CHAPTER 668: CHAPTER 668 THROWN OUT

No more tolerance for the intolerable.

Zhao Junyao had someone throw her out directly.

The girl’s face was full of astonishment.

She seemed like someone who had never been treated this way in her entire life.

Fury filled her eyes as she glared at Li Shengan.

"How insolent, to show such disrespect to a Commandery Princess!"

Li Shengan scoffed as if he hadn’t heard her.

"Commandery Princess?"

"No matter which country’s princess you are, in the territory of the Great Chu Dynasty, you must follow our rules!"

"Someone, escort this lady out properly!"

Having said this, he led his people away.

He couldn’t help feeling a bit scornful inside.

Still a Commandery Princess? A young girl, constantly talking about marrying a stranger, no less.

How ridiculous! A true Commandery Princess wouldn’t behave like this!

As his voice faded, a few plain-clothed Little Eunuchs stepped forward and picked up the self-proclaimed Commandery Princess.

They threw her toward the entrance of the traveling palace.

The doors closed with a resounding BANG, showing no mercy.

The girl’s pale face twisted with anger.

Her gaze was livid as she ground her teeth.

"Audacious! Truly audacious!"

Warriors from the Western Xia Kingdom wishing to marry her could queue from the West Capital to Great Chu.

Yet she found none of them appealing.

Sneaking out to play on occasion, she finally met someone who caught her eye.

It took a lot of courage to confess her feelings, only to be rejected.

How vile, absolutely vile!

"You wait and see, Emperor of Great Chu, I will surely tell my father!"

"One day, I will marry you! Humph!"

The girl dusted off the dirt from her clothes and stood up.

She then saw a few sweat-drenched people looking like servants running towards her.

"Oh my, Little Princess, how did you end up here? You’ve given us quite the search!"

The girl glared with almond-shaped eyes, speaking impatiently.

"What’s there to search for? I’m a living person; I can’t just disappear. Let’s go, let’s go!"

These followers are so annoying! I can’t shake them off no matter what. How exasperating!

...

"Emperor, they have left!"

Zhao Junyao responded calmly with a hum, saying no more.

From a young age, he had seen too many women throwing themselves at him madly.

He was accustomed to it.

But those were his own women, so on reflection, it wasn’t anything out of the ordinary.

However, a proper lady conducting herself so shamelessly—that was a first for him.

An eye-opener indeed.

Li Shengan approached cautiously.

"Emperor, given the current circumstances, should we return early?"

Zhao Junyao’s expression remained unchanged, still indifferent.

"No need!"

A bunch of crazy women, they’re hardly a threat.

Closing the book in his hands, Zhao Junyao stood up and walked to the window, standing with his hands behind his back.

After a long while, he slowly uttered a few words.

"Give the order, from now on we move out in civilian attire!"

"Yes!"

Li Shengan bowed and retreated.

...

Indeed, secret investigations were much more convenient. On his way back to the Capital City, Zhao Junyao visited many places.

His gaze was sharp; upon arriving at a place, he said little.

He personally led people to speak with the locals.

The eyes of the common people are sharp.

Whether an official is corrupt or honest is easily discerned through questioning.

He didn’t take immediate action at that moment.

He simply recorded the names of the corrupt officials in a little black book.

Back in the Capital City, he followed the trail, sorting out the protectors behind them, one by one.

If an entire household needed to be executed, it was done. If confiscation and exile were needed, then so be it.

Those who needed dismissal were dismissed; those who warranted demotion were demoted.

Although the Imperial Court still had its vermin.

But under Zhao Junyao’s drastic measures, these individuals faced consequences. They either shrank back, quivering in the shadows and daring not make a move, or they were scared straight, immediately mending their ways.

Of course, there were still those determined to be parasites for life.

However... Zhao Junyao didn’t plan to clean house in just a short time.

After all, too much commotion wasn’t good for controlling the situation!

In the future... there would be plenty of time, slowly but surely!

...

By the time Zhao Junyao returned to the Capital City, it had already entered October.

Winter had set in.

It hadn’t snowed yet, but several freezing rains had already made the weather extremely cold.

Outside, the cold made the roads slippery.

The Empress had been tirelessly managing affairs of the Harem and fell ill as a result.

She’d been frail since childhood, and that time kneeling in the snow had left her with a lingering illness.

Not long ago, she had a quarrel with the Emperor.

Afterward, she knelt in front of the Empress Dowager for two shi chen.

In reality, her body had long been unable to bear it, but she was always too proud,

Insisting on not letting others see her weakness.

Now her illness had become more serious, and she couldn’t hold on any longer, so she finally called for the Imperial Physician.

When the Imperial Physician took her pulse, he immediately advised her to rest in bed and recover quietly.

"The Empress is weak, suffering from excessive liver heat and is mentally and physically drained; she is also overly burdened by worries! She must rest in bed and maintain a cheerful disposition, otherwise..."

The Imperial Physician didn’t continue.

Yet the Empress waved her hand dismissively, insisting on getting up.

"It’s not as serious as you say. I’ve just caught a cold, that’s all!"

Sister Ji hurriedly came forward to persuade her.

"Your Majesty, your health is your own, you can’t take it lightly!"

The Empress glared at Sister Ji, then looked toward the Imperial Physician.

"I’ve just caught a cold, there’s nothing seriously wrong. Prescribe something!"

Seeing the Empress’s insistence,

Sister Ji and the Imperial Physician didn’t dare to urge her further.

The Imperial Physician had no choice but to carefully write out a prescription.

Sister Ji sighed as she looked at the prescription but had no other choice, so she took it to have the medicine prepared.

...

The Empress fell ill.

Externally, it was said to be ’a cold’, and she ordered that the people of the Harem need not come to pay respects or tend to her illness.

The women of the Harem were puzzled in their hearts, but dared not disobey.

Since the Emperor was not in the palace, and with the weather being harshly cold, everyone just stayed indoors.

The Harem remained as calm as still water.

Xia Ruqing, with Little Bun, resumed the carefree life of idling away, eating and sleeping.

One morning,

Xia Ruqing, waking up naturally, turned over in bed hugging her blankets.

She stretched lazily and said,

"If I could just live without doing anything, being an idler for life wouldn’t be so bad!"

No need to hustle for a living, or to be compelled by life’s pressures.

She would be clothed in silk and fed with jade, basking in glory and wealth. To be supported by the Emperor, her husband, for a lifetime—how wonderful that would be.

Even if I were to fall out of favor and he found a new love in the future, he shouldn’t be too heartless, right? After all, some affection had developed between them over these past two or three years.

Moreover, I have a son, and I have a status.

Even without affection, no one would dare to mistreat or shortchange me.

So... an idler’s life is pretty much set!

Xia Ruqing was quite pleased with the thought.

"Not bad, not bad!"

Zi Yue came in to open the drapes for her, smiling as she said,

"My lady, please get up quickly. Xiao Xizi just brought news that the Emperor is about to return, if not tonight, then by tomorrow!"

Upon hearing this, Xia Ruqing immediately sprang up.

"What? So soon?"

Zi Yue shook her head helplessly.

"So soon?"

The Emperor has been away for so many days, other consorts pine day and night. How come when it’s your turn, it’s ’so soon?’

Realizing her faux pas, Xia Ruqing quickly smiled and tried to smooth things over.

"Isn’t this... just a delightful surprise!"

A surprise indeed.

The only great pillar I’ve clung to in this life is finally returning. How could I not be overjoyed?