When Chi Wan arrived at the Grand Madam’s courtyard, she found it solemn and dignified, one of the few places in the earldom that still retained the air of a century-old noble house.
As soon as she entered the courtyard, an old woman approached her. “Fuma, the Grand Madam fainted from excessive grief and has not yet awoken. Please wait here.”
In this freezing weather, she was expected to stand and wait in the courtyard?
Chi Wan asked directly, “Do you mean for me to stand here and wait?”
There were plenty of places to sit and have tea in the courtyard, yet they hadn’t even prepared a spot for her.
“Yes, Fuma. Please wait here for the Grand Madam to awaken.”
Heh, what a show of force.
Chi Wan’s tone turned icy. “If the Grand Madam has fainted, a physician should be summoned. If a physician is of no use, I can have someone fetch an imperial physician.”
Having spent so much time with Yu Jiuzhou, she had learned to project a cold aura, picking up at least seventy or eighty percent of the skill.
“Fuma, the physician said the Grand Madam is not in any serious danger. She simply needs more rest and must not be agitated.” The old retainer looked guilty, but her words remained firm.
Many old retainers in noble households were practically half-masters, but that was only because their masters afforded them some respect. In the end, they were still servants.
This old woman had someone backing her, so Chi Wan wouldn’t make things difficult for her.
Besides, they had summoned her, but upon her arrival, they made an excuse not to see her. It was a clear attempt to make her stand punishment in the freezing courtyard.
In such cold weather, an ordinary person standing here for too long would easily catch a cold and develop a fever.
A common cold was a high-risk illness in ancient times. Wasn’t their intention obvious?
Chi Wan snorted. “One moment you say she’s unconscious, the next you say she’s fine. What is the real situation? If you won’t tell me, I’ll call for an imperial physician.”
Calling an imperial physician would expose the whole charade, and the old retainer didn’t dare risk it.
With a single move from the family’s second young lady, the Marquis was dead, the heir was ruined, and the Marquisate of Huai’an had become the Earldom of Huai’an. The one in charge of the earldom was now that illegitimate daughter everyone used to look down upon.
The old retainer had given Chi Qing plenty of grief in the past. Ever since Chi Qing became the Earl of Huai’an, she had worried day and night that Chi Qing would remember their past mistreatment and come to settle scores.
After several days of waiting, all that came was the news of the Marquis’s death.
The servants in the residence had all heard the rumors: the earldom’s drastic change was all due to the second young lady’s words to His Majesty.
To servants like them, a single word from their master could determine their life or death, let alone from His Majesty, who was a figure of legend.
Normally, no one in the earldom dared to discuss His Majesty. When the Marquis was alive, he spoke of the Emperor to the Grand Madam with the utmost caution, as if His Majesty’s eyes and ears were right beside them, even when there were no outsiders present.
As a result, Chi Wan, who could kill a marquis with a word, cause a great upheaval in the residence, and speak directly to His Majesty, was feared by nearly everyone.
After all, the lives of servants like them were worth no more than a single sentence from someone like her.
Hearing Chi Wan’s snort, the old retainer bowed even lower. “Fuma, this servant would never dare to deceive you.”
“Then tell me, when will the Grand Madam wake up?”
Chi Wan wanted a definite answer, but the old retainer just stammered, unable to give one.
They were clearly trying to make things difficult for her. They really thought too highly of themselves. The Grand Madam was already in her fifties or sixties; at such an age, she was still scheming and plotting. She must have too much time on her hands.
Chi Wan turned to leave. “I am in a hurry to see His Majesty today. If you delay me and His Majesty holds it against me, I will report the truth.”
Since Yu Jiuzhou had sent someone to summon her, she definitely had to see the Emperor today. It was a good opportunity to report on last night’s achievements.
Just as she stepped out of the courtyard, she heard an angry voice from behind. “Stop! You are utterly insolent! You have brought this family to ruin, demoting a marquisate to an earldom. Will you have the face to meet the ancestors of the Chi family in the afterlife? Unfilial and rebellious, you schemed to force your own father to his death. Chi Wan, your crimes are unforgivable! Had I known, I would have drowned you at birth.”
Chi Wan turned back to see the Grand Madam standing at the doorway and suddenly smiled. “Does the Grand Madam dare to say these words to His Majesty, to all the people under Heaven?”
“If the Grand Madam had known, she should have controlled her own son and grandson. They were corrupt, seized commoners’ land, and drove people to their deaths. Are those people not human? Did they deserve to be driven to their deaths by your son and grandson?”
“Grand Madam, as they say, Heaven is watching, and the gods are three feet above our heads. You worship Buddha daily, and Buddhism preaches compassion. If you truly believed, you would have stopped them from their evil deeds. Do you not realize that their fate today is nothing but retribution?”
