The great warship of Zhou was sailing steadily onward, and still constantly expanding.
From a dilapidated vessel, it had been repaired until it was watertight, then fitted with cannons, and was now undergoing continuous expansion.
Oar boat—sailing ship—ship-of-the-line—steam warship—ironclad—cruiser/aircraft carrier.
Chi Wan and Yu Jiuzhou had upgraded Great Zhou from a broken-down sailing ship into a ship-of-the-line. Becoming a steam warship was only a matter of time.
However, they might not live to see it become an ironclad.
According to historical development, it took two hundred years to progress from ships-of-the-line to steam warships. For Chi Wan to develop sailing ships into ships-of-the-line in such a short time was already the best she could do. Further progress would depend on the younger generation.
Of course, Great Zhou currently only possessed the prototype of a ship-of-the-line. Time was still needed before it could truly dominate the seas, but with the warship sailing steadily, the burden on the two of them had lessened considerably.
As a result, matters could be delegated to their subordinates, and Chi Wan and Yu Jiuzhou found themselves with more time to rest.
However, when they rested, one of them always ended up walking out with an aching back.
The winter was cold, with heavy snow falling. Auspicious snow promised a bountiful year, and as long as it didn’t become a disaster, the coming year would yield a good harvest.
After a night of passion, Chi Wan lay listlessly on a rocking chair. She saw Yu Jiuzhou return from court, Chun Gui helping her remove her heavy, ornate robes and accessories.
Chi Wan lifted the fur blanket covering her. “Come get warm.”
Yu Jiuzhou naturally lay down inside. The rocking chair was about a meter wide, so it wasn’t crowded with both of them.
The chair was lined with a thick animal-fur blanket, and they were covered by another one. With a brazier nearby, it wasn’t cold at all.
Speaking of braziers, the common folk called them “Jinzhao stoves,” believing Chi Wan had invented them. She felt quite embarrassed about it.
The stove, combined with coal, could not only be used for cooking but, with the addition of a pipe, could keep an ordinary family warm through the winter. The price of honeycomb briquettes was not high, and they could be mass-produced. The only issue was the slightly poor transportation conditions, which caused a minor increase in price.
But it was still affordable for ordinary households. Compared to going out to gather firewood, honeycomb briquettes were more cost-effective.
Even in the imperial palace, the living quarters of the eunuchs and palace maids were now equipped with honeycomb briquettes, allowing them to at least have hot water without asking for help.
In the main halls, where Chi Wan and the others lived, they used the finest smokeless charcoal, which burned long and was non-toxic.
Chi Wan held Yu Jiuzhou tightly, feeling the warmth of her body. After cultivating internal energy, which grew stronger day by day, Yu Jiuzhou’s health had improved greatly. Her hands and feet were warm, unlike before when they were frighteningly cold.
“Let’s sleep for a bit. I’m a little tired,” Chi Wan said, tightening her arms to press Yu Jiuzhou close against her.
She then playfully lifted Yu Jiuzhou’s chin and leaned down for a kiss. A goodnight kiss, so to speak.
Yu Jiuzhou cooperated, her chin tilting up with the gentle force. Feeling the softness on her lips, she curled them into a satisfied smile.
The rocking chair began to sway gently. Amid the rocking, they both closed their eyes.
With the success of the military reforms and a continuous increase in fiscal revenue, their lives had become much easier since the reforms had laid a solid foundation.
A typical day for Yu Jiuzhou consisted of meetings, handling official duties, and spending time with Chi Wan and the children. She would set aside a few days each month for the family to go camping in the palace, or for the two of them to sneak out of the palace for fun, without the children.
As for Chi Wan, her days were much more relaxed. She would stroll over to the Imperial City Division every three to five days, inspect the capital garrisons once a month, and review military reports and financial statements from various regions.
All in all, she was perhaps busy for half the month, working one day and resting the next.
Yu Jiuzhou could barely manage a two-day weekend, while Chi Wan worked one day on, one day off. With so much free time, she had created a set of educational flashcards.
There were cards for Chinese characters with pinyin, numbers with addition and subtraction, as well as the 【Hundred Family Surnames】 and the 【Thousand Character Classic】.
All of this was a testament to her boundless love for her children.
Upon waking, Chi Wan wanted to show off her thoughtful creation to Yu Jiuzhou, so she pulled her along to an adjacent palace hall.
“My dear wife, today I will show you what it means to be a master of early education.”
Chi Wan couldn’t suppress a proud smile. With these tools, the two little ones would learn with ease.
Once Great Zhou was completely stable, they could go on a tour. Their fleet could travel down the river all the way to the East Sea to see the world.
