In the autumn of the tenth year of Jingxuan, severe floods struck several western circuits and military prefectures across the nation. The Emperor decreed that each affected household be granted two dan of rice, while those who drowned were to be buried at official expense.
On the Dinghai day, heavy rain and thunderstorms caused water levels in the capital to rise several feet above ground.
On the Gengyin day, the Emperor and Empress vacated the main palace hall, reduced their regular meals, and prayed for the welfare of all commoners. On the Xinmao day, criminal sentences nationwide were reduced by one degree, with those serving exile or lesser penalties released. Taxes were waived for flooded farmland in the capital region, eastern and western Jing, Heyang, Hebei, and the three circuits of Chengfu. All displaced persons were to receive relief wherever they resided. On the Dingyou day, the Emperor ordered a reduction in the annual tribute of brocade and damask from northern circuits, replacing satin and gauze with plain silk to cover frontier expenses.
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After days of torrential rain, the thick clouds at the horizon gradually thinned, finally allowing the sun a fleeting appearance.
Sunlight, precious as gold, spilled into the palace grounds, immediately lifting the spirits of all civil and military officials in the court.
As evening approached, three soft knocks echoed against the vermilion doors of the main hall of West China Palace.
Soon after, a palace maid hurried into the inner chamber with quick, light steps and addressed Meng Tinghui, who was in the process of removing her court attire: "Your Majesty, Imperial Academician Fang Huai of the Zishan Hall has personally brought the Crown Princess and the two young princes."
Meng Tinghui looked weary as she removed the headdress from her high chignon before the mirror, murmuring softly, "Please ask Academician Fang to return and rest. Have the Crown Princess and the princes wait in the outer hall."
The maid acknowledged quietly, hesitating briefly before retreating. Noting the slight displeasure in the Empress's reflection, she bowed her head, clasped her sleeves, and withdrew.
Nearly eight years had passed since the Emperor established her as Empress in the first month of the third year of Jingxuan. The Empress had borne one daughter and two sons: the eldest, Ruo Tao, now seven, had been designated heir apparent less than three days after her birth; the eldest prince Ruo Yun and second prince Ruo Ren were born in the fourth and seventh years of Jingxuan respectively, still mere children barely aware of the world.
In the autumn of the seventh year of Jingxuan, the Emperor appointed Imperial Academician Fang Huai as lecturer at the Zishan Hall to educate Crown Princess Ruo Tao. By spring of the eighth year, the eldest prince Ruo Yun had joined the hall for studies. At the beginning of the ninth month this year, the two-year-old second prince Ruo Ren had also been ordered to attend.
However, this year's disasters had brought continuous heavy rains since mid-September, flooding countless farmlands from the western circuits to the capital region. The Emperor and Empress had moved court assemblies to the side hall of the Hall of Preserved Harmony, ordering the entire palace to suspend regular meals and observe vegetarian diets to plead for heaven's mercy.
The female officials of the Imperial Catering Service, unable to bear seeing the royal children go hungry—especially pitying the newly-turned-three Prince Ruo Ren—had secretly served them regular meals. When this was discovered and reported to the Empress, it provoked her fury. Several catering officials were expelled from the palace, and the three royal children were ordered to suspend their lessons at Zishan Hall and attend her at West China Palace.
As the hall doors opened, the palace maid whispered briefly with the Junior Palace Attendant outside before turning to request Fang Huai's departure. She then bowed respectfully to allow the nursemaids to escort three impeccably dressed, handsome children into the hall.
Shortly after, Meng Tinghui emerged slowly from the inner chamber. Her brow furrowed slightly at the sight of the children before she turned to sit casually in the high chair reserved for ministers of the two central bureaus. Gathering her sleeves, she regarded them in silence.
"Mother Empress."
The girl closest to her knelt first, performing a formal bow with perfect propriety before lowering her head to await instruction.
A boy beside her promptly knelt as well, murmuring, "Mother Empress."
The youngest boy on the end—barely three years old—seeing his elder siblings' posture, clumsily knelt down himself and lisped, "Mother Empress."The wet nurse waiting at the corner of the hall couldn't bear it any longer and was about to overstep her position to speak when two palace maids pulled her back and escorted her away.
Meng Tinghui didn't permit the three children to rise, merely sitting there gazing at them calmly.
After a long while, Ruo Tao couldn't help lifting her head. Her delicate little face showed a trace of guilt as she parted her small red lips and said, "Mother Empress, we children know our wrongdoing. We beg for Mother Empress's punishment."
"What wrong have you committed?" Meng Tinghui looked at her.
Ruo Tao pressed her lips together and said with seriousness, "Several regions in the kingdom have been hit by heavy rains, leaving many common people displaced and homeless. Father Emperor and Mother Empress have abstained from the main hall and regular meals, reduced taxes, and comforted the refugees, keeping all living beings in mind—this is truly great benevolence and sageliness. Yet we children greedily ate meat the day before yesterday, disregarding Father Emperor and Mother Empress's decree for vegetarian meals in the palace, bringing shame upon the Imperial Family. We beg Mother Empress to punish us."