How laughable. Her own son and grandson committed evil, and now that they faced the law, she wanted to blame someone else.
If Chi Mingwu and Chi Xu hadn’t broken the law, how could they have ended up in such a state?
“Insolence! Insolence!” The Grand Madam was furious. “Even so, as his own daughter, you should not have presented the evidence before the throne! The century-old reputation of the marquisate has been destroyed by you.”
Reputation? After committing so many evil deeds, she could still speak of reputation.
Ha!
“Grand Madam!”
“I am a subject of Great Zhou and the magistrate of Qingyuan County. It was already a failing on my part that I could not bring him to justice myself. Would you have me deceive His Majesty as well?”
“Furthermore, I believe the Grand Madam is mistaken. I am the biological daughter of Chi Mingwen, not Chi Mingwu.”
Chi Wan didn’t want to say too much, but since the Grand Madam was questioning her from the moral high ground, she had to explain. Otherwise, if word got out, the effect of everything Yu Jiuzhou had done for her would be diminished.
Besides, she didn’t plan to get entangled with this Grand Madam for long. After today’s memorial service, she would only need to visit during holidays. It would be best if, when she came, Chi Qing would claim the Grand Madam was ill, so they wouldn’t have to meet.
Just as Chi Wan was about to leave, she thought of something, walked back, and waved for the servants to withdraw.
She stood before the Grand Madam and said in a low voice, “Grand Madam, why do you think His Majesty has allowed the Chi family to keep the title of Huai’an? Although it is now an earldom, the Chi family has been preserved. This residence exceeds the standards for an earl, yet His Majesty has not ordered the Chi family to move. Do you think it is out of respect for your so-called reputation?”
“His Majesty is considering me, Chi Wan. He is considering that I am the Grand Princess’s Fuma and does not want the Grand Princess’s spouse to lose too much face. At least for now, the Chi family is still an earldom. If the Grand Madam continues to make such a senseless fuss, it is uncertain whether the Chi family will continue to exist at all.”
“I hope, for Elder Sister Chi Qing’s sake, you will refrain from saying such things. Elder Sister Chi Qing is also your granddaughter. I know you value the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children, but there is no other way now. Instead of dwelling on what cannot be undone, it would be better to be prudent in your words and actions for Elder Sister Chi Qing’s sake, and for the sake of the Chi family—if you still care about its rise and fall.”
The first part was a threat, the second, persuasion.
As she said, the matter was already closed in the Emperor’s eyes. Anyone who brought it up again would be considered tactless. Right now, the only person in the Chi family who had the Emperor’s ear was Chi Wan.
But if the Grand Madam insisted on making trouble for her, then the survival of the Chi family would be uncertain.
It wasn’t that Chi Wan was threatening her; it was that Chi Wan didn’t want to waste too much time on the Chi family’s rotten affairs.
After speaking, Chi Wan left the courtyard directly, leaving the Grand Madam standing there in a daze.
The Grand Madam’s hair was already half-white. In an ancient era without hair dye, this was quite normal.
“Grand Madam, are we just going to let her leave like that?” The old retainer came forward, not knowing what to say. She hadn’t heard Chi Wan’s final words, but she felt that the Grand Madam had suddenly become listless.
“What else can we do but let her go? Didn’t you hear her say she was going to see His Majesty? Obstructing an imperial audience… do you think the Chi family can withstand any more turmoil right now?”
The Grand Madam appeared calm on the surface, but the rapid rise and fall of her chest showed she was furious, yet helpless against Chi Wan.
Chi Wan was right. Chi Qing was also her granddaughter. Although illegitimate, she was now the head of the earldom. For the sake of the earldom’s continuation, and to be able to see the old Marquis in the afterlife, she could no longer say the things she had just said.
But her Wu’er was dead just like that. That was her child. Compared to her granddaughter, she would rather everyone else die than her own son.
After her anger subsided, the Grand Madam thought deeply about Chi Wan’s words and knew she was powerless against her. Insisting on using filial piety to suppress her would only lead to mutual destruction—no, it was more likely that the Chi family would be destroyed while nothing would happen to Chi Wan.
With the Emperor’s favor toward Chi Wan, there was nothing she could do.
But she was in no hurry. The Emperor was dying. In the future, no matter which prince became emperor, they would only refrain from acting against Chi Wan out of respect for the Grand Princess. But what if someone provided them with a reason?
Without the Emperor’s favor, no one could withstand the accusation of being unfilial.
At the very least, it would be a stain on Chi Wan’s life forever.
Wait. All she had to do was wait, to outlive Emperor Shengyuan. When Chi Wan lost the Emperor’s favor, that would be the time for her to emerge and destroy Chi Wan.
