16 – I Was Thinking About the Nine Thousand Years Last Night (Revised)
Li Fu dared not shoulder such a great responsibility and hurriedly said, “Your Majesty, if you want silver or need to distribute monthly allowances, you should ask Lord of a Thousand Years for it. All matters concerning money pass through his hands.”
“Is that the only way?” Then there was no hope.
Jiang Lige didn’t think Shang Guanqi would give her silver. From the looks of it, he quite enjoyed imprisoning her and took pleasure in seeing her live in hardship.
Jiang Lige stood up and looked around Li Fu’s room.
“Li Fu, you still haven’t paid me for the medicine I gave you last time, have you? It’s not expensive—I’ll sell you one piece for ten taels, thirty taels in total. I’ll even give you a discount, twenty-five taels. How about it?”
Jiang Lige rummaged through the room, searching everywhere for Li Fu’s private belongings.
Li Fu jumped up and grabbed Jiang Lige’s hand. “Your Majesty, this servant only has a few coins for wine, not enough to squander. How about this—this servant has an idea for you?”
“Speak quickly.”
Li Fu said, “Nine Thousand Years loves horse racing and goes riding every day. If Your Majesty could win against Lord of a Thousand Years or please him, even the smallest reward from his hands would be worth more than this servant’s earnings over ten years.”
Jiang Lige thought it over and felt it was worth a try.
“Li Fufu, would you like to see the phoenix rising from the ashes with your own eyes?” Jiang Lige said mysteriously.
Li Fu nodded eagerly. “Yes!”
Jiang Lige crooked her finger. “Help me once, and I’ll make your dream come true.”
…
The next day, during the morning court session.
Jiang Lige sat on the Dragon Throne, yawning one after another.
Shang Guanqi looked at her with disdain. “What kept Your Majesty busy last night?”
Jiang Lige said listlessly, “This emperor was thinking about Nine Thousand Years all night… ah…” and his horse.
Jiang Lige suddenly let out a yawn, interrupting her own words.
What she meant to say was that she had been thinking about Nine Thousand Years’ horse all night—specifically, how to win against it.
Shang Guanqi automatically ignored the yawn, his ears catching only the words “thinking about Nine Thousand Years.” The corners of his lips lifted slightly.
He took out the Jade Bone Fan and tapped her head with it. “Court is in session.”
Jiang Lige covered her mouth and yawned again, her mind entirely occupied with thoughts of where to get money. She wanted to go shopping and spend, completely oblivious to Shang Guanqi’s small gesture.
The eunuch announced the start of the court session. After the kneeling and bowing, Jiang Lige noticed an empty spot below and asked, “Why is Duke Su not here?”
“Your Majesty, the Duke is unwell and has requested sick leave.”
Jiang Lige understood. Yesterday, Duke Su had made such a grand display but gained nothing. Instead, he had handed Jiang Lige an opportunity to earn the people’s reverence.
If she were Duke Su, she would have been furious enough to spit blood.
“Understood. Let the morning court begin. What matters do my esteemed ministers have to report today?”
An elderly minister stepped forward and presented a memorial detailing how the people’s morale had soared after yesterday’s Sacrifice to Heaven.
Jiang Lige noticed that the atmosphere in today’s morning court was much more positive.
Many neutral factions who had previously feigned ignorance and remained on the sidelines had now begun to take action.
This was a good sign—it meant Jiang Lige would soon have her own supporters.
Jiang Lige immediately felt invigorated and more enthusiastic about the court session.
With the matter of the Sacrifice to Heaven concluded, the Minister of Rites stepped forward and reported, “Your Majesty, the procedures for the imperial consort selection have been drafted. Please review them. For this selection, the candidates are unmarried daughters of officials ranked fifth grade or above, totaling twenty-one…”
Well, this matter left Jiang Lige feeling unenthusiastic.
She was a woman—a secret that could mean life or death.
The fewer people around her, the lower the chance of her secret being exposed, and the safer she would be.She did not want to hold the imperial selection, but both Shang Guanqi and the Su Faction hoped for it, as various factions sought to insert their influence around him through the selection.
“Regarding the selection, submit the memorial first, and we will discuss it later. Are there any other matters today?” Jiang Lige swiftly moved on.
A military officer hesitated for a moment before stepping forward to report, “Your Majesty, yesterday, I received an urgent report from Ningcheng. Bandits have reappeared there, committing arson, murder, and plunder with great audacity. The Prefect of Ningcheng has requested to expand conscription…”
Jiang Lige was familiar with this issue. Reports of bandits in Ningcheng had reached him several times before.
When commoners were robbed by bandits, the court had to suppress them with full force.
“Approve…” Before the word could leave his lips, Jiang Lige recalled the last time he was about to grant the Minister of Revenue’s tax reduction memorial, only to be stopped by Shang Guanqi.
Later, it was proven that Shang Guanqi had been right.
Jiang Lige couldn’t help but glance at him.
Shang Guanqi caught his inquiring gaze but said nothing, his hands clasped behind his back as he gently waved his Jade Bone Fan twice.
In a moment of clarity, Jiang Lige understood.
“This is not the first time Ningcheng has requested to expand its forces. It’s just a group of bandits—how can they remain undefeated for so long? Is the Prefect of Ningcheng utterly incompetent?”
Jiang Lige flung the memorial aside, causing the officer who had made the request to kneel on the ground in fear, not daring to speak.