Sееing hеr bewilderеd ехрrеssion, Lingshu quickly hаndеd her a сup of tеа аnd whisреrеd, "Has Yоur Majesty forgottеn?"
"It's nоt that I fоrgot—I simрlу hаvе no idеа whаt's gоing оn." Feng Yuе blinked, pulling Mаmа Jin clоser and asking sоftly, "What fаvor arе уоu tаlking аbоut?"
Мama Jin gаvе her а rерroаchful lооk. "Don't yоu rеmembеr? Besides Duаnxian and Не Сhou, thеre are mаnу оthers in Drеаm Rеturn Раviliоn whosе griеvanсes rеmain unresоlved."
Оf соurse shе rеmеmbеred. She had еven mentioned it to Yin Gеzhi, asking him to spаre somе effоrt if hе had thе time.
Huh? Wait a moment. Feng Yue stiffened, turning to Mama Jin in surprise. "Their... grievances have been resolved?"
"Not exactly resolved, but all their past injustices and old grievances have been brought into the light and fairly adjudicated." Beaming with joy, Mama Jin sighed. "They chose to enter Dream Return Pavilion back then because they had no other way to seek justice. Who would have thought that now the courts are wide open? From imperial relatives down to county officials, anyone accused will face trial. This way, they no longer need to take such dangerous paths—they can simply file their cases openly and honestly."
Feng Yue was momentarily stunned, lost in thought.
The words sounded simple, but she knew how much pressure and effort it would take to actually achieve this. The new emperor had just ascended the throne—how could he spare the time for such matters? And judging by the progress, it must have been started before Emperor Wen of Wei passed away.
Could it be that her casual remark had truly been taken to heart, and he was earnestly acting on it?
Her heart stirred slightly. Feng Yue took a deep breath, her expression complex.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty!" Mama Jin's loud voice snapped her back to reality. Waving her handkerchief, Mama Jin said, "It's not right to keep everyone waiting like this."
Right. Blinking, Feng Yue smiled and turned back, dismissing the palace maids and closing the door. Rolling up her sleeves, she declared, "Since you're in my territory now, feel free to let loose! Forget the rules for now. Lingshu, bring the wine!"
"Right away!" Lingshu responded cheerfully, skipping off to fetch the wine. The girls, who had been worried about breaking etiquette, relaxed immediately upon seeing the empress tuck her skirt into her belt. They laughed and took their seats.
Sitting in the host's seat with her legs crossed like a rogue, Feng Yue looked at them with emotion and asked, "Who is the current top courtesan now?"
"Her!" Everyone pointed at once, pushing Weiyun forward.
Back in Wu Kingdom, Weiyun had looked down on Feng Yue and often helped Duanxian bully her. Now, seeing Feng Yue's striking, charming features free of makeup, Weiyun blushed and dared not raise her head, trembling as she curtsied. "This humble girl, Weiyun, greets Her Majesty the Empress."
"So it's you!" Feng Yue raised an eyebrow, pulling her up and making her sit beside her. Squinting, she teased, "You didn't like me back then!"
Weiyun paled and quickly said, "This humble girl wouldn't dare!"
"Don't deny it!" Feng Yue snorted. "During that performance at Dream Return Pavilion, didn't you bribe a scholar to embarrass me? Luckily, before I even took the stage, all of you ended up being the ones embarrassed!"
Mentioning the past, everyone laughed even harder. Weiyun twisted her handkerchief and murmured, "It wasn't entirely my fault, Your Majesty. Your conduct back then was truly...""Not very likable, right?" Feng Yue smiled, squinting her eyes. "I never intended to get along well with you all back then—I was only thinking about how to seduce men, so of course I wasn't likable! Don't follow my example, everyone, or you'll be ostracized!"
Weiyun was taken aback, but seeing Feng Yue's candid expression, she couldn't help but laugh, her anxiety instantly vanishing.
She wasn't the type to nitpick with them.
"If following Your Majesty's example could lead to meeting a gentleman as wonderful as His Majesty, this commoner would gladly learn!" Jinzhu said cheerfully. "Ever since His Majesty ascended the throne, even the auntie selling steamed buns across from the Dream Return Pavilion spontaneously celebrated by lowering the price of her buns by one copper coin!"
"Exactly! That day, the streets went wild—soldiers distributed grain, and many wealthy families opened their doors to offer wine and meat. Everyone knew we were welcoming a wise ruler."
Hearing this, Feng Yue slapped her thigh. "I knew his ascension would win the hearts of the people."
"Yes, especially ours!" Weiyun said earnestly. "Earlier, when we were taken to the yamen for questioning, we were terrified. We didn't dare say a word, not even to report an injustice. But guess what the presiding official said?"
"Hmm?" Feng Yue looked at her curiously, her eyes sparkling. "What did he say?"
"He said, with Prince Xiao backing us, who couldn't we accuse?" Weiyun exclaimed, her eyes filled with emotion as she smiled happily. "Even the Guan family's case was overturned by Prince Xiao—what wouldn't he dare to overturn? Now that His Highness has succeeded to the throne as emperor, his support for us is even stronger. We fear nothing and will report every injustice!"
As she spoke, her eyes reddened. Boldly taking Feng Yue's hand, she choked up and said, "We all thought we'd never be able to turn our lives around in this lifetime—even if we sought revenge, we surely wouldn't survive. We never imagined such a day would come, nor that we'd meet such a wonderful employer like you..."