Chi Wan, who had already left, naturally knew the Grand Madam would not be resigned. The Grand Madam, Tao Yuxia, came from an earl’s family, but the Tao family’s title had since been revoked. Their descendants lacked ability, unable to continue the peerage or pass the imperial examinations, so the Tao family had long since returned to their ancestral home.
After marrying into the Marquis of Huai’an’s Residence, Tao Yuxia devoted herself entirely to the marquisate, alienating the Tao family. Coupled with the Tao family’s decline, she lost contact with them. The Tao family had even declared that since she was a marquis’s wife, they were unworthy of being her maternal family.
From then on, the Grand Madam Tao had focused all her energy on her husband and children. To ensure Chi Mingwu smoothly inherited the marquisate, she had been responsible for an unknown number of deaths.
Reading the information on Grand Madam Tao, Chi Wan had only one thought: an old woman who worshiped Buddha could have such a vicious past. No wonder none of the children she raised were good people.
Even more outrageous was that Chi Xu’s mother had been killed by the old madam’s own hands, simply because the marquisate needed money at the time. And she spoke of a century-old reputation? The inside was already rotten to the core.
Today’s ordeal had not been as difficult as she had imagined. The easier it was, the more uneasy Chi Wan felt.
She had been prepared for a tough fight. The words she had spoken were essentially meant to make the old madam endure it. But the fact that she actually did endure it made her seem like a venomous snake that had retracted its head, waiting for the right moment to deliver a fatal strike.
So be it. As long as she didn’t lose power, whatever the old madam planned would be as futile as an egg hitting a rock.
For her not to lose power meant that Yu Jiuzhou could hold onto power permanently, which did not conflict with her main objective.
The Chi family should not waste too much of her energy.
Chi Wan returned to the mourning hall, where Chi Qing was waiting for her.
Seeing Chi Qing again, Chi Wan still couldn’t understand why, given her relationship with the original owner of this body, she would help her so tirelessly.
“Elder Sister,” she called out softly.
Chi Qing smiled gently. “Is it settled?”
Chi Wan shook her head. “I suppose so.”
“You need not worry. With me watching over the Chi family, they won’t be able to cause any trouble.”
In the past, she couldn’t control the Chi family, but things were different now. She was the Earl, and she would be in charge of the earldom from now on. At worst, the Grand Madam was old, and upon hearing the terrible news, she could fall ill and never recover.
But that would add another sin to Chi Wan’s name. It was better to wait. For now, confining her to her quarters would suffice.
Chi Wan nodded. “Thank you, Elder Sister. I still have an audience with His Majesty, so I won’t stay long.”
“Go on, then. You mustn’t keep His Majesty waiting.”
Chi Wan was still puzzled. As she was about to leave, she finally voiced her question. “Elder Sister, why are you helping me like this?”
Chi Qing paused, then smiled. “Simply because I am your Elder Sister.”
Was that the only reason? It was truly strange.
Chi Wan left, filled with doubt. Chi Qing watched her back, a smile on her lips, and only turned away when she was out of sight.
“Give the order to keep a close watch on the Grand Madam’s courtyard. Question everyone who comes and goes, and watch them carefully. After the funeral, replace the Grand Madam’s attendants with a new group of ‘considerate’ people.”
“Yes, Master.”
Chi Qing stood in the mourning hall, staring at Chi Mingwu’s memorial tablet for a long time. In the end, she only grabbed a few handfuls of paper money and burned them.
“Neither human nor ghost. Farcical, laughable.”
Chi Wan entered the palace and simultaneously received a message from Yu Jiuzhou.
Chen Yuan said, “Fuma, Her Highness sent a message. The grievances you suffered at the earldom today will all be spread.”
They were preemptively shaping Chi Wan’s public image. They would leak that she had been berated by the Grand Madam at the earldom, and the words the Grand Madam had said would be circulated. As for Chi Wan’s own words, some would be revealed, and some would not.
In her past life, Yu Jiuzhou had suffered from a ruined reputation. In this life, she had prepared in advance. Neither her own reputation nor Chi Wan’s could be allowed to be tarnished.
Sometimes, a good reputation couldn’t change anything. But at other times, especially concerning filial piety, if Chi Wan had done everything right and the Emperor had already passed judgment, the old madam’s remarks would be seen in a different light.
If one day the old madam decided to cause trouble again, public opinion would naturally be on Chi Wan’s side.
The court officials loved nothing more than to provoke the Emperor into ordering a court beating. Whether they died or not, they would gain a reputation for loyalty and service to the state. There were benefits to gaining a reputation for being outspoken, so many officials were willing to do it even if it meant angering the Emperor.
As for those with great renown outside the court, local officials wouldn’t dare to touch them.
Take the great aristocratic clans, for example. They prided themselves on their lineage and looked down on the imperial family and commoners. The scions of these clans and their students stood in the court of Great Zhou.
At least half of the officials in the court had ties to these great clans.
