Since the ninth year of Qiande, when Shen Wuchen, as Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince and Grand Scholar of the Hall of Assembled Worthies, was additionally granted the title of Director of the Imperial Secretariat, Xu Ting became the second person in the Great Peace Dynasty to receive such an honorable title from the Emperor. Although the three titles—Attendant in the Palace, Director of the Imperial Secretariat, and Director of the Department of State Affairs—were of high rank, they were merely honorary and not functional positions. Even if one held the status of an envoy-minister, they rarely participated in court politics. Thus, while court officials longed to receive such titles before retiring in old age, using the honorary rank as proof of their lifetime achievements and honors, no one wished to be excluded from the center of power while their careers were still flourishing.
Now, although Xu Ting was granted an honorary title just as Shen Wuchen had been years ago, the reasons behind their respective appointments were vastly different—
Back then, Shen Wuchen became Right Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs at the age of thirty-two, making him the youngest Right Minister in the dynasty's history. Yet, at thirty-seven, he submitted his resignation and retired to the old capital. In the eighth year of Qiande, when the current Emperor was eight years old, the Retired Emperor sought virtuous and talented individuals to serve as Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince. None of the court's scholars met the young Emperor's discerning eye, except for Shen Wuchen, who was summoned to the capital and greatly favored by the Emperor, thus being appointed as Grand Tutor. Although Shen Wuchen served as Grand Tutor, he intended to resign and leave the court once the Emperor began to handle political and military affairs. The Retired Emperor, wishing to retain him for consultation on state affairs, deliberated extensively and ultimately issued an edict granting him the additional title of Director of the Imperial Secretariat, placing him above the Chancellor during grand court assemblies. Such imperial favor and exceptional honor were rare in the court, and even though Shen Wuchen had rarely involved himself in politics for over a decade, court officials, both civil and military, held him in high esteem and dared not underestimate him.
In contrast, Xu Ting's appointment as Attendant in the Palace came after Meng Tinghui impeached him for privately slandering the Emperor in his correspondence! The implications of this were profound.
Xu Ting was abruptly dismissed from his position as Chancellor, stripped of any authority over the Imperial Secretariat's affairs. The tumultuous wave of impeachment initiated by the Remonstrance Officials of the Censorate should have subsided. Just as the current Right Minister and elder of the Western Faction seemed on the verge of collapse, the Emperor unexpectedly appointed Xu Ting as Grand Scholar of the Heavenly Wisdom Hall and additionally granted him the title of Attendant in the Palace. This was clearly intended to prevent Meng Tinghui, who had impeached him, from becoming too arrogant. Although Xu Ting held no real political power, his rank in court assemblies was above that of the Chancellor. Which civil or military official would dare to take advantage of this situation to kick him while he was down? Even the previously panicked and disorganized officials of the Western Faction would stabilize upon learning of this decree, avoiding a collapse of the nest and scattering of ants by defecting to Meng Tinghui's faction. Nevertheless, it did not seem the Emperor intended to fully protect Xu Ting, as he only granted him the title of Grand Scholar of the Heavenly Wisdom Hall without assigning him any functional duties, leaving him with the empty title of Attendant in the Palace.
Cao Jing's mind was instantly tangled in chaos. Countless thoughts raced through his head, yet he remained uncertain of the Emperor's true intentions.
It was always known that the Emperor's mind was difficult to fathom. Even with such a simple two-line internal decree, he dared not rashly predict future events.
But who in the court could say this decree was not sagacious?
Could one claim the Emperor disregarded the Censorate's admonitions and ignored the impeachment memorials? Could one say the Emperor was stubborn and heavily punished an old minister for privately discussing the Emperor in his correspondence? Could one argue the Emperor, since ascending the throne, had relentlessly marginalized old ministers without regard for the Retired Emperor's harmonious relationship with his officials?
Preposterous!
The Emperor's decree could not have been more sagacious.Cao Jing took a deep breath and turned to ask others, "Has the Inner Court issued any edict concerning Minister Meng?" Although Xu Ting's matter had been settled, it remained unknown whether the Emperor would promote or demote Meng Tinghui.