"We beg Mother Empress to punish us," Ruo Yun chimed in from the side.
Only Ruo Ren stared wide-eyed at his older siblings with a barely comprehending expression, his small body swaying unsteadily as he struggled to maintain his kneeling position.
Meng Tinghui relaxed her brows slightly and asked, "Did you think of these words yourself, or were you taught by someone else?"
Ruo Tao's face flushed slightly as she murmured, "I dare not deceive Mother Empress. Academician Fang taught us to say this on our way here."
Meng Tinghui's expression turned cold as she scolded, "Your Father Emperor has been worried about the disaster victims for over a month, too weary to eat properly. The Inner Court issued an edict ordering everyone in the palace to abstain from regular meals. As the crown successor, you showed disregard for the imperial decree and your father's commands by leading your two royal brothers to openly eat meat. If this matter spreads to the outer court, what will the officials and common people think of you? In a few years, you will enter the secretariat as crown successor to learn governance from the Chief Administrators. How can you still be so immature? Today Academician Fang taught you what to say—if he hadn't, would you truly not recognize your own wrongdoing?"
Ruo Tao felt wronged, kneeling in silence with tears welling in her large, dark eyes, stubbornly biting her lip to keep from crying.
Ruo Yun nearby grew anxious and rushed to say, "Mother Empress, please calm your anger. This matter truly isn't Elder Sister's fault—it was all my..."
The hall doors suddenly creaked open.
Sharp-eyed Ruo Ren spotted the newcomer and scrambled up from the floor without hesitation, darting toward the person like an arrow from a bow. His small body collided with the man's legs as he looked up with wide, urgent eyes and cried, "Father Emperor!"
Ying Gua scooped him up into his arms and strode inside, saying to the two children still kneeling on the ground, "Rise, both of you."
Ruo Yun hesitated briefly before standing and turning to say, "Father Emperor, this matter was entirely my fault. Please ask Mother Empress not to punish Elder Sister anymore!"
Ying Gua raised an eyebrow at this, glancing sideways at Meng Tinghui with understanding in his eyes, though he merely said, "What matter warrants such great anger?"
Meng Tinghui leaned against her chair back with slight resignation, knowing full well that some palace maid must have sent word to the Hall of Profound Thought, prompting his swift arrival to "rescue" the children. She stood up and said softly, "You indulge them too much." With that, she turned and retreated to the inner chambers.
Ruo Tao remained kneeling, whispering, "Father Emperor, I made Mother Empress angry."
He said quietly, "Rise." Then he set down Ruo Ren from his arms and said, "Take your two royal brothers to study and practice calligraphy now."Among these three children, it was their daughter whose temperament most resembled her own. From a young age, she was quiet and content with solitude. Though she had been designated heir since birth, she remained remarkably restrained and sensible, earning the affection of veteran ministers from both government bureaus at a tender age.
"Thank you, Father Emperor." Ruo Tao stood up, quietly took Ruo Ren's small hand, called for Ruo Yun, bowed to him once more, and then they all withdrew from the hall together.
He watched the children's figures fade beyond the vermilion gates before slowly turning and entering the inner chamber.
Before the tall bronze mirror, hair ornaments lay scattered across the table. She sat upright, folding delicate silk garments, and did not make a sound upon hearing his footsteps, keeping her eyes lowered.
Due to floods affecting several regions in the kingdom, he had previously reduced the annual tribute of brocades and fine silks from the north. The palace now mostly used plain silk fabrics. Since Shen Zhishu returned to the capital by decree in the third year of Jingxuan, Yan Fuzhi had entrusted her family's shops in Chao'an to her father's external household. Shortly after following Shen Zhishu to the capital, her exquisite clothing styles became highly sought after by noblewomen and young ladies of prestigious families. She subsequently opened a tailoring workshop specializing in garments for women from influential households. Even many of Meng Tinghui's palace supplies came from Yan Fuzhi.
Now that the palace had switched to plain silk, she naturally took the lead in wearing it, followed by officials' households throughout the capital region who dared not display luxurious fabrics. Yan Fuzhi further changed the materials used in her shop, contributing all saved funds to northern border expenses. This prompted merchants throughout the capital region and Heyang's southern and northern routes to donate substantial sums for disaster relief.
He noted her contributions to this matter, warmth spreading through his heart.
Over all these years, her heart had held him, his empire, and his people. She was his capable minister who understood the ruler's mind, his companion through life and death, his wife who shared both joy and hardship, and the mother of his three children.
To have her in this lifetime was heaven's blessing, and he desired nothing more.
He walked behind her, bent to press a kiss to her hairline, then moved his lips to her ear. "What's this? Surely you're not angry with me too?"
She snorted. "I wouldn't dare."
He laughed, playfully biting her delicate, sensitive earlobe. "I heard the Imperial Food Service acted improperly, coaxing Ruo Ren to eat some meat. Ruo Yun couldn't resist joining, and Ruo Tao merely failed to stop them. Was it worth scolding her so harshly?"
