"...So, the Queen is very worried about this matter."
Zhuge Qing specially came to the imperial study room early in the morning and reported to the emperor what Shui Xinyuan told Qing'er in a chatting tone.
Lu Fusu, who was reading the memorial, raised his eyes and looked at him and said, "I already knew it."
"ah?"
"I have long known that someone took advantage of my office hours and went to Chunying Palace one after another to gossip about Shui Xinyuan."
"...Did the Queen tell His Majesty?"
"Shui Xinyuan didn't say anything. I ordered the palace maids to report to me the visitors who came to Shui Xinyuan at any time, as well as the general content of the conversation... Except for your wife, almost all of them were ignorant people who asked me to accept concubines.
"
I know you and your wife are both mouthpieces... Hearing the emperor say this, Zhuge Qing scratched his neck.
"Qing'er won't talk too much... Since His Majesty already knows about this matter, I won't be wordy."
"No...those ignorant people are still unwilling to give up, which makes me think it is a troublesome matter."
Lu Fusu noticed that after the princes and nobles came to Shui Xinyuan under the guise of asking for condolences, Shui Xinyuan would sometimes hesitate to speak in front of him.
It can be seen from Shui Xinyuan's expression that although she feels that she should convey others' petition, she is unwilling to do so.
In fact, even if Shui Xinyuan told him that some subordinates requested to restore the harem, he had no intention of doing so.
So, it doesn't matter whether you say it or not.
"She doesn't want to say it, so she doesn't want to say it. It's so cute..."
"Your Majesty, you are beaming with pride."
"Um?"
"The affairs of the harem are not important. The former prince's faction is increasingly dissatisfied with His Majesty."
After the death of the late emperor, his half-brother Lu Wuxian once competed with Lu Fusu for the throne and is currently under house arrest in his residence on the outskirts of the capital.
Those associates who unscrupulously supported Lu Wuxian and wanted to depose Lu Fusu were also deprived of their official titles, but those who had no evidence that they were Lu Wuxian's supporters could not be held accountable.
"They should know very well that if they dare to act rashly next time, I will never forgive them."
"Is it okay for Your Majesty to leave the capital at this juncture?"
Lu Fusu will visit Shenzhou, where the capital is located, and neighboring Shizhou and Maozhou next month, and will leave the palace for a full month.
"...This has been decided before, especially in Wuzhou. The rivers flooded a while ago. I want to know the situation. I will leave the capital affairs to you."
"The emperor's words sound like he is instructing: I will leave the queen's affairs to you."
"Do you feel this way?"
"Yes, it does."
Zhuge Qing bowed repeatedly but kept talking nonsense. Lu Fusu watched him leave with a wry smile, picked up the memorial and stood up.
He came to the corridor through another door different from the one Zhuge Qing left, and slowly walked towards the imperial study.
More than fifty important ministers were already waiting in the Imperial Study Room. When they saw Lu Fusu appear, they all kowtowed.
"Long live your Majesty! Long live your Majesty!"
"Before I listen to the government today, I have something to tell you."
Lu Fusu walked up to the high platform and sat on the dragon chair. He finished speaking with a solemn expression and looked around at the civil and military officials.
The ministers didn't know the emperor's intention and all looked surprised. Only Zhuge Qing, who was chatting with Lu Fusu a moment ago, smiled easily.
"As you all know, I have abolished the harem, but it seems that some people are still dissatisfied with this."
Several ministers with noble titles looked away.
"I have said before that even if there are three thousand concubines in the harem, I will not go. Just because I feel it is not necessary, I abolished it. Once I accept the imperial concubine, there may be half-brothers.
The fight for the throne. I believe that all the ministers don’t want to be involved in this kind of thing, leading to the destruction of their families, right?”
"Your Majesty, please forgive me for speaking frankly..."
A minister who did not dare to look at the emperor just now took a step forward and interrupted Lu Fusu's words.
"Yang Shangshu of the Ministry of Industry, what do you have to say?"
