Chapter 226 - Pouter's CLub

After sending Lei Xing off, the Emperor returned to the royal study. He had a meeting with the Minister of Rites regarding the details of the wedding ceremony. And later on, Prime minister Zhao brought Zou kingdom's finalized tribute list and trade deals that had been negotiated with Prince Rui. The Emperor looked over the final report and put his seal on it and Eunuch Li handed it back to Prime minister Zhao. 

Prime minister Zhao took it, bowed but instead of leaving, he remained standing there with knit eyebrows. The Emperor raised an eyebrow and asked, "Is there something else?"

The Emperor was aware that Prime minister Zhao's mood has not been good since he announced Lei Xing as his choice for Empress. But his mood was not the Emperor's concern and he knew better than to come to complain to the Emperor. After all, there was nothing wrong with the choice of Lei Xing other than the fact that she was not his daughter.

Prime minister Zhao looked up at the Emperor and then asked, "Your majesty, what about the Zou princess?"

"What about her?" The Emperor asked with raised eyebrows.

"Your majesty...Even if you don't want to take her as your Empress as the Zou king proposed, you can take her in as a consort, i-"

"No." The Emperor flatly responded. He already had enough women here and they were already causing him and Lei Xing trouble. And although Lei Xing and Princess Nalan had become friends of some sort during this period, it was because there was nothing causing tension between them.

He did not believe that a princess raised with a great sense of entitlement will feel at ease simply being a resident of his palace. And even though she herself was satisfied with it, those in Zou kingdom would not be satisfied. She will be perceived as a pawn to be used to obtain Long country. The Emperor was not willing to allow Zou's inner conflicts play out in his palace.

Princess Nalan was trouble and it was best to send her back.

Prime minister Zhao frowned, "Your majesty, while it may seem like Zou kingdom has bowed to us, many in their country are not happy with this situation. It is only a matter of time before that unrest bubbles over to the surface. But her father and brothers all treasure her, so no matter which way the crown ends up falling, she will be a good hostage..." He paused and hesitated, but then added, "Your majesty, it is just one more woman in your harem. If you want peace, this is the best way forward."

The Emperor scoffed and then said, "Given your experience, I would have never expected you to be this naive...Sister or no, if one wants war then a war will happen." The Emperor finished with a frown.

For someone who supported the late Emperor's endeavors, Prime minister Zhao's reasoning was disappointing. His father was proof that a marriage alliance was no guarantee for peace. If one wanted to start a war, then the war will come about. 

The Emperor frowned, "I did not call off the war because I am afraid of them...I was simply giving them a chance, but if they want a war, then we will fight and win. If there's nothing else, leave." The Emperor dismissively said as he picked up a doc.u.ment and focused on it. 

Prime minister Zhao's frown deepened, he understood what the Emperor meant. Family often became nothing when pit against ambition. And he honestly did not care about the Emperor marrying the Zou princess.

In his opinion, they should have proceeded and crushed Zou while they had the opportunity. It was just that he was not happy with this situation. The Emperor seemed to be doing everything to please the Lei family's daughter, while his daughter remained on the sidelines like a nobody.

{...What was that girl doing when all this was happening?!...}

"Is there something else?" The Emperor coldly asked without raising his eyes from the doc.u.ment when Prime minister Zhao remained rooted to the spot.

Prime Minister Zhao glanced up at the Emperor and then bowed, "Your majesty...My wife has not been feeling too well lately and has been asking for Lan er'. I want to ask if you could permit her to visit home."

The Emperor calmly looked at Prime minister Zhao and simply scrutinized him. When the Emperor did not respond, Prime minister Zhao raised his head and met the Emperor's eyes and then lowered his head and went, "If it's not convenient the-"

"No, of course not." The Emperor interjected, "I'll have it arranged for tomorrow." 

Prime minister Zhao smiled and bowed, "Thank you, Your majesty. I'll take my leave now." He said and then bowed out and the left the room and his frown promptly returning to his face.

