Chapter 885: Chapter 703: Madam Zheng—A Mad Scavenger?
The elder ministers of the Southern Country were utterly stunned by Gu Changsheng’s outburst. Strengthening the bond between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law? Are you kidding?
Does that relationship still need strengthening? Is there any bond left to strengthen? During the first meeting with the Wife of the Former Crown Prince, didn’t our Emperor’s one line practically flatten her?
To talk about strengthening this bond now, isn’t it a bit too deceitful?
The elder ministers were in no rush to leave, holding stacks of memorials cautiously to the side, their wide-open eyes revealing their obvious curiosity to see a spectacle!
"You all!" Gu Changsheng was unusually dissatisfied with her subjects’ behavior. Honestly, there were just too many people enjoying the show around her, and their undisguised faces were truly upsetting!
"Your Majesty, in consideration of our hard work, please allow us to be quiet spectators." Hongfu Su, among the elder ministers, noticing the Emperor’s displeasure, spoke meekly with an ingratiating smile.
As Hongfu Su spoke, he looked eagerly towards the Council Hall door, filled with anticipation for the Wife of the Former Crown Prince’s arrival and the "bonding" of the in-laws!
Being the Emperor’s subject was indeed exhausting, but it was never boring!
Gu Changsheng gaped at her subjects, her mouth twitching. What is happening? Did this somehow become a benefit?
Do they all need to put on such a show-watching face for her? It’s really hurting her tender little heart!
"What’s there to see? Isn’t the court business of the Southern Country busy enough?" Gu Changsheng glared at Hongfu Su, her expression unfriendly, especially when she saw Borjigin Nian, who was supposed to be fighting at home, entering the hall, her face darkened further.
"Of course it’s worth watching! Since ancient times, the relationship between mother-in-law and sister-in-law is the hardest to untangle. We just want to see how you, being so formidable, plan to deal with your mother-in-law and achieve eternal fame." Borjigin Nian found a spot closest to Gu Changsheng and sat down lazily, completely disregarding the expressions of those sitting above.
"Formidable? How am I formidable? I’m such a gentle person, stop slandering me!" Gu Changsheng glared at her. This girl, seriously lacking decency, and to think she’s a Northern Mongolian Princess. Having such a princess is really unfortunate for Northern Mongolia! And for her, having such a friend is even more unfortunate!
Borjigin Nian, hearing this, rolled her eyes dramatically at Gu Changsheng, pointing to the elder ministers standing below, and spoke with pride, "Gu Changsheng, just accept it. Don’t resist. Considering your subjects work like cattle and horses for you, you should at least satisfy their curiosity, entertain them a bit."
The elder ministers nodded quickly, this reasoning made sense!
But halfway through nodding, seeing their Emperor’s face getting darker, they quickly stopped, looking down, saying nothing.
Borjigin Nian rolled her eyes at the Southern Country’s elder ministers again, thinking they were too cowardly, afraid of their Emperor in such a pathetic manner, she truly overestimated the proud Miao women of Southern Country!
"Come on, Gu Changsheng, take up your Southern Emperor’s demeanor, full of composure and majesty, understand?" Seeing it impossible to restore some pride to Southern Country’s subjects before their Emperor, Borjigin Nian turned her gaze to Gu Changsheng, egging her on with a mischievous grin.
"The one full of composure and majesty is Little Monk Bu Jie, I have no desire to become a monk!" Gu Changsheng rolled her eyes at Borjigin Nian.
"Haha... then put on the Emperor’s demeanor, capisce? Emperor?" Borjigin Nian awkwardly touched her nose, feeling she had chosen the wrong word.
"Like Emperor Zhoulin?" Gu Changsheng sneered at her.
Emperor Zhoulin was an emperor, but in front of her... tsk tsk... that demeanor... unspeakable, unspeakable!
Gu Changsheng, newly minted as the Southern Emperor, was certainly the most haphazard emperor in history; she had only seen one emperor in her lifetime, and that was Emperor Zhoulin, yet when he stood before her, he was utterly lacking any imperial dignity...
Even if she wanted to mimic the Emperor’s demeanor, she had nowhere to learn from, right?
"..." Borjigin Nian fell silent at her words, her gaze twisted as she looked at Gu Changsheng, realizing that this Emperor, who was the least like one, was ironically the most authoritative; that Grandfather Emperor, Emperor Zhoulin, before her had long lost any accumulated prestige, there really was no reasoning with this!
Borjigin Nian’s speechless expression greatly satisfied Gu Changsheng, even though she wasn’t the most proficient emperor, no one dared disrespect her, right?
To be Emperor at her level, Gu Changsheng figured, has to make many envious to tears!
Truth be told, Old Emperor Zhoulin, who was refused entry by Gu Changsheng, was indeed weeping, shedding tears by the gallon, utterly miserable!
In the distance, Hongyan Jiaojiao had taken on the role of guide, leading a line of female officials, escorting a stumbling figure towards the great hall, with strict inspections from the Female Imperial Forest Army along the way!
"Here it comes, here it comes!" From afar, Borjigin Nian saw, and knew it was the Wife of the Former Crown Prince, Madam Zheng, arriving. He hurriedly cautioned Gu Changsheng, who was seated above, "It doesn’t matter if you’ve never seen how majestic an Emperor looks. Just sit there and speak less!"
