Unruly Phoenix Xiaoyao

Chapter 38: Gratuitous favoritism, or begging them to scram?

Yongning held a small court assembly once every two days, and a large one once every three days. On the day of the new emperor's large assembly, Heaven didn't grant any beautiful weather. Starting in the hours before dawn, heavy rain had fallen until the sun rose. It was as if all the water from the rivers had decided to pour down from the skies. If anyone stood in the rain without an umbrella, they'd be hard-pressed to open their eyes against the onslaught.

Before entering the Hall of Golden Chimes[1. Hall of Golden Chimes (金銮殿) - jinluandian, a popular name for the emperor's audience hall in the imperial palace.], Grand Preceptor Xie purposely paused at the foot of the steps to observe Fang Tang and the rest standing in the rain. Though Fang Tang and company didn't know why, Lou Zigui had ordered them to look grieved and heartbroken today. Thus, they had all rubbed their eyes red to stand in the rain, looking as if they might weep. It seemed like they'd been driven to distraction by grief. Grand Preceptor Xie felt his heart ease at the sight. These were all military men who had killed countless people. For them to look so utterly wretched must mean that Lou Zigui had already passed away.

Ning Xiaoyao sat on the Dragon Throne in the Hall of Golden Chimes, wearing her emperor's court dress. Various ministers knelt at the foot of the steps leading to her throne, doing their [2. three kneelings and nine kowtows (三拜九叩) - sanbai jiukou, also called the "grand kowtow." A ceremony done during the coronation of a new emperor that involves the subject kneeling from a standing position three times and kowtowing thrice each time.] while hailing her to live and going through the grand rites between a sovereign and his subjects. Ning Xiaoyao's face was wooden, her gaze seemingly cold. Her reserved and taciturn manner made her seem rather lofty and distant.

His Majesty was currently just 15 years old, but none of the gathered ministers considered her to be a little emperor. Just the feat of rescuing and absolving Lou Zigui from the Xie father and daughter, who'd racked their brains to dirty his name, along with rounding up the Northern Hu spies, were schemes and tricks too well to be called 'little.' Those so-called claims of a 'self-injury ruse' were enough to trick the commoners, but how could people of the imperial court be so easily hoodwinked?

Grand Preceptor Xie glanced at NIng Xiaoyao from his kneeling position. In his eyes, her expression was another verification of Lou Zigui's death. Now she looked helpless and at a loss.

Actually, Ning Xiaoyao's thoughts were currently wandering about. She truly sympathized with the people kneeling outside in the rain who couldn't come in. Just what was the point of that? Ning Xiaoyao didn't really understand imperial power, so she naturally couldn't make sense of the situation. In any case, she'd rather die than get out of her bedcovers in weather like this unless zombies were besieging the city. After the ministers had finished making obeisances to their sovereign, Ning Xiaoyao still remained sitting without speaking. Grand Preceptor Xie cast a glance at the eunuch in charge of ceremony standing by the steps to the throne.

Immediately, the eunuch cried out, "Rise!"

All of the ministers stood up. Grand Preceptor Xie looked at Ning Xiaoyao again. This time, she was still lost in a daydream. All last night, she'd been trying to figure out how to fight today, so her nerves were stretched taut. Now they'd collapsed, leaving her a little out of character.

Grand Preceptor Xie stepped forward and said loudly, "May Esteemed Empress Dowager enter the court."

There were ministers amongst the crowd that weren't sided with the Grand Preceptor. When they saw that His Majesty had yet to speak before Grand Preceptor Xie took matters into his own hands, they felt the urge to reprimand the man. Do you still know the difference between a monarch and a minister? Just who's in charge of this court assembly? But before any of the ministers could speak up for justice's sake, the eunuch in charge of ceremony shouted, "May Esteemed Empress Dowager enter the couuuurt~"