Chapter 936: The Young Empress (73)

After leaving the imperial capital, Tang Nuoyue opened the secret memorials and saw the enormous chest before her, filled with reports from every corner of the empire. Unable to endure it any longer, she exploded with a curse.

"These are all of them?"

Holding a memorial in trembling hands, her voice shook as she asked the attendant beside her, "Why are there so many? When they were delivered yesterday, why didn't you remind me?"

"Your Highness said to set them aside and that you would read them in the carriage today. This subordinate thought Your Highness already knew there were this many, so…"

Tang Nuoyue: So no one bothered to tell her that there were over a hundred secret memorials, and each one concerned a different region.

When exactly would she be able to return to the imperial capital?

Holding the memorials in her arms, Tang Nuoyue nearly burst into tears.

So, was her little sister the Empress truly entrusting her with an important mission, or was she just playing with her?

"Your Highness, the Grand Chief Eunuch also left a message. Yesterday, you said she could tell you today."

Tang Nuoyue sighed.

These subordinates were really unreliable.

"Fine, what did she say?"

"The Grand Chief Eunuch conveyed Her Majesty's words. Her Majesty instructed Your Highness to investigate carefully. You may return once each year during the New Year and enter the palace to spend time with her. As for the rest of the year, Your Highness will have to work hard."

Tang Nuoyue sighed once again.

"I understand."

It seemed her little sister truly valued her.

Looking at the chest full of secret memorials, she felt tremendous pressure. Then she remembered the two ministers accompanying her, and her mood improved slightly.

Those two were veteran officials loyal to the imperial family.

For the Empress to assign them to her showed how seriously she regarded this matter.

With so many regions plagued by corruption, she couldn't afford to slack off.

Though she didn't understand many things about this world, she had still been a modern woman from the twenty-first century. Having heard countless stories about ancient times, she possessed considerable knowledge.

Perhaps she could apply some of it while investigating these cases.

Accepting her fate, Tang Nuoyue opened the memorials.

After reading only two or three, anger had already begun to fill her.

No wonder the Empress attached such importance to this matter.

The contents alone were enough to make her furious.

Thus, Tang Nuoyue embarked upon her arduous journey of investigating corruption.

Meanwhile, Tang Guo continued her daily routine—attending court on schedule, dismissing court on schedule, and spending her free time watching Jing Cheng practice swordsmanship.

When the two were together, they seemed more like an ordinary married couple than an emperor and consort.

At first, some ministers still entertained thoughts of sending more men into the harem.

After Tang Guo seized upon their weaknesses and dealt with them several times, no one dared speak of it again.

They finally understood.

The Empress had truly matured.

She had become strong and resolute, no longer someone they could manipulate.

Seeing Tang Guo's firmness, Jing Cheng was thoroughly pleased.

At first, the Jing family had been anxious and fearful. But after witnessing that the Empress genuinely loved Jing Cheng, they became even more loyal to her.

On the day Tang Guo came of age, Jing Cheng eagerly washed himself clean from head to toe.

The two spent a beautiful coming-of-age night together.

From that day onward, Jing Cheng officially moved into the Empress's bedchamber.

Some court officials wanted to object, but before they could even open their mouths, Tang Guo silenced them.

Anyone who dared speak too much would be "entrusted with important responsibilities" and worked until their feet barely touched the ground, leaving them no time to concern themselves with the affairs of the rear palace.

After Tang Nuoyue left to investigate corruption, Xiao Jin believed he had finally regained some freedom and could begin carrying out his plans.

To his surprise, Shan Ge kept an eye on him every day.

Compared to before, he had even less freedom than he used to.

Shan Ge had long found Xiao Jin displeasing. Having received Tang Nuoyue's permission, he made life miserable for him.

Though Xiao Jin's life was never in danger, he was tormented to the point of exhaustion and had no spare time to devise schemes.

As promised, Tang Nuoyue returned only once a year, during the New Year.

And each time she returned, she seemed different from before.