Chapter 118: The Abandoned Little Emperor (22)
News of the Prince of Zhenbei’s return to the capital wasn’t widely publicized, as the little emperor didn’t want to cause unrest in the court by revealing Su Mingxiu’s condition.
However, the renovations to the Qian Yuan Palace didn’t go unnoticed. Rumors began to circulate about the little emperor keeping someone hidden in the palace.
These rumors were collected by Wang Dan and presented to Xiao Miyun. She treated them as amusement, reading the officials’ speculations about the person she was keeping. Those who knew her true gender kept silent, while those who didn’t thought she was being too secretive.
In their opinion, now that the emperor was ruling, expanding the harem and producing heirs should be her priority. What was the meaning of keeping someone hidden?
If it were a respectable woman, she wouldn’t be hidden like this. They speculated – a daughter of a disgraced official? Or a courtesan?
Along with these rumors came memorials urging the emperor to hold a selection for consorts and produce an heir. Compared to their usual silence on important matters of state, these officials were suddenly eloquent and well-versed in the classics when it came to her personal life.
Xiao Miyun sneered and tossed the memorials aside, thinking their salaries were too high, allowing them too much idle time. Just as she was about to curse them, a palace maid reported that the items she had commissioned from the Bureau of Imperial Supplies were ready.
The little emperor’s anger subsided. Remembering what she had ordered, she put down her brush and went to inspect the items.
Recently, Su Mingxiu, due to her weakened state, spent her days languidly lounging in the palace, coughing after every few steps. Xiao Miyun had the Bureau of Imperial Supplies create new and interesting things in the palace, giving her an excuse to take Su Mingxiu out for a walk.
She had designated the palaces near the Cold Palace for this purpose, using funds from her private treasury. A small tower had been built, offering a panoramic view of the capital, so Su Mingxiu could enjoy the scenery without leaving the palace.
The palace where the tower stood was also decorated with seasonal landscapes and rare plants, more diverse than the monotonous peonies in the Imperial Garden. There was even a small hot spring for foot baths.
The little emperor had wanted to build a larger hot spring, but she learned from the imperial physicians that soaking in hot water could worsen Su Mingxiu’s condition, causing shortness of breath. So she only had a small stream built, adding a touch of elegance.
After touring the palace, the little emperor’s eyes sparkled with delight. But then, she had someone bring the account books.
She needed to know the expenses. If Su Mingxiu found out how extravagant it was, she would accuse her of wasting resources and might even have it all demolished.
Xiao Miyun calculated carefully. But when the account books arrived, her vision darkened—
It’s over. Over budget.
She walked towards her palanquin, flipping through the thick account books, trying to find some discrepancies to make the numbers more acceptable.
But even after reviewing them until sunset, and using Wang Dan’s intelligence network to research market prices, she found that the Bureau of Imperial Supplies hadn’t embezzled much.
This made her hesitant as she prepared to have dinner with Su Mingxiu, not knowing how to explain the exorbitant expenses after firing the head of the Bureau of Imperial Supplies.
“If Your Majesty is too busy, there’s no need to come all the way from the Qinzheng Palace to dine with me. The food from the Imperial Kitchen is the same anyway.”
In the Qian Yuan Palace, at the dining table…
Su Mingxiu, seeing the little emperor’s absentminded expression as she picked at her food, glanced at her casually, then suggested this calmly.
“Not busy,” the little emperor immediately looked up, then realized she had picked up a carrot, which she usually disliked. Remembering the physician’s dietary recommendations for Su Mingxiu, she placed the carrot in Su Mingxiu’s dish.
Oh.
Su Mingxiu understood and, seeing Xiao Miyun’s troubled expression, knew that the little emperor must have encountered a problem she couldn’t solve. As Xiao Miyun was lost in thought, she asked, “Is there anything I can help with?”
Since Su Mingxiu had asked, Xiao Miyun put down her chopsticks and asked seriously: “How do you determine if a project is extravagant or beneficial to the country?”
The Grand Canal built during the Sui dynasty, although a great achievement, had also been a costly endeavor, depleting the nation’s resources and contributing to the dynasty’s downfall;
And the Zhengguo Canal during the Warring States period, although beneficial to the people, was also a political scheme, its full potential unrealized.
The Prince of Zhenbei, being consulted by the emperor, remained calm, her pace of eating unchanged, still chewing slowly and methodically. After swallowing the carrot, she replied: “As long as it doesn’t cause the people to die, or starve, or be displaced, and as long as it brings long-term benefits, it’s not extravagant and is beneficial to the country.”
Xiao Miyun thought for a long time, then finally found a solution. She stood up with a smile and bowed to Su Mingxiu. “Thank you for your guidance, Right Chancellor.”
A few days later.
A palace maid arrived at the Qian Yuan Palace and informed Su Mingxiu that the emperor summoned her. As she walked out, she found that the little emperor had even prepared a warm palanquin for her. But she stopped at the door, coughed lightly, and asked casually: “Is Your Majesty playing hide-and-seek again, or is there another treasure you want me to see?”
The surrounding palace maids lowered their heads, not daring to pry, only replying respectfully that she would know upon arrival.
Su Mingxiu decided to humor the little emperor one last time. So, when the palanquin arrived at the palace gates, she stood amidst the warm mist of the hot spring, squinting slightly. After a moment, she saw the figure in bright yellow robes approaching.
