She trembled all over, scarcely able to believe her ears.
What he had just said was that he wanted to marry her!
Moreover, he intended to grant her a fief from his vast empire!
After the initial shock, she instantly understood his intention.
Making her his empress meant that no matter how large or extensive the fief, it would ultimately remain part of his domain. Yet, once she received the fief, she would gain autonomy over its civil administration, military affairs, and taxation—was this not akin to a state within a state?
After a moment of silence, he spoke again: "This way, you will have both a noble position and territory, with military authority in your hands. What other desires could you possibly harbor?"
Her hands, hidden within her wide sleeves, trembled uncontrollably. Struggling to maintain a calm expression, she said, "What the remnants of Zhongwan seek is the restoration of the Meng imperial line to the throne, not merely the title of a fief."
His brow twitched slightly. "As my empress, any child you bear, regardless of gender, I will designate as the crown prince. After my passing, the empire will be ruled by your Meng descendants. Is that not precisely what the Zhongwan remnants desire?"
She gazed at him, a mist gradually clouding her eyes, her red lips quivering too much to form a word.
His gaze was so cold and unfeeling, yet every word he spoke made her want to weep.
He had no need to go this far.
But why was he doing this?
Seeing her prolonged silence, his expression darkened further. "You may refuse. But if you do, I will have no choice but to execute you, followed by the nearly hundred thousand rebel troops scattered across three provinces. I had no wish to wage war within the nation, but if it comes to that, with the people suffering and blood staining the fields, do not blame me for lacking benevolence."
The moisture in her eyes froze, her dark pupils turning cold and hazy.
This matter had nothing to do with love or hatred—it was a decision he made for the sake of the people.
Involuntarily, she clenched her fingertips lightly.
Had she not been the same? When it came to the empire and its people, had she ever prioritized her personal feelings for him?
He sat behind the desk, motionless, waiting for her, watching her, thinking of her.
He understood her so well.
His father had executed her parents and relatives; between them lay an insurmountable sea of blood and enmity. Thus, she could sacrifice and yield for the people’s sake, willing to die to ensure the safety of all, but she could no longer love him wholeheartedly and unconditionally as before.
If he offered his sincere heart, she would not accept it.
Only by threatening the people’s safety could she possibly agree.
The tent fell into silence. She sat rigidly, unmoving for a long time, as if her spirit had departed. After an unknown length of time, the sudden sound of soldiers shouting at horses outside, sharp and jarring, startled her back to awareness.
She lifted her eyes, her gaze no longer as resolute as before. "I have no foundation within Shu Province City. Even if I agree, the Zhongwan remnants in the city may not comply."
His expression turned stern. "Even if they refuse, I can make them comply."
She added, "Have you considered my current reputation? If you enfeoff me as empress, regardless of the reason, it will cause great turmoil in the court of Daping."
He replied, "That is not your concern."
She frowned. "But there has never been a precedent for enfeoffing an empress in the court."
His face showed complete indifference. "Then I will set the precedent."
With no room left to retreat, she lowered her lashes and said, "You are on a personal campaign far from the capital. How can the enfeoffment of an empress be rushed? By the time I am truly enfeoffed, when and where will it be? I fear that by then, it may already be too late for everything."He rose from the desk, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes as he enunciated each word clearly: "Right here, right now."
She felt a slight shudder, uncertain whether he was serious or jesting. Staring at him in a daze, she watched as he retrieved a gilded yellow proclamation from nearby.
This object was all too familiar to her.
Instantly, her heart leaped to her throat, leaving her breathless and at a loss.
Back when he had reformed the imperial consort system at court, deciding personally whom to enfeoff and what ceremonies to hold, the ministers had been unable to oppose him then. Who could have imagined he would truly be so willful and unrestrained today—
"The edict of enfeoffment is here." His gaze fixed intently on her, his voice slightly hoarse: "From this day forward, you, Meng Tinghui, are my empress. Even if you turn away from the throne, defy imperial decrees, or cease your loyalty in the future, you will still be my empress. Unless I personally strip you of your title, do not think of severing ties with me in this lifetime. Even in death, you will remain mine."
Though she knew his words held no love or affection, this vow-like declaration unleashed the pent-up conflicts and longing she had suppressed for days. Tears instantly burst from her eyes.
