Chapter 4 – My royal ‘dragon’, you’d better soften up.
Zhao Qi took a deep breath—I’m tolerating you.
As an emperor without real power and with no understanding of governance, if not for Empress Dowager Wen and Xiao Shiqing, the empire would have been in chaos long ago. “I’m going to dine with the Empress Dowager.”
“Your Majesty, please wait,” Xiao Shiqing called out, “I heard that you replaced all the maids in Yonghua Palace with eunuchs. Is this true?”
“Yes,” Zhao Qi replied cautiously, “Can’t I change the people in my own palace?”
“You can.” Xiao Shiqing said slowly, “But as the ruler of a nation, it’s fine to have occasional emotions, but remember to stay clear-headed.”
Zhao Qi was puzzled, “What do you mean?”
“Exactly what it sounds like. I take my leave.” Xiao Shiqing replied.
Pondering Xiao Shiqing’s words, Zhao Qi couldn’t help but mentally give him a contemptuous look: You dare lecture me? In the original story, when Empress Dowager Wen died, who was it that developed ambiguous feelings for Prince Huai, defected to the righteous side, abandoned the foolish emperor, and helped restore order? We were supposed to be a corrupt emperor and treacherous minister duo, but you had to turn virtuous!
In the original story, Prince Huai, Zhao Tong, didn’t have a smooth path to the throne. Empress Dowager Wen and Xiao Shiqing were his greatest obstacles. After Empress Dowager Wen’s death, Xiao Shiqing became the de facto ruler of Great Jing, the only obstacle left for Zhao Tong.
Early on, Xiao Shiqing admired Zhao Tong’s character. During their youth, they were once trapped in the deep palace overnight, watching snow, stars, and the moon together, discussing poetry and philosophy. Despite their rivalry, there was a mutual appreciation. Meanwhile, as Xiao Shiqing fought rebellions with civil and military officials, the foolish emperor continuously made mistakes. He listened to slander, feared Xiao Shiqing’s power, and held his parents hostage in the palace. Enraged, Xiao Shiqing initiated a coup, opening the city gates, allowing the rebels to take the palace effortlessly.
This story teaches us never to offend Prime Minister Xiao.
Zhao Qi dined with Empress Dowager Wen at Cian Palace. Empress Dowager Wen noticed her son’s low spirits and put down her chopsticks, “Qi’er, what’s wrong?”
Zhao Qi shook his head sullenly.
Empress Dowager Wen asked Jiang Dehai, “Did some ignorant servant upset the emperor?”
Jiang Dehai whispered, “Empress Dowager, just now at the palace gate, Prime Minister Xiao spoke a few words to His Majesty, and His Majesty became like this.”
Empress Dowager Wen frowned, “Qi’er, how many times have I told you, Xiao Shiqing is my confidant and a rare talent. Now, with the canal transportation blocked, regional lords dividing the land, and foreign countries eyeing us, we need capable people. There is no second Xiao Shiqing in the world. Can’t you be a bit more courteous to him for my sake, and for Great Jing’s sake?”
Zhao Qi knew that Xiao Shiqing had always looked down on the original emperor, seeing him as a fool in a dragon robe. Xiao Shiqing stayed in court partly due to Empress Dowager Wen’s favor to his family and partly because a foolish emperor was easy to manipulate.
On the other hand, the foolish emperor, sensing Xiao Shiqing’s disdain and knowing he was aware of his hidden illness, naturally showed no goodwill towards Xiao Shiqing. If not for Empress Dowager Wen’s intervention, he would have dealt with Xiao Shiqing long ago.
Zhao Qi poked at his food with his chopsticks, “Mother, why did you tell the Prime Minister about my…my matters?”
Empress Dowager Wen asked, “What matters?”
“That…that thing.”
“What thing?”
Jiang Dehai mouthed two words silently, and Empress Dowager Wen suddenly understood, “Oh, you mean your dragon…”
Zhao Qi quickly stopped her, “Mother!”
“Alright, alright, I won’t say it.” Empress Dowager Wen couldn’t help but mutter softly, “What’s wrong with you lately? It’s like you’ve changed.”
Zhao Qi thought: …He’s too kind and upright, no matter how hard he tries, he can’t play the role of a foolish emperor well.