Reading books must be accompanied by traveling the road. By seeing the magnificent rivers and mountains, the little ones would understand which path they should walk in the future.
Yu Jiuzhou’s gaze fell on Chi Wan’s smiling face. This person was sometimes like a child, but she loved it.
Sincere without lacking strategy, kind without lacking vigilance, cunning without lacking innocence.
The many facets of human nature formed the Chi Wan of today, a person with principles and bottom lines.
Yu Jiuzhou chuckled softly. “Alright, I’d also like to see what Master Chi has created.”
Hearing the doting tone in her voice, Chi Wan’s heart skipped a beat.
Love was something that could be constantly renewed. Some said that the ambiguous phase was the intoxicating part, and the beginning of a relationship was a gradual sobering up.
But why did she feel that when you met the right person, they could stir your heart at any moment?
Chi Wan grabbed Yu Jiuzhou’s hand, pulled her into an embrace, and found her lips with unerring accuracy. “No wonder Your Majesty’s words are so pleasant to hear. It turns out they’re this sweet.”
She wasn’t exaggerating. Yu Jiuzhou’s lips were indeed sweet. Every kiss was not only a sweet sensation on the tongue but also in the heart.
Yu Jiuzhou placed her hands on Chi Wan’s chest. “There are so many people around.”
“They’ve all turned their backs.”
The rules in the palace were strict. When they were being intimate, everyone would naturally turn away.
Yu Jiuzhou tweaked Chi Wan’s ear. “Be good~”
Chi Wan immediately stood ramrod straight. That single word was enough to have her completely hooked.
Be good~
My god, so gentle, so lovely, so heart-fluttering.
A rhapsody of love was playing in Chi Wan’s heart, and she was lost in it, unable to extricate herself.
“Silly.” Yu Jiuzhou smiled, her eyes crinkling, and took Chi Wan’s hand, leading her into the children’s quarters.
Yu Yuyu was six months old and could play along for a little while.
Chenchen and Guiyi were about to turn three. Before their formal education began, they could play with the cards to familiarize themselves.
“Mother, Mama,” the two little ones said, standing up and bowing obediently.
Like little beans, they bowed with such seriousness that it could melt anyone’s heart.
Chi Wan pulled Yu Jiuzhou down to sit on the blanket, and the family of four sat in a circle.
Little Yuyu still spent most of her time sleeping. When she was awake, she would eat, drink, and exercise.
She couldn’t exercise on her own yet, relying mainly on others for assistance.
Chi Wan had also played with her—no, assisted her. The little one was utterly adorable and quite interesting.
It was a pity that she hadn’t spent much time with Chenchen and Guiyi when they were that small. What was even more regrettable was the lack of a mobile phone; otherwise, she would have recorded all their silly moments from childhood to play on a loop later.
The three little ones: “?” Listen to that, is that something a human would say?
Chi Wan was a rascal. Yu Jiuzhou was deeply aware of this, especially in bed, where she knew all sorts of tricks.
She had even mentioned that in the modern world, there were educational films.
She didn’t watch them much, but she hadn’t seen none at all. She liked Asian beauties, and nothing too extreme—it had to be gentle and aesthetic.
Because her standards were so high, she had only seen two or three.
As for mastering her skills, she had relied on PPTs. Don’t even mention it; it was a story full of tears.
Fortunately, the PPTs she had studied back then hadn’t been in vain; they all came in handy after she arrived in ancient times.
Chi Wan leaned her head on Yu Jiuzhou’s shoulder. “What do you think? Aren’t they great?”
Yu Jiuzhou was fiddling with the cards. She recognized all the Chinese characters and knew the numbers, which Chi Wan had demonstrated to her before. They were convenient to use, so she had learned them.
But pinyin was something she was seeing for the first time.
“What is this?”
Before Chi Wan could speak, Chenchen held up a card. “O~”
“Oh?” Yu Jiuzhou tilted her head in confusion. What did that mean?
Chi Wan was amused by her adorable, bewildered expression. If there weren’t so many people around, she would have kissed her wife.
Chenchen explained, “a, o, e…”
“This is the Thousand Character Classic, qian, zi, wen.”
Chi Wan was astonished. It had only been a few days, yet Chenchen had already mastered how to use pinyin.
Beside her, Guiyi was playing with the number cards, clearly more interested in them.
After playing with the cards together for a while, Chi Wan finally understood what it meant to be a genius.
The two little ones had already memorized the content of the cards and could even arrange and use them.
Chi Wan had spent days making these cards, and the two little ones had figured them out so quickly. What was this if not genius?
