EMHTC -Chapter 59 Eh! A Sudden Idea! Eh! A Spark of Inspiration! Eh! A Way to Do This!

Assistant Minister Liu had his own approach to governance—in modern terms, you could call it “riding the wave.”

Whenever many officials submitted memorials on a particular issue, he would join in.

If the suggestion pleased the emperor, rewards often followed. If the idea angered the emperor, Liu never stood out as the scapegoat and rarely faced severe punishment.

Being a government official wasn’t entirely about talent. If one had sufficient seniority, even mediocrity could lead to advancement—provided, of course, they avoided mishaps that could cost them their position or life.

And so, with his knack for hopping on the bandwagon, Liu managed to climb to the rank of Assistant Minister of Rites.

However, mediocrity isn’t terrifying. The truly terrifying part is when someone who has been mediocre all their life suddenly exclaims:

“Eh! A sudden idea! Eh! A spark of inspiration! Eh! I’ve thought of something I can do!”

His grand idea?

Why not become Liu the Incorruptible!

“An upright and noble official!” The old emperor clenched a fist, lightly tapping the table, his tone amused. “Why don’t we have you adjudicate this case?”

Assistant Minister Liu’s expression shifted drastically.

He could grit his teeth and try, but… Seeing the emperor’s expression, his survival instincts kicked in, and he immediately backed down.

“Your Majesty, this humble servant is dull-witted and unfit to pass judgment.”

The commoners outside the courthouse erupted into murmurs.

In their simple view, how could an “upright official” not know how to handle a case?

The emperor pressed on, knowingly. “Then why did you step forward just now?”

Lowering his gaze submissively, Liu hastened to disown the honor thrust upon him earlier:

“This humble servant may not be able to pass judgment, but I can still flap my gums.”

The murmurs grew louder, and the onlookers’ gazes turned scornful.

Only then did the emperor seem satisfied.

—No one could get away with taking what was his! If they did, they’d have to cough it back up!

Still, he needed to salvage the prince consort while keeping her female identity hidden.

In a situation with irrefutable evidence, who could manage that?

His gaze swept across the courtroom.

Xu Yanmiao stood at the edge of the court hall.

It was the perfect spot for observing the drama unfold—a prime location to watch while staying close to the exit, ready to retreat behind the crowd at the first sign of danger.

Then, he felt the emperor’s gaze land squarely on him.

Xu Yanmiao: “?”

The emperor smiled and beckoned him over.

Xu Yanmiao was taken aback: 【What? Is this dynasty doomed? I thought it was absurd enough for the prime minister to send someone from the Ministry of Personnel to investigate a thief. But now the emperor wants someone from Personnel to resolve a case? The Court of Judicial Review isn’t extinct yet, is it?】

People are visual creatures. When a youth as handsome as blooming peach blossoms stepped forward to handle the case, the commoners outside the courthouse cheered.

No one cared anymore about the prince consort’s earlier confession. To them, this was more thrilling than any stage play. They eagerly awaited the outcome, yet wished the show would never end.

Mimicking scenes from television dramas in his memory, Xu Yanmiao slapped the gavel forcefully on the table with a loud “PAH!” Then, putting on a convincing air, he ordered the woman to produce her household registration documents from Liaodong.

The emperor was just about to nod and quietly praise Xu Yanmiao’s quick thinking to the other ministers when he heard Xu Yanmiao’s inner thoughts—

【Hmm… This lady has indeed lived in Liaodong for over twenty years without leaving. The household documents are just a formality. I need to use this time to figure out how to pin this case on the prince consort being framed.】

The court fell silent: “…”

The Minister of Justice gasped sharply, deeply regretful: “Why can’t we transfer Xu Yanmiao out of the Ministry of Personnel?”

What a convenient way of adjudicating! Go straight to the conclusion, ignoring the process, as long as it all connects in the end.

The Minister of Revenue sighed even more deeply. “Exactly.”

The two exchanged glances and sighed in unison.

They knew it was impossible. Whether in Revenue or Justice, Xu Yanmiao’s presence would trigger massive upheaval, leaving everyone trembling in fear.

Xu Yanmiao was a rather laid-back individual who frequently declared in his heart that he wanted to “lie flat” and be a “salted fish.” However, he did have one redeeming quality: he always fulfilled his duties. While serving in the Ministry of Personnel as a clerk, he never shirked his primary responsibilities of handling and distributing official documents.