Fortunately, Empress Dowager Wen also attributed his change in temperament to the dragon vein issue. She patiently explained, “The Prime Minister is my right-hand man. I discuss everything with him, big or small. Your recovery is a big deal. I’m even planning to have him help select a few candidates for your Empress.”
Zhao Qi’s temple throbbed—having Xiao Shiqing choose his wife? Dragon vein, please just hide for now!
“Mother, she’s my Empress. Why should the Prime Minister help me choose? Besides, I’m still young; it’s too early to establish an Empress!”
“Nonsense, when your father was your age, you were already crawling. Qi’er, she is your Empress, and also the Empress of Great Jing. Establishing an Empress is no trivial matter; it involves complex and intertwined forces. Mother wants you to choose for yourself, but will you? If you were to choose, you’d definitely pick the most beautiful one,” Empress Dowager Wen glanced at Zhao Qi, “or the one who looks the most like Rong Tang.”
Zhao Qi was taken aback, “Why did Mother suddenly bring him up?”
Empress Dowager Wen seemed displeased, “I know you like Rong Tang’s face, but there should be a limit. I heard that you replaced all the maids in Yonghua Palace with eunuchs, each looking somewhat like Rong Tang?”
Zhao Qi was bewildered, “Did I? I did ask Jiang Dehai to replace the maids with eunuchs, but…”
Seeing Jiang Dehai’s expression, Zhao Qi understood. “Who told you to be clever? That’s not what I meant!”
Jiang Dehai was also confused, “May I ask what His Majesty meant? Didn’t His Majesty personally tell me that Rong Gongzi is your favorite?”
Zhao Qi clutched his chest, feeling a bit of heartache, “I was wrong.”
Jiang Dehai hurriedly said, “This servant wouldn’t dare!”
“Favorite…” Empress Dowager Wen said indifferently, “You truly treat him as your favorite.”
Zhao Qi remained silent.
“Fortunately, Rong Tang is just the son of a fourth-rank assistant minister. I can tolerate your nonsense, but if you fancy the Prime Minister…”
Zhao Qi quickly clarified his innocence, “Heaven and earth as my witness, I don’t!”
“Mother was just speaking casually, why are you so anxious?” Empress Dowager Wen gave Zhao Qi a piece of kidney flower. “Here, eat more meat these days. At the end of the month, Mother will go to Muyang Mountain to pray for your dragon vein and fast for three days. You will accompany me.”
Zhao Qi was already numb to the words “dragon vein,” “Oh.”
That night, Zhao Qi ate too much for dinner and was walking around the palace with Jiang Dehai. When they passed by the Qinzhen Hall, Zhao Qi stopped, “Why is there light inside?”
In the past, the former emperor summoned ministers in the Qinzhen Hall. Now, it has become a place for the cabinet ministers to review memorials and discuss state affairs. Who could be inside so late—Empress Dowager Wen?
Jiang Dehai said, “It should be Prime Minister Xiao. The Prime Minister is busy with state affairs and often stays in the palace until late at night. The Empress Dowager even temporarily granted the Haiyan Hall to the Prime Minister, allowing him to stay overnight in the palace.”
Zhao Qi recalled the original story, it seemed to be true. Empress Dowager Wen trusted Xiao Shiqing completely. Xiao Shiqing’s mother and Empress Dowager Wen were close friends in their youth, even joking about betrothing their children if they had a boy and a girl. Unfortunately, they both had boys, so the matter ended there.
He stared at the silhouette on the window for a while and said, “The Prime Minister is so busy, I should go and sympathize with him. Let’s go and see.”
Zhao Qi skipped the formal announcement and walked directly into the Qinzhen Hall. Xiao Shiqing was sitting alone behind the desk, wearing a black official robe with gold trim, looking noble. Behind him hung a huge map of Great Jing.
Hearing the noise, Xiao Shiqing looked up, “Your Majesty.”
“Mm,” Zhao Qi kept a straight face, “No need for formalities, you may sit.”
Xiao Shiqing remained motionless, “Thank you, Your Majesty. Why has Your Majesty come to the Qinzhen Hall at this hour…”
“Not to see you,” Zhao Qi emphasized, “Just passing by to take a look. Continue with your memorials, don’t mind me.”
Xiao Shiqing smiled slightly and continued to read the memorials, indeed not paying attention to Zhao Qi anymore.
Zhao Qi walked to his side, picked up a memorial, and flipped through it casually. The beginning was too long to read, and the end had a blue “approved” character. He put it down and picked up another.
