The Little Consort's
Eps. 53: Someone Who is Unacceptable
During the one month since the enthronement of the Grand Empress, the life of the government at the Dongling Working Palace experienced much upheaval. Officials have repeatedly objected to Li Anlan's election as Grand Empress. They assume that the position is not suitable for him, given that the woman is an orphan without relatives. People who do not have a strong backing should not be given special status, because if something bad happens, it will not affect the stability of the Dongling Kingdom government. If a Noble Empress had a strong backing, then the Dongling Kingdom would probably more easily achieve glory.
However, no matter how much they were against each other's opinions, Long Ji Man still would not retract or depose the Noble Empress. No matter how much the officials were concerned about it, Long Ji Man would remain firm on his stance. Let them chirp until their mouths are foamed. The dashing and courageous King Dongling could never falter.
The news of the appointment of the Grand Duchess so quickly spread throughout the territory of the Dongling Kingdom. Dozens of regional officials repeatedly came to the capital to ascertain the truth of the news they received. Hundreds of merchants and merchants commented on each other on the street and at each intersection, questioning who the figure of the Royal Empress who managed to make the King give the position to him. Thousands of royals clashed at food stalls and meeting halls, solely to bet and throw arguments against each other about the Grand Empress.
They wanted to see his face, they wanted to know what his figure was like, and they wanted to know what kind of advantages the Third Noble Empress had raised after a hundred years had passed. Curious souls gnawed a part of the heart until irresponsible people made the Noble Empress an object of gambling.
The election of a noble Empress was the greatest heartbreak for the concubines and young girls in the palace and the entire Dongling region. They lost the opportunity to obtain a privileged status that granted them absolute and almost unlimited authority, also able to free them from such a dizzying and terrible harem affair. That special status already belongs to someone else. The king's concubines and the young girls could only hope that they would get the king's attention and affection, and it would no longer be possible to pursue the status of the Noble Empress they had been trying to achieve.
The news of the residents' warm conversation towards the Noble Empress also reached Long Ji Man's ears. He, as the king who has this special right, is certainly furious with the various assumptions that grow around the royal environment. The noble Empress was his personal business, his special rights, and his authority as a king that no one could challenge.
Have they forgotten the rules that have been in place for over three hundred years concerning the Noble Empress?
Long Ji Man was sure that his people were not stupid. He can still understand if the one who speaks is the lower class. However, Long Ji Man could no longer tolerate if the one who spoke was the nobility and government employees, whose educational background and family were superior to others. They should support all the decisions made by the king, not oppose and debate them out.
Today, Long Ji Man got a report from his secret soldier, that out there are countless illegal gambling houses that use the name of the Noble Empress as an object of betting. Long Ji Man was angry, he cursed loudly at the culprits. The look on his face was no longer friendly, but was filled with fury that was burning like fire. Xiao Biqi who saw it did not even have the courage to get close. Such a Long Ji Man looked like a crazed demon.
“Tians!”
“Ya, Your Highness.”
“Destroy the entire gambling house using the name of the Grand Empress as a bet! Punish everyone involved and give them a hefty fine! If they were a noble, lower their status to that of a commoner. If they are officials, fire them and alienate the whole family!”
Wang Tianshi was surprised by the order issued by his king.
“Good, Your Majesty. I'll execute the order.”
“Remember, no one should be missed and do not leave a single building!”
The true nature hidden within him reappeared. Wang Tianshi had no ability to fight against his king. He knew Long Ji Man cared deeply for Li Anlan. Yeah, of course you are. How could his king ignore a woman who had lived and died with him and had saved his life twice. If he were to become Long Ji Man, Wang Tianshi would also definitely do the same.
Xiao Biqi drew closer, trying to investigate whether his king's anger was still burning or had been slightly extinguished. The young eunuch breathed a sigh of relief. Long Ji Man's face was not as fierce as it was. His expression returned flat and cold like ordinary days, although he knew in his king's heart the flames of anger were still burning.
“How is the Empress Royal?” long Ji Man asked after a long moment of silence.
“Answer, Your Grace. Madam Huang is still busy studying with Aunt Yang at Xingyue.” Palace
“What's there been a development?”
Xiao Biqi shook his head. During this one month, Aunt Yang came every day to Xingyue Palace to teach Li Anlan.but, during this one month anyway, Xiao Biqi saw a change. The change did not happen to Li Anlan, but to Aunt Yang. The master of ethics and tatakrama of the palace now looks thinner. The bottom of his eyes was pouchy and blackened. It seemed, Li Anlan had already made the woman exhausted and stressed half to death.
Long Ji Man sighed. Forcing the wild Li Anlan to be obedient to the rules of the palace might not be the right decision. The woman loves freedom and hates attachment to rules. If it continued, Li Anlan would probably get even more wild and uncontrollable. Taming a tigress cannot be done by force. Perhaps, the only way for Li Anlan to be like a woman in general was to teach her slowly.
