Chapter 223: Oh, My Prime Minister is Still Crying

With the arrangements for the imperial examination candidates settled, Xiao Li had someone bring out another imperial edict.

"Song Junzhan, step forward to receive the edict."

Song Junzhan looked up. Although the Empress hadn’t notified him in advance, he had long had a premonition. The other officials felt much the same, even sighing with emotion that this day had finally come.

Song Junzhan’s lips curved into a slight smile. He straightened his robes, stepped forward, and knelt properly.

"By the Mandate of Heaven, the Empress proclaims: Song Junzhan is a pearl We unexpectedly discovered. He is learned and talented, resolute of mind, benevolent and virtuous. He has faithfully followed by Our side, his merits threefold: first... To this day, with the success of the imperial examinations, he has emerged as the top scholar. His moral character is superior and his contributions significant, making him the only choice for Prime Minister. We now appoint him to this post to assist in governing the court and to serve as a model for all the scholars of the realm. By imperial decree!"

This single edict contained praise, merit, title, and glory—arguably the highest honor a civil servant could receive.

Song Junzhan remained prostrate on the ground, unmoving for a long time. Tears streamed from his eyes, dripping straight onto his hands with a soft PAT.

He was overcome with emotion, unable to control himself.

"Prime Minister Song, receive the edict," the eunuch announcing the decree reminded him.

Song Junzhan took a deep breath, forcefully suppressing a sob. He slowly said, "Your servant, Song Junzhan, accepts this edict. I kowtow and thank Your Majesty!"

’Her Majesty has given me far too much. I don’t know how long I have to live in this life, but I am willing to offer my entire life, this very body, and this heart, all for the Empress alone.’

Song Junzhan accepted the edict and rose to his feet, not daring to look up. In the next moment, however, he heard a light chuckle from the throne. "Oh? Is my Prime Minister still crying?"

Upon hearing this, everyone in the court burst out laughing. Song Junzhan didn’t feel embarrassed or angry, just a little helpless. "Your Majesty, please don’t tease your humble servant. I was in the middle of a moving moment."

’A man doesn’t cry easily, but my tears were shed for Her Majesty. They are precious and nothing to be ashamed of.’

’Still, one shouldn’t point out the obvious. Her Majesty teasing me in public like this is rather embarrassing.’

The next moment, the Empress’s voice turned merciless and cold. "Well, you’d better dry those tears quickly. There’s a mountain of work waiting for you to handle."

’Get to work. All of you, get to work for Us!’

Her mood changed in an instant, as if all the praise in the edict just now had been a mere illusion.

Song Junzhan: "..." In an instant, his tears were gone, and the moving sentiment had faded.

’I truly do adore the Empress, there’s no mistaking that, but sometimes her actions leave me feeling helpless.’

’She’s the Empress, the ruler of the realm. What’s with her always trying to be a hands-off boss?’

’Making me handle everything... isn’t she afraid of fostering ambition in me?’

Xiao Li scoffed. ’Go on, then. Show me some of that ambition.’

Of course, while Xiao Li squeezed every bit of work out of her talented people, she was also very generous.

As long as you had talent and worked for her, the salary was never lacking. She even provided housing. What a great boss—no, wait, a great sovereign.

The previous group had a "Scholars’ Banquet," so it was only natural that this new batch of people would have a banquet of their own.

Xiao Li had long ago ordered a feast to be prepared. All the officials, plus the top thirty examination candidates, would celebrate together.

Wang Yizhu was sandwiched among a crowd of male officials. It was, frankly, very awkward. But she knew this was something a female official had to face, so she kept herself strictly in check, determined not to let others look down on her or disappoint Her Majesty.

Many people were quite curious about her, their gazes filled with all kinds of scrutiny. However, because of the Empress’s presence, these looks weren’t quite so sharp.

"Imperial Sister-in-law, what are you doing here?"

Princess Wen Shan popped up from somewhere, dressed in the clothes of a palace maid, staring in shock at Wang Yizhu, who was seated amidst a group of officials.

Princess Wen Shan’s injury hadn’t been fatal, but the piercing wound was by no means light. Had it been half an inch off, it would have cost her her life.

