[For the sake of my mother, considering that dull goose has such a hard head, making her kowtow for an hour can be regarded as a good deed done by me today!]
Ling Shan: "?"
Should she then kneel down gratefully and express her thanks?
This damned tyrant is truly as despicable as a dog.
Ling Shan stole a glance at the back of Jun Wuyuan, who was dressed in court robes and looked imposing and straight. She wished she could pounce on him and take a few hard bites to vent her anger.
But in fact, she could only kneel obediently and respectfully on the floor tiles, mechanically and quietly slowing down the speed of kowtowing to reduce the pain.
Jun Wuyuan paused in his steps as he was walking out and suddenly turned back.
The other palace servants in the hall kept their eyes down, not knowing what was going on. They all knelt down in a flurry and didn't dare to make a sound.
[That cunning and stupid goose. I've really wasted my kindness. Such a false and deceitful woman should be fed to the fish or used as fertilizer for the flowers.]
Ling Shan stiffened her back. Cursing in her heart, she endured the pain on her forehead and kowtowed again to Jun Wuyuan's satisfaction.
Jun Wuyuan: "..."
"Find someone to watch her. If she dares to act one way in public and another in private, cut off her head directly!"
Jun Wuyuan left behind this cruel and inhumane threat and then strode away without a backward glance.
Liang Jiusi flicked his whisk, took an extra look, and then randomly picked a person to supervise Ling Shan with a sharp look in his eyes before quickly leaving.
Ban Qiu, the next unlucky one, looked a bit pale. For some reason, her eyelids suddenly twitched wildly twice.
When working in the Taiji Palace, one had to keep one's eyes and mouth in check. Don't look at what you shouldn't look at and don't meddle in what you shouldn't meddle in.
The previous Ban Qiu had been stabbed to death right in front of her eyes just because she had some inappropriate thoughts.
As a maid in the Taiji Palace, she had been so stupid as to try to win over the "beauty" sent in by the Queen Mother. As a result, she had taken over the name Ban Qiu.
Hearing the increasingly weak sound of kowtowing, Ban Qiu didn't plan to interfere or get involved.
His Majesty only told her to watch the newly arrived Ling Shan kneel and kowtow for half an hour. He didn't tell her to count the number of kowtows.
Don't meddle in things that you shouldn't.
As long as the person was indeed kowtowing to atone for her sins, that was fine.
Ling Shan's soft and slender body was prostrated on the ground respectfully. After listening for a while, she quietly moved her clasped hands.
She turned over her originally palm - down hands, bent her fingers, and tapped tentatively on the imperial kiln golden bricks on the ground.
Dong, dong, dong. A somewhat dull sound of kowtowing echoed in the hall. At first, it was quite rhythmic.
Later, it gradually became slower and lower.
Ban Qiu still stood there like a stone pillar, keeping her eyes down and not moving at all.
His Majesty only said that if Ling Shan was still alive after half an hour when he returned from the court session, he would forgive her past mistakes. He didn't say anything about the frequency or sound of the kowtowing.
Even though she was being sly and her forehead was terribly swollen and painful, Ling Shan didn't dare to relax.
She had heard that there were always secret guards around the emperor. She didn't know if there were any secret guards watching in this hall, so she mustn't let any flaws show.
However, Ling Shan had stayed up late worrying last night and got up early this morning. With the swelling and pain on her forehead, her head began to feel dizzy.
Ling Shan bit her tongue hard. Her tired and drowsy eyes finally became a bit clearer.
The hourglass in the hall was still slowly dripping, but Ling Shan felt that each moment was like a year.
Damned tyrant, cursed tyrant...
Ling Shan continued her "kowtowing" action, but in her heart, she had already cursed Jun Wuyuan thousands of times.
If those curses could turn into real sharp knives, Jun Wuyuan, who was far away in the Golden Luan Hall, would probably be full of holes by now!
The hourglass dripped bit by bit. Ling Shan didn't know how much time had passed. Finally, she heard a calm voice.
"Half an hour has passed."
