Chapter 47: Go! It’s all about the excitement of people I know! I must eat this melon! (1 / 2)
Echoes of My Heart Throughout the Court
The old emperor encountered his ministers halfway up the mountain.
The old emperor feigned a smile. âMy loyal subjects, how leisurely you all seem today.â
The ministers bowed their heads, not daring to speak.
The gentleman, however, feigned surprise and exclaimed, âSubjects? Youâre the Emperor?!â
âThis gentleman had returned after using the restroom.
The ministers were alarmed.
Who is this person, behaving even more recklessly than Xu Yanmao? Xu Yanmao at least has privileges, but do you? Even if you didnât know the Emperorâs identity before, shouldnât you be pretending to be meek now?
And⦠your expression is so obviously fake. Who would believe you didnât know the Emperorâs identity earlier?
As expected, their Emperor raised his voice towards the forest, âTake him away and lock him up.â
Several squads of imperial guards emerged from what seemed to be an empty forest. A few of them stepped forward and restrained the gentleman, who offered little resistance and obediently let himself be taken. Before leaving, however, he cast a hopeful look at Ji Sui.
Lord Ji! Lord Ji! You promised me! You said youâd advocate for the enforcement of The Admonitions for Women!
Yet Ji Sui lowered his gaze and lightly dusted off the sleeve of his robe, as if that hopeful plea had nothing to do with him.
After allâ¦
Ji Suiâs face remained impassive.
Enforcing The Admonitions for Women? He had a daughter of his own.@@novelbin@@
âHe had never intended for The Admonitions for Women
to replace the current social norms.
When the foreign tribes conquered the Central Plains, they brought their customs with them. These nomads never adhered to the notion that women should stay confined to their homes. Both men and women had to herd livestock. Over five centuries, these practices had deeply integrated into the culture of the Central Plains.
When the Han dynasty later established the Zhou dynasty to restore order, the new era carried with it the ruggedness and openness of the grasslands. Women could walk the streets freely, engage in commerce, and work outside the home. Upon reaching marriageable age, they even had the autonomy to choose their partners.
While stricter regulations emerged in the mid-to-late period of the dynasty, the society as a whole remained far more liberal compared to other eras. In the current Xia dynasty, which inherited the Zhou system, not only did they adopt the Zhou laws but also its social customs.
âTherefore, Ji Sui had always planned to discard the idea once it served its purpose.
Would the Emperor consider implementing it?
Ji Sui could only say that given the founding Emperorâs reputation and personal preference for virtuous and obedient womenâ¦
It was well-known that the Emperorâs most beloved Princess Xiangyang was once punished for her mistakes by being forced to recite The Admonitions for Women.
If His Majesty had wanted to enforce it, it wouldâve happened at the beginning of the dynasty. In fact, three decades ago, the previous Emperor had also contemplated ârefiningâ the wild customs of the preceding era. But wasnât it the Empress herself who had blocked that effort?
The gentlemanâs eyes filled with despair.
Ji Sui! You scoundrel! You break your word! Shameless!
ï¼
Xu Yanmao glanced at the imperial guards and suddenly had a thoughtâ
[Wait? Have they always been nearby protecting the Emperor? Doesnât that mean they saw the old Emperor⦠you know, when he was using his hands?]
The commander of the imperial guards felt his legs go weak and immediately knelt before the Emperor with a loud thud.
[Huh? Why did he suddenly kneel? Did I miss something?]
Under the old Emperorâs cold glare, the commander hastily said, âYour Majesty! Forgive your servant for arriving late to protect you!â
He then added emphatically, âThis servant will never turn his back again! Never again!â
He repeated it twice for emphasis.
The old Emperor seemed to understand, his expression softening slightly.
It appeared the guards had used their heads and turned their backs when they sensed something amiss. That meant they hadnât seen him⦠doing that thing⦠whatever it was!
Xu Yanmao, confident that his thoughts were safe in his mind and reassured that the Emperor and the others werenât physically harmed, indulged in a bout of schadenfreude: [Phew! Lucky for me I donât like tea. I dodged a bullet, hahaha!]
The old Emperorâs face darkened.
The ministers didnât dare make a sound, inwardly chanting that they were wooden puppets.
[Let me see how this âspringâ drug made its way into Yulong Temple. Itâs so tragic, how it managed to end up being drunk by the Emperor of all people, hahahaha!]
Laughter echoed in the old Emperorâs mind, making his face grow darker and darker.
Laugh, laugh, laugh! Whatâs so funny?! Youâre a virgin who hasnât even married yet. Of course, youâd find it amusing that you didnât fall victim to the aphrodisiac. Otherwise, youâd already have been âbeepââ and too ashamed to live!
[Wait! This temple!]
Xu Yanmaoâs eyes suddenly widened as if heâd discovered something.
The old Emperor paused, suddenly deciding to grant Xu Yanmao a temporary pardon.
His ears perked upâ
What about this temple?!
Could it be one of those infamous lecherous temples where monks allegedly seduced women under the guise of helping them conceive?
The thought made the old Emperorâs brows furrow, his eyes glinting with rage.
Wretches! Lewd monks!
The next moment, Xu Yanmaoâs inner voice rang out:
[There are so many scandals between the monks and noblewomen in this temple!]
[Whoa! And itâs all consensual! This is one big Green Hat Temple! Yulong Temple, more like a place mass-producing green hats, hahahaha!]
The ministers: â?!â
What did you just say? Whoâs handing out green hats to whom???
Several ministers felt their hearts seize, nearly fainting on the spot.
Their familiesâ women had visited this temple quite often!
The old Emperorâs eyes widened like bronze bells.
Of course, while others felt anguish, he⦠felt exhilarated.
A Green Hat Temple!
Whoâs ever heard of something so exciting?!
âHis Empress wouldnât betray him, so he could sit back and enjoy the drama with no worries!
ï¼
Just as they were getting absorbed in the gossip, Xu Yanmao suddenly lost interest in the Green Hat Temple and moved on to other juicy topics, leaving the tale unfinished.
The Emperor and ministers: â!!â
But weâre interested!