Chapter 109 Imperial Power

Every time he reminisce about the past, it felt like the pit of his stomach was pried open with a knife, the taste was definitely not wonderful. However, this time, Emperor Sheng Yuan didn’t feel pain at all, but rather nostalgic. Madam was by his side, sharing his memories, feeling his joys and sorrows, and learning about the real Hunnar through these words. This was exactly what he wanted to talk to Madam the most, but he didn’t know how to express it.

If others dared to pry into his heart, he would definitely tear them apart, but for Madam, he would open the door himself and ask her to go inside, keep walking, keep walking… to the deepest part of his heart.

And his goal was finally achieved. Guan Suyi, while copying the manuscript, carefully commented on his growth, from an ignorant child to a nine-footed tall man, from a lowly military slave to the powerful monarch of this age, the process was extremely arduous and heart-wrenching. She read it again and again and couldn’t bear to stop.

“After reading Your Majesty’s sacrificial eulogy, this subject woman deeply understood what Mencius wrote – therefore, when the heaven entrusted a great responsibility to a person, he must first suffer his will and work his muscles… and once benefited from what he could not. Every suffering you have experience has become the foundation of your greater strength, so there is today’s Wei Kingdom, and today’s Emperor Sheng Yuan. Your Majesty, look at your enemies, and look at you now, no matter how much hostility you have in your heart, it should be pacify.” She sighed.

“Madam is right. Zhen’s enemies have long since become dead bones, but Zhen has ascended to the throne and dominate the world, so there is nothing to be paranoid about.” Emperor Sheng Yuan’s mood suddenly became light.

Seeing him happy, Guan Suyi continued, “Then, this subject woman will revise your manuscript. First, your description of the late emperor must be deleted and rewritten. Not only Confucianism advocates filial piety, but all orthodox philosophies practices the word filial piety, because it’s the first of the hundred virtues and the foundation of human morality. How can a person be kind to others if he can’t even be kind to his parents? So even if you deeply hate the late emperor, you cannot show it. Not only you cannot show it, but you have to pretend to revere him. In this sacrificial eulogy, you directly scolded him for throwing you into the mountain to feed the wolves, and throwing away the bones of the late empress dowager, although it’s true, it will damage the reputation of the late emperor and your image of filial piety. So this subject woman will be bold to crossed out this paragraph and rewrite it.”

Emperor Sheng Yuan didn’t refuse, and nodded generously, “Madam, please change.”

Guan Suyi fixed a look at him, and said with satisfaction, “This subject woman changed this paragraph to the late emperor sent people to look for you and the late Empress Dowager, but there was no result, so he had to give up. From then on he missed you every day and couldn’t sleep at night. And you were taken away by the pack of wolves in the mountain and raised by them carefully. What do you think?”

Emperor Sheng Yuan leaned over and looked at the words she added with red vermilion, seemed a little reluctant, but in the end he didn’t say anything.

Guan Suyi patiently explained, “The reason why this subject woman changed this way is also of great significance. Since ancient times, the Son of Heaven must have extraordinary image, maybe there’s dragons and snakes dancing, maybe red clouds fill the sky, maybe Brahma bells vibrating, or strong fragrances overflowed the room. However, to tell you the truth, few of them are genuine people or real events, most of them are just rumors or the emperor promoting themselves, just to pursue four words – Received Mandate of Heaven. Even the heaven recognizes you, who would dare to overthrow you? This is also a way to consolidate the imperial power. Your experience of being raised by a pack of wolves is real and legendary. If it publicized properly, you will surely win the reputation of ‘True dragon Son of Heaven and the divine right of kings‘. In the future, when you issue government decrees, no courtiers dare to disobey, and no common people dare to disobey.”

She paused slightly and asked again, “Your Majesty, what do you think of this change?”

“Alright, let’s change it like this! Even the wolves dare not eat Zhen, but instead raised Zhen, doesn’t it show that Zhen is blessed by Heaven?” For the first time, Emperor Sheng Yuan felt that being raised by wild beasts was not a shame, but a kind of honor. He looked at Madam who was smiling and nodding, sighed, “Madam is really a good wife!”

