Chapter 1 The Inner Palace of Huaqing

Xu Jiaying propped herself up, getting out of bed.

She wore nothing, her bare feet touching the ground as she moved silently like a cat behind the screen, taking the token from Jiang Chen's belt.

She clutched it tightly, holding her breath and staring at it for a long while before finding a place to hide it, then returning to the bed.

At this moment, Jiang Chen was still sound asleep, unaware.

Seeing this, a complicated look flashed in Xu Jiaying's eyes, but it was quickly replaced by indifference.

Afterward, she didn't dwell on it, pulling back the silk quilt and lying back in Jiang Chen's arms.

The next day.

A blazing sun rose on the horizon.

Xu Jiaying got up and considerately helped Jiang Chen change his clothes. Her gentle and obedient manner made people feel sorry for her.

Jiang Chen enjoyed this atmosphere very much and specially stayed to have breakfast with her.

And Xu Jiaying, for some reason, had softened her attitude towards Jiang Chen a lot, even being so gentle that Jiang Chen felt a little apprehensive.

If Xu Jiaying hadn't still been hiding everything about the Xu family from him, Jiang Chen would almost have thought she had let go of her family's grievances.

In this seemingly warm but actually strange atmosphere, the two finished breakfast.

Afterward, Xu Jiaying got up to see Jiang Chen off from Huaqing Palace.

As they were about to part, Jiang Chen took Xu Jiaying's hand and said gently, "I'm mostly in the Qin Zheng Hall. If you're bored, you can come over."

Feeling the warmth from his hand, Xu Jiaying's watery eyes flickered, and she lowered her head, saying, "Okay, I will."

Jiang Chen gently stroked her nose before releasing her hand. "Then I'll go first. I'll come and keep you company later."

Xu Jiaying didn't answer. She covered her nose and stared blankly at Jiang Chen.

The unfamiliar emotions surging in her heart made her unsure of how to react, and she could only stare blankly at the person before her.

It was laughable. She and Jiang Chen had already performed the marital rites, and she had even served him in bed several times.

But these few words of concern, a small intimate gesture, moved her more than any carnal pleasure. Was she just cheap?

Xu Jiaying's silence made the maid beside her anxious.

How could the Empress leave His Majesty hanging? This was a great act of disrespect!

Thinking this, the maid was about to remind Xu Jiaying, but Jiang Chen stopped her with a look.

Jiang Chen still cared for Xu Jiaying, even if she couldn't bring him anything. Jiang Chen was willing to indulge her as long as it didn't violate his principles.

Perhaps this was because his soul didn't belong to this era and wasn't so callous.

Of course, 'pity' was conditional. If he were facing a femme fatale like Mei Ruoying, he would definitely strike hard and wouldn't have any extra emotions!

Qin Zheng Hall.

The court situation was as dangerous as ever.

The shutdown of the Ministry of Revenue had a far greater impact on Great Wei than anyone had imagined!

The Minister was at home claiming illness, the Vice Minister had been imprisoned in the Ministry of Justice, and other mid-level officials had also had their homes seized one after another. The Ministry of Revenue was almost completely empty.

And at this time of crisis, Mei Wenstone's students and in-laws began to stir up trouble in various places in alliance with local powerful families.

Taxes, money, food, people's livelihood, all kinds of thorny problems came one after another!

"Your Majesty, outside Yingtian Gate, hundreds of officials are petitioning, wanting..." Feng Jin hesitated.

Jiang Chen sneered and said faintly, "Hundreds of officials are petitioning? Do they want to release Mei Ruoying?"

Saying this, he paused and his tone turned cold:

"No, that's not right. Mei Ruoying alone isn't worth such a big commotion... They want to force me to welcome back Mei Wenstone?"

Feng Jin shuddered and carefully flattered, "Your Majesty is wise! These, these treacherous officials do have this intention."

'Bang!'

Jiang Chen slammed the memorial in his hand heavily on the table, exuding murderous intent. "It's this trick again. It seems the last lesson wasn't deep enough!"

"I should have had all these rebellious officials beaten to death with sticks when they petitioned about the Virtuous Consort Shu at Yingtian Gate!"

Saying this, a cold glint flashed in his eyes, and he shouted sharply, "Jing Yue, go and give the order!"

"Have Xu Mu send a team of Imperial Guards to throw all those troublemaking ministers into prison, flog them one hundred times, and no one is allowed to go easy on them!"

Jing Yue immediately accepted the order and was about to pass it on, but Feng Jin, who was pale with fright, stopped her.

"Your Majesty, please think twice!"

"At this critical moment, you must not act on impulse. This matter is clearly a conspiracy by Mei Wenstone. You must not fall for this treacherous official's trick!"

Hearing this, Jiang Chen's anger subsided slightly and reason returned.

After several rounds of house raids, the current Imperial City was already on edge and the people were very nervous.

If he used his power to suppress people again and imprisoned these officials who were wearing the 'skin of justice' and waving the banner of 'pleading for the people', it was likely that a popular uprising was imminent.

And this was exactly what Mei Wenstone wanted to see most!

"Forget it, I'll go and solve this matter myself!"

After saying that, he flung his sleeves and stood up, taking the lead towards Yingtian Gate.

Feng Jin, Jing Yue, and the others immediately followed, surrounding Jiang Chen.

Yingtian Gate.

Seeing Jiang Chen appear, hundreds of ministers knelt down together and shouted, "Your Majesty, we implore you to welcome Minister Mei back to court!"

"Otherwise, the people will have no means to live, the country will be in turmoil, and the Great Wei dynasty will be destroyed!"

Jiang Chen took a deep breath, barely suppressing the anger in his heart, and said coldly, "You dare to say such disrespectful words in front of me, how dare you!"

Saying this, he took a few steps forward, his majestic gaze causing the officials to bow their heads.

He sternly questioned, "I, the Emperor, am still here, yet you say that the Great Wei dynasty is about to be destroyed!"

"Could it be that Minister Mei Wenstone is more important than I, the Emperor?!"

These soul-stirring words left the ministers speechless.

Just as everyone was silent, Grand Astrologer Xu Zhongxuan stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, this is a petition signed by the people of the Imperial City!"

"Among those who signed this petition are vendors, poor scholars, aristocratic families, and noble descendants. They have all lost a lot because of the tax problem!"

"Many common people have even been reduced to the point of ruin, and even eating has become a problem."

"If this continues, the Great Wei dynasty will begin to shake!"

Feng Jin took the petition sewn from rags, which weighed dozens of pounds and could be spread out to more than ten feet, filled with handprints and names.

Jiang Chen's heart felt heavy when he saw it, and he angrily said, "The tax problem is exactly what you caused!?"

"The tax has been fine all along, but so many problems have occurred in just a few days! Is this the court's problem? Or is it your problem?!"

An official stepped forward, his face full of grief, and said, "Your Majesty, the tax problem has always been a root cause of the court's problems."

"It's just that Minister Mei was here, so it wasn't revealed!"

"But now that Imperial Concubine Mei has been abolished, and Lord Mei has claimed illness to avoid suspicion, coupled with the fact that the available officials in the Ministry of Revenue have all been thrown into the Ministry of Justice, the situation has deteriorated to this point!"

Jiang Chen understood and sneered, "So, what you mean is, let me pardon Imperial Concubine Mei, so that Mei Wenstone doesn't have to 'avoid suspicion' and can come back to take charge of the Ministry of Revenue?"