Chapter 166: The Empress' Black Silk Foot Massage—A Truly Groundbreaking Progress (2)
The boy wore a plain white robe, not the official court attire, and had a slightly lazy demeanor.
His casual air clashed sharply with the solemn atmosphere of the Golden Throne Hall.
The old foxes present immediately saw through him—he had clearly just woken up.
More than a few couldn't help tugging at the corners of their mouths.
This attitude—it was like he didn't take the Empress seriously at all!
"Your Majesty, I'm a bit late. Please forgive me."
Under the weight of everyone's stares, Su Qing apologized in a rather casual tone.
There was no panic or fear in his voice—he even sounded drowsy.
It was clear he had just stifled a yawn mid-sentence.
Not surprising—he barely slept last night.
"Enough. Come here."
The Empress waved her hand.
She hadn't taken offense at all. In fact, she was thinking he should hurry back and get some rest.
After all, too much had happened last night—he was likely exhausted.
Fortunately, she didn't know about the divine beauty knocking on his door after that.
Had she known, her expression definitely wouldn't be this soft.
Eunuch Cao lifted his eyes briefly at Su Qing, then lowered them again, face calm as still water.
The ministers were seething with envy—but they knew they couldn't compete.
Forget this unique situation—even before, who would dare arrive late to court?
Unless on the brink of death, everyone would force themselves to appear in full form.
Yet this favored courtier treated it like his personal garden, paying no heed to decorum.
If this weren't an era of martial might, there would already be waves of impeachments.
But now... they all wisely pretended they saw nothing.
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Su Qing didn't reject the Empress' indulgence, walking forward under all their gazes.
He stepped directly to the Empress' side, even closer than Eunuch Cao.
All the ministers had to do was look up—and they'd see only the Empress and Su Qing.
This was the very image of being second only to the ruler!
Especially with such a monarch—no wonder their feelings were so complicated.
As the saying goes, when one man rises, all those around him rise too.
With such a sovereign, they had no choice but to treat Su Qing with great respect.
If they offended him, who knew when they'd be exiled to some desolate province?
Su Qing looked down.
The Empress' throne was already far higher than the ministers' positions—he was standing too.
All he saw were faces filled with flattery and deference.
Even someone as calm as he was couldn't help but feel a rush of emotion.
Only by stepping to this level could one truly grasp the allure of power.
No wonder so many were obsessed with it.
But that excitement faded in a heartbeat, and his expression returned to calm.
Power was a fine thing, but in the grand scheme of things, it was just a start.
Standing here was only the first step—there was no room for arrogance.
Countless powerful enemies waited in the shadows for him to slip.
If he got cocky now, he'd be dead before long.
Su Qing retracted his gaze, kept his calm demeanor, and listened quietly to court discussions.
His humble attitude didn't go unnoticed.
Because of that, many raised their opinions of him once more.
So young yet so composed—along with the Empress' favor—he clearly had limitless potential.
The Empress casually skipped over unfinished matters and moved on to commending Su Qing.
"The capital's internal stability is thanks to your thorough investigation and covert efforts."
"Without you, we couldn't have wiped out the hidden rebels. This is a great merit."
"I've always rewarded merit—but I also know you don't care for titles or power."
"So I bestow upon you the White Jade Token."
"Henceforth, act in the Emperor's stead. As if I were present. A seat for him!"
The Empress waved her hand.
Guards who had been waiting brought in a chair, placing it beside the Empress.
Though it wasn't as high as the throne, the proximity made it a position of great honor.
Without question, it was a seat that could look down on all others.
Even Eunuch Cao had to stand in this hall!
Su Qing received another wave of jealous stares but remained calm as ever and sat down.
The soft cushion felt great—pity he couldn't nap on it.
After court was dismissed, Su Qing followed the Empress back to the White Jade Pavilion.
He knew she hadn't summoned him to attend court, but for their time alone afterward.
"Whew..."
The Empress leaned back in her soft chair, her regal bearing relaxing a bit.
She was no longer the high-and-mighty sovereign, but a cool, aloof older sister.
Of course, her noble elegance and faint aura of authority never left her.
Because she was reclining, her long legs beneath the dark imperial robes peeked out.
The black silk stockings traced a curve that could make anyone's heart race.
To Su Qing, she now felt more like an approachable cold beauty of an older sister.
Naturally, only she would see herself that way—no one else would dare.
"How was my reward—are you satisfied?"
The Empress asked.
"Naturally, Your Majesty's reward pleases me greatly. Thank you for your grace!"
Su Qing blinked and replied in a formulaic tone.
Though he said the right words, his face practically screamed: "I don't mean it."
The White Jade Token was some unknown kind of jade badge.
He wasn't some greedy official—it didn't mean much to him.
"You ungrateful traitor—you don't know a good thing. The White Jade Token isn't just symbolic. It's a protective artifact."
"If you're ever in a life-threatening situation, it'll keep you safe."
"And in the White Jade Pavilion, you can use it to command certain elite units from the Twelve Towers."
"It's your personal safeguard—keep it close and don't lose it!"
The Empress pouted as she spoke.