"Even at death's door, you still find time for romance," Ke Tingfeng said, his voice icy, though his hands were already busy letting blood from Yin Zhuli’s left arm.
Yin Zhuli remained motionless, her voice faint. "It’s selfish, isn't it? But I want him to remember me. Only then, after I am gone, will he continue to protect my clan."
Ke Tingfeng watched as the blood ran entirely black, his heart filled with mounting anxiety. Yet, seeing Yin Zhuli’s unruffled expression, he felt a slight sense of calm return. "Do not worry. Perhaps it is not as bad as it seems."
He had a radical, shocking idea—to perform a blood exchange for Yin Zhuli. The poison traveled through the blood; even though she had constricted the flow to most of her arm, she was still in grave danger. If the residual poison was not cleared, her life could not be saved. He explained his plan to her, though he lacked confidence. Despite her excellent constitution, she was, after all, heavily pregnant.
Upon hearing this, Yin Zhuli’s voice remained as flat as if she weren't entrusting him with her very life. "If we don't try, what happens?"
Ke Tingfeng replied decisively, "You will die!"
Yin Zhuli smiled. "Then why are you hesitating?"
Ke Tingfeng truly began the blood exchange. He collected suitable blood samples and found dozens of palace servants to provide blood in shifts. Yin Zhuli was conscious at first, but later her mind grew clouded. Blood entered through her right hand and exited through her left. Fifteen imperial physicians took turns assisting and monitoring her. She drifted in and out of dreams, never uttering a single groan.
Shen Tingjiao abandoned all state affairs, refusing to attend court for half a month. The entire court seemed infected by his gloom, falling into a state of heavy depression. During those days, he spent most of his time guarding the area outside the hall, yet he never stepped inside. The imperial physicians were already nervous; had he been present, they would likely have been even more constrained and uneasy.
Half a month later, Yin Zhuli had withered away until she was barely recognizable. For the first time, Ke Tingfeng "graciously permitted" Shen Tingjiao to go in and see her.
She even managed a teasing remark: "All that fat I worked so hard to put on... it's all gone now."
Shen Tingjiao buried his face in her long hair, saying nothing. Yin Zhuli hooked her right arm around his waist, sounding somewhat surprised. "Jiu Ye has lost weight too."
Shen Tingjiao looked up, gently kissing her earlobe and neck, acting as cautious as if he were kissing a rare and peerless treasure.
This poisoning had utterly shattered Yin Zhuli’s health. For a long time, she was forced to lie motionless on her couch. She was naturally active, and being suddenly confined to such a small space was difficult to adjust to. Even a slight lift of her hand left her struggling for breath.
Lady Yin visited the palace several times, but with imperial physicians constantly attending to her daughter, the two could hardly share a private word. Fearing she would be bored, Shen Tingjiao found many anecdotes and unofficial histories to read to her, even moving his administrative work to the side hall of Zhaohua Palace to handle it there.
Zhaohua Hall finally grew quiet. The palace servants walked with extreme care, terrified of disturbing her in the slightest. A specially prepared incense, carrying the thick, bitter scent of herbal medicine, drifted through the air, overpowering the fragrance of flowers. Yin Zhuli grew accustomed to seeing Shen Tingjiao the moment she opened her eyes; he often kissed her forehead to soothe her. No one knew the terror in his heart—every time Yin Zhuli fell asleep, he feared those eyes would never open again.
Yin Zhuli never again asked about the whereabouts of Qu Lingyu. She had hated Qu Tianji for half her life, but she felt no hatred toward Qu Lingyu—she felt the girl was somewhat like her younger self. Thus, whether the girl lived or died, stayed or left, she no longer wished to pursue it.
Following this incident, Shen Tingjiao finally realized the danger of the palace’s secret tunnels. Once Yin Zhuli’s condition stabilized slightly, he sent her back to the Yin family estate to recover and nurture her pregnancy. He also ordered the Ministry of Works to seal and destroy the underground passages—if an Emperor needed a secret tunnel to escape, then what difference did it make whether he lived or died?
While Yin Zhuli stayed at the Yin estate, her food and supplies were still funded by the Internal Affairs Department. She did not restrain her lifestyle in the slightest, and the court officials finally forgot about her extravagance and decadence. The current situation was simple: if the Empress wanted to poke a hole in the sky, Emperor Jiayu would be the one to bring the ladder.