"Before discussing the issue of the battle for the crown prince, we must face the current situation of the emperor having no children. If the queen cannot give birth to a prince, even if she does not need a harem, she must at least have a concubine. We must establish a prince as soon as possible..."
Although the Minister of Industry bowed respectfully, there was a sneer on his face. Lu Fusu rested his elbow on the armrest of the dragon chair and supported his chin, looking at him coldly.
"Yang Shangshu...you have a son or a daughter, right?"
"Your Majesty is wise..."
"At what age did your wife give birth to her child?"
"Ah? My wife?...when I was eighteen and...when I was twenty..."
"Really?...The queen has just turned seventeen."
"..."
When the Minister of Industry and Industry noticed the implication of Lu Fusu's words, he was filled with hatred.
Lu Fusu pretended not to notice and sat up straight.
"I believe that you all have your own opinions, but please think about whether it is necessary for your daughters and sisters to become concubines in name only and waste their lives. In the future, please do not bother the queen with boring things.
"
Zhuge Qing couldn't help laughing softly, and several young officials also kept shaking their shoulders because they couldn't hold back their laughter.
Lu Fusu glared at them, cleared his throat and said, "I'm done, now let's start discussing state affairs."
…
The young man tensed his shoulders nervously, his childish round face turned red, and he sat motionless on the chair.
The clothes worn by his thin body looked new, and they were a bit too big, making him feel uncomfortable wearing them.
He was frozen there, not as if he was sitting on a chair, but tied to a chair. Several palace maids waiting in the corner of the room covered their faces with their sleeves and snickered.
It's no wonder that the boy who has never left his hometown village since he was a child has traveled a long distance and today he came to the most lively place in the country...the capital.
Moreover, after arriving in the capital, he was taken to this palace.
After passing a huge gate, every street is very spacious.
He walked through the neatly swept paths, walked through courtyards where fairies seemed to appear at any time, and walked through the majestic buildings with carved beams and painted beams...
However, the young man did not know that this was the palace where the emperor lived and where hundreds of civil and military officials attended court. His eyes moved quickly as he looked at the paintings and calligraphy on the walls and the finely crafted chairs.
After a while, a palace maid quietly walked in from the next room carrying a tray with tea utensils, and put down the teacup in front of the young man.
A dreamy fragrance wafts from her sleeves.
The boy stared blankly at the palace maid, who was more mature than him, pouring tea for him.
The palace maid poured tea for the boy, took the tray and prepared to leave, and her eyes met with the boy's.
The palace maid chuckled, glanced meaningfully at the young man, and disappeared into the next room.
The young man opened his mouth and couldn't help but lean out, when the sound of someone walking quickly came from the corridor.
The door opened, and a friendly and lovely beautiful woman wearing bright and elegant red clothes rushed in with a pair of big eyes...
"Qian Cheng!"
"……Well……"
Before the boy could stand up, his sister... Shui Xinyuan rushed in and hugged him tightly.
"Qian Cheng, you are finally here! How is your journey? How are you all? Are your parents in good health?"
"Uh, that..."
It has been four years since I last saw my sister. Is the woman in front of me really my sister?
The sister in his memory was thinner, had particularly big eyes, always wore shabby clothes, and never smelled so good...
"Shui Xinyuan, you scared your brother..."
"Huh? How come?"
Shui Xinyuan let go of her brother and looked at her younger brother who was still nervous and Lu Fusu who was following her.
"Qian Cheng? What's wrong with you?"
"elder sister?"
"I'm your sister! Have you forgotten what I look like? It's no wonder, we haven't seen each other for a long time."
"Although I haven't forgotten..."
The boy... Shui Qiancheng blinked several times in succession, trying to merge the sister in front of him with the sister in his memory...
The face in front of me is indeed my sister, but my sister looks better than before and is much more beautiful than before.
"Of course I will be surprised! How many years have you not seen each other? I was also shocked when I saw you three years ago."
"oh……"
Shui Xinyuan tilted his head slightly, showing a shy expression.
