Chapter 456

Chapter 456 Ever since the Emperor had revealed his intention to establish Xie Run as Empress, the matters he discussed with her had gradually come to involve the affairs of the previous court, with far fewer taboos than before. Xie Run hung his robes on the rack for him and said in a slow voice, "Your consort is merely curious about one thing..." The Emperor raised an eyebrow. "What is it?" Xie Run: "How is the national treasury so well-stocked?" The ceremonies for enfeoffing an Empress and a Crown Prince required vast sums of silver at every turn. And now the Emperor wanted to hold another imperial beauty selection on top of that... Did he really think his years of campaigning on the frontier hadn't cost a single coin?! Was the treasury made of iron, to withstand such extravagance?! Besides, when the Emperor asked her about the beauty selection— Whether she said yes or no, it would inevitably carry a hint of subjective preference, and her answer might not satisfy the Emperor. Better to strike at the heart of the matter directly. This dog of an Emperor was digging traps for people again! After hearing Xie Run's words, the Emperor couldn't help but burst into laughter. "You, you!" His laughter carried a note of helplessness, yet also affection: "I really ought to send you to the previous court to debate with those old fossils." "There are plenty of old ministers clamoring for a beauty selection, but not a single one cares whether the Ministry of Revenue can produce the silver. I almost feel sorry for them." In the past, Xie Run wouldn't have thought much deeper, but now she couldn't help but shudder, putting herself in the shoes of the Minister of Revenue. No beauty selection—absolutely no beauty selection! If the Ministry of Revenue couldn't produce the money, then the Imperial Household Department of the harem couldn't produce that much money either! A beauty selection cost money, and once the new entrants arrived and their ranks were raised, their monthly allowances, clothing, and jewelry would still cost money. By the time she ascended to the position of Empress, she'd be running around frantically trying to scrape together funds. No wonder some ancient emperors had refused to promote their consorts, all to save on expenses. At this moment, Xie Run was grateful that the Emperor wasn't lustful and had declined the beauty selection. She sat by the Emperor's couch, lifting her teacup for a few light sips. She had just set it down when the Emperor pulled her to lie beside him on the couch. Xie Run: "...Your Majesty, in broad daylight, isn't it rather improper for us to lie here together?" The Emperor said lazily, "What, have you also picked up that old habit of those pedantic scholars who insist on quoting propriety at every turn?" Xie Run: "That's not it." "It's just that Baozhen is older now and loves running around everywhere. If he were to fling open the curtain and see his Imperial Father and his birth mother lying here like this, it would really be..." Xie Run couldn't think of the right words to describe it. The Emperor cast her a sidelong glance. "Then get up?" Xie Run: "I won't. Your consort is feeling lazy as well." The Emperor laughed. "Then we'll skip the beauty selection. Consider it my way of doting on you." Xie Run: "..." Bullshit! The Ministry of Revenue has no money, and he calls it doting on her?! The Emperor: "The Empress Dowager has been quite displeased with me lately. I'm afraid she'll make things difficult for another year or two. I'd best attend to filial piety toward her first before bringing up anything else." Xie Run knew the Emperor well enough to understand that when he'd asked about the beauty selection, he'd likely already made up his mind—this was merely his way of teasing her. But when the Empress Dowager was mentioned, Xie Run had not a single word she wished to add. When Empress Xiaohui had passed, the Xia Dynasty bore the primary responsibility, but the Empress Dowager was hardly blameless either. How troublesome the Empress Dowager could be was known to all in both the previous court and the harem. Xie Run had no idea what methods the Emperor had used this time to get the Empress Dowager to obediently return to the palace with him, but she suspected the Empress Dowager was nursing a grudge. Xie Run would never go before the Empress Dowager to play the filial child just for the sake of being named Empress. Fortunately, the Emperor had no such intention either. Instead, he brought up another matter: "I've decided to have the Eighth Prince recorded under Consort Jingshu's name." "But this will have to wait until after your enfeoffment ceremony." Xie Run thought it over—that was reasonable enough. Then she heard the Emperor add, "Originally, upon my triumphant return, I ought to have granted promotions throughout the harem." "But after some thought, I decided to leave it until after you become Empress." Xie Run propped herself up to sit, looking at the Emperor with slight confusion. Before she could speak, she was pulled back into his arms to lie down. The Emperor closed his eyes in repose. "I thought it over—this matter is best brought up by you." Xie Run understood immediately. The Emperor wanted her to use this opportunity to bestow favors upon the Six Palaces. The moment she ascended to the position of Empress, she would petition for promotions across the harem—this was a golden chance to gain face and prestige. Having received such a benefit, Xie Run obediently nestled against the Emperor's chest. "Your Majesty thinks of your consort so thoroughly, your consort..." The Emperor suddenly opened his eyes. "Grateful beyond measure?" Xie Run: "?" The Emperor cast her a teasing sidelong glance. "If Her Majesty the Empress wishes to offer herself in gratitude, I certainly couldn't bear to refuse." Xie Run: "..." They were an old married couple by now—just a bit of flirtation. Xie Run felt no embarrassment. She hooked her hand and pressed herself atop the Emperor. Just as she was about to do something, she suddenly heard the voices of the palace attendants outside. "Tenth Prince, slow down, slow down!" Without a second thought, Xie Run released the Emperor and immediately sat up straight, her gaze clear and proper. The next second, Baozhen burst through the curtain, charging in. "Mother, Mother! Your son caught a bug!" Xie Run took a look and saw Baozhen pinching a green grasshopper between his fingers. Her scalp tightened, her back went stiff, but she remained seated steadily in place: "Baozhen..." Before she could finish, her youngest son had already flung himself into her arms, grasshopper in hand. Xie Run's vision went dark. "Baozhen, what is that you're holding?" Baozhen: "A cricket?" He paused, then shook his head again. "A leech?!" As he said this, he held it up to Xie Run as if presenting a treasure. Xie Run was just forcing a smile, trying to say something kind to coax Baozhen, when she saw that what he held was woven from grass—not a real one. A false alarm. Baozhen and Taotao had quite different temperaments. Taotao was lively and active, not particularly clingy, with a magnanimous nature and only the occasional hint of pettiness. Baozhen, by contrast, was the opposite—not fond of moving much, and extremely clingy toward Xie Run. His temperament was somewhat soft, with not a trace of selfishness. Whenever he had something good, he loved to bring it to Xie Run and Taotao to share. And yes, he also had a bit of a tendency to show off and brag. With such a temperament, Xie Run ought to have been worried. But thinking of how Baozhen clung to Taotao, and how Taotao had no shortage of wits, Xie Run didn't deliberately try to correct the child, simply letting him grow as he pleased. Xie Run gathered Baozhen into her arms and said gently, "Baozhen, this isn't a cricket, and it isn't a leech either." Baozhen nestled against Xie Run, asking curiously, "Then what is it?" "A grasshopper." "Grasshopper?" After hearing this, Baozhen held the grasshopper out to Xie Run again, smiling. "Mother, your son likes this one—here, for you!" Xie Run accepted it with a smile. "Then your mother will gratefully accept." Baozhen nodded repeatedly. Having given the item to Xie Run, he wasn't the least bit upset—in fact, he was delighted, as if he'd won a great prize. He turned and headed out the door with great enthusiasm. Xie Run smiled. "He's probably off to show it off to the Ninth Prince and the Fourth Princess again." She carefully put away the grass-woven grasshopper, storing it in a small box on her dressing table. The Emperor was lying on the couch, propped up on one arm, watching it all. Seeing Xie Run's careful manner, he chuckled. "It's just a little trinket—surely it's not worth such care?"