Gu Changsheng frowned, watching a colorful figure flicker into the hall before Hongyan Jiaojiao, his mouth twitching.
Yue Xilou entered the hall as if there were no one around, swinging a folding fan. He confidently sat below Gu Changsheng, across from Borjigin Nian, on a grand chair, with a face more beautiful than a demon’s and a satisfied smile, his peach blossom eyes shimmering brightly.
"Gu Changsheng, listen to me, you won’t go wrong!" Borjigin Nian emphatically added again.
Borjigin Nian thought that though Gu Changsheng didn’t quite look like an Emperor, it couldn’t be denied that she had some charm, especially when she wore imperial robes and a pearl crown, sitting there quietly, showing a bit of majestic presence. Of course, this was limited to when she didn’t speak!
Once she spoke, the illusion would surely be shattered!
Sitting on the Dragon Throne, Gu Changsheng listened to Borjigin Nian’s tireless and sincere teachings, leaning her head with a headache, pressing her temple gently. She felt her brain throbbed, especially with so many people watching; not only her brain hurt, but her liver ached as well!
"..." Borjigin Nian, seeing Gu Changsheng lounging casually on the Dragon and Phoenix Grand Chair, was at a loss for words. Then hearing the commotion, Hongyan Jiaojiao was already escorting someone to the hall’s entrance. He could only speak with anger at her incompetence, "Truly, mud won’t hold a wall, you don’t look like an Emperor at all!"
"And what should an Emperor look like?" On the Dragon and Phoenix Chair, Gu Changsheng bared her teeth at Borjigin Nian, "However I look, that’s how an Emperor looks!"
Such arrogance and lack of reason, if you have the ability, you come be the Southern Emperor! She wouldn’t even mind!
Gu Changsheng was utterly out of sorts!
Borjigin Nian, hearing this, fell silent. Alright, with an Emperor forced into it, you cannot ask too much of her. Haven’t you seen how all the old ministers of the Southern Country have compromised? They all have an immense tolerance for her majesty, don’t they? It’s truly a teeth-gritting fact!
"The show is about to start, hehe..." Closing the folding fan, Yue Xilou sat upright on the chair below, eyes bright as he watched the person being dragged in.
With Yue Xilou’s words, everyone’s gaze turned towards the person escorted into the room.
"To report to my Emperor, Madam Zheng, the Wife of the Former Crown Prince from the small state of Zhou, has been brought." Hongyan Jiaojiao crossed her chest and saluted, then threw the woman, escorted by the female officials, into the center of the hall.
After completing this action, Hongyan Jiaojiao retreated beside Hongfu Su with a significant look, ready to watch the show.
"Insolence! You insolent wretch! I won’t let it end like this!" Thrown onto the hall floor by Hongyan Jiaojiao, Madam Zheng roared hoarsely like a madwoman.
"..." Hongyan Jiaojiao shrank her neck and pouted. If her majesty had said those words, she would have instantly drawn her sword to commit suicide for a quick release, but with the person in front of her saying it, such a threat was equated to farting, with no deterrent at all!
Above the Nine-Layer Steps, lazily leaning on the Dragon and Phoenix Chair, Gu Changsheng finally squinted her phoenix eyes, giving Madam Zheng on the ground a glance. With just one look, Gu Changsheng was stunned.
Click, click... Isn’t this just too miserable? On first seeing at the City Gate, the Wife of the Former Crown Prince, Madam Zheng, had been slapped into being a fatty by their Hongyan, yet at least back then, she was in full court regalia, dressed finely. But now, this old woman with clothes crumpled into an unrecognizable color, hair like a bird’s nest, where did this come from?
Let alone slapped into looking fat, for the woman in front now, no color could be seen on the face, entirely pitch-black, yet still holding the posture of the Wife of the Former Crown Prince, barking recklessly there!
"Wretch! How dare you treat me with such disrespect! Who do you think I am?" Madam Zheng struggled to get up from the ground, still relentless towards Hongyan Jiaojiao who had thrown her.
The Wife of the Former Crown Prince of the small state of Zhou! It’s been said already, yet you ask! Hongyan Jiaojiao gave Madam Zheng a "you’re an idiot" look, unable to bear the sight, turning her head away.
"I am the Wife of the Former Crown Prince of the Great Zhou, the birth mother of the current Crown Prince, wretch, how dare you treat me this way, is there no rule?" Madam Zheng pointed at Hongyan Jiaojiao and shouted, "I shall have you dismembered to uphold palace law!"
"Where did this madwoman come from? Did that old man the Emperor Lin make a mistake and bring a scavenging lunatic to deceive me?"
As Madam Zheng held on to the posture of the Wife of the Former Crown Prince and shouted, on the Dragon and Phoenix Chair, Gu Changsheng raised her phoenix eyes, speaking charismatically.
Her voice was neither loud nor soft, yet it clearly reached every corner of the hall, carrying an aura of casual authority.
Madam Zheng froze upon hearing, her disheveled body stiffening, rigidly turning her head upward to look...