What's wrong with me, a powerful minister, supporting a few female officials?

Chapter 165 Su Mo's True Status in the Empress's Heart!
Nangong Sheyue was soon led by a eunuch to the Lizheng Hall, where the Empress usually reviewed memorials and summoned ministers.

He first glanced at the Empress's expression, and his heart skipped a beat.

He then knelt on the ground and said, "Your subject pays respects to Your Majesty!"

The Empress waved her hand: "Rise!"

"My dear minister, what brings you to see me?"

Nangong Sheyue hurriedly replied respectfully, "Your Majesty, the dividends received by Baiyujing and Yanyulou totaled three thousand four hundred taels of silver, which I have already sent to the palace."

The Empress sighed: "I never imagined that my imperial treasury would need two restaurants to replenish it."

He then instructed the official in charge of censors, Zhao Hanxiang, "Go and send the silver into the inner treasury!"

His gaze fell on Nangong Sheyue: "The Imperial Uncle sent people to the Su residence to seize the restaurant's share. What was Su Mo's reaction?"

Nangong Sheyue was taken aback again.

His Majesty inquired about Su Mo's matter immediately again.

Am I being a little too concerned about him?
Won't……

An unbelievable thought suddenly popped into her mind!

The Empress has not yet taken any concubines... no... she has not yet had a consort... no, that's not right either!

Bringing in a wife?

It's hard to describe how Nangong Sheyue described it, after all, an empress ruling the country was something that had never happened before in history.

The Empress is getting married; what's the best way to say it?

That's basically the gist of it!
Could His Majesty have taken a liking to Su Mo?

Nangong Sheyue couldn't help but secretly swallow hard!

The more I think about it, the more likely it seems!

This Great Wu Empire will definitely be passed down to the Leng family in the future, otherwise the civil and military officials will certainly not agree!
However, whether the throne will be passed to a prince or an empress's son remains to be seen!
If the Empress were to pass the throne to her own offspring, then Su Mo would undoubtedly be the most suitable candidate to marry into the Tian family!
Young, handsome, and incredibly intelligent—almost supernatural!

Moreover, being born into poverty and having no powerful connections, he was not afraid of his maternal relatives seizing power!
With the Empress's martial prowess combined with Su Mo's enchanting wisdom.

Who can shake their offspring and take over the Great Wu empire?
Countless thoughts raced through Nangong Sheyue's mind in an instant. He quickly and respectfully said, "Your Majesty, I observe that Su Mo is angry and unwilling, but there is nothing he can do!"

"To prevent... Zhang Guojiu from having another conflict with Su Mo, I have reminded him to go to Tianchang County to take up his post tomorrow."

The Empress was silent for a moment, then said calmly, "Although Su Mo is intelligent, his official position is lowly, so this is all he can do."

"I have already sent someone to warn the emperor's brother-in-law."

"If anyone tries to take over Baiyujing or Yanyulou again, take them down immediately!"

Nangong Sheyue quickly replied, "Your subject obeys the decree!"

He paused, hesitated slightly, and then said, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty ordered me to investigate Lu Wenxuan, the Vice Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. I have found out that Lu Wenxuan has embezzled approximately 18,000 taels of silver."

"He is also suspected of selling official positions, committing multiple rapes of women, and seizing shops and farmland..."

Finally, he took a deep breath: "Lu Wenxuan once said that he wanted to take Lin Moyin, the commander of the Left Guard of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, into his camp, and that he had a plan to frame Commander Su Mo."

"Your Majesty, I request to know how to deal with Lu Wenxuan."

The empress's pretty face immediately darkened.

A moment later, he suddenly asked, "Has Yao Shen, the Right Commander of the Thousand Household, been settled?"

Nangong Sheyue said in a deep voice, "He has been transferred to Fengcheng, the secondary capital, to serve as the deputy garrison commander."

She naturally knew that the position of Right Commander was reserved for Lin Moyin of the Upper Left Command.

The Empress murmured, "The time is a bit too short!"

Then he looked at Nangong Sheyue: "Don't touch Lu Wenxuan for now, increase surveillance!"

She paused, a murderous glint flashing in her phoenix eyes, and coldly said, "If anyone threatens Su Mo's safety, take them down immediately... kill them without mercy!"

"Minister Su is a pillar of the nation that I intend to cultivate. He is of paramount importance and must not be allowed to make any mistakes. Otherwise, you will be held responsible!"

Nangong Sheyue's heart skipped a beat, and he hurriedly said, "Your subject will obey Your Majesty's will!"

……

The Ningguo Duke's Mansion was the center of power for the powerful relatives of the Dawu Emperor.

Zhang Shouning, the Empress Dowager's elder brother, had a very close relationship with her since childhood.

Since Empress Zhang entered the palace, Zhang Shouning has gained even more favor from Emperor Wu Taizong and became the head of the imperial relatives. He was extremely influential and for more than ten years, no one dared to provoke him.

Upon the Empress's ascension to the throne, he was promoted from Marquis of Yonghe to Duke of Anguo.

It was already October; in previous years, it would have been snowing long ago.

This year's climate has been unusually strange, with drought in many places, and even in the capital city, it is very hot and humid.

Zhang Shouning was in the west hall, embracing his beautiful concubine, eating chilled grapes peeled by his maid, and watching the opera troupe he kept in the mansion perform on stage.

