The Eunuch Has A Wife - Chapter 64

“Your Majesty, you are the sovereign.”

Whether you perform well or not, you are still the emperor. No matter how well others do, they cannot be the emperor.

Prime Minister Chu knelt on the ground, filled with sorrow. What kind of situation was this? They had just gotten rid of one who liked to give arbitrary orders, and now another who seemed to be shirking responsibilities had come along. It was too difficult for them as ministers.

Bai Zhi raised her eyebrows. It was clear that this old minister did not directly answer the question because the answer was obvious. Zhou □ was more sensitive and capable in handling political affairs than she was.

She gently rubbed her temples with her index finger: “My dear ministers, do you think this empire needs a useless puppet emperor or a wise and capable ruler?”

“Your servant is terrified…”

Bai Zhi looked at the ministers who had all knelt down and sighed softly in her heart: “Set a date for the coronation ceremony. The court is dismissed.”

As soon as she turned around, Chief Steward Bai came up to Zhou □: “Princess Anguo, please stay. His Majesty summons you to the imperial study for an audience.”

The ministers instinctively glanced at her, their eyes filled with scrutiny. If it weren’t for the fact that this princess seemed very loyal to the emperor, she would undoubtedly be a powerful minister, the kind who could control the court.

Imperial Study.

Seeing Zhou □ about to kneel, Bai Zhi quickly said: “There’s no need for formalities between us. Please sit.”

“Your servant pays respects to Your Majesty.” Zhou □ still knelt and performed the ritual. She knew the ministers’ intentions and that she should be even more cautious in her words and actions.

Seeing her like this, Bai Zhi’s expression changed slightly, as if she had thought of something: “Rise. Elder sister, you are becoming more and more adept at handling political affairs. I can see that you are very skilled in court matters, more skilled than I am, and more suitable than I am.”

What she meant by “suitable” was self-evident.

It wouldn’t be long before their roles would be reversed, and then it would be her turn to be cautious in her words and actions.

As soon as Zhou □ stood up, she immediately knelt down again upon hearing this: “Your Majesty, your servant deserves death.”

She had been raised in Song Village since childhood and had been taught by Bai Hongmo for many years, all for the purpose of one day becoming Bai Zhi’s right-hand man and assisting her wholeheartedly.

But if the emperor did not like her, all her learning would become a disaster.

Bai Zhi looked at Zhou □ and smiled: “You don’t need to be nervous. My ambitions lie elsewhere. Elder sister, you are not only more suitable than I am to sit on this throne, but you will also do a better job than I would, right? Most importantly, you have the qualifications.”

That’s right, Zhou □ had already regained her status. If we were to talk about it, she was even a legitimate descendant of the Zhou family, not only qualified but also capable.

Zhou □ was momentarily speechless and could only ask for punishment.

Bai Zhi straightened her expression, walked over, and helped her up: “Elder sister, I am serious. My heart is only with Wanwan and the world outside. I do not want to stay in this imperial city. Of course, if you really have no intention for the throne, I will not force you.”

After saying this, she quietly looked at Zhou □, her gaze frank and sincere.

How long they looked at each other, how long the wind and waves rose in Zhou □’s heart. She didn’t know if Bai Zhi’s words were sincere or a test.

If they were sincere, all her learning would have a place, and it would naturally be best to do her utmost for the people of the world. If it was a false test, she might not be able to walk out of the imperial study alive today.

The imperial study was so quiet you could hear a pin drop, and no one spoke for a long time.

Suddenly, a light laugh was heard, and a person walked out from behind the screen.

“Sister Zhou, don’t worry. My husband really doesn’t want to sit on the throne. People have different ambitions. She, like me, only thinks about the freedom and happiness outside the palace.”

Wei Ziwan walked briskly up to Zhou □ and pulled her to sit down.

Bai Zhi secretly breathed a sigh of relief in her heart. Indeed, dealing with such matters was better left to Wanwan. She had no talent in this area.

Zhou □ looked at Wei Ziwan and hesitated for a moment before asking: “Why?”

This was the throne! The supreme ruler, the master of the world. Could someone really not care?

Wei Ziwan did not answer her directly but instead looked at Bai Zhi and asked: “Husband, have you thought about where to go from here?”

They had talked about this topic before, but they had not come to a concrete conclusion. Bai Zhi glanced at the memorials in front of her, her mind stirred, and she had an answer: “I want to farm, to plant fields all over the world.”

Zhou □, seeing them ask and answer, became even more confused. Planting fields all over the world? What did that mean?

The more she listened, the more confused she became.

Wei Ziwan glanced at Zhou □, who was listening attentively, and continued to ask Bai Zhi: “What do you mean by planting fields all over the world?”

Speaking of which, this was the first time she had heard this sentence.

