"Is she going to put the fifth prince on the throne or sit on the throne herself? I don't know what my idiot sister wants. How about the fourth prince? What is on his side?"
"Since Second Ms. Is pregnant nothing for now. Prince Jing manor is also unusually quiet. 6th prince is also quite"
"It's better, so I have to deal with my first sister first"
"Your majesty, if you don't want to deal with it how about we said it to his majesty?"
"No need, he is already exhausted with the old hags in the court. Just invite ministry revenue and other ministers' wives to the palace tomorrow evening. We will take care of Duke's after. They can bring anyone along with them. Pass the edict when their husbands went to the court" Linlin nodded. One maid was listening to the conversation. There were only 2 maids except for Weining, nanny Gu and Linlin. They were prince Sheng's maids prepared by the emperor.
"Sheng'er, come here. I asked the imperial kitchen to prepare your favorite foods"
In the Yang kingdom, Shan Yuan was looking at a map in the middle of the room.
"It's time, we should take action"
"Yes," The men who were there cupped their fists and bow.
"I am counting on you Bai Qi" He mumbled.
The next day Xiao Feng went to Shan Liang Shu. She entered the academy and teachers were waiting at the entrance to welcome their empress.
"We pay our respect to the empress on behalf of Shan Liang Shu"
"No need for formality. You are the elders of the kingdom" The teachers were very satisfied with their empress. They lead way to the office and she was sitting in the office when the head teacher of the academy came and greet the empress.
"Greetings to empress"
"Imperial tutor Huang" The headteacher had taught a few princes before so Xiao Feng didn't forget to respect back after all he is an elder too.
"After knowing your highness is coming academy is more cheerful"
"Imperial tutor Huang, you know what I came here for, so shall we start?"
"Right, let's go" She went out to the combat ground. Everyone was on the ground. With different students and also spectators. Everyone was watching their empress.
"Greetings to the empress"
"Please rise" Xiao Feng sat down in the seat which was prepared for her.
The competition started. The competition went on with all 6 arts which are rites, music, archery, chariot racing, calligraphy, and mathematics.
It first was archery as Xiao Feng was shocked to see someone familiar and look at Weining who was already looking at her with the same shocking look.
It was Shan Yuan's follower, Bai Qi. Xiao Feng signal Weining to come near her and she asked Weining to eliminate Bai Qi as she doesn't want to see him. Weining nodded and say something to Linlin and she nodded. After archery skill, it was chariot racing. One person from every competition would be chosen. Two people were chosen from the two competitions and Empress was led into the main hall. After music, calligraphy and mathematic tests the one left was the rite test.
Xiao Feng wrote the topic that competitors should describe from their point of view. "A prince should employ his minister according to the rules of propriety (Rite); ministers should serve their prince with loyalty"
Xiao Feng gave the paper to the imperial tutor Huang who went to the exam hall. Xiao Feng waited will the incense is burned. When it was over few teachers brought over answer sheets and three senior teachers check the answers they choose 10 answer sheets and hand them over to the empress.
After Xiao Feng checked them, she finally took out one answer sheet and inform imperial tutor Huang to cooperate with Linlin. She also asked a teacher to take Bai Qi. After a while, Bai Qi came inside the office. There were only the empress and Weining in the room and the room was also heavily guarded by Xiao Feng's guards.
"Didn't I clear everything with your master?"
"Your highness, my master is worried about your safety so he asked me to enter the palace and protect you till he comes back," Bai Qi said kneeling on one knee.
"Bai Qi, instead you should go back and protect your master"
"Your highness, my master already knows your highness is pregnant. He said no matter who is the father, in a harem it is impossible to have a peaceful time and stay safe so he asked me to protect you with the cost of my life"
"If he knows me well, he should know who is the father of the child. I know your master's intentions very well. Just tell him I can protect myself. No one can challenge me so I can protect myself and I have Linlin and Weining with me. Your master is careless and somewhat stubborn when taking decisions. Go back and give this to your master"
"But"
"After reading this letter he will understand it" Bai Qi hesitantly nodded and bowed.
"Tell teacher Huang that you got a sudden letter from family asking you to come back and go back"
"Yes" He nodded and he went out. After a while empress also decide to go back as it was already evening. When Xiao Feng was in the imperial carriage it was a little chaotic in the street.
"What's happening?" Linlin peeped from the curtain.
"Your majesty seems like a fight. I will take a look" After a minute Linlin came back.
"It was 2 young masters from the Huo family and Bing family. They are fighting after one losing a bet"
"Isn't it Duke Bing's and ministry Huo's sons?"
"Yes, your highness"
"Weining, help me outside"
"Your highness, going to solve it in person?"
"Either way it will add one more memorial to court" Weining helped Xiao Feng to get down and Xiao Feng went towards the crowd.