Everyone shook their heads to indicate they didn't know.
Cao Jing frowned, thought for a moment, and asked again, "Does Minister Meng know about this? Where is she now?"
Someone beside him replied, "Since the imperial decree was announced this morning, it has spread throughout the entire imperial city. Minister Meng must already know. However, she disappeared after the morning court session. I inquired around and learned that Minister Meng made an appointment with someone to reserve a private room at the Ten Thousand Pavilion Tower in the eastern part of the city." Seeing Cao Jing's puzzled expression, the person chuckled lightly and explained, "Minister Cao, you've been so busy you've forgotten—today is the seventh day of the seventh month!"
Only then did Cao Jing suddenly understand.
The Qixi Festival night in the capital was always lively. In the evening, the streets would be filled with lanterns, colorful silks adorned the buildings, and all kinds of performances and trinkets were on display. To secure a good spot in the bustling eastern part of the city, it made sense to reserve a street-facing room on the second floor of the Ten Thousand Pavilion Tower early. Unlike ordinary young women, female officials in the court did not prefer staying home to burn incense and pray for skill on Qixi night. Instead, they enjoyed going out in groups to stroll the streets. The Qixi Festival night was an excellent opportunity for them to socialize and bond.
In the past two years, Meng Tinghui had been cold-shouldered by the female officials in the court. This situation only began to improve after she was Removed from Drafting Edicts earlier this year. It was no wonder that many officials in the court were opportunistic—such was the prevailing atmosphere. Given that Meng Tinghui had been invited to reserve a room for lantern viewing, it was understandable that she was not in the Forbidden Palace at the moment.
As Cao Jing pondered this, the stifling frustration in his chest grew even more suffocating.
He had always considered himself one of Meng Tinghui's close confidants, yet she had not consulted him before submitting the memorial impeaching Xu Ting, clearly adopting an attitude of not wanting to involve others. Now that Xu Ting had been dismissed from his position as chancellor, it should have been the perfect time for Meng Tinghui to "press her advantage" and seek some benefits for their faction from the Emperor. Yet she paid no heed to it and still had the leisure to go reserve a room with others!
It made him, who had been racking his brains here, seem like a fool... The more Cao Jing thought about it, the more frustrated he felt. In the end, he tossed the torn paper in his hand aside and strode out of the room with his hands clasped behind his back.
If she herself cared nothing for future opportunities, then he would not trouble himself with worrying on her behalf!
·
Meng Tinghui had been dragged by Shen Zhili to spend the Qixi Festival night with a group of female officials.
That night, she had lied to Shen Zhili on the street, and the next day, she submitted a memorial impeaching Xu Ting in court. She had assumed that Shen Zhili would surely hold some resentment toward her and would no longer be as close as before. To her surprise, within a few days, Shen Zhili had indeed, as Meng Tinghui had previously suggested, come to invite her along whenever there was something fun to do.
She knew well that Shen Zhili was upright and forthright—once she recognized someone or something, she would not be swayed by others. By comparison, Meng Tinghui felt even more uneasy and ashamed. Now that Shen Zhili had invited her to join everyone for lantern viewing and street strolls, she agreed immediately without a second thought.
On the night of the Qixi Festival, carriages and horses filled the market, silks and satins adorned the streets, carved and colorfully decorated railings graced the buildings above, and red lanterns with green shades piled up below, creating a scene of bustling excitement.After drinking and dining in the street-facing chamber of Ten Thousand Pavilion Tower, enjoying the lanterns and merrymaking, the group eagerly rushed to Horse Trading Street to watch the capital's most famous Puppet Shadow Play. Still not satisfied, at Shen Zhili's suggestion, they went to a nearby street to watch martial troupes perform Acrobatic Performances, allowing the bustling crowd to jostle around them, letting the warm wine in their bellies heat their blood, each more generous than the last when tossing reward coins, then turning to look at each other and laughing heartily.
