The playboy county magistrate

After the emperor recovered and the court stabilized, the empress was completely relieved and no longer worried.

With daily quiet recuperation, her expression became increasingly gentle and serene.

Now that the palace is peaceful and quiet, she finally has some leisure time.

Li Xuanzhi nodded slightly, "Thank you for leading the way, sir."

The Crown Prince nodded in agreement, "Very well, it has been a long time since I have had the pleasure of sitting and chatting with Mother."

The two followed Xiao Zhuozi away slowly, passing through layers of blue stone palace corridors and stepping into the Imperial Garden, which was full of fragrant flowers.

Flowers are in full bloom, petals are falling in profusion. Koi carp swim in the water, and orioles sing sweetly.

The imperial garden, once a place of strife and intrigue, now stands as a place of pure beauty.

The Empress sat gracefully in a lakeside pavilion, dressed in simple, elegant attire, without any makeup. Her demeanor was gentle and dignified, her brows and eyes relaxed, showing no trace of her past worries and anxieties.

Exquisite tea snacks and fresh tea were laid out on the stone table. A gentle breeze carried the aroma of tea mixed with the fragrance of flowers, creating a refined and intoxicating atmosphere.

Seeing the two approaching, the Empress smiled and raised her hand.

"Please sit down. You two have been working hard on state affairs these past few days, and you must be exhausted."

The two took their seats in accordance with etiquette, their postures respectful and measured.

The Empress personally poured tea for the two of them, her gentle gaze sweeping over the Crown Prince before turning to Li Xuanzhi beside her.

"Now that the world is at peace and prosperous, and the court and the country are tranquil, I look at this garden full of spring colors every day and think about the peace in the palace. It really feels like a lifetime ago."

"In the past, every step in the palace was fraught with danger, and the court was constantly in turmoil. I couldn't sleep at night, fearing that my young son would be in trouble and the country would fall."

"The calm we have now is all thanks to Xuanzhi's tireless efforts and desperate protection."

Seeing that Li Xuanzhi was about to speak again, it was obvious that it would be some polite, old-fashioned talk about being proper or improper.

The Empress chuckled and raised her hand to stop Li Xuanzhi, shaking her head repeatedly with approval in her eyes.

"You have always been humble and never boasted of your achievements. It is a blessing for the Great Yong to have such a virtuous minister as you, a blessing for all the people, and a blessing for my son."

It can only be said that they are truly a couple; the emperor and empress's words, while not exactly identical, are very similar.

After chatting for a while, the Empress looked at Li Xuanzhi and gently gave him some instructions.

"The affairs of the court are now on the right track, so you don't need to be so tense and work so hard day and night. You are still young, and it is very harmful to your health to have to worry about things all the time. In the future, when you have free time, go home and rest more, spend time with your wife, and don't overwork yourself."

"These are excellent medicines and top-quality tonics for women to nourish their bodies. When you get back, share some with your mother and wife. Although you are young, you are not getting any younger, and it's inevitable that people will gossip if you don't have any children."

"I heard that your wife's sister-in-law is pregnant. Later, I will have someone carefully select items and have the Imperial Hospital's chief physician thoroughly screen them. Rest assured, everything sent out of the palace will be without any problems."

"I hereby promise that if your Li family has a daughter in the future, she may enter the palace as empress, or she may freely choose whether or not to marry into the royal family."

Li Xuanzhi felt a warmth in his heart and nodded in response.

"Your Majesty's instructions will be remembered, and I thank Your Majesty for your kindness."

If he ever has a daughter, Li Xuanzhi will never let her marry into the royal family and suffer humiliation.

Only incompetent court officials would send their daughters into the palace to secure favor and benefit their families outside the palace.

A truly capable person will still be valued by those in power even if they don't keep their own women in the harem.

Rather than relying on nepotism to bring people closer, it is far better for rulers and ministers to have heart-to-heart talks.

