Phoenix Reigns Over The Nine Heavens - Chapter 25

The emperor and the crown prince soon made their way back to the palace. Yun Zishu led the people of the princess’s mansion to respectfully see the emperor off outside the main gate.

The emperor’s carriage went away in a grand manner. Yun Zishu raised her head, watching the imperial guards march into the distance, remaining silent for a long time.

“Does the princess really want Xiao Yunheng to move in?” Si Cang stepped over the threshold, his deep gaze fixed on Yun Zishu’s face. His expression was tense, and his voice carried a suppressed emotion. “If so, the previous letter of divorce…”

“Si Cang.” Yun Zishu turned to look at him, a faint smile curling at the corner of her lips. “You are the commander of the Dark Shadow Pavilion. It shouldn’t be difficult for you to get a few pairs of black iron shackles.”

Si Cang was stunned.

“Li Xuan and Li Xue can be released in a few days, but it’s time for the censors to do their work.” Yun Zishu turned around and walked back into the mansion. “I’ll leave the rest to you.”

Si Cang stared at her slender back and in an instant understood what she meant. The tension in his nerves gradually eased.

Leng Yue followed Yun Zishu and asked respectfully, “Is Your Highness tired?”

Yun Zishu shook her head. “Not tired.”

“Why does the Emperor insist on the Princess being with Xiao Yunheng?” Leng Yue couldn’t understand. “Does he think that if the princess breaks off relations with the Xiao family, the Xiao family will dare to have ulterior motives?”

Yun Zishu raised her head and looked at the boundless blue sky. “There are many reasons.”

If her father truly wanted her dead, he could have sent someone to poison her or arranged for an assassin to kill her. On the surface, at least, she was a princess who couldn’t even harm a fly—no match for an assassin.

If he wanted it done, there were always ways to make it happen. 

At worst, he could arrange for another princess to marry into the Xiao family, fulfilling the Xiao family’s wish to become relatives of the imperial family.

But he insisted on her dying in the Xiao family… dying in the Xiao family?

A sudden realization struck Yun Zishu’s mind. The question she had never considered in depth during her previous life, until her death, now seemed to have an answer.

She understood.

“There are too many relatives of the imperial family in the Great Yong Dynasty. The Xiao family is in charge of military power but has no daughters in the palace. To the crown prince, the Xiao family aren’t considered imperial relatives in the truest sense.” Yun Zishu said in a light voice, “It doesn’t matter whether I, the princess, am favored or not. What’s important is that I am a princess of the imperial family. If the Xiao family marries me, it is equivalent to marrying the imperial family. In this way, they and the crown prince are real in-laws.”

Leng Yue frowned. “The daughter of the Xiao family is the daughter-in-law of the Grand Princess.”

“It’s different.” Yun Zishu shook her head. “The son of the grand princess is surnamed Xu, and he is only a cousin of the crown prince, not of the same lineage. But I am the crown prince’s sister—we share the same bloodline.”

Leng Yue hummed and roughly understood the emperor’s intention.

“An initial marriage alliance can bring the relationship between the crown prince and the Xiao family closer and consolidate the crown prince’s position, which is a good thing for both of them.” Yun Zishu sneered, “As for later…”

Leng Yue’s eyes flickered. “Your Highness means after the crown prince ascends the throne?”

“Almost every emperor throughout history has been wary of the military generals who have helped them gain the throne.” Yun Zishu said calmly. “Especially the generals who hold heavy troops and can potentially threaten the emperor’s position.”

Just like the Feng family back then. Originally, the emperor’s closest maternal relatives, they became a threat after helping him ascend the throne. However, the Feng family has been extremely cautious in their actions over the years, leaving no handle for the emperor to use against them. The emperor wanted to get rid of them but could not find an excuse to do so.

But the Xiao family is different.

With the Feng family’s precedent, the emperor naturally wanted the Xiao family to leave some handles to exploit. Even though the Xiao family was currently enjoying the emperor’s favor, the emperor had already made preparations to eliminate them in the future.

