mesbooks Chapter 280 Better than before
Chapter 280 Better than before
Li Zhen gave Xu Jiaoran a royal guard to manage, which inevitably caused controversy among the court officials.
Under Li Zhen's throne, the court officials were talking in a flurry, their voices as numerous as the stars, as if they could pierce the roof of the palace. His eyes were as cold as the stars, but he was firmly cast on the queen Xu Jiaoran who stood at the head of the officials.
"Your Majesty, how can the Queen hold military power? This is really against the law of the court!"
Li Zhen looked coldly at those loyal yet stubborn courtiers, each of whose faces was filled with worry and protest. They spoke passionately, all talking about the same thing - Xu Jiaoran was given the power to manage the Imperial Guard.
"Your Majesty, the harem cannot interfere in government affairs! You have already given the Xu family such a high position, and you have also given the Queen military power. What if one day..."
"There's no such thing as an emergency!" Li Zhen's gloomy words interrupted the court officials' speculation.
Their words were like needles, trying to pierce Li Zhen's determination. They claimed that this was against the law of the court, and they claimed that this was a blasphemy against the court.
However, Li Zhen only had eyes for Xu Jiaoran. He knew clearly that handing over the Imperial Guards to her was not a disregard for the law of the court, but a trust and protection for her. He knew that some people in the court had doubts about Xu Jiaoran's origin and background, and some even thought that she might use the military power in her hands to interfere in the government.
But Li Zhen believed in Xu Jiaoran. He also believed that she was only using this guard to protect herself and his family.
He clearly remembered how terrified she was on the day he started the rebellion. He didn't want her to go through that scene again, so he decided to give her some strength, enough strength to protect herself when needed.
"Queen Xu Jiaoran is my wife." Li Zhen's voice echoed in the court, "I will naturally be responsible for her safety."
As soon as these words came out, the discussions in the court suddenly dissipated a lot. Li Zhen's eyes swept across the faces of every court official, and his eyes were full of majesty and determination. He knew that his decision could not be changed. He could only hope that Xu Jiaoran would live up to everyone's expectations and make good use of this imperial guard.
In the following days, Xu Jiaoran began to reorganize and train the Imperial Guards. She set an example and was strict with herself, and soon gained the respect and trust of the soldiers. She trained this army like an iron team, greatly improving both its combat capability and discipline.
The controversy in the court did not stop because of this, but Li Zhen did not care. He believed in Xu Jiaoran's ability and character, and he believed that she would make the right decision. And the facts also proved that his decision was correct. Under Xu Jiaoran's management, the Imperial Guard not only protected the safety of the palace, but also played an important role in the border wars many times.
However, all this is inseparable from Li Zhen's trust and support. He always stands behind Xu Jiaoran and provides her with solid support. He knows that his decision may cause controversy and doubt, but he also firmly believes that his choice is correct. He hopes that Xu Jiaoran can understand his feelings and that she can prove her worth with actions.
However, Xu Jiaoran did not think so. She did all this just to paralyze Li Zhen temporarily, to reorganize the army, and to use it for her own better purposes.
……
The golden palace towered high into the clouds, like heaven on earth. At this moment, Queen Xu Jiaoran, wearing jade pendants, sat in the palace.
Far outside the harem, in a corner of the imperial palace, a deep sense of uneasiness gradually surged onto Qi Shuo's brow.
"The power of the Queen's family has become a torrent. This trend is not a good strategy." Qi Shuo advised the Emperor Li Zhen in a worried tone. His words were full of worry about the future and vigilance against the power of the Xu family.
However, Li Zhen's eyes always stayed on Xu Jiaoran. He doted on her and trusted her deeply.
"You don't need to think about this. I have my own plan." Li Zhenquan didn't take Qi Shuo's advice to heart, but turned around and said, "Your wife seems to have a similar temperament with the queen, and they can talk to each other. Let them interact more in the future, so that the queen can have a companion."
Li Zhen felt that Xu Jiaoran had changed a lot since Cheng's last visit to the Queen's Palace. He thought that was good, and it was also good to ask Cheng to talk to her.
Qi Shuo had no choice but to agree, and went home to tell Cheng Wenwen about it.
"Although the emperor favors us deeply, the Xu family is too powerful and is not a blessing for our dynasty."
Qi Shuo was so worried that he could no longer remain silent about the situation. He turned to discuss with his wife Cheng Wenwen. Her concerns echoed his own, fearing that the queen would miss out on the country's plans because of the power struggle.
"Maybe I should go to the palace and persuade the queen." Cheng Wenwen's voice was full of worry and determination.
She knew that her last reminder to Xu Jiaoran might have worked, but it could also easily backfire. Xu Jiaoran's desire for power was a little too obvious, and she had the responsibility to remind Xu Jiaoran to pay attention to the balance of power.
So, Cheng Wenwen stepped into the deep palace of the imperial palace. The magnificent palace reflected her figure, but her heart was filled with heaviness. She came to Xu Jiaoran's bedroom and gently knocked on the door.
The door opened, and Cheng Wenwen saw the familiar yet unfamiliar face of Xu Jiaoran. She was once the queen's good friend and her most trusted confidant. However, at this moment, facing the temptation and pressure of power, can their friendship still remain the same?
"Madam, you are here." Xu Jiaoran's voice was filled with a hint of joy. Her eyes were no longer tired and helpless as before. She seemed to be much more energetic, but still not happy. This energy might come from her control over power.
"Yes, I came to see you." Cheng Wenwen's voice was full of concern, "I'm a little worried about you."
"What do I have to worry about? You must have heard that I am living very well in this palace!" Xu Jiaoran said with a smile.
Cheng Wenwen said: "But you are not happy."
"I'm very happy! I have wealth and power, how can I not be happy? Isn't that what you told me?"
"Maybe what I said is different from the wrong one." Cheng Wenwen sighed.
"I know what you're worried about." Xu Jiaoran whispered, "But there's nothing I can do." The worry between her brows became more and more intense, "We are all trapped in the game of power."
"I know the difficulty of being caught in a dilemma," Cheng Wenwen said, "but I still want to advise you: Don't be enslaved by power. Perhaps you need to find a balance?"
Xu Jiaoran's eyes flashed with confusion and bewilderment, "How can this be easy?"
"Everything is possible." Cheng Wenwen said softly, "Life is not a one-way street, but a series of choices. The choice is in your hands."
Her words were like a ray of morning light that cut through the night sky, illuminating the fog in Xu Jiaoran's heart. Her eyes gradually relaxed, and she said, "Maybe you are right, I am not really happy, but at least it is much better than before."