The ministers, led by Prime Minister Lin, were stunned, thinking they had misheard. They only hastened to bow when they saw the dazzling figure.
They were all murmuring inwardly, wondering why the Empress had suddenly come to court.
Lan Yan sat on the dragon throne and looked at the ministers below, calling out, "Rise."
The ministers then all stood up, full of confusion.
This was Lan Yan's first time attending court, and she was unfamiliar with the procedures. Following what she had seen in storybooks, she said, "If you have anything to report, speak now."
As soon as she spoke, the ministers knelt on the ground, shouting, "Empress, you cannot abolish the harem!" They were all Prime Minister Lin's people, and at this moment, following Prime Minister Lin's orders, they were determined to make the Empress retract her decree.
Lan Yan was startled and, suppressing her urge to retreat behind the dragon throne, cleared her throat. She pulled a memorial from the desk and exclaimed, "Do you know that floods are erupting in the south! The north is facing drought, and the west has begun to stir with unrest."
"The reason I am abolishing the harem is because the national treasury is empty. Fine, if you don't want me to abolish it, then you can pay to handle these matters!" She then saw the ministers looking at each other blankly and let out a cold snort, thinking them all paper tigers.
The ministers naturally did not want to pay, and their desire for Lan Yan to retract her decree began to waver. They stood up and said, "Empress, your humble servant has no objections."
After speaking, they glanced at Prime Minister Lin's displeased expression and silently retreated.
Lan Yan had just breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Prime Minister Lin, standing at the forefront, step forward. She wondered what this old fox was up to now.
Prime Minister Lin bowed and said, "Empress, the national treasury is currently empty, so let us not discuss preventing the abolition of the harem for now. However, as Empress, you should not dote on only one person!"
Lan Yan found it baffling that her affections for someone could concern Prime Minister Lin! "Prime Minister Lin, instead of attending to the suffering of the people, you seem to prefer meddling in my domestic affairs."
"Empress, you are mistaken. You are the Empress of all under heaven, and your affairs are not merely domestic affairs," Prime Minister Lin stated, her eyes sharp as she fixed her gaze on Lan Yan. She was a veteran of two dynasties and held the power of regent granted by the late Emperor.
Lan Yan met Prime Minister Lin's gaze directly and said coldly, "Prime Minister Lin, you ministers do not serve me, but the common people of all under heaven. If that is the case, then should your affairs also be brought out into the open!"
"I am very curious about the population and wealth of Prime Minister Lin's household!"
Being questioned in this manner, Prime Minister Lin realized that the Empress of today was somewhat different. She suppressed her inner dissatisfaction and bowed, saying, "Empress speaks wisely, your humble servant will not pry further."
"However, for the Empress's well-being, even if the harem is abolished, you could still select a few individuals to accompany you. Regarding the position of Young Master Jun, what are your plans?"
Lan Yan's eyes turned cold, and she raised her hand, saying, "Enough, I do not wish to discuss this matter further. These are the memorials I processed last night. Those assigned to them will execute them immediately. If they fail, you know the consequences!"
The ministers below were even more astonished. Not only had the Empress come to court, but she had also reviewed memorials. Some saw hope for the court and, according to the Empress's arrangements, went to carry out their duties.
Some ministers looked towards Prime Minister Lin, seeking a strategy.
However, Prime Minister Lin was filled with anger at this moment and left with a flick of her sleeve after the court session.
When Lan Yan exited the hall, her legs were already a bit numb. These ministers were not simple. She then took a walk in the garden and overheard a few palace maids gossiping.
"The heavens in the harem are about to change. From now on, we will all have to show deference to Young Master Jun."
"But why does the Empress dote on Young Master Jun so much yet not grant him a title? Could it be that she's just playing around?"
"Such words should not be spoken lightly. I suspect it might be that Young Master Jun himself is unwilling. He was even imprisoned for this matter before. The Empress must be holding a grudge, and perhaps she won't grant him a title."
Hearing these words, Lan Yan walked out directly, looking at the shocked palace maids, and called out, "Mei Dong, you are in charge of the palace maids in the harem. I will leave this matter to you."
"Yes, Empress."
The palace maids quickly begged for mercy, "Please spare us, Empress. We did not mean anything by it. We did not intend to offend Young Master Jun."
"You may go." Lan Yan put her hand to her forehead. This matter had been consuming her all day. She asked Mei Dong, "It seems that unless I grant Jun Yelan a title, he will continue to be spoken of like this. But if I issue a decree to name him as the Lord Consort, Jun Yelan will likely refuse."
Mei Dong reminded her, "Empress, to be named Lord Consort requires undergoing rigorous trials. Given Young Master Jun's circumstances, he could be exceptionally granted the title of Side Consort. Does the Empress wish to issue the decree now?"
Lan Yan waved her hand, "Never mind, I will go and speak with him first." What if she displeased Jun Yelan again? All their previous efforts would be in vain.
"Yes, Empress." Mei Dong had always obeyed Lan Yan.
Lan Yan then headed towards the sleeping quarters, "By the way, go to the storeroom and get a gift. I want to give it to someone." She walked on with a smile, and Mei Dong departed.
After they left, someone emerged from behind the bushes, gripping a branch in front of them. "The Empress actually wants to name Jun Yelan as Side Consort, just like that!"
Lan Yan returned to the sleeping quarters with a gift and saw Jun Yelan coughing, his eyes red. She quickly took the cloak hanging nearby and draped it over his shoulders.
"The window is breezy; you should wear more layers."
Before Jun Yelan could refuse, Lan Yan had already tied the cloak's strings. This was the second time he had been so close to Lan Yan. Having not observed her closely the last time, he now saw that Lan Yan's face was gentle, increasingly different from his understanding of her.
Lan Yan did not notice Jun Yelan's expression. She took out a box from behind her and said, "I saw that you enjoy reading. This item can help you in the future."
She opened it, revealing a luminous pearl.
Jun Yelan's eyes trembled slightly. Was Lan Yan worried that he wouldn't have enough light to read at night! As he pondered this, Lan Yan placed the luminous pearl into his palm, cool yet carrying a hint of warmth.
He couldn't help but ask, "Why are you giving this to me?"
Lan Yan smiled, "It's my thanks to you. You helped me last night, and that's why the ministers let me off the hook this morning. I realized today that being an emperor is truly difficult. In fact, I quite dislike this identity."
"However, since I am now Empress, I will do my best to fulfill my duties. This is my responsibility."
Jun Yelan was taken aback and looked at the smile on Lan Yan's lips, nodding after a long moment. He shared the same sentiment as Lan Yan; he also wanted to use his knowledge to do things that would benefit the people.
Thinking of this, his eyes dimmed slightly.
Lan Yan thought Jun Yelan was feeling unwell again and said, "You should sit somewhere else and rest properly." She decided to discuss the matter of the Side Consort with Jun Yelan later; it was more important for him to recover his health now.
She then sat down at the desk, first encouraging herself, "Come on, these are the tasks for tonight." She sighed at the pile of memorials on the desk.
Jun Yelan moved to another spot, the bedside from yesterday. He held a book, its pages still unread, and seemed to be responding to Lan Yan's sighs and murmurs about her troublesome work with the memorials.