Raising an eyebrow, she asked softly: “What is this, Your Majesty?”
“A few days ago, Zhen mentioned establishing a women’s academy, but old habits die hard. Zhen is afraid that a decree alone won’t be enough, and the local officials might misuse the funds. So, Zhen decided to start in the capital, establishing an official women’s academy—this is the location Zhen has chosen.”
After a pause, she added carefully: “Zhen has never undertaken such a project before, please take a look and see if there’s anything unsuitable.”
Su Mingxiu only stood outside the palace, glancing at the scenery within, then said casually: “If it’s a place for studying, why such extravagant decorations?”
“Zhen intends to have both official daughters and commoner girls study here. And in the Great Zhou, those who can’t afford private tutoring are mostly from poor families, they might not have seen such beautiful scenery. This will allow them to experience it. If they study hard, they can enjoy the same things as men.”
After she finished speaking, she saw the Prince of Zhenbei smile faintly.
“Does Your Majesty truly think so?”
As Xiao Miyun hesitated, Su Mingxiu’s gaze fell on her. “Since Your Majesty has already made a decision, this place is fine, there’s no need for me to inspect it.”
“Wait!”
Just as the figure in purple was about to leave, Xiao Miyun bit her lip and called out. She had originally planned to use high-minded reasons to keep Su Mingxiu here, then slowly reveal her true intentions later.
But she hadn’t expected Su Mingxiu’s insight to be so sharp.
No matter how ill, a tiger wouldn’t turn into a cat.
“Establishing a women’s academy is Zhen’s true intention,” the little emperor continued, “but wanting you to enjoy this place before the decree is issued is also true.”
I wanted to give you a gift, but I was afraid you wouldn’t like it, so I was careful, not trying to deceive you.
She added this inwardly.
But how well did Su Mingxiu know her?
Even though her personality and identity had changed, they had still spent two lifetimes together, how could Su Mingxiu not understand her thoughts?
It was precisely because she understood Xiao Miyun’s unease that Su Mingxiu’s heart ached. Her lung disease, treated by the imperial physicians, had stabilized and was no longer contagious, so the servants and the little emperor no longer needed to wear masks.
She beckoned Xiao Miyun. “Come here.”
Probably only she could act like this towards the emperor.
Xiao Miyun walked towards her, her hands behind her back. A few days ago, she had realized the exorbitant cost of this place.
But knowing that the New Year, and Su Mingxiu’s birthday, were approaching, she had planned to make a gift that wouldn’t be easily discarded. Unfortunately, she wasn’t skilled with her hands and had cut her finger while working on it in the afternoon.
Su Mingxiu’s hand, through her clothes, rested on Xiao Miyun’s shoulder. Aware of her low body temperature due to the cold poison, she didn’t touch Xiao Miyun’s skin directly.
“Your Majesty is already a good emperor, worthy of the people’s love and support.”
She said.
Xiao Miyun habitually looked up at her, but standing so close, she realized that she had grown almost as tall as Su Mingxiu. This made the already frail woman seem even more delicate.
Even though she knew that Su Mingxiu could kill her in an instant if she wanted to, Xiao Miyun’s heart softened. She couldn’t help but reach out with her uninjured hand, holding Su Mingxiu’s palm, then pressing her cheek against it, as if trying to warm it up.
“But that’s not what Zhen wants—”
“Xiao Miyun only wants to be an emperor that Su Mingxiu likes.”
For this, she had given her all.
The hand against her cheek trembled, whether from the warmth of Xiao Miyun’s skin or from her straightforward confession, Su Mingxiu didn’t know.
She had originally intended to remain silent. But whether it was because Xiao Miyun’s words had touched her heart, or because she was overwhelmed by the emotions in this moment, countless images flashed through her mind.
Not just Suhui.
But many more… images she had never seen before.
No.
Perhaps she had experienced them, but she had forgotten.
Countless memories replayed, from the helpless Omega, to the little disciple who shared her life for a hundred years—until, the rose.
“I’ve always wanted to ask you, would you rather have ‘never had’ or ‘once had’?”
“If you tame me, then we shall need each other. To me, you will be unique in all the world. To you, I shall be unique in all the world.”
The rose had never heard her answer. So she pretended to be a fox, staying by her side always.
Silent tears streamed down Su Mingxiu’s face. This sudden change startled the little emperor. She had never seen the Prince of Zhenbei cry before. She stared at her, stunned, then clumsily wiped away Su Mingxiu’s tears.
“Forget it,” she said, suppressing her own feelings, pretending to be nonchalant. “If you don’t like it, just pretend Zhen never said it, forget about it.”
An emperor’s words were supposed to be absolute, yet she was retracting her heartfelt confession because of Su Mingxiu.
Su Mingxiu looked at her, not caring about the tears in her own eyes. Her dark eyes held a complex mix of emotions, too deep for the little emperor to understand.
Even though Xiao Miyun had gone through countless reincarnations, with no memories remaining, Su Mingxiu knew that she wouldn’t forget again.
She would remember everything.
Remember falling in love with this person, time and time again.
The first time they met, she had given Xiao Miyun a choice. Now, the fifth time, why was she regressing?
Tears still glistening on her face, a smile appeared, more beautiful than the setting sun. She held Xiao Miyun’s hand and said, each word clear and distinct: “But—”
“You are already the emperor Su Mingxiu likes.”
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