The emperor would rather have a

Chapter 197 Business and Family Matters
early december.

News that Emperor Shizong Chai Rong was preparing to return to the capital had been secretly relayed back to Tokyo.

Upon first hearing this, Li Yi was taken aback, but upon reflection, it seemed to make perfect sense.

I heard that Huainan had experienced a heavy snowfall that lasted for four or five days, with the deepest snow reaching above knee-deep.

Under such harsh weather conditions, the logistical pressure on hundreds of thousands of troops is no small matter.

Moreover, given the freezing weather, going to the battlefield to fight would be pure torture. The fact that Zhou's soldiers did not suffer a large-scale rout already shows that the quality of the troops was extremely high.

However, this may not be a bad thing for Li Yi. With the campaign against the Southern Tang thwarted, he will have a chance to prove himself.
Of course, it's too early to think about these things for now.

Let's not even talk about how Emperor Shizong Chai Rong will arrange things for himself when the time comes.

Even if they are certain to have me play, it will be at least after next spring.

The most important thing right now is to get the current task done...

……

At dawn, Tokyo was still shrouded in the thick darkness of night.

When Li Yi opened his eyes, not even a hint of dawn was breaking outside the window.

The working class of later generations often jokingly refer to themselves as cattle and horses, but weren't the officials of ancient times the same?
Ultimately, being an official is just working for the emperor.

Despite Li Yi's current high position and power, he also has a heavier burden on his shoulders, with endless matters to handle from morning till night.

He wouldn't dare say he sleeps later than a dog, but he definitely wakes up earlier than a rooster, because every day when he gets up, the roosters haven't even started crowing yet.

But compared to the enormous power they wielded, this hardship was nothing.

Ambitious people are never afraid of hardship; they are only afraid of enduring hardship when it's not necessary, and then suffering without gaining anything in return.

Li Yi got up quietly, not wanting to wake the sleeping Xuan'er beside him.

The girl curled up in the brocade quilt, only a section of her snow-white neck showing, which gleamed like pearls in the dim candlelight.

Li Yi couldn't help but reach out and gently stroke it, his fingertips touching something warm and soft. In her dream, Xian'er unconsciously rubbed against his hand, like a spoiled kitten.

Now, he can be said to have a beautiful wife and concubines by his side, with one wife and two concubines at home... no, it should be said that he has three concubines.

Because a few days ago, Li Yi had already taken Guo into his household.

This matter is thanks to the impeachment memorial submitted by the Imperial Censor Zuo Chengsi, which also brought up his private affairs with Lady Guo to the attention of Emperor Shizong, Chai Rong.

The emperor did not reprimand Li Yi, but only gave Zuo Chengsi a word of encouragement.

Therefore, it was only natural for Li Yi to take Guo as a concubine.

He had promised to give Guo a proper status back then, but due to various concerns, it has been delayed until now.

Now it has finally come true, and she even got a chance to see the emperor, so it can be said that she wasn't treated too badly.

After all, it is rare in history for the emperor to be allowed to see a concubine before taking her in – when Zuo Chengsi mentioned the affair between his brother-in-law and sister-in-law in his impeachment, the emperor did not object, which is tantamount to tacit approval.
However, this was just a joke. If the emperor knew what Li Yi was thinking... his expression would probably not be very pleasant.

Li Yi put on his robe and got off the bed, then went to the outer warm room, where Xuan'er's personal maid had been waiting for a long time.

After washing up, he prepared to have breakfast...

The hall was brightly lit by candlelight.

The maids moved about silently, setting out steaming hot porridge and several kinds of pickled vegetables.

Li Yi had just sat down when Xuan'er rushed over, her hair still a little loose, clearly having gotten up in a hurry. "Third Sister, why didn't you sleep a little longer?"

Xuan'er's real name was Xia San Niang. Ever since she was taken into the family, Li Yi has called her 'San Niang'.

"This humble servant has come to serve my lord his meal." Xian'er was wearing an apricot-colored ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress), with a belt around her waist that accentuated her slender figure, making her appear exceptionally charming in the candlelight.

A look of appreciation flashed in Li Yi's eyes as he reached out and took the bowl of porridge she offered.

“Our family doesn’t have so many rules. We don’t need to be as careful and cautious as the Prince of Wei’s mansion.”

A slight smile appeared on Xian'er's lips as she sat down beside Li Yi, picked up a piece of pickled vegetable for him, and said softly, "I do all this voluntarily, not because of any rules, nor because I'm afraid of being punished. My lord is busy with important matters outside, so naturally I can't help him and don't understand them. But at home, I just want my lord to be well-fed and warmly clothed, and I'm happy to do my bit."

Joy sparkled in the girl's eyes, and though her tone was soft, it was firm.

My husband is a great hero. In terms of appearance, temperament, talent and knowledge, he is a man rarely seen in the world.

More importantly, Ah Lang treated her with utmost care, and being with him made her feel very safe. Even if she were just his concubine, it would already be an immense blessing from heaven.

Xian'er is very satisfied with her current life, and her biggest wish is to continue serving Alang.

“You…” Li Yi couldn’t help but smile.

Several months have passed since Xian'er married into the family, and since becoming his concubine, the two have become intimately entwined.

...Now they all say these kinds of comforting things.

This reminded Li Yi of the girl's slightly mischievous and clever appearance when they first met.

It is often said that the environment can influence a person, and that is certainly true.

Not to mention Xian'er, even Zuo Ling'er, who was as gentle as a sparrow, has become much more gentle now.

"Ah Lang, would you like more porridge?" Xian'er asked softly when she saw that his bowl was empty.

Li Yi shook his head: "No, thank you... Are you full?"

"Okay!" Xuan'er responded and instructed the maidservant standing by, "Remove them all."

The maids quickly cleaned up the leftovers, and after everyone else had left, only the two of them remained in the hall.

Xuan'er stole a glance at Li Yi's profile, then suddenly mustered her courage and leaned closer, carefully putting her arm around his and leaning slightly against him.

Li Yi chuckled inwardly, not pointing out Xian'er's little tricks. Instead, he reached out and wrapped his arms around her waist, pressing the girl's delicate body even closer to his chest.

"I'm afraid you must have exhausted Third Sister last night..." Li Yi whispered mischievously in her ear, his warm breath brushing against her rounded earlobe.

"Ah!" Xuan'er exclaimed softly, her face instantly turning red from her ears to her neck, burying her face in his broad shoulder.

Li Yi laughed heartily, gently stroking the girl's shoulders and back and her black hair. He suddenly felt that this cold morning had become warm and cozy.

Xuan'er's already flushed cheeks became even more rosy, and she was so ashamed that she couldn't lift her head.

But this tenderness didn't last long. The sound of the night watchman's clapper came from afar, it seemed to be the beginning of the hour of Mao (5-7 AM).

Li Yi patted Xian'er on the shoulder: "Second Aunt should be awake. Let's go take a look."

He wasn't in a hurry to go on duty. Anyway, things had been on track recently, so there was no need for him to keep a close eye on things all the time. It didn't matter if he went a little earlier or later.

Moreover, while official business is important, family matters should not be neglected.

(End of this chapter)