As the echoes faded, the child’s voice fell again.
“This matter need not be debated or criticized further. The Empress’s great victory is a joyous occasion for the nation and should be celebrated.”
The officials looked at each other, finally bowing in unison once more. “We congratulate Your Majesty, we congratulate Empress.”
……
……
Sure enough, they weren’t denouncing Sister Chu anymore—they’d changed to congratulating Sister Chu.
His words were that effective.
He truly could protect Sister Chu.
Standing before the dragon throne, Xiao Yu’s eyes couldn’t hide his excitement. Looking at the hall full of bowing officials, only then did his small hands hanging at his sides relax. His palms were covered in sweat.
Among the bowing officials, Xie Yanfang raised his head and smiled at him.
Xiao Yu met his gaze, hesitated, wondering whether to look away. But before he could, Xie Yanfang lowered his head and avoided it.
Xiao Yu clenched his hands but didn’t look away.
……
……
The court session ended. The officials in Deng Yi’s hall also dispersed. The buzzing clamor that had filled his ears finally dissipated.
“My lord,” a clerk brought hot tea.
Deng Yi took it and drank, gently pressing his brow with one hand.
“Who taught His Majesty that?” the clerk said. “He actually spoke at this moment.”
Deng Yi said, “Who else but Xie Yanfang?”
The clerk laughed. “I thought it was Empress Chu.”
I thought it was Empress Chu—this seemingly casual remark flashed a thought through Deng Yi’s mind. So now everyone was comparing Chu Zhao with Xie Yanfang, and even with him?
“—Third Young Master Xie truly exerts himself wholeheartedly for Empress Chu,” the clerk continued with a laugh.
“He has no choice but to exert himself. Would he change the Empress now?” Deng Yi said, raising his head. “No matter what, His Majesty speaking at this time was most appropriate.”
He could allow Chu Zhao to come and go from the palace freely, but he couldn’t prevent people from questioning her.
Deng Yi gripped his teacup and turned it, looking at the victory report on his desk. A flying victory bulletin—that girl not only didn’t conceal her identity, she wanted all under heaven to know.
“Empress Chu doing this—” the clerk asked in a low voice. “Is it for her father? Whose idea was it? Third Young Master Xie’s?”
Deng Yi suddenly laughed. “Third Young Master Xie.” He laughed twice more.
If he’d only heard that Chu Zhao resolved the Xi Liang scattered soldiers, Deng Yi wouldn’t have thought much of it. But upon hearing the flying victory bulletin proclaiming the Empress’s valor, he understood. Third Young Master Xie Yanfang’s expression couldn’t have been much better than his own.
Why laugh? The clerk didn’t understand.
“This wasn’t Third Young Master Xie’s idea,” Deng Yi said with a laugh. “This was Empress Chu’s own idea.”
And it wasn’t for her father either—it was for herself.
All along, this girl’s ideas had been her own, all for herself.
Previously, she used the opportunity of the capital’s chaos to be seen by the Late Emperor and demanded the Empress position from him.
Now, using the Xi Liang invasion to achieve such merit, of course she wanted all under heaven to see.
An Empress seen by all under heaven was no longer just a decoration sitting in the Imperial City.
The smile on Deng Yi’s face gradually faded.
Was this girl wanting too much?