He swept his sleeve and made a bow, respectfully accepting the booklet but not opening it, then set it aside with equal reverence. His expression was calm, his tone composed as he addressed the Emperor as "Imperial Brother" and gestured for him to sit.
The two brothers sat across from each other with an incense table between them. The Emperor studied him, hesitating to speak, wondering inwardly, "What's going on? Did something happen during his trip north?"
He glanced up at the Emperor's face but quickly lowered his eyes again, shaking his head and then nodding, leaving the Emperor utterly perplexed.
"You used to be so straightforward—why so hesitant now? What does this shaking and nodding mean?"
He chuckled himself. "I must be ill and confused, making you puzzled too—my apologies. This morning, I spoke with the Sixth Prince and heard he's to be assigned a Princess Consort?"
The Emperor leaned back against the wattle fence, stretching his limbs as he laughed heartily. "That's right. Blame his own lack of progress—his studies are poor, and when his mother scolded him a couple of times, he bared his teeth at her. She was so angry she said to just kick him out and find him a wife to discipline him. Hence the talk of an arranged marriage. Otherwise, he's still too young—what does a thirteen-year-old know about responsibility and duty? Giving him a Princess Consort would be like children playing house. If they end up quarreling every day and coming to the palace to complain, the thought alone gives me a headache. As for you all, you're of age now. Being busy with duties was an excuse before, but not anymore. The pressure from Changchun Garden is mounting—orders came this spring to make proper selections and ensure all assignments are complete. The old master wants to see you all paired up." With that, he stood and walked over to the fish tank, observing the two koi. Pinching some food between his fingers, he tossed it in and watched the fish surface to nibble before continuing softly, "You know the Thirteenth Prince's temper—stubborn as a bull calf. The moment arranged marriage was mentioned, he rebelled, insisting on choosing for himself. None of the daughters from civil or military officials' households suited him, so he begged his father not to constrain him—he wanted to look outside. Of course, the old master wouldn’t hear of it, saying, 'What if you bring home a fool? The Imperial Genealogy would become a joke!' So father and son locked horns, and the old master was so angry he didn’t eat for two days."
Hongce was somewhat surprised. "Not eating or drinking for two days—that can't be good for his health."
The Emperor waved a hand. "He had snacks—he wasn’t starving. It was just a stance to pressure the Thirteenth into submission."
"And what did Hongxun say?"
"Absolutely refused." The Emperor sighed. "He said if the old master had someone in mind, he should just bring her into Changchun Garden himself and leave him out of it. It’s like he’s being forced into a corner. Now it’s up to you."
Hongce’s lips curled slightly. Only someone with nothing to lose would dare oppose so openly. Since childhood, he had a mother but no father’s love—an arranged marriage would be considered a favor. Surely everyone expected him not to refuse?
His fingers slowly traced the tassel of his prayer beads, his expression devoid of amusement as he said simply, "I’m afraid I must disappoint Your Majesty. I had planned to submit a memorial in a couple of days, but since the matter has been raised, I might as well speak plainly now. I’ve met a woman I love and wish to spend my life with her. This time, I cannot accept the arranged marriage—first, because I don’t want to betray her, and second, because these young ladies are their parents’ treasures. To come here only to occupy a hollow title, treated like outsiders—it would be miserable for everyone. Why put anyone through that?"He spoke directly, and the Emperor understood clearly. A man of stature standing firm between heaven and earth might find his pride entirely diminished when faced with matters of the heart—there was no shame in that. As someone who had been through it himself, he could grasp Twelfth Master’s feelings. After all, he and the Empress had once weathered their own storms, so whenever the topic of mutual affection arose, he always adopted an attitude of willing support.
“If that’s the case, then it’s fine. The girl’s background is secondary—as long as her character and appearance are acceptable, let the Empress take a look. If it’s suitable, then settle it!” He then asked, “Whose daughter is she? From the capital or elsewhere?” After a moment’s thought, he added, “How old is she this year? What’s her zodiac sign? Compatibility is important—a couple shouldn’t clash or conflict. A woman who brings prosperity to her husband ensures his smooth sailing in the outside world. Don’t say I’m superstitious about these things, but when you think about it carefully, there’s some truth to it.”
