Outside the Emperor’s bedchamber, fireworks exploded in the sky.

The officials standing outside the hall looked up at the sky, their expressions somber and filled with uncertain suspicion.

That Vice General Zhong had gone in not long ago and then came out. Without looking at anyone, he walked to the front of the hall and suddenly set off two fireworks.

What was this for? Did His Majesty want to watch fireworks?

Most people didn’t understand, but soon some reacted. Although the daytime sky swallowed up more than half of the fireworks, their shape could still be made out.

“That night,” an official murmured in a low voice. “In the latter half of the night, there were these fireworks.”

At the time, hiding at home, they had also speculated it was some ghost playing tricks.

So it turned out, it was from His Majesty’s side.

Chu Zhao, Deng Yi, Xie Yanfang, as well as the officials from the previous court, and Xie Yanlai guarding the city gate—at this moment they all looked up at the sky, some moved, some expressionless.

With the bursting of the fireworks, the ground faintly trembled, as if countless people were surging toward this direction.

“His Majesty—His Majesty has passed away.”

Inside the bedchamber, Eunuch Qi’s voice trembled as he called out.

Those watching the sky instantly snapped back to attention, fell to their knees, bowed their heads and wept.

……

……

The fireworks in the sky quickly dispersed, and news of the Emperor’s death was sent out.

Funeral bells rang in unison at all temples throughout the capital.

The populace, not yet settled from the turmoil of the Imperial Princes, panicked again. Although the Emperor had been like a nonexistent figure for over ten years, at least there had been an Emperor. Now with the Imperial Princes either dead or guilty of crimes, and even the Emperor dead, what would become of Da Xia?

But along with news of the Emperor’s death came word that the Imperial Grand Prince would ascend the throne, Chu Zhao—daughter of Chu Ling—would be enthroned as Empress, Grand Tutor Deng Yi would oversee state affairs, the renowned scholar Xie Yanfang from Dongyang would enter the court, and a series of other subsequent arrangements.

The anxious and uneasy populace settled down again. The dynasty still stood. Although they hadn’t heard of this new Grand Tutor, the Xie clan of Dongyang were the Imperial Grand Prince’s maternal uncles, and with them present they would surely stabilize the court. Moreover, the Imperial Grand Prince now had an Empress—he had both established a household and a career. Though only six years old, it was still reassuring.

As for this Empress Chu Zhao, when the Emperor’s earlier edict had appointed her Crown Princess, it had sparked heated discussion. Now it was being brought up again, after all, Crown Princess and Empress were still a rank apart. Becoming Crown Princess didn’t necessarily mean becoming Empress—witness that deceased Crown Princess.

The populace had never imagined the Emperor would die, thinking there was still a long time ahead, that the Emperor would raise the Imperial Grand Prince, and when the Imperial Grand Prince grew up—

Time was long, and anything was possible.

But the Emperor had suddenly passed away, the Imperial Grand Prince had become Emperor, and Crown Princess Chu Zhao had immediately become Empress.

“This, this, isn’t appropriate.”

“Not to mention how many young ladies from prestigious clans across the realm are learned and reasonable, just in the capital alone, this Chu Zhao counts as—”

“What about this Chu Zhao? Don’t forget whose daughter this Chu Zhao is. Chu Ling was once His Majesty’s most trusted general and official. Chu Ling himself has distinguished military achievements, and even now still guards the border commandery, a pillar of stability. For the sake of securing the border commandery, he hasn’t returned to the capital in over ten years.”

Because of the Emperor’s funeral, everyone in the realm wore plain clothing, and dancing, music, banquets, sacrifices, and weddings were forbidden, which gave people more time for idle chat.

Hearing such words, people felt somewhat dazed.

Chu Ling hasn’t returned to the capital in over ten years—was it because of this?

It seemed not!

“His Chu Ling is a criminal—”

“Criminal what criminal! Did His Majesty pronounce him guilty? Did Chu Ling enter prison? He is the dignified Commandery Defense General of Yunzhong!”

This was also fact. The person being refuted had nothing to say, but the person refuting wasn’t willing to let it go.

“The edict said it clearly—the Imperial Grand Prince’s escape from danger this time was thanks to Miss Chu’s merit. This is a valiant father producing no mediocre daughter.”

“First there was Chu Ling securing and pacifying the nation for His Majesty, now there is Chu Ling’s daughter preserving Da Xia’s bloodline for His Majesty.”

“If she isn’t qualified to be Empress, who is?”

Who knows who would be? To name someone at this time would be putting them on the spot. The gathered crowd immediately fell silent, and only then did the refuting man sweep his sleeves and walk away.

The gathered people looked at each other and asked in low voices: “Who was that man?”

No one knew who he was, as if he had appeared out of thin air.