Even if that weren’t the case, just considering their reputations alone—like the old master of the Fan family, currently the oldest and most renowned great Confucian scholar in Great Zhou. He was not in the court, but every word he spoke was treated as an imperial edict by scholars, followed more devoutly than the Emperor’s own decrees.
When meeting such a person, even the Emperor wouldn’t dare to remain seated on his throne. Of course, if the Emperor was determined to kill him, he could, but the repercussions would be immense. He could forget about ever having anything good written about him by scholars in the future.
And such a ban could only last for a time, not for eternity.
To kill such a person, the Emperor would have to bear considerable consequences.
This was the power of reputation. With a good reputation, even if you did something wrong, people wouldn’t believe it was you until there was conclusive evidence; they would even defend you. With a bad reputation, even if you did nothing, any misdeed could be blamed on you.
However, both a bad reputation and a good one had their uses. The original owner of her body, for instance, had a bad reputation. If anything happened to her, people would naturally suspect Yu Jiuzhou of killing her out of dissatisfaction.
A bad reputation wouldn’t cause someone to disappear for no reason—the impact would be too great—but if an opportunity arose, they could be killed without much fuss.
As for a good reputation, even if the Emperor wanted to kill such a person, he would have to consider whether the consequences were worth the price.
Chi Wan needed to have the reputation of a loyal, upright, and pure official. It might not be useful in every situation, but at the very least, it would prevent her from being hindered by baseless accusations.
In ancient times, a safe and reliable way to gain a reputation was to write books and establish theories. Yu Jiuzhou’s method, however, was to prevent her from being burdened by the demands of filial piety.
A warmth spread through Chi Wan’s heart. Whatever Yu Jiuzhou’s reasons, her actions had given Chi Wan an extra layer of protection.
In this world, as in her last, she had always been alone, with few friends.
After graduating from university, everyone went their separate ways, and contact dwindled. She never expected to come to ancient times and meet Yu Jiuzhou, a character from a book she admired, now a real person by her side.
The amazing thing was that their philosophies were surprisingly aligned. This way, even if they had disagreements, it wouldn’t matter as long as their core values were the same.
She got along very well with Yu Jiuzhou, and they worked together very well.
Unfortunately, their paths were different, and their pursuits were different. Yu Jiuzhou sought supreme power, while she longed for freedom in the countryside. Perhaps before she left, she could do something of great benefit to the nation and its people.
Write a book. The first part on medicine, the second on technologies suitable for this era.
But some technologies were not suitable to be written in a book. They needed to be kept secret and guarded by the state.
Chi Wan said to Chen Yuan beside her, “Tell Her Highness that I will return as soon as I have seen His Majesty.”
Chen Yuan was speechless. She felt like she was being subjected to a public display of affection.
Of course she would return to the residence after her audience with the Emperor. Where else would she go? Yet she insisted on having her relay the message.
Chi Wan arrived at the imperial study. The Emperor was reading memorials and only put them down when he saw her. “Someone, take these memorials to the Grand Princess. Let her read them.”
If he wanted to train Yu Jiuzhou to be regent, it was crucial that she learn how to approve memorials.
The memorials were all sent to the Grand Princess. Everyone present knew that although the Grand Princess did not have the title of regent, she already held the power of one.
From now on, when they saw the Grand Princess, they would not see her as a junior master, but as a true master.
After giving the order, the Emperor beckoned to Chi Wan. “Come, bring a chair for the Fuma.”
“This subject pays respects…”
“Alright, alright, no need for formalities. We are family, don’t be so polite.”
The Emperor had her come over, and only after she was seated did he ask, “You went boating last night?”
Chi Wan stood up. “Yes. This subject thanks Your Majesty for your great favor. However, this subject had to spend Your Majesty’s money and feels ashamed.”
She was not a stubborn person. She disliked the constant bowing and the rigid etiquette, but she knew she had to abide by the rules. Fortunately, given her status, there were few people she had to bow to.
“We know you have no money. But Li Yun came back and told Us you spent ten thousand taels of Our silver?”
Ten thousand taels! So much? That Prince Bao’an really knew how to have fun.
From the Emperor’s tone, it seemed he was pained by the expense.
Chi Wan immediately put on a wronged expression. “Your Majesty is unaware. This subject had just managed to get on Her Highness the Grand Princess’s boat when one person after another came looking for Her Highness. I had no opportunity to be alone with Her Highness. How could I change her mind?”
Hearing that several people had come to see Yu Jiuzhou, the Emperor’s interest was piqued.
“Oh? Who went?”
Chi Wan cupped her hands. “Reporting to Your Majesty, the first to arrive was Prince Bao’an. He came looking for Her Highness. I asked him his business, but he wouldn’t say. This subject had no choice but to have someone arrange a boat for him. Who knew that Prince Bao’an would charter a flower boat, which I heard was filled with male courtesans.”
