A clear and bright, pleasant voice began to read at a steady pace, like jade falling into a clear spring or a gentle breeze brushing across the face, making Xiao Yanchu's fatigue and weariness seem to vanish in an instant.
After finishing one memorial, Jiang Rongjia returned it to Xiao Yanchu, who took it back with a smile and said, "Thank you for your hard work, Jiajia."
"It is my duty to share Your Majesty's burdens," Jiang Rongjia replied.
Xiao Yanchu sighed inwardly. Now that he was emperor, things were ultimately different from before. Fortunately, he had long been mentally prepared for this and did not dwell on it for too long. After reviewing the memorial with a vermilion brush, he picked up another one and handed it to Jiang Rongjia.
[朱批 (zhū pī): lit. vermilion brush; fig. the emperor's personal comments and instructions, written in red ink on official documents, which carried his absolute authority.]
This time, however, Xiao Yanchu instructed, "Jiajia, you can skim through the memorial first, summarize and condense it, and just tell me the main points. That way, you won’t have to exert yourself too much, and we can save some time."
If Jiang Rongjia really were to read every single memorial word for word, he would likely lose his voice before tomorrow. How could he bear that?
Jiang Rongjia didn't perceive that Xiao Yanchu's original intention was to spare him, but he also felt that what Xiao Yanchu said made sense. Thus, he followed the advice and first quickly read through the memorials himself from beginning to end, then summarized the main content of the memorials and relayed it to Xiao Yanchu.
With Jiang Rongjia's companionship and assistance, Xiao Yanchu was in a pleasant mood, making reviewing memorials increasingly easier and much faster. However, it didn't take long before Xiao Yanchu could no longer smile.
The cause was a memorial submitted by the Censor-in-Chief, stating that the emperor's rear palace was empty, with no heir to the throne, which might cause unease among the officials and people, jeopardizing the stability of the state. This argument advocated for the emperor to conduct broad selections of accomplished women to serve as empress and consorts, thereby populating the rear palace to ensure the perpetuation of the imperial bloodline.
[后宮 (hòugōng): lit. rear palace; fig. the secluded living quarters for the emperor's consorts, concubines, and female attendants, which was a central part of the imperial household's inner court.]
When Xiao Yanchu first ascended the throne, it was customary to hold a selection of consorts, but he used the reason of observing mourning for his imperial grandfather to cancel the large-scale selection. However, this reason clearly did not convince the court officials. Even if Xiao Yanchu was only the imperial grandson, as the successor to the throne, there was no precedent for refusing to marry and produce an heir due to mourning.
So, despite Xiao Yanchu's stance, the court officials continued to press the issue. They brought it up in court discussions, and now it was written in memorials, denying Xiao Yanchu any moment of peace.
Although annoyed by the officials' persistence, Xiao Yanchu wasn't worried. As long as he didn't relent, others' words were useless. But he hadn't expected Jiang Rongjia to learn about this matter today, which suddenly left him feeling unsettled.
He initially thought to set the memorial aside and ignore it, to let Jiang Rongjia understand his stance, but seeing Jiang Rongjia with downcast eyes, appearing indifferent, Xiao Yanchu paused.
"Jiajia, do you think the Censor-in-Chief is right?" Holding the memorial, Xiao Yanchu looked directly at Jiang Rongjia, his smile unchanged, but something hidden deep in his eyes.
Jiang Rongjia didn't expect Xiao Yanchu to ask him this. He pursed his lips and thought for a moment before saying, "What the Censor-in-Chief said isn't without reason..."
Although he had anticipated this, hearing these words still made Xiao Yanchu's heart ache, his grip on the memorial tightening until his knuckles turned white.
But Jiang Rongjia didn't notice Xiao Yanchu's unusual reaction and continued, "However, whether it's the empress or consorts, they are ultimately the emperor's intimate partners and should suit the emperor's preferences. If Your Majesty is unwilling but feels compelled to comply for other reasons, it may not benefit the state, and it would... wrong Your Majesty."
Upon hearing this, the bitterness in Xiao Yanchu's eyes instantly vanished. Jiang Rongjia was different from others after all, compared to matters of court and state, he ultimately cared most about Xiao Yanchu himself.
A happy smile tugged at his lips, and he relaxed his hand, dropping the nearly crumpled memorial on the corner of the desk. Overjoyed, Xiao Yanchu couldn't help but add, "Suit my preferences? But what if the one who suits my preferences is unwilling to enter the palace?"
"Unwilling to enter the palace?" Jiang Rongjia was stunned, a strange emotion rising in his heart. He didn't know whether to be surprised that Xiao Yanchu had someone he liked or astonished that this person could reject even an emperor like Xiao Yanchu. He couldn't help saying, "Your Majesty is the ruler of the world, dragon-like and majestic, peerless in nobility. How could anyone refuse Your Majesty?"
But Xiao Yanchu shook his head and sighed, "It's not that this person is unwilling to enter the palace, but the palace rules are complex and restrictive, unlike the freedom and comfort outside. I cannot bear to bind and trap this person within these towering palace walls for life, as I am."
Faced with such deep affection from Xiao Yanchu, how could Jiang Rongjia remain unmoved? But that inexplicable emotion in his heart suddenly swelled, leaving him confused and at a loss for words.
After a long while, he finally moved his lips and said softly, with downcast eyes, "Your Majesty's deep affection, if that person knew, would surely be moved and couldn't bear to leave Your Majesty alone in solitude."
If Xiao Yanchu married and eventually had children, the court officials would no longer pressure him, his throne would be more secure, and he would be marrying someone he loved, ensuring a happy and fulfilling life. Jiang Rongjia felt he should be happy for Xiao Yanchu, though he couldn't see how forced his smile was at that moment.
But Xiao Yanchu saw it clearly. Whether it was Jiang Rongjia's strained smile or his unconsciously clenched fingers, it all stirred waves of joy in Xiao Yanchu's heart that lingered for a long time.
After Jiang Rongjia finished speaking, he heard no response from Xiao Yanchu for a long time. When he snapped out of his inexplicable emotions and looked up, Xiao Yanchu was already close at hand. "Your Majesty—"
Xiao Yanchu gazed at Jiang Rongjia, his eyes filled with unmistakable tenderness. In a gentle voice, soft as a whisper, he said to Jiang Rongjia, "Jiajia, you said yourself that you couldn't bear to leave me alone in solitude. You must keep your word."
Jiang Rongjia's eyes widened in shock.
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