Wu Jinmai's POV
They look at me. General Li Jin chooses to speak first and report his assignment. "You are right, your highness. The pleasure district was indeed scarier than we thought. Based on my investigation, most of the servants in the inner and outer palaces were victims of abduction and sexual abuse," he reported.
I sighed. No matter what dynasty and timeline we have, this kind of action is still rampant. I sip my tea and heave a long sigh.
"How about you, A'Qin?" I ask, looking at him in the eyes.
"Your Highness, during our investigation, no one from their family had reported a missing member of their family. On the other hand, the salaries of these servants are being taken by certain people. Their family didn't receive any of their money," he elaborated.
I walk back and forth and drink the rest of my tea. I guess we have to investigate this group, or else thousands of servants will work for these moguls.
"A'Qin, I want you to continue this matter and get to the bottom of it. We have to know the people behind this abduction of ladies."
"Most of them serve in pleasure districts, noble houses, and the inner and outer courts as well," I remarked.
He raises his hand, bowing his head. "Understood, Your Highness," Pei Qin replied.
I look at my cup. I'm out of tea. I look at them. "Let's get inside and drink tea together as we continue this discussion. Come on," I suggest. They let me through first and followed me.
I grabbed another three cups and poured tea into them. I look at them. They grab their cup and take a sip.
They even raise their hands and hide their lips as they sip. I forgot how conservative the ancient eras were.
"How about you, emperor consort? How's your investigation?" I ask.
He sighed and put down his cup of tea. I notice that he's restless. I understand the reason why. He meets my gaze.
"Your Highness, all your suspicions regarding the anomalies in different offices were true. As for your desire to review the office of the Ministry of Revenue, I already started that. As of now, I have no valid evidence that I can show you," he reported. He sips his tea again.
"Give me enough time, Your Highness," he added.
I look at them and smile widely. "You can all have the time you need. My plans for reforming the kingdom's offices and laws won't happen overnight. I'm already asking too much of all of you, and waiting for the results isn't that tiring," I stated.
Li Jin and Pei Qin were looking at me intently. I know they're still surprised at how I am trying to change my ways of ruling this empire.
Shanguan Zu Jin and Eunuch Liu are the two people who knew that I wasn't the real Wu Jinmai. I know the danger ahead of me.
I have to be careful and use my cards properly. I sipped my tea and sighed softly. I haven't seen my face yet.
I wonder what I look like. Most of the time, my court ladies were the ones who put makeup on me.
"Is there a problem, your highness?" Pei Qin asks.
I shake my head and put down my cup. "I just want to apologize to the three of you. I know I forced you to marry me because... Well, you're all beautiful men."
Well, Wu Jinmai really adores beauty. He also chooses talented officials for the court. "By the way, be honest with me. You want to marry the ladies from the Zhang, Wei, and Yang families, right? It's because of my verdict. The three of you have no choice but to marry me, right? "
The two royal consorts look down. "Come one, just be honest. I won't get mad, I promise," I remark, raising my three fingers.
"Your Highness, we are already your husbands. The noble ladies of the three families shouldn't be. Please spare them. We are ready to follow your commands in return," Li Jin stated.
I sulk and look away. These men didn't know how to cooperate. I swayed myself as I showed them that I was a bit offended.
"Your Highness, I apologize for offending you!" A'Jin added.
I lean my elbow on the table and nestle my face in my palm. "Then tell me. I already swear that I won't hurt or be reckless again. I'm curious why the three of you love them. It's okay to talk about love from time to time. Who knows? I've promised before that I can bring them here to the palace to be your wives," I remarked.
I punched my waiters lightly. My waist had been aching this morning. I wonder why.
"I've fallen in love with Yang Hua because she's gentle and her smile soothes my soul. She also shares my ideals, and we both love poetry, playing erhu, and watching the sunset together," Pei Qin mumbled.
I saw how his eyes glowed with happiness. Wu Jinmai steals their happiness because of her frustrations, fear, and pride as a royal family member.
These men didn't deserve what she had done to them. I smiled. "I guess what my grandma used to say was true. You can see a man who is in love through their eyes. Yang Hua was a lucky woman, A'Qin. She deserves a loyal man like you," I remarked.
He blinks and is surprised that instead of being mad, I am smiling and mesmerized instead.
"How about you, A'Jin? I knew you as the second lady of the Wei family. Her name is Wei Pei Rou, right?" I ask.
Li Jin raised his head and was afraid to share something with me. I sit straight and look at him in the eyes.
"Don't worry. I will never do what I did again. Actually, I am planning to personally call them and make friends with them. I have to personally apologize for being selfish and willful. They deserve it, and it's my fault anyway," I remarked.
Li Jin looks down, but he answers. "Pei Rou loves paintings and poetry as well. She also adores making flower bouquets. She plays Erhu as well. On the other hand, she hates competing for attention. I'm sure she will never agree to be my wife because I'm a royal consort."
I held my chin. That's true. In my world, most people who have two wives or more are Muslims, depending on their capability to provide. Christianity says the other. Having another woman or man was already cheating.
"Well, that's true. Hmm… let me think about how to fix this problem. Give me some time. How about you, A'Zu? Do you want to share with me about your affair with the second daughter of the Zhang family? Just a brief one," I ask.
His eyes were as cold as ice. I guess he's still doubtful of me. "Her Highness was asking you, Shanguan Zu Jin."