The Emperor allowed the Lei family's daughter to return home for her sister's coming of age ceremony. Naturally, he knew the Emperor could not refuse his own daughter visiting her "sick" mother. Even favoritism had to be within reasonable boundaries or it would reflect badly on the Emperor and bring about questions on his state of mind. 

{...What is the point of raising that girl if she is to be so useless?! She seems to have forgotten why she's here...}

Prime minister Zhao walked with conviction as he brooded over his daughter's disappointing performance. As he stepped outside, he saw the Empress dowager storming over still dressed in her outdoor outfit. Prime minister Zhao immediately plastered a smile on his face and stepped forward and bowed, "Your maje-" His words broke off as the Empress dowager stormed passed him, completely ignoring his presence. 

Prime minister Zhao frowned at her back, but then scoffed and straightened up and walked off, feeling more irritated. He knew the Empress dowager did not like him, but she had always at least shown him some basic level of respect because of his position. But now she perceived him as nothing and it was probably all because of this new development. Prime minister Zhao's frown became a scowl.

{...Hmph! Look at the embarrassment that stupid girl has brought me. What a failure!...}

The Empress dowager had not even noticed Prime minister Zhao standing there. Her mind was completely focused on talking sense into the Emperor, who had let himself be blinded and roped in by a stupid ploy by a little girl. She ignored the servants who bowed to her and threw the doors open herself before the servants could get a chance to open the doors or even announce her presence.

"What is the meaning of this?!" She barked as she stormed towards the front, glaring at the Emperor.

The Emperor closed his eyes and let out a breath and then wearily looked at his mother. Another irritation had arrived, much earlier than anticipated. Eunuch Li turned to the servants who had run in behind the Empress dowager and said, "Leave." The servants promptly withdrew. 

Eunuch Li then glanced at the Emperor and the Emperor lightly nodded in his direction. Then Eunuch Li turned to Song mama who was still standing behind the Empress dowager and motioned to the doors. Song mama nodded and then the two of them left the room to wait behind the closed doors, leaving the Empress dowager and the Emperor alone to talk.

"Did you not hear me or have you suddenly gone deaf?" The Empress dowager said through gritted teeth when the Emperor did not respond.

The Emperor sighed and looked back down at the doc.u.ment and offhandedly said, "I take it the search for the monk did not yield any results."

They had already been informed of the Empress dowager's hasty return. It was also one of the reasons he sent so many palace guards with Lei Xing. While he did not want to think that his mother would be stupid enough to try attacking her publicly, he could not forget the scene of her straddling and strangling Lei Xing. Therefore extra precautions were necessary.

The Empress dowager ignored his comment and coldly said, "I asked you a question... Why have you named her Empress?"

"I wanted it." The Emperor flatly responded.

"You wa-!" The Empress dowager stopped and took a deep breath to calm her rising anger. She eyed the Emperor, who seemed to be ignoring her presence and then she fisted her hands in anger.  Then she coldly asked through gritted teeth, "Is she pregnant?"

If Lei Xing was pregnant then she could endure the suffering of Lei Xing lording over her for a few months. She could endure a few moments and consider them Lei Xing's reward for producing an heir for her. 

{...That is the only situation that this is acceptable. If not that, then how could he be so foolish?! With a child, I cou-...}

"No." The Emperor simply responded as he scrutinized the Empress dowager. Whatever thoughts of compromise the Empress dowager was begrudgingly trying to persuade herself to make were immediately shattered. 

"Retract the order, I do not approve." The Empress dowager said as she took deep breaths to calm her anger, "How could you be so foolish as to do this over a few fruitless nights?! She has done nothing noteworthy to warrant this, nothing to earn the position, she does not deserve this! Retract the order this instant! You have let yourself be tricked by that fox-li-!"

"And have you?" The Emperor calmly cut in and the Empress dowager stopped and frowned, "What?"

The Emperor leaned back in his throne chair and scrutinized the Empress Dowager with a frown, "Have you earned your position?"