Chapter 110: The Abandoned Little Emperor (14)
The drought would undoubtedly affect this year’s harvest. And at this critical moment, the Prince of Zhenbei, who was the only one capable of leading the war, had ventured deep into enemy territory with a small detachment, losing contact, leaving the court and the army in the little emperor’s hands.
If the little emperor decided to send a new commander to take over the army, she could cut off all of Su Mingxiu’s support…
In an even more extreme scenario, she could use the drought as an excuse to stop supplying the army, effectively crippling Su Mingxiu’s forces.
The emperor, sitting on the throne, her expression unreadable, remained silent. After the court session, she went to the Qinzheng Palace and summoned Cheng Qing.
When the refined imperial tutor arrived, the emperor, sitting behind the dark wooden desk, her voice, now in puberty, carrying a new strength, asked:
“What do you think, how much longer can this war in the north last?”
Dr. Cheng, usually silent and neutral during court sessions, bowed to the emperor. “That depends on how long Your Majesty wants it to last.”
Xiao Miyun had changed out of her elaborate formal robes and was now wearing simpler attire, a fitted waist and narrow sleeves, making it easier for her to handle the memorials and state affairs. Hearing Cheng Qing’s words, she didn’t beat around the bush. “The army protects our country, Zhen doesn’t want to let down those two hundred thousand soldiers.”
Cheng Qing was surprised. She had thought that, given the apparent animosity between the little emperor and the Prince of Zhenbei, Xiao Miyun would seize this opportunity to weaken Su Mingxiu’s influence.
After all, many in the pro-emperor faction had witnessed the little emperor’s growing power, her intentions becoming increasingly clear.
Unexpectedly…
She pondered this inwardly, then replied, even if the court wanted to support the war effort, the national treasury was severely depleted. The aristocratic families were hoarding grain, causing prices to rise throughout the country.
“Your Majesty must make a decision soon.”
Xiao Miyun gritted her teeth, thinking about those families, like rats, hiding in the shadows and emerging only during times of crisis to profit from the chaos. She slammed the memorial on the table, no longer interested in reading these empty praises.
Now, with the Prince of Zhenbei away, she couldn’t control these factions, unable to even ensure basic logistical support. How could she be an emperor who commanded respect?
“The situation on the front lines is constantly changing, the reports don’t tell the whole story. Zhen has no intention of interfering with the Prince of Zhenbei’s decisions. Please teach this student how to make these families release the grain they are hoarding.”
“That depends on what Your Majesty can offer in exchange.”
What did these families want?
They wanted their names etched in history, their legacies to endure, their lineage to continue. Their ambition transcended dynasties. They wanted to remain standing even as empires rose and fell.
Xiao Miyun looked at the memorials, their edges adorned with gold and silk, now seeing them as representatives of the various factions in the Xiao Zhou dynasty: the old officials from the previous dynasty, still loyal to the Xiao Zhou; the new generals who had risen through the ranks with Su Mingxiu; and the few honest officials she had personally promoted.
The aristocratic families had used the Xu family as a test, attempting to interfere in court affairs, but they had been swiftly dealt with by Su Mingxiu as a warning. With this tiger watching, they didn’t dare to act rashly.
But now, with the tiger away hunting, only a young emperor on the throne, and a natural disaster as an opportunity, they were starting to stir again.
“Since the tiger is away, we should raise some other guard dogs, to let those guests know the master’s intentions,” Xiao Miyun murmured, her gaze unfocused, as if seeing a figure emerge from the golden threads of a memorial, a hunched figure in a eunuch’s hat, bowing before her, pledging allegiance.
The next day in court, the emperor, against all objections, insisted on continuing to supply the northern army.
The officials knelt, lamenting the dwindling grain reserves in the national treasury. The emperor waved her hand and donated her private treasury.
Then, a eunuch knelt outside the hall, claiming to be the adopted son of the former Chief Eunuch. Hearing of the court’s difficulties, he offered to donate all of his adoptive father’s wealth, along with his own salary, to contribute to the country.
The Xiao Zhou officials had never seen such dedication from a eunuch.
As many palace maids followed his example, donating their belongings, a scene of crowdfunding for the army’s supplies, the emperor, tears streaming down her face, quickly descended from the dragon throne and personally helped the eunuch up, promising: “Your contribution to the country will be remembered by all, so that all the people of the Great Zhou, and our soldiers on the front lines, will know of your good deeds.”
Wow.
The little emperor was actually going to publicly praise a eunuch and have his biography written?
The officials present all stared wide-eyed, watching as this eunuch received such an honor. Immediately, many senior officials from the cabinet started donating money and grain—
As dignified men, how could they be outdone by a eunuch when the country was in crisis?
