A powerful minister of the Song Dynasty

Chapter 277 Rebuking the Shrewish Empress Guo

"Haha, if that's what Your Majesty says, then I'm even more looking forward to it."

After Song Xuan finished speaking, he picked up his chopsticks, grabbed the dish closest to him, and chewed it twice.

"Oh."

Song Xuan started picking up the remaining dishes, while Zhao Zhen watched with a smile on his face.

These dishes are in no way inferior to those from Fanlou.

Of course, what people at Fanlou are really enjoying is the atmosphere and the prestige.

However, a banquet bestowed by the emperor is something that ordinary people can only dream of.

Not to mention Emperor Zhao Zhen himself, who accompanied him.

Such an event is worthy of being recorded in the later "Veritable Records of Emperor Renzong".

"Twelfth Brother, how do you like the dishes prepared by the imperial chef?"

Song Xuan tasted the mutton and put down his chopsticks:
"Your Majesty, I have suddenly had an epiphany."

"Oh?" Zhao Zhen immediately became interested: "What insights?"

“In the past, Wei Zheng loved vinegared celery. Emperor Taizong gave him three bowls of it, but Wei Zheng remained unfazed. Only today do I understand what it means to have honest advice that is hard to hear but beneficial to one’s conduct!”

Zhao Zhen was also taught by a great Confucian scholar.

In particular, I have studied all the stories of emperors such as Emperor Wu of Han and Emperor Taizong of Tang.

Zhao Zhen also picked up some food and tasted it himself.

Emperor Taizong of Tang once tested Wei Zheng with unpalatable vinegared celery.

Could it be that the twelfth brother was implying that the imperial food was bad?
I didn't mean to test him!

However, Zhao Zhen could understand, since Song Xuan was "not familiar" with him, so it was normal for him to think more.

"Then, Twelfth Brother, please try this fish dish."

Song Xuan directly refused to eat sashimi.

He didn't even pick up his chopsticks:
"Your Majesty, upon seeing this dish, I recall Zhang Han resigning his post for the sake of pure perch. Seeing this dish, I realized that it is not the delicious fish from my hometown, but rather a reflection of my longing for home."

Zhao Zhen also knew that Zhang Han of the Western Jin Dynasty had resigned from his official post under the pretext that the food in his hometown was delicious.

In reality, it was to avoid disaster.

What did Twelfth Brother mean by saying that?
Song Xuan currently holds no official position and would not resign.

Could it be that the dish was so bad that he wanted to resign?

Zhao Zhen thought the food prepared by the imperial chefs in the palace suited his taste quite well and wasn't that bad!

"Taste this."

"Your Majesty, is this Ru ware celadon?"

Song Xuan flicked it lightly:
"It is truly as smooth and lustrous as jade, clearly a genuine and exquisite piece."

Even Zhang Maoze, the eunuch serving food to Song Xuan, could tell that Song Xuan was praising the tableware as better than the food itself.

He was implying that "the presentation is more important than the taste."

The subtext is that the imperial chef's cooking is not good, isn't it?

Zhang Maoze then stopped serving food to Song Xuan and glanced slightly at the emperor beside him.

It was Song Xuan who took the initiative to speak:

"Does the Emperor usually eat these kinds of dishes?"

Zhao Zhen shook his head:
“I usually only eat six dishes, but today, since my twelfth brother has become the top scholar, I will naturally cook more dishes, especially since you can eat so much.”

However, after Zhao Zhen finished speaking, Song Xuan still didn't touch his chopsticks much.

He then pressed on, asking:
"Twelfth Brother, do you really think these dishes are bad?"

"how to say?"

Song Xuan shook his head:
"Actually, I'm a picky eater, but I'm used to the food my brothers cook."

"To me, the dishes prepared by the imperial chef are either too sour, too sweet, or they can't mask the original flavor of the ingredients."

"Moreover, many of the dishes are sweet, and if this continues, His Majesty's teeth will all become rotten."

"As the saying goes, a toothache isn't a disease, but when it hurts, it can be excruciating!"

"It is hoped that Your Majesty will eat less sweets in the future."

Zhao Zhen had a sweet tooth.

However, he also knew that Song Xuan was quite skilled in medicine.

"Is Twelfth Brother really not lying to me?"

"With so many people around the emperor, just send someone to inquire about the symptoms of the toothache, and you'll know whether what I said is true or false."

Song Xuan vaguely remembered that Zhao Zhen passed away when he was in his fifties.

"Your Majesty, my adoptive father has a toothache and wishes he could knock out his bad tooth."

Liang Huaiji, who was serving nearby, quickly said something.

Zhao Zhen nodded slightly: "Twelfth Brother would certainly not lie to me about such a matter."