There were no elaborate rituals, no ceremonial officials or palace attendants, none of the usual pomp.
The hem of her long skirt was stained with mud, utterly disheveled, and she hadn't even properly styled her hair.
There could never be a more rudimentary enthronement ceremony in this world.
Nor could there ever be an empress more disheveled than she.
In the past, how she had longed to possess him for a lifetime, to stay by his side, to watch him consolidate the nation, nurture the people, and bring about peace. Yet this position of empress had seemed so unattainable to her.
Now she had truly become his empress, but everything was so different from what she had envisioned.
And so bitterly ironic.
Tears flowed incessantly, impossible to stop.
He slowly walked up to her, raising his hand to caress her cheek and gently wipe away her tears, yet they kept falling without end.
Each drop scalded his fingertips, making them tremble slightly.
His heart trembled along with them.
After so many days and nights apart, he had finally touched her again.
He had thought he would never be able to touch her like this again in this lifetime, but heaven had willed it, granting him this person in this life, leaving him with no regrets henceforth.
How he wanted to pull her into his embrace, kiss her eyes, brows, ears, and lips, to meld her into his very being so they would never part again. Yet he merely withdrew his hand and said: "Return to the tent to eat something and change your clothes. The troops will depart at mid-morning."
She swiftly wiped her face with her hand, still keeping her head lowered, and asked softly: "Are we heading toward Shu Province?"
He nodded.
She then stood up, her expression showing some understanding, and asked further: "When will we announce the enfeoffment and the matters we decided today to everyone?"
He replied: "Once we reach Shu Province and obtain the consent of the remaining officials from Zhongwan, it will be revealed to the world."
"Alright." She glanced at him briefly before immediately turning to leave the tent.
Her tone was remarkably calm, as if all this were merely a transaction between him and her.
The tent flap fell softly, carrying with it the fresh scent of grass.
The moisture still lingered on his fingertips, and suddenly his heart felt damp as well. He never expected that despite not deceiving, humiliating, or betraying her, he had still made her cry.
Turning back, he saw the yellow edict still lying coldly on the desk.
He had forgotten to give it to her, and she had forgotten to take it.Yue Linxi sat in the crude tent, listening to the ceaseless sounds of soldiers and horses outside, yet unable to step out to investigate, growing increasingly restless.
In his agitation, someone entered from outside, their silhouette blocking the faint light seeping through the tent flap, plunging the interior into sudden darkness.
Yue Linxi instinctively straightened, lifting his gaze to look, then slightly furrowed his brow and murmured, "Is Your Majesty planning to march the camp to Shu Province?"
Ying Gua did not answer, slowly approaching him. Sunlight spilled in from behind, casting a faint trail of light on the ground.
The silence only heightened the tension.
Yue Linxi felt his throat tighten and asked again, "What else does Your Majesty require of me?"
A hint of satisfaction flickered in Ying Gua's expression. "You know your place well enough."
Yue Linxi's face darkened. Unable to retreat or resist, he could only say, "Your Majesty, please speak plainly." In his heart, he understood that since he had written that letter to Shu Province the previous night, he had no choice but to follow Ying Gua's will—or risk destruction and death from both sides.
Ying Gua stood still, looking down at him, and spoke bluntly: "I have appointed her as Empress."
Yue Linxi was startled. There was no need to ask who "she" referred to—it could only be Meng Tinghui. He was astonished that Ying Gua would ever consent to make her Empress.
Ying Gua seemed disinclined to elaborate further, his expression stern as he continued, "Gather your forces and join the Great Peace Imperial Army in attacking the Northern Frontier. I will return the territories of the former Zhong Wan State and half of the Northern Frontier's lands to you, as her fief."
Yue Linxi was even more stunned, his mouth opening and closing several times without a sound.
Ying Gua added, "I know you are learned and clever—surely you understand my intent. When you reach Shu Province, tell the other surviving officials that a hundred thousand troops of the Great Peace Imperial Army have surrounded Jiankang Road. Since Mingzhou has fallen, Shu Province cannot hold. I originally intended to execute both you and her, but you, seeing my lingering affection for her, devised this plan to halt my advance. If they agree, tens of thousands of lives will be spared, and the lands of the former Zhong Wan State can be reclaimed."
Yue Linxi struggled inwardly, remaining silent for a long time.