Looking at Bai Zhi again, this person must have already had a clear goal in mind. It seemed that their later half of life would really be dealing with the land.

Bai Zhi explained: “When we first arrived at Lingjue Villa, we knew nothing about farming. From sowing to harvesting, we relied entirely on asking around and seeking advice. If Lingjue Villa is like this, what about when we go elsewhere? What should be planted in the cold northwest? How to plant it? What about the water towns of Jiangnan? Although old farmers pass down their knowledge from generation to generation, there are always exceptions and deviations. So I want to plant fields all over the world, record all the problems and experiences, and provide references for future generations.”

She had just been looking at the memorials on the table, sighing with emotion at how complicated the affairs of the world were. It was not something that could be managed well just by sitting on the throne and approving memorials.

Originally, her thoughts were still somewhat vague, but suddenly at this moment, they became clear. Some things always needed someone to do them, and she was yearning for this, willing to devote half her life to it.

After listening to Bai Zhi’s words, a clear smile appeared in Wei Ziwan’s eyes, filled with admiration and approval. Then she looked at Zhou □ and said: “Sister Zhou, did you hear that? But we are also doing this for the court and the people. After you ascend the throne, you must allocate some funds to us, otherwise my husband and I might starve someday.”

After all, with attempts comes failures. What if the crops planted did not yield, or if they encountered difficulties in the places they went? They also needed some reliance, and the greatest reliance was the court.

Zhou □’s heart was slightly shaken. Planting fields all over the world, so that’s what it meant.

At this moment, she no longer had any doubts in her heart.

“This matter is of great benefit to the court and the people. We must ensure financial, human, and material resources, so that you have no worries. You only need to record all the experiences and findings, without having to do everything personally. However, what should we do now?”

Bai Zhi’s coronation ceremony was imminent. This was not child’s play. How to explain it to the ministers?

The three of them fell silent together.

Bai Zhi thought for a moment and brought up Bai Hongmo: “Mother promised me that she would arrange this matter properly. Why not seek her advice?”

The only condition she had proposed when she agreed to enter the palace was that she would not sit on the throne but would do what she liked.

Now Bai Hongmo and the empress, or rather, the two empress dowagers, had gone to the temporary palace to relax because they were grieving the late emperor’s death. It seemed like they were enjoying themselves too much and probably wouldn’t return to the palace for a while.

As for the reason being the late emperor’s death, Bai Zhi thought of the two of them leaving hand in hand, full of tenderness. She would be a fool to believe a single word of it.

Zhou □ nodded. This kind of matter seemed most appropriate for the elders to handle. Whatever they did would not be appropriate, especially with those ministers to deal with.

The person who went to the temporary palace to pay respects returned quickly, bringing a simple message of only four words: abdicate and yield to the worthy.

It was said that the two empress dowagers had jointly come up with this idea. The three of them looked at each other and fell silent.

Those two probably didn’t put much thought into it. Bai Zhi hadn’t even ascended the throne yet, how could she abdicate?

After a long silence, Bai Zhi sighed softly: “Let’s do it this way.”

“How?” Zhou □ was puzzled.

Bai Zhi smiled lightly: “Just follow these four words. The two empress dowagers have agreed. Quickly summon the ministers and explain it to them privately. The coronation ceremony can directly be held for you. It’s a win-win situation.”

By then, she could leave with Wanwan, to see the mountains and rivers of Baiyue, and write a comprehensive agricultural book for Baiyue.

Wei Ziwan seemed to sense something and smiled at her, her eyes gentle.

Zhou □ looked at the two people in front of her who seemed to be already dreaming of the future and silently closed her mouth.

She saw that not only were the two empress dowagers not taking it seriously, but these two were also not putting much effort into it. In this vast palace, it seemed like she was the only one working hard.

She suddenly felt a strange sense of indignation and sorrow. After ascending the throne, the first thing she would do was to select concubines.

But should she choose male or female concubines? Zhou □ couldn’t help but worry. It seemed like there was no one to discuss it with. Why not leave it to the ministers to arrange?

With the previous exchange between Bai Zhi and Prime Minister Chu in the court, and now hearing the news of so-called abdication and yielding to the worthy, the ministers had a feeling of ‘just as I expected’.

With the two empress dowagers expressing their stance first, Bai Zhi avoiding it, and Zhou □ performing well, Prime Minister Chu thought of his daughter who had already become an empress dowager and took the lead in agreeing.

Since Bai Zhi had not ascended the throne, she could not be called the retired emperor. She and Zhou □ directly switched roles, with Zhou □ becoming the emperor and her becoming a leisurely princess.

In the deep winter of 962, Baiyue.

The first decree issued by the new emperor after ascending the throne was to bestow a marriage to the princess and bestow a residence.

