Unruly Phoenix Xiaoyao

Chapter 39: His Majesty Ning fighting alone

Grand Preceptor Xie was in an awkward, unfavorable plight. He could either turn hostile towards Ning Xiaoyao and thoroughly become her enemy, or kneel on the ground to admit his errors and ask for punishment. Who told him to be a subject while Ning Xiaoyao was the sovereign? Ning Xiaoyao earnestly wished that Grand Preceptor Xie could rush up and bite her right now so she had an excuse to beat him within an inch of his life. Empress Dowager Xie started to feel uneasy. Had Lou Zigui really died? Was this really His Majesty acting as if all hope was lost?

"This subject doesn't dare," Grand Preceptor Xie knelt down with head bowed.

"Then Zhen isn't mentally deficient?" Ning Xiaoyao asked.

One of the ministers stepped forward then to ask, "Your Majesty, what is 'mentally deficient?'"

"It means blockhead," Ning Xiaoyao snapped in annoyance. The people in this world didn't even know what "mentally deficient" meant!

There were some ministers who suddenly wanted to laugh, but bit down painfully on their tongues to stop themselves. Ning Xiaoyao patted the armrest of the Dragon Throne and said,"Say something, ah."

"This subject doesn't dare. Your Majesty has been exceptionally intelligent since childhood," the Grand Preceptor kowtowed to Ning Xiaoyao again. "The sun and moon themselves can stand witness to this subject's care towards Your Majesty."

Ning Xiaoyao narrowed her eyes. Just then, the Grand Preceptor was still angry, but now he had calmed down. Psychologically speaking, his mental fortitude was formidable.

Finally, the Grand Preceptor's camp appeared to make their move. One minister stepped forward and said, "Since it was the late emperor's wish..."

"Hold it, you," Ning Xiaoyao raised a hand towards the speaker. "Didn't you just hear the empress dowager say she was only a married woman? She hasn't even held court from behind a screen yet, and she's already crying like this. Do you want me to force her to her death?"

"....." said the minister in question. His Majesty was a blackguard and a rascal, wasn't he?!

"Your Majesty misunderstands," Empress Dowager Xie hastened to say.

Ning Xiaoyao replied, "Just then, the Grand Preceptor said that Zhen has been exceptionally intelligent since childhood. How could Zhen still not understand what others mean?"

Empress Dowager Xie dearly regretted her actions now. Why had she pretended to be modest and unassuming while showing off her weak side? "How could we disobey the late emperor's last will?" she asked, using the late emperor to directly suppress Ning Xiaoyao.

"The late emperor's last will," Ning Xiaoyao echoed, "Does it come with an imperial edict?"

"These were the late emperor's verbal instructions," said Grand Preceptor Xie.

"Who heard them?" Ning Xiaoyao asked again. "Does a last will exist just because you father and daughter pair said so?"

"This subject heard it with his own ears!" in response to Ning Xiaoyao's words, a dozen or so voices chorused simultaneously before their owners knelt down.

"......" said Ning Xiaoyao. She was going to be beat up by the crowd at this rate.

"Is Your Majesty blaming This Dowager?" Empress Dowager Xie covered her face and burst into tears. Her body trembled, and she looked on the verge of fainting away.

Ning Xiaoyao seized the chance to chase her off. "If you're not feeling well, go back to the imperial harem."

Empress Dowager Xie fell until she was sitting on the steps to the throne. Ning Xiaoyao didn't catch how she fell, but felt that her movements were inexorably beautiful, almost like someone dancing.