Ying Gua raised an eyebrow. "In four days, when the defending generals in Shu Province lay down their arms and open the gates, only to welcome the Great Peace Imperial Army, how do you think they will treat you? Only by following my words will they believe you are both resourceful and courageous, not a coward clinging to life."
Four days later, the defending generals in Shu Province laid down their arms and opened the gates. Several surviving officials personally went ten li outside the city to welcome them, waiting from dawn until noon in the eastern outskirts. Yet what they welcomed was the Great Peace Imperial Army, clad in bright armor and bearing sharp spears, their presence imposing.
Though they had earlier received urgent reports of Mingzhou's fall, how could they have imagined that Yue Linxi would deceive them with his letter, leading the Great Peace Imperial Army with its Golden Halberds and Yellow Standards straight to the gates of Shu Province?!
The defending Rebel Army, caught unprepared, quickly lost three outer gates east of Shu Province to the Great Peace Imperial Army. Seeing that the Imperial Army had no intention of launching a fierce assault, the remaining forces stubbornly held the inner city. The officials who had gone out to welcome the "imperial arrival" were naturally furious at the sight, but with the city gates seized, they could not openly vent their anger at Yue Linxi. They had no choice but to comply with the Imperial Army's demand to allow Yue Linxi into the city for detailed discussions.
Once inside the city, Yue Linxi relayed Ying Gua's words as instructed. The officials were horrified upon hearing this, and their shock only deepened when they learned that the Great Peace Emperor himself had arrived outside the city.The group remained silent in the room for a long while before the slightly older Fan Yu stepped forward and spoke with a heavy sigh, "Enough. Tomorrow morning, you will bring the imperial heir into the city. We must see her in person and hear her consent to this proposal with her own words before it can be considered valid."
Yue Linxi nodded and replied, "Lord Fan is wise."
Fan Yu frowned deeply in thought for a moment before signaling the others to leave the room, leaving only Yue Linxi behind. He lowered his voice and said, "Come closer. I have something to ask you."
Yue Linxi approached him and responded respectfully, "Please speak, Lord Fan."
Fan Yu fixed his sharp gaze on him and asked, "Based on what you witnessed when you were captured, does the Great Peace Emperor truly still harbor lingering affection for her?"
·
The Great Peace Imperial Army had encamped outside Shu Province, surrounding more than half the city.
The wind swept across the plains, rustling the layers of military banners and flags, scattering the white clouds across the blue sky. The thick canvas of the tents flapped wildly.
She lay on her side on the narrow cot in the inner tent, separated by a thin curtain from him and his command desk.
Sharing a tent was his demand, and she naturally could not defy it. Yet, in this bitterly cold and silent night, with the candlelight flickering gently, the situation felt unbearably stifling.
Of the 130,000 Imperial Army troops from the capital accompanying his personal campaign, about 50,000 were under his direct command. From their march through Linhuai Route, capturing cities and territories all the way to Shu Province in Jiankang Route, only 39,000 remained.
The losses were undeniably severe.
That even the most elite troops of Great Peace suffered such heavy casualties against the Rebel Army, which roamed the forests and strongholds across the provinces, proved that his earlier concerns were justified.
If these nearly 100,000 Rebel Army troops could join forces with the Great Peace Imperial Army and march north, it would undoubtedly save considerable manpower and preserve the lives of tens of thousands of soldiers. Moreover, the time needed to capture the Northern Frontier capital could be significantly shortened.
As for the people of the Northern Three Routes, they would no longer have to flee in panic like ants escaping a flood, only to end up with broken families and scattered lives.
Lost in these thoughts, she unconsciously turned over and gazed through the thin curtain at his silhouette outlined by the candlelight.
Though they were so close, it felt as if mountains and seas lay between them.
Since their reunion, she had not once addressed him as "Your Majesty," while he, in turn, had uncharacteristically referred to himself as "We," creating an unmistakable sense of distance.
When she was his subject, she should have kept her distance, yet they had been so intimate. Now that she was his rightful wife, their relationship was even colder than that of ruler and subject.
Wife?
The word felt deeply ironic to her.
They were merely two individuals, each with their own hidden agendas and grievances between their nations, bound together by a yellow imperial decree for the sake of the common people.
With these thoughts, she gently closed her eyes and turned over once more.