Zhang Maoze understood this in his heart.

With just three sentences, the top scholar managed to persuade the emperor to replace his cook.

To be honest, he quite likes sweet things.

"That's right. Even if your teeth are half-rotten, not all of them, you won't be able to eat much and will die very quickly."

Upon hearing Song Xuan's words, Zhang Maoze immediately felt that the dessert was no longer important.

"Then I should pay more attention to my diet in the future."

"I'll definitely visit my 12th brother's house to try it another day when I have the chance."

Zhao Zhen also put down his chopsticks. He was a person who liked to listen to advice, and in the future, whoever advised him would be more inclined to help him.

"It's better to choose a day than to hit it."

Song Xuan extended an invitation directly: "Your Majesty, since we have nothing to do today, why don't we go now?"

"what?"

Zhao Zhen was now getting restless:
"Is Twelfth Brother always so decisive in his actions?"

"Since these dishes are not to your liking and would be a waste anyway, why don't you give them away to someone else, Your Majesty? We can just leave the palace. Is that convenient for you in terms of time?"

Zhao Zhen did leave the palace, but only a handful of times.

They left the palace before the palace examination was even over.

As Zhao Zhen hesitated, a reprimand came from outside the door:

"Step aside!"

Then came another loud slap.

popping.

Then the door opened.

Song Xuan turned around and saw a girl dressed in gorgeous clothes, who was less than 1.6 meters tall, walk in.

Her hair was styled in a high bun, adorned with a gilded silver hairpin (the hairpin head was decorated with a peony pattern, a gift from Emperor Zhao Zhen during their wedding).

Appearance and posture.

However, she did put some effort into makeup and dressing up.

Empress Guo's eyebrows were slender and long like a crescent moon, her cheeks were tinged with light red rouge, and her lips were stained with crimson.

She had a pearl flower decoration on her forehead.

This starry sky pattern was popular in the Song Dynasty at the time.

Empress Guo wore a scarlet silk skirt with gold trim and pointed-toe shoes.

She walked in step by step, her shoes adorned with pearls.

On such an important occasion as the discussion between the emperor and his ministers, this arrogant and madwoman arrived.

Zhao Zhen's expression changed drastically!
Song Xuan withdrew his gaze and then caught sight of Zhao Zhen, whose expression had suddenly changed.

He remembered it.

Isn't this Empress Guo, who slapped Zhao Zhen because of her arrogance?
I never expected him to be so arrogant at such a young age.

He didn't need anyone to inform the emperor; he simply announced his arrival with a clapping sound.

interesting!
It seems that Zhao Zhen was completely suppressed by his mother and wife during his most youthful years.

No wonder I have acne; it would be strange if I felt good in this kind of family atmosphere!

Song Xuan also understood why Emperor Renzong had no children when he was in his best physical condition and had the most hormones.

With such an overbearing empress wife by his side, it would probably be difficult for him to even find someone to have sex with.
"Your Majesty."

Empress Guo smiled.

"Your Majesty knows that you have worked hard today presiding over the palace examination, and I wanted to have a meal with you. I did not expect that Your Majesty had already started eating and did not wait for me."

Her words carried a hint of coquettishness and complaint.

Song Xuan listened to Empress Guo, whose voice was strained, and realized that it was not the same person who had just heard the sound of someone rolling away outside the door.

Zhao Zhen had no choice but to respond:
"I have already eaten, Your Majesty need not do this."

Empress Guo was used to being domineering.

Someone close to her suggested that she give birth to a son or daughter for the emperor, preferably a son who would become the crown prince.

However, Zhao Zhen preferred to remain silent rather than go to her bed.

This explains why Empress Guo would occasionally try to "act coquettishly" and then have him sleep with her.

"Are you blind?"

"Get started!"

Empress Guo walked to the dining table and told Song Xuan to get lost.

She also had to dine with the emperor.

No matter who he is.

None of them are as important as the government.

Finally, she'll have a sweet "duo queue" session!

Then Empress Guo turned to Zhao Zhen with a radiant smile and said:
"So that Your Majesty may know, I have specially ordered someone to prepare two delicious dishes. Your Majesty, please come and have a taste."

Seeing Empress Guo's face change drastically and switch between expressions with ease, Song Xuan obediently stood up and then glanced at Zhao Zhen with considerable sympathy.

You are the supreme ruler, the Emperor.

It's so depressing!

Most people are unhappy because of money and repression.

As it turns out, even the emperor of the Great Song Dynasty was the same.

In Song Xuan's view, Zhao Zhen's situation was incredibly relatable.

No one would believe it.

It's more about feeling embarrassed, and I won't tell anyone.

Zhao Zhen felt extremely humiliated.

