The Valued Lady is Truly Dominant

”Have you heard that Madam Wen invited monks and nuns into her inner courtyard to pray for the Wen Family?”

Emperor Chu, dressed in military attire, pulled the bowstring and aimed at the target’s center. With a release, the arrow flew forward with a whistling sound, hitting the bullseye perfectly. He then glanced at Song Zhiyuan beside him, nodding his chin towards the target’s center.

”See? I’m not old yet!”

Song Zhiyuan gave a thumbs-up, ”You’re amazing, Your Majesty.”

He handed another arrow to the Emperor with both hands, saying, ”I am not like you, the Thousand-Eyed Buddha; nothing escapes your notice, not even the minor affairs in the inner courtyard. Truly, you embody the phrase ’managing countless affairs every day’.”

”You traitorous minister. I can tell you’re mocking me for being a nag.” Emperor Chu snorted, ”It wasn’t me who pays attention to them, but when I was in the Empress’s palace, she mentioned it casually. The Empress is quite resentful about what happened before, always keeping an eye on the Wen Family’s movements, and as a result...”

Empress Gongsun once personally recommended a young lady from the Wen Family to the Emperor, hoping to arrange a match for the Song family’s son. Afterwards, a mishap occurred, leaving the Empress quite embarrassed. When she meets noblewomen from outside, there are always those who tell her such gossip as if it were a joke.

This time, she mentioned it to Emperor Chu, reminiscing about how she almost made an arbitrary matchmaker decision that embarrassed the Song family.

In short, it’s about congratulating the Song Family on their narrow escape.

But while the Song Family was lucky, the Royal Family ended up unlucky. Even a concubine is still a consort, yet such a muddle-headed person, tsk.

Nonetheless, Emperor Chu remained indifferent. A concubine is a consort, but to him, she is similar to a servant, one who doesn’t even have the privilege to meet him.

”All in all, Su’er dodged such a family burden; that’s quite a fortune. So, shall we let this matter rest?” Emperor Chu asked as he took the arrow handed to him.

Song Zhiyuan replied, ”Your Majesty is exaggerating; I never took it to heart, yet you remain fixated.”

Emperor Chu: ”...”

Wasted good intentions, huh.

He vented his frustration by shooting the arrow vigorously, saying, ”It’s never fun in the Imperial Garden. If possible next year, let’s go winter hunting.”

This year, Empress Dowager Wang was unwell, and Emperor Chu did not have the mind for winter hunting, so it was directly canceled. Now that the official seals were dismissed, there was no need to attend court, hence pulling Song Zhiyuan for horse riding and archery in the garden.

Song Zhiyuan shot an arrow too, hitting the target yet not the center.

Emperor Chu, in good spirits, remarked, ”You’re not as good as me. Have you been indulging the body too much?”

”I am a civil servant with no strength to bind a chicken, incomparable to your prowess in both arts and warfare,” Song Zhiyuan said, handing the bow and arrows to the guard beside him.

Emperor Chu smirked, unimpressed by his flattery.

He handed the bow and arrows to the guard, opened his arms for Steward Zhou to assist in dressing him in a cloak, and began strolling in the garden.

”Anping is matchmaking for your Su’er; is it settled then? Why didn’t you ask me to grant a marriage, as I said? Once you’ve decided, I’ll officiate it.”

Song Zhiyuan, following a step behind, replied, ”I am deeply grateful for your benevolence, Your Majesty. Having already benefitted tremendously, anything more might incite envy and criticism. With such turbulent times, matters like the birthday gift are unresolved, and the person suspected in Ning Cabinet Minister’s case hasn’t been found, not to mention Shang Pu and then Cui...”

”Alright, stop!” Emperor Chu halted his steps, his good mood vanished.

What do you mean ’might be’; it’s definitely so, right?

”Tell me, does Ning Cabinet Minister really exist, and if so, where are they hiding?” Emperor Chu stood before a sweat-blooded horse, stroking its glossy mane. ”Are the remnants of the Xia clan truly so strong, able to hide someone’s trace so thoroughly?”