The emperor's daily routine never exceeds three hours of rest; all diligent rulers throughout history have adhered to this standard.
Shen Xihe, however, required a full four hours of sleep each day. Though the emperor held supreme power, it came with pervasive dangers. With hundreds of memorials reportedly submitted daily, merely contemplating such responsibility made Shen Xihe feel the weight of authority was too heavy for her to bear.
Being the Empress Dowager was entirely different. As the emperor's elder, she remained untouched by the troubles of the Imperial Harem. The emperor would still honor and provide for her reverently. She could reside in the palace as she pleased, visit temples or retreat to mountain villas at will—spending her days nurturing flowers, savoring tea, enjoying operas, and leisurely amusement.
"Youyou, are you hinting that you'll bear me a little prince to inherit the throne someday?" Xiao Huayong blinked playfully.
Shen Xihe couldn't suppress her laughter, yet her words carried a chilling pragmatism: "I'm reminding you to secure the throne successfully."
Once Xiao Huayong became emperor, her position as Empress Dowager would be guaranteed. Whether they had children or not, no one could surpass her status. Even adopting an heir would require her approval, and any successor would have to honor her as Empress Dowager and serve her with lifelong filial devotion.
Xiao Huayong's flirtatious smile stiffened at the corners of his mouth. He snorted coldly: "How could an adopted son share true solidarity with you?"
"If I'm capable, even an adopted child will stand with me; if I'm incompetent, my own flesh and blood may turn against me." Shen Xihe glanced at the sulking Xiao Huayong before slowly averting her gaze, pressing her lips to suppress a smile. "Human nature is inherently good—a child's character depends entirely on parental upbringing. Should I ever adopt, I would certainly choose a young child to raise personally."
The more Xiao Huayong heard, the more disgruntled he felt: "Youyou, you've reasoned this out so thoroughly—it seems you've long had plans in mind."
"Indeed." Shen Xihe nodded candidly. "I've contemplated these matters since first considering marriage to Your Highness."
She had pondered extensively—whether her health would bless her with motherhood, whether fate would grant her and the Crown Prince children, whether she could become a mother during the Crown Prince's lifetime.
Grinding his molars, Xiao Huayong felt bitterness overwhelm him. Before even marrying him, she had been calculating about their hypothetical children. To any observer, this would suggest profound affection, yet in reality, everything was merely transactional.
"Youyou always accuse me of overplanning," Xiao Huayong's tone turned sarcastic, "but compared to you, I fall far short."
Shen Xihe finally burst into genuine laughter. After a moment, she lifted her head to observe his crestfallen expression before sobering: "I told Your Highness that people change. Those were my former thoughts—now I only wish to be Crown Princess."
Xiao Huayong froze momentarily, his earlier grievances still etched on his face. By the time he processed her words, Shen Xihe had already risen and departed. His hand instinctively reached out, but only the whisper-thin silk of her sleeve brushed his palm, leaving behind a lingering chill.
"Youyou, what did you mean by that?" Xiao Huayong hurried after her.
Shen Xihe entered her chamber and closed the door, draping her shawl as she moved deeper inside.
Though tempted to force the door open, Xiao Huayong restrained himself—if he wanted to hear sweet words, he must abide by decorum. Circling to the window, he leaned in and called: "Youyou, what did you mean earlier?"
Shen Xihe turned and smiled at him: "Figure it out yourself."That smile was like a cool breeze sweeping through the height of summer, brushing past blooming flowers, carrying a wisp of delicate fragrance as it chilled the tip of his heart, stirring waves that surged through the lake of his emotions.
Xiao Huayong stood by the window, grinning foolishly: "Youyou has feelings for me."
Shen Xihe ignored him. Xiao Huayong continued chuckling to himself for a while until Tianyuan approached. The moment he saw Tianyuan's face, Xiao Huayong's smile vanished instantly, his eyes overflowing with disdain.
"Your Highness, His Majesty summons you back to the palace," Tianyuan said cautiously.
Xiao Huayong lazily acknowledged with a hum before turning back to Shen Xihe with a radiant smile: "I'm returning to the palace. I've arranged everything at the imperial villa. You only need to bring your favorite belongings."
After gazing reluctantly at Shen Xihe, who didn't even turn to glance at him, Xiao Huayong departed somewhat dejectedly.
Only when the sound of footsteps faded did Shen Xihe walk to the window. As her hand touched the windowsill, a head suddenly popped up, startling her.
Xiao Huayong grinned with mischievous slyness: "Forget about becoming Empress Dowager. Grand Empress Dowager might be possible."
Still walking backward, his eyes fixed on her with laughter, he retreated through the moon gate before turning to leave.
Gazing at where his figure disappeared, Shen Xihe unconsciously curved her lips in a silent yet tender smile.
Her feelings for Xiao Huayong weren't the bone-deep, three-autumns-in-a-day longing described in romantic tales. He was like a cup of warm water—gentle and mild as it flowed into her heart. Though lacking intense flavor, it moistened and dispelled all dryness.
That afternoon, the imperial decree for the summer retreat to the imperial villa was issued, accompanied by a list of accompanying officials and those remaining in the capital.
The entourage accompanying the imperial procession to Lin You Imperial Villa was neither small nor large—including the imperial guards, the expedition would involve nearly ten thousand people. Shen Xihe had long prepared her belongings.
On the eve of their departure, a letter and a box of gold arrived for Shen Xihe from Qi Pei.
This young man, physically impaired yet strong-willed, wished to serve under her. They had made an agreement: she would give him one hundred gold pieces, and if he could turn it into one thousand within a year, she would accept him.
Now, in just half a year, he had succeeded. After reading Qi Pei's letter, Shen Xihe's expression turned grave.
"Something major has happened in Hangjiahu. I must enter the palace." Carrying Qi Pei's letter, Shen Xihe went straight to the Eastern Palace to find Xiao Huayong.
Xiao Huayong, who had been listening to court officials discuss state affairs, immediately turned pale and feigned weakness upon receiving news of Shen Xihe's arrival. Yielding to the ministers' persistent urging, he reluctantly returned to the Eastern Palace to "recuperate."
"Youyou, is something urgent the matter?" Xiao Huayong strode toward her the moment he spotted Shen Xihe in the distance.
With their departure for the imperial villa scheduled for the next day and the sun blazing fiercely, Shen Xihe would never have come unless facing an emergency.
"Your Highness, please read this." Shen Xihe handed Qi Pei's letter to Xiao Huayong.
Qi Pei had earned this money through mulberry leaf speculation—an annual occurrence in the Jiangzhe region, exploiting the unpredictable demand for mulberry leaves by silkworms.
In years when silkworm production flourished, mulberry leaves would be urgently needed to save the silkworms, akin to putting out a fire. To ensure uninterrupted silk production, leaf boats had to travel dozens or even hundreds of li to purchase mulberry leaves for feeding the silkworms.
This created an annual opportunity for merchants to hoard large quantities of mulberry leaves around silkworm season in Jiangzhe, closely monitoring market conditions to sell at the right moment.Even immortals cannot predict the price of mulberry leaves; when needed, they are treasures, but when not, they are mere weeds. Whether one profits or loses, even seasoned silkworm farmers find it hard to foresee.
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