Needless to say, this theory of his came straight from the Empress. The Emperor had initially been a pragmatist, believing in forging his path with sheer strength, and had little patience for such intangible notions. But he couldn’t resist someone whispering in his ear day after day. Women loved studying fate and divination—casting hexagrams, arranging yarrow stalks, splitting and combining fifty-some stems. Sometimes he’d stand by and watch, though he never grasped the intricacies. All he knew was that his Empress enjoyed playing with these things. In any case, she managed the inner palace flawlessly, proving herself a capable partner. This virtuous Empress claimed that their harmonious marriage was due to their compatible zodiac signs, so he took her word for it and now parroted the same advice to his brother.
Hongce pondered each question carefully. It wasn’t that he couldn’t answer—he just found it difficult to speak up. Dingyi had presented him with a dilemma. Everything else was manageable, but her absence was the hardest obstacle to overcome.
After a moment’s hesitation, he pursed his lips and said, “She’s eighteen this year, born in the Year of the Goat, and from the capital. She comes from an official’s family, though it’s fallen into decline. She’s endured over a decade of hardship on her own. In all my travels, I’ve never met a girl like her—no matter how great the adversity, she never complains. She’s optimistic, open-minded, and capable, far beyond what those pampered young ladies could ever be.”
The Emperor found the description oddly familiar—it was practically a mirror image of the late Empress. He had always admired capable women. Back when the Empress had served as a governess, she was well-versed in both scholarly pursuits like insect fighting and martial skills like falconry. She had even helped arrange the funeral when the late Empress’s father passed away. A woman who was neither fussy nor pretentious had a certain charm that struck straight to his heart. After all, they were brothers by blood, even if not by the same mother. He thought Hongce had excellent taste—and what better model to follow than the Emperor himself? It would save him so much trouble. Truly, he was fortunate.
A faint smile touched the Emperor’s lips. “She sounds like a fine girl. You say she’s capable—what exactly can she do?”
Thinking of her skills, pride shimmered in his eyes as he listed them one by one. “She can work as a horn player, performing at weddings and funerals. She can push a wheelbarrow to transport grain, train birds, climb trees to pick mulberries… And even bolder—she apprenticed under a headsman, holding the blade, cleaning execution grounds, covering bloodstains, and moving corpses. There’s nothing she can’t do.”The Emperor was dumbfounded. He had thought the Empress was already quite extraordinary, but he never imagined Twelfth Master's tastes would be so peculiar. Then again, something didn’t add up. "So her background isn’t just slightly lacking—it’s downright poor. Where on earth did you find such a person? How could she even apprentice as a headsman? The laws of Great Britain cannot be defiled. If a woman got involved, were the officials all dead?"
Indeed, outsiders would find this hard to accept. Seeing the Emperor about to lose his temper, Hongce quickly smoothed things over: "Your Majesty, with your profound understanding of the world, you know there are those who suffer far beyond our imagination. Born into the imperial family, we’ve known nothing but luxury. But she—after her family fell into ruin, her relatives saw her as a burden. Not a single soul was willing to take her in. She grew up without parents, raised by a wet nurse. The wet nurse had brothers, sisters-in-law, and a husband, and fearing it would be inconvenient, dressed her as a boy and raised her as one. Since she bore the name of a boy, she naturally did men’s work. Unwilling as she was, she had to survive. She did nothing wrong. I’m being honest with you today because I rely on you, Second Brother. I... have no other choice." He lowered his head, his voice choking slightly at the painful memory. "I want to treat her well, to let her live comfortably from now on. I won’t marry anyone else—if I’m to take a Princess Consort, it can only be her. If not for the urgency of the arranged marriage, I would still have petitioned you to grant her to me as my Princess Consort. We would be eternally grateful for Your Majesty’s kindness."
