Qin Yining was immersed in the joy of reunion, pulling Nanny Sun along chattering incessantly all the way, so she didn’t notice that Nanny Sun had seemed somewhat hesitant earlier.

The group returned to the inner residence, where the elders naturally went first to see Xuan Ge’er and Yun Jie’er with great delight. Ma Shi was overjoyed beyond measure, while Zheng Shi and Nanny Sun gathered around the children to play with them.

Yao Shi, however, stood outside the crowd with her hands clasped behind her back, only craning her neck to curiously glance at them a few times before losing interest. She turned to pull Pang Xiao aside to speak privately.

“My son, I heard you were fighting the Tatars at the front lines. I was truly worried sick, and your maternal grandparents couldn’t sleep or eat from worry day and night. Now you’ve finally won the war, and the emperor has committed suicide. Who exactly rules this realm now? Can you perhaps…”

“Old Madam.” Pang Xiao interrupted Yao Shi’s words, smiling as he said, “You’ve had a long and tiring journey. You shouldn’t trouble yourself with such trivial matters.”

Upon hearing this, Yao Shi’s expression immediately changed, and her voice couldn’t help but rise: “We haven’t seen each other for so long, and you still refuse to call me mother? After all this time, can’t you understand who your closest family is?”

“Old Madam, you jest. In wealthy noble families like ours, with your esteemed status, it’s not customary to use such familiar terms. Look at other prominent households – don’t they all address each other according to rank and status? You are the Old Madam,” he looked toward the frowning Yao Chenggu, “and you are the Old Master. My maternal grandmother is the Grand Madam, though my grandmother has always had a carefree nature and never cared about status or position, so naturally I still call her grandmother.”

“I don’t care about that either!” Yao Shi shouted.

But Pang Xiao looked at her with confusion: “You don’t care? Really?”

Yao Shi thought of the pride she had felt on the journey back to the capital. If Pang Xiao were to usurp Li Qitian’s power, she would become the Empress Dowager! Then she would enjoy wealth and honor, ruling over the entire harem – wouldn’t that be something to smile about even in dreams?

Now, facing Pang Xiao’s doubting gaze, Yao Shi found herself unable to claim indifference. She understood her son too well – Pang Xiao was not someone who could be easily fooled. Lying would only deepen his disgust toward her.

Yao Shi could only change her approach: “Fine, fine, fine. Whatever you say goes. Is that acceptable?”

Her tone was like that of someone showing tolerance toward an ignorant child.

Pang Xiao smiled slightly and didn’t continue entangling with Yao Shi and Yao Chenggu, maintaining proper courtesy as he moved aside.

Yao Shi held back her anger, afraid that others would see her embarrassment and lose face. She could only suppress her fury and complain to Yao Chenggu in a low voice: “Father, look at how he’s become – only caring about outsiders, not even knowing who his real mother is. Who knows what that little vixen Qin Shi has been whispering in his ear.”

Yao Chenggu frowned and scolded: “Haven’t you learned to restrain yourself? Whether Qin Shi is right or wrong, Dafu likes her, and she has indeed contributed through childbearing. Even if Zhao Ge’er and Han Ge’er’s origins are questionable, Xuan Ge’er is your biological grandson, and Yun Jie’er is your biological granddaughter.” He lowered his voice further: “Don’t forget, if Dafu becomes emperor, she will be the legitimate Empress!”

“So what? What if she’s the Empress? My Dafu becoming emperor – would he only favor her alone? She’ll have her day of aging and losing beauty. Besides, Dafu can have many empresses and consorts as emperor, but there’s only one Empress Dowager – me.”

“Is that so?” Yao Chenggu sneered coldly. “Then just wait and see. There is indeed only one Empress Dowager, but like consorts, she can also be dispensed with entirely.”

Yao Shi’s heart skipped a beat upon hearing this. She looked at Yao Chenggu in disbelief and whispered: “Father, surely not…”

“You foolish girl, if you don’t believe it, just wait and see.” Yao Chenggu shook his sleeve in disappointment and turned to sit elsewhere.

Yao Shi felt uneasy. The happiness within her grasp was right before her eyes – she couldn’t miss it because of her dislike for Qin Shi.