Upon seeing Song Xuan's "sympathetic" gaze, he became even more defensive.

"Your Majesty, I have already said there is no need for this."

Zhao Zhen practically spat out those words through clenched teeth.

Twelfth Brother was truly the top scholar appointed by the emperor.

I have the utmost respect for him.

And you just told him to get lost.

I'm so angry!
Not to mention that my twelfth brother was not angry at all; on the contrary, he sympathized with me for having such an overbearing wife.

Sometimes men care about something as trivial as saving face.

Empress Guo's disrespect for my friends shows that she has never respected me from the bottom of her heart!
If it weren't for my mother, I wouldn't even bother to pretend to be polite to her.

"Guards, remove all irrelevant personnel. I wish to dine alone with His Majesty."

Empress Guo sat in Song Xuan's chair, her face cold.

"Your Majesty, how about we eat alone, just the two of us?"

As she spoke, her voice became more assertive.

It's like a split personality between a tigress and a lamb.

Although Yan Wenying was unaware of what had happened inside the main hall, he had spent his childhood in the palace and knew that anyone who could be invited to a private banquet by the emperor was certainly no ordinary person.

So he said rather politely:
"Young master, please leave for now. The Empress has given an imperial edict."

"Empress, I am not dead yet. It is not your place to decide to expel the top scholar of the Song Dynasty whom I personally selected!"

Yan Wenying immediately withdrew, knowing that this was a situation far beyond the purview of a servant like himself.

Empress Guo didn't take Song Xuan seriously at all. She merely glanced at him and sneered:
"Who do I think it is? It turns out to be just a newly appointed top scholar."

Then her tone became coquettish again:
"Your Majesty, I personally stewed snow frog soup. Your Majesty has been working hard on the palace examination these past few days, so you should nourish your body."

Song Xuan pursed his lips.

Even though I'm a veteran actor, I almost couldn't keep my composure when faced with this situation.

He simply bowed slightly and said nothing.

After all, someone like Empress Guo wouldn't even survive half an episode in a palace drama; she's just as stupid as a pig.

Zhao Zhen, you're really in a bad situation to have such a wife!

Song Xuan immediately stood up straight.

Try not to make any drastic changes in your facial expressions that might upset the emperor.

However, Zhao Zhen had been observing Song Xuan the whole time, and he naturally noticed the expression on Song Xuan's face, which showed that he wanted to laugh but was trying not to.

Song Xuan remained silent.

He just kept trying to suppress his laughter.

He really didn't know how to evaluate this kind of love and affection that resembled that between junior high school students.

"You may leave. I have important matters to discuss with His Majesty."

Empress Guo didn't even glance at Song Xuan.

What happened to the top scholar of the Song Dynasty?
In front of me, that's nothing but a fart.

Yan Wenying, however, remembered Song Xuan's face.

This is not just the top scholar of the Song Dynasty; he probably achieved the triple crown in the imperial examinations, and his future prospects are limitless.

Given Wang Zeng's example, he is definitely someone you can't afford to offend.

So Yan Wenying smiled and didn't say anything to chase him away.

Instead, he bowed slightly to Song Xuan.

The hall was extremely quiet; no one dared to breathe.

Zhao Zhen found these words extremely grating, and his knuckles clenched on the table, producing a dull thud.

Even Empress Guo looked at Zhao Zhen with great joy.

Zhao Zhen slowly raised his eyes, his voice as cold as ice:
"Your Majesty, I am hosting a banquet!"

Empress Guo was taken aback.

There were countless top scholars in the Song Dynasty.

But the Crown Prince of the Song Dynasty did not have that.

Which is more important?

There's no need to think about it!
Who doesn't know that?
Therefore, Empress Guo simply smiled slightly:
"Your Majesty, he's just a scholar after all, why bother..."

Snapped.

Before Empress Guo could finish speaking, Zhao Zhen smashed the jade cup on the ground and shouted in uncontrollable rage:
"I say—I am hosting a banquet!"

Empress Guo's expression changed slightly.

She truly never expected that the emperor would get angry at her because of a man.

So she felt a surge of jealousy.

Empress Guo immediately stood up and looked up at the tall Song Xuan:
"What's your name?"

"I will not change my name or surname, my surname is Song and my given name is Xuan."

"Fine, I'll remember you," Empress Guo said viciously.
"It's because of you that His Majesty lost his temper with me."

"hehe."

Some foolish people never look for the reasons within themselves, but always blame others for what they have done.

Empress Guo was furious that the newly appointed top scholar was not afraid of her at all, and she even let out a soft chuckle.

"You are presumptuous!"

Song Xuan couldn't help but laugh, ignoring her and cupping his hands in greeting:

"Your Majesty, I have a question to ask, if I may be so bold as to ask it."

