Chapter 124: Civil Governance and Martial Might, Sword in Hand

The sky had not yet fully brightened in the morning.

Zhou Zhen woke early, an hour earlier than usual.

Perhaps because he had struggled to sleep all night.

Only when light began to creep through the window of the Southern Study did he force himself to sleep a little.

Otherwise, tomorrow's affairs would be impossible to handle.

He barely managed to sleep for an hour, barely regaining some of his energy.

He rubbed his bleary eyes, checked the memorials once more, then neatly stacked them to one side.

Zhou Zhen stretched, yawned, and stepped out of the Southern Study.

He pushed open the door.

The attending eunuch on duty hurried to bow; several close attendants followed behind.

Zhou Zhen waved his hand, signaling they need not be so formal.

Court etiquette could not be ignored—over a dozen palace maids and eunuchs knelt scattered at his feet.

The palace rules were hard to defy, and a dozen palace maids and eunuchs knelt sparsely at his feet.

With Zhou Zhen's rising, the grand imperial palace began gradually to stir.

Palace attendants moved swiftly through corridors, delivering messages and orders.

The reason was simple!

This Zhou Zhen was the reigning Son of Heaven, whose reign title was Zhenghe, the former Second Prince.

Zhou Zhen rubbed his face and sighed.

"Being emperor is less comfortable than being a wealthy merchant."

Yet his steps did not pause!

Beyond the Yangxin Palace lay the Fengxian Palace.

Zhou Zhen glanced at the Yangxin Palace—once the emperor's place for reviewing memorials and meeting ministers, its western chamber reserved for handling memorials and consulting with the Grand Council.

Zhou Zhen found it ridiculous that meeting ministers and reviewing memorials required two separate rooms.

Zhou Zhen felt that meeting ministers and reviewing memorials required two separate rooms.

He ordered all official documents moved to the Southern Study for his own convenience.

Court ministers criticized the move as violating propriety, but Zhou Zhen merely smiled and replied:

"I've bowed to you all—now do me a favor."

The ministers dared not object—how could the Son of Heaven bow to his subjects?

No one pressed further; they let the emperor have his way.

It was strange indeed!

In his youth, the Second Prince Zhou Zhen had been no stranger to petty theft and mischief.

Most famously, he once disguised himself as a commoner to abduct a bride, only to be chased by townsfolk, fleeing home bruised and swollen.

The Empress at the time was heartbroken and demanded harsh punishment for the crowd—but Zhou Zhen pleaded for mercy, and no one was punished.

They had expected that after ascending the throne, Zhou Zhen would need constant urging to be diligent.

The former Empress was heartbroken and demanded severe punishment for these commoners, but Zhou Zhen pleaded for mercy, and no one was held accountable.

Zhou Zhen's diligence far surpassed that of his predecessor—he often reviewed memorials in the Southern Study until dawn, forgetting meals and sleep.

As a result, the Yangxin Palace gradually fell into disuse, becoming a secret meeting place for young eunuchs and maids.

Zhou Zhen found this intriguing, often bringing his close attendants to "investigate."

The more he saw, the more familiar he became with several of the young eunuchs and maids, as if he knew them by heart.

Especially one young eunuch, who held a post in the Eastern Depot and had affairs with several maids and eunuchs.

Zhou Zhen saw this and felt deeply disappointed!

He had once supported this eunuch and another maid as a pair.

Ah, what a waste!

At the Fengtian Palace—located on the eastern side of the inner palace, serving as the imperial ancestral temple.

The Fengxian Palace was first built in the early Yongxiang era, shortly after Emperor Hui was captured by the Northern Wind, when the south rapidly rebuilt.

It underwent multiple renovations afterward, becoming a vital site for imperial ancestral worship.

Yet today was not a day of sacrifice.

Zhou Zhen, troubled and restless, decided to come to the Fengxian Palace seeking peace.

When he reached the outer courtyard of the Fengxian Palace,

The Fengxian Hall was originally built in the early Yongxiang era, shortly after Emperor Huizong was captured by the Northern Wind, when the south swiftly undertook reconstruction.

Someone was waiting.

A familiar face—Minister of Rites Xie Chunan.

Head of one of the Six Ministries, a man of great stature, worthy of the title "Heavenly Official."

He appeared over fifty, with a light beard, little gray in his hair.

His hair was meticulously groomed, his expression solemn, radiating vigor.

