19 Come, come! The Wei Familys Face 3 (1/2)

For the rest of the morning after the officials had dispersed, Wei Xuan kneeled in the center of the Imperial Court, facing the golden throne with a blank stare.

The searing numbness in his legs was not the biggest problem…but rather the chatty emperor sitting directly next to him. Relaxing in a lotus chair of sandalwood, the ruler of Great Yong gently fanned himself as he admired his throne.

”Never would I have thought,” the emperor stated with a wistful sigh,” that the throne appeared so domineering from the viewpoint of the officials. Perhaps this emperor should change its design later.”

”…”

”I always wondered, just how do you officials come up with your crazy memorials each day?” the emperor continued, completely ignoring Wei Xuan's blatant disinterest.

”Always with implementing a dam, or regulating taxes, all you officials come up with are supplementary ideas, only temporarily suppressing the problem, never treating the root of it.”

”Hey, hey, tell me! Why haven't you, Left Censor Zhang, or Right Censor Luo ever implement a solution to those arbitrary problems that requires a cultivator's action? From my point of view, a single cultivator would solve those trivial issues without much effort.”

”How has your cultivation been? I sensed that you improved quite a bit since the last time we sparred, did you advance to the Late Core Formation Stage recently?”

”Since we've met twenty years ago, you've never told me what your technique's origin was. You even know about the secrets of my technique and yet refuse to reveal your own, how stingy!”

”How's your First Madam, that Sheng girl? Is she doing alright? Hey…why aren't you talking?”

The emperor rambled, tilting his head to discover that Wei Xuan remained staring towards his front like a stone statue. After a few moments, the minister blinked several times .

”Your Imperial Majesty,” he said with a slow voice. ”Why are you here?”

”Why can't I be here?” the emperor retorted with a light smirk. ”This is my Great Yong, where on this empire are my feet barred from roaming?”

”Then why hasn't Your Imperial Majesty visited Her Imperial Highness's courtyard?” Wei Xuan pointed out. ”The Eastern Willow courtyard seems to require Your Imperial Majesty's presence.”

”Pei! As if that little tiger would break her word so easily. If she wants to kick me out for the night, then I most likely would have to sleep on the streets. Right, little Wei, why don't you let me hitch a night in your study? We could recite poetry like we once did in the olden days.”

”…Your Imperial Majesty, there has never been a precedent of an emperor seeking refuge in an official's residence,” the minister refuted. ”Her Imperial Highness had kindly pointed out Imperial Highness Qin's courtyard as a place to rest, why doesn't Your Imperial Majesty rest there for the night?”

”Qin Yingfei?” the emperor snorted, glaring at the minister with flared nostrils. ”Little tiger was surely joking when she said that, for she hates that Qin girl. If I dare sleep in such a courtyard, who knows if I will even live to see tomorrow's sunrise?”

The emperor began to shiver at the thought of the empress' angry expression, the handsome countenance draining of blood. Fidgeting nervously, he glared at Wei Xuan, before speaking in a haughty manner.

”Anyways,” the emperor cried, ”You're lending me your residence tonight, this emperor is handing you an imperial decree! I won't take any denial!”

”Not possible,” Wei Xuan instantly replied. ”I'm sheltering my daughter in my study. There's no place for Your Imperial Majesty to sleep, or even this minister.”

”You! This Young Master is commanding you, just stay quiet and listen! Since you dared to call me Young Master at that fateful time, you'll abide to my words!”

Wei Xuan raised his head to look skywards, only wishing for time to quickly pass and bring forth the Hour of the Goat. As long as he could be freed from the presence of this chatterbox emperor, the minister was more than glad of the prospect of clinging to the empress' fiery thigh.

”So…Your Imperial Majesty,” Wei Xuan asked once more. ”Why are you here?”

Besides, what kind of emperor would be so bored to take his own imperial examination?

-

Whilst the pitiful Minister of Defense suffered his two-fold punishment, An Fei was currently undergoing a rather painful tribulation. In the form of two young maidens, one older and the other younger, the tribulation seemed rather mighty to overcome.

”Third Sister, why is Fourth Sister not speaking?”