In January of the following year, Yin Zhuli finally gave birth to a young prince. Ke Tingfeng was not skilled in midwifery, so Shen Tingjiao prepared thirty experienced midwives, the entire Imperial Medical Bureau on standby, and Ke Tingfeng overseeing the scene. In the end, both mother and son were safe.
However, the young prince was inevitably affected by the poison. He was born with a weak constitution; even crying would cause his face to turn purple from lack of breath.
For the first time in her life, Yin Zhuli had a child of her own. Although she thought he was quite ugly... she still enjoyed the novelty of it. But after playing with him for two days, she lost her patience—the little fellow cried too much! The palace provided wet nurses who cared for the child more thoroughly than she could, so she became a "hands-off manager," tossing the child to the nurses and washing her hands of the matter.
With nothing to do, she resumed her former lifestyle of indulgence. Qin Shi would often roar in anger upon seeing her, "Yin Zhuli, you've made new clothes again!!"
Yin Zhuli, naturally, ignored him. She continued to have clothes made and jewelry added to her collection, and her cabbage was still only the thumb-sized hearts! Shen Tingjiao resumed his days of eating her leftovers.
In the fifth month of the fifth year of Xinghe, Yin Zhuli’s body finally returned to a semblance of normalcy, allowing her to perform daily tasks. However, strenuous activities like horse riding or hunting were still strictly forbidden. Once her health improved, the first thing she did was leave the palace to pay her respects to Tang Yin. Although Shen Tingjiao said nothing, his face remained clouded that day.
It had been a long time since Yin Zhuli had visited the Tang family’s ancestral tombs. Although she was at odds with the Tang family, she was now the Empress; the tomb guards did not dare stop her and could only send word to the Old Matriarch Tang.
Yin Zhuli carried a jar of fine wine and brought no attendants, walking straight to Tang Yin’s grave. The stone tomb had been cleaned year-round, free of weeds or dust. She sat down against the headstone and poured half the jar of wine onto the ground. Having not seen each other for so long, they faced each other in silence.
When Old Matriarch Tang arrived, face full of fury, she saw Yin Zhuli—the current Empress Wenxu—leaning against the headstone. She held a short flute to her lips, playing a tune of unknown origin. Having just recovered, she lacked breath, and the flute’s sound was as weak as a candle flame in the wind. The May sky was a deep blue without a single cloud, and a few rays of sunlight brushed over her plain-colored robes. The flute music was low, mournful, and winding. So much love and hatred in this floating life had passed by so quickly. Countless points of origin, yet the same final destination; when grievances are buried and the story ends, who is left to count the unhealed pains?
Old Matriarch Tang slowly turned away from the stone tomb, sighing softly to the guard, "Let her be..."
That night, Shen Tingjiao still came to Zhaohua Hall to stay. Yin Zhuli woke in the middle of the night to find him still bent over his desk, reviewing memorials with a vermilion brush. Since her poisoning, she could not bear the smell of smoke or fire, so the palace chambers had been fitted with fist-sized hanging pearls that emitted a very soft light. That night, Shen Tingjiao wore a white silk robe with a golden wind-cloak draped over his shoulders. His long hair flowed down like water, making him look like a banished immortal under the moon by a spring river at midnight.
The teacup beside him was the one Yin Zhuli had left unfinished; the tea was now ice cold. Fearing he would wake her, Shen Tingjiao had not arranged for any servants to attend him.
Yin Zhuli got out of bed and walked slowly to his side, wrapping her arms around him from behind and resting her chin on his shoulder. Shen Tingjiao was initially a bit displeased, but he had absolutely no resistance against a coquettish Yin Zhuli. Thus, when he spoke, his voice was relatively gentle. "It's still early. Go back to sleep, be good."
Yin Zhuli, acting on instinct, lightly bit his earlobe. Since she had become pregnant, Shen Tingjiao had been practicing restraint, trying his best not to get too close to her for fear of losing control. Now, faced with her proactive affection, he was clearly struggling to maintain his composure, but he still felt a bit of pique in his heart. "Aren't you reminiscing about your Master tonight?"
Yin Zhuli couldn't help but laugh. "How long has it been since I last disciplined you? Our Jiu Ye’s tail is about to wag all the way to the heavens, isn't it?"
