Chapter 1240 - 34: The Pearl Collector and the Princess
Chapter 1240: Chapter 34: The Pearl Collector and the Princess
"Ah..." Tang Zhishi paused in surprise.
"Your aunt wants you to become Emperor," Tianmiao chuckled.
"But I don’t want that," Tang Zhishi blurted out, "I have never thought about it, sister, believe me. I also don’t think I would make a good Emperor.
"I know." Tianmiao raised her hand to stop Tang Zhishi from continuing, "Alright, let’s not talk about this. Resolve your aunt’s matters soon. I don’t want her to embarrass Qinghe in certain situations in the future, otherwise, I’ll give her a bigger embarrassment. Although she has personal motives, she seems to care genuinely about you."
Tang Zhishi was stunned.
At this moment, Li Qinghe also wrote on paper: Ah Hai, I don’t want you to be troubled. If your aunt is truly good to you, I still hope we can have a good relationship.
Reading the words Li Qinghe had written, Tang Zhishi felt warmth in his heart. He stepped forward, holding Li Qinghe’s hand, and solemnly said, "Qinghe, I would never disappoint you, trust me, I will handle it well."
Li Qinghe returned the hold on Tang Zhishi’s hand, a smile blossoming on her face.
"Thank you, sister," Tang Zhishi turned to Tianmiao and said, only he knew what he was thanking Tianmiao for.
...
The very same day, Tang Zhishi went to the palace to see Consort Rou, and no one knows what Tang Zhishi said to her. In short, Consort Rou didn’t send anyone to summon Li Qinghe anymore.
Tianmiao’s coronation ceremony proceeded as scheduled. She became the first and only Empress in the country’s history.
The Emperor looked at Tianmiao as she donned the Dragon Robe, contentedly squinting his eyes. Then, having handed all the governance to Tianmiao, he whisked away with the Empress Dowager and Consorts to the Palace for a vacation.
After Tianmiao ascended the throne, she hosted the wedding for Tang Zhishi and Li Qinghe. This made many realize one thing; Prince Qi, Tang Zhishi, was the new Emperor’s favorite. Subsequently, the new Emperor assigned Prince Qi to important positions, entrusting him with very significant tasks. For a while, Prince Qi was indeed in high demand. The Qi Prince Mansion was bustling with visitors, leaving Tang Zhishi quite overwhelmed.
"The Emperor is too much; I’ve only got three days of marital leave, and now I’m so tired I could puke blood. Boo-hoo, only Qinghe’s hugs and kisses can make it better." Early in the morning, Tang Zhishi dressed for court while Li Qinghe arranged his collar. Tang Zhishi pretended to cry and pouted for attention.
Li Qinghe smiled lightly and then extended her arms to embrace Tang Zhishi, kissing his cheek.
"That’s not the spot; it’s here, here!" Tang Zhishi pointed to his lips for a kiss.
Li Qinghe pinched Tang Zhishi’s lips, shaping them like a duck’s beak. Tang Zhishi looked at Li Qinghe pitifully; he wanted a kiss, not a pinch!
In the next moment, Li Qinghe leaned in and gave Tang Zhishi’s duck lips a firm kiss.
Tang Zhishi was instantly revived, the grievance gone, joy returned.
"My dear, I’m off to court now, wait for me to come home," Tang Zhishi embraced Li Qinghe, "I’ll bring back some delicious food for you. The Emperor has ordered the creation of many new dishes, I’ll sneak some back."
Li Qinghe laughed, playfully punched Tang Zhishi’s chest, then nodded.
In mutual farewell waves, Tang Zhishi and Li Qinghe parted reluctantly, and he headed to court.
...
Just as the Emperor anticipated, under Tianmiao’s governance, the country thrived, wealth amassed, the military strengthened, and the population reached unprecedented heights. Despite Tianmiao’s repeated tax reductions, annual tax revenue continued to rise, making the treasury more abundant. This brought great toothy grins to the Minister of Revenue, for no longer needing to spar endlessly in approving funds with ministers, and to fuss about calculating expenses intricately. For this alone, he wholeheartedly supported the new Emperor.