Just as Yin Zidu was about to speak, Shen Yuning shook her head again. With red - rimmed eyes, she said, "I'm really exhausted. Could Your Highness let me rest in peace?"
The next day, Shen Yuning moved to the Xue family's residence. She only told her family that the prince was too busy with affairs and might not take good care of her.
Shao was quite puzzled. "Is what you said true? Don't secretly come back to your parents' home behind the prince's back again."
After two days passed and the prince didn't come to pick her up, Shao felt relieved. She thought that Yuning must have reached an agreement with the prince, which was why the prince was so confident in letting her return to her parents' home.
When Xue Yuxin heard that the prince had allowed Yuning to return to her parents' home, she immediately refused to let it go. She forced Zhu Bin to agree to let her also return to her parents' home and stay for a long time.
Zhu Bin dared not show his anger in front of his wife. After sending his wife back to the Xue family, he turned his horse and galloped towards the palace. He rushed straight to the Hall of Diligent Government to find the regent who was handling government affairs.
At this moment, the emperor and the regent were discussing matters together. They heard Zhu Bin storming forward and asking, "Zidu, are you really that busy? Can't you even keep an eye on your little wife?"
Hearing his rude words, the emperor frowned. "A Bin, Zidu is so busy every day. Why are you causing trouble?"
Zhu Bin pouted and mumbled, "Your Majesty, you don't know. When my wife heard that her younger sister had returned to her parents' home, she couldn't stay put and followed her back. I know Zidu is extremely busy, but I'm not. I still want to watch..."
The emperor interrupted him. "Oh? You're not busy? Well, that's just right. I have so many things to do here. Zidu alone can't handle them all. From now on, you come to the palace every day and work with Zidu."
Zhu Bin was stunned. He felt that it was his fault to look for trouble with Zidu at this time. So he just stood there like a quail, glanced at the tall stack of memorials in front of Zidu, took a deep breath, and didn't dare to say a word.
In his heart, he silently thought that he might have wronged Zidu. All kinds of affairs from all over the country had been reported. Due to the unrest in many places and the frequent rebellions of bandits, it was no wonder that Zidu was so overwhelmed that he didn't even have time to take care of his own wife.
However, just a few days ago, Zidu was also busy. He had told him that no matter how busy he was, he had to see his wife every day to have the strength to move forward.
Just then, a delicate and charming female voice sounded. "Your Majesty, Your Highness the Prince."
Zhu Bin turned around and saw Tong Xianqiao walking in with a food box. Perhaps she was suddenly startled to see him.
"Why is General Zhu here?"
Zhu Bin looked at her strangely and asked, "Why are you here?"
They were quite familiar with each other. In Wuyun, Tong Xianqiao wasn't a girl who stayed at home all day. Naturally, she had met Zhu Bin many times.
Hearing his question, Tong Xianqiao smiled. "The Empress Dowager had something to do, so she asked me to bring soup for Your Majesty and the prince."
With a charming smile, she took out two bowls of soup from the food box. Then she hesitated and looked at Zhu Bin. She didn't know that Zhu Bin would come, so she didn't prepare soup for him.
Zhu Bin quickly shook his head. "I don't need it."
Tong Xianqiao pouted, showing a charming and angry look like a young girl. "Next time, Brother Zhu should let me know in advance if you're coming. I can prepare an extra portion."
Hearing this, Zhu Bin frowned and asked, "Do you come here every day?"
Tong Xianqiao was stunned and hesitated to speak.
It was Yin Zidu who looked up. "I don't like to drink it. You can give it to Zhu Bin."
Tong Xianqiao looked back in surprise, looking at Yin Zidu. But he seemed not to have looked up at all and was still looking down at the memorial in his hand.
She bit her lower lip and said with a bit of grievance, "The Empress Dowager said that Your Majesty and the prince are very hard - working. She asked me to make sure that Your Majesty and the prince drink the soup."
Yin Zidu seemed not to hear what she said. He was concentrating on the memorial in his hand. Suddenly, he threw the memorial hard on the table and roared, "Rascal!"
Tong Xianqiao's beautiful eyes widened round. Her eyes were filled with tears, about to fall but not yet. She was originally a heroic and charming young girl. Usually, she always had a charming smile. Suddenly showing such a scared and sad look, she actually looked even more charming.
She was really a beauty. Even crying was so beautiful.
The eunuch serving on the side silently thought in his heart that if he were a real man, seeing such a heart - broken girl, he would surely hold her in his palm and never let her shed a single tear.
He also remembered that when he was with the emperor, he heard others say that King You of Zhou played with the feudal lords by lighting the beacon fires just to make Bao Si smile. He used to think that the ancient books the emperor read were a bit strange, but now he thought that it was really true.
However, this beauty like Bao Si didn't catch the eyes of the three men present.
Hearing his younger brother scolding, the emperor put down his hand that was originally going to drink the soup. He turned his head and asked, "What's the matter?"
Yin Zidu rubbed his temples. "It's still the Southern Town Prefecture! That rascal dared to submit such a memorial. Brother Emperor, take a look."
The emperor picked up the memorial and read it. His face was also full of anger. He threw the memorial at Zhu Bin.
Zhu Bin was very nervous. He understood things on the battlefield, but how could he understand things in the court? He hesitated for a long time and then slowly opened the memorial.