At least the emperor wouldn't suspect whether this family had ulterior motives or whether they would switch their support for the emperor to their side after the birth of a prince.

Li Xuanzhi isn't tired of living, why would he drag his whole family to their deaths?

Besides, even if she did marry the future emperor and become empress, so what?

Just look at the current Empress; you can tell that life in the palace is not so easy.

The royal family is full of concubines of all kinds of backgrounds, princes and princesses of all kinds of personalities, and eunuchs and palace maids who serve their respective masters.

Whether there was a problem or not, they would swallow their anger for the sake of the bigger picture and let those concubines run wild.

If she married an official and became his principal wife, she wouldn't care about concubines or mistresses. If any of them were unruly, she could easily sell them off or get rid of them in other ways.

If there are any troublemakers, what's wrong with just killing or maiming them?

Li Xuanzhi is standing right here. If anyone dares to make his daughter suffer in the future, then the entire clan of his future son-in-law will face annihilation.

The Empress didn't dwell on the topic; she had already made up her mind.

If Li Xuanzhi really has no intention of sending his daughter to the palace after his son succeeds to the throne, then he can choose an empress from the Pei family.

In any case, we must apprehend the relatives by marriage related to Li Xuanzhi. Only in this way can we ensure the stability of the court and the stability of her son's empire.

As for whether the Li and Pei families will become forces of maternal relatives who rebel?

That's nothing to worry about.

If the son's future empress is indeed a woman from the Li or Pei family, the future crown prince will also be a legitimate heir.

As long as the emperor is stable and is an honest and upright good emperor, they will be too busy supporting him to rebel.

The lake surface shimmered, reflecting the three figures peacefully.

The Crown Prince quietly watched the scene before him, seeing his mother's relaxed expression and his teacher's gentle demeanor, and felt a sense of relief.

The so-called golden age is never just cold words in history books, nor is it empty praise in the court.

May the emperor be healthy and the harem peaceful. May wise ministers be in office, diligently assisting in governance. May the crown prince study diligently and grow steadily. May there be no strife in the court, and all people live in peace and happiness. May there be no misfortune year after year, and may peace prevail year after year.

……

As the last rays of sunlight faded from the imperial city, palace lanterns lit up one after another, stretching out along the layers of vermilion walls and palace corridors.

The warm light softened the coldness and heaviness of the palace, adding a touch of human warmth.

The daytime hustle and bustle of the court and the idle chatter in the palace gardens have all come to an end, and the entire imperial city has returned to tranquility and peace.

Li Xuanzhi bid farewell to the Empress and the Crown Prince, who was to stay overnight in the palace, and slowly stepped out of the palace to get into his carriage.

Before long, the carriage came to a steady stop in front of the Li residence.

Pei Qingyuan was already waiting in the courtyard.

The bright moonlight, like water splashed across the bluestone courtyard, accentuated her gentle and elegant figure.

She wore a plain-colored dress, her long hair loosely tied up. She stood on the steps, quietly waiting for someone to return home late.

Hearing footsteps, she looked up, and a gentle smile instantly bloomed in her eyes, dispelling the stillness of the night.

"I'm back."

Li Xuanzhi looked at her tenderly, stepped forward slowly, and softly replied, "You're back."

"The spring scenery in the palace is exceptionally beautiful today. Her Majesty the Empress invited us to stay for tea and conversation, which has delayed us for a while."

He explained softly, his tone calm and soothing.

Pei Qingyuan nodded and smiled gently, reaching out to smooth the slight wrinkles on his outer robe with a soft touch.

"I've warmed some tea and prepared a light dinner; I've been waiting for you for a long time."

The two sat side by side at the stone table in the courtyard. Pei Qingyuan poured him some tea, her gaze lingering on his features, and said softly:

"You've been working tirelessly these past few days, and it's taken its toll; a hint of weariness is visible in your eyes. Now that the situation is stable and the new policies are secure, it's time for you to take a good rest."