Chen Yuan had told her about this later. She had asked Chen Yuan to arrange for male courtesans for Prince Bao’an, but she hadn’t known there would be so many on that boat. She heard that Prince Bao’an had to hold onto the wall to walk this morning.
He said no, but his body did not refuse.
Pah, scumbag.
Emperor Shengyuan had already received the news. There were some things he knew, but he still had to ask. He needed to know if his subjects would lie to him.
The men of the Imperial City Division had reported the details to him, but there were some things he wanted to hear from Chi Wan.
What Chi Wan said was more or less the same as what he had heard. Emperor Shengyuan was displeased with Prince Bao’an.
Not only had he interfered with his plans, but he had also spent ten thousand taels of his silver. In one night, accompanied by dozens of male courtesans on a boat—such a luxury, even he, the Emperor, had never enjoyed.
Prince Bao’an had been half-pushed, half-willingly dragged onto the boat. Those male courtesans had their ways of making him lose control.
“Send a message to Prince Bao’an. Tell him to go inspect Wucheng. We want a report by the time the court convenes.”
Today was the third day of the new year, and the court would convene on the sixth. That was three days at most. It was uncertain how many horses Prince Bao’an would ride to death, but his rear end would surely suffer.
The journey from the capital to Wucheng took ten shichen by fast horse. A round trip would take two days, leaving only one day in between. There wouldn’t even be enough time to rest, let alone conduct an inspection.
If Prince Bao’an returned without knowing the situation in Wucheng, he could expect to be punished.
But if Prince Bao’an did know, it would mean he had men stationed in Wucheng, which would make the Emperor suspicious of him.
One could only say that Emperor Shengyuan was truly an emperor; even his way of targeting people was so refreshingly unconventional.
Chi Wan lowered her head, pretending she hadn’t heard anything. She was really suited to be a treacherous official, always running to the Emperor to slander others.
On second thought, these people were all ill-intentioned. What she was doing was just counter-attacking.
Emperor Shengyuan asked again, “Who else?”
“The second was Grand Secretary Gao.”
“What did he want with Jiuzhou?” the Emperor’s tone was unfriendly.
Emperor Shengyuan hadn’t known that Gao Zheng had sought out Yu Jiuzhou. Gao Zheng had come to see him this morning and mentioned a few things. He wanted to know if what Gao Zheng had told him was exaggerated or if he had deliberately concealed anything.
If so, Gao Zheng could forget about being the Grand Secretary.
He had been more than benevolent to Gao Zheng. No other subject had ever been treated to such an extent by an emperor.
Chi Wan hesitated, feigning an expression of someone who didn’t know if she should speak.
“Say what you have to say. We grant you immunity.”
“Grand Secretary Gao found Her Highness and wanted to ask how the money should be given so that neither Your Majesty nor the court would pursue his crimes.”
Chi Wan recounted what Gao Zheng had said on the boat and also mentioned the idea Yu Jiuzhou had come up with.
The Emperor’s expression softened considerably. “Jiuzhou is still the one who cares for Us, knowing that Our Palace Treasury is tight.”
“Her Highness agreed to help Grand Secretary Gao, but on one condition.”
“What condition?” The Emperor frowned, thinking Yu Jiuzhou must have taken the opportunity to demand that Gao Zheng do something to help her gain power.
But to his surprise, Chi Wan’s tone shifted. “Her Highness said that on the day the court convenes, Your Majesty will issue an edict to thoroughly investigate the case of land annexation in Yanbei. However, for the sake of Your Majesty’s sagely reputation, this matter should not be raised by Your Majesty. As the chief investigator, Her Highness should not raise it either.”
“It must be proposed by Grand Secretary Gao. Your Majesty will then approve it and appoint the personnel.”
Emperor Shengyuan was moved. It has to be my daughter, always thinking of me.
This way, the one who offended all the gentry and officials in the realm would be Gao Zheng. If the gentry resisted too fiercely, punishing the Gao family would be enough to quell the unrest.
If he, the Emperor, were to propose it, would he be expected to issue an edict of self-criticism, or to abdicate?
It wouldn’t be right for Yu Jiuzhou to propose it either, as it would make appointing her as the chief official awkward.
He had originally intended for Chi Wan to propose it, but Chi Wan didn’t have enough weight. A single county like Qingyuan was one thing, but Yanbei was a much larger affair. Moreover, Chi Wan had started this whole matter; once the Yanbei land annexation case was brought up, she wouldn’t be able to escape the resentment.
He wanted Chi Wan to clash with the court officials, not to send her to her death.
For this matter, even Gao Zheng, as the Grand Secretary, would likely meet a bad end, let alone Chi Wan, whose official position was merely that of a county magistrate.
