“Winning is not easy.”

“After winning, it’s even harder.”

Chu Zhao looked at everyone and sighed softly.

“You will face many difficulties and obstacles in the future. Compared to the men in court, you’re sailing against the current—if you don’t advance, you’ll retreat.”

“What I can give you is an opportunity, but only you can secure your footing. Please take good care of yourselves and devote yourselves to your cause.”

At this point, Chu Zhao playfully winked at everyone.

“So, my ministers, use your position and this opportunity to strengthen yourselves, not for my sake.”

Was she saying they should use their family’s resources for themselves first? The women were startled, then couldn’t help but smile, though their smiles gradually turned wistful.

Although their families now valued them for passing the examinations and becoming officials, in truth, their families merely regarded them as bridges connecting the Empress and their clans. Their families also believed that the Empress allowed them to become officials only to win over the noble houses.

Now the Empress was directly telling them that she didn’t need their loyalty—they should use all the benefits their families could provide for themselves.

The Empress saw them as individuals, as independent people.

The Empress’s expectation was for each person.

Madam Zeng felt somewhat dazed. She had forgotten that she was an individual.

She took a deep breath and bowed: “This minister will respectfully follow Your Majesty’s instructions.”

The other women also bowed and called out loudly: “We will respectfully follow Your Majesty’s instructions.”

Chu Zhao said: “Rise.”

She looked at everyone again.

“But a single tree cannot make a forest. To truly achieve something for yourselves, you still need support.”

“And this support comes from the common people.”

“So you must look downward. Besides focusing on yourselves, you must also pay attention to other women.”

“Use your abilities to promote women’s education, encourage women to take the imperial examinations, and enable more women to enter official positions.”

“Make the people believe that women can truly study, develop talents, and hold high positions with great authority.”

“Only then can hearts be united, drops of water form a river, and the river become mighty. Then you can ride the wind and waves, unstoppable in all directions.”

The women once again responded in unison, their expressions showing not only excitement but also vigor and spirit.

“In this world, things are easier said than done, especially when breaking new ground,” Chu Zhao sighed softly and stood up. “You were born into wealth and privilege, assured of food and clothing, and should have lived peaceful lives. I have drawn you into this whirlpool—please don’t blame me.”

Zhou Jiang burst out laughing: “Your Majesty has endured hardships and near-death experiences to reach today. How have you become more timid?”

Chu Zhao also laughed: “Fearlessness comes from ignorance. It’s precisely because I’ve experienced life and death that I’m reluctant to see others suffer.”

Madam Zeng said: “Your Majesty need not worry. Having the opportunity to choose between a peaceful life or one filled with ups and downs is already our blessing.”

Chu Zhao looked at the others, who were also smiling and nodding.

“Very well,” Chu Zhao said. “Then I ask all ministers to serve the country and the people with utmost devotion until your last breath.”

Everyone straightened their posture, bowed, and called out in unison: “We shall serve the country and the people with utmost devotion until our last breath.”

“Now, the hardships are still in the future,” Chu Zhao smiled. “The palace has prepared a flower banquet. Please, ministers, go and enjoy yourselves first.”

The women all smiled again as palace maids came in with incense, curtsying together.

“We respectfully invite the officials to the banquet,” they said.

The women bowed to Chu Zhao again and, escorted by the palace maids, headed toward the great audience hall.

……

……

When Deng Yi was summoned, the banquet had not yet dispersed, and Chu Zhao, having drunk a few extra cups of wine, had retired to a flower pavilion outside the hall to rest.

Seeing him approach, the palace maids retreated to one side.

“Greetings to Empress,” Deng Yi bowed outside the pavilion.

Chu Zhao fanned herself, not opening her eyes, and said: “You didn’t do very well in the examination. You can only compile books in the Hanlin Academy for a few years.”

Deng Yi replied: “My studies have been neglected for a long time. Being able to pass at all is already good enough.”

“Now you know how to be content,” Chu Zhao smiled.

“Before Your Majesty, what good would my discontent do?” said Deng Yi.

Not caring about court etiquette, he lifted his robe and sat down on the steps, listening as the woman’s voice continued from behind.

“Indeed, those who were not content were all killed by me.”

The woman’s voice was slow, seeming both near and far.

“Lord Deng has died once and should remember this well.”

This was a warning to him. Deng Yi’s mouth twitched as he said: “Your Majesty should not be proud, thinking you are now all-powerful. A centipede dies but does not stiffen immediately. I’ve heard that recently bandits and mountain thieves have received notices to catch a not-so-fat and sickly sheep.”

Chu Zhao replied: “I know that person is not easy to kill. To him, we are all insignificant ants. But with so many insignificant ants this time, even a mantis trying to stop a chariot might succeed.”

This time, that time—Deng Yi had occasionally heard her use such strange phrases before, but it didn’t matter now.

“However,” Chu Zhao sat up and opened her eyes, “you’re no longer one of our people. In the future, you’re not allowed to spy on news from our household.”

Deng Yi turned his head and said: “Since we’re on this topic, though my family has moved out, that house was my tuition gift. You two can’t just occupy it without compensation, can you?”

Chu Zhao immediately assumed a drunken, bleary-eyed expression: “What? What are you saying? I’m drunk and don’t understand.”

She raised her hand and called out.

“A-Le, A-Le.”

A-Le, who was outside the pavilion, hurriedly supported Chu Zhao.

“I told you that you don’t have much tolerance for alcohol, yet you drank so much,” she scolded. “Let’s quickly return to the palace to sober up.”

The mistress and servant walked away, stepping on the hem of Deng Yi’s robe as they left.

Deng Yi sat on the steps, suddenly smiled and shook his head, then stood up and walked toward the banquet.