If he were placed in the Ministry of Revenue or the Ministry of Justice, he would undoubtedly use the powers of his artifact to examine accounts and investigate cases. This would result in countless corrupt officials being exposed and numerous individuals implicated in cases being unraveled.

On the surface, this seemed like a good thing. But…

The two ministers exchanged a look, both filled with helplessness.

Sometimes, being too transparent, too flawless, wouldn’t necessarily lead to a cleaner political system. Instead, it could backfire, leading to collective apathy: “Well, you know I’m not breaking the law. I’m just mediocre at my job, that’s all.”

When the water is too clear, no fish can survive.

Xu Yanmiao was oblivious to the ministers’ myriad thoughts. After the woman’s and her son’s household registration documents were handed to him, he gave them a cursory glance and set them aside.

“In that case, your encounter with the prince consort in Liaodong truly seems like a coincidence.”

The woman forced a bitter smile. “A humble village woman like me wouldn’t dare deceive an official.”

Xu Yanmiao neither confirmed nor denied her claim.

【What a pity. Whoever orchestrated this has been very cautious—always meeting this woman with their face covered. From the gossip she knows, it’s impossible to deduce who the mastermind is.】

The gossip system didn’t require him to know someone’s identity to extract their secrets, but it couldn’t work with such vague input like “the person who instructed the woman to frame the prince consort.”

【Maybe I should try investigating the prince consort and the princess. Let’s see… Hmm… The prince consort was raised as a boy from a young age and would dress in men’s clothing even when traveling with her mother. Wow! Her mother was really impressive—】

The old emperor sat with his arms crossed, unimpressed.

How impressive could she be? More impressive than the female top scorer in the imperial exams? Or more remarkable than Lady Chongyi, who Yan Chun recently petitioned to enshrine?

At most, it’s just a case of raising a daughter as a son…

【The prince consort’s father, while drunk, joked to her mother that since she couldn’t give birth to a son, he’d sell her off and marry someone more fertile…】

The old emperor frowned slightly.

How could someone treat his…

【That very night, her mother suffocated him with a quilt.】

The old emperor: What?

【Oh ho, now that’s what you call a fatal joke.】

【The next day, she reported to the authorities that he’d died of sudden illness. By the third day, he was buried.】

The old emperor: What??

【On the fourth day, she went to the government to update the household registry, claiming that the prince consort, who was only ten at the time, was a son.】

The old emperor: What???

The crown prince’s face was similarly blank with shock.

For a moment, he didn’t know whether he should first express admiration for his brother-in-law’s mother’s decisive actions or…

No wonder no investigation ever uncovered the prince consort’s secret of disguising herself as a man. Back when the prince consort was ten, it was still the previous dynasty—a chaotic and war-torn era where falsifying household records was as easy as breathing. By the time the new dynasty was established, the prince consort had already come of age. Dressing as a man came naturally to her, and unless she willingly revealed her identity, who could ever expose her?

【Wuhu!!!】

【I know how to expose her!】

Xu Yanmiao’s inner voice suddenly brimmed with excitement.

The monarch and officials of Daxia were utterly bewildered.

What happened? How did he suddenly find evidence?!

The young man’s eyes sparkled. “Madam…” His politeness made the surrounding officials nearly want to cover their faces; they felt Xu Lang looked far too easy to manipulate.

“When you married the prince consort, did you follow the tradition of the three marriage documents?”

The woman, holding back tears, covered her face. “We didn’t. It was a time of chaos and war; how could we have had the means? Later, when we were more settled, after being husband and wife for many years, he never brought it up, and I didn’t think much of it either.”

The prince consort knelt beside her, head lowered, silent.

The Princess of Fangling’s gaze was cold and scrutinizing as she observed the woman, as though analyzing and calculating something.

Xu Yanmiao asked again, “Did you ever meet the prince consort’s parents?”

The woman seemed helpless. “Please don’t mock me, my lord. By the time I married into the Yan family, his parents had already passed away…”

She was clearly well-prepared, likely having memorized every detail about the prince consort’s family background.

Xu Yanmiao smiled and interrupted her, “In all the years you were married, did he ever take you to visit his parents’ graves?”

The woman fluently provided the address of the prince consort’s parents’ burial site. “We went every year…”

Xu Yanmiao followed up, “Can you read?”

The woman hesitated, appearing embarrassed. “No…”

Xu Yanmiao feigned surprise. “The prince consort never offered to teach you?”