Within half a day, the aristocratic families also started sending grain to the palace. The emperor personally welcomed them and issued an imperial decree to have their names inscribed on merit steles throughout the country, so that their good deeds would be remembered by the people.
With the announcement of the merit steles, merchants and smaller families from all over the country came to the capital with carts of grain, but that’s another story—
Xiao Miyun wiped away her tears, then seized this opportunity to remove a few officials who opposed Su Mingxiu, replacing them with those who would ensure the army’s supplies. At the same time, she summoned the cabinet to the Qinzheng Palace to discuss how to deal with the drought in the south.
In May, as the drought in the south eased, a locust plague emerged.
In June, the locust plague spread to the north. The lights in the capital burned day and night as the emperor, along with officials and agricultural experts, consulted agricultural texts, searching for solutions.
They encouraged the people to eat locusts and promoted raising ducks and birds to control the infestation. These measures spread from the capital to the rest of the country.
As soon as the locust plague was under control, floods struck the north.
Rumors spread among the common people. Someone had leaked the news that the current emperor was a woman, causing unrest. They said that a woman on the throne had angered the heavens, bringing these disasters as a warning.
“Crash!”
Inside the Qinzheng Palace…
Precious porcelain vases and teacups were smashed on the floor. The little emperor, her face pale from exhaustion, stood among the debris, her cheeks flushed with anger.
“Nonsense!”
She yelled at the empty hall, “Can they do any better than me?!”
All her pent-up emotions, suppressed for so long due to the constant disasters, exploded upon hearing these rumors. Thinking about how she had stayed up all night, reading and researching solutions with the officials, only to be met with such accusations, Xiao Miyun’s heart turned to ice.
As emperor, countless people flattered her to her face while plotting against her behind her back. The common people were like puppets, swayed by various factions, their loyalty not to her, Xiao Miyun,
But rather to whoever could feed them. As long as they were fed, they would remain obedient. But even a slight grievance could threaten the stability of the dynasty.
She couldn’t eat or sleep well, burdened by countless worries…
What was the point of being emperor?
Frustrated, Xiao Miyun searched for the imperial edict and the jade seal, then started writing an abdication decree, not even bothering to wait for the ink to dry.
But she had only written one character when she heard a timid knock on the door. She yelled impatiently: “Get out!”
The palace staff knew that she needed time alone when she was upset. So they had been keeping their distance. They had never seen the emperor so furious and didn’t dare to provoke her, fearing bloodshed.
But after a while, the hesitant knocking came again. Xiao Miyun, looking at the ruined edict, said irritably: “Whatever it is, wait until Zhen finishes writing this edict of self-reproach!”
The closed doors were suddenly pushed open.
Xiao Miyun, who didn’t want to write an edict of self-reproach, feeling that she had done nothing wrong, but also unwilling to write an abdication decree, crumpled the golden silk in her hand and threw it towards the door: “Didn’t I tell you—”
The crumpled silk was easily dodged.
A faint smile, tinged with the exhaustion of a long journey, echoed in the hall: “Oh? What grave mistake has Your Majesty committed, warranting an edict of self-reproach?”
The person sitting on the dragon throne froze.
Her eyes widened in disbelief as she looked at the person who had just entered, as if she was dreaming, unable to react.
Tears welled up in her eyes. She blinked, feeling the warm trails on her cheeks, and realized that this wasn’t a dream.
She’s back?
How? There haven’t been any reports from the border.
Lost in her thoughts, she unconsciously rose from the throne, her knee hitting the corner of the table unnoticed. She simply stared at the figure bathed in golden sunlight, her throat tightening as she rushed forward.
Without hesitation, she hugged Su Mingxiu tightly, feeling that her earlier outburst of frustration hadn’t been fully released, or perhaps, because of this person’s appearance, more subtle emotions bubbled up within her.
Xiao Miyun wanted to say, Why are you only back now? I missed you so much.
But all that came out was a calm statement: “General Su, I’m truly not fit to be emperor, why don’t you… take the throne instead?”
Su Mingxiu’s body still carried the scent of blood. She had thought that with this smell, the pampered little emperor, who even bathed in rose petals, wouldn’t want to get close.
Caught off guard by the hug, she blinked slowly, then reached out and gently patted Xiao Miyun’s head, her touch and her voice gentle, creating an illusion of affection: “Childish nonsense.”
Xiao Miyun, smelling the scent on her, like a bloodstained blade, a scent she used to fear, now found it strangely comforting.
She thought she was going crazy.
As her thoughts raced, her gaze landed on Su Mingxiu’s wrist. She only saw a flash of white, not the familiar object from before. She grabbed Su Mingxiu’s hand and asked: “Where are the prayer beads?”
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