Shen Tingjiao huffed coldly, but seeing her health improve made him happy. Moreover, he loved it when Yin Zhuli called him "Our Jiu Ye"; that title pleased him far more than "Your Majesty."
"Doctor Ke said... you are ready?"
Yin Zhuli hugged his waist, her hands already starting to misbehave. "Jiu Ye has asked him so many times. If he dared to say 'no' again, I'm afraid he’d be dragged to the vegetable market to be sliced in half at the waist, wouldn't he?"
Shen Tingjiao’s face turned slightly red. Yin Zhuli chuckled softly. She had intended to pick him up, but thinking better of it, she didn't dare use too much strength and instead guided him to the bed. Shen Tingjiao’s mind wandered, and the vermilion brush rolled across a memorial, leaving a long streak of red.
Yin Zhuli was not one to behave herself. She kissed her way down Shen Tingjiao’s snow-white skin with an urgency that suggested she hadn't tasted meat in months. Fearing she would tire herself out, Shen Tingjiao cooperated in every way, occasionally whispering softly, "Slow down. Are you tired?"
Yin Zhuli gave a wicked smile. "Don't worry, Jiu Ye. I won't risk my life for this. Otherwise, if Jiu Ye cries his eyes out later, there won't even be anyone to hand him a handkerchief. How pitiful that would be."
Shen Tingjiao turned completely red in the face. "When has This Emperor ever cried? If you keep talking nonsense, I'll have your whole family executed!"
Yin Zhuli immediately quipped, "Jiu Ye, actually, you and I are one family..."
In June, Yin Zhuli began to retake control of the Ministry of Revenue. Because Shen Tingjiao had eaten leftovers for nearly a year, hadn't added any new clothes for a year, and the palace hadn't replaced any equipment for a year, the civil and military officials had (at least on the surface) developed the good habit of frugality. After all, the Emperor was wearing old clothes; if you showed up covered in gold, weren't you just asking for trouble?
Among everyone, only Yin Zhuli remained "glittering with gold." Given that she was quite reliable when it came to serious business, everyone had become so numb to her attire that they hardly noticed it anymore.
In July, a rumor spread among the common people saying that the reason the Empress was able to escape her brush with death was entirely due to a few pieces of her jewelry. These were no ordinary ornaments; their expensive materials and exquisite craftsmanship were secondary. Most importantly, they had been consecrated by several masters at Fangyuan Temple and had enjoyed years of incense offerings before the Buddha!
Legend had it that a woman wearing them could not only turn calamities into blessings but could also "tether" her beloved man, ensuring he would love only her for his entire life! Once this was said, it gained quite a bit of credibility.
First, Yin Zhuli was wealthy; the value of the jewelry she wore was beyond doubt. Second, her recent ordeal had indeed been perilous, yet she had turned danger into safety and even delivered a healthy son! Finally, she was fierce and arrogant, yet Emperor Jiayu truly adored her and never looked at another woman! If there wasn't some secret trick involved, no one would believe it!
Thus, the discussions regarding the Empress’s jewelry grew more and more mystical as they spread.
Finally, on the day a new Yin family shop opened, Yin Zhuli sent word out—she would publicly exhibit over a hundred pieces of her jewelry that had received the Buddhist blessings of the Fangyuan Temple masters. Once this word was out, wealthy men from all over brought their beauties to attend. The women thought: *Such treasures! To see them once is not to have lived in vain!* The men thought even better: *The Empress is only exhibiting them, not selling them. I'll just take my woman to look. I've heard the Empress is a peerless beauty; to see her once is not to have lived in vain!*
Consequently, the day the Yin family shop opened, the scene was a literal sea of people. Yin Zhuli displayed her hundred-plus pieces of jewelry as promised, each hanging inside a crystal box. Looking at jewels through pure crystal gave them a unique sense of beauty. The women’s eyes gleamed with predatory light, while the men stole glances at Yin Zhuli.
That day, Yin Zhuli wore her Empress’s court robes; her radiant majesty made the crowd of beauties look like common sparrows facing a phoenix. Looking at the jewelry again, it felt as distant as the gap between themselves and that phoenix crown and court dress. Seeing that the timing was right, Yin Zhuli finally spoke. She started with a bunch of "welcome" pleasantries before cutting to the chase. "Those gathered here today are all people of status in Daxing. These hundred-plus pieces of jewelry... I hope to find them worthy masters."
