a very formal way, such as "Your Majesty" and "Empress," then they are not far from being a couple in name only, and someone in the harem is about to die.

Di Ying suddenly patted him and said, "Does my husband know of a woman in the harem named Xue Meiyun?"

Zhao Xiaoqian was stunned.

He certainly remembered Xue Meiyun. In fact, of all the women in the vast harem, Zhao Xiaoqian only remembered her.

"Xue Meiyun, I know her." Zhao Xiaoqian's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly. "Why are you suddenly asking about her?"

Di Ying said thoughtfully, "This woman is extraordinary. On the day I was made empress, Xue Meiyun took the initiative to see me and gave me several pieces of Suzhou embroidery. Her words were full of flattery, and she would agree with whatever I said."

"Hmm...sensible, indeed sensible, but I always feel a little uncomfortable. Later I also heard that this Xue Meiyun not only flattered me, but also visited Niaoniao and Miaoxian separately. I heard that she has gotten along very well with Niaoniao and the others in the past few days and they call each other sisters."

Zhao Xiaoqian's lips curled up slightly. This woman was sensible, knew how to conduct herself, and knew how to seize opportunities. Regardless of whether she could fit into the circle or not, she would force her way in. "Madam, the harem is far more complex than the inner palaces of princes and nobles, and people's hearts are far more unpredictable. There are some people and some things that we shouldn't rush to judge. Let's observe more before making any decisions."

"You mean Xue Meiyun, sir..." Di Ying asked, puzzled.

"No, I mean everyone in the harem, not including you sisters."

Di Ying snorted and said, "In the end, I haven't given birth to a legitimate son for you, so I don't have enough confidence to manage the harem... My lord, I won't go back to Kunning Palace tonight. I'll stay here with you, okay?"

Zhao Xiaoqian was startled, then sat up abruptly from his deathbed: "This wicked empress is a scourge to the country! Guards, throw this woman out with sticks!"

…………

The next day, Han Zhongyan and the other three returned to Bianjing.

Less than half an hour after returning to the city, the Bianjing court was in turmoil.

From the prefect down to the assistant prefect, judge, transport commissioner, judicial commissioner, and even the runners of the government offices, all the officials in Chenzhou were arrested and questioned by the Imperial City Guard. Han Zhongyan and other officials of the Censorate personally escorted the convicted officials back to the capital.

In other words, the entire officialdom of Chenzhou was wiped out by the Censorate and the Imperial City Guard.

This marks the first time the Control Yuan has exercised its authority to take action against an official.

The first move was so ruthless that all the officials in the entire prefecture fell from power, with almost none escaping unscathed. Since the founding of the Song Dynasty, nothing like this had ever happened.

The Censorate was the first to be in an uproar.

Originally, the Censorate also had the power to supervise all officials, but with the establishment of the Supervisory Office, this power of the Censorate was gradually taken over by the Supervisory Office.

At the time, the emperor insisted on establishing the Censorate, despite the fierce opposition from his ministers. Eventually, the prime ministers of the Council of State Affairs gave in, and the Censorate was established. The Censorate suffered a silent loss, but the emperor clearly favored the Censorate, so the Censorate had no choice but to acquiesce.

Despite the tacit acceptance, all the officials in the Censorate were actually quite unhappy and particularly hostile towards the officials of the Supervisory Office. After all, the establishment of the Supervisory Office directly took away the power of the Censorate, and who would be happy about that?

The Censorate was immediately excited to see that the Censorate had wiped out Chenzhou in one fell swoop.

We couldn't do anything about your Inspectorate, but we never expected you to court disaster.

An entire prefecture, encompassing several counties, surely has no good people among them? The actions of the Censorate are clearly excessive, and they have essentially handed the Censorate the perfect reason to impeach them.

The censors were excited and immediately returned home, where they wrote lengthy and indignant impeachment memorials, which they sent directly to the Council of State Affairs.

The Censorate's handling of this matter was so shocking that not only the censors of the Censorate were impeaching them, but also other court officials, and even the prime ministers of the Council of State Affairs couldn't sit still. Many people sat in the Council of State Affairs, slammed their fists on the table, and cursed the Censorate.

Amidst the turbulent waves of Bianjing, only Zhang Dun remained unmoved, his eyes revealing a hint of understanding.

The prime minister naturally sees things much more deeply than ordinary people. Zhang Dun was well aware that the actions of the Censorate were authorized by the emperor. Their goal of sweeping up the Chenzhou officialdom was also to intimidate officials throughout the country.

The official system of the Song Dynasty court changed from the original "two prefectures and three departments" to the current "three prefectures and three departments". The official system has changed in name, but it will be a very long process for officials across the country to accept this change.

The imperial court has inexplicably gained an additional prefecture, and it is an institution specifically for supervising officials. Which official in the country would truly accept this?
As a result, the Overwatch Council took action against local officials.

Whether it's the emperor or the supervisory office, both need to establish their authority over the court and local officials.

The downfall of the Chenzhou officialdom clearly had more political than legal significance. Under such circumstances, the right and wrong of the crimes committed by the Chenzhou officials were no longer important. Strictly speaking, it was actually a political declaration, demonstrating the power of the Censorate to officials throughout the country.

Zhang Dun understood everything; he knew the Emperor's intentions and the Censorate's purpose.

A wise person would choose to remain silent, because the Censorate is currently at the height of its power.

But Zhang Dun had no choice; he was a smart man, but he was also the prime minister.

If the Prime Minister continues to turn a blind eye to the outrageous actions of the Censorate, his prestige will suffer a severe blow. In the future, all officials in the country will have to be mindful of the Censorate's wishes. What will happen to the Council of State Affairs then?
Therefore, Zhang Dun had no choice but to send someone to invite Zhen Qing to the Hall of State Affairs.

As for Han Zhongyan and other officials of the Supervisory Office, Zhang Dun did not invite them.

It's not that they can't be persuaded, but rather that under the current structure of the Three Offices and Three Departments, the Council of State Affairs and the Censorate are showing signs of becoming increasingly adversarial.

This is another form of checks and balances exerted by the emperor over the court. From the emperor's perspective, the power of the world cannot be entirely concentrated in the government. Excessive power of the prime minister is not a good thing for the monarch's authority.

(End of this chapter)