After all, they were young women.
Even as court officials who usually maintained strict decorum, they couldn't control themselves on such a night with such lively scenes.
Only when they had their fill of fun did the group reluctantly disperse, each returning to their respective residences.
Meng Tinghui, flushed from the wine's effects and ignoring the Meng family servant's request to take the carriage, felt such a fine night shouldn't be wasted. She ran back alone to where they had earlier admired the lanterns, standing at the street corner beneath Ten Thousand Pavilion Tower, gazing fixedly at the massive turtle lantern built by commoners before the imperial city's Proclamation Tower in the distance.
Tassels made of gold, silver, and emerald beads swayed gently under the eaves, producing pleasant tinkling sounds that blended with the street crowd's laughter, making everything sound faint in her ears.
That turtle lantern was so large and bright, so beautiful and dazzling, just like that person in the imperial palace - once seen, one couldn't look away.
Willfully, she sent the servant to buy two more cups of glutinous rice wine from the street, then leaned halfway against the decorated low railing, watching the bustling crowd while grinning and draining the wine.
Since joining the court, she had never felt so relaxed as tonight, involuntarily wanting to do something transgressive, impolite, and willful - after all, no one on the street would recognize her.
After drinking her fill of glutinous rice wine, she immediately had the servant accompany her to buy colored paintings, determined to visit the street's new shops and decorate her empty residence properly.
Feeling feverish and unsteady on her feet, she couldn't resist pulling open her collar after just a few steps. The layered, wide-skirted dress, though beautiful, had become an encumbrance, annoying her immensely.
While preoccupied with her dress, she unexpectedly bumped into someone ahead.
The impact left her dizzy. Opening her mouth to complain, she looked up and saw this person - this person - this person looked exactly like the Emperor!
In the dim lantern light, the wind brushed past her eyelashes, stirring a graceful, drunken glow.
She stood dumbfounded, speechless, staring blankly at this person.
"Meng Tinghui," the person said.
Ah—even the voice sounded so similar, and he knew her name!
"Meng Tinghui?" He leaned slightly closer, near enough for her to clearly see the color of his eyes.
As if startled, she clutched her chest with her right hand and stammered, "You... how did you find me here?"
The street was packed with people, various sounds filling her ears, buzzing and making her dizzy.
He simply looked down at her. She'd even forgotten to use honorifics - she was truly drunk.
She stared back fixedly, then suddenly threw herself forward, burying her face in his chest, mumbling incoherently with drunken courage: "I... I didn't make excuses to avoid attending court at the Hall of Profound Thought yesterday..."
The Meng family servant watching from behind was utterly terrified. The surging street crowd tumultuously isolated the two in their own corner.Against the clamor of the crowd, he raised his hand and gently wrapped it around her waist.
Thus, she became even more unrestrained in clinging to him, continuing to slur her words: "You... you delayed... delayed issuing the decree earlier... how could I... how could I privately enter the court without permission..."
He tried to lead her forward, but no matter how he pulled, she wouldn't budge. He lowered his gaze again, frowning as he whispered, "No one is blaming you. There's no need to say more."
She suddenly looked up, quietly studying his face as if examining a rare treasure, then murmured, "You truly are a wise ruler." Her wine-flushed lips curved slightly, and she smiled at him like a child, adding, "My wise ruler." Then she buried her head against his chest, emphasizing, "Mine."
He was hers.
As if by saying it aloud, she could truly claim him exclusively, disregarding the millions of people in the world. Whether bowing or rising, advancing or retreating, sharing every breath, he would belong only to her.
The surroundings fell silent in an instant.
His expression shifted slightly. With one hand, he cradled the back of her head, lifting her face, while the other reached down to grasp her hand. Turning, he led her down the street, his thin lips parting as he said, "Yours."
But she twisted and struggled, clinging to him, squinting and shamelessly exclaiming, "I... I still want..." As soon as she spoke, her sparkling black pupils grew dazed. After thinking for a long moment, she remembered and continued shouting, "Want... want to buy colored paintings to bring back!"