This was impossible—utterly preposterous! No matter how understanding the Emperor was, he could never allow someone so lowly to taint the imperial bloodline. True, he had once said he wouldn’t inquire about origins, but his minimum requirement was a clean background. Poverty wasn’t an issue—a Prince didn’t need his Princess Consort’s dowry to get by. Even if her father was a minor sixth or seventh-rank official, it wouldn’t matter, as long as they were a respectable family. But what was Twelfth Master proposing now? A girl raised among men—how could she possibly be decent? Exposed to the vulgarities of the streets, who knew what bad habits she’d picked up? The harder life was, the more cunning one became—saying one thing to your face and another behind your back. If he couldn’t see through her now, he’d only be inviting chaos into his household later.
His expression turned cold. "A marriage between two families isn’t just about you. They say heroes aren’t judged by their origins, but you’re taking it too far. Marrying a headsman—what would become of the imperial dignity? How would you explain this to our late father or to Noble Consort?"
Hongce remained steadfast. "I beg Second Brother to grant me this. I never intended to hide it from you. Otherwise, I could have easily fabricated a noble identity for her—there are plenty of high-ranking officials who’d be willing to claim her."
"So you’re putting me in a difficult position?" The Emperor’s voice rose slightly, startling the eunuchs and maids standing in attendance into silence.
Hongce could only sigh. Honestly, if she were by his side now, he wouldn’t have had to confess all this to the Emperor. Arranging for her to be recognized by a wealthy family would have made the marriage smooth sailing. But now? A noble lady raised in seclusion suddenly going missing—it made no sense. There was no other way but to confess the truth, at least partially.
Just as he was about to explain further, someone entered through the door—a woman in a dark blue qipao embroidered with golden phoenix trim, a string of tourmaline beads hanging from the right button of her chest. In her thirties, having borne two sons, her face still showed no signs of aging. Her features were dignified and delicate, like those of a young maiden.
Hongce composed himself and bowed deeply. "Greetings to Her Majesty the Empress."The Empress smiled warmly and said, "Has the Twelfth Master returned? You must be tired from your duties outside. I've prepared some refreshments for you and His Majesty." With that, she turned to assist the Emperor. "I heard your raised voices from outside. Between brothers, what words couldn’t be spoken calmly? Why get so worked up?"
The Emperor glanced at her, thinking to himself, You’ve been eavesdropping in the side chamber for a while now and only came in with tea and snacks because you couldn’t hold back. Do you really think no one noticed? Unwilling to expose her, he motioned toward Hongce. "Ask him."
Hongce looked awkward. After all, she was his sister-in-law, and some things weren’t easy to discuss.
The Empress waited, but neither of the brothers spoke. This couldn’t go on. She turned to pour tea, holding a tray as she said, "Actually, the wind outside was strong just now, and it carried some voices my way... Was it about the Twelfth Master’s betrothal?"
Hongce accepted the teacup from the Empress with a bow of gratitude and murmured an affirmative.
She poured another cup for the Emperor and mused aloud, "I’ve seen those twenty selected maidens too. I don’t know if it’s because they’re newly arrived and restrained, or if every family hired the same tutor—without looking at their faces, their manners and speech were indistinguishable. Is this how we raise daughters in Great Britain nowadays? It’s not so profound—just ‘move without frivolity, laugh without showing teeth.’ The young ladies from noble families all seem cast from the same mold, rather dull. The girl the Twelfth Master mentioned... what was her name again?"
Hongce replied, "Dingyi. Her name is Dingyi."
"See? What a lovely name. It sounds like she’s faced hardship—otherwise, she might have been named ‘Spring Orchid’ or ‘Autumn Chrysanthemum.’ Girls who’ve suffered are endearing. They understand life’s struggles and strive harder than anyone. Once married, they cherish their blessings more than most." The Empress wore a gentle smile as she asked the Emperor unhurriedly, "Don’t you trust the Twelfth Master’s judgment? Which of the many cases he’s handled has ever given you cause for concern? He’s twenty-four, not a child—can’t he tell good from bad? We haven’t even met her, yet we speculate behind her back. Why assume the worst? They’ve spent a long time together. It’s easy to pretend for a moment, but maintaining a façade for months or years takes effort. You don’t need grand tests to judge someone’s character—just observe the small things. Sometimes a single glance or expression tells you everything." She sat beneath the latticed window, where a few bamboo stalks grew in the corner, their leaves stretching inside. Plucking one, she twirled it in her fingers and sighed. "It’s so hard for a young girl, especially in such a role. If it were me, I’d be terrified. She even has to handle corpses—most men would balk at that, let alone a woman. She’s already wronged, yet she’s misunderstood and accused. Isn’t that adding insult to injury? Your Majesty is a wise and benevolent ruler—you wouldn’t do such a thing, would you?"
