Chapter 9: Rewards for Everyone!

Luo Wushuang left the Phoenix Hall in high spirits. Her mood was so radiant that she bestowed rewards on everyone she encountered along the path. She was in such a generous state that even a passing ant was officially knighted as a “Mighty General.”

Hidden in the shadows, Ling Yun and Ling Feng exchanged a look. Seizing the opportunity, they quickly made their presence known by circling around their master.

Luo Wushuang was never stingy with her inner circle. The moment she saw them, she spoke up:

“Ling Yun and Ling Feng have worked hard today as well. I grant you both a hundred gold and the honor of the Peacock Plume.”

A hundred gold? That was equivalent to two years of their salary. Not to mention the Peacock Plume—that was a distinction usually reserved for the highest-ranking ministers of the court.

They had hit the jackpot!

“We thank Your Majesty!” After performing their bows with practiced discipline, the two scurried back into hiding to celebrate their windfall.

Seeing this, Leng Yu and Leng Yue, who had been serving as personal attendants for the past two days, hurriedly stepped forward to try their luck at a reward.

Leng Yu racked her brain for a long time before finally coming up with a piece of news she thought might interest the Empress:

“Your Majesty, the Shangguan family received no reply to their inquiries. They are now attempting to send the eldest daughter, Shangguan Qinglan, into the palace to visit Lady Shangguan.”

The moment Luo Wushuang heard the name of the Shangguan family, her good mood evaporated. “Block them. From now on, no one from the Shangguan family is permitted to enter the palace.”

Still feeling a lingering spark of resentment, she gave a cold order to those behind her:

“Draft an imperial edict. Prime Minister Shangguan Qingyun has served with great merit and has earned my deepest favor. He is granted a mandatory six-month period of rest and recuperation. He is not to enter the palace without a specific summons.”

“Understood.”

Leng Yu and Leng Yue responded in unison, their eyes wide with anticipation as they waited for their reward.

The Empress looked like she was in a foul mood now, so the Peacock Plumes were likely off the table. However, a hundred gold would still be fine—it could buy quite a lot.

But Luo Wushuang’s next sentence shattered their dreams instantly.

“The two of you are docked six months’ pay!”

Why on earth did you have to bring up the Shangguan family? What a curse!

Leng Yu and Leng Yue stood frozen. “…”

If they had known, they wouldn’t have said a word. The good things never seemed to reach them, but they were first in line for the bad luck.

Curse that Shangguan family! We are now sworn enemies with those shameless wretches!

Ling Yun and Ling Feng, who were still secretly rejoicing, took a couple of steps back and lowered their heads, their shoulders shaking with suppressed laughter.

Gosh, these two idiots. Why would you bring up the Shangguan family at a time like this? Isn’t that just asking to ruin the Master’s mood?

Her joy thoroughly dampened, Luo Wushuang entered the study with a scowl. Seeing the mountain of memorials piled on her desk made her mood sink even further.

She had skipped court for just one day. Was this level of paperwork really necessary?

She wanted to see exactly what “emergencies” could happen in a single day!

“Your servant, Commandant Du Wei of Jiangdu, respectfully wishes Your Majesty eternal peace. According to my observations at the start of this year, the rains have been plentiful and the vegetation lush. The projected harvest far exceeds previous years. This is entirely due to Your Majesty’s heavenly majesty. Your servants…”

“Heavenly majesty, my foot!” Luo Wushuang scoffed. “If the sky wants to rain, it rains. What does that have to do with me? Someone, go investigate this Commandant of Jiangdu. A general who doesn’t study military strategy but instead wastes time flattering me is simply detestable!”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Ling Yun took the order and left, silently offering a prayer for the Commandant who had just accidentally flattered his way into a death trap.

Actually, Du Wei was quite unfortunate. He had achieved great feats during the war with the Northern Regions, but because he was a dull man, he had offended the young master of the Shangguan family. As a result, he had been exiled to a remote county to serve as a lowly ninth-rank magistrate. This memorial was likely his attempt to get transferred back to the military.

Unfortunately, he had timed it right when the Master was in a terrible mood. Fine, Ling Yun thought, I’ll wait until she’s feeling better to bring it up again.

Otherwise, wouldn’t such a talent be wasted?

Luo Wushuang picked up the next scroll, and her anger spiked again.

“Your servant respectfully wishes Your Majesty peace. At the beginning of the month, a seven-colored divine bird appeared in my jurisdiction, matching the descriptions of the phoenix in ancient texts. Your servants believe this is an auspicious sign sent by the Heavens for Your Majesty. We dare not delay and have sent this news by express courier…”

A seven-colored bird? A phoenix? Luo Wushuang sneered. Wasn’t this the same trick those mediocre officials used to fool her father? To think they would try it on her.

When her father was on the throne, it was a Divine Dragon; now that she was in charge, it had become a Phoenix. They certainly knew how to sail with the wind!

“Someone, investigate!”

“Yes!”

“Your servant respectfully wishes Your Majesty peace…”

Toss!

“Investigate!”

“Your servant respectfully wishes Your Majesty peace…”

Toss!

“Investigate!”

Luo Wushuang worked through the pile with the ferocity of a tiger. Seeing only about ten memorials left on the desk, she finally felt a sense of relief!

“The Jiangnan region is suffering from floods. The people are displaced and homeless. We implore Your Majesty to grant your grace!”

Luo Wushuang froze, thinking she had misread it.

It was barely mid-spring. How could there be floods in the Jiangnan region already?

She read the memorial over and over. Once she was certain she hadn’t misread it and that the report was legitimate, her expression turned grave.

Strange phenomena usually had sinister causes.

Luo Wushuang lowered her gaze and called out in a low voice:

“Someone!”

“Your Majesty!”

Leng Yue knelt silently on the floor. She had been prepared to catch a flying scroll, but seeing that her Master hadn’t thrown this one, she waited quietly for instructions.

“Summon Yang Qing, Song Shulin, and the officials from the Ministry of Revenue to the palace immediately.”

“Yes.”

While Luo Wushuang was busy discussing state affairs with her ministers, Shangguan Liqian was catching up on her much-needed sleep.

It wasn’t until the sun began to dip toward the west that Shangguan Liqian finally opened her eyes, feeling as though she had returned to the world of the living.

Upon waking, the first thing she saw was Luo Wushuang’s deeply furrowed brow.

“What is it, Wushuang?” As soon as she spoke, Liqian realized her voice was so hoarse she could barely make a sound.

“Sister, you’re awake. Drink some water first.” Seeing Liqian wake up, the tension in Wushuang’s brow eased slightly.

The thing worrying her wasn’t actually the Jiangnan flood anymore—it was Shangguan Qinglan. After her request to enter the palace was denied, she had unexpectedly suffered a miscarriage.

Wushuang knew exactly how much her family meant to Liqian, and she didn’t dare tell her the news.

Especially since this happened right after she had forbidden the Shangguan family from entering the palace. Would her sister think she had ordered this to happen?

The more Wushuang thought about it, the more anxious she became. She watched Liqian finish freshening up, several times opening her mouth to speak only to hesitate.

She didn’t know how to start.

At first, Shangguan Liqian didn’t notice anything was wrong. However, Wushuang’s guilt was too obvious, as she kept stealing glances at her.

“What happened? Why are you acting so guilty?”

“Who… Who’s acting guilty? I’m not!”