Is being an Empress difficult?
Chu Zhao was actually qualified to answer this question, since this was her second time being Empress.
"Easy ones aren't necessarily good."
In her previous life, it had been easy. She didn't need to do anything, just focused on pleasing the Emperor. It was easy to be Empress, and easy to die too.
"Difficult ones—though we don't know the outcome yet—"
Chu Zhao smiled at Xie Yanfang.
"So far, it feels pretty good."
Looking at the girl's bright smiling face, Xie Yanfang smiled back: "Since I've known Your Majesty, you've never changed. You've always been as steadfast as a rock."
Chu Zhao laughed heartily: "Really?"
Xie Yanfang nodded: "Of course. From when I first met Miss Azhao until now, Miss Azhao has overcome every difficulty and achieved every wish."
Thinking about it, Chu Zhao realized he was right. When the Third Prince challenged her, she took on the challenge and successfully organized the Chu Garden Literary Gathering. When her return to the Border Commandery was blocked midway, she still managed to get there in the end and bid her father farewell on his final journey. She prevented Xiao Xun and his son from usurping the throne, and became Empress once again. Although Liang Qiang received honors for his bravery as in her previous life, he wouldn't gain Zhong Changrong's trust and couldn't take control of the Border Army.
She really did get everything she wanted.
"Yan Lai said it," she laughed. "I won't always be unlucky."
Now he was the one speaking, but she was thinking of Xie Yanlai? Xie Yanfang smiled again and added: "This time I believe Miss Azhao will still get her wish. And please don't blame me for not helping."
Helping? Chu Zhao looked at him with a faint smile. Although she hadn't expected anyone's assistance, when the court officials remained silent in opposition, she had thought Xie Yanfang would speak up. Or if he didn't speak himself, he could have had officials friendly with the Xie family speak, which would have helped save face for her.
Yet the entire court remained silent.
"I can actually understand," Chu Zhao said, nodding. "If Lord Xie helped me, the Grand Tutor would certainly scold you. Moreover, I am indeed interfering in state affairs now. I know this displeases court officials."
She looked at Xie Yanfang.
Xie Yanfang was also a court official.
And an Imperial Relative.
The Empress could also be considered an Imperial Relative. Being Imperial Relatives themselves, the Crown Prince's maternal uncle and Xiao Yu's maternal uncle hadn't gotten along well back then.
She didn't think that just because Deng Yi disliked her interference in state affairs, Xie Yanfang would like it.
Empresses interfering in politics had always been a major taboo in court. There were even emperors who, to prevent imperial consorts from interfering in state affairs, gave them poisoned wine to accompany them in death before they died.
How could Xie Yanfang not understand the meaning behind the girl's words? Saying "I can actually understand" was actually blaming him.
"The Grand Tutor has been scolding me anyway. Helping the Empress would just mean getting scolded a few more times," Xie Yanfang said with a laugh. "To me, it's inconsequential."
Chu Zhao made a noncommittal sound, seeming both thoughtful and distracted, as she reached out toward Xiao Man.
Xiao Man, who had been standing by her side all along, pulled a long face and reluctantly wiped her hands with the towel she was holding: "Can't you stop eating while you're busy?"
Chu Zhao laughed: "Oh dear! I'm too busy and hungry, so I have to eat while working. Sorry to trouble you, Xiao Man."
Xiao Man snorted and turned her head away.
Xie Yanfang knew this was Chu Zhao's ever-present bodyguard, probably given to her by Chu Ling. After the Prince Zhongshan incident, he also knew that besides the official Dragon Guard Army personnel, the servants in the Chu residence were also people Chu Ling had discreetly prepared in advance.Chu Zhao wiped her hands before taking up Xie Yanfang's words. She nodded and said, "I feel the same. The Grand Tutor's coldness toward me, the court officials' silent resistance—none of it matters to me. When undertaking unprecedented endeavors, these are inevitable costs."
She had achieved her current position at the cost of dying once—what did a little neglect or cursing matter compared to that?
"That's why I said Miss Azhao is steadfast as a rock," Xie Yanfang said with a laugh. "She neither grieves when others dislike her nor rages when they refuse to assist."
This "others" clearly referred to himself.
The girl had expressed mild reproach over his lack of assistance, yet she bore no resentment because of it.
Chu Zhao also smiled and lifted her cup to drink tea.