Feng Yue chuckled softly, picking up a handkerchief to dab at Weiyun's eyes. "I was just lucky too. I wasn't supposed to survive either."
Who would have thought someone would be so reluctant to let her go, even scheming from who knows how long ago, paving the way piece by piece so she could walk steadily without even realizing it.
"Master!" Lingshu returned in a flurry, carrying a wine jar, with Guan Zhi following behind holding a stack of wine bowls.
Feng Yue's eyes lit up, sweeping away her melancholy mood. She waved her hand and said, "Pour for everyone, and bring some snacks to go with the wine!"
"The snacks are already being prepared," Lingshu replied with a smile, placing a wine bowl beside her and pouring a small pot of wine into it.
Feng Yue was deeply moved. Ever since she learned there was something growing in her belly, Yin Gezhi hadn't allowed her to drink. Lingshu was such a good child, knowing how to soothe the wine cravings in her belly!
She raised her head and downed the bowl in one gulp, then smacked her lips and suddenly frowned.
"Lingshu, what is this?"
The little maid beside her smiled sweetly. "Master, it's wine."
The corner of Feng Yue's mouth twitched. She narrowed her eyes and pulled her closer. "Your master is now the empress! Deceiving me by passing off water as wine is a punishable offense!"
Adjusting the eunuch robe she was wearing, Lingshu replied obediently, "Master, this is the 'wine' bestowed by His Majesty. He ordered you to drink it when entertaining guests. If I disobeyed the imperial decree, I'd be punished too!"Feng Yue: "..." Shameless Yin Gezhi, how dare he bribe the people around her!
Annoyed, she took another sip, then looked pitifully at Weiyun: "Is it good?"
Putting down the wine bowl, Weiyun wiped the corner of her mouth and smiled: "Your Majesty, this is Mama Jin's Beauty Brew, which we brought into the palace. Of course it's delicious."
Her eyes turning green with envy, Feng Yue licked her lips and swallowed: "Let me have a taste of yours?"
Just as her claws were about to touch the wine bowl, Weiyun swiftly raised it high out of reach.
"Your Majesty, before we entered the palace, His Majesty issued an oral decree: anyone who lets you drink will leave the palace horizontally! Please have mercy and don't make things difficult for us."
...Damn him, he even uses other people's lives as a threat?! Feng Yue glared, scanning the people around her happily drinking, then pouted, suddenly feeling wronged.
"Why can all of you drink, but I can't!" Waving her arms and twisting her body, she wailed like a child: "I don't care! I want to drink too!"
With that, like a tiger descending the mountain, she let out a roar and pounced on them!
Everyone laughed, screaming as they protected their wine bowls. Those she chased ran around trying to dodge, the aroma of wine spilling all over them.
Lingshu watched with bated breath, afraid she might fall or get hurt, but try as she might, she couldn't hold her back. Seeing the Beauty Brew, her mistress became like a crazed lion, roaring as she chased people relentlessly!
What should be done?
The palace door creaked open, but those inside were running around too happily to notice. Feng Yue shouted angrily as she ran: "Not even letting people drink—do you have any humanity?!"
With that, she rolled up her sleeves and lunged forward! Jin Zhu ahead dodged sideways, and Feng Yue, unable to brake, unexpectedly crashed into someone's arms.
The surroundings instantly fell silent.
Feng Yue blinked, suddenly sensing something amiss. Secretly feeling the texture of this person's clothes, her heart skipped a beat. Maintaining the posture of having crashed in, she immediately changed her tone: "You're all so mean! None of you are as good to me as His Majesty!"
"Oh?" A cold voice fell from above, like ice hitting the back of her head: "I won't let you drink either. Do I also lack humanity?"
"No, no, no!" Looking up at him with a smile, Feng Yue said: "You are the most humane person in the world!"
Snorting coldly, Yin Gezhi grabbed the back of her collar, disdainfully glanced at the eunuch's attire, then addressed the stunned crowd in the hall: "My wife has been discourteous. Please wait a moment."
With that, he scooped her up and carried her toward the inner chamber.
"What's wrong?" Feng Yue's panicked voice drifted from the palace door all the way to the inner chamber: "Hey? I can do it myself! There are still people outside!"
"Hey!"
"...I was wrong, okay? I promise I won't charge around recklessly next time!"
"Your Majesty... good Your Majesty..."
Listening in stunned silence, a group of women who had always been indifferent to worldly affairs blushed. Soon, Feng Yue was carried out again, now dressed in the Empress's casual attire. Embroidered with phoenix patterns, it looked comfortable, but her face was full of pitifulness, like a wronged young wife.
Yin Gezhi took the main seat and placed this little wife beside him, then asked: "Since you've come all this way, if any of you have difficulties, please speak freely."Upon hearing this, everyone immediately felt the swift and profound sense of security that came with having the emperor's backing. They knelt down in unison and said, "The emperor's grace is boundless. We humble women have no other requests."
With a slight nod, Yin Gezhi turned to Mama Jin, who understood his meaning and spoke up: "Upon learning of Your Majesty's ascension to the position of empress, this old servant has already sent word to the Wu Kingdom. He Chou and Duanxian are both on their way, hoping to meet with Your Majesty."
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