Her Majesty Chose Violence, They Chose Her

Chapter 34: Chapter 34: If Only She Had a Little Brother, Would They Need to Urge Her?

After finally escorting the Emperor to Jinluan Palace and hearing the calls of obeisance echoing within, Sun Yi couldn’t help but mutter, "Is someone like that really fit to be Emperor?"

He spoke quietly, so only Bi Fang heard him, but Bi Fang didn’t reply.

Today’s morning court session was as pointless as ever.

The Chen and Liu Families had been exiled and had set out two days prior, yet the officials were still relentlessly impeaching others associated with them.

They wouldn’t rest until the Emperor implicated others by association.

It wasn’t that Xiao Yang genuinely wanted to spare the Empress Dowager’s other supporters. She was forced to.

After days of these impeachments, she had gained a crystal-clear understanding of the Empress Dowager’s remaining forces.

They were an open hand—the Empress Dowager’s hand, no less. But as far as Xiao Yang was concerned, that didn’t necessarily make them all her enemies.

’Forget calling them corrupt officials. Looking around at the men standing here in Jinluan Palace, there wasn’t a single one who wasn’t greedy.’

’These men were making a big show of it, but few were truly loyal subjects. They all harbored the same greedy desire to kick their rivals while they were down and tear off a piece of the prize for themselves.’

’If I were to keep investigating, I’d just be feeding their ambition to snatch up more resources.’

’So, the Empress Dowager’s people had to stay.’

’Let them fight amongst themselves. I can just watch the show from the sidelines. If they ran out of opponents, then I would be the one in danger.’

’Honestly, if the Empress Dowager hadn’t tried to crush me, I would have been perfectly happy being a carefree Puppet Emperor. But alas, the Empress Dowager was out of her mind and insisted on tormenting me.’

’And now look. The Empress Dowager’s power is gone, her father is dead, and I’m still stuck here, suffering through this living hell.’

When the morning session was finally dismissed, Xiao Yang felt like her very life force had been drained away.

"Xiao Jinsu pays her respects to Your Majesty."

Xiao Cheng had brought Xiao Jinsu for an audience. She had changed into a slightly more ornate dress today, which gave her the air of a high-born lady from an official’s family. However, her jewelry was pitifully sparse, and the fabric of her dress didn’t seem to be of the latest fashion.

Xiao Yang had made some inquiries. The Pingchuan Marquis Mansion had been living off its ancestral fortune for three generations, and there wasn’t much left. For a dignified Marquis Mansion to fall so low that it couldn’t even protect its own daughter—to the point where a married daughter had to sell noodles to survive—was a strange and rare tale indeed.

And while her husband’s family was a branch of the great Cui Family, they wouldn’t let Cui Jialiang gamble away all their money. At most, they provided enough to maintain the family’s lifestyle, and none of that wealth was ever going to fall into Xiao Jinsu’s hands.

"You may rise."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Xiao Jinsu rose and slightly lifted her gaze to the handsome youth before her. The other day, she had mistaken him for a pampered young master from some wealthy family. Who could have imagined he was the supreme ruler upon the throne?

Now, clad in the Dragon Robe, his air of nobility was simply indescribable.

’Despite her shock and awe,’ she couldn’t help but think, ’Your Majesty looks so... sweet.’

"Thank you for giving me this opportunity, Your Majesty. I will devote myself to serving you."

Xiao Yang said, "No rush. First, tell me what you’re skilled at."

Xiao Jinsu answered with composure, "I am well-versed in the Four Books and Five Classics, and have some proficiency in the four arts of zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting. I have also dabbled in needlework and arithmetic. Should I have any shortcomings, I am willing to learn diligently. I will not disappoint Your Majesty."

’As the eldest daughter of the Pingchuan Marquis Mansion, she wouldn’t have lacked for educational resources. Besides, Xiao Cheng had already mentioned that Xiao Jinsu was very bright.’

’Xiao Jinsu herself was an excellent candidate; she had simply been dragged down by her own family and her in-laws.’

’For Xiao Lv to think of bringing her into the Imperial Palace... what a stroke of genius.’

"But since you put it that way," Xiao Yang said, "I’m going to take you seriously."

"Follow Nanny Yang and get familiar with the palace for a few days. Then, pick one of the Six Departments of the Palace and take charge of it within a month."

Xiao Jinsu couldn’t hide her surprise. She had assumed she would be serving as a palace maid by His Majesty’s side, or perhaps as a little female official in the Twenty-four Departments.