Ban Qiu looked expressionlessly at Ling Shan, who had stopped moving and was lying stiffly on the ground without moving for a long time. She then indifferently withdrew her gaze.
Ling Shan's graceful back line was smooth and undulated slightly. Even though she was completely still, one wouldn't think that she had lost her breath.
The hall was extremely quiet for a moment. Ling Shan originally just wanted to lean on her hands to take a break.
Unexpectedly, as soon as she relaxed, she was so physically and mentally exhausted that she fell into a deep sleep. Only then did the pain on her forehead seem to disappear.
Ban Qiu's calm face showed an almost imperceptible ripple for a moment, and then quickly returned to the appearance of standing with her head down.
——
Jun Wuyuan closed his eyes and slept through an entire morning court session in the Golden Luan Hall.
When the voices of those nagging and pedantic old ministers, which were like a lullaby, stopped, he woke up.
For some reason, a beautiful and pure face flashed across his mind.
Strangely enough, even the annoying faces in the hall seemed a bit more tolerable.
Especially the disgusting face of the Grand Tutor Wang, which was like old tree bark, looked a bit more pleasing to the eye today.
Rarely, he didn't pick out an unlucky official to scold or punish today.
A relatively peaceful morning court session passed smoothly. The Grand Tutor Wang, whose turbid eyes were hiding a sharp glint, squinted slightly.
This young tyrant seems quite quiet today.
After thinking for a while, the Grand Tutor Wang tapped his finger. Just before Liang Jiusi shouted "Court is adjourned", a censor bravely stepped forward.
"Your Majesty, this old official has something to report!"
Jun Wuyuan had just moved his toe and gave the tactless old man a cold and impatient look.
Censor Fang trembled and tightened his grip on the official's tablet. It was as if he was being tortured.
After what seemed like an eternity, he finally heard a permission.
Even though it was just a cold grunt full of killing intent and impatience, at least he had a chance to speak, right?
"Your Majesty, the continuation of the royal lineage is crucial to the foundation of the Great Yan Kingdom. Only when the foundation of the country is stable can the hearts of the people be united.
This old official dares to offer a humble suggestion. Please, Your Majesty, favor your concubines equally, so that the royal family can have more offspring. May Your Majesty give birth to an heir to the throne soon to stabilize the foundation of the country and pacify the hearts of the people!"
After Censor Fang finished speaking, the hall was silent for a moment. Then, countless court officials knelt down and pleaded.
Jun Wuyuan's face was cold and stern. His charming peach - blossom eyes drooped slightly, showing a bit of coldness. The black jade ring on his finger turned slowly.
"Grand Tutor Wang, what's your opinion?"
Standing at the front was the current head of the Wang family and the current Grand Tutor Wang, Wang Yuyao, who also served as the Chief Minister of the Secretariat. He held a high position and great power.
Hearing Jun Wuyuan's question, Wang Yuyao immediately respectfully held his official's tablet and bowed to answer.
"Your Majesty, this old official thinks that what the other officials said is reasonable. There are too few offspring in the harem, which is not conducive to the stability of the country. Please, Your Majesty, think about the country and have more heirs."
Jun Wuyuan gave the shrewd old fox a sidelong glance. A hint of a smile suddenly appeared on his cold and fierce face.
"I understand. I guarantee that you will all hear good news in a month."
"Your Majesty is valiant and extraordinary, with exceptional talent. We thank Your Majesty for his great kindness."
After the unanimous praise and shouting, Jun Wuyuan stood up. He twirled the jade ring on his finger and took a few steps, then suddenly stopped. He got off the imperial throne covered with gold and jade.
His bright dragon - like eyes stopped in front of Censor Fang, who was kneeling on the ground.
Dong, dong, dong.
Amidst the violent beating of his heart, a cold and fierce voice echoed in the Golden Luan Hall.
"Fang Tai, you are so stupid and clumsy. You have behaved disrespectfully in front of the imperial throne and are unfit to be an official. You shall be beaten thirty big boards, stripped of your official robes, and never be employed again!"