Was it difficult being the Empress?

This was a question Chu Zhao was uniquely qualified to answer, considering this was her second time serving as Empress.

“What’s easy to do isn’t necessarily good.”

In her previous life, being Empress had been easy—she needed only to please the Emperor. As easily as she had assumed the role, she had just as easily died.

“It’s not easy, although the outcome remains uncertain—”

Chu Zhao smiled at Xie Yanfang.

“But so far, it feels quite good.”

Looking at the girl’s radiant smile, Xie Yanfang smiled in return: “Since I’ve known Your Majesty, you have never changed—always as steadfast as bedrock.”

Chu Zhao laughed heartily: “Really?”

Xie Yanfang nodded: “Of course. From when I first met Lady A-Zhao until now, Lady A-Zhao has overcome every difficulty and achieved all her goals.”

Thinking about it, Chu Zhao realized he was right. When the Third Prince had tried to make things difficult for her, she had taken on the challenge and organized the Chu Garden literary gathering. When she had been prevented from returning to the border commandery, she had eventually made it there as she wished and bid her father a final farewell. She had stopped Xiao Xun and his son from scheming for the throne, become Empress again, and though Liang Qiang had received military honors for her valor as in the previous life, she would not gain Zhong Changrong’s trust or take control of the border army.

She had indeed achieved everything she wanted.

“Yan Lai once told me,” she said with a smile, “that I wouldn’t always be unlucky.”

Now he was speaking, but she thought of Xie Yan Lai. Xie Yanfang smiled again and continued: “This time, I believe Lady A-Zhao will once again get what she wants. Also, please don’t blame me for not helping.”

Help? Chu Zhao looked at him with an ambiguous smile. Although she hadn’t expected assistance from anyone, when the court officials had responded to her with silence, she had originally thought Xie Yanfang would speak up, or if not him, at least the officials friendly with the Xie clan would say something, which would have helped save her face.

Instead, the entire court had remained silent.

“I can understand,” Chu Zhao said, nodding slightly. “If Minister Xie had helped me, the Imperial Tutor would certainly have criticized you. Besides, I am indeed interfering in government affairs now. I know that none of the court officials would approve.”

She looked at Xie Yanfang.

Xie Yanfang was also a court official.

And an imperial relative.

The Empress could also be considered an imperial relative. Though both were imperial relatives, the relationship between the former Crown Prince’s uncle and Xiao Yu’s uncle had never been particularly good.

She wouldn’t assume that just because Imperial Tutor Deng Yi disliked her government interference, Xie Yanfang would necessarily approve.

An empress interfering in government had always been taboo in court. There had even been emperors who, to prevent imperial consorts from meddling in affairs of state, had forced them to drink poison and join them in death.

How could Xie Yanfang not understand the meaning behind the girl’s words? Her saying “I can understand” was a reproach.

“The Imperial Tutor is already criticizing me. Helping the Empress would merely mean a few more criticisms,” Xie Yanfang said with a smile. “To me, it’s inconsequential.”

Chu Zhao made a sound of acknowledgment, seemingly contemplating or perhaps lost in thought, as she extended her hand toward Xiao Man.

Xiao Man, who had been standing beside her all along, frowned, reluctantly using the handkerchief she was holding to wipe Chu Zhao’s hands: “Can’t you stop eating while you’re working?”

Chu Zhao laughed with an “Oh my!” and said: “I’m too busy and hungry, so I can only eat while working. Thank you for your help, Xiao Man.”

Xiao Man snorted and turned her head away.

Xie Yanfang knew she was Chu Zhao’s bodyguard who never left her side, probably sent by Chu Wei for his daughter. After the Prince of Zhongshan incident, he also knew that besides the Dragon Guard troops officially assigned to her, the servants in the Chu residence were also people secretly placed by Chu Wei in preparation for future needs.

After wiping her hands, Chu Zhao picked up Xie Yanfang’s earlier comment and nodded: “It’s the same for me. The Imperial Tutor’s cold shoulder, the court’s silent resistance—I don’t mind any of it. Doing what has never been done before always requires paying a price.”

She had reached this point by paying the price of dying once. Being given the cold shoulder or cursed at was nothing in comparison.

“That’s why I say Lady A-Zhao is as steadfast as bedrock—neither saddened by others’ disapproval nor angered by their lack of assistance,” Xie Yanfang said with a smile.

By “others,” he was referring to himself.

