Chapter 134: Li Ming Is Her Only Support

The reform of the imperial examination system was a major event.

Even though it was just a few scholars who proposed it, the entire court was thrown into a state of anxiety.

Nearly every family and clan spent a sleepless night, and Consort Rou stayed at the Inspectorate until midnight.

With hundreds of scholars filing complaints, Consort Rou was utterly exhausted just from hearing the cases, let alone Li Cheng, who was only eleven years old.

Filled with concern for Li Cheng, Consort Rou sent him to bed early and stayed up late into the night listening to the scholars’ appeals.

Though her patience had long worn thin, this was the first case she had taken on since her appointment—a critical step to establishing her authority in the Inspectorate. No matter what, she had to handle this matter well for Li Cheng’s sake, paving the way for his future.

Gritting her teeth, Consort Rou listened to the last scholar’s statement before finally seeing Shangguan Ya approach with the deposition records. Shangguan Ya smiled and said, “Your Highness, all the depositions from those involved have been recorded. Please give your instructions.”

Consort Rou looked at Shangguan Ya. She wanted to replace her—after all, she was a daughter of the Shangguan family. But at that moment, she lacked the energy to argue with Shangguan Ya and had yet to find a suitable replacement. So, she simply smiled and said, “It’s late. Put the depositions away and go rest for now.”

With Consort Rou’s permission, Shangguan Ya bowed and withdrew along with the others. Consort Rou then returned to her carriage. Only when she was alone inside did she finally have the time and energy to reflect on the day’s events.

Earlier that morning, Cui Yulang had come to inform her about the scholars petitioning at the palace gate. She had intended to use this opportunity to take charge of the Inspectorate, earn some merits for Li Cheng, and please Li Ming.

Li Cheng was still too young, and Li Ming’s health had been declining recently, leaving her feeling uneasy. She needed to secure some advantages for Li Cheng as soon as possible—if anything were to happen to Li Ming, she wanted to be prepared.

But she never expected such a massive trouble. How could she bear the responsibility for a reform of this scale?

That scoundrel Cui Yulang…

Consort Rou cursed inwardly. Just as she was about to summon Cui Yulang to the palace the next morning, the carriage suddenly came to a halt.

“Your Highness,” the coachman’s voice came from outside, “the Second Young Master requests an audience.”

Hearing this, Consort Rou paused, hesitating for a moment before finally nodding. “Let him come into the carriage to speak.”

The coachman exchanged a few words with the person outside, and soon a young man draped in a black cloak stepped into the carriage.

He entered, bowed to Consort Rou with impeccable grace, and then calmly took a seat.

“Why have you come?” Consort Rou asked, sitting in her place, her heart uneasy.

The young man sat at the farthest end of the carriage from her and said softly, “Today, Your Highness took on the scholars’ case. May I ask who suggested it?”

He knew her too well to believe she had thought of it herself.

But Consort Rou would not easily reveal Cui Yulang’s involvement. Even if she held reservations about him, that didn’t mean she had let her guard down around this person. She picked up her teacup and smiled lightly. “This was my own idea. Why would I need anyone’s suggestion?”

“Oh?” The other’s tone turned cold. “Was it Your Highness’s own idea to pick a fight with the noble families? Your Highness, you and Prince Su have no foundation in the court. Even Princess Pingle avoided this case, yet you charged headlong into it. I fear you may have been set up. I’ve said my piece—I hope you will take care of yourself.”

With that, the other signaled for the carriage to stop, then stepped out and disappeared into the night.

Consort Rou was both furious and chilled. She knew there was truth in the other’s words, yet she felt utterly helpless. She had accepted the case publicly, and now these scholars were undoubtedly counting on her to take action. Though she held no official court position and Prince Su was still young, her humble background had garnered silent support for Prince Su among many commoners.

Her goal was to win the support of the commoners, not to ruin everything. If she handled the case poorly and the scholars became dissatisfied and protested again, it could tarnish Li Cheng’s reputation.

But as for closing the case…

How could she possibly have the power to reform the system?

Consort Rou took a deep breath, trying to clear her mind. She decided to enter the palace first and speak with Li Ming before anything else.

When Consort Rou returned to the palace, Li Ming was already waiting for her in her chambers.

It was the first time she had returned so late, and Li Ming found it rather amusing. He had tea brought in and waited in the main hall, reflecting on the discussions he had with Pei Wenxuan earlier that day.

The scholars’ protest had been orchestrated by Pei Wenxuan.

Though young, Pei Wenxuan was shrewd and capable. Ensuring that the scholars’ grievances reached the court might seem like a small matter, but it required maneuvering through numerous obstacles. From the guards at the palace gates to the imperial guards and eunuchs inside, any misstep along the way would have prevented their voices from being heard.

But Pei Wenxuan had discussed it with him days ago.

Pei Wenxuan would arrange for the scholars to petition, then stage a confrontation with him in court. Li Ming would seize the opportunity to hand over the imperial examination affair to Pei Wenxuan, granting him full authority. Afterward, Pei Wenxuan would leave the palace and accept the scholars’ demands for reform.

Reforming the imperial examination system was something Li Ming had longed for over many years.

In truth, he hadn’t wanted to act so hastily, but since the beginning of the year, his health had been declining, and he often felt overwhelmed by his responsibilities.

He feared Prince Su wouldn’t have enough time to wait for him.