"Twelfth Brother, please ask away."

Zhao Zhen's anger did not subside; this crazy woman, who was the Empress, truly made him feel ashamed.

Song Xuan immediately shouted:
"The Rites of Zhou states: The emperor holds banquets for virtuous scholars in the Mingtang Hall, and the women of the inner palace are not allowed to enter without an imperial edict. I wonder if our Great Song Dynasty still follows this custom?"

Zhao Zhen's eyes flashed. Despite his anger, he was observant and nodded slightly.
"Our Great Song Dynasty will naturally follow this etiquette!"

"Does the Empress have an edict from the Empress Dowager?"

Upon hearing Song Xuan's question, Empress Guo became even more enraged:

"No, so what are you going to do about it!"

"Alright, then there's no edict from the Empress Dowager." Song Xuan pointed at Empress Guo and said:

"Your Majesty, the Empress, as the mother of the nation, is unworthy to disregard the rites of Zhou!"

"You audacious madman, how dare you, a mere scholar, use ancient rituals to pressure me?"

"Your Majesty, I am terrified."

Song Xuan immediately admitted defeat, saying:

“I have offended the Empress Dowager and deserve to die. I beg Your Majesty to immediately exile me to Lingnan to rectify the palace.”

Empress Guo blinked. Was he already backing down?

What have you been doing!
Empress Guo chuckled inwardly, then turned around and smiled:
"Your Majesty, please grant his request."

"Guo Qingwu, get out of here!"

Zhao Zhen was furious and overturned the table.

The soup and liquid directly soaked Empress Guo's skirt and her shoes adorned with pearls.

Song Xuan glanced at Empress Guo and secretly shook his head.

If you don't even know the little tricks of palace intrigue—like feigning retreat to advance—you can still comfortably remain empress.

What great luck!
Moreover, the person who was just selected as the top scholar in the palace examination was demoted to Lingnan because of a single word from the Empress.

Do we still want the Song Dynasty's territory?

She didn't even bother to think about the political implications.

She's stubborn and thinks that whatever she says, everyone should do as she says, and the world revolves around her.

Song Xuan directly judged it as early-stage fairy behavior.

Empress Guo was clearly bewildered by the Emperor's actions.

Because of her prolonged fussing, Zhao Zhen simply endured it again and again.

And yet it actually happened today!
And they showed her no respect whatsoever.

Seeing that her carefully chosen shoes and dress were now stained, Empress Guo immediately flew into a rage and shouted:

"Your Majesty, what are you doing?"

Zhao Zhen was actually so enraged that he overturned the table, but when he saw this scene, he was somewhat stunned.

When Empress Guo questioned him, Zhao Zhen even instinctively hid behind Song Xuan.

After all, Empress Guo was incredibly fierce and extremely shrewish.

With Empress Dowager Liu protecting them, they became even more arrogant and disdainful of everyone else!
Emperor Zhao Zhen has had PTSD for the past three years.

Song Xuan immediately stepped forward, extending an arm to protect Zhao Zhen:
"Your Majesty, the Empress shows no respect for the Emperor and his subjects. She is yelling at the Emperor and wantonly humiliating me, the newly appointed top scholar."

“Even when I, a foreign official, am still alive, the Empress dares to be so disrespectful to the Emperor.”

"If it weren't for the foreign ministers, I can't even imagine what kind of evil things she would do."

"When everyone says that Empress Guo will take action against His Majesty, what dignity will His Majesty have left!"

How to govern the Song Dynasty?

"If this gets back to those tiny, insignificant countries, won't they become a laughingstock?"

Zhao Zhen thought for a moment, "Empress Guo has never laid a hand on me."

Why would you say that, Twelfth Brother?

wrong.

She wanted to lay a hand on me and even tried to strip me naked!
Twelfth Brother is telling the truth!

Empress Guo glared at Song Xuan, furious, and began spouting nonsense.

"Anyone who dares to speak nonsense in the palace, I'll rip out their tongue!"

Empress Guo pointed at Song Xuan and said, "Do you really think that someone like you who only knows how to study can control me?"

Song Xuan chuckled and completely ignored her words:
"Your Majesty, I didn't believe it before, but seeing it today, I realize it's true!"

"This act violates the 'seven grounds for divorce' of jealousy. After three years of marriage, there has been no child. I beg Your Majesty to follow the example of Emperor Guangwu of Han who deposed Empress Guo Shengtong, to return the Empress's title and seal, and to select another virtuous and wise woman as Empress!"

Depose the empress!

Empress Guo automatically ignored Song Xuan's previous words.

However, Empress Guo heard the words "depose the empress".

