I touched my rapidly beating heart, placed the paper maple back in the book, and returned the Tang Heart Record to its original place.

A lake-blue figure appeared at the door. I looked up in surprise: “Prince consort, you’re back?”

Song Langsheng nodded: “When I returned and saw the princess wasn’t in her room, the servants said you’d come to the study.” He walked closer and indeed frowned: “Why is your complexion so pale?”

I said: “I don’t know why, but while reading perfectly fine, my heart suddenly started pounding like thunder.”

Song Langsheng’s expression immediately became solemn. The next moment he nervously gripped my wrist. I was startled: “What’s wrong?”

He didn’t answer my question, seemingly considering something. I didn’t know if it was because the lamplight was too dim, but his gaze as he looked at me seemed unfocused, as if he wasn’t listening to me at all. After a long moment, he finally spoke: “I’m taking your pulse.”

Me: “…”

I said in surprise: “So the prince consort actually understands medical principles.”

Song Langsheng glanced at me flatly and said: “Mm, except I can’t feel the princess’s heart pulse, so I can’t sense the beating.”

Me: “…” Then what the heck were you feeling for all that time?

Song Langsheng said: “Sudden violent heartbeats could very likely be heart disease. The princess suffered an arrow wound before, missing the heart meridian by a hair’s breadth. I fear this symptom is related to that.”

When he put it that way, I felt it made some sense. Heart disease was no small matter: “Then what should be done?”

Should I summon an imperial physician for diagnosis? But looking at him, it seemed like something requiring deep consideration.

Song Langsheng released my hand, turned away from me in the dim night, his back to me. After a long silence, he said: “Of course, summon an imperial physician.”

Me: “…” This heart condition was probably scared up by him.

When Imperial Physician Xu arrived, my heart had actually stopped racing – no, I shouldn’t put it that way – it had returned to normal rhythm. After we explained the symptoms to him, he leaned down, squinted, and observed my complexion for a long time, then said with a grave expression: “The princess’s pulse is stable, but why does this old minister’s heart beat faster the more I take the princess’s pulse?”

With that expression that looks like you’re observing a moment of silence for me, how can I not overthink things?

Song Langsheng asked: “Is it a symptom of heart disease?”

Imperial Physician Xu shook his head: “Her Highness the Princess has nothing seriously wrong, nor shows signs of heart disease. However…”

Song Langsheng and I waited for him to say “however what.”

Imperial Physician Xu said: “Perhaps it’s a latent heart condition never before seen in medical history. This old minister dares not make rash conclusions.”

This was clearly a way of leaving himself an escape route.

This old fellow Imperial Physician Xu was actually the head of the Imperial Medical Bureau. No wonder my father emperor remained unconscious to this day. I was quite worried about the health of the royals in the palace.

Imperial Physician Xu was about to head home when I remembered something: “Has the Imperial Medical Bureau recruited any new physicians recently?”

Imperial Physician Xu said: “Ministry of Rites officials have come to the bureau to oversee examinations. Currently ten people await additional testing. Why does the princess ask?”

I didn’t directly answer his question, asking instead: “Is there anyone among them surnamed Zhou?”

Imperial Physician Xu thought for a moment: “There’s one called Zhou Wenyu, the most knowledgeable about medical etiquette among all the selected physicians. It’s just that he’s too old, has an arrogant attitude, and has had conflicts with several others.”

It was definitely that “benevolent divine physician” who saved my life.

I tapped the table with my knuckles: “This Zhou Wenyu has excellent medical skills. In the past, when this palace was traveling incognito among the people, I personally witnessed his arts of bringing the dead back to life. I’ve always been quite concerned about him. Do you understand what I’m saying, Imperial Physician Xu?”

Imperial Physician Xu’s old face trembled slightly: “This person doesn’t like following rules. I fear bringing him into the Imperial Medical Bureau might cause great trouble.”