His younger brother Shui Qiancheng has never seen his sister's expression like this.
Shui Xinyuan asked Shui Qiancheng who was sitting on the chair to stand up, looked up and down, and nodded.
"Yes, Qian Cheng has grown taller too. Well, he has really grown taller! He is almost taller than my sister."
"..."
The way Shui Xinyuan touched his head while speaking and the smile on his face were those of his sister whom he had not seen for many years. Shui Qiancheng finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"Long time no see, sister, how are you doing?"
"You saw it too! I'm very fine."
After recognizing his sister, Shui Qiancheng began to care about the man standing next to his sister.
He is tall, has a handsome face, and his clothes look high-end.
Shui Xinyuan noticed Shui Qiancheng's gaze, finally came to his senses, and looked back at the man beside him.
"Feel sorry……"
"It's okay. You guys should have a lot to talk about. I'll say hello and go deal with state affairs. You can talk more slowly."
"good……"
Seeing the strange smile on Shui Xinyuan's face, Shui Qiancheng once again doubted whether the woman in front of him was his sister.
"Qian Cheng, hurry up and say hello."
"...My name is...Shui Qiancheng..."
When Shui Qiancheng introduced himself, he didn't notice the suspicious expression on his face.
Facing Shui Qiancheng's questioning eyes, the man showed a faint wry smile and said, "I am Lu Fusu. You are Shui Xinyuan's younger brother, that is, my younger brother. No matter what difficulties you encounter here, you can speak out.
"
"..."
Lu Fusu.
That is the name of the third emperor of the Yuan Kingdom.
Shui Qiancheng had previously heard that his sister was sold to the capital to work as a palace concubine because of a poor harvest at home. Last year, the new emperor fell in love at first sight and became the queen...
However, he did not see it with his own eyes and only learned the news from his sister's letter.
I heard from my parents that they received a letter written by the Emperor, but who knows whether it was really written by the Emperor.
...Is this person the current emperor?
Is he my sister's husband?
Seeing that Shui Qiancheng didn't say a word, Shui Xinyuan hurriedly grabbed his sleeve and shook it.
"Qian Cheng, what's wrong with you? Say hello properly..."
"Shui Xinyuan, it's okay. He has just arrived in the capital. He should be exhausted. You can let him rest first. He will stay here tonight. Find someone to send a message to Zhuge's house and ask them to send someone to pick him up tomorrow morning."
"Thanks……"
"See you later..." Lu Fusu said and walked out of the room.
Shui Xinyuan sighed after watching him leave.
"Qian Cheng, you are really ignorant. You should at least learn how to say hello..."
"He...is the emperor?"
"Hey! What's wrong with him?"
"Is he my brother-in-law?"
Shui Xinyuan couldn't help but feel confused when he heard the reproach in his brother's tone, but he still nodded clearly.
"That's right! I didn't write to everyone... I also wrote to you."
"But, how could I have thought that you were in a place like this..."
"You can't believe it?"
"..."
Shui Qiancheng pouted and lowered his head.
No wonder Shui Qiancheng thinks so...because Shui Xinyuan, more than anyone else, can't believe the happy fact that she has become Lu Fusu's wife.
Shui Xinyuan smiled softly and asked Shui Qiancheng to sit on the chair.
"That's right, because even my sister finds it hard to believe it. No wonder you are so surprised... However, this matter is true."
"..."
"It's really a fact... So, just believe it. The Emperor is your brother-in-law. His Majesty has many things to do. Hearing that you were coming, he just put down his state affairs to see you."
"..."
"When you see His Majesty again later, remember to speak nicely, okay?"
"...Sister, why do you want to marry the emperor of Yuan Kingdom?"
Shui Qiancheng protested in an almost inaudible voice, and Shui Xinyuan bent down and looked at Shui Qiancheng's face.
"What? What did you just say?"
"nothing……"
Shui Qiancheng did not hide the displeasure on his face and sighed heavily.