Qiankun Hall.

Xiao Luming sat in the grand hall, his face longer than a donkey’s.

All the palace attendants in the hall were trembling, not daring to breathe heavily.

The platter with the enticing aroma of lamb skewers was still sitting on the table.

The eunuch didn’t dare to eat them.

He didn’t even dare to suggest that His Majesty should eat.

For fear of flattering the wrong person.

He wondered why the Empress was so oblivious, failing to see through the Emperor’s hypocrisy just moments ago.

The Emperor, as the sovereign of the nation, of course, has his dignity, how could he be so easily pleased?

Yet the Empress gave him not a shred of face.

Such suffocating tension persisted in the space.

"Take it away!" Xiao Luming suddenly spoke.

The eunuch was startled, quickly responded respectfully, "Yes."

Then he carried the platter of lamb skewers away.

Xiao Luming’s Adam’s apple visibly moved.

His lips seemed to press together briefly, then he immediately diverted his attention to state affairs.

The eunuch hurriedly took the lamb skewers out of the hall, unable to resist any longer.

Who could withstand the aroma?

The Emperor didn’t eat, so he dared not dispose of them.

The eunuch devoured them, nearly choking.

Having finally finished, he had someone take away the plate and bamboo skewers, and quickly returned to the hall.

Xiao Luming looked up at the eunuch.

The eunuch maintained a solemn expression.

"Tasty?" Xiao Luming asked.

The eunuch was stunned, his face instantly turned pale.

"Wipe your mouth!" Xiao Luming commanded.

His face was increasingly frightening.

The eunuch quickly wiped his mouth, filled with oil stains, overwhelmingly awkward.

He stammered, "Your Majesty, it was indeed delicious..."

"Shut up!"

The eunuch dared not speak any more.

Xiao Luming’s hand holding the brush was shaking with anger.

He knew all too well how good it tasted!

...

After hosting all the concubines to a whole lamb feast that day, Xie Qianyun was quiet for a few days.

It wasn’t that she wanted to be quiet.

Xiao Luming sent many scriptures for her to transcribe, saying that the ancestral rites were coming and she should transcribe more useful texts.

Xie Qianyun felt Xiao Luming was using this as revenge.

So many scriptures, transcribing them made her scalp tingle.

The key was that Xiao Luming didn’t allow anyone to help her.

She spent five full days transcribing the scriptures.

After finishing, she didn’t pause for a moment, promptly went to Qiankun Hall to deliver them to Xiao Luming.

Xiao Luming frowned at Xie Qianyun, looking at her face full of eager smiles.

Xie Qianyun appeared casual and unrestrained, yet admittedly, her ability to emulate was higher than most, learning faster.

Xiao Luming took up Xie Qianyun’s scriptures with a pleased expression, but suddenly his face sank, fuming over the scribbled words that looked like ghost writing.

The praise he had just given Xie Qianyun, he took it all back.

The daughter of Prime Minister Song scribbled such a mess, it would be disgraceful to Prime Minister Song’s reputation if it got out!

Xie Qianyun naturally sensed Xiao Luming’s anger.

She didn’t intend for it either.

Since childhood, she disliked practicing calligraphy, and hadn’t really learned well.

Transcribing these scriptures, it was the best she could write!

"Transcribe them again!" Xiao Luming put down the scriptures with a cold order.

"Your Majesty can have me transcribe them again, that’s doable, but even if Your Majesty had me rewrite them a hundred times, they’d still be the same. I don’t mind, after all, transcribing scriptures to cultivate oneself is fine, I’m just worried Your Majesty will grow angry every time you see them, mind your health." Xie Qianyun said with feigned concern.

Xiao Luming’s face grew even darker.

He pressed his lips tightly, slowly said, "The Empress is right, with your current skill level, writing a hundred times would look the same."

Xie Qianyun beamed brightly.

Thinking Xiao Luming would let her off like this.

Happily preparing to leave.

"So starting today, the Empress need not transcribe scriptures, just practice calligraphy every day. I’ll provide one character daily for the Empress to practice, write ten Xuan papers full each day for my review." Xiao Luming spoke coldly.

"..." Could she curse?

No.

Her father forbade it.

The eunuch beside couldn’t help but want to laugh seeing the Empress being bullied.

What sort of figure is his Majesty, unable to deal with a wild girl?

"I have official business to attend to, Empress may withdraw." Xiao Luming instructed.

Xie Qianyun saluted, "I shall take my leave."

Then left angrily.

Xiao Luming watched Xie Qianyun’s departing figure, his lips seemed to curl upwards.

The eunuch’s eyes widened.

Did he see wrong?!

The Emperor, usually impassive, had actually shown, a satisfied smile!