Chongming Palace had recently been constantly filled with the heavy scent of medicine.
Everyone knew that since that night, His Majesty had forced herself to hold on, stabilizing the palace, pacifying Shengdu, until ascending the throne before the coffin in Chengqian Hall and comforting the people from atop the city walls. Only then did she allow herself the chance to collapse.
Therefore, she missed the best opportunity for treatment.
This led to five days of unconsciousness initially. The imperial physicians were helpless, and the ministers were terrified, fearing the imperial dynasty would henceforth have no master.
Later, a nun requested entry to the palace, claiming she could treat His Majesty. She was nearly beaten away by the palace guards, but Chi Xue hurriedly welcomed her out and personally escorted her in.
After the nun entered the palace, His Majesty awakened that very night.
Everyone who received the news breathed a sigh of relief.
Therefore, when the nun came again today, the guards at the palace gate hurriedly and respectfully escorted her in.
His Majesty had already said this was her master. When His Majesty faced hardships and exhaustion in the palace, she relied entirely on this master’s teaching, skills, and protection.
Moreover, this master’s Gui Qizhai had also made considerable contributions during the Shengdu upheaval. Gui Qizhai opened twenty-one shops in Shengdu, organizing shop assistants to resist the rebel army and protecting many innocent people.
They also sent guides to lead the Western Rong royal army that had rushed from afar, allowing the Western Rong royal army to arrive beneath Shengdu’s walls earlier than expected, preventing a city-breaking disaster.
With such great merit, everyone was speculating whether this person would soon be appointed as Imperial Preceptor.
When the Imperial Preceptor arrived, everyone courteously received her. A sedan chair was already prepared, but they saw her put down a large bundle from behind her and take out something strange with two wheels.
Everyone stared dumbfounded as the master performed magic-like tricks, folding and unfolding until that thing suddenly became a vehicle with only two wheels. Below seemed to be two pedals, with a horizontal bar and handlebars in front. The master mounted this strange vehicle, pressed something with her finger, producing a series of crisp bell sounds, and laughed: “Let’s go!”
With a push of her foot, the wheels quickly rolled away with a “gurgle gurgle” sound.
That day, countless people in Da Qian’s imperial palace saw a nun riding a strange contraption that was neither horse nor carriage, swaggering past them.
The vehicle was ridden straight to the main gate of Chongming Palace. The courtyard walls had been repaired. Countless ministers entered and exited before the palace gate.
The ministers actually found it somewhat puzzling that Tie Ci still chose to live in Chongming Palace, since that night had been so tragic here—it was truly like a place of nightmares.
They simply couldn’t imagine whether Tie Ci, walking to the main hall, would think of how the late emperor’s corpse had lain there that day, or whether sitting at the desk in the inner hall, she would remember the Consort Mother’s corpse hanging overhead.
Everyone had prepared to treat Ruixiang Hall as His Majesty’s bedchamber from then on.
What kind of powerful will was needed to continue living here so calmly?
The ministers couldn’t understand, and Dan Ye couldn’t understand either.
He had rushed a thousand li from Western Rong to Shengdu, completely ending the warfare within two days. After that, he refused the lodging arranged by the Ministry of Rites and shamelessly moved into the palace.
Tie Ci arranged Yuning Palace beside Chongming Palace for him, but he wouldn’t stay there.
The dignified Western Rong King slept on Chongming Palace’s roof every day.
He lay on the roof listening to Tie Ci’s breathing, afraid that one day, if he wasn’t careful, that breathing would stop.
Sometimes Dan Ye would also go down for walks.
Just yesterday, in a corner beneath the curtains in Chongming Palace’s main hall, he had seen blood traces embedded in the cracks between golden bricks.
Dan Ye crouched before that golden brick for a long time, almost getting up to move Tie Ci, bed and all, back to her own Ruixiang Hall.
Rong Pu stopped him.
After handling his grandparents’ funeral affairs, Rong Pu remained in Shengdu, temporarily entering the Ministry of Rites to help manage the upcoming series of major events.
The original Minister of Rites was Yang Yixiu’s father, a stalwart of the Xiao family. But before the upheaval, Yang Yixiu had “righteously destroyed his relative,” directly writing a letter to report his own father for accepting bribes of one hundred taels of silver, driving his father down from the Minister of Rites position.
According to Da Qian law, officials who embezzled one hundred twenty taels of silver would be prosecuted. Yang Yixiu’s chosen number was extremely cunning.
Tie Ci understood immediately, directly suspending Minister Yang and sending him to the Court of Judicial Review for trial. When the upheaval occurred, Minister Yang was still writing self-criticism in the Court of Judicial Review.
The Yang residence thus escaped disaster, but he could never again serve as Minister of Rites.
Now the Ministry of Rites was jointly managed by three vice ministers, though everyone speculated that Rong Pu would probably start from the Ministry of Rites and eventually enter the cabinet.
The Rong family’s role in this upheaval was complex. Old Lady Rong’s opening of the city gates was a capital crime warranting execution of nine generations, but Rong Pu’s thousand-li return to the capital to stop Xiao Liheng, and Chief Minister Rong’s bombing and wounding of Xiao Liheng and his subordinates were great merits. The court endlessly debated the Rong family’s punishment and Chief Minister Rong’s posthumous affairs.