The women’s hearts trembled with excitement; the men’s legs trembled with fear—anything Yin Zhuli personally auctioned would cost them an arm and a leg! But at a time like this, reputation was paramount. They were all people of status and had to show their mettle.
Yin Zhuli left the bidding to Hao Jian. Hao Jian was an expert in this field and immediately found a dozen women to come forward and try on the pieces. Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, with bright pearls adorning their bodies, how could anyone not be moved?
The first item was a South Sea Pearl Crown, strung with one hundred and eight pink pearls, having enjoyed two years of incense at Fangyuan Temple. It was the phoenix crown the Empress wore when she married as the Consort of Prince Fulu. The starting price was 1.2 million taels; the final closing price was 1.6 million taels.
The second item was a filigree gold bracelet inlaid with blue tourmaline. The blue tourmaline was of exceptional purity and color, part of Yin Zhuli’s wedding accessories. The starting price was 800,000 taels of silver; it finally sold for 890,000 taels.
The third item...
In the face of pride, the men went mad. Yin Zhuli sold those hundred-plus pieces of jewelry for forty times their manufacturing cost.
The young prince was named Shen Zhuoyang. At half a year old, he still couldn't speak. Yin Zhuli raised him like a puppy, teasing him for a few moments when she had time, but when she was busy, she wouldn't show her face all day. Instead, he spent more time with Shen Tingjiao. Since both father and son stayed in the palace year-round, Shen Tingjiao would keep the boy by his side whenever he was free.
Yin Zhuli was responsible for money, grain, and taxes. The transport of provisions to the border was also a major task, combined with the affairs of the Yin family; she was always very busy. Fortunately, she was good at delegating power and dared to use people. Although there was much to do, she never felt overwhelmed. Occasionally, when she went to inspect the Yin family’s industries near river construction sites, she would oversee the government work as well. She didn't have the pomp of an Imperial Commissioner, but the officials knew her temperament. Corruption was a matter of degree. As long as it wasn't excessive, she wouldn't pursue it. But if it crossed that line, she showed no mercy.
She got along well with this crowd. Occasionally, they would share a drink or listen to music; without her, everyone felt the gathering lacked life. Of course, these things had to be done behind Shen Tingjiao’s back. If he found out, he would surely fly into a rage. Fortunately, he was the Emperor, and it wasn't easy for him to discover such things...
In August, during the metropolitan examinations of the Daxing Dynasty, provincial graduates gathered in Chang'an. Shen Tingjiao personally presided over the exams and was very busy. Near the end of August, while Yin Zhuli was reviewing memorials for him, she suddenly saw the pending list for the top three ranks—Fu Yunhai, Zou Tong, Tang Yan. She took the vermilion brush and lightly checked the last name.
The list was sent down without passing through Shen Tingjiao. When the top three were announced, the *Zhuangyuan* was Tang Yan, the *Bangyan* was Fu Yunhai, and the *Tanhua* was Zou Tong. Shen Tingjiao was furious, threatening to prosecute Yin Zhuli for the crime of deceiving the monarch. In the imperial court, he roared in anger, listing over ten of Yin Zhuli’s "crimes" in a grand speech.
The ministers were terrified, shrinking their necks and not daring to make a sound. Yin Zhuli stood before him, and once he had finished, she wiped her face and said nonchalantly, "It's just a new *Zhuangyuan*. What's the rush? You've sprayed spit all over my face."
Shen Tingjiao was incensed. He was determined to show his imperial majesty this time and could no longer indulge her. "Men! Take Yin Zhuli into custody! Strip her of her position as Right Chancellor..."
The ministers wanted to intercede, but since ancient times, the heavenly wrath was unpredictable. Who dared to stroke the tiger’s whiskers? The court was so quiet that a dropped needle could be heard. Yin Zhuli kept her head down until he finished. As the guards came in to escort her out, she whispered softly, "The ancients said that when beauty fades, love departs. I did not expect that while my beauty has not yet faded, Your Majesty’s love has already departed."