She stared in disbelief at the newly appointed top scholar, who would actually say such a thing! Zhao Zhen was equally dumbfounded, not expecting Song Xuan to say such a thing either.

Or rather, the eunuchs and palace maids inside the hall didn't dare to even breathe loudly.

They were already used to Empress Guo's unreasonable demands and arrogance.

Which of the emperor's servants hadn't been slapped by her a few times?
no way.

Even the officials could only stay far away.

As a result, no one dared to offend Empress Guo.

Unrestrained indulgence leads to this effect.

"Can you say that again!"

Empress Guo stared hysterically at Song Xuan.

"What's wrong with saying it again?" Song Xuan immediately reached out his hand.

"Someone, bring me pen and ink. If Empress Guo cannot hear clearly, I will write a memorial on the spot to depose her and show it to the Emperor. Then I will submit it to the prime ministers for discussion and ask the Empress Dowager to make the final decision."

Empress Guo's face was full of anger:

"you dare?"

"What am I afraid of!"

Empress Guo was immediately intimidated by Song Xuan's imposing presence, her eyes filled with disbelief.

How dare anyone in the world defy her, the Empress, like this?
"You're asking for it!"

"Hahaha." Song Xuan laughed wildly several times:
"So that the Empress may know that Emperor Taizong once told the Prime Minister, 'Brothers are like limbs, wives are like clothes. Clothes can be replaced when they are torn, but limbs cannot be reattached when they are severed.'"

"The foundation of propriety lies in the husband and wife, and the foundation of poetry lies in the empress and concubines. If the empress and concubines are not virtuous, they can endanger the country and the nation of the Song Dynasty!"

"Empress Guo is so domineering that she will certainly not allow the other concubines to get close to the Emperor. The fact that the Emperor is in the prime of his life but has not yet had a child is clear proof of this."

"Your actions are tantamount to severing the royal bloodline with your own hands, a heinous crime that would overthrow the ancestral temples and the state!"

"The act of deposing the empress was for the sake of the Song Dynasty, and it was justifiable to the Empress Dowager."

Song Xuan took a step forward:
"I want to see if this Great Song Dynasty truly belongs to the Zhao family!"

"Still surnamed Guo?"

These words struck at the heart of the matter, and Empress Guo was so frightened that she collapsed to the ground.

They didn't care about the leftover food on the ground.

In fact, she always wanted to have children and prevent other women from getting close to Zhao Zhen.

Now that Song Xuan has exposed him, he is naturally terrified and flustered.

He was completely unlike his arrogant self from before.

Emperor Zhao Zhen had no intention of deposing the empress.

But seeing Empress Guo's terrified appearance, he felt a great sense of satisfaction.

Three years!

Three years!!!

Do you know how I've spent the last three years?
I'm determined to depose the Empress.

Even the Empress Dowager's words have no effect!

At this moment, Zhao Zhen's chest was filled with joy.

The body, which had been filled with pent-up frustration for so long, was finally released at this moment.

Cool!
Twelfth Brother should have come earlier.

Otherwise, I wouldn't have suffered so much these past few years!
The emperor's personal eunuchs, Zhang Maoze and Liang Huaiji, were both terrified.

I didn't dare to say a word; I wished I were deaf.

If this gets out, I'm afraid I'll lose my life.
The top scholar of the Song Dynasty was a bit too impressive.

Originally, people thought that his defiance of the imperial clansmen, the prefect of Yingtian Prefecture, and the Hanlin Academy scholars showed he had incredible audacity.

But never thought.

He actually scared the most domineering empress in the entire palace to tears today!
Zhang Mao glanced at Song Xuan, unsure how to start a conversation.

What if the Empress Dowager blames me?

Empress Guo's personal eunuch, Yan Wenying, was also terrified by Song Xuan's words and was on the verge of collapse.

However, he knew that his wealth and status still rested with the Empress, so he quickly tried to smooth things over.

"Are you all dead? Didn't you see the Empress tripped and fell? Quickly help her up!"

Yan Wenying dared not say that he was frightened by Song Xuan.

After all, he knew how formidable a top scholar who had achieved the highest honors in all three imperial examinations was!

People say that when writing a memorial to depose an empress, the prime ministers need to study it carefully.

They might even take a look at the Empress Dowager's place.

If the Empress is unharmed, it will be the servants who suffer.

Moreover, Song Xuan was quoting Emperor Taizong and ancient rites.

How could they possibly understand this?

But if a scholar could speak so eloquently, and he dared to rebuke the Empress like that, then it must be true.

If the empress is deposed, these people will not be able to escape responsibility!

"Your Majesty, please calm down. The Empress is a little confused today. I will take her back to rest."

Empress Guo was helped up and tried to regain her former domineering demeanor, but after being looked at by Song Xuan, she immediately pretended to faint again.