Xiao Shiqing’s voice sounded, “What is Your Majesty looking for?”
Zhao Qi sat down opposite Xiao Shiqing, “Prime Minister, I heard the Empress Dowager handed the matter of selecting the Empress to you?”
Xiao Shiqing picked up the teacup on the desk, “I just provided a list. The final decision on who will be the Empress is still up to the Empress Dowager.”
“Who is on your list?”
Xiao Shiqing put down the cup and looked at Zhao Qi calmly, “Does Your Majesty want to know?”
Zhao Qi nodded, then shook his head, conflicted, “Actually, I don’t know any of them.”
Xiao Shiqing’s tone was weary, “Your Majesty is wise.”
Zhao Qi was feeling a bit troubled. In his eighteen years before the car accident, he had never experienced the feeling of love or liked anyone. Now, being suddenly asked to marry a girl he had never met, he instinctively wanted to reject it. Besides, in his original world, he wasn’t even of legal marriage age yet. Marriage was such a distant concept that he had never considered it before.
He decided to resist and asked, “Can I not get married?”
“If you don’t marry, who will bear heirs for the Emperor?” Xiao Shiqing replied nonchalantly, “Will the Emperor give birth himself?”
Zhao Qi’s eyelid twitched. “What I mean is, let’s delay it for a few years. If I remember correctly, the Chancellor is twenty-three this year. The Chancellor hasn’t married yet, so why should I be in a hurry?”
Xiao Shiqing looked at him with a meaningful gaze. “The Emperor wants to delay for a few years?”
Zhao Qi thought for a moment and tentatively held up four fingers. “Four years?”
“Okay.”
Zhao Qi was overjoyed; he didn’t expect this treacherous minister to be so agreeable. “Really? Then can you help persuade my mother to agree to delaying my marriage too?”
“No.”
Zhao Qi: ??
Are you messing with me?
“The Empress Dowager will not agree,” Xiao Shiqing said calmly. “Four years is too long. Who knows if the Emperor’s old illness will recur and the dragon vein will wither by then.”
Zhao Qi: “…” Hold it in, don’t get angry! I am the Emperor; even if I am angry, I must be secretly angry and not let this treacherous minister see.
He understood the reasoning but couldn’t help it.
Zhao Qi took a deep breath and said viciously, “Xiao Shiqing, don’t think that just because the Empress Dowager backs you, I can’t do anything to you! Do you not know how ruthless I can be?”
“I truly don’t know,” Xiao Shiqing said with a smirk. “Would the Emperor like to show me?”
Zhao Qi glared at Xiao Shiqing but couldn’t do anything to him. As an emperor, he was merely a puppet, and ministers like Xiao Shiqing weren’t afraid of him. The only difference between him and other puppet emperors was that the powerful Empress Dowager Wen, who held the real power, was his doting mother. But recalling what Empress Dowager Wen said a few days ago, Zhao Qi doubted that even if he quarreled with Xiao Shiqing, the Empress Dowager would still side with Xiao Shiqing.
Zhao Qi clenched his fists and asked, “How many memorials does the Chancellor still have to review?”
Xiao Shiqing gestured towards the mountain of memorials. “Thanks to the Emperor, all of these.”
Zhao Qi reached out and took the lamp cover from the desk lamp. Then he blew hard on the flickering candle flame, plunging Xiao Shiqing’s face and the room into darkness.
“See this lamp cover? I won’t give it to you even if I throw it away! Let’s see how you review the memorials now!” Zhao Qi said and walked away triumphantly, holding the lamp cover.
Xiao Shiqing: “…”
After sitting in silence for a moment, Xiao Shiqing called, “Someone, come here.”
A shadow guard appeared. “Chancellor.”
Xiao Shiqing, with great interest, said, “Investigate what the Emperor has been doing, saying, eating, and who he has met recently.”
“Yes.”
“And bring me a lamp cover.”
T/N: Yay! A new novel?! If you’re wondering if it’s a good idea to take on 4 novels at the same time; my answer – “Probably not…”
But after reading a few chapters of this, I just HAD to snatch this project up. I haven’t done transmigration with a true-doomed villain start so I want to try this one! ANYWAY, there is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~
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I really, really appreciate all the support from my readers <3 It goes a long way and motivates me lots!
Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!
If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield
If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’
How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection
What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love
How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep
