"Is this prince's remark something Your Ladyship misunderstood..." Gu Zhaoyan put her hands behind her back, walking toward Qi Yelin step by step, and looked up at him. "Reluctant to part with this prince?"
"Stop flattering yourself." Qi Yelin let out a cold laugh, his tongue as sharp as if it were dipped in poison.
Had she not seen him kneeling before the tomb looking utterly heartbroken, Gu Zhaoyan certainly would have started a fierce quarrel with him again.
"With Prince Shen in the imperial court, this prince feels at ease."
Qi Yelin frowned. The Eldest Princess was acting extremely strange; just this morning she had still been at daggers drawn with him.
Seeing him press his lips together in silence, his eyes carrying vigilance and coldness, Gu Zhaoyan gave a light cough. "I am simply tired. Besides, what happened just now has given the civil and military officials a ready-made opportunity to impeach me. His Majesty will surely strike while the iron is hot to strip me of some of my power..."
"Is the Eldest Princess worried that this prince will kick a man when he's down?" Qi Yelin interrupted Gu Zhaoyan. "This prince is an upright gentleman and would never stoop to such despicable and base acts."
"It is precisely because I know Prince Shen is an upright gentleman that I worry you will be implicated by me..."
Clearly, the words Qi Yelin spoke were still as blunt and sharp as ever, yet Gu Zhaoyan did not feel angry at all. In fact, she found his huffy appearance rather adorable. "Besides, I have discovered that there are things in this world far more important than power. I shall have someone send the tea to your estate. I have matters to attend to, so I will take my leave."
"Eldest..."
Qi Yelin was a step too slow. By the time he spoke, Gu Zhaoyan had already strode away.
What on earth had triggered the Eldest Princess?
After staying in place to ponder for a moment, Qi Yelin stepped into the Emperor's study.
"Prince Shen."
The Emperor, whose face bore the prints of five fingers on both cheeks, immediately complained the moment he saw Qi Yelin walk in. "Has the Imperial Eldest Princess gone mad?"
"This minister and the Eldest Princess were in the same carriage today. If not for the Eldest Princess's quick reflexes, the hidden arrow Your Majesty sees now would likely have embedded itself in this minister's chest." As Qi Yelin spoke, he cast a meaningful glance at Grand Tutor Song.
Gu Zhaoheng turned his head, glared at the evasive Grand Tutor Song, and planted a kick right into him. "Who told you to act on your own initiative?"
"Aiyo, this old official is wronged! This old official only followed Your Majesty's instructions." The moment he hit the floor, Grand Tutor Song began crying out his grievance.
Gu Zhaoheng was so furious his beard and eyebrows twitched. "When did I ever instruct you? Grand Tutor Song, how dare you slander Us?"
Qi Yelin looked coldly at the two putting on a double act. "Was the Eldest Princess staying out of court politics not something Your Majesty has always dreamed of? It also happens to give the Eldest Princess a chance to witness Your Majesty's governing abilities."
Gu Zhaoheng, who had been furious, felt a thrill of temptation upon hearing this. "Prince Shen, do you think We can do it?"
Qi Yelin nodded. "You are the Son of Heaven. A single stomp of your foot can make the civil and military officials tremble. If Your Majesty cannot do it, then no one else under heaven can."
"Prince Shen is right. Without the Imperial Eldest Princess, We can manage court affairs just as well, and surely even better than she did."
Gazing at the Emperor's confident expression, Qi Yelin's lips curved into an imperceptible, cold smile. "You merely lack experience. Once you go through it more often, it will naturally become second nature."
"All of you believe We can do it, yet the Imperial Eldest Princess alone does not. Then We shall let her see just who truly calls the shots in Dayan!"
"Your Majesty is wise."
Qi Yelin bowed with cupped hands, his lowered eyelashes concealing the thoughts churning in his eyes.
"Eldest Princess, Eldest Princess..."
The calls from outside woke Gu Zhaoyan from her deep, sweet slumber. "Why are you making such a racket early in the morning?"
Ever since her younger brother ascended the throne, she had not known a single night of sound sleep. After the showdown with her brother yesterday, she had finally enjoyed the first peaceful sleep of her two lives.
