When Xiao Lin pulled him out of the water, he found that the jade pendant had turned pink. He thought something terrible had happened to him and almost burst into tears.
Yu Tang dared not say why he had turned out this way, only saying that he might have changed color because he had fallen and hurt himself.
Then, once the shame had passed, he reverted to his villainous self.
After bathing, Xiao Lin washed Yu Tang's little clothes, and after seeing Yu Tang put them on, he used his divine power to dry them.
Then they took him to his bedchamber to stay.
Just as they were settled, a guard came to report that there was a commotion outside the palace. It turned out that Emperor Xiao Sheng's empress and concubines were kneeling outside, waiting for Xiao Lin's instructions.
"General, what do you think I should do with my father's women?"
Many of these women had humiliated and mistreated Xiao Lin when he was a child.
To be honest, as the new emperor, it would have been reasonable for him to kill them on the spot.
But he wanted to ask Yu Tang's opinion.
After all, back in the Mingzheng Hall, he said he didn't care about anyone's opinion.
That "anyone" does not include his general.
However, now his general seems... to be no longer human either.
Yu Tang, unaware that Xiao Lin's thoughts had wandered, thought carefully and then said, "Your Majesty, I believe that there is no need to execute these concubines of the late emperor at present."
"Because most of them are daughters of high-ranking officials, keeping them alive can also keep the officials at ease."
"Of course, if Your Majesty is still angry about the humiliation and mistreatment some of them have done to you, you can also retaliate by stripping them of their concubine status and demoting them to commoners, sending them to experience all kinds of hardships in the countryside."
It is easy to go from frugality to extravagance, but difficult to go from extravagance to frugality. I believe that making these concubines, accustomed to a life of luxury, experience the hardships of ordinary peasant women would be more painful for them than killing them.
Now that Yu Tang is a jade spirit, he is gradually awakening some of the jade pendant's "memories".
The memories of Xiao Lin's childhood would occasionally flash through his mind, making him grit his teeth in hatred.
Therefore, he would not feel sorry for the concubines who had hurt Xiao Lin.
"Alright, we'll do as the general says." Xiao Lin snapped out of his daze, tapped Yu Tang's little head, tucked him into his arms, and went out.
His gaze swept over the kneeling concubines one by one.
The empress was the daughter of the current Right Chancellor and also a tool for Emperor Xiao Sheng to control the Right Chancellor.
This woman entered the palace after Xiao Lin's mother, Consort Qi, passed away.
However, she has never given birth to Emperor Xiao Sheng's child.
Xiao Lin was able to successfully rebel with the help of Liu An and others because the Right Chancellor turned a blind eye.
Xiao Lin vaguely remembered the eunuchs gossiping, saying that although this woman was the empress.
She lived the life of a concubine in the cold palace. Even if she was favored, she had to drink abortion medicine and was not allowed to have children.
It's also pathetic.
Thinking of this, he stepped forward, bowed, and helped the Empress up.
"Your Majesty, please rise."
This statement, "Mother," startled those around them.
After all, they had heard that Xiao Lin had killed Prince Li and Prince Ye on the spot in the Mingzheng Hall, using ruthless and decisive methods.
They are kneeling here now because their maternal families secretly sent them a message, asking them to test Xiao Lin's attitude and try to save their lives.
With a smile on his face, Xiao Lin continued under the Empress's shocked gaze, "From now on, Mother Empress will be the current Empress Dowager. I am still young and do not understand many things. I hope that Mother Empress can give me more guidance."
The Empress quickly replied, "Your Majesty is too kind. You are the supreme ruler, chosen by Heaven. I live deep within the palace and will not interfere in matters of the court."
However, I could certainly help His Majesty manage the harem.
Xiao Lin nodded in satisfaction and said, "Then I'll have to trouble Mother."
His gaze then fell on the mother of Prince Li and Prince Ye, and he said meaningfully, "Today, my third and fifth brothers are carrying a fake imperial edict and intend to rebel."
Although I executed them in the Mingzheng Hall, the thought of what they and their mother, along with their palace servants, did to me fills me with rage. I hope Your Majesty can avenge me.
The Empress immediately understood, stood up straight, and looked down with disdain at the trembling women kneeling on the ground, unleashing the aura of a superior without reservation.
She said softly to Xiao Lin, "Your Majesty has suffered these years. It is because I, as your mother, have been incompetent."
"Don't worry, I will definitely avenge His Majesty."
Throughout history, the imperial palace has been rife with feuds, and none of those who survived were simple-minded.
Xiao Lin and the Empress's behavior today was also a case of smiling while secretly plotting against each other; they were simply using each other.
After all, winning over the Empress is equivalent to winning over the Right Chancellor.
