Madam, please listen to my explanation.

Chapter 114 I don't want to play any imperial games, I just want to coast along.
Xu Jinhuan slept soundly that night.

There was nothing he could do; he hadn't expected that his few words would make that easily amused girl cry so bitterly, and naturally he felt he had to make amends.

Opening his eyes groggily, Xu Jinhuan looked at the dilapidated room and almost thought, "Has it been burgled?"
The wooden barrel broke.

The walls and the floor were covered with scattered pieces of wood.

The room was damp, with the soup that was originally meant for bathing splashed everywhere.

Looking out the window, the sun was already high in the sky.

He then realized with a start that he hadn't slept a wink all night again.

Having already advanced to the Void Realm, and with the added tempering of dragon energy, he was indeed terrifyingly strong!
Looking back on Ning Caixie's great achievements now, they seem rather unremarkable.
'Is this the power of a martial artist?'

In my previous life, I had learned a wide variety of skills, but fortunately, my skills were not yet rusty.

Having met his match, Xu Jinhuan imparted all his knowledge to Xu Jinhuan.

The talented Yun Ci, skilled in both poetry and music, also possesses an exceptional learning ability.

"Young Master, this is probably not in accordance with proper etiquette!"

"You're making a fuss over nothing; everyone does it this way."

"Well"

I vaguely remember having a conversation like this.

However, it has long been submerged in those meaningless single syllables.

Fortunately, just as when he was teaching her how to sort through the chaotic and disorganized intelligence in Kyoto, this courtesan, skilled in both poetry and music, demonstrated an exceptionally strong learning ability.
"Now that we've explored the causes quite thoroughly, next time, I'll focus on unlocking the consequences!"

Outside, the constant croaking of frogs was incredibly disturbing.

Xu Jinhuan's stomach rumbled, and a strong feeling of hunger immediately overwhelmed him.

"Keep yelling, keep yelling, or I'll have to light a fire!"

He quickly dressed and then heard footsteps coming from outside.

He looked suspiciously toward the doorway.

Knowing full well the other party's capabilities, he was quite certain that the person who came was not that girl Yun Ci.
Squeak—

Good morning, Mr. Xu.

The dampness in the room made the wooden door creak and groan, and as expected, two maids pushed the door open and entered.

Looking at the mess inside the house and recalling the earth-shaking tremors earlier, the two of them blushed with embarrassment.

"Why is it you all here? Where is Yun Ci?"

The two placed the exquisite dishes they were carrying on the table and bowed, saying, "Miss Yun Ci prepared the meal early this morning and instructed us to wait for the master to wake up."

They've probably already left the city by now.

Xu Jinhuan narrowed his eyes and then noticed a neatly folded letter on the table.

Seeing that the other party was distracted, the two maids exchanged a glance, fearing that they might linger in the room too long and cause some unpleasant noise, and quickly took their leave.

With a thought, Xu Jinhuan caused the piece of Xuan paper to fly up on its own, slowly unfold in the air, and fall into his hand.

The delicate handwriting, slightly faded, came into view.

Young Master, I am pleased to receive this letter.

With the matter in Kyoto settled, Yunci wished to return to his hometown and seek an audience with his adoptive father.

Before the Qiyun Altar, His Majesty is unparalleled in bravery. Even when facing the strongest being in the mortal realm, he still dares to stay by the Emperor's side, never leaving his side.

On the day the young master was captured, Master Zhuang devised a plan and risked his life to stand with the young master through thick and thin!

Yun felt deeply ashamed of her appearance.
Knowing that the young master has lofty ambitions, he was unwilling to hide in the rear all day and hold the young master back.
I only wish to enter the sword furnace, temper myself, and reach the pinnacle as soon as possible to lend a helping hand to the young master!
I am going to Yuzhou, and I do not know when I will return. I do not ask about the outcome, nor do I need to worry about it.

May you be well.

Don't forget

"How heartless! So when women turn into scumbags, men have no chance at all?"

剑炉
In my memory, before that furnace that seized the creation of heaven and earth was built, the Canglu Mountains were a desolate and forbidden land.

Long ago, the young Wu Jiuchi, with his unparalleled cultivation and supreme courage, gathered the finest gold and black iron in the world and spent unimaginable manpower and resources to forcibly bind the eternal, indestructible Primordial Sacred Fire in the mountain that had devoured countless lives, and turned it into his own to create that 'Sword Furnace' that shocked Qin Lu!
At first, people didn't take it seriously, thinking that Wu was just a fool with too much money and had lost his mind.

It wasn't until those weapons, engraved with the words "Hidden Sword Manor" and possessing unparalleled sharpness and sturdiness, appeared that everyone suddenly realized what was going on!
Years later, Wu Jiuchi not only recouped the enormous wealth he had previously spent, but also made a fortune from it, earning the title of "richer than a country".