She remembered only teaching them a few times, yet Chenchen and Guiyi not only recognized them but could also arrange them into combinations. It felt like what had taken her half a semester to learn in first grade, they had mastered in three to five days.
Comparisons are truly odious!
Instead of Chi Wan and Yu Jiuzhou playing with the two little ones, it was more like the two little ones were explaining to Yu Jiuzhou what everything was.
Chi Wan lay on the fur blanket with a smile, watching the scene before her. A feeling of happiness enveloped her heart. What a moving picture; she would get to enjoy this for a long time to come.
After about half an hour, a cry that echoed through the palace drew their attention.
A moment later, Chun Gui came over holding Yuyu, her face wreathed in a smile so wide her eyes had nearly disappeared. “The little princess grabbed her own hair and woke herself up from the pain.”
Chi Wan couldn’t help but burst out laughing, and Yu Jiuzhou’s eyes curved into crescents.
Chenchen didn’t understand what the adults were laughing about. “Mother, Mama, why are you laughing?”
Chi Wan raised an eyebrow. “It’s just as funny as when you were little and stretched your leg out onto Guiyi, kicking her awake.”
The two little ones: “…”
They understood now. The adults’ sense of humor was built upon the foolish things they did.
Chi Wan reached out and took Yuyu into her arms, gazing into the baby’s bright, clear eyes. Her heart softened.
The little one’s eyes darted here and there, as if looking for something fun.
“What is little sister looking for?” Chenchen was the more talkative one.
Guiyi watched in silence, clearly just as curious about what their sister was searching for.
“I know, she’s probably looking for Mama.”
Chenchen answered her own question, then nudged Guiyi beside her. “Right, Guiyi?”
“Yes.” Guiyi, that little one, was becoming more and more taciturn.
Chi Wan and Yu Jiuzhou exchanged a glance, and Chi Wan passed Yuyu into Yu Jiuzhou’s arms.
Sure enough, Yuyu stopped searching. Her gaze fixed on her mother, and she even smiled.
It was clear that all three little ones were closer to their mother.
Chi Wan couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy. With three people competing with her for her wife’s affection, she was afraid she couldn’t win.
It was the end of the year, the busiest time in the capital. Everyone was waiting to finish their work and go on holiday.
Even those on duty would get a few days off.
As the great warship of Zhou sailed steadily, holidays had become more frequent.
In the first year of Yu Jiuzhou’s reign, court sessions were held frequently, and she had to confer with the Grand Secretariat daily. The second year was better, with court sessions every three days, and special sessions convened whenever necessary.
As Great Zhou developed steadily, this had been changed to a court session every five days.
However, meetings with the Grand Secretariat still occurred every two or three days. For a place as large as Great Zhou, frequent meetings were normal.
Today was the last grand court session before the new year. Just as the session was about to conclude, Gao Zheng stepped forward.
“This subject was promoted by the late Emperor and valued by Your Majesty, and I have held the position of Grand Secretary for several years. However, recently, I have often felt unequal to the task when handling official duties. I implore Your Majesty to grant this subject permission to retire.”
As soon as these words were spoken, the court erupted in an uproar.
A long time ago, when Grand Secretary Gao’s son was involved in corruption, they had thought he was finished. With the position of Grand Secretary vacant, they would have their chance. Who knew that the late Emperor wouldn’t pursue the matter, believing that the son’s corruption had nothing to do with the father? The favoritism was extreme.
They had no idea that Chi Wan and Yu Jiuzhou had played a part in that.
When the new emperor ascended the throne, she would surely remove the Grand Secretary and replace him with her own people to consolidate power. Even if she couldn’t appoint her own person, she would still replace him. A new ruler brings new ministers.
But in the end, the Grand Secretary was not replaced. When a whale falls, ten thousand things thrive. If the Grand Secretary fell, his position would be vacant. This would lead to a chain of promotions: a minister would become Grand Secretary, leaving the minister’s position open; a vice-minister would become minister, leaving that position open.
And that wasn’t the only good thing. They could also attack Gao Zheng’s allies, creating more vacancies for their own people to fill. Most importantly, they could abolish the reforms.
Who would have known that the new emperor would continue to rely heavily on Gao Zheng?
It was only then that everyone realized the person behind the reforms was the Grand Princess, the new emperor herself.
So Yu Jiuzhou had been planning this for so long—planning the reforms, planning for the throne. Gao Zheng was ostensibly the leader of the reforms, but in reality, he had been pushed forward as a shield, absorbing all the malice from everyone.
Gao Zheng had not hesitated. For the future glory of the Gao family, what was a little personal animosity?