The person who had been refuted earlier snorted: “Clearly someone deliberately praising the Chu daughter.”

Must be someone from the Chu family.

“I think so.” Someone agreed. “Now such talk is becoming more and more common. Obviously, someone is manipulating this—”

“Exactly, otherwise before, who spoke of the Chu daughter—” The earlier person agreed more emphatically, nodding repeatedly.

But as the words fell, another voice came.

“Before, who spoke of the Chu daughter? You—what mountain valley did you come from?”

This time it wasn’t a male voice, but a charming female voice.

The people here quickly turned to look and saw a group of young ladies coming down from the second floor of the teahouse, one of them with raised eyebrows and glaring eyes, her face full of mockery.

“Haven’t you heard of the Chu Garden Literary Gathering from a while ago?”

“The Chu daughter competed with scholars across the realm with neither servility nor arrogance—who doesn’t know this?”

Another young lady among them smiled: “Miss Qi, they might truly not know—” The young girl lifted her little nose, her eyes haughty. “They don’t look like they’ve read books.”

Miss Qi’s expression became undisguisedly mocking: “Haven’t read books? Do you know what it means to have both talent and virtue? You only know to look at family background—that a big family name and great reputation qualifies one to be Empress?”

Another young lady smiled: “If you put it that way, the Zhao clan of prestigious families would be most suitable.”

The Zhao clan had already been exterminated to the ninth degree of kinship, and the court still wasn’t satisfied, still pursuing remaining adherents. Who dared associate themselves with the Zhao clan? The people sitting in the teahouse hall immediately scattered.

These young ladies—their tongues were truly too venomous!

The turmoil had just passed, His Majesty had just died, and these young ladies weren’t staying quietly at home but running out to wander about!

Of course they knew about the Chu Garden Literary Gathering. The Chu Garden Literary Gathering had let the young ladies of the capital show off greatly, making them even more arrogant one by one.

In the end, it was all because of that Chu daughter.

Now the Chu daughter had become Empress, and who knows how arrogant the young ladies would become in the future.

Can’t provoke them, can’t provoke them, better flee quickly.

Watching the gathered crowd in the hall disperse, Qi Leyun felt both triumphant and unsatisfied.

“To actually look down on Chu Zhao,” she said. “Chu Zhao is so capable.”

A young lady beside her laughed softly: “Qi Leyun, didn’t you also look down on her before?”

“That was before.” Qi Leyun didn’t deny it. “That was when I wasn’t familiar with her yet and didn’t know she was so capable.”

Zhou Jiang, who rarely spoke, also nodded: “Chu Zhao is very capable. She can be both literary and martial, and she also has a compassionate heart. Earlier when we were coming over, I heard people on the street discussing how during that night’s turmoil, they were displaced and in extreme danger, knocking on doors that wouldn’t open, but it was Chu Zhao who opened the gates of Chu Garden and took them in. They say Chu Zhao has the heart of a bodhisattva, that the Empress Mother is benevolent and virtuous.”

There was such a thing? The young ladies recalled that night—only filled with fear, wishing they could hide underground. Who would have dared open their doors then?

Chu Zhao was truly very capable.

If before it was forced admiration because of her status as Empress, at this moment the young ladies’ eyes held genuine sincerity.

Qi Leyun nodded: “That’s right, that’s right. My whole family is currently being sheltered in Chu Garden.”

Although it was Chu Tang who had allowed them to enter, it was equivalent to Chu Zhao taking them in.

“Also, saying it’s people from the Chu family doing the praising,” Qi Leyun snorted. “That’s even more nonsense. The Chu family’s gates are still tightly closed. I climbed up on the wall, and couldn’t even get Chu Tang to come talk to me, much less have the Chu family run out to talk with people.”

As for this, although they believed it wasn’t people from the Chu family doing the praising, there was certainly someone manipulating things behind the scenes. Zhou Jiang pressed her lips together and looked toward the street.

“Even if she’s being praised, so what? Those things were all done by her herself. She deserves to be praised.”

……

……

Layer upon layer of high palace walls isolated the clamor of the outside world.

Although not yet formally enthroned, Chu Zhao also wore mourning garments according to the Empress’s specifications. At this moment, the officials outside had just finished a round of wailing in the hall.

Chu Zhao sat across from Xie Yanfang inside the hall.

“Third Young Master, drink some hot tea,” she said, personally pouring the tea.

Xie Yanfang had now entered the court as an official. Besides mourning, he still had many things to do. Over three days, he had not had it easy, though aside from a paler complexion and redder eyes, the young master’s spirits were still good.

He didn’t decline, accepting the tea and drinking it all in one gulp, looking at the young girl across from him wrapped in mourning garments, appearing even more like a small bundle.

He said: “Don’t worry about matters outside.”