With such a treasure in hand, it's no wonder that no one would covet it.

However, the Hidden Sword Manor had already mastered the Primordial Sacred Flame to perfection, but any fools who came looking for trouble were all burned to ashes by the raging flames that could incinerate everything.

Unlike the unsuspecting masses, Xu Jinhuan naturally knew that after being weakened and refined through numerous trials, the sacred fire had another purpose besides refining weapons—

Tempering the body!

Anyone who can enter the sword furnace and come out alive does not need a sword in hand; their physical strength alone is comparable to that of a divine weapon!
Wu Jiuchi, the owner of the manor who had personally entered the place, was ranked in the middle of the list, but that was just a smokescreen used by him, the writer, to mislead the world.

Even without his help, as the shackles of heaven and earth are broken one by one, he will become one of the first powerful beings to ascend to the highest sainthood!
The effects of tempering the body with sacred fire are evident.

However, the dangers involved are far beyond what ordinary people can bear. Otherwise, Wu Jiuchi, with this treasure in his hands, would have already secretly built an elite army capable of overturning this continent.

Pulling himself out of his thoughts, Xu Jinhuan tucked the letter, which carried the faint fragrance of Yun Ci, into his pocket and shook his head helplessly.

Although he knew that the man surnamed Wu wouldn't just stand by and watch his precious daughter die, he was still somewhat worried.

"Silly girl, why bother? Leave fighting and killing to men."
-
"Your Majesty, thanks to the combined efforts of the Golden Guard, the Mirror Division, and the Blood-Clad Guard, the suffering people have all received medical treatment, and the collapsed and flooded houses are being repaired intensively."

Hall of Supreme Harmony.

Zhao Ruoxi sat solemnly on the dragon throne.

At this moment, she wore a long robe with a dark brocade base and gold thread embroidered with landscapes and mountains. Her crown was made of crimson gold, topped with a golden phoenix spreading its wings, its beak holding a blood-jade necklace that hung down to her forehead. She exuded an imposing aura without anger!
Such an elaborate and luxurious phoenix robe was completed in just one night.

Even Zhao Ruoxi, who grew up in the inner palace, couldn't help but admire the skills of the many talented craftsmen in the palace.

The first court assembly of the first year of Jinghe lasted from noon until late at night before it finally ended.

The officials of the six ministries barely slept all night. Under the new emperor's call, after handling all the trivial matters such as issuing proclamations to the world, they set off to deal with the injuries left behind by the Qiyun Sect.

As dawn broke, the officials, impressed by the Empress's decisive actions, rushed back to the palace to attend the day's court assembly before even having a chance to freshen up at their residences.
"How many casualties?"

Zhao Ruoxi asked, frowning.

Minister of Revenue Li Qian stepped forward, bowed his head, and said:
"Due to the Ministry of Revenue's overnight investigation, this cult's disturbance resulted in 5,716 deaths and injuries, and the burning and smashing of over 300 shops and residences along the streets, with the western part of the city being the hardest hit."

As the shocking figures were announced, even those who were already mentally prepared couldn't help but feel a sense of dismay.

It's not just Qiyun Altar!
They simply couldn't imagine what kind of hell Kyoto would have become overnight if the tens of thousands of people who had gone mad hadn't been brought under control immediately!
"Your Majesty, the Mingjing Division was fully mobilized the moment the popular uprising began."

As far as I know, the men in black were all carrying blunt weapons. When they encountered the mob, they mostly broke their arms and legs but did not kill them. They were obviously prepared!

Regarding the cult's harboring of evil, Master Zhuang has repeatedly spoken frankly and remonstrated with the emperor, and has also secretly investigated the matter. Now, he has taken precautions and greatly reduced the number of casualties. I believe that once this matter is resolved, the Mingjing Division should bear the greatest credit.

After speaking, Li Qian bowed and retreated back into the ranks, letting out a long sigh of relief.

Xu Xinnian's performance at Qiyun Altar was evident to all. Who didn't know that this old fellow's position as Prime Minister remained as solid as a rock?
As a member of the Imperial Academy, Master Zhuang had always been on good terms with him. By supporting Zhuang Yuning, he was essentially supporting the Grand Secretary.
The person he secretly praised shook his head with a wry smile.

If Lord Li knew how Master Zhuang had been flirting with that person, I wonder if he would still be able to laugh.
“Your Majesty!” Chang Wei, Minister of War, stepped forward and said respectfully, “Commander Gao of the Golden Guard, in the process of suppressing the riot, took it upon himself to deploy the Imperial Guards guarding the city walls and allowed General An Qing of the Western Garrison to enter the city without authorization. This is a dereliction of duty on my part, and I beg Your Majesty to punish me!”