Not long after nightfall, someone entered the tent to deliver a report.
She pricked up her ears and faintly heard that it was a victory report from the north. It was said that Di Nian had led his troops to capture another key town, while the forces under Zhao Pingkong and Guo Ming, previously stationed north of Jiankang Route, had also received orders to march south.
Hearing the news of Di Nian's victory brought her a slight sense of relief. She had lost count of the nights she had been tormented by nightmares after ordering the Imperial Army outside Golden Gorge Pass to retreat thirty li, fearing that Di Nian's troops might suffer some mishap because of her decision.
Fortunately, the Imperial Army was safe. Fortunately, Di Nian was unharmed.After the general finished reporting the northern military situation, he proceeded to brief him on the detailed operations of the remaining capital garrison Imperial Army suppressing bandits across three routes. For the most part, he remained silent while listening, occasionally interjecting with a question or two. The matters discussed were all military secrets, yet he showed no hesitation in having her present within the inner tent.
His lack of caution toward her only made her feel more unsettled.
But she couldn’t dwell on it, nor did she want to. Instead, she covered her eyes with her sleeve to block the candlelight from his side and drifted into a light sleep.
In the deep of night, the violent sounds of slaughter abruptly arrived.
She woke with a startled gasp, only to find the surroundings utterly silent—everything had merely been a dream.
Yet the dream felt so vivid: him charging on horseback with a spear, his Iron Armor stained with blood... A sharp pain seized her chest, and she rose, pulling aside the curtain to peer into the outer tent.
The candlelight remained dim, the commander’s desk slightly disordered. The vermilion ink on the brush had dried, left abandoned on the desk.
He lay back in his chair, eyes shut, breathing steady. Even in sleep, his posture remained rigidly upright.
She stared at him for a long moment, reassured to see him unharmed, then lifted her sleeve to gently wipe the cold sweat from her temples.
The autumn night was bitterly cold, and the tent felt damp and chilly.
Quietly, she slipped out of bed, picked up an outer cloak, and approached him, carefully draping it over his body.
But the moment she touched him, his eyes snapped open as if startled from a dream, and he seized the hand she had lightly placed on his shoulder.
His grip was fierce, the pain unbearable, yet she bit her lip and made no sound, allowing him to hold her tightly.
After a long moment, he slowly released his grasp, the ferocity in him receding. His gaze locked with hers—fearful, tender, and hesitant.
“Meng Tinghui.”
He called her name in a low, hoarse voice, his warm breath brushing against her wrist.
Her body trembled instantly—a sensation all too familiar, one only he could evoke, leaving her weak and shivering.
The candle flame flickered gently, and for a moment, it was as if she had returned to the past.
In the West China Palace, when he worked late into the night, she would drape a robe over him. He would hold her, kiss her, and she would let out soft laughter.
The memories were beautiful, yet equally cruel, moistening the corners of her eyes once more.
Noticing the glimmer of tears, he abruptly lowered his arm, closed his eyes again, and fell silent.
After all, it was no longer like before.
She withdrew her hand, turned slowly, lifted the curtain, and lay back on the bed, facing inward, tightly shutting her eyes.
·
The next morning, she went alone to tend to Qingyun, stroking the gilded imperial saddle in silence for a long while.
Just as she was about to return, a soldier hurriedly approached, informing her that Yue Linxi had returned to the camp from Shu Province city and requested her presence there.
She hastily wiped her hands on her skirt and followed the soldier back to the central command tent, where Yue Linxi stood beside him, deep in conversation.
The surviving officials in Shu Province city had all agreed, only requesting to see her once—a reasonable expectation.
After a brief inquiry, he dismissed Yue Linxi to wait outside the tent, then turned to her. “Choose someone to accompany you into the city. I will wait for you in the camp.”
She nodded, thinking for a moment. “Let Lu Duo from the Palace Guard accompany me.” With that, she turned to leave.
But he called after her, “Meng Tinghui.”
She looked back to find his gaze sharp and intent as he repeated, “I will wait for you in the camp.”
A sudden ache rose in her heart, and she replied softly, “I understand.”
“Go on,” he said quietly.She had once owed him a return, owed him a child, owed him a lifetime of companionship. She had mercilessly parted from him in life and had even willfully sought to part from him in death.
She owed him far too much.