"My refusal to aid Your Majesty is for your own good," Xie Yanfang said.
Chu Zhao choked on her tea with a sudden laugh.
Xie Yanfang made a sound of protest and raised his eyebrows. "This isn't empty flattery to please you."
Chu Zhao laughed heartily, the earlier reproach and slightly strained atmosphere dissipating with her laughter. Then she composed herself, straightened up, and set down her teacup. "Please continue, Vice Censor Xie."
Xie Yanfang also straightened his expression. "If I spoke in Your Majesty's support, you would naturally navigate the court with ease—even the Grand Tutor couldn't suppress you. But in that case, the Empress would no longer be the Empress. Instead, she would become—"
He pointed at himself.
"—Xie Yanfang's appendage, or like me, one of the Imperial Relatives."
"In that scenario, everything you've achieved through your own courage in the court's eyes—be it the late Emperor's entrustment, repelling the Xiliang soldiers, or forcing Prince Zhongshan's retreat—would no longer belong to you. They would become my subordinate."
Chu Zhao looked at him, seeming both surprised and puzzled, but she asked nothing and merely smiled faintly.
Xie Yanfang paid no mind to the change in the girl's expression and continued speaking.
"If I remain silent and you overcome this through your own efforts, conquering the court officials, then the Empress, myself, and the Grand Tutor—"
He pointed at himself, then at Chu Zhao.
"—we each remain our own masters. No one is subordinate to another."
"Miss Azhao will become an Empress who has earned the right to participate in governance and political discourse through her own merits."
Chu Zhao gazed at the young noble before her, wanting to speak but finding herself at a loss for words.
"Truthfully, I never imagined I could achieve this much myself," she said softly. "Yet the Third Young Master has envisioned it for me."
Then she grew curious.
"Why doesn't the Third Young Master want to make me your subordinate? This is a perfect opportunity. I'm determined to participate in governance, to speak in court, to no longer be an Empress hidden behind a screen. To achieve this goal, at least for now, I don't mind being seen as aligned with the Xie family."
Nor did she believe Xie Yanfang was a loyal minister devoted to his sovereign—in her previous life, he had been capable of rebellion.
She had witnessed firsthand how powerful ministers like Deng Yi treated Xiao Xun.
She had always kept a respectful distance from Xie Yanfang, but now she found him somewhat strange and somewhat... amusing.
Hadn't he always sought to stand above all others? Why was he lowering his gaze for her?
Xie Yanfang looked at the girl and said with a smile, "As I said before, everything Miss Azhao obtains is what you've earned through your own efforts. Miss Azhao deserves to be such an Empress, and I look forward even more to seeing you become that version of yourself."
Chu Zhao looked at him, wanting to speak but not knowing what to say."And one more thing." Xie Yanfang leaned in slightly again, lowering his voice. "I have too many followers already. Having more just becomes dull."
Chu Zhao was momentarily stunned, then burst into laughter.
Xie Yanfang leisurely straightened up and poured himself some tea.
"Actually," Chu Zhao thought for a moment, resting her hand on the table as she leaned closer and whispered, "I'm not entirely confident either. What if I can't withstand it no matter what? What if they simply refuse to submit?"
Xie Yanfang held his teacup and glanced at her—this was the first time the girl had willingly drawn near to him.
He pointed at himself. "At such times, Your Majesty can think: there's still Minister Xie."
Before the girl could ask, he gave a proud smile.
"Although I won't assist you, as long as I'm here, no matter how much you stir up trouble, your position as Empress remains secure."
"So—"
Chu Zhao picked up the thread here, her eyes curving into smiles. "So I'll just endure it, then. Let's see who outlasts whom. After all, as long as I'm sitting here, no one can drive me away."
Xie Yanfang nodded arrogantly. "Exactly." He drained his tea in one gulp, stood up, and chuckled lightly. "However, it probably won't take too long to endure."
Chu Zhao looked at him and asked, "Really?"
Xie Yanfang smiled. "As I said before, Miss Azhao is as steadfast as a rock. You rescued Little Highness by the late Emperor's decree, fought Western Liang, and repelled Prince Zhongshan. Someone like Miss Azhao is worthy of being liked by many."
......
......
When A Le brought in tea and snacks, she saw that Xie Yanfang had already left, with only Chu Zhao sitting at the desk.