Moreover, the harem was already lacking a person in charge, so elevating the Empress to Empress Dowager and having her handle these matters was the most suitable option.
"Your Majesty! Your Majesty, spare us!" Consort Yan and Consort Li cried out as they tugged at Xiao Lin's clothes.
But the current Empress Dowager stopped him with her foot.
This woman, who had been in the palace for over a decade without bearing any children and was secretly mocked by Consort Yan and Consort Li, now looked down at them from her high position.
"Disrespectful behavior before the Emperor, they deserve a beating." The Empress Dowager sneered, then gestured for the young eunuch who had accompanied her to approach Consort Yan and Consort Li, saying, "Slap their mouths!"
"Yes, sir!"
The eunuchs obeyed and immediately took action. With a few slaps, the woman's lips bled and her hairpins were scattered.
With the crisp sound of a slap, Xiao Lin turned and walked back into the bedchamber, not giving the women who were begging for mercy another glance.
The palace doors closed, and the fake smile on Xiao Lin's face faded, leaving him in silence.
Yu Tang knew that he didn't actually like these backstabbing and scheming things.
If it were based on Xiao Lin's personality when they first met, he would probably have disregarded everything and massacred the palace to quell his hatred.
It's already quite remarkable that they've made concessions at this point.
So he sat on Xiao Lin's shoulder, leaned against the other's cheek, and gently stroked it as a form of comfort.
Xiao Lin was afraid he would fall again, so he quickly reached out to protect him, and the gloom in his heart dissipated a little.
He asked softly, "General, could you accompany me to my mother's tomb?"
Chapter 13
The villain was resurrected for the fourth time (13)
Yu Tang grabbed his hand: "Okay, I'll go with you."
When Consort Qi was first banished to the Cold Palace, she went mad and was tormented for several years before passing away.
After her death, her body was simply buried in the concubine's mausoleum. Outside the simple coffin, Xiao Lin stood tall and quietly gazed at the woman's memorial tablet.
In an instant, too many memories flashed through my mind.
He used to love this woman very much.
But the more you love, the more you hate and despise.
He hated Consort Qi for being foolish, for being blinded by love, and for being deceived by Emperor Xiao Sheng, causing her to lose everything.
And yet she gave birth to such a terrible child.
He also resented her for not spending more time with him after giving birth to him.
Why did you abandon him when he was so young and pass away?
But now, he understands the meaning of his existence.
He realized that all the hardships he had endured were for the purpose of meeting Yu Tang.
The best general in the North, a kind and upright man who showed him the way forward.
She was also his teacher, who taught him what it means to love and what it means to be a lover.
If Consort Qi had not given him life, he would never have had the chance to meet Yu Tang.
He would never sit on the emperor's throne to fulfill the shared ideals with the general.
Therefore, at this moment, the memories of Consort Qi's tragic death gradually faded away.
The blood-red ground and the bleak, cold snowflakes gradually transformed into green grass and flowers, reflecting the sunlight.
A woman dressed in plain clothes sat on a swing in the garden, holding little Xiao Lin in her arms.
She said to him, "Lin'er, what story do you want to hear today? Mother will tell you."
Xiao Lin's eyes welled up with tears. He lifted his robe and knelt heavily before the memorial tablet.
Yu Tang slid off his shoulder and knelt down beside Xiao Lin.
“Mother Consort…” Xiao Lin bowed down, his back arched, and solemnly kowtowed to Consort Qi before raising his head and saying, “Thank you for giving birth to your son.”
With red eyes, he said, "I understand all the things you taught me."
"Your subject will certainly live up to your teachings and strive to become an excellent emperor who cares about the people."
“And…” He glanced at Yu Tang beside him and smiled, “I’ve found my soulmate.”
“He is the best general in the North and the man I love most. We had a simple wedding during the war. Now that we have returned to the capital, I would like to give him a grand wedding in your presence.”
“We may face all sorts of obstacles, but I will never give up.” He gazed at the memorial tablet and said, “I hope that my mother’s spirit in heaven can lend us a hand when the time comes.”
After saying this, he bowed again.
"Your son is here, entrusting you to your mother."
Yu Tang felt a pang of tenderness when she saw Xiao Lin like this.
With a knowing smile, he also bowed to the memorial tablet of Consort Qi and said.
“Your Highness, my name is Yu Tang. I was once a general in Beijiu City. Now I am just a wisp of soul residing in a jade pendant.”
“My abilities are meager, and I am not as good as Your Majesty claims.”
But I can assure you of this today, standing before you.
"From now on, I will do my best to accompany Your Majesty, take care of Your Majesty, and assist Your Majesty in achieving imperial success."