Chapter 186

Liu Bichen looked at the woman radiating an aura of arrogance sitting atop the throne. If Jun Zishu wasn’t arguing with her ministers for his sake, he would’ve also thought that she was an utterly incorrigible dim-witted tyrant.

After this little incident, Liu Bichen also understood that he had already been given the label of a sycophantic courtier. However, it didn’t matter. Time would prove everything. What he needed to do now was to avoid disappointing the person sitting on the throne.

Meanwhile, Jun Zishu massaged her temples in annoyance as she listened to her ministers’ bitter pleas.

She had to admit that these people were incredibly talented actors. Those ignorant of their true thoughts would most likely think that they were reprimanding her for the empire’s sake. In reality, though, these people were protesting because Liu Bichen’s appointment would directly threaten their interests.

After all, Jun Zishu had forcibly vacated a position to instate Liu Bichen. This would undoubtedly cause some people to grow anxious. Although there were no obvious factions in the current court due to the lack of vassal kings directly related to the imperial family, many ministers would still collude with each other to bring more benefits to themselves.

“I think Your Majesty’s actions are correct. This empire belongs to Your Majesty, so it is Your Majesty’s right to appoint wise and capable individuals to suitable positions. How can others dictate Your Majesty’s decisions? Some people must be dissatisfied that someone more capable than them has appeared,” Chen Bai, the dynasty’s number one bootlicker, said with a righteous and awe-inspiring expression.

Meanwhile, Jun Zishu had the urge to laugh when she heard Chen Bai’s words. After all, the person who couldn’t tolerate having people more capable than him standing above him the most was probably this bootlicker.

The only reason Jun Zishu still hadn’t kicked this bootlicker out of the court was because she still had a use for him. While Chen Bai might not have any ability to govern, she could use his supporting voice to back her unreasonable mandates.

“Good. What you say makes sense,” Jun Zishu said and nodded approvingly.

“Your Majesty!”

The current court was split into three factions.

The first faction was the opposition faction. This faction mainly consisted of those worried about their own interests. Of course, there were also some loyal ministers who disagreed with the empress’s willful behavior. After all, if they allowed this precedent to occur, there was no saying whether the empress would continue appointing people she favored into positions of power in the future. If that happened, the dynasty would collapse sooner or later. Hence, they could not allow such a precedent to occur.

The second faction was the pro-empress faction, also known as the bootlicker faction led by Chen Bai. This faction believed that everything the empress said was correct. They believed that since everyone in court was the empress’s ministers, they naturally needed to obey the empress’s words. Otherwise, what was the point for these ministers to remain in court? If a minister refused to obey the empress’s words, this minister might as well be removed from the court.

The third faction was the neutral faction. This faction consisted of fence straddlers and ministers who secretly agreed with the empress’s decision. In the latter’s case, they felt that Liu Bichen was indeed qualified to sit in his current position. However, they felt that voicing their support would put them in the same league as those in the bootlicker faction, so they chose to remain quietly spectate the situation.

Meanwhile, even though Liu Bichen was the focus of everyone’s discussion, he felt as if he was an outsider in this discussion. However, as he would only be adding more fuel to the fire by speaking up now, he chose to keep silent and let Jun Zishu handle the situation.

“Enough. I will not take back my orders,” Jun Zishu said in an annoyed tone.

However, at this time, an old minister suddenly stepped forward and loudly said, “The late emperor ordered me to offer my lifetime loyalty to Your Majesty, but seeing Your Majesty behaving like this pains my heart! Your Majesty cannot continue like this. I ask of Your Majesty to please cease these unwise actions! Otherwise, I will use my death and blood to advise Your Majesty!”

As soon as this elderly minister finished speaking, silence enveloped the court, and the various ministers looked at each other in silent consternation.

Meanwhile, Jun Zishu couldn’t help but grow even more annoyed after hearing this old minister’s words. She detested those who would use death to threaten others into going along with their wishes. It was especially true now that she was the empress regnant.