He stopped, turned to survey the bustling wide street, his eyes scanning the rows of tightly packed shops. Then, holding her hand, he turned back the way they came and said, "Alright, let's go buy you colored paintings."
She giggled, immediately hooking her arm through his large hand and striding forward, completely forgetting that the Meng residence servant was still waiting for her behind.
The servant was both shocked and fearful. He clearly recognized the nobleman in brocade robes and jade buttons as the very emperor he had seen outside the Meng residence that night, yet he could hardly believe his master would dare behave so irreverently toward the emperor on a public street... And the emperor actually allowed his master to act so improperly without even uttering a single harsh word!
Moreover... he was even accompanying his master to buy colored paintings!
The servant wiped cold sweat from his forehead with his sleeve. When he looked up again, he saw Huang Bo, the emperor's close attendant, standing under the eaves not far away, beckoning to him.
He hurried over, stammering, "Huang... Huang Bo, just now..." These earliest servants of the Meng residence had all been personally assigned by Huang Bo back then, so seeing him here actually made the servant feel reassured.
Huang Bo raised an eyebrow. "Haven't you noticed several guards from the Great Within standing further down the street? Still don't understand?" Seeing the servant still looked bewildered, he added, "Standing here stupidly waiting for a reward? Hurry up and bring the carriage to the end of the street to await His Majesty and your master!"
The servant hastily turned and ran back toward the street entrance.
Huang Bo glanced toward the crowd, watching the flash of crimson robe drifting already ten steps away, then sighed softly and quickly followed.
From the distance, the bell at the Proclamation Tower before the imperial city rang out, ancient and powerful, its resonance drowning out the myriad human voices around.
A young man and woman approached walking side by side, their expressions mingling shyness and awkwardness. Their hands beneath their sleeves seemed to almost touch but not quite hold, and whenever they encountered inquiring glances from others, they immediately turned away and separated.She paid no heed to propriety, staring unblinkingly at him for a long while before finally withdrawing her gaze with a playful grin, instead tightening her grip on his hand beneath the wide sleeves of his brocade robe.
This fine night, this beautiful scenery—how perfect!
The person beside her—how perfect!
No one on the bustling streets knew she was Meng Tinghui, and no one knew he was the current emperor—how perfect!
She could do whatever she pleased, even cling to him like this without fear of others' stares or gossip. After all, he was hers, and no one could take him away!
The crowd was lively, the colorful lanterns brilliant, and the alcohol in her system seemed to make her all the more tender and affectionate.
He was truly good to her, taking her to buy painted scrolls and then leading her through several famous shops. Whatever she wanted, he bought for her—not only purchasing things but holding her hand the entire time.
After leaving the shops, she pouted and said she still wanted sweet wine, so he took her to buy some. Leaning against the street railing, he fed it to her sip by sip, drawing curious stares from passersby.
She knew they were all jealous of her. He was so handsome, so tall and straight, so gentle and indulgent—who wouldn’t covet him? But he was hers alone, and she wouldn’t yield him to anyone!
She had worked so hard, so very hard, to win this man. Even if it cost her life, she would never give him up.
The night grew deeper, quieter, and cooler. The wind lifted her skirts, stirring a blazing fire in her heart.
In her drunken ramblings, she had asked for too many things—so many that her hands couldn’t hold them all after leaving the shops. She had to untie her arm gauze, bundle everything into it, and cradle the bundle in her arms, beaming happily at him.
A pair of small jade rabbits, crystal clear and utterly charming; two jade peonies, which she had pressed to her earlobes before even paying for them; three scented handkerchiefs, one of which she kindly tucked into his robes—a deep purple one; a row of silver needles, four spools of colored thread, five bamboo strips, and a large stack of painted scrolls, all treasured and clutched tightly to her chest.
She stared at him for a long while, as if suddenly noticing something strange, and exclaimed in surprise, "You... you came out of the palace tonight without covering your eyes with cloth?"