The tip of Guan Suyi’s brush fell heavily on the paper, leaving a ball of ink behind, and she couldn’t help but glared at the other person.

Emperor Sheng Yuan laughed, but there was a slight pride in his heart. Isn’t means Madam his good wife now? These things, he supposed she only did it for him.

After changing the first paragraph, Guan Suyi looked to the middle paragraph and pointed out, “This has to be rewritten too. The late emperor had no choice but to recognize you as his son because of your outstanding military achievements, let’s change into he accidentally discovered your identity and recognized you with ecstasy. You two are benevolent father and filial son, very harmonious, not secretly calculating and killing each other. Politics is like this, covering up the truth and beautifying the ugly.

Emperor Sheng Yuan loved that she was a good teacher, and with her earnest teaching appearance, he smiled and nodded, his attitude could be said to be obedient.

Her anger from his frivolous words was greatly reduced, Guan Suyi softened her expression and continued to revise, “After the paragraph about the late emperor has been revised, you must also hide your deeds of killing your brothers, so as not to leave the impression that you are not recognizing your family on people.” Speaking of this, she had no choice but to sigh that Emperor Sheng Yuan was really a model of repaying virtue with virtue and repaying grievances with grievances. The eldest prince deliberately delayed the reinforcements, causing him to be surrounded and attacked by the army of the previous dynasty, then he did the same and returned the order that make the eldest prince die in the siege. The third prince and the sixth prince sent elites to set up an ambush, and after he escaped danger, he also ambush the two of them, causing them to die with ten thousand arrows through their hearts.

Perhaps because he had never been loved since he was a child and raised by wild beasts, his way of thinking was very direct. If others treated him well, he would remember it for a lifetime; if others were malicious towards him, he would tear them apart and wouldn’t stop until they died. He seemed to be a dangerous person, but as long as people grasped his good scale, he was actually very easy to get along with.

No wonder Ye Zhen rescued him once, then he treated her like a Bodhisattva in the palace. It was only at this point that Guan Suyi finally understood his character, and without realizing it her resentment diminished a lot.

“You didn’t mention the Empress Dowager from the beginning to the end, this subject woman will add a paragraph for you to briefly describe your benevolent mother’ and filial son’s relationship, so as to set an example for the world. It’s the same sentence, even if you hate her, you have to cover up this feeling.” She quickly deleted and revised with a vermilion brush, painting a picture of filial piety between a benevolent mother and a filial son in just a few sentences, then added some polishing touches to some words, sighing, “Well, Your Majesty, what do you think?”

Emperor Sheng Yuan took the manuscript full of red and black handwriting, read it carefully, and praised after a while, “Madam, you are very talented! Zhen is very satisfied with this manuscript, the paranoia is gone and the remembrance is there; the anger dissipates and the sorrow cut deep. It can move the world and win a good name, enough to take it to the world!”

Guan Suyi was about to wave her hand to humble herself, but she heard him sigh with satisfaction, “With a wife like this, what else a husband want? Madam is indeed virtuous!”

“This is the sacrificial ceremony for the late empress dowager, please Your Majesty have some decorum!” Her anger rose, her eyes were burning, and she was about to leave after throwing away the brush, but was blocked by Emperor Sheng Yuan as he sincerely apologized, “Madam, don’t be angry, it’s Zhen’s habit to talk those frivolous words on weekdays, actually blurted it out unknowingly. Zhen is sorry, Zhen apologize to madam.”

It’s okay not to explain, but when it explained, she got even angrier. Guan Suyi could not wait to pick up the ink stone and splash the ink on his face.

Emperor Sheng Yuan blocked her from left to right, and had no choice but to change the subject, “Madam can leave, but can you answer Zhen first? Last time Zhen wore a human skin mask, how did you recognize Zhen?”

Guan Suyi couldn’t get around him, so she could only sneer, “A stupid air blew to my face, and it’s actually the number one in the Wei Kingdom, how could I not recognize it?”

