“Your Majesty, you are finally awake.” Xue Yan breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing Xue Zining awake.
“Who brought me back last night?” Xue Zining asked, looking around.
Xue Yan was startled and said, “Didn’t Your Majesty return on your own?”
Seeing Xue Zining remain silent, Xue Yan added, “This servant heard some movement in the inner chambers. When I came in, Your Majesty was already lying on the bed.”
Xue Zining lowered her gaze. It seemed Yan Zhao had not let anyone see her when he brought her back.
She felt a slight relief. She wasn’t sure whether to call Yan Zhao cautious or overly careful. As Regent, shouldn’t he want her state last night to be known to everyone?
This side of Yan Zhao made her feel somewhat perplexed.
“Your Majesty, there’s less than an hour until the sacrificial ceremony. Please hurry and get ready, and this servant will help you with your makeup.” Xue Yan couldn't help but remind her.
Xue Zining lay back down and said, “No rush.”
Xue Yan felt like crying. “Your Majesty, if you don’t get up soon, you’ll miss the auspicious time for the ceremony.”
“If I miss it, then I miss it,” Xue Zining said indifferently.
Xue Yan: “……”
“Imperial Sister, Imperial Sister…”
A commotion came from outside. Xue Yan said, “This servant will go and see,” and walked out.
A moment later, Xue Yan returned and said, “Your Majesty, the young prince wishes to see you…”
Xue Zining raised her eyes and said, “Let him in!”
“Yes.” Xue Yan was about to leave.
“Whatever happens in a moment, you are to act as if it never happened,” Xue Zining suddenly said.
Although Xue Yan didn’t understand why Xue Zining was doing this, as a servant, she had to obey orders.
Soon, a small figure appeared in Xue Zining’s sight.
On his palm-sized face, there was some worry. “Imperial Sister, what’s wrong with you? Are you sick?”
Xue Zining shook her head. “Imperial Sister is fine.”
Xue Zixuan stepped forward and reached out his small hand to touch her forehead. “Zixuan sees that Imperial Sister’s complexion is not right. Imperial Sister must be sick. How have these people been serving Imperial Sister? They haven’t even called for a physician when Imperial Sister is ill?”
Xue Yan, standing nearby: “……” Was she talking about her?
“Zixuan, I must go to the sacrificial ceremony today,” Xue Zining suddenly said, speaking word by word.
Xue Zixuan lowered his gaze. When he looked up again, his eyes were filled with concern. “Imperial Sister, you are still ill.”
“Yes, but Imperial Sister must go to the ceremony,” Xue Zining said faintly, looking at Xue Zixuan.
Xue Zixuan was slightly stunned. He saw the young girl in front of him, her gaze clear and distant.
A chill rose from the bottom of his heart.
“How about Zixuan accompanies Imperial Sister?” Xue Zining said.
Xue Zixuan was taken aback. “Imperial Sister… this is likely not appropriate.”
Upon hearing this, Xue Zining said, “Indeed, Imperial Sister…”
Before she could finish, she coughed a few times.
Hearing this, Xue Zixuan anxiously said, “Imperial Sister, Zixuan will go and call a physician for you.”
“Zixuan…”
Xue Zining watched the small figure leave.
“Xue Yan, help me get ready.” Xue Zining threw off the covers, got up, and instructed Xue Yan.
Xue Yan stepped forward, helped her up, and brought her before the bronze mirror.
Half an hour later, Xue Yan finished her hair.
“Your Majesty, you may proceed.” Xue Yan looked at the time and breathed a sigh of relief. Thankfully, there was still time.
She turned to see Xue Zining, now dressed, lying back on the bed.
Xue Yan hurried forward and asked, “Your Majesty, why haven’t you gone to the ceremony yet?”
Xue Zining looked at Xue Yan’s anxious face and smiled. “Don’t I have to give Imperial Uncle some time to perform?”
Xue Yan was startled, not understanding. “Your Majesty, what are you talking about?”
Xue Zining sighed. “Then we’ll just wait and see the result.”
At the altar, the ministers had been waiting for no less than two hours. As the time arrived, the Empress was nowhere to be seen.
The ministers grew anxious. On such a fine day, why wasn't the Empress appearing earlier? Could it be true, as rumored, that the Empress had indulged in carnal pleasures last night?
The sacrificial ceremony strictly forbade such activities.
By doing so, the Empress was showing utter disregard for the ceremony.
“I actually saw an unusually beautiful youth being escorted into the Empress’s palace last night,” someone in the crowd exclaimed.
All the ministers were shocked. Those slightly older couldn’t help but sigh and shake their heads. “What a sin.”
“Love and desire between men and women are natural human emotions. Is it a sin? That’s a bit harsh.”
“When else could it be? Why must it be at this particular time? This is simply…” an old minister angrily flicked his sleeve.
“Lord Yu naturally says that, after all, he was personally appointed by the Empress.”
The eyes of the other ministers turned unfriendly towards the Minister of Justice, Yu Daren.
Lord Yu smiled, stroking his long, white beard. Although he was smiling, he exuded an icy aura.
“Merely for speaking of the current Empress so carelessly just now, I can have you arrested.”
“Lord Yu is truly something. Having just taken office as Minister of Justice, you already know how to use your authority to intimidate others?”
“I am not intimidating you. If any of you ministers have free time, you can go and look at the laws of Huangze. If an official of the court doesn’t know the law, it will make people laugh their heads off.”
“You…”
Lord Yu coldly looked at an official pointing at him and said sternly, “Insulting an official of the court, I can order someone to apprehend you right now.”
“Hmph, a fox borrowing the tiger’s might.”
Lord Yu sneered upon hearing this. “I have a tiger to rely on, but what about you?”
“Unreasonable.” The official flicked his sleeve and left.
Lord Yu’s lips curved slightly. He recalled how, in Xinzhou, he had debated countless scholars and writers, and each time he had emerged victorious.
These people now were nothing compared to those pedantic scholars.
However, looking at the empty altar, he couldn’t help but sigh. Why hadn’t the Empress appeared yet?
Such a significant event as the sacrificial ceremony, and she was late?
Or perhaps…
Lord Yu decided to just watch quietly. He didn’t believe the Empress was someone so oblivious.
“The auspicious time has arrived!” someone on the altar shouted.
The ministers still had not seen the Empress.
Xue Wenjie, standing below the altar, frowned slightly and asked the person next to him, “Has Her Majesty not arrived yet?”
The palace attendant shook her head. “No, but the Consort sent someone, and the maidservant informed the Prince that everything is going smoothly.”
Xue Wenjie nodded upon hearing this. “This Prince understands.”
“Your Highness, what is Her Majesty’s intention?” The Censorate’s Grand Secretary, Li Shengming, spoke at the Regent’s signal.
With Lord Li’s intervention, the others also began to question.
Xue Wenjie said, “Please calm yourselves, my lords. This Prince has already sent someone to fetch His Majesty.”
“Your Highness, the auspicious time has arrived. If the ceremony is not performed on time, it is disrespectful to heaven, and we fear divine punishment,” Li Shengming said.
“But…” Xue Wenjie looked troubled.
Li Shengming continued, “Since Her Majesty cannot attend, and the ceremony cannot be canceled, why not have you, Your Highness the Regent, perform the ceremony? After all, you are also of the royal lineage.”