After receiving the decree, Wei Ziwan smiled charmingly and hooked her arm around Bai Zhi’s arm: “Husband, when did you go and ask Sister Zhou for this decree?”

This person had actually kept it from her.

Bai Zhi stared into Wei Ziwan’s eyes and smiled: “I said I would marry you and then have the wedding night.” To marry openly, to wear the phoenix crown and rosy veil together, to lift each other’s veils, and to drink the wedding wine. What they didn’t have in their past life, they would make up for in this life.

The words ‘wedding night’ made Wei Ziwan’s ears turn red, and she turned to walk ahead: “Aren’t we going to visit the old consort? Let’s go.”

Bai Zhi looked at her graceful back, her eyes filled with tenderness and sweetness. How wonderful, in this reincarnated life, the most beautiful thing was the person in front of her.

The old consort had been invited out of the cold palace on the first day Bai Zhi entered the palace. The two empress dowagers had gone to the temporary palace and stated they would not return. The only person of high seniority left in the palace was her.

When the old consort saw Bai Zhi and Wei Ziwan coming, she dismissed all the attendants and said with a smile: “After staying in the cold palace for so long, everywhere feels more lively than there. Look at all these people crowding around. I was never this glamorous when I was young.”

Bai Zhi and Wei Ziwan walked over. Just like in the cold palace before, one sat with the old consort, and the other took the water kettle to water the flowers and plants.

“Old consort, why were you in the cold palace back then?” Bai Zhi couldn’t help but ask the curiosity that had been hidden in her heart.

The old consort held Wei Ziwan’s hand and said with a smile: “Back then, the court kept demoting female officials. I thought I might as well enter the palace and give birth to a prince, and then teach him to treat women the same as men, to measure officials by their abilities, not their gender. There are many injustices in this world, and gender should not have distinctions of high and low.”

“And then?”

The old consort sighed, her face filled with emotion: “And then, who knew the old emperor was useless? He couldn’t even walk without support, and couldn’t do what needed to be done. I saw that giving birth to a prince was hopeless, so I just touched the eunuch’s face and pulled the maid’s hand. Who knew my luck was bad and I was caught by the old emperor, so I was sent to the cold palace.”

“…”

Bai Zhi’s face was hard to describe. This reason was truly unexpected, but it felt like something the old consort would do.

She couldn’t help but look at the old consort holding Wei Ziwan’s hand. The old consort was stroking it and constantly scrutinizing Wei Ziwan’s face.

Suddenly, she felt a bit uncomfortable.

The old consort suddenly turned her head and glared at her: “What are you thinking with that stupid brain? This old woman is just being close to a younger generation who is as beautiful as a flower.”

Bai Zhi: “…”

Stupid brain? What was that?

The old consort turned her head again and stared at Wei Ziwan, saying kindly: “Wanwan, tell me, have you tried all the patterns in that book? Is Little Bai serving you well?”

The patterns in the book? Wei Ziwan couldn’t help but look at Bai Zhi.

Bai Zhi’s face darkened, but seeing Wei Ziwan’s confusion, she still explained: “It’s that… the book that was discovered when we left the palace.”

‘Boom’ Wei Ziwan seemed to hear an explosion, her ears and cheeks instantly turning red. Wasn’t that a erotic picture book?

The old consort was too… too unconventional.

“Why be shy? We women should learn to enjoy ourselves and not wrong ourselves. If Little Bai is not attentive to you, tell this old woman, and I will beat her.” The old consort said, glaring at Bai Zhi again.

Bai Zhi took a deep breath: “Wanwan and I haven’t had the wedding yet. We haven’t used that book.”

The old consort was stunned for a moment, then suddenly stood up and walked inside. After a while, she came out with a stack of books.

Bai Zhi suddenly had a bad premonition.

The old consort placed the stack of books in Wei Ziwan’s hands: “Little Bai is really useless. Wanwan, take these back and study them with her tonight. Consider it a wedding gift for you.”

Wei Ziwan’s face turned red, as if she had guessed something. She didn’t know whether to refuse or accept and couldn’t help but look at Bai Zhi again.

Bai Zhi glanced at the stack of books and asked curiously: “Old consort, were you really sent to the cold palace for touching the eunuch’s face and pulling the maid’s hand?”

“Of course, I am pure and self-respecting. I am not that kind of improper person. I would never do such things. You are thinking too much.”

“What I mean is, were you really not sent to the cold palace for hoarding so many books?” Bai Zhi rolled her eyes. She wasn’t thinking too much.

The old consort looked at her innocent expression, felt a lump in her throat, and said: “Get out, don’t bother me here. Let the maids come in and serve.”

Let the maids come in, Bai Zhi’s mind flashed with the image of the old consort stroking a group of maids’ hands…

“At your age, take care of your health. Don’t cause any royal scandals.”

“Get out—”