Ning Chong and Cen An had treated her together. She woke up the same day and was able to get out of bed by the next.

Wen Shan had thought that since she’d saved the Empress, the Empress would surely be moved. But even though she had risked her life, aside from the Imperial Physicians, the Empress hadn’t even come to see her once. In fact, nothing around her had changed at all.

The same Palace Attendants still waited on her, and the Empress hadn’t given her any extra rewards.

As her injuries healed day by day, she grew angrier the more she thought about it. ’The Empress’s life is a life, so is mine insignificant?’

A blazing fire of rage burned in Wen Shan’s heart, and she was filled with resentment.

’I absolutely cannot let this suffering be for nothing.’

She heard that Her Majesty was reviving the imperial examinations, had selected many new officials, and was even holding a banquet for all the civil and military officials of the court. So, she disguised herself as a palace maid and snuck in, wanting to see what the Empress was up to and, while she was at it, remind her about the whole "saving her life" thing.

She hadn’t expected that just after entering, she would immediately spot the Queen sitting among a group of men. She was dumbfounded and blurted it out in her shock, instantly drawing everyone’s attention.

"Who is that?"

"’Imperial Sister-in-law’?"

At this moment, absolutely no one made the connection between Wang Yizhu and the Queen.

Wang Yizhu had been married into the palace for many years and had always kept a low profile. In the minds of the common people, she was a completely invisible Queen.

Even when people did mention her, they would at most add her surname, calling her Queen Wang. Even among the former noble families, not many knew her given name.

As for the people sitting here now, Song Junzhan, Lou Yan, Rong Qing, and a few others recognized the Queen, but they naturally wouldn’t say anything out of turn.

But even among those who knew of her, Song Junzhan had only seen the Queen a few times. The others had all been selected by Xiao Li and would have had even less of a chance to see the former Queen. So, truly no one recognized her.

Princess Wen Shan regretted her outburst the moment it left her lips. But now, under the watchful eyes of everyone, she had nowhere to run. She simply decided to bow to Xiao Li on the throne. "Imperial Sister, Wen Shan has not seen you for many days and has missed you dearly."

Halfway through her bow, her body swayed, and she nearly fell.

She said apologetically, "Imperial Sister, please forgive me. Wen Shan’s previous injury has not yet fully healed. I did not mean to lose my composure."

Xiao Li: "..."

’She’s only eleven... no, she should be twelve by now.’

’But she’s still just a little girl. How can she be so scheming and two-faced?’

’She wants to remind me of her "life-saving grace," and she’s willing to put on a show in the middle of this banquet to do it. Is she treating me, the Empress, like I’m blind? Or does she think this whole room of ministers and guards are fools?’

’What an absolute disgrace.’

Xiao Li didn’t even want to answer her. She simply raised her hand, and someone immediately began to drag her away.

Sensing that the Empress did not want Princess Wen Shan to speak, the guard covered Wen Shan’s mouth as he acted. But the princess viciously bit the guard’s hand and shouted, "Imperial Sister, why are you doing this to me—"

The frightened guard clamped his hand over her mouth again, only for Princess Wen Shan to latch on and bite down hard, drawing blood from his hand.

Xiao Li raised her hand. Lou Yan moved swiftly, knocking the princess unconscious with a single palm strike.

The guard, mindful of her royal status, hadn’t dared to strike her. In Lou Yan’s eyes, however, there was no such thing as a princess.

The unconscious girl was dragged away, and the banquet continued.

From beginning to end, the Empress never said a single word to the girl. The crowd, taking the hint, also didn’t bring it up.

After the banquet was over, it was only when Lou Yan reminded her that Xiao Li thought of the princess again.

"Send her to the Imperial Mausoleum. She is not to be pardoned for the rest of her life."

’Leaving her alive is the last bit of mercy I’ll show for a girl of Wen Shan’s age. Next time, I will absolutely kill her.’

’Including Liu Xueyin, Wen Shan is the second person to provoke such intense killing intent in me. It’s as if she’s completely out of her mind, throwing away a perfectly good life just to cause trouble. I have no idea what she’s even after.’