Per the people’s wishes, a curtain was set up behind the emperor’s throne. Behind that was a soft couch. Everyday, Song Song nested on the couch to listen to the government affairs.
With him overseeing, the oppressive atmosphere of the court abruptly relaxed. The official’s voices all became clear and sonorous.
This early in the day, to Song Song, actually was just changing a place to sleep. His body was heavy and it was just getting to the period where he was very lethargic. Even if everyone knew what he was doing behind the curtain, no one criticized.
After the court finished, the officials left one by one, chatting amongst themselves: “These last few days at court feel much more comfortable.”
“Disregarding the illness, his majesty is truly a hard-to-comeby just ruler.”
“We can say everything we wish to say, all because of the empress.”
When Song Song listened in, he stayed silent and quiet. However, people felt at peace in their hearts just knowing he was present.
After the hall emptied, Li Xiao lifted the curtains and saw his lover lazily spread on the couch. The corner of his mouth rose as he reached out to pick up Song Song: “Time to go back.”
Not wanting to move, Song Song grumbled: “It’s still a little cold in the morning.” He wanted to stay in the blanket nest a little longer.
“It’s almost summer solstice.” Li Xiao said: “you can keep sleeping when we get back.”
“Why do you insist on having me listen to politics? Do you have some other intentions?”
“They’re afraid of me. It’d interfere with the affairs of the nation.”
This was a pretty good excuse, but Song Song always felt that there was another reason. However, the feeling of being carried by Li Xiao was really too comfortable. Song Song started to feel drowsy again. Good thing he still kept his intellect: “Put me down quick. If the minister of records catches us later, who knows what he’ll write about you.”
“He can write whatever he wants.” Li Xiao said: “Zhen is already written as a madman in the nation’s history. And plus, the emperor is carrying the empress. It’s the natural order of things.”
He just finished talking when he ran into the minister of records directly. The latter respectfully bowed and stood aside. Li Xiao didn’t stop at all and carried his empress back to Yangxin palace.
The minister of records quietly scrutinized them for a moment, then took out a small booklet. He placed a brush in his mouth to wet the ink, then recorded seriously: “Although empress Song is virtuous, he is no match to the emperor. He advised the mad emperor to remain dutiful, but to no avail.”
The crimes that Qin father and son commited made everyone in the family feel the effect, including Qin An. They were all placed behind cells to await their punishment.
After the coronation ceremony, Xu Kou entered the palace to see Song Song. She brought in two large chests. Getting on both knees, arms crossed to the ground with her forehead resting on top of her hands, Xu Kou gave an extremely respectful bow: “I’ll be indebted to your majesty forever. Based on the previous emperor and my father’s relationship, please spare my husband his life. This guilty one has been sorting out the items and account books inside the house all this time. Here is all of my family’s property and assets, field and land deeds, and business stores. Although amongst these contain the properties stolen from the Fu family, it also contains the wealth Qin An used to start his business. Today I hand them all over to you, empress Song. Please be merciful and spare Qin An his life.”
“Princess….”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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Originally all of the Qin family’s property was to be seized. However, because of Xu Kou’s identity, the fact that she grew up with Li Xiao in the palace, he did not touch any property belonging to her. Song Song could guess the reasoning behind Li Xiao’s actions.
Xu Kou is a smart and capable woman. However, the main reason in the end was still because of her identity. The previous emperor and her father were bosom buddies. If Li Xiao didn’t show any mercy, it would make people feel cold and fearful of his decision making. However, to show mercy to someone like Xu Kou, actually was even more of a punishment to her. She felt guilty because of Qin An. Li Xiao’s generosity in this case would only make her blame herself more. Just look at how she called herself guilty before. Clearly, she felt unrest in her heart.
“Where do you currently live?”
All of the Qin family property were seized, the Qin estate naturally was closed down as well. As the only person who was not implicated, Xu Kou’s current residence was questionable.
“I’ve been living in the backyard of a perfume shop.”
Song Song said: “Princess has experienced hardship.”
Xu Kou’s eye sockets felt hot, she almost started crying on the spot. She wasn’t wearing makeup, her lips pale white. She was wearing coarse garments of commoners. There was no sign of her princess status on her body: “The empress’s concerns… I don’t deserve it.”
