In Ning Country, the resplendent and overly opulent Jinluan Hall.
Court officials, dressed in their voluminous ceremonial robes and holding jade tablets, stood rooted in place, not daring to move. They waited and waited, occasionally sneaking a hand to adjust their collars, until at last, the emperor was ushered out by the chief eunuch.
A few of the most senior officials, standing out like cranes among chickens, silently exhaled, lowering their eyes as they watched the black boots embroidered with golden dragons approach. Their hands gripping the jade tablets trembled with sweat.
Recently, the matter of establishing the empress had caused quite a stir, and the emperor had deliberately left them waiting for two entire hours today…
Xiao Yun flicked the hem of his dragon robe aside and sat astride the throne. “Quite the gathering today, esteemed ministers.”
The court officials dared not make a sound.
Indeed, everyone had come— even the old ministers who had been granted exemption from court due to their age and frailty. Even those of lower rank, who usually had no place in the grand hall, stood outside in neat rows like a welcoming procession. An outsider might have mistaken it for a coronation ceremony.
Xiao Yun chuckled inexplicably. “They say the law does not punish the masses. Seeing as you’ve all assembled so thoroughly, I take it you’re trying to bolster your courage— what is it you intend to force upon me?”
Many officials trembled, their feet subconsciously shifting outward.
Xiao Yun glanced idly at the grand eunuch.
The grand eunuch proclaimed, “If there is a matter to present, speak. If there is none, court is dismissed!”
The atmosphere grew tense. For a few seconds, the hall fell into absolute silence.
The elder ministers exchanged subtle glances before, braving the risk of punishment, they collectively dropped to their knees with a resounding thud and gritted their teeth as they declared in unison, “We beseech Your Majesty to establish the empress!”
The court officials immediately followed, kneeling as one: “We beseech Your Majesty to establish the empress and secure the imperial lineage!”
Even the officials outside the hall fell to their knees in succession: “For the sake of the nation and its future, we beseech Your Majesty to establish the empress and secure the imperial lineage!”
The voices rose like waves, one after another, shaking the hall with their echoes.
The political factions that normally warred against each other had, for the first time, reached a unanimous agreement on this issue. Even the emperor’s closest confidants and favored ministers stood with them.
For a long while, there was no response from the throne. The dragon throne was set high above them, and none dared raise their heads to see the emperor’s expression. They only knew that His Majesty never followed conventional reasoning, and if truly angered, he was capable of anything. Their little schemes were utterly insignificant before him— they posed no real threat.
After all, the most notorious rogue in all of Ning was sitting right above them. Challenging him was like charging into a stone wall.
Yet, they had no other option.
No one in the empire could truly rein in the emperor.
Xiao Yun picked up his tea cup, took a careless sip, and only when the echoes had fully faded did he smile. “How long did it take to arrange this? Must have been exhausting.”
The officials shuddered.
Xiao Yun waited a few seconds, then frowned. “Does no one have an answer?”
The highest-ranking officials kneeling in front exchanged hesitant glances. At last, an old, toothless minister with a hunched back was forced to raise his head and answer, “Replying to Your Majesty… n-not long.”
Summoning his courage, he attempted to push forward, raising his voice: “We beseech Your Majes—”
“You lot certainly have some nerve,” Xiao Yun interrupted coldly. “Making such a grand spectacle— do you think the Empire of Ning lacks people?”
The old minister choked on his words.
“I let you old things off easy because you’re getting on in years and can’t take too much hassle. But now you’re turning that on me, putting me through the hassle?” Xiao Yun scoffed. “Well, I suppose I am young— I can handle it.”
Though it was early spring and winter’s chill still lingered, sweat beaded on the officials’ foreheads.
They had never been able to grasp the emperor’s true moods.
Even so, none dared rise to their feet. Their resolve was clear— unless the emperor resolved his marital affairs today, they would kneel here until death.
For four years, they had fought to pressure him into selecting an empress. At first, only one or two officials subtly submitted memorials on the matter. Now, it had escalated to complete unity across the entire court, regardless of faction. Ice did not form in a single day.
“Fine, let’s sort this out once and for all,” Xiao Yun said.
In the past, his temper would have led him to order a round of floggings before discussing anything further. But every official capable of running the empire was kneeling here— if he punished them all, there would be no one left to take over. And if he then had to personally handle their work, they would simply feign illness and submit their resignations, leaving him entangled in endless political games.
The senior ministers in the front row secretly sighed in relief. As long as the emperor was willing to discuss the matter, they could step back before pushing too far.
After all, no one truly wanted to lose their official position. If they resigned, there were plenty of others eager to take their place.
But before they could celebrate, the emperor suddenly leaned forward, exuding an aura of overwhelming dominance. He pointed at them and snapped, “You think you can just dump your leftovers on me?! Leaving them for years— what, were you waiting for them to spoil?!”
The officials were stunned by the sudden outburst.
“Three years ago, you started submitting proposals. Three whole years! The memorials multiplied a thousandfold, yet the list of candidates hasn’t changed!” Xiao Yun sneered. “Minister Zhou.”