Zhou Zhen's face brightened upon seeing Xie Chunan.

He was not the only one unable to sleep!

"Minister Xie, so early today?"

Xie Chunan, a two-dynasty veteran with merit in the emperor's ascension, now Crown Prince's Tutor, moved freely within the palace.

A close eunuch whispered softly:

"Your Majesty, Minister Xie has been here for an hour."

After respectfully greeting Zhou Zhen,

Xie Chunan glanced at Zhou Zhen's tired face and smiled:

"Your Majesty, did you not sleep well last night?"

Zhou Zhen was greatly puzzled!

Minister Xie rarely smiled—hardly a grin all year.

Court colleagues even nicknamed him "Coffin Face," joking that he belonged in the Ministry of Justice, not Rites.

Zhou Zhen and Xie Chunan entered the hall.

For years, incense had never ceased.

The sandalwood scent was heavy!

Zhou Zhen took the lit incense from the eunuch and gently inserted it into the incense burner on the altar.

His colleagues in court even nicknamed him "Coffin Face," joking that the Ministry of Rites was unsuited for him—he should be in the Ministry of Justice.

As the incense smoke curled upward,

The entire hall was wrapped in solemn reverence.

After completing this,

Zhou Zhen said with quiet pride:

"When the Shaobao family first came to the capital, my father stayed awake all night."

"Today, Lu Shaobao has returned to the capital!"

"I, however, slept for an hour—do you think I slept well?"

Xie Chunan replied calmly: "The older one grows, the less one sleeps. When you reach your late father's age, you will not sleep either."

Zhou Zhen sighed with a wry smile: "Minister Xie, you're undermining me again, aren't you?"

Xie Chunan said nothing beside him.

Zhou Zhen's gaze wandered through the hall.

He stared at the portraits of past emperors of Daqing, including the captured Emperor Hui, though his portrait stood among the last.

At the center, the first portrait was:

The founding ancestor of Daqing—the legendary High Ancestor who "slayed the three-headed serpent to establish the realm."

Daqing had ruled for over four hundred fifty years, through more than a dozen emperors, yet only two had earned portraits beside the founding ancestor.

One was Emperor Jing, known as the Restorer, who established the policy of scholar-official governance, promoted Confucianism, and brought cultural flourishing.

The other was Emperor Taizong, who subdued the Rongqiang in the south and conquered Gao Li in the east, expanding the empire to its greatest extent through martial prowess.

These two emperors were father and son—one civil, one martial—jointly laying Daqing's foundation.

Subsequent emperors, though accomplished, ultimately failed to surpass the achievements of these two forebears.

Zhou Zhen turned his gaze back to Xie Chunan and asked:

"Minister Xie, how did you know I would come here?"

The other was Emperor Taizong, who marched south to subdue Jimo Rongqiang and east to conquer Gao Li, expanding the empire's borders through military might to its zenith.

"Your Majesty, whenever there is a great matter, you always come to the Fengxian Palace."

And the former emperors of Daqing, though accomplished in their own right, ultimately could not surpass the great achievements of these two predecessors.

Zhou Zhen withdrew his gaze and turned to Xie Chunan, asking:

"Master Xie, how did you know I would come here?"

Xie Chunan answered calmly:

"Your Majesty, whenever there is a major matter, you always come to the Fengtian Hall."

Zhou Zhen nodded and smiled, "Master Xie, you have a keen eye for people…"

"Truly accurate!"

Xie Chunan quickly bowed and said, "Your servant dares not."

Zhou Zhen waved his hand, "You and I, Master Xie, are on the same boat—no need for such empty formalities."

At that moment!

A eunuch entered the chamber and respectfully reported:

"Your Majesty, Lord Lu has just gone to the Western Depot."

Zhou Zhen nodded and said, "Understood!"

Then he fell into quiet thought.

Xie Chunan stood silently to the side, saying nothing.

Only one eunuch remained, bowing low in service; the great hall sank once more into silence.

Zhou Zhen's expression turned serious:

"What do you think the Empress Dowager will do?"

Xie Chunan replied, "Kill Lord Lu to pacify the realm."

Zhou Zhen sneered:

"Her so-called pacification of the realm is merely using someone else's blade—does she not realize she will shatter the sword in her own hand?"

"Having no sword and having a sword but refusing to use it are not the same."

This was no longer a term of respect.

Zhou Zhen continued, "What does North Wind report?"

(End of Chapter)