My Wife Turns Out to be an Empress of the Dynasty

In front of the pavilion, Gu Lan halted his steps and turned around to look at Luo Chen, lightly curling his lips. "Why am I alone here? You should ask His Majesty about that... As for what I wrote, it's right there on the table. Can't you see with your own eyes?"

Luo Chen was momentarily choked by his words. His face immediately darkened. However, unsure of the extent to which Gu Lan had gained favor from the female Emperor, Luo Chen felt a bit wary. After giving Gu Lan a stern look, he slowly approached the table.

Luo Chen opened one of the memorials and focused on it. What caught his eyes was the glaring red cinnabar, causing his pupils to contract sharply.

"Her Majesty's red-penned edits... You! How dare you tamper with the memorials!?"

Not only did I tamper with them, all the words on it were written by me... Gu Lan appeared indifferent. "Take a good look. This is the edict from Her Majesty."

Luo Chen was momentarily stunned. He then saw the paper with the female Emperor's handwriting. His brows subconsciously twisted into a complicated expression. "Why would Her Majesty let you review the memorials?"

Gu Lan: "..."

After locking eyes with Gu Lan for two seconds, Luo Chen realized that the other party was looking at him with an expression that seemed to be gauging sand. He couldn't help but twitch his mouth.

"Her Majesty lets you review memorials. Does that mean... your relationship with Her Majesty is not ordinary?"

Luo Chen's tone had softened a lot!

Although the questioning attitude still appeared arrogantly high, he was somewhat cautious now.

Because handling the female Emperor's pen was a privilege that even the Great Chancellor Sima rarely had. Those who received such an honor were highly favored individuals under the female Emperor!

Realizing this, he became somewhat apprehensive!

Gu Lan smiled gently. "What's it to you? Do you have the right to inquire about the female Emperor's relationships?"

It wasn't an attempt to get closer to the female Emperor with these words, but rather, Gu Lan didn't want to indulge this guy in front of him.

Luo Chen: "..."

He watched Gu Lan, who was wearing an exaggerated and somewhat punchable outfit, strolling casually toward the palace gate, his face looking extremely unpleasant.

"Damn pretty boy... What's with the arrogance? Even now, you don't have a proper status; you're just a poor scholar who hasn't even met Her Majesty!"

Thinking of his imperial consort mother behind him, Luo Chen couldn't help but straighten his posture a bit more.

"Whether you can enter the palace or not is still uncertain. Even if you can enter, it doesn't necessarily mean you can contend against me..."

He gritted his teeth in hatred and looked at the memorials Gu Lan had reviewed, but he still couldn't help but feel jealous!

Finally, after hesitating for a while, Luo Chen, still silent and somewhat uneasy, glanced around, then opened the memorials.

He was still worried!

If Gu Lan truly had talent and was invited to the palace by the female Emperor, it wouldn't be easy for him, the Commander of the Imperial Guards, in the future...

However!

After carefully reading the comments Gu Lan had written on the memorials, his face turned from astonishment to ecstatic joy and relief.

"Heh! It seems I was overly suspicious. What kind of ability does a pretty boy like you have... To dare review the officials' memorials like this, you must really not care about your own head!"

...

At the end of the Hundred Flowers Garden, as Gu Lan passed by the gates of the Luan Feng Hall and the Heart-Nurturing Pavilion, he glanced at these two magnificent halls before following the eunuch guide out of the palace gate. Bathed in the emerging moonlight, he headed back towards Gu Residence.

Inside the Luan Feng Hall, a beauty with an oval face walked to the window, gazing at Gu Lan's departing figure. Delicate thoughts flickered in her exquisite eyes.

"How could there be a young man in the palace?"

"Replying to Your Highness, he is a guest invited by His Majesty today."

"Imperial Sister?"

Princess Ming Yue first looked puzzled, then her expression turned to shock. Finally, the beautiful peach blossom eyes transformed into intense curiosity.

"Is Imperial Sister planning to take a consort?!"

"Well... This servant dares not say."

The maid maintained her discretion, though she felt it was highly probable.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

After all, having spent many years in the palace, today was the first time she had seen a stranger, and he was exceptionally handsome—except for his clothing, well, let's just say that part was a bit...cough, questionable.