Rong Pu knelt before the hall for this, begging His Majesty and the cabinet to pardon the Rong family’s crimes, willing to offset them with his own achievements.
Finally, Tie Ci’s single word settled the matter. Rong Pu entered the Ministry of Rites as merely a director. Old Lady Rong and Chief Minister Rong’s merits and faults balanced out.
She neither granted Chief Minister Rong a beautiful posthumous name nor approved the cabinet’s proposed slightly derogatory posthumous title.
Chief Minister Rong became the first chief minister since Da Qian’s founding to receive no posthumous name without being convicted of crimes.
Additionally, Li Shen withdrew from the cabinet due to events that night, reassigned as Inspector of Nine Regions. But Li Yuncheng was specially approved to enter the cabinet as Secretary.
These residences seemed to have fallen, but everyone understood that these outstanding young men had all reached crucial departments and would very likely become cabinet ministers in the future.
People couldn’t help sighing in their hearts that these families had originally been anti-imperial factions, destined to be completely destroyed in this great tide. Yet because their descendants were excellent and chose the right side, they could probably maintain family glory for fifty years.
His Majesty’s clear distinction between public and private grudges also showed those following her much greater hope.
All under heaven turning their hearts to her was nothing more than this.
The ministers held reverence, admiration, fear, and pity for the new emperor in equal measure, knowing how severely the Chongming Palace tragedy had wounded His Majesty—not merely losing both parents.
Therefore, they were happy to see Dan Ye’s disregard for propriety and Rong Pu’s frequent visits to Chongming Palace.
Whoever it was, having a few more handsome men comfort His Majesty’s wounded body and spirit would be fine.
Rong Pu seemed completely unaware of everyone’s expectations, strictly observing rules and never staying overnight in the palace.
Dan Ye’s insistence on staying he ignored, only stopping him when Dan Ye wanted to move Tie Ci’s bed.
“His Majesty lives in Chongming Palace to remind herself not to forget past events, to remind herself to remember the late emperor’s entrustment and the realm’s expectations, to remind herself that she is master of all under heaven. You must not interfere.”
Dan Ye widened his eyes, tilting his head exactly like his brother Mo Ye: “Why remind? Doesn’t she already remember anyway?”
Rong Pu didn’t answer.
At that moment he stood before Chongming Palace, listening to Jian Xi’s low voice reading memorials to His Majesty inside, thinking:
Of course reminders were needed.
After this incident, she might not want this realm—might even hate it.
What she truly wanted to do should be pursuing to Liaodong, killing Prince Da’an, and finding somewhere with Murong Yi where no one knew them, to be together forever.
Only by living in Chongming Palace, letting that night’s tragedy torment her day and night, reminding herself, could she grit her teeth and endure, wait, and bear it.
For the realm, for the people, for Father Emperor.
Only, she suffered herself.
…
When Yun Buci rode her bicycle into Chongming Palace, Dan Ye was roasting meat amid smoke and fire in Chongming Palace’s courtyard, singing Western Rong folk songs. The smoke and fire mixed with a male tenor made Chongming Palace rarely and unbearably lively.
Rong Pu sat in the hall, reading to Tie Ci behind the curtains on the soft couch a summary of today’s coronation ceremony affairs drafted by the Ministry of Rites. Additionally, since the late emperor’s and imperial consort’s funeral rites weren’t finished, nobles and ministers inside and outside the court, and ladies with titles inside and outside still had to enter the palace daily to mourn. The Ministry of Rites was increasingly busy.
Before reporting, Rong Pu simplified and re-simplified the Ministry’s documents, summarizing them extremely concisely.
If he could let her hear a few fewer words and rest a bit more, that would be good.
The person behind the gauze curtain made no movement, even breathing lightly and weakly, as if she might fall asleep at any moment. Only he knew she was listening.
Only he knew that from dawn to dark, this person who seemed ready to sleep at any moment was actually always awake.
Sometimes when he brought medicine at midnight, through the gauze curtain Chi Xue lifted, he could see Tie Ci lying peacefully, eyes wide open staring at the ceiling’s caisson.
Later he added sleep-inducing and spirit-calming medicines to those prescribed by the imperial medical academy.
He rarely entered the gauze curtain, only when taking her pulse. Tie Ci’s pulse made him very uneasy.
Her internal meridians were severely damaged, true qi flowing backward like flood waters finally breaking through dikes, roaring and sweeping, racing across the ground. Wherever it passed, everything was devastated.
He couldn’t determine what kind of harm this pulse would bring her, but he could vaguely guess that either her innate ability or her martial arts—at least one was ruined.
The former’s infinite pain and suffering each time it activated, the latter’s dozen years of bitter practice through frost and snow.
Losing either would be heartbreaking.
But he had doubts about this result.
Just as he had always doubted why Tie Ci’s innate ability awakened so late.
These were things that shouldn’t have happened.
Why?
Inside the gauze curtain, after he finished reporting a section, Tie Ci said: “Tell the Ministry of Rites that funeral rites cannot be simplified—make them grand and generous. For the coronation ceremony, delete three ritual procedures.”