It was only after Yu Jiuzhou ascended the throne that the crowd suddenly realized the so-called reforms had been orchestrated by Chi Wan and Yu Jiuzhou all along—that black-hearted couple.
After round after round of purges, even those in the current court who opposed the reforms in their hearts dared not speak out.
However, on Chi Wan’s suggestion, Yu Jiuzhou had set up a reform suggestion box in every region to solicit opinions from everyone and select the better ideas from within.
After all, reform was a process of continuous trial and change. With so many intelligent people in the world, someone was bound to have better suggestions.
Now that the reforms had a solid foundation, the person who had led them was asking to resign? To be precise, he wanted to retire.
Not just the civil and military officials in the court, but even Chi Wan, who rarely attended court, was stunned.
Although the reforms no longer depended as heavily on Gao Zheng, Great Zhou still needed a new Grand Secretary. But neither Chi Wan nor Yu Jiuzhou had any intention of letting Gao Zheng leave.
It wasn’t that they wanted to kill him; they just felt that Gao Zheng was doing a fine job, and there was no need to replace the Grand Secretary for the time being.
Chi Wan looked at Yu Jiuzhou. Yu Jiuzhou’s gaze swept past her and turned to Gao Zheng. “Lord Grand Secretary, you are the Grand Secretary of Great Zhou, the leader of our civil officials. How can you so easily lay down your burden?”
For a subject, the emperor’s request to stay was deeply moving.
Gao Zheng immediately knelt. “This subject is old and fears he can no longer serve Your Majesty diligently.”
Yu Jiuzhou waved her hand. “Enough. We will discuss this matter after the new year. Court is dismissed. Lord Grand Secretary, stay behind.”
The emperor’s attitude was crucial. If Yu Jiuzhou had agreed to Gao Zheng’s retirement in court, many would have seen it as her wanting him gone.
By asking him to stay, she was showing those who wanted to target the Gao family after his retirement that it was not the monarch who wanted him to leave; he was still known and trusted by the emperor.
Yu Jiuzhou’s request was a message to those who wanted revenge on Gao Zheng, and also to those who worked for her. She would not discard them after they had served their purpose. She could grant them a lifetime of glory and posthumous honors.
The only conditions were: do not betray her, and do not cross her bottom line.
Inside the imperial study.
Yu Jiuzhou watched as Chi Wan helped the kneeling Gao Zheng to his feet. “Bring a chair for Lord Gao.”
Gao Zheng was about to kneel again. “This subject is shirking his duties, yet Your Majesty still shows such favor. It is this subject who has failed Your Majesty.”
“Lord Gao, it’s just the three of us now. There’s no need for such talk,” Chi Wan said helplessly. This man, really. She had helped him up several times already; he’d better not kneel again.
After finally getting Gao Zheng settled in a chair, she sat down beside him and spoke.
Gao Zheng quickly cupped his hands. “Her Highness the Prince is right. It was Your Majesty and Her Highness who gave this subject a second chance. With the success of the reforms, this subject is destined to be recorded in the annals of history.”
There wasn’t a single civil official who didn’t want to leave their name in history, just as military generals desired promotions and titles.
He found it hard to believe that he, a Grand Secretary who had taken the fall for the emperor and was destined to be branded a treacherous minister, would one day preside over the reforms of Great Zhou.
In the future, history books would surely label him a treacherous minister. After all, the writing brush was in the hands of those noble families, and they would not necessarily write kindly of their enemy.
Perhaps future generations would see him as someone who, after drifting for half a lifetime, finally met an enlightened ruler and was able to display his talents. Perhaps that would wash away the stain of being a treacherous minister.
Who could say for sure? If the current educational reforms continued, those who wrote history in the future might not be from the noble families.
He had indeed been a treacherous minister in the first half of his life, taking the blame for Emperor Shengyuan. He had no choice. He wasn’t the only one who wanted to take the fall for the emperor. To sit in the Grand Secretary’s seat, one either had to be a Grand Secretary who opposed the emperor and held absolute “prime ministerial power,” or one had to be absolutely obedient to the emperor.
There was no excusing what he did during the Shengyuan era, but since the reforms, he should at least be able to wash away half of the word “treacherous.”
To have achieved this, Gao Zheng was already very grateful to Yu Jiuzhou and Chi Wan. The two of them had allowed him to use his talents.
Who would have known that he, Gao Zheng, was once an ambitious young man, but after experiencing the injustices of officialdom, he had learned the importance of blending in and hiding his brilliance.
The kind of ruler Emperor Shengyuan was determined the kind of court he would have. Even if the court officials had their own selfish motives, they would still voice different opinions.