Right, there was a memorial just now. The Vice Minister of the Grand Court of Revision was being reassigned, leaving the position vacant. He had been wondering who would be suitable. Chi Wan would do.
The position of a county magistrate was too low. Vice Minister of the Grand Court of Revision was a significant post.
It just so happened that the Emperor wanted to promote Chi Wan, just so happened that he saw the memorial, and just so happened that there was a vacancy in the Grand Court of Revision.
Everything was so coincidental. No one had persuaded him; it all just happened so naturally.
Chi Wan didn’t know what the Emperor was thinking. She stared at the tips of her shoes, silently waiting for him to speak. She found that her ability to adapt was quite strong. It hadn’t taken her long to go from being uncomfortable to being accustomed to this.
After a long moment, Emperor Shengyuan finally spoke. “Jiuzhou did well. It seems Gao Zheng will have to remain in his position as Grand Secretary for a few more years.”
When the ruler wants a subject to die, the subject must die. After learning that the Gao family owned two hundred thousand mu of fertile land, he had wanted Gao Zheng dead. Confiscating the Gao family’s assets would enrich him greatly.
But since Gao Zheng was still useful, he would let the Gao family be for now.
Chi Wan’s strategy was to only narrate, never to express any personal opinions.
She had discussed this with Yu Jiuzhou beforehand. There was no need to hide these things from the Emperor. By phrasing it differently, it could have unexpected effects.
She was telling the truth, and the Emperor had the Imperial City Division investigate most of it. In the Emperor’s eyes, her image became that of someone who, while a bit too blunt, was at least not a liar.
“And Prince Ying? What did he want with Jiuzhou?”
Emperor Shengyuan was already exasperated. It was a rare occasion for the Fuma and the Grand Princess to go on an outing, yet three people had shown up one after another. The relationship between the Fuma and the Princess was not improving. When would he get to hold an imperial grandchild?
Chi Wan thought carefully. “Making small talk?”
“Hmm?” Emperor Shengyuan was baffled. Was Prince Ying that idle?
After hearing Chi Wan’s account, he realized that Prince Ying was not making small talk at all; he was clearly trying to build a connection.
No, that wasn’t right. Emperor Shengyuan caught a key piece of information. “You said Jiuzhou was assassinated?”
“Yes. Her Highness encountered assassins, but she dealt with them on the spot without alarming the public.”
“Were they interrogated?”
“They were. The evidence points to the three princes. Her Highness did not want to worry Your Majesty or displease the three princes, so she had no intention of telling you.”
Emperor Shengyuan snorted. “She is Our daughter. What is she afraid of?”
“This…” Chi Wan hesitated.
“Speak plainly.”
The Emperor looked at her coldly, demanding she say what was left unsaid.
“Your Majesty, the three princes are the future crown princes.”
That was the reason. Some things didn’t need to be said too bluntly for Emperor Shengyuan to understand.
The three princes were the future crown princes. The Emperor’s affairs after his death and Yu Jiuzhou’s future were tied to them—at least, that was what everyone believed on the surface.
Emperor Shengyuan thought of this as well, and anger surged within him. He never thought that one day, he, the Emperor, and his daughter would have to live by watching the expressions of others.
The three princes, the three princes, the three princes.
Everyone’s eyes are on the three princes, is that it?
Emperor Shengyuan said loudly, “Draft an edict! Select members of the imperial clan between the ages of ten and twenty to come to the capital. Remember, only those of Emperor Yingzong’s bloodline.”
Emperor Yingzong was still within five generations. Bringing these imperial youths to the palace meant that the pool of potential heirs would no longer be limited to the three princes.
They prided themselves on being the future crown princes, didn’t they? He would select a dozen people to come to the capital. Did the future emperor have to be chosen from among the three of them?
Emperor Shengyuan had long had this idea but was worried it would cause internal strife. Now that he had decided to make Yu Jiuzhou regent, and later regent dowager, with the Regent Grand Princess in place, the new emperor would have little power. The power would be in Yu Jiuzhou’s hands, ensuring a smooth transition of imperial authority.
Compared to the three princes, a new emperor with no power base, who was too young to rule personally, was more suitable.
This way, the Regent Grand Princess could hold power for many years.
After issuing the edict, Emperor Shengyuan looked at Chi Wan. “What else did Prince Ying say?”
Chi Wan pretended not to have heard the edict and said seriously, “He called Her Highness ‘A-Jiu’ and called this subject ‘Ah Wan.’ Later, he called me Jinzhao. This subject does not like him.”
Emperor Shengyuan chuckled. “What’s not to like about him calling you by your name?”
“This subject is not familiar with him.”
Seeing her earnest expression, Emperor Shengyuan was thoroughly amused.
“Good. Of all the officials in the court, you, Chi Wan, are the most honest.”
