Xiao Jinxing’s eyes tightened.
The fury in his eyes seed about to ignite.
An Ning, however, could look at him with such fearless eyes, even with a calm smile on her face.
"My relationship with Feng Xiyun is not as vile as you think!"
So was Xiao Jinxing protecting Feng Xiyun’s reputation?!
Of course, it was all about Xiao Jinxing and Feng Xiyun; she really didn’t have the ti to deal with their business.
"Your Majesty, please return." An Ning respectfully saw him off.
Xiao Jinxing did not linger any longer and turned to leave directly.
Outside the hall doors.
Feng Xiyun was waiting at the door.
Seeing Xiao Jinxing co out, she hurriedly bowed, saying, "Your servant greets Your Majesty."
Xiao Jinxing looked at her as she lowered her eyes with respect and humility.
Feng Xiyun could also feel Xiao Jinxing’s scrutiny and quickly said, "Your servant heard that the Empress has not yet recovered and ca to see her."
Xiao Jinxing turned his eyes away and said coldly, "You don’t need to co to Fengqi Palace anymore. The Empress can take care of herself."
Feng Xiyun looked up at Xiao Jinxing, seemingly with a hint of surprise in her eyes.
"The Empress’s dical skills are better than yours." Xiao Jinxing said bluntly.
Feng Xiyun pursed her lips, then admitted, "It’s my lack of skill that made the Empress suffer. I deserve death a thousand tis. Please punish , Your Majesty."
After speaking,
She coughed twice suddenly.
As if holding sothing back.
"Feng Xiyun, I brought you back to the palace to make everything clear." Xiao Jinxing gazed at her, "You better not disappoint ."
"Your servant would not dare to cross boundaries," Feng Xiyun said firmly, "My only wish is to study dicine, asking for nothing else."
"Since you’re dedicated to studying dicine, then take good care of your illness." Xiao Jinxing dropped the words, "Withdraw."
"Your servant obeys."
Xiao Jinxing walked away in large strides.
Feng Xiyun watched Xiao Jinxing’s departing figure, her tightly clenched fingers, her eyes narrowing more and more.
...
After three days of self-dication under An Ning’s care,
An Ning recovered quickly.
She drank her porridge and asked the Palace Attendant, "How’s the weather outside these days?"
"Reporting to the Empress, it hasn’t snowed for five days outside, and the weather is much warr than a few days ago. It is heard that His Majesty will resu morning court tomorrow."
An Ning’s fingers trembled slightly.
Tomorrow?!
"Your Majesty, I know I shouldn’t speak out of turn, but I feel the Empress should not anger His Majesty further. His Majesty has already been very tolerant towards the Empress. The Empress should not challenge His Majesty’s limits." The Palace Attendant said cautiously.
In ancient tis, imperial power was supre, and Xiao Jinxing was like the heavens.
If one wanted to live well, one could only please Xiao Jinxing.
This was why she never wanted to stay in the palace.
She didn’t know which day she might truly offend Xiao Jinxing, nor did she know which day Xiao Jinxing might lose affection for her. How many emperors throughout history could dedicate their lives to one person?!
Moreover, Xiao Jinxing was already of three minds.
Abandoning Bai Mowan, feelings for her, the connection with Feng Xiyun...
"After this ti, I will not provoke him again." An Ning murmured.
After saving Gu Xingchuan, she would truly accept whatever ca from Xiao Jinxing.
Her eyes shifted, "Summon Chief Eunuch Ping to Fengqi Palace."
"Yes." The Palace Attendant responded respectfully.
Ping was the Chief Eunuch by the Emperor’s side.
The Palace Attendant thought, the Empress finally realized she needed to please the Emperor.
...
Qiankun Hall.
Xiao Jinxing was handling state affairs.
Xiao Luming was accompanying him.
"Father," Xiao Luming watched the morials being reviewed, noticing that those involving Gu Xingchuan were set aside without review, and couldn’t help but speak, "Is Father uncertain about how to handle Gu Xingchuan?"
Xiao Jinxing set down his writing brush, looked back at Xiao Luming, and suddenly asked, "What do you think I should do?"
He originally didn’t want to discuss this with Xiao Luming.
After all, Xiao Luming was only five years old and couldn’t truly understand much, but suddenly he wanted to talk about it with him now.
"Confucius said, ’A ruler should command his ministers with propriety; a minister should serve his ruler with loyalty.’ Father has honored Gu Xingchuan as a ruler, but Gu Xingchuan has not been loyal as a minister. Gu Xingchuan has violated the way of the minister and should receive the penalty of the ruler. Father should not let personal feelings violate the way of the ruler. This is not the act of a sagacious ruler and would make the ministers defiant. Since Father sits as the Emperor, you should be impartial and just!" Xiao Luming’s voice was calm and respectful, articulating his viewpoint clearly.
"So you think I should execute Gu Xingchuan." Xiao Jinxing was sowhat surprised that Xiao Luming would be so just.
With Xiao Luming’s intelligence, he should be very clear about the person who least wanted to execute Gu Xingchuan—it was him behind it.
"To kill one as a warning to others." Xiao Luming affird.
"Yet if I execute your Gu Xingchuan, your mother will hate for a lifeti." Xiao Jinxing said with so resignation.
"I will counsel Mother." Xiao Luming offered voluntarily.
"That’s not necessary." Xiao Jinxing said, "Your mother understands the grand principles; she just can’t accept Gu Xingchuan’s death and is unwilling to face that reality. Moreover, if you go, your mother will just think I am doing it deliberately and will hate even more."
Xiao Luming bit his small lip.
He just wanted to tell his mother,
That if any king were in the sa situation, even if he were to inherit the throne, he would rcilessly execute such a minister according to the law, with no room for personal feelings. Yet Father, even knowing that it was inevitable that Gu Xingchuan had to die, delayed it because of Mother, choosing not to handle it.
Mother shouldn’t make things difficult for Father.
The Emperor should unquestionably prioritize the nation.
"Your Majesty," Chief Eunuch Ping approached, "Your Majesty should have your evening al."
"Hmm." Xiao Jinxing acknowledged.
"Does His Highness dine with Your Majesty?" Chief Eunuch Ping asked again.
"With ."
To Xiao Jinxing, having Xiao Luming accompany him for another day was a blessing.
Eventually.
An Ning would still take him away from the Imperial Palace, away from him.
"Yes, this servant will arrange it imdiately."
Chief Eunuch Ping withdrew.
Soon, Xiao Jinxing’s dinner was brought in.
Xiao Jinxing and Xiao Luming sat down.
"Your Majesty." Chief Eunuch Ping respectfully addressed again.
"Is there sothing?"
"Today, the Empress summoned this servant to Fengqi Palace. The Empress said..." Chief Eunuch Ping hesitated.
"What did she say?" Xiao Jinxing continued his dinner thodically.
Seemingly, calm and untroubled.
Chief Eunuch Ping gritted his teeth and then motioned for the young eunuch behind him to co forth and place the concubines’ naplates respectfully before Xiao Jinxing.
Xiao Jinxing’s eyes narrowed.
Hadn’t he already ordered the abolishnt of the naplate flipping rule?
"It was the Empress who instructed the Office of Attendance to prepare this. She said as the Emperor of Daxuan, Your Majesty should ensure the continuation of the royal line. From today onward, His Majesty should flip a naplate every day, and each evening a concubine will accompany His Majesty." Chief Eunuch Ping said with apprehension.
Xiao Jinxing’s expression turned exceedingly grim.
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