The Emperor was left speechless. He knew she meant well, but this concerned the imperial family’s dignity. He might compromise, but there were elders above him—wouldn’t their reprimands be troublesome?
He nodded repeatedly. "Let people point fingers and say, ‘The Princess Consort of Prince Chun once disguised herself as a man, running around the alleys in public. Ask anyone in the capital—it’s a laughingstock.’ Is that preferable? With so many women in the world, must it be her?"When the matter doesn't concern oneself, it's easy to advise others to let go and move on—but how simple is that really? When you've set your heart on someone, can you just cast them aside with a few words? The Empress felt the Emperor had long forgotten about matters of the heart, having lost touch with how he himself had once clashed fiercely with the Empress Dowager over such things.
Drawing out her words, she said, "Do not impose on others what you yourself do not desire..." She glanced at Hongce. Though he didn't argue, the sorrow and determination in his eyes were unmistakable. The Yuwen men had this one redeeming trait—they could be unfaithful in uniquely creative ways, yet when truly devoted, their loyalty was unshakable. Starting from the founding Emperor, once they met the right person, they'd plunge headfirst into a dead end and refuse to turn back. Those who found happiness were fortunate; those who didn't would rather die, carrying an air of solitary desolation. Knowing this flaw in their nature, one ought to tread carefully. The Empress, kind-hearted, always believed in making things easier for others—why not? Marriage had no fixed standard; as long as the person was right, family background was secondary. So she advised the Emperor, "Don't dismiss her outright—meet her first! If Your Majesty is too busy, I have time. Meeting sisters-in-law is my favorite pastime—leave it to me."
The Emperor shot her a sidelong glance. After much deliberation, he saw no way out. Though his eloquence matched the Empress's, it wouldn't do for husband and wife to fall out over someone else's affairs. Relenting, he patted his knee and said, "Did her father hold any official post? What rank did her ancestors hold? Fine, we'll do as the Empress suggests. Bring her in for a look. If she's suitable, let her stay in the palace for some polish—it'll make arranging a marriage easier later."
Hongce had his own calculations. Dingyi's true identity couldn't be revealed yet—doing so might make the Emperor suspect bias in his handling of Wen Lu's case. If his authority were stripped, how could he uncover the mastermind behind the scenes? Still, he was deeply grateful to the Emperor and Empress. Rising, he bowed deeply. "Thank you, Elder Brother, for your leniency. The Empress's kindness is engraved in my heart... But she isn't here now and cannot come to pay her respects. I only wish to secure a position for her, to give her a home. When she returns, she needn't wander anymore."
So after all that, the person in question wasn't even present! The Emperor, already displeased, frowned again and pointed at the Twelfth Master, exclaiming to the Empress, "Look at this absurd fellow! Since when have the noble titles of our Great Britain become so cheap—handed out just to be kept on hold for someone? I've never heard of such a thing in eight hundred years! There's no reasoning with him—save your breath. Just pick someone from this batch and draft the decree. If we wait for him to make up his mind, dawn will break first!"
The Empress, however, saw it differently. With a touch of melancholy, she said, "I suspect it's like this: she didn't want to trouble you, knowing her humble origins made her unworthy. Yet she couldn't bear to see you marry another, so she chose to leave rather than hinder your future. Isn't that so? Ah, women are truly pitiful—for the sake of their beloved, they'll endure any hardship. Such a fine girl is rare as a lantern in broad daylight."
The Emperor had heard enough. No matter how the Empress romanticized it, this was absolutely unacceptable. Unwilling to listen to their duet any longer, he snorted and stormed off in a huff.
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