The girl had expressed her disapproval of his lack of support, but she wasn’t resentful about it.

Chu Zhao smiled too and raised her teacup.

“I don’t help Your Majesty for Your Majesty’s good,” Xie Yanfang said.

Chu Zhao held her teacup and burst into laughter.

Xie Yanfang made a sound and raised his eyebrows: “This isn’t just a platitude to make you happy.”

Chu Zhao laughed heartily, and with that laugh, her previous vexation and the somewhat stiff atmosphere dissipated. Then she stopped laughing, sat up straight, and put down her teacup: “Please continue, Vice Minister Xie.”

Xie Yanfang also composed himself: “If I were to support Your Majesty’s words, Your Majesty would naturally navigate the court with ease, and even the Imperial Tutor couldn’t suppress you. But in that case, the Empress would no longer be just the Empress, but would become associated with me—”

He pointed to himself.

“Xie Yanfang, a subsidiary of the Xie clan, or like me, an imperial relative.”

“In that case, in the eyes of the court officials, what Your Majesty achieved through your courage—whether it was the late Emperor’s entrustment, fighting the Western Liang forces, or repelling the Prince of Zhongshan—would no longer belong to you but would become my subsidiary achievement.”

Chu Zhao looked at him, seemingly surprised and somewhat puzzled, but she didn’t ask anything and simply smiled slightly.

Xie Yanfang paid no attention to the changes in the girl’s expression and continued speaking.

“If I don’t speak up, and Your Majesty endures this on your own and conquers the court officials, then the Empress, myself, and the Imperial Tutor…”

He pointed to himself again and also to Chu Zhao.

“We would each be our person, none subordinate to another.”

“Lady A-Zhao will become an empress who conquered the court officials with her strength, qualified to attend court and participate in political discussions.”

Chu Zhao looked at the young man before her, wanting to say something but finding herself at a loss for words.

“I never imagined I could be like this,” she said softly. “The Third Young Master has thought of this for me.”

After speaking, she looked curious.

“Why doesn’t the Third Young Master want to make me his subordinate? This is a good opportunity. I am determined to participate in government affairs and speak in court, no longer being an empress behind a pearl screen. To achieve this goal, at least for now, I don’t mind if people think I am aligned with the Xie clan.”

She also didn’t believe Xie Yanfang was a loyal minister who revered his sovereign. In her previous life, he had been capable of rebellion.

She had witnessed firsthand how powerful ministers like Deng Yi had treated Xiao Xun.

She had always kept Xie Yanfang at a respectful distance, but now she found him somewhat strange and somewhat… interesting.

Hadn’t he always pursued supremacy above all others? Why was he now lowering his gaze to her?

Xie Yanfang looked at the girl and said with a smile: “I said before that everything Lady A-Zhao has obtained, you made yourself deserve. Lady A-Zhao deserves to be such an empress, and I look forward to seeing you become that person.

Chu Zhao looked at him, wanting to say something but not knowing what.

“Also,” Xie Yanfang leaned forward slightly and lowered his voice, “I already have too many subordinates. Having more isn’t interesting.”

Chu Zhao was startled, then burst into laughter.

Xie Yanfang calmly sat up straight and poured himself some tea.

“Actually,” Chu Zhao thought for a moment, placed her hand on the table, and leaned forward slightly to whisper, “I’m not confident. What if I can’t overcome this? What if they never submit?”

Xie Yanfang held his tea and glanced at her. This was the first time the girl had willingly approached him.

He pointed to himself: “At that time, Your Majesty can think, ‘But there’s still Minister Xie.'”

Before the girl could ask, he smiled proudly.

“Though I may not help you, with me present, no matter how much Your Majesty struggles, your position as Empress remains secure.”

“So—”

Chu Zhao picked up his thought, her eyes curving with a smile: “So I just need to persist and see who can outlast whom. After all, I’m sitting here, and no one can drive me away.”

Xie Yanfang nodded haughtily: “Exactly.” He drained his tea in one gulp, stood up, and said with a slight smile, “But it probably won’t take too long.”

Chu Zhao looked at him and asked: “Really?”

Xie Yanfang smiled and said: “I said before, Lady A-Zhao is as steadfast as bedrock. Saving the young Emperor earned the late Emperor’s entrustment, fighting the Western Liang forces and repelling the Prince of Zhongshan—someone like Lady A-Zhao deserves many people’s admiration.”