As a trusted confidant who had shared a carriage with the Empress just yesterday, Chang Wei's words, seemingly an apology, were actually an attempt to curry favor.

The old foxes around him knew perfectly well that this Vice Minister, who was 'temporarily' serving as Minister, would probably have to remove those two words from his title today.
Who can blame them for betting on the right thing!
Zhao Ruoxi looked down at the crowd below, taking in every subtle expression.

They were naturally aware of the filthy thoughts in their hearts.

Why would anyone want to be emperor?

That's absolutely terrible.
As the emperor, she no longer had any freedom.

What's more, you have to watch these cunning and treacherous people every day, deceiving and fighting each other for their own selfish interests.
What's so good about this kind of life?

Just thinking about it gives me a headache.
Besides, I can't just sneak out every few days to meet some lecherous playboy; I have to come up with a way.
Now that she was actually sitting on the dragon throne, recalling her past jokes, she couldn't help but give a bitter smile.

How could that man, who dared to question Lu Yuan to his face, possibly disregard his dignity and come here to act as some kind of 'number one male favorite'?
What is the status of the missing officials?

"Your Majesty, after a night of searching, officials from all six ministries have been found dead in various places. Their bodies have now been recovered. As for who will fill the vacancies, Your Majesty is requested to make the decision!"

Li Qian downplayed the seriousness of the matter, even refusing to mention the names of the officials who had died tragically.
The people were all taken by the Mingjing Division, and they were all loyal subordinates of the man whose head was hung on the city wall. Now that they are all dead, what else is there to say?

Zhao Ruoxi nodded in satisfaction.

This Minister of Revenue is quite a perceptive person.

Since that's the case, let's just let bygones be bygones regarding his previous support for Zhuang Yuning.

Narrowing her eyes at Xu Xinnian, who remained silent throughout, the empress asked calmly:
"I have just ascended the throne and my understanding of the officials in various departments is still limited. I wonder if Grand Secretary Xu has any suitable candidates to recommend?"

Just when everyone thought that His Majesty the Emperor and the Grand Secretary were about to put on a good show of mutual respect, Xu Xinnian shook his head and bowed, saying:

"I am old and senile, and to avoid being suspected of forming cliques, I dare not make any recommendations on my own."

The decision of who should fill the vacancy is naturally to be made by His Majesty alone.

As soon as these words came out, everyone was shocked.

This old fox, at his age, how come he suddenly became so timid and cowardly?
Zhao Ruoxi understood.

After all, the list of officials who died tragically in the streets was provided by the other party.

If I were to intervene now to fill the vacancy, I might very well incur my own wrath.

But it's the Grand Secretary!
I have no desire to seize power and am too lazy to engage in any imperial machinations. I just want to coast along!
As long as the world is at peace and there is no chaos, you can make the decisions on the appointment and removal of officials for me!

The Empress, outwardly serious but inwardly on the verge of flipping the table in anger, changed her mind and said in a deep voice:
"Lord Xu is too modest. In the important matter of governing the country, we still need to rely on Lord Xu to help me solve my problems!"

Since that's the case, regarding the matter of filling the vacant official positions, I request that Lord Xu and the ministers of each department each prepare a list and submit it to me. I will make a decision after reviewing it.

By the way, Zhu Gangli has already been beheaded by me outside the capital. An Qing's entry into the city was entirely at my behest, so there's no need for further punishment. I believe that the Vice Minister has rendered meritorious service in protecting me and should rightfully assume the position of Minister. What do you all think?

"Your Majesty is wise!!!"

In the Hall of Supreme Harmony, all the officials seconded the motion.

Even if in the future, there will still be factional strife and officials with their own ulterior motives, at least for now, Emperor Jinghe's control over the Great Yan court is absolute.

After all, those who might have voiced dissent are already gone to meet the King of Hell.
Zhao Ruoxi suddenly beamed with joy.

It wasn't because of something as trivial as the recent appointment and dismissal of a Minister of War.
Rather, it was because her divine sense had been constantly surrounding the entire palace that she sensed that the person she had been longing for had finally appeared at the city gate.

At least you still have a conscience and know to enter the palace for an audience.

"By the way, the reason I was able to escape Ning Qian's pursuit and successfully return to the capital was largely due to the great contribution of Xu Jinhuan of Qingzhou."

I intend to grant him an official position; what do you all think?

"As it should be!"

Chang Wei, who had just been promoted, took the lead in speaking, and all the officials quickly echoed his opinion.

Zhao Ruoxi was in a great mood.

Since I can't get out, I'll have to let you in.
Sure enough, changing the approach made many problems much simpler!

From this perspective, being an emperor isn't so bad!
"Alright! Let's not delay, let's settle this matter today!"

"Guards, summon Xu Jinhuan to the palace!"

(End of this chapter)