Two days later, Deputy Commander Fang discovered the truth about the incident with the rogue tiger during the autumn hunt.
A palace maid in Yunning Palace, where Tu Shanjin resided, was jealous of Consort Miao's favor with the emperor. Wanting to climb into the dragon bed herself, she plotted to eliminate Consort Miao.
This palace maid obtained a powder that could attract fierce tigers from a keeper at the hunting grounds. She sprinkled it on Consort Miao during her daily service, thus causing this disaster.
Upon learning that their scheme had been exposed, the palace maid and the keeper both committed suicide before they could be thrown into the imperial prison.
"This is too far-fetched!" Yun Yaoyao's mouth twitched as she looked at the presented criminal record.
Tu Shanjin, however, confirmed his suspicions through this "truth."
"It was Yun Yanyan's doing. On the day of the autumn hunt, Yun Yanyan came to apologize and show weakness to me. At that time, I suspected she had another motive."
Yun Yaoyao thought of something: "Do you mean Prince Ze helped her cover all this up?"
Tu Shanjin nodded, "Mm."
"After the autumn hunt, Prince Ze's carriage went to the Yun Manor once. They must have been discussing this matter. If Tushan Ze is willing to lend a hand, it seems the Yun family has completely defected."
Yun Yaoyao sighed, "How can there be such a big difference between daughters? The legitimate daughter is slandered and beaten to death at the palace banquet without a word, while the concubine's daughter actively harms others, yet they join Prince Ze's camp to protect her."
This was also why Yun Yaoyao didn't actively bring the Yun family under her wing.
The whole Yun Liang family was too treacherous and petty. Yun Yaoyao didn't want to befriend people with so many ulterior motives.
With the Minister of Rites suddenly joining Prince Ze's camp, Yun Yaoyao was a bit worried. She propped up her head, pondering useful information from the original novel.
Every time her mind was about to recall something, the chain of memory would suddenly break.
Damn it!
Yun Yaoyao relaxed her mindset, watching Tu Beauty seriously reviewing memorials beside her while she started eating pastries.
"Problems that can be solved will be solved sooner or later. Problems that can't be solved will solve me sooner or later."
"Let's enjoy the moment first."
Nom nom nom, another bowl of coconut egg white jelly with bird's nest went down her throat.
Tu Shanjin's hand paused as he flipped through the memorials.
These words about the book of life and death seemed unreasonable at first, but upon careful thought, they were strangely quite reasonable.
But while he was working hard here, she was gobbling down food beside him, and every time she finished eating, she would shift the "battle results" onto him.
As a result, the palace servants all gossiped that he had an astonishing appetite, and even made up a joke:
'Before entering the palace, Consort Miao said she had a bird's appetite. After entering the palace and gaining favor, His Majesty saw her eat five pigeons at once one day and asked in surprise: Beloved Consort, didn't you say you had a bird's appetite?
Consort Miao swallowed the chicken leg in her mouth, put down the pastry in her hand, and said coyly: Its name is bird, but it has transformed into a roc.'
From then on, he had a nickname: Giant Roc Stomach/Giant Roc Consort.
This matter was reported by the Dragon Shadow Guard. When Yun Yaoyao heard this joke, she laughed for a full half hour. If it weren't for her stopping him, he would have dragged those gossipy palace servants down and beheaded them all on the spot!
"Don't eat like Lou Jianshan with a body full of fat intestines. Stop eating, maintain my figure!" Tu Shanjin felt depressed and scolded Yun Yaoyao.
Finally having a chance to eat wildly without getting fat herself, Yun Yaoyao couldn't care less.
She waved her hand perfunctorily, "Alright, I'll go ride Rice Bucket for a few laps later and burn off everything I ate."
Tu Shanjin snorted coldly, "That's more like it."
After a while, Tu Shanjin finally reacted. He closed the memorial, his eyes cold and deep: "Wait, if you ride Rice Bucket for laps, isn't Rice Bucket the one burning calories? You're not moving at all."
Yun Yaoyao burst into laughter, "Haha, you only just realized, Giant Roc Consort?"
"You dare to trick me!" Tu Shanjin gritted his teeth and stood up directly.
Yun Yaoyao quickly got up and ran towards the door of Qianqing Palace. Who knew that the enraged Tu Shanjin would actually chase after her.