"Find out this person's name and background for me. Then, discreetly send the information to my residence... quietly, don't let Imperial Sister know!"

Princess Ming Yue's eyes glimmered, lowering her voice as she gave her instructions, resembling a little fox.

The maid looked reluctant. "Your Highness, isn't this inappropriate?"

"I'm Her Majesty's only sister; of course, I must care about Imperial Sister's affairs. Just do as you're told!"

Princess Ming Yue pouted, instantly switching to a serious demeanor.

The maid had no choice but to sigh and comply. However, she felt that if His Majesty found out about this, both she and the princess would likely end up being punished.

At this moment, Princess Ming Yue watched the palace gate where Gu Lan had exited, and a faint smile appeared on her rosy lips.

"Hmph! The thousand-year-old iron tree has blossomed, and Imperial Sister has actually set her sights on some young man from who knows where?"

"Now, I really have to take a good look... If he turns out to be a worthy man to entrust, that would be great, so Imperial Sister won't bother me every day in the future..."

...

Gu Residence, side courtyard.

Liu Yexi hurried back to report to Mu Yuyan before Gu Lan. She knelt before the female Emperor with a grave expression. "Your Majesty, the Sun Residence has been sealed off... The guards in the Residence are not natives of the Great Jing. Aside from one servant at the King Realm, all others have been subdued!"

"And those girls?!"

Mu Yuyan leaned forward, breathing rapidly, her beautiful eyes fixed on Liu Yexi.

After a moment of silence, Liu Yexi's eyes turned red, and she slapped herself on the face with a "pop" before kneeling on the ground.

"Your Majesty, even death cannot atone for the offence! That Sun official was likely planning to leave the capital today. Those girls have all disappeared. It seems that before he came out, they were all... eliminated!"

Bang!

Mu Yuyan stood up from her wooden chair the moment she heard this, her knuckles turning white as she gripped her sleeves. Her body trembled slightly.

A furious and stern expression emerged on the female Emperor's ice-cold face.

"The guards from the Sun Residence who were subdued are to be thrown into the prison. Investigate thoroughly... Regardless of the results of their interrogation, they will be paraded through the streets, skinned, and torn apart to feed the dogs!"

"The special envoy from the Imperial Announcements Bureau will also be sent to pursue this fugitive. The entire city will be under martial law, with no one allowed to enter or leave! I absolutely won't allow such a person to escape the capital. The forces behind them must be rooted out and exterminated!"

"Yes..."

Liu Yexi choked on her words. Stay connected via empire

She didn't need the female Emperor to say these words; she had already begun to implement them. However, those innocent girls, who were as beautiful as flowers, could never come back!

The pain of losing them couldn't be compensated even if the evildoers were punished a thousand times!

Liu Yexi knelt on the ground, grieving and choking on her sobs.

After a long time, after the female Emperor vented her anger, she sat back in her chair, looking somewhat exhausted.

She slowly closed her eyes, deeply distressed. She rubbed her chest, which felt stifled, and sighed faintly, "Console the families of those girls and allocate a sum of compensation from the Internal Affairs Department... Try to make amends as much as possible!"

"However, the news will spread at most within three days. If there are no results from the investigation within three days, I will immediately issue a self-blame edict to apologize. I hope... it can calm the public anger at that time."

Liu Yexi looked up at the female Emperor, her body trembling.

A self-blame edict was the most valued and, at the same time, the least desirable edict throughout the ages of emperors because it directly affected the judgments of future generations!

The female Emperor had long been misunderstood by the people. If this matter further tarnished her reputation, all her efforts over the years might be in vain!

However, there was another way... which was to block the news, treating it as if nothing had happened. The court could completely evade responsibility! But in that case, those poor women would die unjustly!!

This was something Mu Yuyan couldn't bring herself to do!

In some matters, she always seemed out of place with the ruthless nature of emperors, unable to be an indifferent monarch who remained aloof from the turmoil.

Liu Yexi continued to kowtow repeatedly.

"When a ruler is disgraced, a subject should die in loyalty! Within three days, I will do my utmost to uncover their hidden forces. I will not let Your Majesty bear this accusation!"

"..."