In his life, he was promoted by Emperor Shengyuan, but it was Yu Jiuzhou who allowed him to display his talents, who showed him what a Grand Secretary who served the country and its people should truly do.
His name would inevitably be recorded in history. Whether it was a good name or a bad one, he would leave it to future generations to judge.
Gao Zheng’s eyes showed his sincerity. He stood up and bowed again. “What Your Majesty needs now is not this subject, but someone who can stabilize the reforms and inject new blood into them.”
The reforms were resented by the noble families, and he had borne enough of that resentment. In the future, if the emperor did not fully support him, it would be very difficult for him to accomplish anything. The noble families would constantly seek trouble with him, using him as a breakthrough point to abolish the reforms.
If he were to exit the stage of history now and let someone who could continue to lead the reforms take his place, it would greatly reduce the noble families’ hostility towards the reforms.
The reforms were unstoppable. The noble families needed an outlet, a way to save face. Bringing down a Grand Secretary could appease their opposition to the reforms for a time.
Gao Zheng said, “The reforms are now a foregone conclusion. The noble families need a way to step down gracefully, to accept and comply with the reforms. My retirement at this moment is the last thing this subject can do for Your Majesty. And besides, this subject is truly tired.”
Serving the suspicious Emperor Shengyuan for so many years had been exhausting, both mentally and physically. He had to constantly guard against the emperor’s madness. It wasn’t just like accompanying a tiger; it was like accompanying a lunatic.
Later, he took on the reforms. Though tiring, it was fulfilling work.
Chi Wan smiled. She knew Gao Zheng was speaking from the heart, or perhaps deliberately speaking from the heart. It didn’t matter. Since Gao Zheng had said as much, they would not be stingy.
“Then Lord Gao should wait until after the new year.”
Yu Jiuzhou and Chi Wan exchanged a look, understanding each other’s meaning.
The final word, of course, had to come from Yu Jiuzhou. “Lord Gao, enjoy the new year in peace. After the festivities, We will enfeoff you as a Duke.”
The highest rank for a civil official was one of the Three Masters. To be enfeoffed with a title was to be made a Duke directly, though it was not hereditary.
Gao Zheng’s eyes lit up. His family already held one title. If he were to receive the title of Duke as well, it would be a family with two noble titles—what an honor! Unless the emperor truly wanted to move against the Gao family, not even a coalition of noble families could touch them.
“This subject thanks Your Majesty.”
Chi Wan saw Gao Zheng out of Daming Palace. On her way back, she pondered one of his remarks.
What did he mean? There were already three little ones competing for her affection, and now there was more?
When Chi Wan returned to the bedchamber, Yu Jiuzhou was already there.
“Does Your Majesty have nothing to say to me?”
Yu Jiuzhou: “?”
Chi Wan’s eyes scanned her up and down. “This subject has heard that diplomatic missions from various countries are about to visit Zhou, bringing with them many beauties. And that ministers have submitted memorials, asking to select consorts for Your Majesty?”
Yu Jiuzhou: “…” That old fox Gao Zheng. She had just promised him a dukedom, and he was already telling Chi Wan about this.
“I paid no mind to such memorials. I threw them all away. It’s normal that you wouldn’t know.”
Things she didn’t care about, if she told Chi Wan, would only dirty her ears.
Chi Wan tilted her head. “Is that so? I heard that many regions have presented beauties to Your Majesty, and Your Majesty has left it to the Ministry of Rites to arrange? The Ministry of Rites thinks Your Majesty wants to select consorts and is already preparing for it.”
Yu Jiuzhou: “? That’s not true.”
She hadn’t done anything of the sort. It was true that many regions had sent tribute, but she didn’t know there were beauties among them.
She had simply told the Ministry of Rites to handle the arrangements, not knowing they were planning a selection.
“Chun Gui, go to the Ministry of Rites and ask what’s going on. If this is true, stop it immediately.”
Chi Wan huffed. She knew that some people thought they could drive a wedge between them by sending beauties to seduce Yu Jiuzhou. They wanted to do it quietly, so that by the time it was a done deal, those beauties would have to belong to the emperor; otherwise, their only fate would be death.
Gao Zheng knew that some people were deceiving their superiors, which was why he had warned her.
The thought that there were not only beauties sent as tribute from various regions but also those brought by foreign countries—and she had heard there might even be princes sent for marriage alliances—made Chi Wan fume.
She was willing to believe Yu Jiuzhou didn’t know. What angered her was that someone was trying to stir up trouble in her relationship with her wife. It was simply unforgivable.
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