Oh no, oh no! The capital was the emperor’s domain, and every commoner here knew the emperor had heterochromatic eyes. He had taken her to so many places and encountered so many people—what if someone had discovered him? What would they do?
Like a child afraid of being caught misbehaving, she hunched her shoulders and glanced around. Seeing no one paying them any attention, she let out a soft sigh of relief. Thankfully, no one had noticed anything amiss.
He didn’t answer her question. Instead, he reached out to smooth the disheveled hair at her temples, then gently touched the jade peonies on her earlobes. The back of his hand brushed repeatedly against her flushed cheeks as he murmured, "You look so beautiful like this. It makes me want to kiss you."
Her eyes curved into happy crescents. He looked so handsome like this, it made her want to kiss him too!
With that thought, she leaned into him, completely forgetting they were still on the street, her mind set on kissing his lips.
He allowed her to press against him but then hoisted her over his shoulder. Hearing her startled cry, he curved his lips slightly and said, "Come back to the residence with me, alright?"
She felt the world spin around her, nearly dropping the bundle in her arms. The glowing lanterns on both sides cast their light downward, illuminating the stone bricks beneath her and faintly reflecting the silhouette of him carrying her.She gazed at the sky and the ground, finding the inverted play of light and shadow strangely beautiful. Her dark eyes darted around, and she made no struggle, merely obediently saying, "Alright."
Just like that, he carried her to the end of the street, carried her into the Meng residence's carriage, carried her back to the Meng residence, and all the way carried her into her bedchamber.
Never mind how shocked the entire Meng household was; even Huang Bo and the others who had been discreetly guarding the Emperor's safety throughout the night on the streets broke into cold sweat when they witnessed that scene.
Even Huang Bo, who deeply understood the Emperor's intentions and was utterly loyal, felt that His Majesty was spoiling Minister Meng a bit too excessively.
And she, Meng Tinghui, was so thoroughly drunk that she didn't find anything the slightest bit inappropriate!
Once inside the room, she immediately abandoned all restraint, pouncing on him like a little wolf, kissing and biting him, not even giving him a chance to fetch the fire striker and light the lamp.
He could easily have restrained her, yet he allowed her to fuss and fumble, letting her drag him haphazardly onto the bed, watching as she clumsily tried to undo his robes.
Her fingers refused to cooperate, and after struggling fruitlessly for a while, she finally gave up in frustration, burying her face in her hands with a whimper before collapsing on top of him, motionless. Then she commanded, "You... take it off!"
One of his arms slowly encircled her, letting her rest comfortably, before he raised his other hand and began leisurely undressing himself. After his outer robe was removed and his Inner Garment fell open, he took her small hand and placed it on his bare left chest, murmuring softly, "Satisfied now?"
Feeling his firm chest, she grew restless again, squirming in his embrace, mumbling incoherently. Her hairpins came completely loose, and she didn't even notice the newly bought jade peony earring rolling away.
Suddenly, he flipped over, pinning her beneath him. He lowered his head, taking a deep breath of the wine scent at her neck, his stern brows sharply rising. "You drank so much—how do you expect to attend court tomorrow morning?"
She giggled, lifting her arms to hook around his neck, mimicking his words, "...I... I see how you'll attend court tomorrow morning..."
He couldn't help but smile, leaning down to peck her sweet, wine-scented lips. "If you missed me so much, why didn't you obey the decree and come to the Hall of Profound Thought for an audience yesterday?"
He was bringing that up again.
She furrowed her brow, trying hard to recall, but she couldn't remember anything. She didn't even know why he had appeared tonight! In the darkness, she strained to find his eyes, and once she did, she exclaimed, "You... why did you come looking for me?"
He replied, "The matter of Xu Ting was unresolved yesterday. I issued a decree summoning you, but you refused to appear. Today, it's settled, yet when I issued another decree, you were nowhere to be found. I thought you were overthinking things again, so I 'condescended' to come see you in person."