Chi Wan smiled shyly, so she continued to maintain her blunt persona. “Your Majesty, Her Highness found many beauties from the Music Academy to dance for her. This is truly…”
She didn’t finish her sentence.
“Alright, Jiuzhou was being a bit mischievous, but a few girls from the Music Academy are hardly worth you getting so worked up over.”
Emperor Shengyuan laughed happily, his earlier anger dissipating. “Jinzhao, is that your courtesy name?”
“Replying to Your Majesty, yes.”
“Good. We will also call you Jinzhao.”
Emperor Shengyuan smiled. “Jinzhao, We have seen your efforts. As a Qian Yuan, you cook for your wife and chase after Jiuzhou even after being thrown off the boat. You are a good one.”
“Jiuzhou is a Grand Princess, spoiled and revered since childhood. She doesn’t understand matters of the heart. As for you, just dote on her and respect her, and she will eventually accept you.”
Even if he didn’t like Chi Wan, it was fine as long as she could produce a little imperial grandchild.
Emperor Shengyuan didn’t want them to be a harmonious couple; he just wanted them to be like respectful guests to each other, a couple whose hearts were not together.
Yu Jiuzhou’s heart had to be with him, and Chi Wan’s heart had to be with him as well.
What he wanted to see was their wholehearted loyalty to him, the Emperor.
Chi Wan nodded. “This subject obeys your decree.”
These four words were a statement. She was obeying the Emperor’s decree, not genuinely trying to pursue Yu Jiuzhou.
But Emperor Shengyuan was satisfied with this attitude. “Alright, you should spend more time with Jiuzhou during the New Year. Don’t come and bother Us unless it’s important.”
“If you’re really that idle, We have a task for you. You can take on the role of Commander of the Imperial City Division.”
The Imperial City Division was similar to the Embroidered-Robe Guard, but it didn’t have as much power. It was an agency directly under the Emperor, and its power was both great and small.
Its duties included monitoring officials and the army, investigating commoners, making arrests on imperial orders, gathering intelligence on enemy nations, and arranging spies. In other words, the Imperial City Division had the power to monitor but not to enforce the law. To enforce the law, they had to ask the Emperor first.
But this way, if Chi Wan disliked someone, she could just investigate them. She would submit a memorial, and if the Emperor wanted to intervene, she would lead her men to do so. If the Emperor didn’t want to intervene, she would pretend she saw nothing.
But to her surprise, the Emperor said, “We grant you the power of arrest. You may establish an imperial prison. For officials of the fifth rank and below, you may execute first and report later. For those of the third rank and below, you may arrest them directly.”
This was far too much power. How could Chi Wan dare to accept?
“Your Majesty, this is against the rules.”
Emperor Shengyuan snorted. “Rules? What rules? Our word is the rule.”
“Your Majesty, it is not that this subject is unwilling, but if this were to happen, the power of the Imperial City Division would be too great. I fear the officials would be in a state of panic.”
That made sense.
Emperor Shengyuan smiled. “This is the first time We have seen someone refuse power when it is offered.”
Chi Wan complained inwardly: Isn’t this just the Commander of the Embroidered-Robe Guard? Counting the commanders of the Embroidered-Robe Guard in the Ming Dynasty who met a good end, you wouldn’t even need one hand. I am supposed to offend all the officials. I am supposed to be the ruler over their heads, not the sword. A sword is easily broken.
Moreover, Yu Jiuzhou needed to develop discreetly right now. With everyone’s attention on the three princes and the other imperial clan members about to enter the capital, if she became too prominent, it would hinder their development.
What she and Yu Jiuzhou needed to do now was to quietly grasp power. By the time the Emperor and the officials realized it, the two of them would already be god-like, and even the Emperor wouldn’t be able to take back their power.
She could take the position of Commander of the Imperial City Division, but the power should not be too great. It would be just right to assist Yu Jiuzhou in investigating the land annexation case in a few days. It would save her the trouble of figuring out how to get involved in the case.
In fact, after hearing Chi Wan’s words, Emperor Shengyuan had already sensed that it was inappropriate. The power was indeed too great.
“Then we won’t establish an imperial prison. We will give you the power to directly arrest officials of the fifth rank and below. For those above the fifth rank, come and ask Us first.”
Chi Wan cupped her hands, then suddenly thought of something. “What rank is the Commander of the Imperial City Division?”
Emperor Shengyuan was speechless. “Senior third rank. You’ll get another salary.”
Chi Wan’s eyes lit up. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”
“Look at your greedy face. With so many positions, your annual salary is seven or eight hundred taels. You can give up your position in Qingyuan County and return to the capital to serve as Vice Minister of the Grand Court of Revision. We will make your annual salary an even one thousand taels.”
Could salaries be rounded up like that?