But this time, he would never let her leave him again, nor would he allow her to walk away without looking back.
Without her, this vast empire would no longer be whole in his eyes.
The city of Shu Province was not as chaotic as she had imagined.
Compared to the several prefectures and counties she had passed on her journey south from the northern border, Shu Province was remarkably orderly, with its people living in relative peace.
Lu Duo, who had served in the Palace Guard and had seen her in the capital before, was accompanying the emperor on the northern campaign. Though he did not understand the complexities between her and the emperor, nor why she was going to Shu Province, he dutifully escorted her without uttering a single unnecessary word.
Yue Linxi, surprisingly, also spoke very little to her.
Meng Tinghui thought to herself that he must resent her deeply. After all, because of her, Ying Gua had nearly wiped out a thousand of his men and forced him into his current assignment. Yet, if not for his confession, how would her identity as the Central Wan Imperial Descendant have been exposed? She resented him just as much.
With this in mind, she saw no reason to initiate conversation with him, simply waiting for him to lead her to the agreed-upon location.
When the Rebel Army had captured Shu Province, the prefect had already been killed, so the prefectural office had become the gathering place for these remnants of the Central Wan court.
The three dismounted, and Yue Linxi went ahead to announce their arrival.
She surveyed the courtyard of the office and noticed several armed soldiers standing guard, her brow furrowing slightly.
Suddenly, Lu Duo nudged her from behind with something. She turned to see a short dagger and, catching the meaningful look in his eyes, quickly took it and concealed it in the waistband of her skirt.
When they entered, the soldiers indeed searched Lu Duo but found nothing and allowed him to accompany her inside.
Given her noble status, no one dared to search her. As they proceeded to the innermost room, Lu Duo was stopped again and told that only she was permitted to enter.
Lu Duo protested but was overruled, his frustration evident as he gritted his teeth in anger.
Meng Tinghui reassured him, "Wait here for me. Don’t worry, nothing will happen." Then, smiling at the guards outside, she said, "Thank you for your trouble."
The guard hurriedly replied, "It is no trouble," bowed, and pushed the door open, inviting her and Yue Linxi inside.
They entered one after the other. Several people were already seated inside and rose to their feet, bowing their heads in respect upon seeing her.
Yue Linxi led her to a slightly older man and said, "This is Fan Yu, formerly the Vice Minister of Personnel in the Central Wan court. After the fall of Central Wan, he declined multiple summons to serve and has remained in Jiankang Circuit for over twenty years."
Meng Tinghui studied Fan Yu carefully but only smiled without saying a word.
The elder Important Officials of the former Central Wan court had long since passed away, and this former Vice Minister of Personnel was likely the highest-ranking official among those present. Though Fan Yu was no longer young, one could still imagine what a man of unyielding integrity he must have been over two decades ago.
Seeing that she remained silent even in Fan Yu’s presence, Yue Linxi did not introduce the others in the room to her. Instead, he said to Fan Yu, "Lord Fan, you may proceed with your questions."Others only felt her attitude was arrogant and did not dare to initiate conversation with her. For a moment, the atmosphere in the room became exceptionally stiff and cold.
Fan Yu gave a slight nod to Yue Linxi and made a meaningful glance. Seeing Yue Linxi turn and exit the room, he then shifted his gaze to Meng Tinghui and said, "The eldest prince, Duke Zheng of State, originally had a young son, who was killed by enemy troops when the state fell. In the third year of Qiande, after the two princes received the decree to move to the capital, the eldest prince was able to marry again. Unfortunately, he only had one daughter."
Meng Tinghui was momentarily stunned.
She hadn't expected Fan Yu to cut straight to the point with such bluntness, bringing up her origins right from the start. It left her completely unprepared, giving her a sudden sense of being caught off guard.