……

……

When A-Le came in carrying tea and refreshments, Xie Yanfang had already left, with only Chu Zhao sitting at the desk.

But Chu Zhao wasn’t focused on reading memorials as before. Instead, she was holding her brush and staring into space. When she saw A-Le approaching, she didn’t rush to eat but asked her to bring a mirror.

“There are no ink marks on your face,” A-Le said, holding up the mirror for Chu Zhao while carefully examining her face herself.

The young lady’s face was clean, fair, delicate, and adorable.

Chu Zhao smiled at her reflection in the mirror: “A-Le, am I very likable?”

A-Le widened her eyes: “Of course! Who wouldn’t like you, young miss?”

Xiao Man snorted and turned her head away.

“Sister Xiao Man likes you in her heart but is too embarrassed to say it out loud,” A-Le said with a smile.

Xiao Man turned back to glare at her.

A-Le giggled and asked Chu Zhao again: “Why are you asking this, young miss? It’s not even a question worth asking. Did Minister Xie say something bad about you?”

She snorted again.

She still held a grudge. While the young miss was away, Xie Yanfang had attempted to expose Master Chu and Xiao Xun’s plot to harm the Emperor in the capital, tarnishing the young miss’s reputation.

Chu Zhao smiled at her: “No, he praised me greatly.”

A-Le made a sound of acknowledgment and snorted again: “His praise isn’t needed.”

True, she no longer cared about others’ praise or hatred, but—Chu Zhao looked at herself in the mirror and smiled slightly. When that wolf Xie praised her like this, raising his arm for her and viewing her as capable of anything, it was quite—

Pleasing.

“Minister Xie said,’ Chu Zhao, put down the mirror, ‘that I would soon get a response.”

A-Le quickly said: “I think so too.”

Chu Zhao laughed heartily: “Good, I hope both your good wishes come true.”

That day indeed didn’t require a long wait.

A month later, during a court session filled with rolling thunder, even the closed doors of the great hall couldn’t block the sound of thunder, forcing everyone to speak loudly and making the hall even more chaotic.

When the Ministry of Justice mentioned the name of a criminal awaiting judgment, which wasn’t unusual, as the case had already gone through several rounds of interrogation and only needed a routine final confirmation—

But when the name was announced, the Empress spoke again.

“This person,” she said, “why has he been sentenced to death?”

The voices in the hall immediately stopped, leaving only the rolling thunder.

No one had heard what the Empress said. Now, hearing her speak had become routine, and they automatically responded with silence.

“I’ve read this file. The accused, Zheng Xia, is an official from the Jingzhou central office. He’s accused of accepting bribes and selling examination questions, but looking at the evidence, there’s no proof that he was the one who sold the questions.”

The Empress’s voice questioned again.

The hall remained silent.

After another moment of silence, the Empress would typically know to stop speaking, and then the Imperial Tutor would move on to the next topic.

The Empress did indeed stop speaking. The officials stood with lowered hands, and those with idle minds were even counting on their fingers inside their sleeves: one, two, three—

“Your Majesty the Empress is perceptive—”

An official’s voice rang out.

The officials present let out a sigh of relief, but the next moment they shuddered. This wasn’t something the Imperial Tutor would say.

Wait, that wasn’t the Imperial Tutor speaking!

The silent court suddenly became restless as they all looked for the source of the voice, turning their gazes toward the back of the queue.

An official was stepping forward. He seemed both nervous and excited, while four or five officials beside him tried to hold him back.

“Minister Zhu, you must not,” they whispered urgently.

But when all eyes converged on them, they scattered like they had been struck by lightning.

The official suddenly stood alone, conspicuously exposed.

With the muffled thunder in his ears, the official raised his head to see countless gazes upon him. Having always stood at the back, this was the first time he faced so much attention. For a moment, he felt dizzy, especially when he saw Imperial Tutor Deng Yi’s heavy face and cold, piercing eyes.

But then he saw another pair of eyes. Behind the dragon throne, the girl’s eyes shone like stars, outshining all the gazes around.

“Hanlin Academy Scholar, Zhu Yong,” the female voice called out his name. “What do you have to say?”

The Empress knew his name! The official was startled for a moment, looking up at the girl seated high above. He suddenly stepped forward again, bowed deeply, and kowtowed.

“This subject, Zhu Yong, believes that the case of the Jingzhou central office inspector Zheng Xia, accused of accepting bribes and examination fraud, is unjust.”