Song Yu finally attended court and decisively handled many long-pending matters.
His solutions could all be considered perfect.
At this point, the civil and military officials could no longer focus on the matter of selecting concubines. With tearful eyes, they looked at Song Yu. Such a wise and mighty emperor, if he didn't want to select concubines, then so be it. Perhaps one day the Emperor himself would propose it.
As long as the Emperor was willing to attend court and handle state affairs, everything was negotiable.
Even Cheng Guang broke precedent and praised Song Yu a few times.
Song Yu simply felt refreshed and invigorated. Indeed, being an emperor required character; one couldn't always indulge these court officials.
After court adjourned, Song Yu gleefully ran to Emperor Yuanyou to show off how effectively he managed his subordinates.
"Father, you are simply too soft-hearted, which is why you were led by the nose by the court officials."
Emperor Yuanyou tightened his grip on the teacup in his hand, suppressing the impulse to splash the tea in Song Yu's face.
"Some methods work once, but if used repeatedly, they lose their effectiveness," Emperor Yuanyou said with a forced smile.
So infuriating.
"No matter, your son has plenty of such methods."
Before leaving, Song Yu didn't forget to take Song Shihuan with him, claiming grandly, "Thank you, Father, for recently helping your son take care of Ah Huan. Your son plans to make an incognito inspection tour in a few days, so I'll take Ah Huan with me."
Emperor Yuanyou's breath hitched.
Incognito inspection tour?
This scoundrel, as emperor, still wants to casually go on incognito tours? In his dreams.
......
Inside the Zichen Hall.
Song Yu looked at the travel plan submitted by the Ministry of Rites, his brows furrowed tightly enough to crush a fly.
"We are going incognito. Do we need this many people?"
"This... since ancient times, the standard for an emperor's incognito tours has always been like this." The Minister of Rites, having learned from past mistakes, now dared not directly oppose Song Yu.
"My travel route is strictly confidential. There's no need to inform local officials in advance of where I'm going. I intend to observe the true conditions of the people. As for my safety, entrusting it to the Imperial Guards puts me at ease."
The Ministry of Rites naturally did not agree.
If it were truly done this way, the Ministry of Rites would likely be criticized by all officials.
But the next day, the ministers once again saw the empty dragon throne.
A vein throbbed on Shen Qingping's forehead. He was numb, truly.
If he had known that being Prime Minister meant cleaning up after the Emperor, perhaps letting Cheng Guang take the position wouldn't have been so bad.
With the experience from the first time, the officials weren't overly panicked this time; they even felt they could wage a war of attrition with the Emperor.
However, the news Liuxi brought this time wasn't about Song Yu being unwell.
But rather...
"Honorable ministers, His Majesty set off with the Princess early this morning and will return in a month."
The civil and military officials widened their eyes in disbelief, the scene both comical and absurd.
The Emperor just... slipped away?
After court adjourned, Liuxi, under immense psychological pressure, approached Shen Qingping. "Prime Minister, His Majesty left an imperial decree for you."
A few moments later, looking at the decree appointing him as Prince Regent, Shen Qingping's smile grew increasingly unsettling.
"Liuxi, I cannot accept this decree. Keep it to return to His Majesty."
Prince Regent?
If he were to accept this decree, he dared to wager his own head that the Emperor wouldn't spend more than half the year in the palace!
Song Yu merrily took Song Shihuan traveling all over, leaving behind a fuming Emperor Yuanyou and a resentful Shen Qingping.
One after another, dismissal orders came from various regions. Local officials became apprehensive and began genuinely striving to be good officials who loved the people as their own children.
After all, the Emperor was elusive, and one never knew when he might wander into their jurisdiction.
If anything went wrong, their lives would be at risk.
A month later, Song Yu finally brought Song Shihuan back to the capital.
Shen Residence.
"Prime Minister, you must advise His Majesty."
For the first time, Cheng Guang showed such respect to Shen Qingping, mainly because the Emperor truly lacked ambition!
Holding the largest territory in history, yet not studying new policies to benefit the people, and now even morning court had become less than three times a week.
Shen Qingping slowly put down the brush in his hand. "But don't you think the effects of His Majesty's month-long tour were better than if he had stayed in the palace?"
Cheng Guang, Zheng Fang, and others were stunned.
"On this trip, His Majesty dealt with six local officials. Now, local officials no longer dare to be as negligent as before." A flicker of hesitation passed through Shen Qingping's eyes. "Could it be that His Majesty has found the true way of being a sovereign?"
This question had puzzled Shen Qingping for several days.
Could it be that inaction is the true form of action?
Cheng Guang looked horrified. Was their diligent Prime Minister also going to be led astray?
If that were the case... the consequences would be unthinkable.
......
In the second year of Zhaowu, the civil and military officials' bottom line for Song Yu had dropped to its lowest.
As long as Song Yu was willing to hold court once every three days, the officials considered him a diligent emperor.
As for incognito inspection tours, they had become commonplace.
Song Yu had already left the capital three times, each time infuriating Emperor Yuanyou.
Why did this scoundrel find being emperor so enjoyable?
Later, Emperor Yuanyou figured it out: because Song Yu had a good Prime Minister.
Zichen Hall.
"Shen San, will you be the Prince Regent or not?"
Song Yu sat on the dragon throne, but his desk was covered with all sorts of strange curios, while the desk in front of Shen Qingping was piled with memorials.
"No."
Shen Qingping answered crisply and decisively. "I have requested many times to rest at home, but Your Majesty has never granted it."
Song Yu coughed lightly a few times. If Shen San rested, then he would be completely unable to rest.
Good brothers are meant to be useful at times like this.
A few moments later, Shen Qingping looked up with a serious expression. "Your Majesty, I would like to confirm something with you."
"What is it?"
"Can the Princess... approve these memorials?"
Shen Qingping appeared calm on the surface, but his palms were sweating. The crucial question that would determine whether he could catch his breath was this pivotal one right now!
"She can."
Song Yu hadn't considered Shen Qingping's ulterior motives at all and answered naturally. "Ah Huan is even smarter than I am. Of course she can handle memorials. She'd probably do a better job than both of us."
"However... Ah Huan is very busy now. Not only does she keep the old man company, but the Qing Sect Leader also often asks for her company. I'm afraid she doesn't have the time."
"No matter. It's enough for me to know that the Princess can approve memorials."
Shen Qingping let out an almost imperceptible sigh of relief.
Dawn. He had finally seen the dawn.
Meanwhile, Song Shihuan, who was accompanying Emperor Yuanyou, sneezed heavily.
"Ah Huan, have you caught a chill?"
Emperor Yuanyou quickly asked.
"It's nothing. I just feel like someone is talking about me."
Song Shihuan rubbed her nose, and her right eyelid twitched a few more times.
She had a feeling... it wasn't anything good they were saying.
