Chapter 200: Let’s Start with Some Appetizers to Wake You Up

The procession slowly passed through the city gates and soon entered the Imperial Palace.

Another wave of palace maids and eunuchs came to greet her, but Xiao Yang simply nodded to Lin Yi before heading back to Zichen Palace.

As far as residences went, Zichen Palace was certainly the most comfortable. But stepping inside meant being surrounded by the intrigue of the inner court, a mountain of memorials, and endless trouble.

Xiao Yang had no ambition to be a diligent or hardworking ruler. Every day, she just wanted to be a worthless emperor.

And yet, she had a bit of an obsessive streak, always wanting to do things well once she started.

So she was constantly torn between lazing around and actually working, feeling like she was about to snap.

Having just returned, Xiao Yang refused to see anyone and enjoyed a night of peace. But the next day, she had to be up at the crack of dawn for morning court.

"Your officials greet Your Majesty! Long live the Emperor, long, long live the Emperor!"

"You may all rise."

Sitting on the Dragon Throne again after nearly half a year, Xiao Yang was filled with a thousand emotions.

Her gaze swept down. The Regent King had not yet returned, so the person standing closest to her was Xiao Lv.

Leaning back on the Dragon Throne, Xiao Yang said, "Long time no see. My dear ministers, you all look rather haggard. It breaks my heart to see."

Her tone was as casual as ever. The next moment, she picked up a memorial. "In that case, let me start with a little appetizer to get your blood pumping."

"Huang Wenzhong. You met with Prince Jing three times and corresponded with King Huainan once."

"Qian Hui. You took a bribe of one thousand taels from a subordinate, and your little brother-in-law suddenly acquired a hundred acres of prime farmland."

"Zhou Wencai. You took two new concubines. One of them happens to be the daughter of a disgraced official who was meant to be exiled."

"Feng Run. Is King Guangchuan’s ’treasure’ beautiful?"

"..."

Those whose names were called turned deathly pale and prostrated themselves on the floor. Intimately familiar with the Emperor’s character, they didn’t even attempt an excuse.

As for those whose names weren’t called, they trembled in fear, frantically trying to recall if they’d covered the tracks of their own misdeeds, terrified they would be next.

’She’s back. She’s really back. The Little Emperor, that devil, has truly returned.’

’The familiar terror, the familiar unpredictability, the familiar sense of suffocation... It’s going to be the death of us!’

The list in Xiao Yang’s hand was a collection of evidence against the corrupt officials, compiled for her by Xu Xingchen and Xiao Lv. Since the situation was still manageable, Xiao Lv and Xu Xingchen hadn’t taken action themselves. Instead, they organized the proof and delivered it to the Emperor.

Xiao Lv and his allies didn’t dare prosecute so many people at once, but the Emperor had no such compunctions.

She was like King Yan reading from the Book of Life and Death. She called them out one by one, and none of the damned could escape.

In the great hall of Jinluan Palace, only the Little Emperor’s melodious voice could be heard. The courtiers didn’t even dare to breathe.

It wasn’t until court was dismissed and the Emperor had departed that the officials finally took a deep breath, dazedly realizing, ’Oh, right. We’re allowed to breathe.’

Those who had been named hung their heads in despair, their faces pale as ash.

Those who had been spared felt as if they’d survived a calamity. ’It’s good to be alive.’

When Xiao Yang entered the Imperial Study, she breathed a huge sigh of relief. The mountain of memorials she’d been expecting was nowhere to be seen.

However, the moment she sat down, memorials began pouring in like a river.

There were no old ones—they were all brand-new.

"..."

"Your Majesty."

Xiao Lv was the first to come looking for Xiao Yang. She glanced at the memorials, then rose and moved to a side seat, ordering tea. "You’ve worked hard these past days, brother. Tonight, I’ll treat you to a few drinks."

Seeing her expression, Xiao Lv couldn’t help but chuckle. "There’s no rush to drink. I am merely here to report on recent matters, Your Majesty."

Xiao Yang put on a dignified expression. "Then speak."

Xiao Lv didn’t mention the Emperor’s absence, sticking purely to matters of state. Xiao Yang breathed a sigh of relief.

’A good brother knows not to make a fuss.’

After Xiao Lv finished speaking and took his leave, other ministers filed into the Imperial Study.