“You are innocent. No need to feel guilty.” Song Song glanced at the two chests: “Now that I must remain in the palace, I’m missing people who can do business for me outside. Princess is full of talent. How do you feel about doing business for me in the future?”
Xu Kou said hesitantly: “Empress….”
“Qin An is also a talented merchant. There’s no reason to waste his skills. Although he is guilty, to be picked by such an affectionate and loyal woman such as yourself, I think he can’t be all that bad. I will plead leniency for him in front of his majesty.”
Xu Kou hastily said: “No matter what the punishment is, as long as he lives!”
Song Song smiled: “Quickly get up first. I will do my best. If there’s news, I’ll send someone to the perfume shop to inform you.”
Xu Kou felt excited: “Many thanks, empress!”
Song Song told this matter to Li Xiao. The latter asked him: “You want to spare Qin An?”
Actually in the previous life, Li Xiao also did not kill Qin An because of Xu Kou. Even though he was insane, when he lost it, he was tyrannical and brutal, but when he was clear, he was still a just ruler who remembered his old debts and promises. Song Song said: “The princess is pretty pitiful.”
“But Qin An isn’t.”
“But… he really didn’t commit any heinous crimes.”
“You should know that according to the law, the Qin family will all be executed.”
Song Song nodded his head: “I’m only proposing. Everything is still up to your majesty to decide.”
He remembered in the previous life, the Qin father and son were cut into a thousand pieces. The other people were pretty much all exiled, never to return to the capital. He really didn’t remember what happened to Xu Kou. However, it looks like in this life, Li Xiao still planned to give the same punishment.
“Don’t you hate them for your grandfather’s death?”
“I already got revenge for myself.”
Qin Qinghe was choked to death by madam Song in the prison cell, dying full of regrets. Not long after Song Guogong was placed in with madam Song, he took the dagger and stabbed madam Song to death. When snakes and mice nested together, in the end, they massacred each other. Song Guogong will spend the rest of his life in prison. Qin Ning and his father committed plenty of crimes. Li Xiao would not let them off easy. From what Song Song could see, his path of revenge has come to an end.
As for the other people from the Song family… madam Song really raised her sons and daughters to be just like her. Song Song received news about how even though they had the same father and mother, they still were fighting for family property amongst themselves right now. After Song Ge lost his feet, he practically became a transparent figure.
Right now, Song Song only had to stand by like a bystander and watch how they will fall and break apart into pieces.
Li Xiao remained silent and wordless. Smiling again, Song Song picked up Li Xiao’s palm and said: “Right now, I only want to take care of myself and wait for the little prince to be born.”
To hold that child was his biggest wish in this life.
Who knew what Li Xiao was thinking about. Everytime he mentioned the little prince, Li Xiao always fell silent, with his eyes shining dimly, as if he was secretly sulking.
Song Song carefully mulled over the thought, and felt a bit amusement in his heart, as well as a little apprehension. He couldn’t use a normal thought process to decipher Li Xiao’s thoughts. Sometimes when he caught sight of Li Xiao’s excessively biased gaze, he practically felt that Li Xiao wanted to dig the little prince out of his stomach….
Li Xiao began to do large scale clean up in court. His shrewdness was profound. Officials with even a tiny bit of connection to the Qin family were all dragged out by him and awaiting judgment. Li Xiao seemed as if he opened the third eye. In a brief period, all of the officials who were thieves, crime doers, and hustlers were all cleaned out. It seemed like he knew exactly what everyone had done.
Other people didn’t know, but Song Song was very clear. Ever since Li Xiao started getting better, he’s been secretly building his strength. He had privately created an investigation group. This matter he did extremely under cover. All the people he used were Jianghu figures so even emperor Hong Ren never detected them. Secretly, he observed all of the government officials. In addition to having the previous life’s memories, for Li Xiao to clean up the court and switch out the old with new people was an easy task.
The matters at court, Song Song only wanted to listen to, not inquire. But Li Xiao stubbornly didn’t allow him. Who knew if he was bored or if he wanted to express that he cared about Song Song, Li Xiao actually had Song Song help him read and sign through the government papers.