Give me his information, Little Fairy.

[Okay. Right away.]

Immediately, information about the old minister flowed into Jun Zishu’s mind. After reading this information, Jun Zishu found that this old man was indeed a staunch minister. In other words, there was a high possibility that he would kill himself on the spot if she didn’t take back her decision.

While Jun Zishu was silently reading about the old minister’s information, everyone thought she was reconsidering her decision.

Similarly noticing this, Liu Bichen couldn’t help but grow worried and wonder what the empress would do.

“I know of your loyalty, Lord Wu. You also have every right to be disappointed with me. I acknowledge that I have been muddle-headed for a long time. However, after dreaming of the late emperor a few days ago, I realize that I have strayed off the right path, and I am now seeking to change myself for the better. So, Lord Wu, I ask you to give me and Lord Liu some time. Lord Liu is a talented scholar, and so is Lord Liu’s father. I believe Lord Wu has also worked together with Lord Liu’s father in the past. So, do not act rashly and cherish your life.”

Jun Zishu spoke with much deliberation, her expression gentle as she said these words. It was completely different from her annoyed and arrogant expression just now.

If the person who threatened her was a minister with nefarious intent, Jun Zishu would’ve let him kill himself without hesitation. She wouldn’t lose sleep over the death of such a corrupt minister. She could even use this minister’s death to warn the other ministers.

However, she couldn’t do so with Lord Wu. Lord Wu was an old man who remained loyal to the dynasty for two generations. It’d be unjustified to let him die just like that. She would also be disappointing Lord Wu’s students and the dynasty’s other loyal ministers.

So, after analyzing the pros and cons, Jun Zishu decided to appease the old man.

Meanwhile, using the late emperor as a front was undoubtedly the best solution. People of ancient times were very superstitious. If she said that her late father came to warn her in her dream and that she snapped back to reality as a result, many people would believe it. Fortunately, Lord Wu just so happened to be one of these people.

With tears of excitement in his eyes, the old man knelt and said, “It is the world’s fortune that Your Majesty can come to this realization.”

“Please rise, Lord Wu.”

After saying so, Jun Zishu scanned the crowd before her. In response, some people met her eyes, while others lowered their heads to evade her gaze.

“Does anyone else have anything to present?” Jun Zishu asked.

“I do,” a minister said.

“Speak.”

“Your Majesty, I heard that you dismissed all of the men in your harem yesterday. Is this true?”

“Yes. I had forced many of your families’ sons into the palace when I was a fool. Now that they are released, they can pursue whatever careers they want. If there are any talents among them, they are also free to take the examination and serve the country should they want to,” Jun Zishu said nonchalantly.

Meanwhile, the various ministers promptly started a quiet discussion when they heard Jun Zishu’s words. Many of them felt that the empress’s change was too dramatic. It felt like she had changed into a completely different person.

“But Your Majesty didn’t have to sever all bridges. The harem cannot be empty. It still needs some people to extend the dynasty. Please reconsider, Your Majesty,” a minister said.

The heir’s position was something everyone was concerned about.

In reality, there was no need to usurp the throne to become the empire’s sovereign. If one of their family members managed to have a son with the empress, their family would essentially become the next imperial family.

However, thinking about this topic also brought another question to everyone’s mind.

Was there something wrong with the empress’s body?

After all, the empress had accepted so many men into her harem. Yet, there was not the slightest change to her belly even after all these years.

Meanwhile, Jun Zishu couldn’t help but chuckle when she heard the minister’s words. Though, there wasn’t any pleasure in her laughter.

“You people are very interesting. When I was bringing more men into the harem, all of you kept pestering me to dismiss them. Yet, now that I am dismissing my harem, you are telling me that I should start adding men into the harem? Just focus on governing the dynasty. It is not up to you to dictate my private matters.”

“But Your Majesty, the dynasty needs an heir…”

“Did you not hear what I said, Lord Qian? If your ears aren’t functioning well, you should retire early and recuperate at home.”