She sighed softly, glancing back at him. "If she were an ordinary princess, it wouldn't matter. But she happens to be your legitimate eldest daughter, and you insisted on making her heir regardless. Don't you realize how many eyes throughout the kingdom are watching her? If I don't discipline her within the Inner Court, what if some opportunist in the outer court uses it against her?"
Pushing his arm away with slight irritation, she added, "When I punish them, why must you always play the good guy? Making the children distant from me..."
Laughing, he pulled her up into his embrace. "Haven't you heard people say Ruo Yun and Ruo Ren take after you? Look at Ruo Ren's lively, unrestrained energy earlier—hardly like a three-year-old."
She struggled slightly in his arms, her body softening despite herself. Tossing the thin garment onto the table, she buried her face in his chest. "Why linger here? Don't you need to return to the Hall of Profound Thought?""The moment I see you, I don't want to leave." His voice, deep and slightly hoarse, hadn't changed over the years, effortlessly igniting the embers in her heart.
She let him carry her toward the bed, her ears growing warm as she murmured, "Seeing the clear sky today eased my mind somewhat, but then I heard about the children defying the decree—how could I ignore it?"
Though Ruo Tao, Ruo Yun, and Ruo Ren each had distinct personalities, they were all exquisitely lovely and adored by everyone in the inner palace. Even Fang Huai, the lecturer at the Zishan Hall, often praised the three children for their remarkable intelligence. Yet today, they had deliberately opposed her, the Empress, even coaxing the usually reticent Ruo Tao to speak those words.
He drew the bed curtains and laid her down. "I know you dote most on Ruo Tao, fearing her path ahead may be difficult. That she's grown so well-behaved is entirely thanks to your years of nurturing."
She wrinkled her nose slightly. "Her temperament is exactly like yours used to be—keeping everything buried deep inside, unwilling to utter an extra word. The burden of this realm is immense. Though I scold and punish her, my heart aches for her."
He turned his head to look at her. "Those born into the Imperial Family share this fate."
She suddenly lifted her face, holding him tighter, her voice softening. "That's why my heart aches for you too."
As night deepened, the air seemed to shimmer with fine golden dust, illuminating his handsome features. Every raised eyebrow and subtle smile captivated her, making her lose herself in his gaze.
How many years had it been?
From their first meeting in Chongzhou Prefecture in the spring of the 24th year of Qiande, to this autumn night in the imperial city in the 10th year of Jingxuan—exactly twelve years.
Or perhaps from that rainy night in the 14th year of Qiande, or even from the night she was born in the 6th year of Qiande, her life had been destined to be his.
In the darkness, he suddenly asked, "Did you handle Xiang Deqian's funeral affairs today?"
She remained silent for a long time before nodding.
Her soft hair brushed against his arm draped behind her neck, like fine seaweed suddenly stirring old memories between them.
In early Jingxuan Year 3, when the Northern Frontier suffered a major defeat, Di Nian captured their emperor Xiang Deqian and the royal clan, bringing them to the capital. The Xiang family were enfeoffed as dukes and marquises, granted residences in the capital, and had lived quietly all these years.
She had always wondered but never asked: Had he spared the Northern Frontier royal clan back then because he considered her feelings, fearing it might evoke her childhood memories?
But after giving birth to their daughter and seeing her designated as heir, she stopped pondering this question. Instead, she herself developed protective ferocity.
Whenever she saw her daughter's delightful smile and tiny form, she couldn't help but wonder: After she and he passed on, what hardships might their daughter face in this world? How would those small shoulders bear the weight of family and state? Would there still be anyone to protect, help, and love her?
To ensure their daughter's smooth path to the throne, she wouldn't hesitate to eliminate the entire Northern Frontier royal lineage.
But since he never expressed such thoughts, she had never brought it up.But now she could finally understand that everything back then had nothing to do with individuals or principles—it was merely a ruler's scheme to ensure his descendants would never have to endure the hardships he once suffered.
She couldn't spend her entire life hating her father, just as she could never truly trust the Xiang royal clan of the Northern Frontier.
Over the past seven years, members of the Xiang clan had gradually passed away from old age or illness. Now that Xiang Deqian had also died abruptly from illness half a month ago, she finally felt somewhat relieved.
Yet how could she voice these thoughts to him?
"Since the flood has receded," his deep voice sounded again, "why not find time to bring Ruo Tao, Ruo Yun, and Ruo Ren to the western capital to pay respects to Her Majesty and His Highness?"
Her cheek pressed against his left chest, she listened to his heartbeat while softly responding with an "Mm."
He truly understood her.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have chosen this moment to discuss this matter.
He had waited seven years for her—perhaps he had originally intended to wait even longer, until she could truly let go—though this letting go wasn't about ceasing to hate, but rather her choice not to dwell in hatred.
The past could never be changed or undone. The only thing she could do was forget the wounds and resentment in her heart, hold tightly to the beloved ones in her life, and live well for those she loved, for all her days.
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