I smiled: “Imperial Physician Xu’s concerns are reasonable, but it would also be a pity to easily dismiss medical talent. How about this – have him come to the princess mansion first as a physician. If he proves satisfactory, I’ll recommend him to the Imperial Medical Bureau in my name. What do you think?”

Imperial Physician Xu looked at me with trembling whiskers, fearfully agreed, kowtowed, and fled from this princess’s chambers carrying his medical box.

I pointed at his retreating figure and looked at Song Langsheng in bewilderment: “What is he afraid of?”

Song Langsheng played with the porcelain carving on the table, saying leisurely: “Probably worried about his reputation in old age.”

I said curiously: “Is he afraid Zhou Wenyu will cause big trouble after entering the Imperial Medical Bureau? I clearly said it was a recommendation in my name. If there are any problems, he can blame me.”

Song Langsheng glanced up at me, vaguely looking like he was rolling his eyes: “The princess has certain reputations that are rather intimidating. He probably found the princess’s way of requesting someone quite familiar.”

I filtered through Song Langsheng’s words, and when I grasped the essence, I said in realization: “He thought I was recruiting Zhou Wenyu as a male favorite?”

Song Langsheng said: “Mm.”

I continued: “Then he figured that since he’s about the same age as Zhou Wenyu, and his appearance is more profound and dignified than Zhou Wenyu’s, he sensed his own crisis and panicked?”

Song Langsheng said: “Mm.”

I smiled and said: “So this princess’s preference for older men is about to spread?”

Song Langsheng said: “Mm.”

I also nodded and hummed in agreement, then casually picked up a pillow from the bed and hurled it forcefully at Song Langsheng. He wasn’t paying attention and really got hit, but the smile he’d been holding back burst forth anyway, and he simply held his stomach laughing uncontrollably.

Everything must be done in moderation. Song Langsheng quit while ahead, returned the pillow to me, and said: “The princess should rest early. Tomorrow’s morning court session – you can’t make excuses not to go again.”

The Crown Prince had indeed mentioned this. Since I had recovered enough to enter the palace, there was no reason for the regent princess not to attend court.

Song Langsheng’s gaze drifted to the spot beside my bed that used to belong to him but had been driven away by me. Seeing I had no intention of inviting him back, his expression shifted as if he wanted to say something, but didn’t. He patted my head and went back to his own room.

After lying down, I couldn’t fall asleep.

Many things settled in my heart that wouldn’t dissolve no matter what. After tossing and turning several times, I simply put on an outer robe and went out for air. As soon as I opened the door, I saw a figure standing by the corridor extending from the bedroom, also gazing at the lonely moon and cold stars, unable to sleep.

I walked over. From the corridor entrance, I could see the small pond, banana plants, and grape arbor in the small courtyard. Though not as elegant as the water pavilion, it had its own interesting ambiance.

Song Langsheng heard footsteps and turned back: “Why hasn’t the princess rested yet?”

I leaned against the wooden railing: “Some things I can’t figure out, so I can’t sleep well. What about the prince consort? Looking so troubled – are we fellow sufferers?”

Song Langsheng lifted the thin bamboo curtain beside him: “What I can’t figure out is a case.”

I asked: “Were you always like this before?”

“Like what?”

“Like this,” I pointed at his tightly furrowed brow, “constantly worrying about official business, cold attitude, emotions never showing on your face.”

Song Langsheng smiled noncommittally.

“What about me?” I studied his profile in the lamplight: “Was I truly as rumored – willful and tyrannical, abusing power and authority, covering the sky with one hand?”

He looked into my eyes and asked: “What does the princess think?”

I sighed: “I’ve clearly forgotten…”

He said: “Not about before your amnesia – since losing your memory, what kind of person do you think you are?”

I was stunned, not expecting him to ask this way. But since he brought it up, I might as well examine my conscience. What kind of person was He Feng?

“Um… willful, bad-tempered, like to make unreasonable scenes when things don’t go my way, and don’t like suffering hardship.” I smiled as I recalled: “Quite competitive too, often envying others, often disgusted with myself.”

Song Langsheng didn’t interrupt, continuing to listen.