After all, the road ahead was long. As long as she could establish herself firmly, what did it matter if someone was Empress? Wouldn’t they still have to show respect to their mother-in-law?

With this thought, Yao Shi became even more eager for Pang Xiao to claim the throne.

But disappointment came swiftly.

Having emerged from the desert and maintaining airs while avoiding interaction with subordinates along the way, Yao Shi had no knowledge of the political changes in the court.

On the tenth day of the twelfth month, Prince Zhou Lian of the Northern Ji Kingdom ascended to the throne, proclaiming to the realm that the country would remain Northern Ji with the era name “Xinchu” (New Beginning).

The Great Zhou, which had dominated for ten years, became merely a brief flash in history.

After the new emperor’s enthronement, he granted general amnesty and distributed rewards and enfeoffments as expected.

Li Qitian, imprisoned in a secret chamber within the palace, was stunned speechless for a long time upon learning that the new emperor was actually Zhou Lian.

Pang Zhixi wasn’t making himself emperor?

This completely contradicted his usual behavior!

But he was now a “madman,” and madmen wouldn’t concern themselves with such matters.

Li Qitian suppressed his burning curiosity, unable to show it, and grew noticeably thinner over the following days.

Yao Shi also grew as thin as Li Qitian.

She had arrived with a heart full of joy, thinking she would become the Empress Dowager and the most honored woman in the realm. All the hardships she had endured in earlier years could be forgotten, as she would be envied by all women.

But now, the duck at her lips had flown away!

Even if she was the mother of a prince, how could that compare to the honor of being Empress Dowager?

Yao Shi couldn’t eat for days. Whenever she saw Qin Yining playing with the children, listening to their laughter and chatter, her heart felt blocked, and naturally she showed no pleasant expression.

Ma Shi paid no attention to this. After seeing Yao Shi’s dark expression several times, she simply scolded her away: “If you’re unhappy, don’t come out to be an eyesore. Go back and lie down.”

Yao Shi truly feared Ma Shi’s slaps and shoe soles, so she had to return to her room in frustration.

This subtle atmosphere in the household continued until the twenty-first day of the twelfth month.

No one could have imagined that the Xinchu Emperor, who had been on the throne for only ten days, would proclaim to the world before the year-end seal ceremony his abdication in favor of Prince Zhongshun.

At the great court assembly, Prince Zhongshun repeatedly declined, but the young-faced new emperor stated frankly: “I lack such ability and cannot do anything for the people of Northern Ji. If I force myself to remain in this position, I will eventually become the same kind of incompetent ruler as the two previous emperors. I don’t want things to turn out that way. The people have been tormented for nearly twenty years – someone should give them a peaceful and prosperous era.”

These words left all the ministers silent.

Regardless of what people thought privately, no one in the court voiced opposition. In fact, more than half the officials knelt and cried out: “Your Majesty thinks only of the people! Your Majesty is wise!”

“Prince Zhongshun has labored greatly with outstanding merit and exceptional ability. We ministers concur.”

Zhou Lian, sitting on the dragon throne, secretly breathed a sigh of relief, feeling the lightness of finally casting off a hot potato. He immediately handed over the realm to Pang Xiao decisively and personally issued an edict setting the abdication ceremony and empress investiture for the following day.

This was a subtle timing – with only about ten days left before the new year, according to old protocol, a new emperor would use the previous emperor’s era name for the remainder of that year, only changing to a new era name the following year. This meant Pang Xiao wouldn’t have to wait a full year; in ten days, he could establish a new dynasty.

The news quickly spread throughout the capital.

Though the newly enthroned young emperor’s frank admission of his lack of governing ability and his abdication to the people’s great hero for their welfare was unexpected, the citizens found it acceptable.

Qin Yining was at home napping with the four children when Ji Yun hurried in. Disregarding everything else, she gently shook Qin Yining awake, her lowered voice trembling with excitement: “Princess Consort, tomorrow after the abdication ceremony will be the empress investiture. His Highness has sent people to escort the entire household into the palace.”

Qin Yining was stunned, slowly sitting up. After a moment, she smiled with acceptance.

What was meant to come would eventually come.