TFSRITA Chapter 70

“Yes!” Jiang Wende nodded gratefully and quickly stood up. “Then I shall take my leave.”

“Mm.” Yan Qing nodded, watching his plump figure swiftly disappear from her sight, unable to suppress a sigh.

This tactic was too costly and labor-intensive; she couldn’t dare to use it again. This time, only a dozen horses had died, but what if people died next time? That would be a grave sin.

She needed to find another method.

Yan Qing’s face was tense as she pondered on her way to Lingyun Palace.

Besides the taboo of having a restless consort or someone who was excessively extravagant, what else did ancient emperors and ministers avoid?

Yan Qing couldn’t recall for a moment. She abruptly turned her steps and said, “Go to the library.”

There was indeed a special place for storing books in the harem.

As Yan Qing turned, the palace maids naturally followed her.

In the library, there were various books. Although they were mainly for the consorts, it contained more than just women’s rules; it included the Four Books and Five Classics, various music scores, chess manuals, and folk tales.

Yan Qing had someone help her find various histories of past consorts, bringing them back to Lingyun Palace one by one to review.

With the knowledge of those before her, she would surely find a way to make the ministers wish to drive her out of the palace!

Meanwhile, Ji Yecheng, who had heard that Yan Qing had withdrawn her request, showed no reaction.

To him, as the emperor of the country, it was only natural to have the wind and the rain at his command. If he couldn’t obtain what he desired, what was the point of being an emperor?

Fortunately, Ji Yecheng’s requirements for life were simple. No one could step on him; he had delicious food and fine wine daily, along with storytellers and opera performers for his entertainment, and that was enough.

However, recently he had someone special riding on his head. Ever since that day he almost lost her, Ji Yecheng could no longer act against her and could only endure her bullying.

He even started dealing with state affairs, which he disliked the most, for her sake.

For instance, right now, two people were sitting at their desks.

One was a handsome and cold-looking man, who was seriously reading through the memorials in front of him. However, the subtle expressions in his eyes revealed his rejection and displeasure.

At another desk, the elegant scholar Fu Rong was also reviewing the memorials, but the matters he was handling had shifted from detailed issues to only those of minor importance.

Who could blame him? The recent incident involving the noble consort had attracted too much attention. Even if the rumors were cleared, some stubborn individuals still believed that there was no smoke without fire, insisting that the consort had harmed the country and misled the emperor.

Therefore, Ji Yecheng decided to impose strict regulations on this country, hoping to silence everyone.

It wasn’t that he became more foolish because of Yan Qing; rather, it was because of her that he began to consider the well-being of the country.

In his former self, he wouldn’t have batted an eye even if the country were to fall apart.

At least, before the fall, he was someone no one dared to touch.

Times had changed, and Ji Yecheng sighed internally, resigning himself to take out his red brush to revise the memorials, though there was a hint of tenderness in his brows.

Thinking of that increasingly arrogant woman allowed him to calm down and endure the dullness of the memorials.

Suddenly, Fu Rong said, “Your Majesty, here’s a memorial from the ministers. They say it has been a long time since the last selection of the harem, and no one has yet conceived a dragon son. Should we select another batch…?”

“Who?” Ji Yecheng asked.

Fu Rong glanced at the author of the memorial and replied, “It’s Lord Zhang from Chaozhou.”

Ji Yecheng said, “Convey my decree: within six months, all unmarried women within three generations of this person’s family who are thirteen years and older must marry. If they fail to marry by the deadline, the government will intervene.”

In Da Qian, women who hadn’t married before the age of twenty-four had to pay a substantial tax known as the “single tax.” However, this law was hardly enforced, as most women were engaged by thirteen and married by fifteen, rarely extending beyond eighteen or nineteen. For many years, no one had paid this single tax, yet the law still existed.

If a woman remained unmarried past thirty, the government would personally arrange a marriage, but the available bachelors would mostly be undesirable, and no one would want to marry such individuals.

Ji Yecheng’s move was essentially a preemptive strike on the unmarried tax for Lord Zhang’s household, ensuring there would be no suitable women left, thus eliminating any thoughts of making them consort and attempting to become the emperor’s father-in-law.

It also served as a warning to others with similar thoughts.

Fu Rong clicked his tongue for a moment, then recorded what Ji Yecheng had said.

He then sent it to Jiang Wende for inspection and approval.

After that, Fu Rong stole a glance at Emperor Cheng.

Every time Emperor Cheng proposed a solution, it had an indescribable effect, and this time was no different—completely iron-hearted. Fu Rong couldn’t help but wonder if such a man would truly change his approach to matters for a woman.

He couldn’t believe it, but this matter had become a fact.

It only deepened Fu Rong’s curiosity about this noble consort.

The only time he had seen the noble consort was vaguely from a distance in the imperial garden’s pavilion. However, as a scholar from a poor background who often stayed up late reading, his eyes had suffered under dim oil lamps, and he couldn’t see her clearly at all.

After the emperor had passed by, he had to leave early due to his status and didn’t get to see the noble consort again, and he had never had the chance since.

Although he knew the noble consort was stunning, captivating enough to make the emperor less foolish, he remained curious. With the emperor’s changes, his curiosity only grew.

When would the emperor take all the memorials for the noble consort?

…

Just as Fu Rong was lost in thought, a sound of footsteps approached.

He quickly composed himself and sat up straight.

He saw Ji Yecheng, who had previously had a poor expression and seemed resistant to reviewing the memorials, also sit up straight. His expression was now composed, and his posture appeared much more dignified.

Fu Rong was still in surprise when a striking crimson figure suddenly appeared before him.