“Your Highness, if I may give advice, Your Majesty should not force Mrs Huang again. According to the servant, let Lady Huang be herself. Isn't that what made His Majesty choose her to be the Royal Empress?”
“You mean, he doesn't need to learn ethics and grammar anymore?”
“Your Majesty, Mrs Huang is a woman. Whatever his behavior, I'm sure he still knows his own limits.”
“Since when did you become smart like this?”
“Didn't I learn from His Majesty?”
If Xiao Biqi had not said that, Long Ji Man might have forgotten the cause he chose Li Anlan as the Noble Empress. Li Anlan, that unpredictable wild girl had always been herself everywhere, whenever, and under any circumstances. The advantage is that it does not like to seek attention and does not like to lick. The woman always speaks what is in her heart and mind openly.
This time, Long Ji Man might have to let go. Let him not know the ethics and conduct of the palace, as long as the woman remains obedient and does not troublemak everywhere. Long Ji Man also did not want the woman to be depressed and run away, or turn into another person he did not recognize at all.
Netra Long Ji Man turned on a paper scroll that Xiao Biqi had removed from within his eunuch robe. The paper scroll seemed to have come from the upper circles, as the scent and color of the paper were almost similar to the scent and color of the paper the palace used.
“Your Highness, this is a petition from several officials regarding the request of the overthrow of Mrs Huang as the Grand Empress.”
“No shame! Basic office don't know yourself!”
Long Ji Man tore the petition paper into small pieces. The flames of anger that almost extinguished in Long Ji Man's heart re-ignited, like being doused in kerosene. The young king returned with a very sad face. He kicked the table until some documents and the ink container shook. The sound of his buzz even reached outside Hongwu Palace, making the servants and palace attendants who happened to pass by stop their steps in shock.
Why do they keep crossing Long Ji Man?
“Xiao Biqi! Convey my orders!”
“Ya, Your Highness.”
“Hamba will execute command.”
“We see who dares to play the royal family!”
From outside the palace, there was a voice of a woman shouting forcing her way in. Long Ji Man changed his expression, returning his face as usual. After gesturing to his eunuch, the man sat upright in his majesty chair. Xiao Biqi opened the door, then Li Anlan in a light blue hanfu suit ran towards Long Ji Man.
“Why are you here?”
“Your Highness, did your office make trouble with you?”
“You've heard it?”
“Xie Roulan told me about the warm conversation that has been going on in the palace lately. Your Majesty, is it true that I do not deserve the title of Grand Empress? What if you grant them their wish?”
“No. A king will never deny his own words!”
“But, Your Highness-”
“Li Huang An, the Grand Empress is my authority and personal right. They have no right or authority to mix it up! Even if they die, I will never overthrow you!”
Li Anlan who came in a hurry took a breath for a moment. His heart was beginning to calm down, unlike when he came. The woman ran from Xingyue Palace towards Hongwu Palace after hearing Xie Roulan's story of those who continued to debate the king after the appointment of the Grand Empress. Xie Roulan also told me that out there, people bet on gambling houses and on the roadside using his name.
“Wah, then, those officials really don't know themselves. Why do they keep opposing you? They should have known the place!”
“You understand now?”
Li Anlan nodded.
“I hear, even the Queen Mother has no right to interfere in the affairs of the Grand Empress.”
“It is true.”
“Your Highness, but are you sure it's okay? What if those officials rebel and trouble you again?”
“I am not a weak king. They won't make me lose easily!”
For the first time, Li Anlan watched someone defend her all out like this. All his life, Li Anlan could only defend himself without relying on the help of others. Now in this foreign land, with his new status, Long Ji Man instead made himself have high life confidence. The road in front of him was winding and sharp pebbles. Li Anlan needed someone to walk by his side the entire time until he found a smooth paved road without holes.
“Your Majesty, thank you,” said Li Anlan sincerely.
“For?”
“Thank you for trusting me.”
“You want to praise me?”
“Of course not!”
“Honey once.”
“If all the kings of this world were narcissistic like you, would there still be women willing to walk beside you?” cibir Li Anlan's. Truly, she was truly a woman who had no consistency at all.
“Narsis? What is it?”
“Excessive concern for yourself. It means arrogant, selfish, and overconfidence!”
“Why do I feel like you're vilifying me?”
“Not really. I'm just saying the fact.”
Xiao Biqi, looking at the interaction of the King and the Noble Empress, quietly exhaled a sigh of relief. Li Anlan's presence had at least slightly extinguished the flames of anger inside Long Ji Man. The two people were like a pair of dragons and phoenixes that were of different dimensions but were interconnected with each other. Although Li Anlan had come to spar with his king, Xiao Biqi could no longer prevent or do anything.
...***...