She tried hard to listen, but her mind was a muddled mess, only catching fragments like "Xu Ting" and "overthinking." Pouting, she said, "This... this matter of Xu Ting... how could I not... not carefully consider it..."
It was "carefully consider," not "overthink"! She hadn't clearly heard what he said but kept correcting him in her mind, resenting that he couldn't understand her feelings.
He silently watched her.
Of course, he understood her feelings.
In the matter of Xu Ting, her cleverness had even surprised him.She knew that if he dismissed Xu Ting from his ministerial position solely based on her impeachment memorial, he would inevitably be accused of "partiality." Therefore, she mobilized Liao Congkuan and a group of Censorate Remonstrance Officials to jointly submit memorials impeaching Xu Ting, stirring up such a commotion throughout the court that if he ultimately failed to remove Xu Ting from office, he would instead be criticized for disregarding the counsel of the Censorate.
Before the official edict was issued, she was well aware of the need to avoid suspicion, fearing that any private audience with him might lead others to believe his decree was influenced by her words. Thus, she remained exceptionally cautious, careful not to leave the slightest opening for criticism.
He truly cared nothing for these matters, yet she was desperately concerned about his reputation, carefully paving each step to ensure his dignity, afraid that a single oversight on her part might tarnish his illustrious name.
Without her "careful forethought," he might never have drafted that edict which silenced all court officials and left no room for dissent.
But he wished she could be as thoughtless as she was now in her drunken state.
Drunk, she was so adorable and innocent, her eyes dark and sparkling, as clear and pure as her heart.
After causing a ruckus for most of the night, she gradually grew tired and curled up in his arms, no longer fidgeting. Her eyelashes drooped quietly, and her breathing grew heavy.
Though utterly drunk, the last shred of consciousness in her mind incessantly reminded her: he was the Emperor—how could he stay overnight at her residence? But his embrace was so comfortable; she willfully refused to leave. Countless dizzying thoughts swirled in her mind until, in the end, emotion triumphed over reason, and she held him even tighter—
After all, she had already borne the infamy; why bother with so many scruples? It wasn’t as if the Emperor had never stayed overnight at her Meng residence before!
With this thought, she felt even more at ease. Breathing in the faint scent of his robes, she soon drifted toward deep slumber.
But it was then that he spoke: "How did you obtain Xu Ting’s private letters?"
In her daze, she mumbled something, wrinkling her nose slightly in displeasure.
He naturally didn’t believe the rumors circulating among the common folk—how could she possibly have sent someone to dig up Hao Kuang’s tomb? What an outrageous joke! Those eager to smear her reputation never rested, even fabricating such tales... He stroked her cheek, trying to rouse her a little, and asked softly, "What did you say?"
Unconsciously, she nuzzled his palm like a kitten, her light, sweet breath brushing against his skin as she whispered, "They were... all given to me by Yin Qing."
Yin Qing?
He cupped her face, his brow furrowing slightly. "Which Yin Qing?"
Disturbed in her sleep, she shifted restlessly in his arms before adding, "The... the Jinshi candidate..."
She had originally hesitated about whether to tell him the truth, but in her drunken state, her defenses crumbled, and she couldn’t control her words at all, inadvertently confessing everything.
His hand stiffened slightly as he asked again, "How did Yin Qing come to have Xu Ting’s private letters?"
She shook her head vaguely, burying her face in the crook of his neck and refusing to move again.
Tonight, when he left the palace, though he traveled lightly and with minimal escort, it had been quite a challenge for Huang Bo and the others. To protect his reputation, they had set up several decoys in the Inner Court before accompanying him out. They were likely waiting for him inside and outside the Meng residence now, anxious that he might miss the morning court session.
He held her tighter, turned his head to kiss her, and his brow furrowed even deeper.
Yin Qing.
How dare she trust others so easily? She took those letters and launched her attack without a second thought, oblivious to the risk of falling into a trap. Fortunately, it seemed Yin Qing had no intention of harming her this time, but for that very reason, he couldn’t bring himself to feel any goodwill toward this person.