The toothless old minister stiffened. “Y-yes, Your Majesty?”
“Your granddaughter is over twenty now, isn’t she? You held onto her since she was a teenager, keeping her single just for me. Did I ask you to do that? Are you not in a hurry? Answer me.”
Minister Zhou wiped his sweating forehead. “R-replying to Your Majesty… No, Your Majesty did not, and I… I am not—”
Xiao Yun chuckled. “Exactly. You’re not in a rush. But I am. You’re old, and you still haven’t seen a great-grandchild. Is your granddaughter not anxious? Over twenty years old and still unmarried, living like a widow because of me.”
Someone let out an involuntary snicker.
“You dare laugh?!” Xiao Yun pointed at the culprit, full of roguish energy. “You— get out and laugh for an hour, then come back.”
The unlucky official scrambled to his feet, tail between his legs, and fled the hall. The others immediately suppressed their expressions.
Those with daughters, granddaughters, or nieces on the candidate list were mortified.
Xiao Yun continued, “You act like this is the Nanruo court— filled with pale-faced scholars. But Great Ning is full of warriors. Do none of you have a mirror? When someone flatters you, calling you ‘strong and mighty,’ do you actually think you look like a charming Pan An?”
The officials collectively lowered their heads in shame. So the emperor’s issue with their proposals… was that he found the women unattractive.
One minister mustered his courage: “Your Majesty, in choosing a wife, virtue is the priority. It would be improper to judge solely by—”
“Yes, virtue in a wife, beauty in a concubine. But that applies to common men. Are you saying I, the emperor, am unworthy of someone who is both virtuous and beautiful?” Xiao Yun shot back.
The officials were momentarily speechless.
The man seated on the dragon throne was the most brilliant and formidable emperor in Ning’s history— a military genius whose accomplishments had already outshone his ancestors. His name would be etched in history, unmatched by any before or after.
His Majesty was not only highly capable but also… exceptionally handsome.
There was a popular saying among the common folk: “In the South, Huaiyi; in the North, Xiao Yun.” The order was unimportant—these were the two most universally recognized handsome men in the world. One was Jiang Huaiyi, the Emperor of Nanruo, and the other was their very own Emperor of Northern Ning.
The man seated on the throne was tall and well-built, with broad shoulders and a straight waist. His hair was bound in a golden crown, and his sword-like brows slanted sharply into his temples.
His features were strikingly handsome, nothing like the slanderous rumors that painted him as some monstrous tyrant. On the contrary, he had the kind of looks that made young women blush and their hearts race. The imperial majesty in his brows mingled with a roguish, mischievous air, making people both uneasy and utterly flustered, uncertain whether to advance or retreat.
The court officials, feeling a wave of shame, murmured, “Your Majesty, please quell your anger—it was our foolishness…”
“Am I mad?” Xiao Yun drawled, his tone edged with mockery. “Why would I go out of my way to keep someone I don’t like by my side, let them meddle in my affairs, and even spend my private treasury’s money on them?” He paused, glancing at the highest-ranking officials kneeling at the front, then smiled meaningfully. “Or do my beloved ministers expect me to swap out my empress every few months?”
The officials shuddered again.
The more seasoned among them, though inwardly panicked, did not let it show. Still, Xiao Yun’s remark reminded them of his past “misdeeds.”
With the Emperor’s temperament, the court was naturally filled with opportunists. And His Majesty was not one to withhold his favor. Indeed, many had once basked in his grace. However…
Even the most favored ministers never lasted more than three months before being cast aside. Worse, they were often banished to remote backwaters, assigned as minor provincial officials.
If His Majesty treated his Empress the way he did his favored ministers, what then?
Their daughters, granddaughters, and nieces were all their cherished jewels—how could they endure such disgrace?
A heavy silence fell.
Xiao Yun, seeing their reaction, suddenly shifted from his thunderous demeanor to a more amiable one. “I understand,” he said warmly. “You are all doing this for my sake, and I appreciate that.”
The officials hesitated for a moment, then felt a surge of emotion.
“I am not intentionally making things difficult for you,” Xiao Yun continued. “I’ve made my position clear. If you want me to take an empress, it’s not impossible.”
The officials immediately sharpened their focus.
“Either find someone I truly like, and I’ll naturally marry them, or…”
The officials leaned in, ears perked.
“Or wait for Jiang Huaiyi to take an empress first.” Xiao Yun flicked the hem of his dragon robe, his impatience to end court evident. “He’s older than me. If his ministers aren’t worried, why are you?”
The officials choked. They ground their teeth in frustration at Jiang Huaiyi.
This wasn’t the first time His Majesty had used Jiang Huaiyi as a shield. And for some unfathomable reason, Jiang Huaiyi still hadn’t taken an empress. It made their efforts to pressure their own emperor feel somewhat hollow.
Xiao Yun smirked. “When he finally marries, then perhaps I’ll consider competing with him to see who has a child first.”
Even these thick-skinned old officials turned red at such words.