They heard Yin Zidu still angry and continue to say, "This guy dared to act first and report later just like Chen Wenwei back then. Who does he think he is!"
Chen Wenwei was just a county magistrate in Yun County back then. When he was promoting reforms, there were many obstacles in front of him. Many times, the documents he submitted were suppressed. At that time, Chen Wenwei really did many things first and reported later for the sake of the common people.
However, every one of his actions was reasonable and well - founded. It was because the documents couldn't be submitted that he had to do so.
Zhu Bin understood now. He looked up and said, "This assistant magistrate of the Southern Town Prefecture is talking so grandly. He suddenly issued so many regulations. Clearly, he is abusing his power for personal gain. I bet he is definitely not doing it for the common people!"
Only then did Tong Xianqiao understand that the regent wasn't scolding her. She didn't know whether she should take back the tears that hadn't fallen yet in her eyes. She looked at the man on the upper seat blankly.
The emperor's face was still calm. He looked at Yin Zidu lightly. "Zidu, now you understand why I said that no special cases should be set. There are so many rats who take advantage of loopholes to oppress the common people, even though there are men like Wenwei who are loyal to the country."
Yin Zidu propped his head on the table with his hand. The veins on his forehead popped out, showing that he was extremely angry.
"Such a memorial can be submitted to me. Those old ministers are really..."
The emperor was in poor health, and the crown prince was still young. The regent wasn't raised in the palace properly. He was a bit lacking in both literary and military strategies. So those senior court officials who relied on their seniority had a proud and unruly heart.
Yin Zidu sighed deeply. When he looked up, he saw Tong Xianqiao's big eyes staring at him.
He frowned and asked, "Why are you still here?"
Tong Xianqiao was stunned. She blinked her eyes. After a long time, she said, "The soup..."
Yin Zidu said impatiently, "Don't come to the Hall of Diligent Government without permission in the future. Brother Emperor, please tell Sister - in - law that the imperial kitchen will handle the soup. She doesn't need to work so hard."
The emperor didn't react much. He just lost his appetite for the soup he originally wanted to drink. He waved his hand to let the eunuch take it away and said, "You've got blisters on your lips recently. Your sister - in - law is just concerned. She's afraid that you're too tired."
Yin Zidu, who was usually very gentle towards the emperor and the empress, didn't know if the chaotic affairs in the court recently had disturbed his mind. His temper had also grown a lot.
"If Sister - in - law is worried, she can just ask the eunuch to send it in. Why send a woman here? It will only disrupt our discussion of important matters."
Tong Xianqiao was completely stunned. She didn't understand whether she came at the wrong time or where she had offended the regent.
Yin Zidu seemed to mutter, "A woman in the Hall of Diligent Government will only be a hindrance."
Seeing Tong Xianqiao's embarrassed look, Zhu Bin felt a bit sorry for her. He laughed to smooth things over. "What are you saying, Zidu? Yuning said that women are no less capable than men. If you insist that women shouldn't come to the Hall of Diligent Government, how many times has Yuning been here?"
Although Shen Yuning was only a fifth - rank official, she was the highest - ranked female official in the Great Zhou Dynasty. The Ministry of Justice also attached great importance to her. So whenever there were important matters in the Ministry of Justice to be reported to the emperor and the regent, they would always take her with them. Therefore, she had been to the Hall of Diligent Government many times.
Yin Zidu answered without thinking, "How can she be compared with Yuning?"
Tong Xianqiao couldn't hold back any longer. She burst into tears and ran out.
Yin Zidu realized it later. He looked up and asked, "What's wrong with her?"
Both the emperor and Zhu Bin rolled their eyes and were too lazy to pay attention to him.
It was Zhu Bin who explained, "You should at least say those words behind the girl's back. Although Xianqiao has a straightforward personality, she's still a young girl. How can she stand your scolding like this? Look, you've made her cry. It's not good. You should find a chance to comfort her later."
Yin Zidu didn't think he had scolded Tong Xianqiao. When he heard Zhu Bin say that he should comfort her, he was very impatient. "I don't like women who cry the most. She cried on her own. Why should I comfort her?"
After saying this, he had an idea in his mind. He rolled his eyes and quickly stood up and grabbed Zhu Bin. "Cousin, how should I comfort a crying woman?"
Zhu Bin wasn't good at this. He scratched the back of his head and shook his head. "I don't know. I'm usually most afraid of Yuxin crying. I'm at a loss when she cries."
Yin Zidu's eyes turned to the emperor. But obviously, the emperor, who had always been in poor health, was always too busy taking care of himself. How could he have the energy to think about whether others were crying or not?
Zhu Bin then offered a plan. "Zidu, you might as well ask the Empress Dowager when you're free. Women probably understand women's minds best."
Yin Zidu stroked his chin and nodded. When he sat down again, he was quite fidgety.
Seeing this, the emperor laughed. "You're so anxious now. Why were you so harsh just now? Do you think girls are like big men and don't care after being scolded by you?"
Yin Zidu's thoughts drifted far away. After a while, he stood up and wanted to go out. After hesitating for a moment, he turned back and asked, "If I go to Sister - in - law's place now, will I probably meet that girl surnamed Tong?"
The emperor thought to himself that since he was going to comfort the girl, couldn't he even remember her name?