Chapter Twenty: Apology

After all, the dignified Minister of Revenue was dismissed just like that. If anyone claimed it had nothing to do with what happened that day, Eunuch Mingde would never believe it. Now that Feng Yewu already knew about that incident, and still allowed him to visit Lu Jue, the implication was clear. Most likely, Eunuch Mingde had already guessed Feng Yewu’s intention. If he still tried to keep up appearances at this point, it would be truly foolish.

“Why would you say such a thing, Eunuch?”

Lu Jue was startled to hear those words from Eunuch Mingde, feeling that such an apology was utterly unexpected from his mouth. Lu Jue knew well what his own status was, and this eunuch, who always valued hierarchy above all else, was now apologizing to him. For a moment, Lu Jue felt both flattered and overwhelmed.

“I have always paid attention to your character, Master Lu. His Majesty has a discerning eye to recognize talent. To be able to call you a friend is my good fortune,” the old eunuch said.

Han Yue simply watched the two exchanging polite words in silence, and after a while, everyone left. Lu Jue gazed at the retreating figures. Although anxiety remained in his heart, it was no longer as deep as before.

In the palace, Lu Jue returned to Feng Yewu’s side, but neither of them spoke another word about what had transpired.

Only Han Yue remembered that the next day Lu Jue returned alone, waiting outside the sleeping chambers before dawn. Han Yue was the first to rise, preparing to have someone ready the Emperor’s morning necessities, when she saw a solitary figure standing quietly by the door. If it weren’t for the lantern light, she would have mistaken him for an assassin.

Han Yue asked a few questions, but Lu Jue answered only after a long silence, saying that he couldn’t sleep.

Later, Han Yue told Feng Yewu about this while the Emperor was having breakfast. Feng Yewu’s reaction was peculiar—she paused briefly, glanced at Lu Jue standing outside, then continued eating, a faint trace of a smile on her lips.

The following days grew hectic. Looking at her desk, which should have been piled with official memorials, Feng Yewu found that not a single one had arrived for days. Instead, what lay before her were the picture albums of the noble families’ sons and daughters.

In the past few days, Feng Yewu had found it hard to refuse and had idly flipped through a few. But now, a sudden urgent report arrived from the Ministry of War: there were disturbances in the river regions, with many villages burned and their inhabitants slaughtered.

Yet still, her desk remained covered in those picture albums. At that, Feng Yewu’s rage flared. She swept the albums from her desk in fury.

“Attendants!” she shouted.

Eunuch Mingde hurried forward. “Your Majesty, what has happened?”

“What has happened? Summon the current Minister of Revenue to me immediately.”

Feng Yewu’s voice was cold, her face pale with anger.

Moments later, a man hurried in, stumbling to his knees before Feng Yewu.

“Your servant, Chen Zhe, Minister of Revenue, pays his respects to Your Majesty.”

“So you are the new Minister of Revenue?” Feng Yewu swept him with a cold gaze, her heart skipping a beat as she realized she had met him once before. He was one of the most favored disciples of the previous minister, and in her memories from her past life, he had been among those who forced the palace coup against her.

At that thought, Feng Yewu gave a cold, mirthless laugh. Rising to her feet, she gazed frostily at the man kneeling before her, holding him in her stern gaze for a long moment.

Chen Zhe was drenched in cold sweat under her stare, unable to stop himself from trembling.

“Do you know why I have summoned you?” Feng Yewu asked in a chilling voice.

“I do not, Your Majesty,” Chen Zhe replied, bewildered. He had only just taken office. If not for his master’s good relations with King Changwu, and being favored for promotion, he never would have risen to this post so quickly. He hadn’t even sorted out the leftover affairs from his predecessor when Feng Yewu called him here.

How could he guess the reason? But now the knife was at his neck, and he could only brace himself.

“You don’t know? Then what is this?”

Feng Yewu had long since made up her mind that the old minister’s faction could not be allowed to remain. She signaled to Han Yue, who hurried outside to retrieve the noble families’ registers from the hall.

Chen Zhe looked at the registers, more confused than ever.

“These were submitted by your ministry, were they not?” Feng Yewu asked calmly, watching his bewildered face.

“Yes, Your Majesty, these were indeed submitted by my ministry. I do not understand Your Majesty’s meaning,” Chen Zhe replied, troubled as he flipped through the thick book, seeing even his master’s signature at the end.

“My meaning? While disasters rage in the river lands, you, who are supposed to be my right hand, turn a blind eye. News of these calamities has already reached my ears. Yet on the desk in my study…”

Her gaze grew colder with every word.

“There, I find only these trifles concerning the so-called affairs of the harem. Such loyal and upright ministers you are!”

At her words, Chen Zhe collapsed to the floor.

“Your Majesty! I am wronged!” Chen Zhe scrambled up, kowtowing in panic, not knowing what to do.

“Wronged?” Feng Yewu sneered, her tone cold and mocking. “And how have I wronged you? Did you not submit these registers yourself?”

“Yes, yes, I did,” Chen Zhe stammered.

“Since you submitted them, how are you wronged? Chen Zhe, do you truly wish for my kingdom to fall into ruin and destruction?”

With a final icy glance at the ashen-faced Chen Zhe, Feng Yewu turned and swept out of the room, leaving him alone, stunned and squatting on the floor.

The next day, news of the new minister’s resignation spread like wildfire. The entire court buzzed with speculation about what had happened.

When Feng Yewu held court, she had Eunuch Mingde read out a list of names—all of them, as the sharp-eyed noticed, were from the former minister’s faction. The implicated officials exchanged glances, each harboring their own thoughts.

Faced with Feng Yewu’s sudden, decisive action, those who had long thought her naïve were left utterly shocked.

“Your Majesty, you have only recently ascended the throne. To so directly dismiss officials at every level—is this not inappropriate?”

Feng Yewu lifted her eyes in silence to see that it was Prince Pingyi, Wang Changgen. He had always played the part of the kindly elder; ordinarily, Feng Yewu would have shown him some courtesy. But this time, things were far from simple.