Yun Yaoyao hurriedly pushed open the palace doors, just as Xiao Wuzi was also at the door. She made an emergency stop, and Tu Shanjin crashed right into her arms.
Yun Yaoyao promptly used her tall stature to envelop his petite body, pressing him against her chest.
"Don't move!"
Seeing this scene, Xiao Wuzi was first surprised, then immediately put on an "I understand" expression and closed the palace doors.
His face was glowing, inwardly expressing that he had shipped them again. His Majesty and Her Highness could indulge in passion even in broad daylight, truly a matchless loving couple!
The arrival of the little prince is not far off~
Inside Qianqing Palace, the small wife Tu Shanjin, who was embraced and unable to move, roared angrily.
"Yun Yaoyao!"
Spring sowing and autumn harvesting, under a blanket of tranquility, the Autumn Sacrifice Day arrived.
At the foot of the Moon Altar filled with precious offerings, Yun Yaoyao and Tu Shanjin wore solemn and dignified official robes, the former in a dark gold dragon robe, the latter in a dark red brocade. They bowed respectfully and burned incense one after another.
Yun Yaoyao bowed her head piously, her steady and magnetic voice resounding powerfully in the hearts of every minister.
"I shall continue to govern diligently, to let the people under my rule live and work in peace and contentment, to let the court officials trust me wholeheartedly, to let the Yanchi Dynasty no longer be threatened by the Xiongnu! Though this path is fraught with dangers, I fear not!
"May the people have a bountiful harvest this time, with smiles on their faces. May the Yanchi Dynasty have favorable weather and a prosperous and peaceful year ahead!"
By the time the incense had burned out, Yun Yaoyao was already standing with her hands behind her back beside the Moon Altar. The night wind swept across the ground, causing the black hair under her gold and jade crown to flutter wildly. Her figure was tall and straight, her eyes filled with compassion and righteousness. In the eyes of the ministers, she truly had the aura of a wise ruler!
Realizing their inner thoughts, the ministers felt some remorse. His Majesty had indeed restrained himself a lot recently and adopted a policy of appeasement, but in essence, he was still a tyrannical and cold-blooded tyrant. They must not be deceived by his appearance!
Thinking this way in their hearts, the ministers came one by one to the front of the Moon Altar to offer incense and pray for their own good fortune and health in the coming year.
Yun Yaoyao stood to the side, nodding kindly and amiably to them, with a faint smile on her lips.
Some ministers' mental defenses, which had just been rebuilt, crumbled again, while others felt flattered and fearful.
"I know you have all worked hard too. This bountiful harvest year for the people is inseparable from the efforts of the court officials. Later, I will reward you one by one according to your merits in the first half of the year."
As these words fell, all the ministers' faces showed surprise and joy.
Di Shunzhi was even more respectful in his heart. Even though the national treasury was so poor, His Majesty still remembered them, these ministers. He truly was a good ruler who cared for his officials!
Yun Yaoyao took in everyone's reactions and expressed satisfaction. On special holidays, of course, it was necessary to distribute some employee benefit packages!
This was the way to better maintain the relationship between the ruler and his ministers and change her image as a tyrant.
After all, the rewards given out were all stolen from their homes. Take from the ministers, use for the ministers!
As the rewards were distributed one by one, the joy on the ministers' faces became more and more genuine, and even their gazes towards Yun Yaoyao softened.
Tu Shanjin took all this in and couldn't help but start reflecting on his own methods in the past, wondering if they had been too brutal and direct.
Almost all the court officials harbored second thoughts and didn't truly serve him as their lord. He also never entrusted his trust to them, so the method he adopted was suppression and balance of power.
Making them fear and dread him was the only way to prevent them from crossing his bottom line.
But now...
Lost in thought, Yun Yaoyao leaned over and said in a voice only the two of them could hear.
"See? Actually, the reason some ministers don't like you is that they think you're too cold and iron-fisted, without a shred of warmth. They're afraid that following you won't end well, that they'll be discarded after being used.
"To deal with this part of the ministers, we still need to adopt an appeasement policy, let them see that you have the makings of a wise ruler. Of course, for those incorrigible vermin in the court, beat them when they need beating, kill them when they need killing.
"Actually, after interacting with you for this period of time, you're not as scary as I thought. Why are you so afraid to entrust your trust to others?"
Trust?
Tu Shanjin thought of something, his expression changing slightly, the corners of his mouth curling into a self-mocking smile.