The woman, equally surprised, replied, “Even if Yan Lang is a scholar, why would he teach me to read and write? He—”

“I would.”

The woman’s words came to an abrupt halt, her expression subtly shifting to one of confusion.

She turned to see Yan Chun, who had been kneeling quietly and awaiting the court’s judgment, now lifting her head to look at her. Yan Chun sighed softly, “If you were truly my wife, I would have taken the initiative to teach you.”

The Princess of Fangling chuckled coldly, her voice sharp and devoid of warmth. “The tombstone of the prince consort’s mother bears an inscription carved by her close friend, the esteemed Master Tongxin. But people like you and those behind you wouldn’t have paid it any mind, even if you saw it.”

The emperor immediately asked those present, “What would Master Tong have engraved?”

An elderly censor pondered for two breaths and replied, “Master Tong, often referred to as a maverick scholar, was known for his unconventional views. He once boldly claimed: ‘There is no difference in intellect between men and women. If women could escape the confines of the boudoir, men of this era would be too ashamed to speak.’ Thus, it’s likely he would have inscribed the essence of this belief on his friend’s tombstone—‘There is a range in knowledge, but no distinction between male and female.’”

All correct!

In his heart, Xu Yanmiao let out an approving whistle.

【Yan Chun grew up listening to her mother debate philosophy with Master Tong. She even helped copy their correspondence. After being immersed in such an environment, she decided to take the imperial examination, figuring it didn’t matter since both her parents were gone and she had no living relatives.】

【Who would’ve thought she’d end up as the top scorer? And, by sheer chance, the emperor directly appointed her as the prince consort, leaving her no way to refuse.】

【At the time, the princess didn’t even know she was a woman—yep, she really didn’t know! The wedding night must’ve been hilarious. The fact that their marriage lasted is only because the princess would never allow herself to lose face!】

【Let me think… How did she put it back then? Oh! ‘I don’t care if you’re a man or a woman. Since you’ve taken the title of prince consort, you’d better uphold my reputation.’】

The old emperor: “……”

The crown prince: “……”

Alright, now they understood why the Princess of Fangling had tolerated a female prince consort.

— That strong-willed daughter/elder sister of ours.

The case had already reached a conclusion, so Xu Yanmiao was free to keep digging.

【To ensure the prince consort’s true gender remained hidden and to make it easier to build their careers, they moved to Liaodong!】

【It’s cold, it’s a borderland, and it’s harsh. Yet, they’ve endured for 30 years, rising from a county magistrate to a governor. Truly impressive.】

【Wow! The governor’s achievements are half hers and half the princess’s! The princess often went out disguised as a man, pretending to be the governor herself. Haha! It’s hilarious—people at the administrative headquarters pretended to be blind, acting like they didn’t notice there were two governors. No one reported it to the central government.】

The central officials: “……”

Well, now we know.

So, what should we do? Should we pretend to be blind and deaf too, acting as though we don’t know anything?

All their gazes turned to the old emperor, torn between speaking and remaining silent.

Do we strip the female prince consort of her office or let things continue as they are? Please, Your Majesty, give us a clear decision!

The old emperor initially considered directly removing Yan Chun from office, leaving her as a prince consort without power—ideally, not even as a prince consort anymore. But knowing his daughter, she likely wouldn’t allow it.

However, at this moment, upon hearing Xu Yanmiao’s remark about “shared governance achievements,” the emperor was suddenly struck by a thought—

Liaodong is half his daughter’s domain, meaning it’s also half his. This means a trusted family member effectively controls Liaodong, reducing concerns about rebellion.

The old emperor: “……”

Hmm. That’s intriguing. Let me think about it.

【Wow! It’s actually a case of love after marriage! They even have children!】

The old emperor: “?!” Wait, what? I have six granddaughters?! Where did they come from?!

【Oh, they’re adopted—all girls, chosen to conveniently inherit their legacy.】

【Three with the surname Gao, three with the surname Yan.】

The old emperor: 😊

Quite fair.

The south already had the Prince of Yunnan maintaining permanent stability there, but the north lacked a similar permanent presence in Liaodong. Given its proximity to Shanhai Pass, Liaodong was highly strategic. The emperor had hesitated to grant it to anyone else, always fearing a potential alliance with external tribes to instigate rebellion.

But… if Fangling were to oversee Liaodong, and with a clear line of succession…

The emperor felt even more tempted. Let me think this over carefully.