Xiao Yang was busy until dusk, only emerging when Xiao Jinsu and Song Qingyi arrived to deliver new clothes and jewelry.

Xie Liuzheng also came along to join the fun.

Xiao Yang took the opportunity to tell her about Su Wu, though her main goal was to ask the system about him.

For some reason, the system had started to emit a faint golden light. It lay languidly on Xie Liuzheng’s head. "A name alone is useless. There are eight hundred, if not a thousand, people in the world with similar names. I have to see him in person."

Xiao Yang said, "I’ve already summoned him back. He should arrive tomorrow. You two can go take a look then."

Xie Liuzheng replied, "As you command."

That evening, Xiao Yang had a small banquet prepared, inviting a select group of officials.

It was an ordinary banquet where everyone ate, drank, and watched a bit of song and dance.

The dancing girls and musicians in Xiao Yang’s employ had the easiest job in the world. They were supported by the Emperor, so no one dared to bother them, and since the Emperor had little interest in decadent pleasures, the occasions they were called upon to perform were few and far between.

Life couldn’t have been more comfortable.

But when life gets too comfortable, there’s always one person who gets restless and decides to court disaster.

Case in point: Yu Li.

Among the handful of male dancers, Yu Li was the most beautiful and by far the most skilled.

Male dancers were always looked down upon. Having been forced down this path, he was destined for a lifetime of being treated as base and worthless.

But now, the Emperor was a woman.

And no one expected an Emperor to remain chaste.

He was handsome and a graceful dancer. If he could just catch Her Majesty’s eye, he could shed his ’lowly’ status and rise above the common man.

He refused to resign himself to a lifetime as a lowly dancing man; he wanted to change his destiny.

When the dance ended, the performers were supposed to withdraw. But Yu Li brazenly walked up to Xiao Yang, poured her a cup of wine, and held it out to her.

"Your Majesty, this humble one toasts you."

It wasn’t snowing in the Capital City yet, but the weather was far from warm. Even inside the heated main hall, most people had only removed their heavy cloaks and were still wearing three or four layers of clothing. Yu Li’s outfit, however...

He wore a halter-style underlayer with a see-through gauze top, decorated with a mess of tinkling ornaments. It could barely be called an outfit.

Xiao Yang watched him. He kept his eyes lowered, the very picture of obedience.

Everyone else had withdrawn, yet he alone had approached her. Everyone knew exactly what he was after with this conspicuous act.

Now, everything depended on the Emperor’s reaction. Would she dismiss him with contempt, scolding him for his impudence? Or would she be a willing partner, allowing a dalliance to unfold?

Xiao Yang didn’t accept the wine. Instead, she turned to Lin Yi. "Go fetch a cloak."

Lin Yi hurried out and returned a moment later with an exquisitely embroidered cloak—one that notably lacked the imperial dragon crest.

At a gesture from Xiao Yang, Lin Yi unfolded the cloak and draped it directly over Yu Li’s shoulders.

"Mr. Yu, if you please."

The cloak carried the faint scent of ambergris. The moment it was placed on him, he was enveloped by its warmth and fragrance. His body warmed, and so did his heart.

’The Emperor only had to gift a cloak, and even a chief eunuch like Lin Yi was politely calling him ’Mr. Yu.’’

’As I thought, this was the right move.’

He lowered his head obediently. "This humble one thanks Your Majesty for your favor."

The Emperor’s response hadn’t been enthusiastic, but she also hadn’t left the dancing man without a graceful exit.

A cloak wasn’t an intimate garment, but it was still something worn. Gifting it to him to wear as he departed carried a certain degree of ambiguity.

The crowd began to speculate privately, but for now, they only dared to think. No one was bold enough to make a scene.

After all, the last ones who tried to cause trouble had been dealt with that very morning.

Besides, Yu Li was just a minor dancing man. Even if Her Majesty did take a fancy to him, he had no background and couldn’t possibly cause any significant trouble.

Besides, with the Regent King and Young Master Xu already in the picture, the courtiers were content to sit back and watch the drama unfold.

Watching Xu Xingchen, who was already on his feet and striding toward the Emperor, Grand Tutor Xu sighed inwardly. ’Rash boy. Not a shred of composure.’