Inside the banquet hall, there was laughter and chatter, but when several people at the entrance saw him, their laughter paused, and they averted their gaze.

Deng Yi didn’t mind. He sat down in his place and poured and drank by himself.

He knew that days would be like this from now on, with people wary of him as if he were a ghost.

Before, he had been a human doing ghostly deeds.

From now on, he was a ghost, and he wondered what it would be like to behave as a human.

……

……

The bustle of the spring examinations passed with several spring rains, and in the blink of an eye, it was the scorching summer.

Although there had been several disputes over women officials during this period, all had been smoothly resolved.

Chu Zhao’s days were somewhat leisurely.

“Your Majesty,” the palace servant announced, “the Emperor has arrived.”

Xiao Yu entered with lively steps.

“Sister,” he frowned, waving his sleeves, “it’s too hot. I was reading memorials in my light inner clothes, and those ministers criticized me. I suggested they also take off their official robes, but they carried on dramatically.”

Chu Zhao laughed, fanning him: “You dared to say that.”

Xiao Yu sat beside her, took a teacup from the table, poured himself tea, and drank it in one gulp. “They’re always going on about ancestral rules. I think our ancestors wouldn’t blame me for wearing light clothes while reading memorials.”

Chu Zhao looked at him sympathetically: “Our A-Yu has worked hard. Being Emperor is indeed not easy.”

Xiao Yu looked at her and said: “Sister, I want to visit the imperial tombs to see Father and Mother.”

Chu Zhao was somewhat surprised: “Didn’t we pay respects during the spring examinations?”

Xiao Yu said: “There were too many people then. I want to visit Father and Mother alone.”

Chu Zhao raised an eyebrow and smiled: “Oh, I understand. A-Yu misses Father and Mother.”

For a boy his age, the word “miss” was embarrassing. Xiao Yu’s ears turned slightly red, but he nodded: “Yes, recently I seem to remember many things from my childhood, and suddenly I miss them very much.”

For a long time, he had forgotten his childhood, as if by doing so, he could forget and escape his fears.

“All right,” Chu Zhao nodded with a smile. “We’ll go tomorrow.”

……

……

Chu Zhao had not visited the imperial tombs many times, as she had spent several years traveling outside the capital.

Chu Zhao looked up at what lay ahead—the tomb of the late Emperor.

She could no longer remember what the late Emperor looked like.

Looking back, it felt like a previous life, and the previous life was even more blurred and unclear. Sometimes she thought perhaps it was all a dream.

“Sister.”

Xiao Yu’s call came from the side.

Chu Zhao bowed to the late Emperor’s tomb, then walked over.

“Finished your private conversation with your father and mother?” she asked with a smile.

Xiao Yu nodded: “I told them many, many things.” He patted his chest. “My heart feels much lighter now.”

After saying this, he hurriedly grabbed Chu Zhao’s arm and explained anxiously.

“Sister, I also feel lighter after telling you things.”

Chu Zhao laughed heartily: “What are you explaining for? Do you think I would be jealous of your father and mother?” She reached out and pinched Xiao Yu’s nose. “I’m only happier that A-Yu has more people to confide in.”

Xiao Yu remembered something and took out a bamboo tube, saying: “I almost forgot the gift for my father.”

Chu Zhao looked at the bamboo tube with a complex expression, but mostly with relief.

“My father rarely showed me affection,” Xiao Yu stroked the bamboo tube. “I resented my father. The gift I prepared for him that day was meant to scare him—”

It contained a snake, Chu Zhao remembered, though of course the bamboo tube had long since been replaced with a toy snake.

“Later he died, and I never had the chance to scare him, nor another opportunity to receive his affection,” said Xiao Yu, looking at the tombstone before him. “I’ve been holding onto this bamboo tube, as if by doing so, I wouldn’t lose him.”

At this point, he smiled slightly and placed the bamboo tube in front of the tombstone.

“Now, I’m no longer afraid of loss.”

“Just as sister said, as long as the loving heart remains, the person will remain, whether they’re by my side or not.”

Chu Zhao reached out and embraced him, sighing softly: “Our A-Yu has truly grown up.”

Xiao Yu leaned on her shoulder and said: “So, sister, you can leave now.”

Chu Zhao stood up straight and looked at him.

Xiao Yu also looked at her: “I can now accept loss. Sister, you can trust me one more time.”

He knew that on that day his sister had returned, but his sister no longer trusted him.

His sister never held his hand again.

When he went to see his sister, he could no longer be alone with her; his sister was always surrounded by guards.

His sister would no longer shield him as before, offering her back to him.

He didn’t blame his sister; it was all his own doing.

Chu Zhao raised her hand and gently stroked the young man’s brow.

“Do you know why your sister wants to leave? It’s not actually because I don’t trust you,” she said. “You are the Emperor, I am a different kind of Empress. Even if we trust each other completely, under imperial power, we cannot coexist.”

Xiao Yu opened his mouth to say something.

Chu Zhao’s finger lightly touched his nose, stopping him.

“Of course, this isn’t the problem either, because sister has many methods to make you completely unthreatening, to make you trust only me for your entire life, to turn you into my puppet.”

She looked at Xiao Yu and shook her head gently.

“But I don’t want that. I don’t want to turn you into that, nor do I want to become such a person.”

“I’ve been an Empress who was nothing.”

“Now I can also be an all-powerful Empress.”

“But in the end, I still want to be the me that I like.”

Xiao Yu nodded, solemnly saying: “Sister, besides being Emperor, I will also be the me that I like.”

Chu Zhao smiled, holding Xiao Yu’s face. The once childish boy had become a handsome young man.

“A-Yu,” she said, “sister has never regretted saving you. Sister was honored to have saved you that day.”

Xiao Yu could no longer hold back. He reached out and embraced her, burying his head in her shoulder as tears gently fell.