Wu Jinmai's POV
I noticed how Pei Qin's expression changed. I stretch my feet and my hands forward. "Don't get me wrong. I'm really sincere when I say that I'm doing the biggest reform in court. I have to be a tyrant again in order to stop the enemies that I tolerated," I continued.
"I have to protect myself until I fix everything. When that time comes, I can finally die in peace, right?" I added.
I look at Shanguan Zu Jin, and his eyes are as cold as ice, yet it makes me feel like he's killing me inside his head.
This action of his was confusing. He's soft and flirts at times, but suddenly he's threatening me. I don't know if he wants Wu Jinmai or Zhang Yihua. Or maybe… both?
'How can I forget? In this era, having two or more wives is legal. But it's always been the cause of problems.'
"What kind of instrument can you play, A'Qin?" I ask.
"Don't get me wrong, but I have no plans of playing a song for you, Your Highness. I will play a song for my beloved woman," he says. His eyes landed on Yang Hua.
The hatred in his words was still there. He remembers what Wu Jinmai did in jail. I guess he follows my instructions because they're not bad.
I have to gain Pei Qin's and Li Jin's trust. I need these three men to establish what Wu Jinmai destroyed because of her destructive nature.
"No problem with me as long as you will help me with my plans for reforming the court, A'Qin. Didn't I offer my help? I can—"
I stopped talking when A'Zu stopped playing a song. I raise my hand and clap three times. They look at me. I stood up.
"That was a wonderful emperor consort. I love it," I remarked. I
went back to my seat. He is also seated, as is Li Jin. Eunuch Liu stood by my side. I can start my agenda for this banquet.
"You said you liked it, but you're talking with Pei Qin."
I look at him. I lean over to whisper my reply. "It doesn't mean that I didn't hear your performance. I do really like it, A'Zu. I'm not lying," I mumbled softly.
I sit straight and clear my throat. "Minister Wei Zhao, Minister Yang Haoming, and Minister Zhang Yi, can you stand in the middle?" I ask.
They all stood up and bowed their heads as soon as they stood in the middle. I want to cross my legs, but I know it's not appropriate.
"All of you will be reinstated in your respective positions. Minister Wei Zhao, your task is to investigate the current situation of our soldiers in the north borderland. I want to know the situation. Summon Song Qing and his son Song Jialun."
Wei Zhao raises his head and faces me. "Your Highness, asking the two generals here in the capital might stir a rumor. I know you haven't forgotten what you did to them after General Song Qing's wife died," he says.
I tap my lap and remember that moment. Empress Wu Jinmai sent those back to the borderland and didn't give them a chance to find the killer and mourn for Madam Song Yue.
I know it will be a problem. "That's why I need them to come back. As a part of reforming the court, I need to address the problem that I created. It's time to fix my failures and wait for my death," I replied. They look at me with surprised glances. I gave them a serious face.
'I shouldn't continue what she has done. Maybe if I correct Wu Jinmai's mistake, I can live. Either I'll go back in my timeline, grow old here, or I'll really die.'
"Your Highness, you have to consider things, especially in reforming the court. Forgive me if I'm rude, but I must tell you this. You can't make it. You feed monsters in your yard, and you are bound to fall," Yang Haoming stated.
I know they will take this chance to make me see how much damage Wu Jinmai did.
"Yang Haoming, you should watch your words. You're still talking to the empress of Xia," Eunuch Liu says. I raise my hand and look at him. I smiled and shook my head.
"It's okay, Eunuch Liu. Let them say what they have in mind. I did the same thing before," I replied.
I know he is just mad because he knew that I didn't deserve those words. I'm Li Susu, not the real Wu Jinmai. I stood up and walked down. They step back while bowing their heads. I know they are scared of this face.
"Li Jin, you are the one that keeps Song Yue's body, right? I know you are preserving her body," I remarked.
I turn around and face Li Jin. I know that Song Jialun was his cousin and best friend. He stood up and bowed his head before he spoke with me.
"Your mother and Song Yue were siblings, right? As soon as your uncle and cousin come back, prepare for the funeral of your aunt, and I'll give them the time to mourn," I remarked. I looked at these three ministers.
"Like what I said, Minister Zhang and Minister Yang, I need the ledgers of expenses from all the offices. I need to review the expenses of each department, especially those from the offices that I tolerated for my own gain. I also need the ledger for the inner and outer palace." They bow their heads and speak.
"Your Highness, can I say what I have in mind?"
"No problem, Minister Zhang. Like what I said, just be honest with me," I replied. He raises his head and looks at me in the eyes.
"Even if you receive the ledgers that you are asking for, cutting off the expenses of each department will affect the productivity of services," he stops.
"I think you have to consider the prices of the products that each department uses, from paper to coal to wood to food expenses to other materials that each department needs," he continued.
"The prices of raw materials are quite high nowadays because of importation. The market prices increase because of these businessmen that control price ranges," he stops and looks at me.
I think he realizes that he's saying things too much, which angers me. He continued when he realized that I wasn't mad.
"In order to cut expenses, we have to focus on the production of these raw materials and control the price hikes," Zhang Yi added. I was expecting that answer and solution.
"That's the answer that I want to hear. Then focus on making reports on that matter. As for you, Minister Yang, I want you to focus mainly on these three. The policies of financial police and tax assessment and collection, and lastly, the land census."
They gave me that weird and puzzled expression when they heard the last one. I know they are surprised that even the land census caught my attention.
"What are you planning, your highness?" Pei Qin asks firmly.