Jian Xi sent out the revised memorial, and Rong Pu stood to receive it with both hands.
“By imperial decree.”
Silence fell in the hall.
Now, if ministers didn’t speak, Tie Ci would never say an extra word.
Rong Pu remained quiet for a while, then smiled: “May this minister tell Your Majesty some idle matters?”
Tie Ci was silent for a moment, then said: “Your residence has busy affairs. You needn’t waste time here with me.”
Rong Pu said: “Being with Your Majesty is this minister’s best destination.”
Tie Ci said nothing more.
Rong Pu lowered his eyes.
Before, when he spoke with such half-intimate, half-flirtatious words, Tie Ci would either tactfully distance herself or laugh and pretend not to understand.
But now, she neither laughed nor paid attention.
She possessed all under heaven, yet had already erected a snow-built high wall between the world and herself.
Rong Pu’s face still wore that shallow smile: “I heard Young Master Gu has recently been chased quite miserably by a certain young lady. One day she even cornered him in his bedroom. Young Master Gu was probably driven nearly mad, pointing to his extremely secure bedroom and telling that young lady that he only liked staying locked in rooms organizing things in this lifetime. Every one of his possessions had to be placed in a fixed position, not allowing the slightest disruption or change. He didn’t like talking to people and couldn’t even stand having someone breathing beside him while sleeping. He asked that young lady if she could stop breathing—if she could do that, he’d agree to her proposal.”
Through the gauze curtain, he heard Tie Ci say: “Then Palace Master stopped breathing.”
“How did Your Majesty guess that?” Rong Pu laughed. “This matter has been spreading throughout Shengdu recently. They say that young lady immediately fell to the ground with a thud, no longer breathing. It scared Young Master Gu half to death—the first time in his life he shouted loudly, dragging people everywhere to help. After half a day of everyone being helpless, the imperial physician advised him to immediately have her body prepared for burial. This shocked Gu Xiaoxiao into stroking the corpse and shouting loudly, saying ‘Wake up, come back to life, I promise you…'”
Tie Ci said: “Then she came back to life.”
Rong Pu beamed: “So Your Majesty has heard this.”
“Naturally not,” Tie Ci said. “It’s just that Palace Master’s background should be extraordinary. Merely holding her breath wouldn’t be difficult for her.”
“In any case, words spoken are like water spilled. Your Majesty might need to prepare red envelopes.”
“Only when both parties are willing,” Tie Ci said.
Rong Pu changed the subject: “There’s another amusing matter. Does Your Majesty remember Miss Zhang from Minister Zhang’s household? Last year you even accepted her invitation to tour her residence’s garden.”
Tie Ci said: “The one you had a matchmaking meeting with.”
Rong Pu: “…Yes. However, this young lady has had matchmaking meetings with at least eight hundred if not a thousand men, but none succeeded because Miss Zhang declared that for her to marry, the man must share her aspirations. Of course, her aspirations are quite different from others. She said whoever she married must also be well-versed in ‘Compassionate Heart Chronicles,’ support the Wonderful Words Society, and recite praises three times daily.”
Tie Ci was silent for a moment, then said: “She might as well marry the ‘Compassionate Heart Chronicles.'”
“Your Majesty guessed wrong this time. She really did encounter someone who shared her aspirations. The son of Liu Chen, commander of Shengdu’s Iron Armor Camp, accidentally collided with her on the street the day before yesterday. Both dropped a copy of ‘Compassionate Heart Chronicles’ from their arms and immediately stood at the roadside chatting. One said he read ‘Compassionate Heart Chronicles’ daily, the other said she had hand-copied it several times. One said he read ‘Compassionate Heart Chronicles’ facing the palace daily, the other said she planned to write ‘Yongping Great Banner Chronicles’ for Your Majesty. One said he could die for Your Majesty, the other said to remember to include her too.”
Tie Ci: “…”
Liu Chen was Di Yiwei’s trusted subordinate. When Di Yiwei fell into trouble, Liu Chen helped him. When entering the capital this time, he also brought Liu Chen along. Due to his merit in defending the city, Tie Ci directly retained him as commander of Iron Armor Camp, chief of Shengdu’s three great camps.
Liu Chen’s son had previously been in Yongping Great Camp, only following to Shengdu this time. Tie Ci vaguely remembered he was a capable young man.
Rong Pu smiled. Tie Ci probably wasn’t clear that after experiencing the Yongping incident, personally witnessing Tie Ci kill Xiao Chang, suppress the great army, entrust military power to Di Yiwei, and personally enter battle—which of the Yongping army sons wasn’t her devoted follower?
“I heard they’ve already arranged to go out together today, planning to visit every place Your Majesty has ever set foot,” Rong Pu said. “Another fine tale related to Your Majesty.”
Inside the gauze curtain, after a moment of silence, Tie Ci said: “Now, only you dare speak of such paired couples in my presence.”
Everyone else feared hurting her heart and was extremely careful.
This time Rong Pu was silent for a while before saying softly: “If no one mentions them, does that mean Your Majesty won’t think of them?”