"Eunuch Ma is here."
Jintang, one of Gu Zhaoyan's trusted confidantes, wore a look of lingering worry. "He has brought an imperial edict from His Majesty."
Gu Zhaoyan glanced at the scenery outside the window. "At this hour, the morning court session should have already ended, shouldn't it?"
"Yes." Jintang nodded, hesitating. "Yesterday after Your Ladyship returned to the estate, you forbade us from disturbing you, but this subordinate was uneasy and sent someone to inquire about your departure from the palace. Prince Shen encouraged His Majesty to handle court affairs independently, so during today's court session..."
Had it been her past life, upon hearing Jintang say this, Gu Zhaoyan would have marched straight to Prince Shen's Estate, and if she didn't smash the place to smithereens, it would mean she lacked spine.
Yet right now, she merely chuckled. "Prince Shen really encouraged His Majesty to handle court affairs independently?"
Jintang nodded, failing to understand how the Eldest Princess could still find it in herself to laugh. Could she have been angered out of her senses?
"Tell Eunuch Ma that I was startled yesterday and cannot get up."
"Yes."
An incense stick's length later, Gu Zhaoyan watched as Eunuch Ma walked in, his face clearly bearing an expression of displeasure. "This slave pays respects to the Eldest Princess. This slave..."
"Read it."
Gu Zhaoyan was cracking melon seeds, looking utterly indifferent.
Eunuch Ma gave a dry laugh and bowed. "You need to kneel to receive the edict."
"And if I refuse to kneel, what will be the consequence?" Gu Zhaoyan looked at Eunuch Ma with a smiling gaze.
"This..."
Thinking of Eunuch Huang, who had been beaten yesterday and was still bedridden and unable to move, Eunuch Ma unrolled the imperial edict. "The Eldest Princess of Dayan, Gu Zhaoyan, has spoken impertinently to His Majesty and is wildly arrogant. Remembering your past contributions to the court, His Majesty hereby relieves you of your current Cabinet position, revokes two thousand households and two thousand plots of fiefdom from your domain, and hopes the Eldest Princess..."
"That's enough. There's no need to read the rest."
Gu Zhaoyan knew her younger brother had his eyes on the properties under her name. After all, she was exceptionally skilled at commerce, and he was drooling over the revenues generated by those shops.
"Eldest Princess, this slave knows Your Ladyship is harboring anger, but His Majesty is the Son of Heaven. Can you really afford to show him such disrespect?"
Gu Zhaoyan narrowed her eyes at Eunuch Ma. He had originally been a minor eunuch by her brother's side and had once saved his life, which was why, after ascending the throne, her brother specifically named Eunuch Ma to serve as the Grand Eunuch in personal attendance.
Having tasted the sweetness of power, Eunuch Ma's ambitions had gradually swelled.
In her past life, part of the reason she had been sent to her execution so swiftly was due to Eunuch Ma's efforts.
"Eunuch Ma, come here."
Gu Zhaoyan beckoned to Eunuch Ma.
Eunuch Ma hesitated for a moment, then walked over.
*Slap! Slap!*
Gu Zhaoyan swung with both hands, striking Eunuch Ma so hard that stars danced before his eyes. He collapsed onto his rear on the ground, shrieking in agony. "This slave is merely delivering a message! If Your Ladyship has anger in your heart... Ah..."
"You are indeed delivering a message, but you have certainly added plenty of fuel to the fire in His Majesty's ears as well, haven't you?" Gu Zhaoyan's right foot heavily ground down onto Eunuch Ma's right hand. Only after watching him howl in pain and break out in a cold sweat did she lift her foot. "You are nothing more than a dog by His Majesty's side; how dare you yelp at this prince—at this princess? Jintang, drag this insolent slave out and give him thirty heavy board strikes!"
"This slave is His Majesty's man! You have no authority to subject this slave to private punishment!" Eunuch Ma wailed at the top of his lungs.
"As the Eldest Princess of Dayan, I have the authority to chastise a muddled ruler above and execute treacherous ministers below—this is the power bestowed upon me by my Imperial Father! Drag him out."