Yun Xiao glanced at her, and asked gently, "Zhi Qiu, how was it with Shangguan Lin at the Prince Lin's residence? I'll have him inquire about your parents' whereabouts."
"Okay."
Zhi Qiu immediately nodded. She hadn't expected her sister to be the Empress. Since that was the case, they would surely find her parents. Yun Xiao called Shangguan Lin forward and gave him instructions.
Shangguan Lin's face immediately turned bitter, but seeing Yun Xiao's pale little face, he couldn't bear to let her have any worries.
He only wanted her to enter the palace as soon as possible for the imperial physicians to examine her. Apart from the Emperor's words, he feared she wouldn't listen to anyone else.
Zhi Qiu followed Shangguan Lin to the Prince Lin's residence, while Xiao Yao led the soldiers to escort Yun Xiao and the others into the imperial palace.
As soon as they entered Qing Xiao Palace, before anyone had even stepped inside, the palace maids and eunuchs outside the hall doors were cheering in unison: "The Empress is back, the Empress is back!"
Their voices were so delighted, it was as if firecrackers were about to be set off. Yun Xiao raised her eyebrows in surprise. What had happened?
In fact, she didn't know that ever since she had left the palace, Shangguan Yin had been exceptionally gloomy, his demeanor cold and stern.
Everyone in the palace feared him. They didn't know what was happening and only thought that the Emperor and the Empress were having a disagreement, which was why the Emperor's expression was so grim. Seeing the Empress return now, how could they not be happy?
Yun Xiao stood outside the main hall. Before she could even enter, a bright yellow figure rushed out as if swept by a gale from within the hall doors, scooping her up and charging inside.
The eunuchs and palace maids exchanged bewildered glances. Who said the Emperor and the Empress were having a disagreement? This didn't look like it at all.
In the main hall, Shangguan Yin waved his hand, ordering everyone inside to withdraw. They left completely, not a single person remaining. The eunuchs and palace maids finally breathed a sigh of relief. This was truly wonderful.
The Empress was back, thank heavens! They no longer had to suffer like this.
Shangguan Yin held Yun Xiao and sat on the dragon throne in the main hall. Their gazes intertwined, all the longing, worry, and fear finally settling into place.
He held her tightly, reaching out to gently caress her eyebrows, her eyes, her lips. Slowly, he became dissatisfied, his narrow eyebrows furrowing, a faint ripple appearing in his pupils.
"Xiao'er, what is going on? Why is your face so pale? Are you ill? Quickly, summon the imperial physician."
Shangguan Yin became anxious and was about to summon an imperial physician when Yun Xiao, leaning against his chest, heard him mention it. She quickly leaned over and kissed his lips, stopping him from speaking, gently sucking on them.
Shangguan Yin's heart trembled, and then he responded to her, cautiously, as if afraid of damaging or crushing her, yet the worry in his heart was so deep.
"Xiao'er?"
He mumbled, and Yun Xiao, in a daze, opened her mouth, "I'm pregnant, Murong."
As she spoke, she placed a hand on her abdomen. Although it had only been three months, it had already begun to show slightly. Ordinary pregnant women wouldn't feel it, but hers had already subtly rounded a little, perhaps due to being too thin.
Shangguan Yin didn't react at first. When he finally understood, his eyes widened, and he took a deep breath. Then, a fierce light appeared in his pupils as he gazed deeply at Yun Xiao.
"Xiao'er, you're pregnant! You're pregnant! Why didn't you come back? Why did you stay out for so long? You truly can drive a person to death!"
After saying this, he bit Yun Xiao's lip fiercely, then instantly released her, and burst into laughter, a hearty laugh, his eyes shining with brilliance.
"This is truly wonderful! Xiao'er is pregnant, Xiao'er is pregnant! I'm going to be a father, Xiao'er is going to be a mother!"