“Some things I clearly have in hand, yet I’m always walking on thin ice, worried about gaining and losing; some things I clearly know are wrong, yet I always stubbornly persist to the bitter end. In the end, aside from admitting defeat and blaming heaven and others, I have no solutions at all.”

Though I smiled while saying this, I probably looked somewhat forlorn. Just then the clouds above parted and moonlight poured over me, quite dazzling. I heard the voice beside me ripple slightly: “At least you have some self-awareness.”

I glanced at him: “Are you mocking or being sarcastic?”

Song Langsheng said: “Both mocking and being sarcastic.”

…

Song Langsheng ruffled my hair again. He seemed to have a hobby of making people disheveled. “Princess, there’s one way you’re different from the past now.”

“Which way?”

Something seemed to flash across Song Langsheng’s face and eyes: “Even if it’s a dead-end path, as long as the princess is determined, she’ll definitely walk to the end. Never admit defeat, never give up.”

For a moment, I thought his words were full of goodwill and approval.

Song Langsheng said: “That’s why so many poor people fall into the princess’s hands.”

It seemed any good communication was just an illusion. He was the famously sharp-tongued prince consort, and I had almost gotten lost in this beautiful night scene.

I turned away angrily, deciding not to speak to him for two days. But the next moment a large hand grasped mine: “Including me.”

I turned back in surprise.

Song Langsheng used some force with his hand, pulling me toward the grass outside the corridor, then tugging me to sit down together. He said: “Lie flat.”

I couldn’t break free. “Hey,” I said, and he replied: “Now, is even holding hands not allowed?”

I froze, then sensibly shook my head: “I don’t mean that.”

He changed from holding hands to interlocking fingers, lying back in the grass on his own. I sat somewhat awkwardly, could only lie down beside him as he wished, learning from him to look up at the twinkling night sky.

He suddenly said: “Now it’s reversed.”

I asked doubtfully: “What?”

“Back then, I didn’t like the princess at all, much less want to be alone with her. The princess always used imperial authority to coerce me, and I harbored deep resentment. Once, you were just this unreasonable, forcing me to lie here with you watching the moon.” Song Langsheng deepened his voice with a smile: “Actually that night there was no moon at all, couldn’t even see a single star. We just lay there in complete darkness.”

I couldn’t help saying: “Wasn’t that quite terrifying?”

Song Langsheng said: “Being with the princess was terrifying anyway. I had long placed life and death beyond consideration.”

I glared at him, thought for a long time but couldn’t figure out how to refute him: “Fine, seeing as this is the first time you’ve mentioned our past, I’ll graciously not argue with you.”

Song Langsheng looked at me and smiled faintly, saying nothing more. Gradually, drowsiness swept over me. Between heaven and earth was vast emptiness – I don’t know when I entered dreamland. But what I dreamed, I couldn’t remember when I woke the next day.

Today was my first time attending court since losing my memory.

Beside the empty dragon throne were two chairs, left for the Crown Prince and me respectively. In the past, I had sat there playing the role of the imperious regent princess. But now, sitting up there overlooking the hundred officials in court assembly, I felt my heart pounding, somewhat unable to maintain the scene.

At the start of court, the Crown Prince made some remarks about my return, after which a group of people echoed in agreement. I symbolically smiled and nodded, then we got to business.

It was still about the Jiangsu-Zhejiang floods.

The disaster relief silver was robbed, and the Crown Prince issued orders to allocate funds. Unexpectedly, this allocation revealed a new problem – the national treasury was depleted. Depletion wasn’t something that could be understood in a moment, and usually resulted from two main causes: excessive palace expenditures and corruption by officials up and down the hierarchy. If we truly investigated to the bottom, we’d be exposing the secrets of the royal family and both political factions. Not to mention the Crown Prince’s heir position wasn’t secure yet – even if father emperor weren’t ill, he might not dare act rashly. One wrong cut might cut himself.

With no choice, the Crown Prince could only set this matter aside and focus mainly on solutions.

