How could he sleep in the study?
Madam Gu gave Minister Gu a cold look and sneered, “I’ve long advised you to stay out of the imperial family’s affairs, but you wouldn’t listen. Now look what’s happened, you’ve lost all face.”
Minister Gu looked embarrassed: “Women should just manage household affairs. You don’t understand matters outside the home—”
Madam Gu patted the hard bed: “Household affairs are my domain, and you’ll sleep here.”
With that, Madam Gu turned and left, slamming the door behind her.
Minister Gu fumed, stroking his beard: “The old woman’s temper gets worse with age, it’s improper. This time, I’ll make you beg me to come back to bed!”
In the middle of the night, the old minister stood outside the bedroom holding his bedding, pleading pitifully: “My lady, I was wrong. Please let me come back to sleep.”
“Will you meddle in other people’s affairs again?”
“No, I won’t.”
Only then did Madam Gu’s expression soften: “Is your shoulder pain acting up again, my lord? Let me massage it for you.”
The old fool should have known better. Was the Crown Princess an ordinary person?
Back when the Crown Princess and Prince Qi’s wife went to offer incense and encountered a startled horse, Prince Qi’s wife was frightened out of her wits, but the Crown Princess emerged unscathed. That was because the Crown Princess had given a grand offering to the Bodhisattva at Baiyun Temple.
Giving grand offerings wasn’t unusual, but what was remarkable was that the Bodhisattva had accepted it. How else could the Crown Princess have received such divine protection?
If she didn’t stop her husband from opposing the Crown Princess who had received the Bodhisattva’s blessing, wouldn’t she be inviting disaster upon the entire household?
To think that as the wife of a minister, she still had to worry about such things—all because the old fool didn’t know better.
The officials had become as meek as quails for a time, and the hidden dangers of an unstable heir apparent had dissipated. Emperor Jingming rarely enjoyed such peace of mind and was deeply moved.
Then one day, Pan Hai reported: “Your Majesty, Minister Zhen has come to the palace requesting an audience.”
Emperor Jingming had the urge to cover his ears, but under Pan Hai’s inquiring gaze, he still nodded: “Let him in.”
When old Zhen sought an audience, it was always for important matters, and important matters meant trouble—great, here comes trouble again!
Soon, Zhen Shicheng entered, carrying a large wicker box.
“Your humble servant greets Your Majesty.”
Emperor Jing Ming’s gaze fell on the wicker box: “Minister Zhen, what is this—”
Zhen Shicheng set down the wicker box and cupped his hands: “In response to Your Majesty, these are the case files for a lawsuit.”
Emperor Jingming’s eyes widened when he heard this: “So many?”
Zhen Shicheng lowered his eyes: “Your humble servant didn’t expect there to be so much when compiled.”
“What kind of case is it?” Emperor Jingming didn’t really want to ask, but how could he not when such a large box was sitting there, big enough to serve as a small stool?
“It’s the defamation case against the owner of Lushengxiang.”