Her voice was so full of self-mockery that Shen Tingjiao froze. In the Golden Throne Hall, Yin Zhuli stood with her hands behind her back, her posture heroic and upright. Her purple court robes exuded seven parts nobility and three parts elegance. When she glanced back, it was like moonlight in the deep mountains. Shen Tingjiao’s principles shattered instantly. "I... My love has not departed! But is this something you should interfere with? What you did was indeed wrong..." Seeing Yin Zhuli remain silent, he stepped down from the throne and paced in two circles. "Don't do it again!"
Yin Zhuli bowed. "This official acknowledges her crime."
Shen Tingjiao nodded. "Then... then court is adjourned."
The ministers nearly collapsed.
After court that day, Yin Zhuli met a man dressed in a light-colored long robe with a grand stature. His bearing and aura were remarkably similar to Tang Yin’s. Yin Zhuli looked up, and it seemed as if all the sunlight in Chang'an had condensed in her eyes. The man slowly approached her, his voice carrying a familiar elegance. "Regarding Yan'er’s matter... thank you."
When Yin Zhuli closed and reopened her eyes, her smile had faded. "No need for thanks. I didn't do it for you anyway."
The man nodded slightly and turned to walk into the vast sunlight. Yin Zhuli watched his retreating back. She knew who he was—Tang Yin’s younger brother, Tang Jin. He was also Tang Yan’s father.
After a long time, a light cough from behind brought her back from her reverie. He Jian looked serious. "You risked the crime of deceiving the monarch just for him?"
"Him?" Yin Zhuli lightly stroked the jade flute at her waist, a smile slowly blooming. "Chancellor He, even the laws of Daxing do not forbid one from reminiscing about an old friend." She walked toward the Ministry of Revenue, the sunlight bathing her body. Her purple court robes reflected the light, leaving only warmth and no trace of sorrow.
Tang Yan became a thorn in Shen Tingjiao’s side. This new *Zhuangyuan* seemed to constantly remind him of the "green hat" firmly placed on his head. Now that he was high and mighty, removing this thorn would be easy. He was only held back by his consideration for Yin Zhuli.
On the second day of the tenth month, it was Emperor Jiayu’s birthday. As the nation’s strength was rising, Yin Zhuli generously provided a sum of money to organize a grand celebration in the palace. A banquet was held, with ministers offering congratulations and envoys from all directions arriving. The grandeur of the scene needs no further description.
By nightfall, Yin Zhuli took Shen Tingjiao out of the palace and back to the former Prince Fulu’s estate. Shen Tingjiao had bestowed this place upon Yin Zhuli; it was nominally the Right Chancellor’s residence. But since Yin Zhuli lived in the palace, she rarely came here. Fortunately, the gardens were well-maintained and showed no signs of decay.
The estate still had its old servants, now promoted to managers. Yin Zhuli ordered wine to be brought and had a few small dishes prepared, sitting on the flat blue stones by the lake to share a drink with Shen Tingjiao. That night, a crescent moon hung in the sky, and the autumn wind swept across the lake, carrying the faint scent of osmanthus.
Yin Zhuli personally warmed the wine. Shen Tingjiao sat on a tiger-skin silk cushion. He had drunk quite a bit during the palace banquet, and his cheeks were still flushed a rosy pink, his eyes reflecting the flickering firelight. Yin Zhuli held the jade pot to pour the wine, but her eyes were fixed on him. "Today is Your Majesty’s twenty-third birthday. We have been married... for seven years, haven't we?"
Shen Tingjiao was slightly dazed and only nodded after a long pause. Yin Zhuli leaned in to pour him half a cup of wine; the amber liquid clung to the walls of the cup, crystalline and clear. "The Yin Zhuli of seven years ago and the me of seven years later have changed a great deal, Your Majesty."
Shen Tingjiao looked up at her in surprise. She smiled like a gentle breeze. "Seven years ago, I did indeed admire him. I became his disciple at the age of six; for fifteen years, he accompanied me through my most ignorant and difficult times. Once, I did indeed harbor improper thoughts about him." She laughed self-mockingly. "If he had chosen a different path, I would have stayed with him until the end. But today, seven years later, the Yin Zhuli sitting before you has changed."