And just at this moment, Pei Wenxuan had handed him the justification for reform. With the opportunity and the right person to execute it, even if there were risks, he had to take them.

But who could have predicted that Consort Rou would end up taking on the case?

So he immediately summoned Pei Wenxuan, and the two spent the afternoon deliberating.

Privately, Li Ming didn’t want Consort Rou involved in this case. He understood the risks all too well. To him, Prince Su was a crucial card to keep Li Chuan in check, and he didn’t want Consort Rou’s actions to jeopardize Prince Su’s position.

At this thought, Li Ming sighed softly. Fulai was pouring tea for him, and amid the gentle sound of flowing water, he heard the emperor’s sigh. “Your Majesty,” Fulai asked, “why do you sigh?”

“Consort Rou,” Li Ming replied with a hint of helplessness, “is too naive.”

“Given the circumstances,” Fulai set down the teapot and handed the cup to Li Ming, his thin voice tinged with regret, “no matter what, Consort Rou is now sharing Your Majesty’s burdens. Please set your mind at ease.”

Li Ming listened to Fulai’s consolation in silence.

He and Pei Wenxuan had already spent the afternoon discussing the matter. The best course of action now was to let Consort Rou handle the case with peace of mind.

If she succeeded, she would gain control of the Inspectorate and pave the way for Li Cheng.

If she failed…

Li Ming’s eyes turned cold. After all, Consort Rou was just a consort—any failure would ultimately be her fault.

Li Ming had already planned all the contingencies. After waiting for some time, he finally heard the sound of Consort Rou returning.

Even before she entered the palace gates, Consort Rou learned that Li Ming was waiting for her. She was both surprised and puzzled. Li Ming was not known for his patience, and she had always been the one to accommodate him. This was the first time he had ever waited for her like this.

Consort Rou hurried into the hall and knelt before Li Ming, her voice filled with remorse. “Your servant was detained by other matters today and failed to welcome Your Majesty in time. I beg your forgiveness.”

“I know,” Li Ming rose and personally helped her up, his tone gentle. “You’ve worked hard. How could I blame you?”

Li Ming guided her into the hall, still holding her hand. “Have you eaten yet?”

The reminder made Consort Rou realize she had barely eaten all day. But Li Ming had come so late and waited for so long—if she insisted on eating now, she feared it might displease him. She was about to say she had already eaten when Li Ming directly ordered the servants to bring in the warm congee he had prepared.

“I thought you might not have eaten, so I had congee prepared earlier,” Li Ming said softly, leading her to sit down. “I know you don’t like sweet congee, so I specifically asked for century egg and lean pork congee. You haven’t eaten much all day, so you shouldn’t have anything too heavy.”

Li Ming was exceptionally attentive when it came to caring for women. For some reason, Consort Rou felt a pang of emotion.

It had been years since she had received such affection from Li Ming. In their relationship, she had always been the one to accommodate and care for him. After all, he was the emperor, the foundation of her existence.

Among so many women, why did Li Ming favor her? She was now around the same age as him, no longer possessing the beauty of youthful maidens, nor the prestigious family background of someone like Shangguan Yue from a powerful clan. She was not particularly skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, or painting. What had kept her by Li Ming’s side for so long, aside from her humble origins and their shared history in their youth, was her understanding of him.

Her unconditional accommodation and companionship were what Li Ming needed most in the depths of the palace.

He had been oppressed by his court officials for too long. His pride as an emperor made him extremely sensitive to any defiance. Any resistance from the noble families felt like arrogance to him, and the so-called integrity of women from these families seemed like disrespect.

Thus, her gentleness, obedience, seemingly unconditional devotion, and wholehearted companionship were qualities Li Ming valued deeply.

Li Ming had been willful with her for so many years that she had almost forgotten she was a woman. Now, with Li Ming comforting her like this, she suddenly felt her eyes welling up.

Noticing her reddened eyes, Li Ming asked, “Why do you look like you’re about to cry all of a sudden?”

Consort Rou forced a smile, sniffled softly, and whispered, “I was just remembering how good you were to me when we were young, and I felt like I’ve failed you over all these years.”

“How have you failed me?” Li Ming shook his head. “You’ve done exceptionally well. In this entire court, you’re the only one willing to share my burdens.”

Li Ming sighed, his voice tinged with guilt. “Matters of the court should never have involved you, a woman. Yet now I must rely on you to charge into battle for me. As your husband, how can I bear to put you through this?”

“Your Majesty…”

The word “husband” brought tears to Consort Rou’s eyes. Li Ming smiled gently and drew her into his arms. “Why are you crying? Don’t be afraid,” he reassured her. “Tomorrow, I will restore your consort rank. As for the Inspectorate, handle the matter with confidence. I will stand behind you.”

“I will arrange everything for you. There’s no need to worry.”

“Your servant understands.” Consort Rou felt a wave of relief wash over her at Li Ming’s promises.

Suddenly, she no longer resented Cui Yulang.

She recalled his words from earlier that day: “Your Highness, His Majesty is your foundation. No noble family wishes to support a crown prince from humble origins—to them, it would be an insult to their lineage and bloodline.”

“Only His Majesty is your sole reliance.”

Cui Yulang had been right.

As Consort Rou leaned into Li Ming’s embrace, her heart settled.

Regardless of the imperial examination system, she and the noble families would never walk the same path.

Li Ming was her only true support.

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