The person outside the curtain was startled and knelt down with a thud, their voice trembling. "Your Majesty, this servant did not know you had suddenly returned to the palace..."
Su Mian recognized his voice; his name was Xiang Yi, and he was about the same age as Duan Xuanyu.
When she and Duan Xuanyu returned from the enemy country, they made a brief stop in a certain city along the way.
They discovered that a rich kid over there was committing crimes and bullying others.
Xiang Yi was an orphan who worked as a carpenter. Because a rich man had taken a fancy to his fiancée, and Xiang Yi was unwilling to break off the engagement, the rich man castrated him in front of his fiancée.
Duan Xuanyu upheld justice for Xiang Yi and punished the rich man.
But Xiang Yi could no longer be with his fiancée, so the two broke off their engagement.
He also gave all his savings to his fiancée as compensation for the time he had wasted on her.
Duan Xuanyu saw that he was honest, kind, and loyal, so he brought him back to the palace to be his trusted eunuch.
At that moment, Duan Xuanyu looked down at the clothes he was wearing.
Fortunately, he was filming a period drama today, playing a guard who entered the palace and mingled with the concubines.
Although he was not wearing his usual black and gold dragon robe, nor the uniform of a palace guard, he was not so out of place as to be regarded as an oddity by the people of Northern Liang.
So he said, "Come in."
Xiang Yi then lifted the curtain and came in.
He stood to the side, speaking respectfully, "Your Majesty, have you found the Empress in these three days?"
Three days?
Su Mian and Duan Xuanyu were both surprised.
If you do the math, they've already spent 21 days in the modern world.
I didn't expect that only three days had passed here.
Duan Xuanyu: "We've found it. I'll be returning soon. There's no need to publicize this."
When Su Mian suddenly disappeared during the coronation ceremony, he planned to go find her. He arranged for a trusted minister to handle state affairs beforehand, saying that he was going to Rehe to escape the summer Rehe.
Only Xiang Yi knew that he had gone to see the Empress.
Duan Xuanyu then said, "Go and bring me the memorials from these past three days."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
A while later, the memorial arrived.
Su Mian leaned closer, rested her head on his arm, and looked at it with him.
Since it was a country she had helped build, she was curious about what had happened there after she left.
As a result, it turned out that several memorials were criticizing her.
Some say she disappeared suddenly because she was a demon.
Some people didn't believe in supernatural phenomena and said that she had been disrespectful to the emperor and had run away from her arranged marriage.
Only Prince Sheng... is the second uncle that Duan Xuanyu wants to kill.
They said she "became an immortal" or "ascended to heaven in broad daylight."
He also demanded that people all over the country build shrines to the Empress and sculpt golden statues of her.
[Master, those ministers say you are a demon; they are wicked. Prince Sheng says you have become an immortal; Prince Sheng is good.]
"... Luckily, you're my system, not Duan Xuanyu's, otherwise Northern Liang would be finished within two years."
[What's wrong?]
"This is a war of words!"
Do you know how much trouble and waste of money it is to build shrines to living people?
" Prince Sheng did this on purpose, because I have done many good things for the people before, and I have a good reputation among them."
" Prince Sheng is using my name everywhere to amass wealth. The people may not dare to say anything, but they resent me in their hearts."
" Duan Xuanyu will thus become a foolish ruler who dotes on the Prince Sheng to rebel in the future."
Good heavens! Boiling water is too hot to drink, and people's hearts are too cold to touch!
Duan Xuanyu was clearly aware of this as well.
He immediately ordered Xiang Yi to summon his elite troops and sent someone to bring Prince Sheng to the palace.
At this time, Prince Sheng has little conflict with Duan Xuanyu, so he won't be too wary.
This is the easiest time to kill him.
Soon, Prince Sheng arrived.
Prince Sheng knelt down to pay his respects.
Duan Xuanyu slammed the memorial down in front of him. "Praying for the Empress while causing suffering to the people of the world, what blessings can she gain?"