Emperor Shengyuan thought, since the power of the Imperial City Division wasn’t that great anymore, he would still give her the position of Vice Minister of the Grand Court of Revision. After arresting people, she could just throw them into the Grand Court of Revision.
He hadn’t originally intended to give Chi Wan the power of the Commander of the Imperial City Division. But hearing that people were looking down on his own daughter, thinking that his daughter would have to rely on them in the future—they were sorely mistaken.
Emperor Shengyuan was an emperor, but he was also human. In his heart, he came first, power second. Perhaps there were many things that ranked above Yu Jiuzhou, but among people, Yu Jiuzhou was definitely second.
It sounded like a low ranking, but that was the heart of an emperor, which was different.
Chi Wan seemed not to have mentioned Yu Jiuzhou’s grievances, but just one sentence was enough for the suspicious Emperor Shengyuan to fill in the blanks.
There was just one thing that was a bit embarrassing. Her promotion speed was like a rocket. Every time she came, she got promoted.
Taking advantage of Emperor Shengyuan’s generosity, Chi Wan mentioned that it was a pity for Chi Qing, who had worked so hard to pass the imperial examinations, to switch from civil to military service. She also recommended Lu Zhen as the magistrate of Qingyuan County.
Emperor Shengyuan looked at her suspiciously. “Chi Qing is a jinshi scholar. She indeed knows nothing of military affairs. It would be a pity for her to switch from civil to military. Let her be assigned as a prefect. If she does well, she can return. As for that Lu Zhen, what is your relationship with her that you would speak for her?”
How could Emperor Shengyuan not know that Lu Zhen was from the Lu clan of Fanyang? He was deliberately asking this question.
Chi Wan answered truthfully, “Your Majesty, Lu Zhen should be from the Lu clan of Fanyang, but not from the main branch. That is not important. What is important is…”
She recounted some of what had happened in Qingyuan County. “If it weren’t for Lu Zhen single-handedly resisting her superiors, this subject fears I would not have been able to obtain so much evidence.”
Emperor Shengyuan grunted. “You certainly know how to return a favor. We approve.”
It was just a county magistrate. As long as Chi Wan wasn’t trying to ally with the Lu clan of Fanyang, it was a small matter.
“Then this subject will go to Qingyuan County in two days to deliver Your Majesty’s decree and also handle the land annexation case there.”
With her current official rank, handling a county’s land annexation case, she imagined those people would not be willing to offend her.
Chi Wan’s promotion speed was just too fast. There was no need to make an enemy of a powerful Fuma over the land in a single county.
The news of Chi Wan’s promotion quickly reached the Grand Princess’s Residence, which was undoubtedly the fastest to know after the imperial palace.
Yu Jiuzhou listened to the report and repeated calmly, “Commander of the Imperial City Division, concurrently Vice Minister of the Grand Court of Revision, with the power to arrest and imprison officials of the fifth rank and below.”
The person reporting nodded. “Yes. Originally, His Majesty offered more, but the Fuma did not accept it.”
This person repeated what had happened in the imperial study word for word, as if she had been there listening.
A smile touched Yu Jiuzhou’s lips. “She’s clever enough.”
“Alright, you may go.”
She waved the person away. Only then did Chun Gui, who was beside her, say, “Your Highness, what does His Majesty mean by this? The Imperial City Division is not a good place to be.”
It was a place despised by civil officials and where military officials were unwilling to go.
“Our dear Emperor is impulsive. In a couple of days, he will feel that Chi Wan has too much power and will think of taking it back.”
“He will keep making Chi Wan offend people to the death. When those people try to destroy Chi Wan, he will go with the flow and get rid of her.”
The emperor’s heart was hard to fathom. Emperor Shengyuan’s thoughts today were different from yesterday’s.
Chun Gui said worriedly, “Then what will happen to the Fuma?”
“That’s why I said she is clever, to have refused such great power.”
Just as Yu Jiuzhou finished speaking, Chi Wan walked in with a smile. “Her Highness is right. This subject is indeed clever.”
She poured herself a cup of tea and drank it. She had rushed back to discuss this with Yu Jiuzhou, not expecting that Yu Jiuzhou already knew.
Hearing her words being overheard by Chi Wan, Yu Jiuzhou remained composed, though she felt a little awkward inside, thinking her praise had been too direct.
“Shameless,” Yu Jiuzhou snorted.
“Why should I be ashamed? It’s rare for Her Highness to praise this subject.”
Seeing that Yu Jiuzhou was ignoring her, Chi Wan added, “True. Her Highness prefers the ladies from the Music Academy. Unlike this subject, who has no talents to speak of.”
“Shut up,” Yu Jiuzhou snapped. This person had even mentioned this matter in front of the Emperor.
So, how long was this person going to hold the matter of the Music Academy girls’ performance against her?
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