What could be a better excuse for the emperor to condemn the Xiao family than having his daughter die in their family?

Not only would it allow for his disliked daughter to die quietly, but it would also provide him a reason to hold the Xiao family accountable in the future. Killing two birds with one stone—this was a true imperial strategy.

Having figured all this out, Yun Zishu couldn’t help but marvel at the depth of a monarch’s heart. Though he hadn’t shown much brilliance in governing the country, he was full of schemes when it came to dealing with his own daughter and ministers of the court.

The emperor’s love for the Crown Prince was genuine, as he exhausted himself plotting and strategizing for the Crown Prince’s future and his kingdom. It was a pity that Yun Chen would never have the chance to ascend the throne in this lifetime.

Yun Zishu returned to her bedroom and ordered her attendants to prepare a bath for her.

Xiao Yunheng is currently seriously injured, and it is impossible for him to move into the princess’s mansion in a day or two, but Yun Zishu can make some preparations for him in advance.

“Leng Yue, later go and inform Matron Ren to clean up Qingchen Residence for Xiao Yunheng to live in,” Yun Zishu instructed.

“Yes.”

Qingchen Residence is the farthest from Qifeng Hall; one is in the east, and the other is in the northwest corner. It is overgrown with weeds and has a desolate environment, which is suitable for Xiao Yunheng to recuperate.

With the Xiao family matter resolved, Yun Zishu could finally enjoy a few days of peace and quiet without anyone disturbing her.

Meanwhile, after returning to the palace, Emperor Zhaoming quickly summoned Si Cang: “Zi Shu and Xiao Yunheng are still husband and wife. As the commander of the Dark Shadow Pavilion, you should pay attention to the boundaries between men and women and keep an appropriate distance from Zi Shu.”

Si Cang showed no reaction to this.

The emperor deliberately brought Si Cang to the princess’s mansion today to let him hear firsthand of Yun Zishu’s agreement to reconcile with Xiao Yunheng. He wanted Si Cang to give up on his infatuation for Yun Zishu and interfere less in her affairs.

In his opinion, even if Si Cang had developed some thoughts about Yun Zishu that he shouldn’t have, he was still a man. Surely, he wouldn’t continue to harbor feelings for a married woman.

But the Emperor, who believed that he had everything under control, had clearly miscalculated this time.

Si Cang’s feelings for Yun Zishu had never changed from beginning to end, regardless of whether she was married or not.

……

The next day at the morning court, the censors jointly impeached Lord Li for failing to discipline his children properly, claiming he was unworthy to serve as a parent to the people. They requested the emperor to punish him severely. Naturally, the crown prince and the Xiao family’s faction tried their best to defend him.

But this was a golden opportunity that other imperial princes’ factions could not afford to miss. So under the vehement appeals of Prime Minister Wei and several cabinet ministers, Li Wenzhong was demoted three ranks from his position as a fourth-grade vice minister. He was removed from the Ministry of Revenue, which held the most lucrative opportunities, and was relegated to the Ministry of Works, with half a year’s salary fined.

The upright and unyielding censors were somewhat satisfied.

“The post of Minister of Revenue has been vacant for a long time. With Minister Li’s demotion, the Ministry of Revenue is short of yet another person. I propose that Gu Qiubai be appointed as the Minister of Revenue.” The Prime Minister struck while the iron was hot and recommended the person he valued: “Lord Gu is young and promising, diligent and efficient. He is fully qualified for the role.”

“I second the proposal.”

“I also agree.”

What was rare was that the ministers of all factions agreed one after another, and no one opposed it.

The emperor then granted the wishes of the crowd and immediately issued an imperial edict: “From today, Gu Qiubai will be appointed as the Minister of Revenue, with full authority over the Ministry of Revenue.”

The young and handsome Lord Gu stepped out from the ranks of officials and respectfully accepted the imperial decree: “I thank Your Majesty for the promotion. May Your Majesty live ten thousand years!”