Song Song glanced at the minister of records sitting to the side, and suddenly had a splitting headache: “Your majesty….”
“It’s extremely busy these days, Zhen can’t do them all.”
It was indeed somewhat busy these days, but this wasn’t the reason to permit the empress to help decide the affairs of the nation. Song Song said: “I’m currently with child. I need to rest well, not stress myself out.”
“Give the businesses outside to Xu Kou to manage. Let her report to you on a daily schedule. Reading some of these documents isn’t tiring.”
If Li Xiao can play dirty, then so can Song Song. He held the brush for a while, then started to pretend to fall asleep. Li Xiao couldn’t do anything about him, so could only carry him into the inner room to rest there.
The minister of records picked up his brush and recorded: “The mad emperor’s behavior is unfathomable. He seems to intend on sharing the nation with empress Song.”
The historian’s records cannot be seen, not even by Li Xiao or Song Song. They didn’t know what he was writing at all, or if it’s good or bad things. However, Li Xiao clearly didn’t care about the evaluation and continued to do whatever he wanted. Yet, no matter what Li Xiao did, Song Song continued to only listen, not participate in politics. He seemed to be completely indifferent to political business. While the empress wasn’t paying attention, the minister of records silently noted: “The mad emperor today…… again…. The mad emperor today actually…. The mad emperor unexpectedly…. “
Under the enticement of power over an entire nation, Song Song continued to have no ambitions, and focused wholeheartedly on caring for his pregnancy.
Deeply moved by his behavior, the minister of records put himself in his shoes and thought, if he were the empress, would he be able to resist getting involved in the affairs of the nation? The answer was definitely no.
Therefore, he recorded: “The mad emperor has an extremely fortunate life solely because the empress is very kind and reasonable, knows how to sympathize, knows how to advance or retreat to the circumstance, is smart, elegant, and virtuous. Incomparable to any previous historical figures.”
The minister of records continued to record. No matter how Li Xiao tricked and persuaded him, Song Song continued to concentrate on his own health. At night, he would soak his feet. During the day, he’d sleep more. Less food, many meals. His mood was extremely at peace. Occasionally, he’d talk a walk outside, then return to the room to rest at night, sleeping without worries.
This day, the minister of records was chatting with him: “Checking the calendar, the little prince should almost be born. How are you feeling?”
“Naturally, I’m feeling good.”
“His majesty still wants you to participate in politics, signifying that you’re very important to him. You’re a male empress. It wouldn’t be counted as against the rules.”
Song Song said: “You people are really strange. I only listen in because there’s no other choice. If I had to get involved, get stressed out, and something happened to the little prince, then what? Let’s not talk about possible harm to my health. What if the nation loses its future heir? His majestly is gay. Do you actually expect him to touch women?”
Minister of records: “…. your teachings are wise.”
With the miracle coming first, the empress already had the responsibility to continue the royal line. To expect him to participate in politics and exert himself for the nation as well, the emperor was really greedy and insatiable.
Therefore, he noted in his book: “….in order to pass on the bloodline, the empress expended blood and tears and contributed considerably. The mad king remains unaware.”
The author has something to say:
The anticipated little prince is about to be born~
AAAAAAAAAAH! His reasoning though! Ahahahaha
I love this Minister Of Records, honestly, we need a whole book about these side characters—
Thank You for the chapter (๑°꒵°๑)･*♡
Thanks for the chapter! Record guy is hilarious, lol.
i wanna read excerpts of the record of the reign of Li Xiao as the emperor and Song Song as the empress hahahahha
And the previous reign – “Empress Ruthless Ambition, who was never as smart and pretty as her predecessor, Empress True Love, has died in prison at the hands of her sister, Madam Nutcase…”
Ty for the laugh. 😂
This is so perfect LMAO
Um dos melhores ministros kkkk
There’s plenty of time after the heir is born for his mommy to help his daddy make sure his country is all perfect.
Empress Song Song: what, because I finished all my revenges early, now you want me to help you with yours? Do your own work!
This minister of record makes lazy Songsong majestic and Li Xiao the emperor looks cunning 🤣
11/10 would read a side story series or an entire book written by the minister of records😂
Song Sing will really be recorded as the Reincarnation of God at this point 😂😂😂