lcionline Chapter 322 Perhaps Prince Su's actions were truly driven by filial piety...
Chapter 322 Perhaps Prince Su's actions were truly driven by filial piety...
After the court session ended.
The emperor rubbed his throbbing temples; his head was throbbing again.
He dismissed most of the servants, leaving only his personal old eunuch.
"Go, deliver Mingzhu."
The emperor's voice was weary as he leaned back on the couch covered with bright yellow cushions and closed his eyes.
The old eunuch bowed and quietly withdrew.
Before long, a very delicate fragrance of herbs mixed with floral dew approached with the sound of soft footsteps.
Mingzhu was dressed in an elegant light blue palace gown, with a slender figure and gentle eyes.
She walked to the bedside and gracefully knelt down.
"Slave, please see your Majesty."
The emperor did not open his eyes, but only let out a tired "hmm" from his nose.
"Get up."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Mingzhu stood up, walked behind the emperor, and gently placed her delicate hand on his temple.
The pressure was just right, applied precisely to the taut acupoints.
The emperor's tightly furrowed brows relaxed slightly under her pressure.
"His Majesty seems unusually tired today," Mingzhu said softly.
The emperor did not answer immediately, enjoying a rare moment of relaxation.
After a long pause, he slowly spoke, his voice slightly hoarse.
"The affairs of the court are troublesome."
He didn't elaborate, but the dissatisfaction and helplessness in his tone were clearly audible.
Mingzhu's fingers paused for a moment, then resumed their previous rhythm.
"I am ignorant of matters of the court."
Her eyelids were lowered, and her long eyelashes cast a small shadow under her eyes.
"But I heard from a young eunuch who was in charge of purchasing supplies in the palace a few days ago that the rainfall in the suburbs of the capital is bad, and the wheat in some places has not yet sprouted. The people are very worried."
"I've also heard that... some officials in charge of agriculture seem to have... failed to report this matter in a timely manner, and are still thinking about how to cover it up."
The emperor's breath hitched slightly.
Among the memorials he recently reviewed, there did not seem to be any particularly urgent reports.
Is it that the people below are only reporting good news and not bad news, or... is someone deliberately suppressing it?
His headache seemed to be showing signs of flaring up again.
Mingzhu seemed to sense his subtle change, and she softened the pressure in her hands.
"I was too talkative."
She stopped speaking at the right moment, her tone tinged with fear.
"I am just a palace maid, and what I hear are just rumors from the streets. They should not be taken seriously."
"His Majesty is busy with countless affairs of state and must already know everything. This servant is just worrying unnecessarily."
These words seem to be both an attempt to distance oneself and a strategic retreat.
The emperor did not reprimand her.
On the contrary, he felt that Mingzhu's "rumors" from the grassroots sometimes reflected the true situation better than those reports.
At least, her motivation seemed to be for him and for the people.
Unlike those old foxes in the imperial court, who always spoke of loyalty to the emperor but whose every word was actually a calculated scheme.
"You're a kind-hearted girl."
The emperor's voice softened somewhat.
He opened his eyes and turned his head to look at the gentle and beautiful face behind him.
In the candlelight, her skin was as smooth as jade, and her eyes were clear, carrying a kind of innocent purity.
Such purity is especially rare in the deep palace.
"This servant just feels that Your Majesty is already working so hard for the country, it would be too much of a burden for you to have to worry about such trivial matters."
Mingzhu lowered her head slightly, avoiding the emperor's scrutinizing gaze.
"The people all hope for favorable weather and peace and prosperity. If local officials cannot understand the people's plight and only care about their own official hats, then it is the people who will suffer, and in the end... it is Your Majesty who will be burdened."
Her words, like spring rain nourishing the earth, were neither harsh nor accusatory, yet they delighted the emperor.
The emperor remained silent for a moment.
Yes, those officials, they say they share the emperor's burdens, but how many of them have truly cared about the people's suffering?
How many people truly appreciate his hard work?
Gu Junze made great contributions on the border, but the conditions he had reached with Duan Qingye in private were like a thorn in his heart.
His achievements overshadowed the emperor's, and he acted on his own initiative, relying on his promise to his elder sister that he couldn't be touched...
"Your Majesty, this servant has overstepped her bounds."
The emperor waved his hand.
"It doesn't matter."
He closed his eyes again.
What you said makes some sense.
At least, it sounds better than those empty praises and eulogies.
"Your skills are getting better and better."
The emperor changed the subject, his tone carrying a subtle hint of approval.
"It is only because His Majesty is in good health that this servant dares to use my humble skills."
The emperor's lips curved upwards almost imperceptibly.
This girl is not only skillful with her hands, but also with her tongue.
After a long while, the emperor seemed to have completely relaxed.
He suddenly spoke.
"Mingzhu, can you read?"
Mingzhu paused slightly, then resumed her normal movements.
"Your Majesty, I studied with my father for a few years when I was young and have a basic understanding of literature."
The emperor opened his eyes, a hint of interest flashing in them.
"Oh? That's not bad."
Few palace maids were literate, especially someone like Mingzhu, whose family background didn't seem particularly wealthy.
He glanced at the several memorials piled on the low table beside him, which he had just brought back and intended to read that evening.
At that moment, I felt my eyelids were too heavy to even open them.
"I am a little tired."
The emperor pointed to the memorials.
"You...read it for me."
This request made Mingzhu's heart skip a beat.
Reading memorials to the emperor?
This is an immense blessing, but also... an immense risk.
The contents of the memorials were all matters of national importance, and some were even classified.
The fact that the emperor entrusted a palace maid with reading this shows that his trust in her had reached a considerable level.
However, too much talk can lead to mistakes, and if something is misread... the consequences could be dire.
"Yes, I obey your order."
She obediently agreed, and by gaining the emperor's trust, her master's plan was further advanced.
The emperor closed his eyes and listened quietly.
Mingzhu was reading a memorial concerning tributes from the Jiangnan textile industry. The memorial was very detailed, covering the names and quantities of various types of cloth and silk.
She read it meticulously, without any mistakes.
After finishing reading a book, she stopped, looked at the emperor, and awaited his instructions.
The emperor seemed somewhat drowsy and only gave a vague response.
"continue."
Mingzhu then picked up the second book.
"...The soldiers patrolling the streets in this area seem to be neglecting their duties, causing the people to be afraid to sleep at night and resulting in considerable complaints..."
After she finished reading, she gently closed the memorial and said nothing more.
The emperor slowly opened his eyes.
He looked at Mingzhu with deep eyes.
"What do you think should be done about this?"
He actually... was asking a palace maid for her opinion on government affairs.
Mingzhu felt a chill run down her spine, but her face revealed just the right amount of fear and confusion.
"Your Majesty, please forgive me, this servant... this servant does not understand these things."
She lowered her head, her voice trembling slightly.
"This servant only knows that in my position, I should fulfill my duties."
“Those soldiers receive salaries from the imperial court and are obligated to protect the peace of their region. If they are negligent, it is a dereliction of duty.”
"As for how to deal with it, the law of the land will prevail, and this servant dares not speak presumptuously."
As the emperor looked at her meek and obedient demeanor, the scrutiny in his eyes gradually faded.
Perhaps I'm just overthinking it.
She was just a simple-minded palace maid.
Prince Su may truly only have filial piety in his heart...