In the years since she had entered the court, she had weathered countless storms and trials—but which of these had not been under his control? Every step she took, whether advancing or retreating, was directed entirely by his hand. How could he allow anyone else to interfere?Her small hand still rested upon his left chest, its fingertips twitching faintly in her dreams as if afraid he might leave, trying to grasp him to keep him from moving.
He couldn't resist kissing her again.
Though reluctant, he had to leave.
Tonight was Qixi Festival, and seeing her laugh so heartily had cleared the clouds in his own heart. He knew well her lonely childhood—likely over twenty years had passed without her ever celebrating the festival properly with mother and sisters like ordinary girls. Tonight, beneath the Qixi sun, roaming the city with her fellow court ladies, she must have been overjoyed, thus drinking without restraint until even her "official dignity" was forgotten.
When he laid her down, she stirred uneasily before turning over to sink back into deep sleep.
Pushing the door open, he recalled her past words to him, his dark eyes deepening like ink-stained night.
If one day she learned who her parents truly were, would she still stay by his side as promised—watching him secure the realm, nurture the people, and bring about peace?
The raven-hued night pressed down like an overturned bowl, weighing on his breath. From afar, Huang Bo's timely call of "Your Majesty" snapped him from his thoughts.
The entire Meng household watched in fearful silence as he departed, only closing their gates and extinguishing lamps after he was gone.
·
The next day, she slept until nearly noon before slowly awakening.
Her head throbbed violently. Even after opening her eyes and sitting up, she couldn't recall the previous night's events. But when she lifted the bed curtains to see the room littered with scattered jade rabbits, silver needles, colored threads, and folded paintings—it struck her like thunder, instantly restoring memory of all she had done!
Shame and anguish overwhelmed her.
How could she have demanded this and that, acted boldly on the streets, then dragged him recklessly to bed upon returning home... Her mind churned chaotically, remembering only his extraordinary indulgence—so unreal it seemed... For a moment she suspected it might have been an elaborate dream. Would he truly leave the palace just to ease her restless thoughts?
Within breaths, she realized she'd slept straight through morning court—and panic seized her anew! She knew how strictly he separated state affairs from personal matters. However much he might indulge her, he would never forgive disrupting court duties with drunkenness.
She dressed and groomed in haste, then summoned her attending maid for reprimand: how could she be allowed to sleep so late?
The maid looked aggrieved, explaining that His Majesty had given explicit orders before leaving—Minister Meng was specially exempted from morning court.
A young servant arrived adding vivid details of her street antics, describing how the Emperor had granted her every request and carried her home... Leaving her both mortified and dazed, wanting yet fearing to believe.
His affections had always been deep and restrained—what could have made him display them so openly last night, as if declaring them for all to see?
Unable to unravel the mystery, she disregarded the special exemption. After preparing herself properly, she ordered a carriage and set out for the palace.Although Xu Ting's removal from the chancellorship did not cause major upheaval in the court, it inevitably shifted the undercurrents of political allegiance. While the imperial decree from the Inner Court did not explicitly promote or demote Meng Tinghui, the Emperor's special permission granting her a day's absence from court audiences made all officials instantly realize that Xu Ting would never regain influence, and Meng Tinghui's position at court had become increasingly unassailable.
Though the veteran ministers of the Eastern and Western Factions had contended for years, Xu Ting's fall still evoked a sense of shared vulnerability among the remaining Eastern Faction heavyweights in the Hall of State Affairs. Whether out of fear that these political fluctuations might affect them or a desire to temporarily ease tensions with Meng Tinghui, several chief councilors reviewed, annotated, and endorsed her previously rejected memorial—which proposed transferring thirteen subordinate officials from the Pacification Office and Transport Office of Chaoan North Circuit—immediately after the morning court session, sending it to the outer court for edict drafting.
As the Acting Drafting Official, Meng Tinghui learned of this upon entering the palace. Slightly surprised, she personally undertook the drafting of the edict, feeling a touch of emotion as she recalled Yin Qing's words from that day—which had proven entirely accurate.
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