Seeing that Jun Zishu was starting to show signs of anger, the minister who spoke up dared not speak again and silently stepped back in line.

Lord Wu couldn’t help but nod in approval of Jun Zishu’s decision. He also couldn’t help but find his colleagues really annoying. The empress had just cut ties with her debaucherous ways and intended to strive to become a proper ruler, yet they were trying to persuade her to fool around with men again? What the empress needed to do now was focus on governing the empire. Matters of replenishing the imperial harem and having an heir should be left for at least two years later.

After hearing Jun Zishu’s warning, the ministers stopped focusing on Jun Zishu’s private affairs and started discussing state affairs. Jun Zishu also discussed these topics seriously, and morning court eventually ended on a harmonious note.

Meanwhile, Jun Zishu’s actions of appeasing the old minister and her earnest participation in the discussion of state affairs had shaken the hearts of some loyal ministers.

Jun Zishu felt that the stubbornness of ancient people wasn’t all that bad. The part where they valued bloodline worked very much in her favor. Fortunately, other than being lazy and lustful, the original owner had never done anything that would earn her the hatred of the entire empire. So, Jun Zishu didn’t face much trouble in changing the minds of the various ministers.

The only thing Jun Zishu had to worry about now was when Chu Meng would revolt. Chu Meng was in command of the empire’s military in the northwest. He could declare himself king once he made the necessary preparations.

However, Jun Zishu also knew that Chu Meng wouldn’t act rashly. After all, the whole empire would spurn him if he tried to usurp the throne without a valid reason.

Most importantly, Chu Meng’s forces still hadn’t grown large enough to rewrite history.

…

After finishing breakfast, Yue Mingsheng smiled and brought up the matters that happened during morning court with Jun Zishu.

“I heard that you gave everyone a shock during court, Big Sister.”

“How are you so well-informed, Little Sister?”

“I planted some people among the ministers’ subordinates. I will compile their information and show it to you later, Big Sister,” Yue Mingsheng said with a meaningful smile. She would have been afraid to share her actions with Jun Zishu in the past, but that was no longer the case now. After all, her Imperial Sister had asked her to believe in her affection.

“Mhm.” Jun Zishu nodded lightly and didn’t ask any further questions. She didn’t care what Yue Mingsheng did so long as it didn’t pose any threat to her rule.

Meanwhile, Yue Mingsheng inwardly sighed in relief when she saw Jun Zishu’s calm reaction, her smile growing even brighter.

“Lord Wu has served the empire loyally, so I couldn’t have just watched him die,” Jun Zishu said.

“You have a compassionate heart, Big Sister,” Yue Mingsheng flattered.

Jun Zishu had grown used to Yue Mingsheng’s sweet mouth, so she simply smiled and continued on her way to the imperial study.

After arriving at the imperial study, Jun Zishu split the documents on her desk into two stacks. One stack was for herself, and the other was for Yue Mingsheng.

Yue Mingsheng was able to mimic Jun Zishu’s writing perfectly. Even if Jun Zishu’s writing wasn’t the same as the original owner’s, it didn’t matter. The girl was so good at it that even Jun Zishu had difficulty differentiating her words from Yue Mingsheng’s.

Partway through their work, a gentle breeze blew in from the opened windows, causing Jun Zishu’s hair to sway slightly.

Jun Zishu had already removed her heavy crown and thick robes when she returned from morning court. Currently, she was dressed lightly, and her hair was tied loosely and left hanging to one side.

When Yue Mingsheng looked up, she just so happened to see Jun Zishu brushing her hair to the back of her right earlobe and neck. Even though this was a very normal action, Yue Mingsheng couldn’t help but find it beautiful.

If Yue Mingsheng had to express her current thoughts in words, she would probably say…

I have seen the sceneries in spring, the flowers in summer, the leaves in autumn, and snow in winter, but none of them can compare to you.