She picked up a withered maple leaf and lightly brushed it against his cheek. "After seven years, some things can finally be seen clearly. I think my feelings for him and his feelings for me have finally reached the same frequency." She put her arm around Shen Tingjiao’s shoulder, seeing the hint of intoxication in his eyes, and drank the dregs of wine from his cup. "From the moment I decided to return to Chang'an with you, you were never my secondary choice. Do you understand?"
Shen Tingjiao looked directly at her. Her expression was calm and elegant, her eyes harboring the tenderness of a spring March. "You were an accident. From beginning to end, I never expected to linger amidst the turmoil of this court. So..." She slowly took his hand and gave it a light kiss. "I am not acting. You are my miracle."
Shen Tingjiao leaned into her embrace. Seven years might not outweigh the parts of her life where he was absent, but he still had many more seven-year periods to accompany her until the waters ran dry and they sat to watch the rising clouds. He poured another half-cup of wine and leaned into Yin Zhuli’s arms like a cat, finding the most comfortable position to sip. For the first time, he felt the distance between them was so small. "You don't need to forget him. I just don't want there to always be a 'him' between us. He isn't the only one who is good to you... I can also wipe away your tears..."
Yin Zhuli lightly pecked his full lips, her voice low. "Mhm. Then, shouldn't we do some 'serious business' tonight?"
Shen Tingjiao had already drunk too much; his eyes were full of sparkling moisture. He fed the wine in his cup to Yin Zhuli. "It seems we have never shared a nuptial cup?"
Yin Zhuli laughed and scolded, "Wasn't that because you were unwilling?"
Shen Tingjiao stood up and filled two glass cups. The glass glowed brilliantly in the firelight. "Will you drink?"
Yin Zhuli took it, and they drank with arms entwined. It was just a cup of wine, yet both treated it with the solemnity of a ritual. Rather than a nuptial cup, it was better seen as a union of hearts.
Unexpectedly, this cup of wine completely knocked Shen Tingjiao out. Yin Zhuli tried everything to wake him but failed, eventually forced to carry him back to the room with a bitter smile. "If you can't drink, you should have said so. With this pathetic tolerance, you talk about wiping my tears? I’d find you too clumsy even to hand me toilet paper..."
Time marched on. Shen Zhuoyang learned to walk and talk. He was particularly close to Shen Tingjiao; the first thing he learned to say was "Imperial Father." Yin Zhuli didn't mind, though she was very strict with his discipline. He often felt it was unfair, thinking all of Yin Zhuli’s indulgence and tolerance were reserved for Shen Tingjiao. To this, Yin Zhuli only explained to him once: "That is because your Mother will accompany your Father for a lifetime; he doesn't need to worry about what to do if I am not by his side. But I cannot accompany you for a lifetime. You are the future heir; this court will not indulge you, and the world certainly won't. The only one you can rely on is yourself."
At age four, Shen Zhuoyang took Qin Shi as his Grand Tutor. Qin Shi and Yin Zhuli were still at odds, often arguing over political differences in the hall. It reached the point where one day, after submitting a memorial, he suddenly felt uncomfortable. Looking left and right, he realized Yin Zhuli had gone to Henan to inspect the spring plowing and river works.
When Shen Zhuoyang was seven, he fell in love with Qin Shi’s little granddaughter and was harshly scolded by Qin Shi. Qin Shi informed Yin Zhuli, who was overjoyed and gave Shen Zhuoyang a round of encouragement: "If you like her, tell her! A real man dares to love and dares to take responsibility!"
Thus, Shen Zhuoyang began to pursue Qin Shi’s granddaughter, Qin Yan. For this, Qin Shi hated Yin Zhuli to the core; every time they met, they would mock each other.
In the ninth year of Xinghe, the Grand Tutor Qin Shi fell seriously ill. Thinking he was on his deathbed, he had his family bring a message to Yin Zhuli: "Actually, having Yan'er as your daughter-in-law... this old man is at peace."
As a result, after the message reached Yin Zhuli, she and Shen Tingjiao brought Ke Tingfeng and a group of highly skilled imperial physicians over, and he failed to die. This incident was frequently mocked by Yin Zhuli, and the two continued their bickering as usual.
One day, Yin Zhuli privately released a prisoner, sending a case that Shen Tingjiao had personally signed for execution back to the Court of State Ceremonies, arbitrarily handing it to Fan Min for a retrial. Shen Tingjiao felt his dignity had been wounded and lashed out at her in court, consumed by rage. The ministers bowed their heads, playing the role of wooden statues.
