Chapter 1495: The Empress Arrives

After enjoying a few days of peace and quiet, someone finally dared to disturb Emperor Liu's tranquility. A group of palace eunuchs and maids didn't dare to stop her, after all, she was the Empress.

"Where is His Majesty?" Her face beneath the warm sunlight was very calm. Empress Fu swept her phoenix eyes across and asked softly.

"His Majesty is resting. This servant will report to Your Highness at once!" Yan Tuo was still locked in his struggle with Zhang Dejun over the investigation, and the one attending Emperor Liu at Qianning Hall was merely a eunuch director, whose confidence was clearly lacking when facing the Empress.

Empress Fu said nothing more, only nodded, but directly followed him inside. Within the bedchamber, beaded curtains swayed slightly. On the soft couch, Emperor Liu lay on his side, his rear facing outward. From years of prolonged sitting, not only had the fat around his waist increased, but his backside had also grown noticeably larger than before.

Of course, Empress Fu's attention was not on Emperor Liu's figure. As if she had heard no sound, he still lay there silently, a lonely aura seeming to emanate from him.

The eunuch dared not approach the couch. Keeping his distance, he hunched his back and called softly: "Your Majesty! Your Majesty! The Empress has arrived..."

Unfortunately, after calling several times, there was no response. He couldn't help but turn his head toward Empress Fu, a hint of helplessness showing in his eyes. Seeing this, Empress Fu waved her hand at him and said: "You may withdraw."

The eunuch looked at the Empress, then at the Emperor who seemed oblivious, hesitating somewhat. It wasn't that he worried the Empress might do something absurd to the Emperor—he simply hesitated without receiving a signal from Emperor Liu.

But the Empress was not someone to offend either. Seeing Empress Fu's brows gradually knit together, he gritted his teeth and hurriedly said: "Yes!"

Only the emperor and empress remained before and upon the couch. The bedchamber grew even quieter. Gazing at Emperor Liu's side-lying back, the blanket covering him looked disheveled, and several memorials were casually tossed aside, as if he had fallen asleep while reading them.

Stepping forward slowly, Empress Fu gently tucked the blanket around Emperor Liu, then gathered up those memorials and placed them by his pillow. She didn't deliberately read their contents, but in that fleeting moment, she still gleaned some key information—these memorials all detailed the specific expenditure accounts of the Great Han court in recent years.

The Empress sat silently by the couch, gazing steadily at Emperor Liu. The Emperor lay quietly, sleeping deeply. As time passed, the atmosphere gradually grew awkward.

After a while, Emperor Liu finally stirred. He turned over, opened his bleary eyes, looked at Empress Fu, and said wearily: "You've come? I've been remiss..."

"Have we grown so distant, husband and wife?" Hearing Emperor Liu's calm tone, Empress Fu said calmly, meeting his gaze.

Seeing this reaction, Emperor Liu was taken aback, then shook his head: "I've been tired these past few days, exhausted in both body and mind. The imperial physician said I need quiet recuperation, and Qianning Hall is peaceful."

Emperor Liu's explanation was full of empty words, as if he had casually grabbed any excuse. Empress Fu looked at him: "Your Majesty hasn't set foot in Kunming Hall for nearly a month. If you won't come to see me, won't you even allow me to come see you?"

Hearing this, Emperor Liu couldn't help but laugh: "Could it be you're jealous? Words like that don't sound like they'd come from your mouth."

At this, Empress Fu also looked at Emperor Liu, her eyes very bright—so bright that Emperor Liu couldn't bear to meet them directly. Such words likewise didn't sound like they'd come from Emperor Liu's mouth. Did he not understand Empress Fu? How could she be an ordinary petty woman given to jealousy? She was the foremost extraordinary woman of this age.

Probably to mask his embarrassment, Emperor Liu finally propped himself up to sit. Empress Fu also helped fetch a backrest for him to lean against. The couple's gazes finally met at the same level. Emperor Liu studied his Empress and suddenly remarked: "A few strands of white hair have appeared at your temples!"

"I'm getting old!"

Empress Fu still carried the full bearing of a noble lady. She was the most honored woman in the realm, but her youthful beauty had faded. Setting aside the enhancement of her status, one truly could no longer see the grace and jade-like countenance of her early years.