At this moment, Prince Sheng was unaware that he was about to face a great calamity.
I thought it was just a small matter.
"If Your Majesty finds this inappropriate, you may simply reject my memorial. Why get so angry?"
Duan Xuanyu chuckled coldly in a low voice, "The Empress's reputation was almost ruined by you, and I can't even get angry? Death!"
Several guards rushed out immediately; two grabbed Prince Sheng's arms, and another was about to force-feed him wine laced with arsenic.
Poisoning is a fairly simple and humane method; you can just say he died suddenly.
Only then did Prince Sheng realize that he was serious and quickly begged for mercy, "Your Majesty! I am your flesh and blood! How can you put me to death for such a thing!"
Duan Xuanyu: "You're already plotting a rebellion at this point, aren't you, Second Imperial Uncle?"
Prince Sheng was stunned.
Yes... but he hasn't done anything yet! He's only made some plans! How did he know?
The poisoned wine was already at his lips.
He tried to resist!
Resistance failed!
He started swearing!
Duan Xuanyu, you'll die a horrible death!
Duan Xuanyu smiled coldly, "You cursed me to a terrible death, yet I let you die a good death. Repaying evil with kindness, that's my character."
Xiang Yi: "Your Majesty is merciful!"
Prince Sheng: "You dog emperor, you've been blinded by lust! Gurgle gurgle... The Empress slapped you, offending the imperial dignity, and you didn't dare utter a single word! You're spineless! Gurgle gurgle..."
Duan Xuanyu's gaze grew increasingly cold. "Increase the dosage."
The guard was bewildered... This was enough to kill him.
But His Majesty must have his reasons for saying so, so the guards had no choice but to add two more packets of arsenic to the poisoned wine.
Su Mian's heart pounded when she heard what Prince Sheng said.
What he said was practically a psychological trauma for her.
When she first met Duan Xuanyu Duan Xuanyu, he didn't trust her and tried to harm her on several occasions.
Fortunately, she was a time traveler and knew about many major events.
After saving him several times, I built trust with him.
Later, in order to make him more obedient, I beat him quite a few times.
As he continued beating him, his expression changed.
What was once the fierceness of a lone wolf has gradually become as clear-headed as a husky.
A fist shatters the wolf king's dream, a slap reveals the loyalty of a devoted dog.
He later ascended the throne.
Su Mian kept reminding herself that she must not fight him again.
It was an era of imperial power; even with special abilities, one couldn't confuse the major and minor kings.
She would never forget that in his time he was an emperor who could control the life and death of others with a mere word.
But one time, he got drunk at a family dinner party, and afterwards he carried her to consummate their marriage.
Su Mian couldn't hold back and slapped him across the face.
The imperial relatives were all stunned.
Su Mian herself was stunned.
Just when everyone thought Su Mian was doomed.
Duan Xuanyu simply looked at her with restrained eyes, his lips pressed together, saying nothing.
Then he took her hand and gently rubbed it, his expression a mixture of affection and hurt.
... But she was actually quite scared that time.
-
After dealing with Prince Sheng's matter, there wasn't much time left before the next time travel.
Duan Xuanyu picked up a black iron rod from the table.
This staff was a weapon specially made for Su Mian, originally intended to be given to her after the coronation ceremony...
I'll wear it back later and give it to her.
Oh, and you can also bring back some valuables.
Su Mian once said that she likes rich men.
He had to meet this small request.
He immediately took all the portable items from the bedroom, including vases, inkstones, teacups, and calligraphy and paintings by famous artists.
Items used by the imperial court were not cheap in ancient times.
In modern times, their net worth is even greater, reaching millions or tens of millions of times.
Xiang Yi, who was helping out, respectfully asked, "Your Majesty, are you going to see the Empress again?"
Duan Xuanyu: "Yes."
Xiang Yi humbly pleaded, "Your Majesty, may I come with you? I wish to take care of Your Majesty and the Empress."