But Chu Zhao wasn't focused on reading memorials as before. Instead, she was holding a brush, lost in thought. When she saw A Le approach, she didn't rush to eat but urged her to fetch a mirror.
"There's no ink stain on your face," A Le said, holding the mirror for Chu Zhao to see while carefully examining her face.
The young lady's face was clean, rosy, tender, and utterly adorable.
Chu Zhao smiled at her reflection in the mirror. "A Le, am I very likable?"
A Le widened her eyes. "Of course! Who wouldn't like you, young lady!"
Xiao Man snorted and turned away.
"Sister Xiao Man likes you in her heart but is too shy to say it out loud," A Le said with a laugh.
Xiao Man turned back to glare at her.
A Le giggled and asked Chu Zhao again, "Young lady, why are you asking this? It's not even a question worth asking. Did Minister Xie say something bad about you?"
She snorted as well.
She still held a grudge—Xie Yanfang had taken advantage of the young lady's absence to expose the Grand Tutor and Xiao Xun's plot to harm the Emperor in the capital, tarnishing the young lady's reputation.
Chu Zhao smiled at her. "No, he praised me highly."
A Le said "Oh," then snorted again. "We don't need his praise."
Yes, she still didn't care about others' praise or hatred. But—Chu Zhao looked at her reflection in the mirror and smiled faintly—it was somewhat... quite delightful to be praised so by Xie Lang, to have him cheer for her so fervently, to see her as capable of anything.
"Minister Xie said," Chu Zhao put the mirror down, "that I would receive a response very soon."
A Le quickly added, "I think so too."
Chu Zhao laughed heartily. "Good, I look forward to your auspicious words coming true."
Indeed, they didn't have to wait long.
Just one month later, during a court session filled with the rumble of muffled thunder, even closing the palace doors couldn't block out the sound. This forced every official to speak loudly, making the hall even noisier.When the Ministry of Justice mentioned the name of a criminal awaiting judgment—this was actually nothing unusual, as the case had already undergone several rounds of interrogation. It was merely a routine inquiry before finalization.
But when the name was announced, the Empress spoke again.
"This person," she said, "why has the death penalty been decided?"
The voices in the hall immediately ceased, leaving only the rumble of thunder echoing.
In truth, no one had clearly heard what the Empress said. By now, her speaking had become routine, and the appropriate response was simply to fall silent.
"I have reviewed this case file. The accused, Zheng Xia, a subordinate official in Jingzhou's Zhongzheng bureau, is alleged to have accepted bribes and sold examination questions for determining official rankings. However, based on the evidence, it cannot be proven that he was the one who sold the questions."
The Empress's voice questioned once more.
The hall remained silent.
After another moment of silence, the Empress tactfully fell quiet, and then the Grand Tutor would move on to the next agenda item.
As expected, the Empress said nothing more. The officials stood with their hands hanging, and those with idle minds even counted silently in their sleeves—one, two, three—
"Your Majesty, the Empress, is discerning—"
An official's voice rang out.
The officials present breathed a sigh of relief, but the next moment, they jolted in alarm. This was not something the Grand Tutor would say.
No, this wasn’t the Grand Tutor speaking!
The silent court stirred with unrest as everyone searched for the source of the voice, their gazes turning toward the back of the assembly.
An official was stepping forward. He seemed both nervous and agitated, while four or five officials beside him tried to pull him back.
"Official Zhu, you must not," they whispered urgently.
But when all eyes converged on them, they retreated as if struck by lightning.
The official suddenly stood alone, starkly conspicuous.
Amidst the muffled thunder, the official raised his head and faced countless stares. Accustomed to standing in the rear, he was now confronted with so many gazes for the first time, momentarily dizzy—especially when he met the Grand Tutor Deng Yi’s stern face and chilling eyes.
But then he saw another pair of eyes—the girl behind the Dragon Throne, her eyes shining like stars, outshining all the surrounding gazes.
"Hanlin Academician, Zhu Yong," the female voice called his name. "What do you have to say?"
The Empress actually knew his name. The official was taken aback, staring at the girl seated high above. He abruptly took another step forward, bowed deeply, and kowtowed.
"Your subject, Zhu Yong, believes there is injustice in the case of Zheng Xia, accused of bribery and fraud in the Jingzhou Zhongzheng assessment."
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