Chapter 355: She’s Here to Take the Punishment, and I Just Like It Tacky
Ji Qingwu tilted her head slightly and saw a dazzling expanse of bright yellow appear before her eyes.
The morning sun rose behind him, and the jade beads on his ceremonial crown swayed gently. He seemed to be glowing.
’If only the coldness in his eyes were as warm as the sunlight.’
Before Ji Qingwu could react, Little Dongzi, who was beside her, leaped backward as if wanting to be ten meters away from her. Then he quickly threw himself to the ground to greet the Emperor.
"This servant greets Your Majesty."
Two people followed behind Emperor Wu Su.
One was the ever-present Li Yuzong. The other was the very person she had just mentioned she was looking for, Duan Mingfeng.
Zhao Mingyan’s frigid gaze swept over her. He then shot a sidelong glance at Duan Mingfeng, who stood behind him to his right, before stepping into the hall.
Little Dongzi scrambled to his feet. Though his words were for Ji Qingwu, he shouted them toward the hall.
"You said you came specifically to see His Majesty! Hurry and go in!"
Ji Qingwu didn’t remember saying any such thing.
But if she wanted to get into the Imperial Prison now, petitioning Emperor Wu Su was the fastest and most reliable way. The only question was whether he would agree...
After a moment’s hesitation, Ji Qingwu went inside.
She found Emperor Wu Su giving instructions to Duan Mingfeng. He was completely focused, not at all distracted by her entrance.
In the vast hall, Ji Qingwu wasn’t sure where to stand, so she found an unobtrusive spot near a wall and stood there.
After she lowered her head, Zhao Mingyan’s gaze would drift over Duan Mingfeng’s shoulder toward her from time to time.
His speaking pace quickened as he cut his long explanation short. The matter was soon settled.
Duan Mingfeng said respectfully, "This subordinate accepts the order. I will cross-reference the testimony and present it to Your Majesty within three days."
Zhao Mingyan nodded. Duan Mingfeng had long since grasped the "imperial will" and didn’t dare to delay for a moment, exiting the hall as fast as the wind.
Ji Qingwu heard the footsteps. By the time she looked up and opened her mouth to speak, Mr. Duan was already gone. She could only close her lips in disappointment. ’I’ll just have to find Duan Mingfeng and ask him after I leave the hall.’
With no one else in the Diligent Governance Hall, Zhao Mingyan leaned back on the Dragon Chair, his posture somewhat languid, and looked directly at her.
’They really are mother and son.’ Ji Qingwu had managed to stand in the exact same spot where Yuan Heng had been punished the night before.
Perhaps for convenience, she had changed into the dress of a Maid from Prince Yong’s Mansion. The skirt lacked any complex patterns and was a simple, pale pink.
Ji Qingwu stood obediently, her posture perfectly straight, like a freshly bloomed lotus against the wall of the Diligent Governance Hall.
This "freshly bloomed lotus," however, was feeling a little guilty.
Ever since Duan Mingfeng had left, Ji Qingwu could feel someone’s gaze meticulously scanning her from head to toe.
Ji Qingwu tensed up, remembering all the insubordinate things she had said the night before to protect Yuan Heng.
Without the little one by her side, her courage wavered.
Ji Qingwu tried to hold out for a while longer but couldn’t manage it.
She took the initiative and walked to the center of the hall, stopping at the steps of the imperial desk to look up at him.
The moment she looked up, Zhao Mingyan spoke. "What important matter has you waiting so eagerly for Us at the entrance so early in the morning?"
Surprise flickered in Ji Qingwu’s eyes. ’I wasn’t waiting eagerly. He must have seen wrong.’
She pressed her lips together, setting other matters aside for the moment, and asked tentatively, "Your Majesty didn’t punish Heng’er, did you?"
Now that she was closer, Zhao Mingyan looked away from her and said flatly, "So you came just for this."
Ji Qingwu shook her head. "After this, there’s something else." Feeling uneasy, she asked again, "Your Majesty didn’t actually punish Heng’er, did you?"