Fan Yu leisurely took his seat, his gaze sweeping over the others as he began unhurriedly, as if telling a story: "In the autumn of the sixth year of Qiande, Prince Ping executed the four Meng lords and their clansmen on fabricated charges. In their mansions, no one was spared—neither guest scholars nor servants, down to the maids and footmen. That night, the wet nurse of Duke Zheng of State’s only daughter had taken her to the market, leaving her own infant daughter at the mansion. The Imperial City Guard mistook the wet nurse’s daughter for the Duke’s only child and killed her. Hearing of the tragedy at the Meng residence while on the street, the wet nurse hid with the infant in a street corner overnight. The next day, upon learning that her husband, a guest scholar at the Meng mansion, had also been killed, she fled with Duke Zheng’s only daughter back to her maternal home in Chaoan North Circuit. Upon returning to Chaoan, she discovered she was pregnant again. Though she wished to shelter the Meng orphan at her family home, her relatives refused to accept her and forced her to marry a stranger. To protect the Meng bloodline, she entrusted the infant girl to a nunnery outside Chongzhou City and married a farmer in Chengfu Circuit herself. She had intended to retrieve the child once her life stabilized, but she never anticipated the imperial decree in the fourteenth year of Qiande that purged temples and nunneries in Chaoan, causing her to lose all trace of the girl. Over the next decade, as we gradually uncovered clues, we found that the infant had become the female official most favored by the current emperor."
Meng Tinghui showed no change in expression throughout his account, merely remarking softly, "You seem to know it all very clearly."
Fan Yu said, "Your wet nurse back then was Yin Qing’s birth mother, and Yin Qing is the posthumous child of the guest scholar who died tragically in the Meng mansion."
She paused briefly, then lowered her eyes without comment.
Fan Yu suddenly stood up, his expression turning grave as he addressed her: "How profound was the pain of Zhongwan’s fallen kingdom, how unjust the deaths of the Meng lords! Your wet nurse endured immense hardship to save your life, and we have borne humiliation for years awaiting this moment! Yet you became that man’s empress and agreed to the enfeeffment plan—how can you face all these people and events?"
Meng Tinghui glanced around at everyone, then fixed her gaze on Fan Yu and said, "But what you don’t know is that without him back then, I would have frozen to death in a dilapidated temple. The noble who rescued me from a cold, rainy night and sent me to Chongzhou Girls’ School was none other than him."
Everyone was stunned.
Fan Yu was momentarily speechless, then frowned slightly and said coldly, "But the one who issued that decree was his mother, the empress! Between the Meng family and the Great Peace imperial house lies a blood feud of irreconcilable enmity—how can you entangle yourself with him?"
She sat down calmly and said, "You summoned me into the city today surely not just to tell this story. State your true intentions plainly."
Fan Yu exchanged glances with the others before speaking slowly: "Yue Linxi told us that although you became his empress and agreed to his scheme, you were coerced, and we do not blame you for it. Now that he has consented to enthrone you as empress, it shows he still holds affection for you—this is a rare opportunity." He paused, studying her expression and finding her remarkably composed, then continued: "If you can find a chance to kill him, the Great Peace Imperial Army will be left leaderless. Our forces will surely advance triumphantly and reclaim the lost territories of our fallen kingdom!"She lifted her eyes coldly. "If he were killed, the generals of Daping would surely lead their troops back to avenge him. Once the Northern Frontier weakens, the wolfish ambitions of Northern Ji would be unstoppable. Then these regions would once again be engulfed in the flames of war—and who could predict the outcome? Why would I engage in such fruitless endeavors or plunge the people into the torment of war again?"
Fan Yu’s face stiffened. "As the sole descendant of the Meng family, how can you refuse to contribute to the cause of restoring our nation?!"
She looked at him disdainfully. "If restoring the nation does not earn the people’s reverence, but instead leaves them without safe homes or peace of mind, then it is better not to restore it at all!"
Fan Yu trembled with rage, his beard quivering. "Are you truly unwilling to repent? Truly unwilling to go and kill him?"
She remained seated in silence.
Fan Yu sneered repeatedly. "Fine, fine! Since you refuse to kill him, we will use your hand to slay him and avenge Lord Meng’s blood feud on your behalf!"
A flicker of alarm crossed her eyes as she stood up abruptly. "What are you planning?"
Fan Yu’s anger intensified. "Last night, we already set an ambush at the mountain pass thirty li west of the city. All we need is to send someone to inform him that you fled westward. Do you think he would pursue you?"
Her heart sank, her face paling slightly. Biting her lip, she said, "Your scheme is likely in vain. He probably hates me even more than you do—he would never personally chase after me to the west."
Fan Yu glared at her fiercely. "Since you’ve entered Shu Province, we will never let you leave. You might as well wait here in the city and listen for news from the west!"
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