The proposal put forth with the Zhao faction as its backbone was a “convert rice to mulberry” policy – converting rice paddies to mulberry fields, raising silkworms and weaving silk, using silk profits to resolve the treasury crisis and rebuild the Jiangsu-Zhejiang disaster areas. It seemed to kill multiple birds with one stone.

Those with opposing views were the court’s honest officials, with reasons like the project being too vast, policy trial implementation issues, etc. As for National Uncle Li, this time he surprisingly remained neutral, probably weighing pros and cons and watching developments.

Watching the aging officials in court attack each other with such sharp words that the Crown Prince’s head ached, I half-listened while half-daydreaming.

I was mainly thinking about how deeply I must have slept last night for the prince consort to carry me back to my room without waking me.

Song Langsheng stood in the third row, eyes calmly looking ahead, noble and serene, without a trace of the awkwardness he showed when with me in private.

Sigh, one face in public, another in private – truly extremely hypocritical.

I felt deeply moved and couldn’t help shaking my head. A certain eloquent scholar happened to see this and thought I disagreed with him. Greatly alarmed, he fell silent. The Crown Prince turned to look at me: “Does Imperial Sister have any suggestions?”

I said “Uh…” then: “Let’s first hear what the ministers have to say.”

The Crown Prince knew I had amnesia and shouldn’t speak much, so he redirected the topic back to the ministers. Unexpectedly, someone in the assembly loudly said: “Princess Xiangyi holds the regency. Since the ministers each hold their own views, why not let Her Highness the Princess decide? Why continue arguing endlessly?”

As soon as these words fell, several officials immediately expressed agreement, then most people raised their sleeves and nodded, all meaning for me to make the decision.

I squinted toward the speaker and was greatly shocked to see this bearded old minister was actually the old gentleman I had bumped into on the street yesterday. Now his expression was solemn, and he stood with a circle of ministers around him, all glaring at me like tigers watching their prey.

When he arrogantly asked me yesterday who he was, my answer was… I don’t know him.

How could a regent princess not recognize important court ministers?

I shifted my gaze to Premier Zhao. He still wore that half-asleep expression, except his lips curved in a slight smile.

Had they… smelled something suspicious?

The Crown Prince was about to speak for me when National Uncle Li said: “Since the princess has different views, feel free to speak. The ministers have always obeyed Her Highness the Princess’s commands.”

I remained composed, but my mind went completely blank.

The two cabinet factions that were perpetually opposed and mutually constraining had unexpectedly spoken with one voice today, targeting me.

More precisely, they wanted to cut off the strongest support before the Crown Prince’s wings fully developed.

This formation didn’t look like a coincidence. I feared the fake princess’s regency had already aroused suspicion. If yesterday’s exposure was the fuse, then if I couldn’t dominate the scene now, it would only further confirm their suspicions.

At that point, even a real princess would become fake.

Even if I told the truth about my amnesia, I’d still be questioned whether a princess who had lost all memory could handle the great responsibility of regency.

I lowered my eyes to look at the mirror-smooth floor reflecting the ministers’ figures, remaining silent.

Seeing this, the old minister who had spoken first showed a triumphant expression and stepped forward: “In the past, Her Highness the Princess’s measures were prudent and effective. Why today…”

“Have you made enough noise?”

A voice interrupted his words.

The person who spoke was me.

I slowly stood up, looked at him expressionlessly, and said: “Yang Ruilin, Minister Yang who never voluntarily speaks up in court – who lent you the courage today to speak so boldly?”

Minister Yang opened his mouth, completely unable to react to what I was saying, or rather, why I could call out his name.

I swept my gaze across the hundred officials in the hall, seeing each face clearly. This most subtle action seemed casual yet showed ripples.

Minister Yang perhaps thought I was bluffing, and said with a pale face: “I don’t know what the princess means. This old minister is merely…”

I said: “Dare I ask Minister Yang, what crime deserves usurping power and authority, neglecting duties and ruining the country?”