There are very few entertainment options in Shenjing, so watching plays is definitely the number one entertainment activity.

This was especially true for a rough man like Zhang Shouning, who was illiterate in poetry and literature. In wealthy families, the most common way to show off wealth was by comparing the number of private entourages they kept.

Of course, only those who are truly wealthy can afford to maintain a private opera troupe. For example, the opera troupe of the Imperial Uncle's Mansion costs more than a thousand taels of silver a year!

There were as many as three such opera troupes in the Imperial Brother-in-Law's Mansion!
Suddenly, a servant reported this.

The two groups of guards sent to protect Huang Youde were severely injured and returned home, and Huang Youde was taken to Shangzuo Prison.

Zhang Shouning was naturally furious.

Everyone knows that Huang Youde is a lackey of the Emperor's brother-in-law's family.

Who would dare to bully the Imperial Uncle's family?

Zhang Shouning, his face dark, dismissed the opera troupe and his concubine, then summoned the heavily injured guard. He first squinted at the two men before coldly asking, "What's going on here?"

The older guard, his face deathly pale, cried out in a hoarse voice, "Reporting to the Imperial Uncle!"

"Because of the emergence of two restaurants, Baiyujing and Yanyulou, in the capital, Tianyilou's business suffered. Manager Huang was invited to Baiyujing to discuss the sale of shares in the restaurant..."

The two dared not hide anything and recounted the whole story in detail!
They knew Huang Youde was the emperor's brother-in-law, yet they still dared to arrest him, which shows their background is incredibly powerful.

The two guards were not stupid, and they did not dare to add fuel to the fire, lest the emperor's brother-in-law make a wrong judgment and suffer a loss, and then take his anger out on them!

After hearing this, Zhang Shouning's expression shifted between anger and uncertainty. He waved to the two guards and said, "Go to the accounting office and collect five taels of silver as a reward. You are granted ten days' leave!"

The two guards quickly thanked them and left.

After the guards left.

Zhang Shouning gritted his teeth, his face contorted in a ferocious grimace!
Finally, I took a deep breath and forced myself to calm down!
In the past, when Emperor Wu Taizong was in power, Zhang Shouning would have already ordered his guards to kill his way to the Shangzuo Palace and demand the person's return.

However, times have changed!
The Empress looked at her uncle with great respect.

But she's a ruthless person who dares to kill even her own brother; I'm just her uncle!

Zhang Shouning had indeed toned down his behavior considerably. With a dark expression, he said to the steward, "Take the letter from my uncle and go to the Left Office to demand the release of the person!"

"Also, have that brat named Su Mo come to the Imperial Uncle's residence to see us!"

The butler was about to respond and leave.

Suddenly, a doorman rushed in with a large red business card: "Reporting to the Imperial Brother-in-law, Eunuch An has come to request an audience!"

Upon seeing the visiting card, Zhang Shouning's expression changed slightly, and he immediately said in a deep voice, "Please, Eunuch An, proceed to the side hall..."

An Wu had watched the Empress grow up since he was a child.

Everyone knows that the Empress's rise to the throne was aided by Eunuch An Wu.

Although An-wu was in the palace, he held no official position.

Even the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs would respectfully greet An Wu with a greeting!
Before Zhang Shouning could finish speaking, An Wu's calm voice came from outside the hall: "No need for Imperial Uncle Zhang to trouble yourself. I will just pass on a message for His Majesty and leave."

Then, led by two eunuchs, An Wu slowly walked into the west hall.

Zhang Shouning quickly stood up, bowed to An Wu, and said with a smile, "May I ask, Eunuch An, what imperial decree does His Majesty wish to convey that requires your personal presence?"

An Wu quickly returned the greeting, smiling and saying, "No need for such formalities, Uncle Zhang."

"I have come on orders. Please forgive me for my offense."

Zhang Shouning immediately knelt down on the ground.

An Wu first made a perfunctory bow towards the direction of the imperial city, and then said in a low voice: "Your Majesty said that I heard that the Imperial Uncle's household is short of funds, which makes me very uneasy. This phoenix hairpin should be sold by the Imperial Uncle to raise money to supplement the household's expenses!"

"The imperial edict has been delivered. Your Excellency, please rise!"

Zhang Shouning quickly got up.

A young eunuch stepped forward, carrying a yellow silk tray.

On the yellow silk was a beautifully crafted, glittering phoenix hairpin!

Zhang Shouning's expression immediately changed.

An Wu then added, "The imperial edict and the gold hairpin have both been sent."

"I need to return to the palace to serve His Majesty, so I won't disturb you any longer, Uncle Zhang."

Zhang Shouning quickly said, "Let's escort Eunuch An!"

An Wu laughed and said, "Your Excellency, please stop. I am but a servant of the Imperial Family, how dare I allow Your Excellency to see me off!"

Then, ignoring Zhang Shouning, he turned and left with the two eunuchs.

Zhang Shouning took a deep breath, his expression shifting between light and dark as he looked at the yellow silk hairpin!
After a full cup of tea's time, he withdrew his gaze and coldly said to the steward, "Just go to the Upper Left Office. As for that brat Su Mo... there's no need to summon him for now!"

He paused for a moment, then said, "Investigate this person's background!"

After saying that, he frowned and suddenly sneered: "It's just a matter between two restaurants, yet my niece sent An Wu here in person to warn this Duke!"

"interesting!"

"That's really interesting!"

(End of this chapter)