The images of a large face and a small one overlapped in his memory. Zhao Mingyan was struck by a thought and said, "You actually know how to care for Yuan Heng. He’s much less trouble than you. His attitude was excellent when he returned to the palace and admitted his mistake. We did not punish him."
Receiving a definite answer, Ji Qingwu finally relaxed. "That’s good."
Zhao Mingyan picked up the topmost memorial on his right and said casually, "What’s so good about it? For you, this can hardly be considered good news."
’For me? Not good news?’
Dubious of his words, Ji Qingwu’s gaze followed his movements, and she only then noticed that the Emperor’s desk was almost completely covered with memorials.
Zhao Mingyan glanced down at the contents of the memorial, then slammed it onto the desk with a grim face. She had no idea what was written inside.
These memorials were all ones that Su Fengyue had reviewed on his behalf in the Central Secretariat some days ago. Lu Juan had pulled an all-nighter to organize them, arranging them neatly on the far right of the imperial desk.
By her estimation, there were over a hundred volumes, all of which needed to be re-examined and judged.
The Emperor, burdened by the heavy pressure of state affairs, couldn’t help but show a trace of irritation. But a single glance at the person below the steps was enough to calm him considerably.
Ji Qingwu was truly confused. She asked softly, "What does Your Majesty mean? Why is it not good news for me that Heng’er wasn’t punished?"
Just hearing her voice brought Zhao Mingyan a great deal of peace.
He picked up the memorial he had just read again, his tone turning cool. "You want to protect Yuan Heng, don’t you?"
Ji Qingwu blinked a few times. ’What’s the connection between my question and his answer...?’
She didn’t understand, but she nodded anyway. "Of course I want to protect Heng’er."
In his peripheral vision, Zhao Mingyan saw her eyes sparkle brightly. Even though his face was grim, she showed no fear.
’Her nerve is really growing.’
"If Yuan Heng makes a mistake, it will be tallied on your account, and you will receive the punishment."
Hearing this, the light in Ji Qingwu’s eyes instantly dimmed. Her lovely lips puckered slightly, making it clear she was cursing him in her heart.
Ji Qingwu was indeed indignant. No wonder Emperor Wu Su hadn’t punished the little one—he had been waiting for her all along.
But where in the world is a mother punished for her son’s mistakes? Isn’t that completely backward?
However, this unequal treaty was too attractive for her to refuse. She had always wanted to protect Yuan Heng to make up for so many years of absence.
’Besides, the little one is so sensible and understanding. What kind of trouble could he possibly get into...?’
Ji Qingwu didn’t overthink it. She puffed out her chest, raised her head, and said crisply, "Alright! As long as Your Majesty keeps his word."
Zhao Mingyan lowered his gaze, swapped his brush for a wolf-hair one from the rack, and dipped it in red ink, a smile playing on his lips.
He scribbled a few words of commentary on the memorial, tossed it to his left, and opened another one.
Ji Qingwu saw that Emperor Wu Su was focused only on the state affairs at hand, showing no intention of paying her any more mind.
"Is a verbal agreement enough for this deal? Isn’t Your Majesty going to write something down?"
Ji Qingwu paused, her gaze slightly evasive. "Your Majesty has so many memorials to approve. I wouldn’t want to trouble you to write something for me. How about... you give me some kind of token?"
Zhao Mingyan raised his eyebrows in surprise, his hovering brush tip freezing in place.
"What does Ah Wu want?"
Ji Qingwu said, "A jade pendant that Your Majesty usually wears, a scented sachet, or something like that would be fine."
Zhao Mingyan put down his red pen. "Haven’t We given you enough? You still want such common things."
Ji Qingwu thought about it. Emperor Wu Su had indeed given her many fine things—the glowing Red Lotus Bead String and the green jade ring were both priceless treasures.
However, no one knew these two items belonged to the Emperor. She couldn’t use them to flaunt his authority outside; they were useless for that purpose.
Ji Qingwu’s eyes sparkled as she said, "I just happen to like tacky things. The tackiest things are the most elegant."