Minister Yang stammered: “Princess… why do you ask this? This old minister…”

I picked up a memorial from the imperial desk and hurled it forcefully at Minister Yang’s face, saying sternly: “Convert rice to mulberry! Minister Yang, as a Grand Secretary, taking the court’s salary, when people face disaster, this is the rotten idea you come up with?”

Minister Yang trembled all over and knelt down. I coldly glanced at the ministers and said sharply: “What kind of place is Jiangsu-Zhejiang? Seven parts mountains, two parts water, one part farmland! Food self-sufficiency is insufficient, and people have trouble just feeding themselves. Now you want farmers to convert rice paddies to mulberry fields – are you trying to force them to desperation? They can’t even eat their fill, how can raw silk prices sell well? The silk from mulberry fields gets made into silk fabric – the profits go to merchants. Silk sold to foreign peoples – if the seas aren’t peaceful and can’t be transported out, then what?”

“One convert-rice-to-mulberry policy – have you calculated how many people are involved? From the imperial heir to Jiangsu-Zhejiang commoners, from the Governor-General of Jiangsu-Zhejiang, governors, provincial administrators, judicial commissioners, prefects, county magistrates, from Zhejiang to Jiangsu and Anhui provinces’ silk bureaus and silk merchants – everyone gets dragged in. After this up-and-down cycle, how much can actually enter the treasury?”

“The treasury is depleted because of excessive spending above and below. Your first thought is to plunder from the people. If this incites popular uprising, you’ll plunder from merchants – kill the rich to help the corrupt. Tell me, if this isn’t usurping power and authority, neglecting duties and ruining the country, what else could it be? Do you ministers think that because the Crown Prince and I don’t pursue your previous muddled accounts, you’ve learned to be domineering and fearless?”

The great hall immediately fell completely silent. Premier Zhao, who had been in a sleepy state, suddenly opened his eyes upon hearing this and tremblingly knelt down: “This minister’s great crime can no longer be called mere confusion.”

I slowly walked down, my heavy footsteps echoing with each step, coming before Premier Zhao: “Yang Ruilin is someone you, Premier Zhao, personally recommended. If you don’t handle this properly today, how will the hundred officials know of your fair and impartial prime ministerial bearing?”

All the civil and military officials finally knelt together, trembling as they said: “We beg the princess to calm your anger.”

I silently moved my constantly trembling hands from my sleeves behind my back, then gave a slight smile to Song Langsheng, who had remained calm and composed throughout.

(Note: Converting rice to mulberry was a national policy during the Jiajia era of the Ming Dynasty. Since this story uses Ming institutions, I’m borrowing this historical incident. The person who promoted this policy in the Ming Dynasty was Yan Song and his faction. If everyone is familiar with that period of history, you might find that Premier Zhao Gengnian in this story is equivalent to Yan Song. Yan Song wasn’t a traditionally great evil official – sometimes he was also helpless. This will be mentioned later~ Cough, I hope everyone doesn’t find these governing parts too difficult~ I’ll try to write them more simply too~~ kisses~)

Author’s Note: Oh yeah! No need to explain when Princess has a meltdown! Everyone, aren’t you curious why the princess suddenly became so awesome? Why why why? (^__^) Hehe… I won’t tell you. About who the big brother is~ Hehe, ╭(╯3╰)╮… also keeping it secret.

Alright, next Yi Shou Zhe Tian Yi Shou Chui Di – Chapter will reveal all. Kisses! Don’t forget to leave comments! I’m an author who replies to every single comment, you can’t hurt me like this…

Oh right.

About the collection issue. That what, I notice this story’s clicks are double the collections, meaning half the readers are using IE bookmarks… Waaaah, pounds ground, Jinjiang collections are very important to me, I calculate how many people read based on collections. Could you all please not be too lazy to log in and collect… could you could you… Also, my Yi Shou Zhe Tian Yi Shou Chui Di – Chapter word count usually equals others’ 2 chapters, so I’m actually not updating infrequently… Okay, someone who got hit weakly retreats.