There was no sigh, not even any unconscious gesture—she simply said it in a calm tone. Toward her own aging, Empress Fu's attitude was clearly quite magnanimous.

Seeing this, Emperor Liu felt a stir in his heart and smiled: "Everyone grows old eventually. You and I, husband and wife, growing old together—that's not so lonely after all!"

As he spoke, a rare tenderness finally showed in Emperor Liu's eyes. He said warmly: "Your constitution is weak; you should take care of your health!"

Empress Fu had suffered a serious illness back then. Though she had pulled through, her health had never been robust in these intervening years. Hearing these simple yet heartfelt words of concern, Empress Fu's gaze likewise softened. She replied: "I live peacefully in the inner palace, everything goes smoothly—no need to worry about me. Rather, it's you who toils and worries for the nation—you're the one who needs to be careful with your health!"

Between Emperor Liu and his Empress, their hearts knew each other well and their feelings ran deep. In truth, they didn't need these warm words to strengthen their bond.

After exchanging simple pleasantries, Emperor Liu asked: "What brings you to see me?"

Empress Fu: "The nation faces many calamities now, the people endure many hardships, the court is beset with affairs, and there is unrest both above and below, within and without. Yet you, the Emperor, are quietly recuperating in the palace—inevitably inviting speculation. Both the inner palace and the outer court are concerned about your condition..."

"If the court's civil and military officials would put even half their energy into matters of state and the people, rather than into fathoming my thoughts and pondering my words and deeds, why worry that the realm wouldn't be at peace? What difficulty would be insurmountable?" Emperor Liu shook his head.

"Your words are somewhat biased! The court is not lacking in dedicated and capable worthy ministers!" Empress Fu said.

Empress Fu's words were always fair and accurate. Indeed, as she said, the court certainly had no shortage of those who schemed solely for advancement and catered to the sovereign's whims, but it also absolutely did not lack capable doers who handled affairs for Emperor Liu and the court. Mere scheming had its limits after all—to climb higher, actual governing ability was the foundation.

"Have Zhao Pu and the others gone to see you?" Emperor Liu suddenly said.

Empress Fu seemed not to notice the suspicion in Emperor Liu's eyes, only shaking her head: "Without them making the move, can't I come to see you?"

"Of course you can!" Emperor Liu smiled, then thought for a moment and said: "The court is indeed in troubled times, but after all these years, what difficulties haven't we faced?

With Zhao Pu and the others in the outer court, I'm still reassured. During the northern expedition, with so many disturbances converging at once, Zhao Pu managed everything properly. Though the Central Plains' disasters are severe, they shouldn't truly throw them into a panic.

Even without me watching over them, they can still get things done. If they can't, and any more problems arise, then I'll deal with them!"

Hearing Emperor Liu say this, Empress Fu remarked: "Your Majesty is still as forceful as ever. How could the ministers not tremble with fear?"

Emperor Liu naturally paid no mind to the "impertinence" in the Empress's words. He was silent for a moment, then said calmly: "In that position, one pursues that governance and bears that responsibility—that has always been my philosophy. Giving them authority, status, and honor is not so they can repay me with mediocrity!"

To this, Empress Fu said nothing more. Matters of the court were not something she should interfere with. She also pondered for a moment, then said: "Quite a few people have died in the palace recently..."

When the purge within the Han palace began, one matter after another came to light, one criminal after another was dragged out, accompanied by a series of suicides out of fear of punishment. Emperor Liu's words that day at Chuigong Hall truly carried the authority of heaven's decree—whatever he spoke became law.

Emperor Liu raised an eyebrow, looking at Empress Fu with surprise: "I know quite a few people have died, mostly suicides out of fear of punishment, and they were all guilty slaves and treacherous eunuchs who deserved death. What, has it sullied your ears and made you soft-hearted?"

At this question, Empress Fu shook her head and sighed softly: "I'm not here to plead for those sinners, nor do I feel regret over their deaths. It's just that recently the palace has been fraught with anxiety, and even my Kunming Hall is rife with rumors. In these troubled times for the nation, such turmoil in the inner court is ultimately not a good thing!"

"Rest assured!" Sensing Empress Fu's concern, Emperor Liu waved his hand grandly and said calmly: "A few ripples on the surface—nothing to make a fuss over!"