But the Emperor actually wanted her to lead one of the departments, to become a proper fifth-rank female official? And with only a month to do it.

Xiao Yang noticed her hesitation. "You can’t do it?"

Xiao Jinsu’s expression turned serious. She bowed deeply. "I will do everything in my power."

’I have to do it, even if I think I can’t. This is my only chance.’

’I was too timid before. Now that I’ve entered the Imperial Palace, how can I be content as a lowly Palace Attendant? Wouldn’t that just invite mockery?’

’A fifth-rank female officer... A respectable, legitimate position.’

It was as if Xiao Jinsu could hear her own decaying life struggling to shake off the dust and slowly reawaken, all because of the young Emperor before her.

Her eyes grew hot, and her resolve hardened. ’I must succeed.’

Xiao Cheng was happy for his sister as well. "Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty."

Xiao Yang shot him a glance. "Don’t just thank me with words. I have a mission for you. If you mess it up, you can get the hell out."

Xiao Cheng immediately tensed up. "Please give me your orders, Your Majesty."

After settling matters with the two siblings, Xiao Yang was once again buried under a mountain of memorials.

’Being the Emperor is just so painfully dull.’

’Other emperors get to find consorts, fall in love, listen to music, and enjoy the pleasures of the flesh in the company of beautiful women.’

’And me? I’m living like a eunuch.’

She happened to pick up a memorial suggesting that she select consorts.

’Select my ass! If I actually had the "little brother" for it, would I need them to push me?’

Xiao Yang glanced over at Rong Yin, who was seated below her. She was so bored reading the memorials that she was fidgeting as if her seat were covered in boils, but Rong Yin was the picture of elegance, composure, and rapt concentration.

’A man focused on his work is certainly charming, but it’s a shame this one’s a great demon king who loves to exploit me.’

Xiao Yang’s eyes darted about as a fun idea suddenly occurred to her. "Regent King, can I run something by you?"

Rong Yin didn’t even lift an eyelid.

"Rong Yin, I know you can hear me."

’Still ignoring me?’

Xiao Yang cleared her throat and purred in a low voice, "My dear consort~~~"

SWISH! A glare as sharp as a dagger shot toward her.

Xiao Yang tilted her head and smiled. "This weather is perfect for hunting. Let’s go."

Xiao Yang’s bright eyes were filled with yearning for the world outside.

Rong Yin was like a strict old fossil. "Your Majesty should prioritize matters of state. There are still so many memorials to be reviewed."

Xiao Yang took this to mean, "So, as long as I finish reviewing these memorials, I can go?"

Rong Yin didn’t agree, but Xiao Yang had already made up her mind. It didn’t matter whether he agreed or not. She immediately began to fly through the documents, her brush moving furiously as she read ten lines at a glance.

The Little Emperor was rarely so motivated, but Rong Yin frowned as he watched.

’Casually flipping through, making a check here and a cross there... Is she even sure what she’s reading?’

’Fortunately, the memorials placed before the Emperor weren’t the most critical ones. Even if she acted recklessly, it wouldn’t be a disaster.’

’However, he would never agree to the Little Emperor using this as a bargaining chip to go hunting.’

Xiao Yang quickly finished with the stack of memorials before her.

"Yay! All done!"

She tossed her brush aside. "Bi Fang, go find my riding attire! Xiao Lan, inform Xiao Lv that we’re going hunting."

Rong Yin’s demonic voice cut in. "Since Your Majesty has so much free time, you may as well handle this pile, too."

"That’s your task," Xiao Yang said.

Rong Yin replied, "Reviewing memorials is the Emperor’s duty to begin with. This king has merely been assisting. It is time Your Majesty started handling true matters of state."

Xiao Yang was speechless. ’I don’t want to deal with it, but he insists on pushing it on me. What’s his problem?!’

"No way! We agreed to split them fifty-fifty. You can’t slack off."

With that, Xiao Yang bolted and vanished in a flash.

Rong Yin frowned. He rose and walked to the Dragon Throne’s desk, casually picking up a memorial. He flipped straight to the vermilion-ink comment at the end: *Less nonsense, more actual work.*

The subsequent ones were even sloppier: *Got it.* *Understood.* *Nice checkmark.* *X - In your dreams...*

He set the memorial down and began to question the point of keeping this Emperor around.

’Were his peaceful days too comfortable? Did he need someone to annoy him for the sake of it?’