To be honest, she was really afraid of being deposed as empress.

Empress Guo was carried away by a flurry of hands, and someone quickly summoned the imperial physician to treat her.

The imperial guards on duty stared in disbelief, exchanged a glance, and quickly stood at attention.

Many people are packing up their things.

Song Xuan sighed and patted Zhao Zhen on the shoulder:

"Your Majesty, you've suffered these past few years!"

"How can the emperor govern the country with peace of mind if such a shrew is the mother of the nation!"

"This matter should be discussed with the Empress Dowager immediately!"

"Such a vicious nature couldn't have developed overnight!"

Zhao Zhen felt a lump in his throat. Being comforted by his twelfth brother like this, he couldn't hold back the grievances in his heart.

Since we got married, I have been tormented by her every day and night.

The bitterness in Zhao Zhen's heart could not be easily expressed in just a few words.

He had been thinking of enduring it until he took power himself.

But Song Xuan had just stood up for him so strongly and found him a new way out.

It was a path that Zhao Zhen had never considered: to depose the empress!
"That's all."

"Your Majesty, we cannot let this go."

Song Xuan immediately said, "We should press on with our remaining strength to eliminate the enemy, and not seek fame like Xiang Yu."

Zhao Zhen was taken aback again.

Song Xuan is truly a gifted scholar who speaks eloquently; he is indeed a renowned talent in the three capitals.

"The late emperor had children when you were this old. If you didn't have children, how could you sit on the throne securely?"

"For the sake of the Song Dynasty and the stability of the state, how can we give up?"

Song Xuan spoke without any regard for those present:

"I didn't know the Empress was so domineering before, but now that I've seen it, I can't just ignore it."

"Walk."

Song Xuan grabbed Zhao Zhen's arm and said, "Let's go find the Empress Dowager right now."

Zhao Zhen followed behind Song Xuan, momentarily dazed.

When I was six years old, as the youngest child who had been abducted, it was my twelfth brother who grabbed my hand and led me through the underground of Tokyo City until I finally saw the light of day again.

Now that the scene has been reenacted, tears welled up in Zhao Zhen's eyes.

On the other side, once she left the emperor's bedchamber, Empress Guo woke up on her own without needing any imperial physicians.

When she returned to her palace, she was furious. She first cleaned up the table, smashed all sorts of valuable items, and didn't even change her dirty shoes and clothes.

"Song Xuan, a mere top scholar, has quite the audacity."

"I didn't know I was the current Empress, and that my grandfather was the Duke of Ying of the Great Song Dynasty!"

Her grandfather served as one of Guo Wei's most trusted confidants from the Later Tang to the Later Jin to the Later Han and then to the Later Zhou, eventually becoming a general in the Song Dynasty.

During the Later Jin Dynasty, Shi Jingtang ceded the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun to the Khitan. Ashamed to be a subject of the Khitan, Shi Jingtang resigned his post and returned south, where he later fought against the Khitan on several occasions.

Guo Chong was posthumously granted the title of Duke of Ying because of her granddaughter.

"Your Majesty, please calm your anger."

Yan Wenying kicked everyone out, telling them to clean up later.

"I cannot calm down."

"I just sent someone to investigate."

Yan Wenying told Empress Guo that Song Xuan had been chosen as the top scholar by the Emperor on the spot, and the Empress had agreed.

The palace examination is not yet finished.

He even declared that if any other students wanted to challenge Song Xuan's position as the top scholar, they were welcome to submit their papers as well.

One after another, dozens of candidates failed the exam, staring silently at Song Xuan's paper.

The difference is obvious at a glance.

Song Xuan then achieved the highest honors in all three categories, a treatment similar to that of the current Prime Minister Wang Zeng.

It's almost certain that he was young enough to wear a purple robe.

"so what?"

Empress Guo felt that even Prime Minister Wang Zeng would not dare to speak to her and threaten her like that!
She felt uneasy because she sensed the blatant threat in Song Xuan's words.

"So that the Empress may know."

Yan Wenying then gave her a briefing on Song Xuan's "heroic deeds".

Although Empress Guo found it difficult to remain calm, those people were far below her in status and position.

"This Song Zhuangyuan is only in his early twenties, young and ambitious, and very daring and bold. Your Majesty should not take him seriously."

Yan Wenying said with considerable worry, "Otherwise, if those words were taken to the Empress Dowager, I'm afraid..."

"What's there to be afraid of? With the Empress Dowager's favor towards me, why would she believe the words of an outsider?"

In Empress Guo's eyes, they were the real family.

How could family members be persuaded by outsiders?
"Report."

The spies that Empress Guo had planted to monitor the emperor rushed in to report:
"Your Majesty, the top scholar Song has dragged the Emperor to the Empress Dowager to file a complaint."