Instead of being angry, Emperor Sheng Yuan laughed lowly, spread out out his arms to block the hall’s door, and said seriously, “Madam knows that Zhen is not stupid, so you said this, are you flirting with Zhen? When Zhen was young Zhen was raised by wild beasts, started to learn to speak at the age of three, and able to understand things in a month; The Han learning is extensive and profound, and Zhen began to come in contact with it at the age of twelve or thirteen, but after only a few years, already mastered the essence. When Zhen went to war in the past, often fight with one’s life, never understood the art and tricks of war, but now can use soldiers like a god. Madam dislikes Zhen for being stupid, so Madam ask yourself, if Zhen is stupid, how many smart people are there in Wei Kingdom?”

He took a few steps closer and said cautiously, “Madam, Zhen may not born noble enough or the knowledge is not profound enough, but Zhen has always been changing for you. Zhen has exhaust all the effort to please you, can you feel it? At first Zhen did not dare to reveal Zhen’s dentity, can only rely on flying pigeon to pass the letter to talk about love-sickness…”

Guan Suyi interrupted, “It’s not flying pigeon to pass the letter, but attempted to fool around and commit adultery.”

Emperor Sheng Yuan, “…”

After swallowing a breath, he continued, “Later, Zhen couldn’t hold back and finally revealed Zhen’s identity. Zhen originally thought that women in the Central Plains valued chastity, so then used some desperate measure…”

“Fooling around is fruitless, so then take it by force.” Guan Suyi’s tone was indifferent.

Emperor Sheng Yuan said, “… the desperate measures instead angered Madam even more. So Zhen completely repent, and will never dare to disrespect you. Now as long as can look at you from a distance, Zhen is satisfied. Being alone like today is really because Zhen really need Madam’s advise, and in the future, Zhen will obey Madam’s wishes.”

“Taking by force was unsuccessful, so change it to play hard to catch. Your Majesty really has a bright idea.” Guan Suyi cupped her hands with a mocking expression.

Emperor Sheng Yuan closed his eyes, seemed very helpless, “Madam, can we talk properly? Yes, Zhen indeed racking the brain to please you. Look at your hand, then look at Zhen’s hand, one is rich in ink fragrance, one is covered in blood, one is white and flawless, one is rough and ugly. These two hands should not be holding together because they are too incompatible. But Zhen can’t hold back the longing and anxiety in the heart, because Zhen know that you are the most beautiful treasure that Zhen can get in this life, if Zhen let you slip away, Zhen will regret it for the rest of Zhen’s life! So no matter what, Zhen will not let go.”

He stretched out his big palm and clenched it into a fist, with a domineering look in his eyes.

Guan Suyi didn’t show any timidity at all, and took two steps back and said slowly, “Your Majesty, the last time you tried to prevent this subject woman from escaping, you not only tapped this subject woman’s acupuncture point, but also took off this subject woman’s embroidered shoes, do you remember?”

“Remember.” Emperor Sheng Yuan was confuse.

“This subject woman in the end was able to escape, but because of losing those shoes, the feet were injured.” She pointed to a path outside the hall and said calmly, “You pointed this subject woman to Zhao Luli, and the difficult and dangerous part of thorny road, this subject woman had already passed it safely. Seeing that there is only a smooth road ahead, you actually interfered and sent Ye Zhen back. What you did was the same as that day. In fact, you removed my shoes, removed my armor, and left me running barefoot in the wilderness, while you chased me with great pleasure, how could you know that I was already scarred and have blood flowing in unknown places. You are the emperor, no one dares to criticize you, I am someone’s wife, and I will be pointed by thousands of people. Your Majesty, if you regard me as a treasure, you should put me on the shelf and store it safely.” After the words finished, she bowed down deeply.

Emperor Sheng Yuan was speechless for a long time, his heart ached. When he returned to his senses, Madam had already stepped on the path and intent to leave by herself. However, due to the increasing rain, the depression on the ground was flooded, and the road was blocked by the long puddle, she could only linger at the same place.

“If Madam afraid of encountering thorns on the road and hurt your feet, Zhen would like to use the imperial power to pave the way for you.” As he spoke, he took off his dragon robe and without hesitation, he put it on top of the puddle.

Baifu was stunned and thought in disbelief: That, that’s a dragon robe! A real dragon robe! Your Majesty, how can you…

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