CHAPTER 607: CHAPTER 607: NOT TOUCHING ME AT ALL

Before they knew it, it was the fifteenth of March.

Zhao Junyao received the message that Xia Tingfeng had sent along the way.

’It will take another three or four days to arrive at Yanguan City!’

It was said to be three or four days, but his letter would also take several days to reach the Capital City.

Calculating the days, they should have already arrived by now.

Having had a smooth journey thus far was indeed a good start.

Additionally, in the southwest, General Shi had managed the battlefield well. Not only did he drive those Grassland Tribes back to their lairs, but he also extorted five thousand warhorses from them.

After reading the letter, Zhao Junyao couldn’t help but laugh. "This person, too, is one who only likes to benefit without suffering any loss!"

In contrast, in the Northwest... they were thoroughly defeated by those tribes, driven all the way back to their stronghold.

The same Great Generals who had once followed the late emperor, yet now one still commanded awe and respect, while the other...

COUGH, COUGH!

Zhao Junyao tossed the letter aside and moved on to review other documents. No matter how dissatisfied he was, he had to wait for Xia Tingfeng to escort the prisoners back before saying anything. For the moment, there was no need for any action.

With the current major affairs in the court practically resolved, Zhao Junyao was in quite a good mood.

Today was the fifteenth, the Empress’s day.

Zhao Junyao never liked to associate external matters with the women in the palace. He wouldn’t treat the Empress differently just because the Fan Family had committed some outrageous acts. Nor would he particularly favor the daughters of any family that had made a contribution.

In his heart, women were just women, brought to the Harem to be his concubines. They held no additional value. An emperor who used women’s influence to achieve some goal would be too pathetic. He disdained such actions.

Of course, there were exceptions to this. For example, if a woman did not follow the rules and secretly communicated with outsiders, seeking undue benefits for her family, then there would be no choice. If rules were broken, punishment was due. For serious offenses, there would be no mercy, with no exceptions for anyone. Similarly, if a woman served him well and he became fond of her, he was happy to favor her.

Therefore... All matters hinged on one ultimate premise: I must be pleased! If I am pleased, anything goes! Rules? Nonexistent! I’ll turn a blind eye, as long as it’s not too outrageous. If I am not pleased, then sorry, every single rule will be enforced, and offenders will be punished severely according to the law!

It was just that tyrannical. There was no helping it; after all, he was the Emperor.

It’s precisely because of this that so many women in the Harem try so desperately to please me! Zhao Junyao thought. As long as the Empress remains honest and patient, I will certainly give her the respect she deserves; after all, she has been my senior wife for so many years and cannot be belittled lightly.

With that in mind, he left Zhaochen Palace and made his way towards Jiaofang Hall.

The Empress was not there; the Palace Attendants said she had gone to Ningshou Palace to visit the Empress Dowager.

Zhao Junyao, having drawn a blank, was somewhat displeased. As he left Jiaofang Hall, his expression was somewhat frightening.

Li Shengan followed behind him, tremblingly asking, "Emperor, where shall we go now?" Return to the palace or visit Ningshou Palace?

Zhao Junyao looked to the left and then to the right. After a moment of indecision, he headed towards Ningshou Palace. I haven’t visited the Empress Dowager in a long time, and it’s getting hard to justify. Since the Empress is there today, I’ll go pay a visit.

「Ningshou Palace.」

The Empress, accompanying the Third Princess, was enjoying the flowers with the Empress Dowager. Hearing the announcement from a Palace Attendant, she hurriedly welcomed him.

"Greetings to the Emperor!"

Zhao Junyao strode over and stopped in front of the Empress. He looked at the Little Princess in the Wetnurse Nanny’s arms and then at the Empress Dowager, who stood under the eaves of the room, smiling sweetly at him.

Zhao Junyao felt a bit irked. "The Empress is truly filial!"

Although it sounded like praise, the tone was not quite right.

The Empress felt a sudden shock in her heart. "The Emperor’s praise is unfounded, your servant... your servant... Your Majesty manages a myriad of state affairs every day; it is my good fortune to be able to show a token of filial piety before the Empress Dowager!"

Zhao Junyao sneered inwardly but relentlessly pressed on. "Oh? Empress, does this mean you find my visits too infrequent? ’Managing a myriad of state affairs,’ is it?"

The Empress’s heart skipped a beat. What’s with the Emperor today? He seems to be... doing it on purpose. Could it be that he is unhappy with my visits to the Empress Dowager? That shouldn’t be the case, right? The Empress Dowager is the Emperor’s birth mother! Then... The Empress was completely baffled.

She didn’t respond but only bowed her head even lower. The atmosphere became somewhat awkward for a moment.

In the end, it was the Empress Dowager herself who came over and amiably resolved the situation. She took the Empress by one hand and the Emperor by the other, laughing as she said,

"You young people are all so hot-tempered!

"But you must realize that it takes a hundred years to share a boat crossing, and a thousand years to share a pillow in sleep!

"You are husband and wife; this is a bond forged over several lifetimes! You must cherish it!"

Zhao Junyao could not say much, only the corner of his mouth curled up in sarcasm.

The Empress looked at the Emperor and then at the Empress Dowager before she said, "Your daughter will certainly heed the Empress Dowager’s teachings!"

The Empress Dowager nodded with a smile. "That’s good to hear!"

The picture of maternal affection and harmony between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law.

Zhao Junyao began to doubt. Is this really the Empress Dowager? The woman who once wanted nothing more than to immediately strip the Empress of her position and elevate the Noble Consort... Now she’s holding my hand, talking to me about ’marital affection’? Spooky. This is too spooky. Something is definitely not right!

However, before he could ponder further, the Empress Dowager ushered them back into the room. The Empress Dowager, the Empress, and the Emperor—the three of them—drank tea and chatted. What a peaceful and harmonious scene in the Harem.

Zhao Junyao was then reluctant to inquire further. I surely can’t say to the Empress Dowager, "You were so mean before, how come you’ve become so nice now?" This was his own mother, after all; one did not slap one’s mother in the face like that!

But he couldn’t sit still any longer. So after drinking a cup of tea, he excused himself, claiming there were still matters to attend in court, and left first.

The Empress could not stay any longer either. A little while later, she also left, carrying the Princess with her.

「...」

Just after returning to Jiaofang Hall, the Empress heard a Palace Attendant report. The Emperor had come earlier, as if... he was looking for her, and she wasn’t there.

"The Emperor came over?"

The Empress was very surprised. No wonder the Emperor looked so displeased when he went to Ningshou Palace! So, he had missed me and then came looking for me! No wonder! Oh, what am I to do? She grew somewhat anxious.

Sister Ji hurried to comfort her.

"Empress, the Emperor has always been a magnanimous man!

"Moreover, you went to visit the Empress Dowager’s palace, not somewhere else!

"The Emperor has even less reason to be angry!"

Upon thinking this, the Empress too felt reassured and settled her nerves. She commanded, "The Emperor will surely come tonight, you all go prepare!"

"Yes!" Yu Lan went out in response.

Seeing that there was no one left in the room, Sister Ji asked, "Your Majesty, do you still want the prescription that this servant had someone look for last time?"

The Empress looked at Sister Ji with a miserable smile. "There’s no need, the Emperor doesn’t touch me at all now, stop with those pointless things!"