Chapter 40:The Wise Jinshi x The Obsessed Emperor 19

The fifteenth of August.

On this Mid-Autumn Festival night, with the moon at its fullest, the Emperor of Longteng Kingdom, in his twelfth year on the throne, was finally getting married.

He was marrying the newly appointed Number One Scholar, Yun Huai!

One was composed and dignified, the other gentle and refined, truly a match made in heaven.

Lu Xiao, as a witness, felt a sense of dread: (°Д°)

Let me tell you something terrifying: the current Empress is my classmate and good friend.

Yun Ai, filled with regret, sighed all day long, showing no joy in the imperial wedding.

To be honest, he regretted it, truly regretted it!

Who would have thought that the eldest son he disregarded could achieve the highest score in the imperial examination and become the male Empress, second only to the Emperor and above all others.

As a typical figure embodying both exquisite egoism and traditional feudal scholar-official values, he couldn’t help but feel regret when looking back on the past.

But this was also his own fault.

Yun Ai was actually content, after all, he could still serve in the court as before, without suffering retribution from Yun Huai and Qin Jingchuan.

However, while he saw things clearly, his two daughters were foolish and blind.

If they were content and no longer harbored malice, they could live peacefully for the rest of their lives. However, Yun Shu and Yun Qi did not understand the principle of contentment, nor were they willing to let Yun Huai step on their heads.

Although the two sisters disliked each other, they looked down even more on the helpless Yun Huai.

Now, learning that Yun Huai had become the Empress of the nation, even more esteemed than Yun Shu’s coveted position as the Consort of Prince Duan, she was consumed with jealousy.

In the days between Yun Shu learning about the imperial decree establishing the Empress and the imperial wedding, she cursed Yun Huai at home every day, even temporarily setting aside her most hated Yun Qi and Jiang Wan, focusing all her energy on cursing Yun Huai.

“Bastard! How can he be so lucky as to become the Empress!”

“Die! Die! Die!”

Her husband, Zhou Yong, had overheard her a few times, each time strictly forbidding her from discussing the Emperor and Empress. However, Yun Shu not only did not restrain herself but also spread Yun Huai’s status as an illegitimate child and fabricated various false rumors.

This behavior also brought her misfortune. First, she was stripped of the third-rank title she was supposed to receive. Then, because of her nonsense, the ladies of the capital avoided her, and no one dared to associate with her anymore.

Even Yun Shu’s close friends broke off their relationships with her, no longer recognizing her as a friend.

Who would risk offending the current Emperor and Empress for a woman who couldn’t see clearly?

Therefore, Zhou Yong and Yun Shu became a source of misfortune that people in the capital avoided, fearing that contact with them would bring trouble to themselves and their families.

Yun Ai, after learning of his eldest daughter’s actions, also forbade her from returning to her parents’ home. If he hadn’t just removed Yun Huai from the family tree this year and couldn’t easily disown his daughter, he would have expelled Yun Shu, this troublemaker, from the Yun family as well.

Yun Qi and her husband were also not doing well. However, after she married, she no longer had access to elite circles. Even if she spoke nonsense, it wouldn’t spread, unlike her older sister Yun Shu, who was more conspicuous.

Her newlywed husband, fearing that Yun Qi would cause trouble, forbade her from going out as she pleased. After discussing it with Yun Ai, he directly locked her in a small courtyard.

Madam Luo, who was also under Yun Ai’s control, could no longer help her married-out daughter and could only try her best to protect herself and her son.

Auntie Ping and the Third Young Master also closed their doors and lived their lives, not daring to criticize Yun Huai in the slightest.

Although they intended to get their hands on the Yun family’s wealth, they also knew what they could and could not do. The consequences of slandering the Emperor and Empress were severe, far beyond what the two of them could bear.

Didn’t they see that Yun Ai was acting cautiously, not daring to show off his fatherly authority in front of Yun Huai?

Everyone in the Yun family was cautious and careful, not daring to act rashly.

Even though Qin Jingchuan and Yun Huai had not actively sought trouble with the Yun family, they were already declining. This was the power of authority.

No one was willing to offend the Emperor and Empress for the sake of the Yun family. Simple alienation was already the limit of their kindness.

Not long after the wedding, Yun Huai led a group of officials to the south to investigate corrupt officials and manage flood control, including Yun Huai’s good friend, Lu Xiao.

The group left in a grand manner, and no one knew how distressed Qin Jingchuan was.

He was devastated! What kind of Empress was as book-loving and work-obsessed as his Ah Huai!

His little Empress volunteered to go as soon as he heard about the floods and corruption in the south, not caring about her newlywed husband at all.

Why? Why was this happening?

Why was Ah Huai more diligent than him, the Emperor? And he always had a book in his hand!

Were bookworms all so unromantic?

But the officials in his court all had loving and harmonious relationships with their wives!

Why did things change when it came to Ah Huai?

Qin Jingchuan looked calm on the surface but was crying inside, desperately wanting to summon his Empress back but not wanting to hinder Yun Huai’s path to success.

Therefore, only he suffered.

But he never expected that Yun Huai would leave for three months and still refuse to return as the year approached its end.

After leaving the south, Yun Huai went to the northwest to resolve the trade issues between Longteng Kingdom and the northwestern tribes, and along the way, he investigated the local conditions, so his return to the capital was always delayed.

In mid-December, Qin Jingchuan sat on the dragon throne in the Hall of Diligent Governance with a dark face, his slender hand still clutching the memorial Yun Huai had sent back.

“Zhou Dehai, when do you think Ah Huai will return?”

The middle-aged eunuch standing beside him wiped his forehead, already sweating before even opening his mouth.

“Perhaps soon.”

Qin Jingchuan’s face was gloomy, his face as bitter as a gourd, tapping the table with his index finger in a casual rhythm.

He muttered, “Soon? I think he has long forgotten about me!”

Three months! It had been a full three months!

His Ah Huai had been away from the capital for ninety-one days.

Every day Ah Huai was away, he missed Ah Huai, wanting to kiss, hug, and lift Ah Huai high in the air～

Zhou Dehai was suffering in his heart, but he could only persuade him as usual, “Your Majesty, the Empress’s departure from the capital is also for the sake of the country and the people.”

Qin Jingchuan felt as if a heavy stone was pressing on his heart. He sighed deeply, “In Ah Huai’s eyes, I am not as important as the country.”

He had seen it clearly. The country was Ah Huai’s top priority, he, the husband, was second, and no one else could enter Ah Huai’s heart.

“Forget it, I’ll send another message to urge him.”

Zhou Dehai said with a smile, “The New Year is approaching, and the Empress should be on his way back to the capital.”

Qin Jingchuan frowned tightly, “I hope so.”

If Ah Huai didn’t return soon, he would leave the capital to find him, and he wouldn’t continue to wait bitterly.

Every day of waiting for Ah Huai was so hard.