It was only at this point that Su Shi really got a good look at Feng Chaoge’s appearance.
With phoenix eyes and crescent moon eyebrows, lips filled with broken jade, and a rosy glow on the cheeks, it made one unable to tell her true age.
Her eyes were as calm as a lake, and even when she was silent, she exuded an intimidating majesty.
There was a faint bright red mole on her eyebrow, adding ~ a touch of beauty to her charm.
This should be the true meaning – in the sense of a rich woman, right?
Su Shi thought to himself.
In the Nine Regions, no one was richer than her.
Realizing his unbridled gaze, Feng Chaoge’s brows sank slightly and her voice was ominous, “No one dares to look at me like that.”
No one dared to look directly into her eyes, let alone stare at her with no scruples whatsoever.
Su Shi smiled, “That is unfortunate.”
Feng Chaoge was puzzled, “Unfortunate?”
Su Shi asked rhetorically, “The report document you read just now was mostly flattery, right?”
Feng Chaoge nodded, “Nine out of ten are all flattery.”
There are dozens of these types of documents every day, and she is not even interested in looking at them more than once.
“If the ministers don’t even dare to look at you, how could they dare to criticize you?”
Su Shi shrugged, “There is no progress without criticism, yet as the ruler of a country, you can’t even hear the true voice, isn’t that quite unfortunate?”
Feng Chaoge faintly stared.
Although the other party’s tone was impolite, what he said did have a point.
She pondered for a moment and said, “If you were an official in the Imperial Court, would you dare to speak up and give advice?”
Su Shi smirked, “Do you really think I’m stupid? If I were working under you, my flattery would definitely be louder than anyone else’s.”
Feng Chaoge was silent for a moment.
This person’s words were too direct, as if he did not regard her as an empress at all.
However, she was already used to seeing people humbling themselves and bowing down, and this kind of casual attitude made her feel somewhat interesting.
“Let’s go eat.”
Feng Chaoge’s dining place was in the Zhaotian Palace.
The palace servants with jade boxes lined up and brought all kinds of dishes, food and soup to the dining table.
The table was filled with nearly a hundred dishes, all of which were precious and exquisite dishes filled with spiritual energy.
Rare spiritual beasts, immortal herbs and spiritual ingredients were everywhere.
In comparison, the Demon Empress’ meals all looked much simpler.
Feng Chaoge picked up the golden chopsticks, scooped up a spiritual herb and put it into her cherry mouth, tasting it lightly before putting down the chopsticks and wiping the corners of her mouth with a fragrant handkerchief.
Su Shi was puzzled, “You’ve finished eating?”
Feng Chaoge nodded, “I don’t have much appetite.”
Su Shi frowned slightly.
How could she prepare so many dishes when she had no appetite?
Almost a hundred dishes, but only one bite, that was too wasteful.
Moreover, looking at the appearance of the palace maids around, it was clear that the Holy Empress was usually like this all the time.
Feng Chaoge could see what was on his mind and said indifferently, “There are nearly two hundred people in the imperial dining room who receive a salary, if I don’t use these one hundred dishes every day, do you think they can still live in the palace?”
There are five bureaus under the imperial kitchen, the head butcher, deputy head butcher, butcher, foreman …… and even the palace maids who serve the dishes have dozens of people.
If the Empress did not need them, then they would all be of no value.
The imperial palace was a complex and large institution, and every decision Feng Chaoge made could affect the livelihood of hundreds of people.
Su Shi was silent for a moment and began to move his chopsticks.
Watching him as he swallowed, Feng Chaoge wondered, “Didn’t you just have a snack? Are you still hungry?”
Su Shi said faintly, “I hate wasting food the most!”
Feng Chaoge: “……”
Half an hour later.
Su Shi slumped in his chair and did not have the strength to say, “Oh no, I have done my best.”
Although he was able to refine the essence and all the food would be refined into spiritual energy, but there were too many dishes.
After eating for half an hour, there was still a lot left.
“These uneaten foods will be eaten by the servants in the palace. And what the servants don’t finish will be given to the spiritual animals and birds.”
Feng Chaoge shook her head and said, “So actually nothing is wasted, and you don’t have to work too hard.”
“??”
Su Shi froze for a moment, “Why didn’t you tell me before? It almost killed me!”
“Did you ask me?”
“If you’ve had your fill, come with me to the palace.”
Ignoring Su Shi’s gnashing of teeth, Feng Chaoge got up and walked out of the palace, a hint of a smile brushing her eyes as her back turned to him.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen such an interesting person.”
###
Imperial Palace.
Civil and military officials lined up on both sides.
Feng Chaoge sat on a cold high throne, wearing a purple jade bead crown and a magnificent phoenix robe that dangled to the ground, exuding endless majesty and atmosphere.
The female official beside her said in a loud voice, “Su Shi has arrived at the Palace!”
The courtiers turned to look.
They saw a white-clothed man walk in, standing in the center of the hall with his hands hanging down, without the slightest intention of kneeling.
The courtiers frowned at the sight.
Even if they were princes and important ministers, they should kneel and kowtow when they saw Her Majesty.
This Su Shi, who was an ordinary person without merit, was too presumptuous!
The Minister of Rites said solemnly, “Su Shi, how dare you not kneel when you see Her Majesty?”
Su Shi shook his head and said, “I’ve eaten too much, I can’t kneel.”
He was clearly expressing his dissatisfaction.
The smile under Feng Chaoge’s eyes intensified.
“Sassy!”
“How dare you disrespect Her Majesty?”
“How dare you be so arrogant because of your merits?”
“You really are a demon, you are uneducated!”
Some of the priests spoke accusingly.
Most of the other people looked on indifferently.
“Silence!”
The female official reprimanded.
Silence returned to the hall.
The Minister of Rites cupped his hands and said, “Your Majesty, I suggest that this insolent person be expelled from the palace!”
Feng Chaoge spoke, “In the morning at Zhaotian Palace, Su Shi did eat a lot, so he shouldn’t be able to kneel.”
Hiss!
The courtiers breathed in cold air!
Zhaotian Palace?
In that case, so Su Shi had breakfast with Her Majesty?
This was a privilege that no one had ever had before!
The Minister of Rites’ face turned white, and the few people who had jumped out earlier all quietly lowered their heads.
They seemed to have underestimated Su Shi’s position in Her Majesty’s heart ……
Feng Chaoge signaled to the female official, “State the decision.”
“Yes.”
The female official opened the golden bar of the sacred edict and recited in a loud voice, “By the grace of God, the Empress speaks. Here is the Imperial edict.”
“Su Shi had defeated the conspiracy of outsiders and saved 200,000 lives in the Northern Borderlands, and had done great service to the world. For these services he will be titled as the Duke of Southwest Region.”
“This title is hereditary and will never be revoked.”
“That’s all!”
The female official put away the decree.
A dead silence fell over the hall.
The courtiers stood frozen in place, their expressions as if they had seen a ghost!
Duke of Southwest Region?
Her Majesty had actually made Su Hui a Duke!
It was a five-star post, a first-rate super official, almost equivalent to a Prince!
Not only that, but he was given the entire Southwest Region as a feudal territory.
The fiefdom was equivalent to a country within a country, and although it was still governed by the Imperial Palace, Su Shi was fully entitled to all the rights and interests of the Southwest Region.
They thought that Her Majesty would reward him with some spiritual treasures and pills, but they never thought that she would directly give Su Shi a territory!
Chu Yin’s face was filled with disbelief.
Has Her Majesty gone mad?
Su Shi himself froze.
Is this the richest woman in the Nine Regions?
What a generous offer!
At the same time, a beep sounded in his ears!