His heart was instantly filled with happiness. He secretly vowed to cherish his wife and child dearly. Even if the world collapsed and the earth caved in, he would be content with this moment of happiness. Shangguan's hands tightly embraced the person in his arms...
Shen Siyuan, the Minister of Personnel, was escorted into the Ministry of Personnel's prison. Yun Xiao, in accordance with her agreement with Shen Siyuan, spared Shen Jinan.
Unfortunately, within a few days, the people of the capital saw Shen Jinan snatching food on the street, being chased and beaten, living like a dog. In the end, he was found holding a broken bowl, begging for food.
And the entire Shen family was thrown into prison.
Wan Xi Pavilion was sealed off, and all its assets were confiscated by the court.
The case of Shen Jinan also implicated several high-ranking court officials. The Emperor ordered a retrial, and all related personnel had their property confiscated and were imprisoned.
For a time, the capital was filled with joy as imperial criminals were paraded through the streets.
Countless citizens lining the streets clapped and cheered. These high officials had often preyed on the common people, and to think they would meet such an end! Rotten eggs and stale pickles were thrown all over the prisoners.
On the streets, gongs and drums, firecrackers, and the roar of crowds made it more lively than New Year's.
Several new faces appeared in court, all people of the Emperor and Prince Lin. Officials who were not implicated were all on alert, daring not to engage in any deceit or manipulation, proceeding with caution.
In the palace, the Empress was pregnant and confined by the Emperor, forbidden to do anything at all. Apart from eating, walking, and enjoying the scenery, Yun Xiao was almost bored to death.
After her repeated protests, the Emperor moved court affairs to the study in Qing Xiao Palace, to be handled together with this idle Empress, finally stopping the girl's complaints.
And the Empress, with nothing to do, made several decisions. First, to prioritize agriculture over commerce. In the past, merchants' profits were too high, while farmers' taxes were relatively high. After all, the people relied on food.
The Emperor relied not only on merchants, but his greatest source was the common people. Therefore, Yun Xiao advocated for a three-tenths reduction in farmers' taxes.
This way, even with a few acres of poor land, a family would have enough to eat, which was enough for the farmers to be content. However, the national treasury could not be without funds, so the taxes on merchants were increased by two-tenths.
When this proposal was submitted to the court for review, a large majority agreed to implement it. A very small minority disagreed, but they dared not disobey the Emperor.
The Emperor had been ruthless in a series of major matters, acting decisively and without mercy. It was better for them to be cautious.
Thus, the decree was quickly promulgated to all regions. As it passed through various prefectures and counties, the people rejoiced and celebrated extravagantly.
In contrast to the common people, the merchants were all in low spirits, looking as if they could not go on living without that two-tenths tax.
Yun Xiao did not stop at just this one decision. She then introduced a second decision, concerning criminal law: for one person's crime, the entire clan would be punished.
From now on, for the punishment of the clan, unless it was a major case that needed to be reported to the Six Ministries, the Prime Ministers, and the princes for deliberation and confirmation that the crime was significant, the entire clan would be punished.
Otherwise, one person's crime would only affect that one person, and the entire family would not be implicated.
This resolution shocked the entire nation. Those prisoners who were to be punished along with their clans or their entire families, and were awaiting execution, were all released and sent home.
These people all turned towards the imperial capital, thanking the Emperor for his grace. In that summer, many decisive policies were successively introduced. Because of these proposals, the morale of the vast Dong Qin increased by double compared to previous years.
Criminal cases in various regions had clearly decreased, and cases of robbery and banditry had dropped significantly.
With the rise in public morale and spirit, the military spirit in various regions also became much more stable.
Just as everyone was overjoyed, an unexpected event occurred.
Merchants in Guangning City went on strike, and all the shops in the entire city ceased operations.
The streets were shuttered, with not a single establishment open for business, in protest to the court against the 'prioritize agriculture over commerce' policy, demanding that the old regulations be restored, or rather, revised.