Before his fire was spent, Yin Zhuli leaned in and whispered a few words. His attitude shifted instantly; even his angry expression vanished, replaced by a look of suspicion. "Really?"
Yin Zhuli shrugged. Under the watchful eyes of the ministers, he gave a dry cough. "That... Fan Min! If there are difficulties in the case, you may report directly to Me!"
The ministers were flabbergasted.
After court adjourned, Yin Zhuli went to the Ministry of Revenue as usual. A group of officials surrounded her. "Chancellor Yin, what exactly did you say to the King? How did he suddenly turn from anger to joy?"
Yin Zhuli remained silent at first, but they kept asking. "Chancellor Yin, we all serve the King. If you tell us, we’ll have a better idea of how to handle things in the future, won't we?"
Yin Zhuli shook her head. "You can't use this reason."
Even Qin Shi didn't believe her this time. "What reason could there be that no one else can use?"
Yin Zhuli replied with a straight face, "I told him I'm pregnant again."
The ministers nearly slipped and fell again. Finally, Zhao Yu asked cautiously, "Are you... truly pregnant?"
Yin Zhuli walked forward, the sunlight plating her in a thin layer of gold. Her smile was faint. "Just teasing him to make him happy... our King is sometimes truly, adorably simple."
The ministers collapsed. "Chancellor Yin, that is deceiving the monarch..."
Emperor Jiayu, Shen Tingjiao, was "henpecked" his entire life and lacked his own opinions—this was how the world often evaluated him. Yet it could not be denied that during his reign, the government was clean and the people were at peace. A dynasty that had long suffered from war and was in a state of ruin gradually showed the first signs of prosperity.
While the court historian was writing these miscellaneous notes, Yin Zhuli was waiting for Emperor Jiayu to finish reviewing memorials so they could sleep. Shen Tingjiao leaned lazily in her arms, setting down his vermilion brush. Seeing the mountain of memorials still piled up, he looked as if he were about to cry. "Zhuli, I'm sleepy."
Yin Zhuli was reading a book. Hearing this, she looked down and saw the pile on his desk, becoming annoyed. "Who told you to go out and fight crickets with Zhang Qing again yesterday? Don't even think about slacking off. Hurry up and finish these!"
Shen Tingjiao turned and wrapped his arms around her neck, as languid as a cat. "But I'm sleepy."
Seeing that he was indeed drowsy, Yin Zhuli tapped his head but ultimately set aside her copy of *Biographies of Money-makers*. She slowly picked up the vermilion brush and continued to review the remaining memorials. Her profile, under the soft light of the hanging pearls, lost some of its hardness, appearing gentle and tranquil.
In truth, the praise or blame of history is but a pool of autumn water; it has consumed too many heroes. Fame and infamy have always lived only in the mouths of the world, while I only care that tonight, my soul and dreams are shared with you.
Shen Tingjiao closed his eyes, listening to Yin Zhuli softly hum a little tune. The cat Qin Yan raised leaped over the arched eaves with a "meow," and the night in the deep palace was silent and serene.
***
**Glossary**
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
--- | --- | ---
沈卓阳 | Shen Zhuoyang | The son of Yin Zhuli and Shen Tingjiao; the Crown Prince.
唐锦 | Tang Jin | Tang Yin's younger brother and Tang Yan's father.
唐彦 | Tang Yan | Tang Jin's son; the top scholar (Zhuangyuan) of the exams.
秦嫣 | Qin Yan | Qin Shi's granddaughter; the love interest of Shen Zhuoyang.
昭华殿 | Zhaohua Hall | The main residence of the Empress.
太医局 | Imperial Medical Bureau | The government department in charge of medical affairs.
状元 | Zhuangyuan | The first-ranked candidate in the imperial examination.
榜眼 | Bangyan | The second-ranked candidate in the imperial examination.
探花 | Tanhua | The third-ranked candidate in the imperial examination.
货殖列传 | Biographies of Money-makers | A chapter from the *Records of the Grand Historian* (Shiji) regarding economics.
嘉裕 | Jiayu | The reign title of Shen Tingjiao.
文煦 | Wenxu | The posthumous or formal title for Empress Yin Zhuli.