"To file a complaint?" Empress Guo asked uncertainly, "To file a complaint about what?"

"To file a complaint against the Empress!"

Upon hearing this, Empress Guo suddenly felt her legs go weak.

If Yan Wenying hadn't caught her quickly, she probably would have fallen to the ground and been cut by the broken porcelain.

"He really dares?"

"He really dares to do it!"

Empress Guo's eyes were filled with anxiety.

Yan Wenying hadn't expected Song Xuan to act so quickly; he was a man of action!
"Quickly send men to stop them."

Empress Guo suddenly grabbed Yan Wenying's arm: "We must not let them see the Empress Dowager."

Even if he had the guts, Yan Wenying wouldn't dare to stop the emperor!

Moreover, they were going to see the Empress Dowager.

"This matter requires the Empress's intervention. She should plead with the Emperor. He is soft-hearted and may be able to stop Scholar Song."

Upon hearing Yan Wenying's suggestion, Empress Guo immediately grasped at a straw.

"really?"

"The Empress should still give it a try; after all, even a night of marriage is worth a hundred days of kindness."

Yan Wenying hurriedly ordered a sedan chair to be prepared, otherwise they would have missed it.

"Yes, yes, I'll go and beg the officials."

Empress Guo got into the sedan chair and angrily shouted at the eunuchs that they had to run.

If you're too slow and can't catch up, I'll beat you all to death!

Empress Guo was used to being domineering, and no one dared to disobey her. She was not joking when she said she would beat you to death.

She really can do it.

So the group of eunuchs who didn't want to die immediately took off running.

"Twelfth Brother, how should we tell Mother about this?"

Seeing that Song Xuan had slowed down, Zhao Zhen was conflicted for a moment.

He believed that Empress Guo was chosen by his mother, and no matter what mistakes she made, she would not be deposed.

If we depose her, wouldn't that imply that the Empress Dowager has poor judgment?
This is a huge blow to one's political image.

"No rush to tell."

Song Xuan felt that there was no point in saying anything.

This person was chosen by Empress Liu E, and as long as she is alive, there is no possibility of her being deposed.

Unless Empress Guo loses her composure in front of the entire court and slaps the emperor.

With everyone present, no one dared to plead for her.

"But."

"No buts."

Song Xuan waved his hand dismissively:

"Your Majesty has Empress Guo's spies around you. What I said in public just now will surely reach her ears. Although she is stupid, the servants around her are not."

"what?"

Zhao Zhen narrowed his eyes slightly. "Is there an empress's spies around me?"

Straight bitch!
I've treated them so well, and they still betray me!
"If nothing unexpected happens, Empress Guo will definitely come to Your Majesty to plead for mercy. I will just play the good cop and say some harsh words. Your Majesty can decide how to handle it."

"Does Twelfth Brother mean he doesn't want to cripple her?"

Song Xuan shaded his eyes with his hand as he watched the sedan chair speeding towards him:
"The time is not ripe yet. His Majesty has not even assumed personal rule. How can he make such a decision?"

Zhao Zhen also saw the sedan chair and immediately gave up hope.

It's a waste that I've been so lenient with them; they've actually turned against me!

"I still don't understand the deeper meaning behind Twelfth Brother's actions."

"I'll help you live the life of a normal man."

Song Xuan patted Zhao Zhen on the shoulder:

"I am quite skilled in archery. When does Your Majesty consider archery to be most intimidating?"

Zhao Zhen knew that Song Xuan was a skilled archer, and that he was most intimidating when he was holding the bow and ready to shoot.

Therefore, he nodded: "I understand!"

"Ah."

Empress Guo lifted the curtain and saw Song Xuan and the Emperor walking. She urged them to hurry up once again, and even asked Yan Wenying, who was out of breath from running, to call the Emperor to stop.

Although Yan Wenying dared not, he was faced with the arrogant Empress Guo and the lenient Emperor.

He gritted his teeth, jogged up, and shouted, "Your Majesty, wait a moment, wait a moment!"

"I didn't wait, I just didn't hear it."

Song Xuan grabbed Zhao Zhen's arm:
"Don't look back. We're in the right now, so we have to be tough!"

Empress Guo saw Yan Wenying call out, but the Emperor and Song Xuan did not stop, and their faces grew paler and paler.

She became even more ruthless, saying that if they couldn't catch up with the officials, they would all be thrown into the Bian River to feed the turtles, and no one could save them.

Finally, under such threat, the eunuchs caught up with the emperor and stopped to the side.

They were kneeling on the ground, panting, and had no strength to get up. Some of them even urinated.

The threat posed by Empress Guo was far too frightening for them.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty."

