So, for the first time in history, the emperor had the meals served in Jiaolan Palace and ate with the empress there.
In the past, except for the banquets where the emperor and the empress had to attend together, the two never shared a meal.
"What are you doing here?" Yi Qing looked at the emperor.
Xiao Jinghan waved his hand, signaling the palace servants to withdraw, at least giving the emperor some face.
"This is my imperial palace. Why can't I come?" The emperor said as he took the seat of honor.
Yi Qing looked at the emperor's shameless look. When the emperor of the country acted like a rascal, there was really no match for others. "When my general comes, it's a feast for the eyes. When you come, you just spoil my appetite."
"What do you mean?" The emperor looked at Yi Qing.
He was also a good - looking man, more gentle and steady than Xiao Jinghan. How could he spoil her appetite?
"What I mean is, when Your Majesty sits here, it scares us so much that we can't even eat." Yi Qing rolled her eyes as she said.
"I forgive you all for any wrongdoing." The emperor was quite satisfied with Yi Qing's explanation.
"Come and sit down to eat." Xiao Jinghan pulled out a chair for Yi Qing. If she kept talking like this, it might be the emperor who couldn't eat.
The empress stood there without sitting. The emperor picked up his chopsticks and then realized something was wrong. "You can sit too."
"I'll eat later, Your Majesty." The empress lowered her eyes.
"Your Majesty, the empress is your wife. There's no need to be so polite. Just sit down and eat." Yi Qing looked at the empress.
"Sit." The emperor commanded.
Only then did the empress sit down.
The emperor picked up his chopsticks and paused for a moment. The empress picked up the serving chopsticks and put some dishes on the plate in front of the emperor. Only then did the emperor realize that Xiao Jinghan had sent the palace servants away, and there was no one to serve him.
Yi Qing picked up a piece of sweet - and - sour spare rib and took a bite. "Are you a child? Still asking..."
Xiao Jinghan picked up a piece of sweet - and - sour pork and stuffed it into Yi Qing's mouth. "Is it delicious?" He was hinting at Yi Qing not to talk nonsense anymore.
It was just the three of them, but now the empress was also here, and the emperor needed to save face.
"It's not delicious at all. The meat wasn't cooked well. It's hard when it's cold. It has no taste." Yi Qing chewed hard.
The emperor suddenly felt like he had found a kindred spirit. The meals in the imperial palace were almost cold by the time they were served from the imperial kitchen. No matter how delicious the dishes were, they lost their flavor in the mouth.
"Then I'll have someone send them to the small kitchen to be reheated." The empress immediately said.
While the meals were being reheated, Xiao Jinghan found an excuse to pull Yi Qing aside.
"Times have changed. You should be more restrained in front of the emperor." Xiao Jinghan reminded Yi Qing.
"If I'm more restrained, the emperor will really think that times have changed. Don't forget, the emperor is counting on me to solve the problem of Ruyi Cakes. It's okay." Yi Qing was just relying on the emperor's favor.
"What I mean is that you shouldn't get involved in the fights among the concubines in the harem." Xiao Jinghan gently tapped Yi Qing's forehead.
"You're wrong." Yi Qing looked at Xiao Jinghan seriously.
"How?"
"Just like when we met Xie Hongyi at the palace gate, no matter what we do, there will always be people making all kinds of speculations and gossiping. Instead, we should make those people unqualified to talk." Yi Qing said confidently.
Xiao Jinghan smiled when he heard what Yi Qing said. When did he start being so cautious?
Maybe the capital was different from the border, but it must be because he had someone to care about.
"Okay." Xiao Jinghan stopped scolding Yi Qing.
The emperor and the empress sat there in silence. The emperor's index finger had tapped on his bright brocade robe a hundred times, and the empress didn't even change the movement of lowering her eyes.
"I heard that Minister Xie came to Jiaolan Palace today." The emperor couldn't help but break the silence between them.
"It's just some family trifles." The empress replied calmly.
"Since you've entered the palace, you're a member of the royal family. You should act in the overall interest."
Only then did the empress slowly raise her head. "Your Majesty can rest assured. There's no longer such a thing as the disciples of the Xie family in the court. They're all the disciples of the Son of Heaven."
The emperor was blocked by the empress and didn't know what to say. He did marry the empress with such an intention. "That's a matter of the court. The empress doesn't need to interfere."
The empress didn't say a word.
"You..." The emperor looked at the empress's appearance. Why did he feel that he was being ignored?
It had been such a long time since Concubine Xue's death. The emperor finally understood some things. Especially in the past six months, after the empress relinquished her power in the harem, selected maidens to enter the palace, and stopped showing up in front of him, he was no longer so resistant to the empress.
Sometimes when he thought about it carefully, he was really unfair to the empress.
But he had said too many harsh words. Since the empress didn't yield in front of him, he couldn't bring himself to apologize.
"Your Majesty, the meals are reheated." Mu Yu came over to pay respects.
The four of them had lunch, and then Xiao Jinghan took Yi Qing back.
"If you want to deprive Marquis Huai'en of his title, just tell me. Why do you have to do it yourself?" Xiao Jinghan pretended to be angry after hearing Yi Qing's plan.
"I must avenge my own grievances." Yi Qing leaned on Xiao Jinghan's arm. "But there's really one thing I need you to do for me."
"What is it?" Xiao Jinghan was happy to hear that Yi Qing needed his help.
"That Marquis Huai'en is so shameless. If his title is really deprived, he will surely pester the general's mansion. It's annoying just to look at him. Please, General, throw him out of the capital."
"I'd be glad to." Xiao Jinghan held Yi Qing's hand and kissed it.
"General." He Tai stopped his horse and called out.
"What's the matter?" Xiao Jinghan lifted the curtain of the carriage and saw a group of common people gathered in front of the general's mansion. "What's going on?"
"I don't know, sir." He Tai had just followed the general to the capital and didn't even know the roads well.
"I guess they're the military households from the manor." Yi Qing peeked out of the window.
When Xiao Jinghan heard what Yi Qing said, he was about to get out of the carriage.
"Hey..." Yi Qing pulled Xiao Jinghan. "Don't forget our bet."
Xiao Jinghan stopped. "Then what do you want to do, my lady?"
"I've already told Jushuang to calm them down first. We'll talk about it tomorrow." Yi Qing looked at Xiao Jinghan.
Xiao Jinghan was just too caring about his fellow soldiers, not a fool. If what Yi Qing said was true, he didn't need to act rashly.
The two entered the mansion through the back door. Jushuang knew the lady was back and rushed over to report.
"How's it going?" Yi Qing picked up the tea that Xiao Jinghan had poured for her.
"Those are the military households from the general's manor. They said they couldn't make a living and wanted the general to give them rewards." Jushuang said carefully. "I registered their addresses and the heads of the households and said I'd report to the general later, but they still wouldn't leave."
"Give the things you registered to Lu Tianzuo and ask him to investigate in detail to see how those families are really doing. Tomorrow, you go and tell them that the general has been punished by the emperor and has no money now." Yi Qing ordered.
"Yes." Jushuang bowed and left.
"We can just let the servants in the mansion investigate these things. Why do we need Lu Tianzuo?" Xiao Jinghan thought it was overkill.
"They're military households, the general's fellow soldiers, not just household chores. Of course, it's more appropriate for the general's people to investigate." Yi Qing said righteously.