"Stop!!" Everyone went aside as young master Bing was on top of young master Huo.
"Who are you to interrupt?" Young master Huo who was on the top young master Bing said looking at the person. He quickly gets up and bows together with other people.
"Greeting, empress" Xiao Feng looks at the two young masters who were a mess on their own.
"Please rise. You two, don't try to play. Follow me" They quickly tidy them up and dusted off their dress and follow the empress. Though the two young masters are playing the empress was even younger than both of them. When they were near the carriage Xiao Feng suddenly turned to make both young masters halt on their track.
"It's a shame for ministry Bing and Duke Huo. Linlin send those two to their manors and hands them over"
"Yes, your highness" Linlin went towards the two.
"Weining, let's go. Let their families take care of their own families. I am not going to punish them" They went back and, in the evening, she had to take care of the ministries' wives and beat the bush and let them know the consequence of planning a rebel. It was night and the emperor and Xiao Feng was eating.
"It was a tough day for you"
"Your majesty had a tough day too"
"I bring some more memorials here since I have many things to do. Also, what happens in the academy?"
"I have personally chosen 3 best scholars and 3 Martials. They will report themselves on the banquet tomorrow" Emperor nodded.
"Today, two young masters of two officials' families were fighting. I had to go there since I don't have anyone around that is trusted to run errands except Linlin and Weining. I wanted to take in a few people, can I?"
"Okay, as long as you want one. I will send a trusted one to you"
"Thank you, your majesty"
"You weren't in the palace the whole day; I heard harem teachers were very strict"
"Seem like your majesty is well informed about harem?"
"N-no. It's not" Xiao Feng chuckled and in a second both of them broke into chuckles.
"I ask them to prepare for tomorrow's performances so if someone gets your majesty's heart let me know right away"
"Sometimes I think you must sometime be selfish"
"I am but right now, I have everything, Power, love, a man and a baby" Emperor cupped Xiao Feng's head and planted a kiss on her forehead.
"I am so happy"
The next day empress was sleeping beside the emperor. Emperor was enjoying the view of his empress sleeping peacefully. She slowly woke up and smiled seeing the emperor.
"I am regretting"
"Regretting marrying me, early in the morning?" Xiao Feng asked with a smile.
"I wished I have the guts to face others earlier. Maybe we have married sooner and will already have a few babies running here and there"
"Past is past. Future may be brighter than the past" Xiao Feng didn't know if she comforted the emperor or herself. Emperor kissed her forehead and cheeks.
"Let me calculate, by now we should have two or more babies and upcoming another one" Emperor shamelessly said with a proud smile, and Xiao Feng was flushed to be a cherry.
"It's better to have a cute baby like you" Xiao Feng just pouted and turn to the other side.
"Okay, okay. I will stop teasing you"
"You will be late for the morning court" Emperor nodded and stood up from the bed after giving another kiss on Xiao Feng's forehead.
Empress was reading a scroll and 2 maids were cleaning while gossiping.
"Sister is it true that emperor and empress are childhood sweethearts?"
"Sister may not know. Emperor and empress are not only childhood sweethearts but have also been engaged to each other since they were little. I heard that the empress was only 1 month when they engaged. 2 years ago, his majesty was still going to"
Weining looked at the empress and she didn't seem to affect the maids talking as she decide to let it go.
"Because general Xiao died the marriage was postponed to one year but a month after that happen crown prince went missing if not emperor and empress has married two years ago"
Weining again looks at the empress.
"Your majesty, do you need me to?"
"Just let them, I don't want to be an unreasonable person. Just let them talk freely. Not like the past could be changed, it's not a crime to talk about it" Weining sighed.
It was evening on the same day. The women who came to harem selection were going back towards the harem gossiping. They were on their way when they met with concubine Wei.
"Concubine Wei" They all greeted and concubine Wei just ignored them while caressing her tummy showing off her pregnancy making the women gossip about her arrogant look.
They were unlucky enough to meet the only consort, imperial consort Shu.
"Imperial consort Shu" They greeted the imperial consort, Shu. She stopped and smile while scanning everyone.
"You and you and you and you and you and you" She pointed few women.
"Empress doesn't want a beautiful woman to enter the harem, you better go back if not your beautiful faces will be gone" It was because imperial consort Shu only has a beautiful face and no more advantage to get the favor of the emperor.
Some gossip as if really empress is like that then how could they even get pregnant if the empress is a jealous type?
"What are you whispering? I am telling the truth. Don't you know that the empress is from the Xiao family? She can kill someone without blinking"
"Is Xiao family that scary?"
Everyone looked towards the voice and seeing the empress beside them, everyone panicked.
"Greetings, empress"
"I, it wasn't what I mean empress"
"But what you told is correct. I am from the Xiao family and I can kill someone without blinking if you're not pregnant you can taste it too"