Empress Guo looked at Song Xuan, who was blocking half of Zhao Zhen's body, and felt a little intimidated.
"What are you going to do?"

"I am going with the Emperor to discuss important matters with the Empress Dowager. I hope the Empress will not interfere."

Upon hearing this, Empress Guo became even more certain that they had gone to the Empress Dowager to complain.

"I'm determined to stop you."

Empress Guo looked anxious, then turned to Zhao Zhen:
"Does Your Majesty really intend to do something so heartless?"

"I entered the palace at the age of twelve, and was personally chosen by the Empress Dowager to be my empress. On our wedding night, the Emperor held my hand as we trimmed the red candles, promising to never betray me in this life. And now..."

"Now you actually want to depose your wife of many years just because of a stranger's words?"

Although Consort Zhang, whom Zhao Zhen was satisfied with, was taken away by Empress Liu, it was his first marriage, so he naturally had high hopes for marriage.

The result was that Empress Guo slapped him repeatedly and subjected him to mental torture, making him realize how stupid the things he said on his wedding night had been!
Every time he thinks about it, Zhao Zhen can't help but slap himself twice.

"Who told you that?"

Song Xuan snorted and laughed:
"Your Majesty, please don't make things up if there are no witnesses. The Emperor and I are here to discuss important matters with the Empress Dowager."

Upon hearing Song Xuan's words, Empress Guo immediately confirmed:

"Qin Kang told me, don't even think about lying to me!"

Song Xuan chuckled, "I don't know any Qin Kang. Move aside."

However, Zhao Zhen, along with Zhang Maoze and Liang Huaiji behind him, narrowed their eyes.

This spineless bastard is the one who betrays his own people.

Yan Wenying, who was lying on the ground pretending to be a dead dog, didn't bother to say anything more after hearing Empress Guo expose her spies.

It's really impossible to carry it.

So be it.

Whatever.

Emperor Zhao Zhen was initially somewhat soft-hearted, but when Empress Guo revealed the identity of his spies, he became extremely angry.

After all, he had a psychological aversion to the fact that someone would inform him if he wanted to have sex with other beauties.

"I will not allow it!"

Empress Guo looked pitifully at Emperor Renzong and said, "Your Majesty, I know I was wrong!"

“I shouldn’t have been jealous of Consort Liu, shouldn’t have broken the Emperor’s inkstone, and shouldn’t have stepped on the Emperor’s memorial.”

"But I'm afraid of the matter of being a concubine. I'm afraid the Emperor will no longer have any regard for concubines!"

After Empress Guo finished speaking, she began to wail loudly.

Because she felt extremely wronged.

Zhao Zhen patted Song Xuan on the arm and made him step aside, so Song Xuan stepped forward.

"do not Cry."

Empress Guo immediately turned from tears to joy: "Has Your Majesty forgiven me?"

Having just been somewhat moved by Empress Guo's performance, Zhao Zhen was even more disheartened upon seeing her acting so theatrically.

Is she really completely unable to discern other people's likes and dislikes?
"Don't make a scene like that again."

Zhao Zhen wiped away her tears:
"Otherwise, no matter how much I plead, my ministers will not agree."

Empress Guo glanced cautiously at Song Xuan, whose face was tense, and then a smug smile appeared on her face.

As expected, the Emperor loves me the most.

You can't beat me!
"I understand."

Empress Guo leaned against Zhao Zhen's chest.

"So, will you still cause trouble in the future?"

"No more fuss."

"From now on, I will definitely obey Your Majesty's orders."

Song Xuan took two steps back, gesturing for Liang Huaiji to take two steps back as well.

Do you know Qin Kang?

"I know. The one who follows us around every day and is responsible for changing the emperor's clothes is the adopted grandson of Qin Han, the governor of Beizhou. He's a disgrace to the old man, a traitorous dog!"

The Qin Han mentioned by Liang Huaiji was the second most capable eunuch in the Song Dynasty, who was renowned for his military prowess in the Northern Liao and Western Xia, and could fight both internally and externally.

He can be considered a role model for the eunuchs who followed the emperor.

"Go back and catch him."

Even without Song Xuan's instructions, Liang Huaiji gritted his teeth in anger. The Emperor had treated everyone so well, yet they had betrayed him.

Damn it!

So Liang Huaiji followed Song Xuan back and summoned all the people who usually served the emperor.

Song Xuan sat at his desk, watching Liang Huaiji instruct him to close the door.

"Qin Kang!"

Hearing Song Xuan call his name, Qin Kang, not knowing what it was about, immediately bowed respectfully.

"The villain is here."

Song Xuan said slowly:
"Empress Guo said it was you, that boy, who always tipped her off?"

(End of this chapter)