The sorrow and heartache displayed by the Empress left the innocent Li Ying deeply moved, making her forget to ask why the Empress called herself “mother.” She quietly nestled in the Empress’s embrace. After a long while, the Empress finally released her, but still held her hand tightly, unwilling to let go.

Li Ying’s hands had the softness and fair complexion unique to young maidens. The Empress sighed with emotion: “Mingyue Zhu is still so young, but mother has grown old, so old… that she can barely see Mingyue Zhu anymore.”

Li Ying bit her lip and timidly said, “Your Majesty…”

The title of “Your Majesty” seemed to bring the Empress back to her senses. As if afraid of frightening Li Ying, she said softly, “My daughter was also called Mingyue Zhu.”

The Empress’s daughter? The Empress only had one daughter, so was Mingyue Zhu the childhood name of Princess Yong’an?

Li Ying suddenly understood and carefully asked, “So, I look very similar to Your Majesty and Zhengyue’s daughter, Princess Yong’an?”

The Empress stared at her, her gaze filled with a tenderness not usually seen in her: “Yes, very similar.”

Li Ying finally understood why the Empress had reacted to her in such a manner. Since she resembled Princess Yong’an, did that mean there was hope for Cui Xun? She gathered her courage and said, “Your Majesty, Zhenyue has come today for her fiancé, Pei Heng.”

Fearing the Empress might become angry, Li Ying quickly continued, “Pei Heng was already engaged to Zhenyue. All the betrothal rituals—presenting gifts, asking names, and confirming the engagement—had been completed. We were just waiting for him to achieve a high rank in the examinations before our wedding. Unexpectedly, Princess Qi’an took a liking to Pei Heng and forced him to become her Prince Consort. When he refused, she had him imprisoned…”

At this point, Li Ying couldn’t help but feel indignant: “Even if she is a Princess, she shouldn’t behave this way.”

Her anger caused her brows to furrow slightly, her expression indignant. The Empress couldn’t help but smile indulgently: “Indeed, she shouldn’t act this way.”

Li Ying was stunned: “Your Majesty…”

“But if it were my Mingyue Zhu, even if she desired a heavenly immortal, I would help her seize him.”

“Your Majesty…”

“Don’t worry, I have no intention of doing anything to Pei Heng. When Qi’an came to request an imperial decree that day, I didn’t know he was already engaged. Had I known, I wouldn’t have issued that edict.”

Li Ying completely relaxed: “I knew Your Majesty wasn’t an unreasonable person.”

The Empress held her hand and smiled slightly: “In the past, when I was the Empress Dowager, I wasn’t very reasonable. But after becoming Emperor, I became more reasonable.”

“Why?”

“Because… every person in the world could potentially be my Mingyue Zhu. If I allow nobles to oppress commoners, and one day they oppress my Mingyue Zhu, what then?”

Li Ying seemed to understand yet not fully comprehend. The Mingyue Zhu, the Empress, spoke of must refer to her daughter, Princess Yong’an. Princess Yong’an had passed away long ago, and the Empress meant that after Princess Yong’an’s reincarnation, anyone in the world could potentially be her, so the powerful shouldn’t be allowed to act arbitrarily.

She felt somewhat dejected: “If that’s the case, why hasn’t Your Majesty released Pei Heng yet?”

“He openly defied an imperial edict. I must detain him for a few days as punishment; otherwise, where would imperial authority lie?”

“When will Your Majesty release him?”

“Wait a while. Don’t be impatient.”

But how could Li Ying not be anxious? Since the Empress had spoken thus, making further demands would seem unreasonable. So she could only lower her head dejectedly and utter a soft “Mm.” Seeing this, the Empress smiled again and gently stroked Li Ying’s hair: “Your father and mother must treat you very well, don’t they?”

Only such treatment could cultivate her pure and straightforward character.

Li Ying nodded: “Very well.”

“And Pei Heng? Does he treat you well?”

“Yes, very well.” Li Ying nodded emphatically: “I couldn’t find a better husband than him.”

The Empress looked at her, and for a moment, seemed to see the Li Ying from her previous life speaking of Cui Xun. In this life, when Li Ying spoke of Cui Xun, the corners of her mouth turned upward, and her eyes sparkled. The Empress sighed almost inaudibly: “Still so fond of him.”

Li Ying didn’t hear clearly, but the Empress didn’t repeat herself. Instead, she smiled and sighed: “Well, young women can’t be kept at home forever.”

She paused, then promised again: “Don’t worry, I will return your husband to you unharmed.”

That night, the Dali Temple prison received a special distinguished visitor.

With the sound of the lock clicking open, the white-haired Empress, leaning on a cane, slowly walked into Cui Xun’s cell. She dismissed the attendants and narrowed her eyes to examine the young man before her.

Cui Xun did not seem surprised by her arrival. He calmly knelt and bowed, and when he raised his eyes, the Empress murmured: “There is some resemblance.”

She gazed at his face, as beautiful as a lotus, and asked: “Wangshu, how has this life been for you?”

“Good,” Cui Xun replied. “I have a healthy body, parents who love me, and Mingyue Zhu by my side. I am content.”

The Empress remained silent for a long time before nodding. She took a sachet from her sleeve and handed it to Cui Xun: “When Mingyue Zhu left, she insisted that I return this sachet to her. You wanted it, didn’t you?”

Cui Xun held the sachet, his expression unchanged: “Your Majesty has deep maternal affection for the Princess and would want to treasure anything of hers, especially this sachet containing a lock of the Princess’s hair. However, I also wished to treasure it, so I dared to presume too much.”

The Empress couldn’t help but smile: “You certainly have a ready explanation.”

He was exactly like his previous incarnation, able to guess her thoughts and brave enough to do so.

The Empress said, “Since you are so good at discerning imperial intentions, guess why I have come tonight?”

“Your Majesty is looking for a reason to release me?”

The Empress neither confirmed nor denied this. In the candlelight, her face appeared increasingly aged and weary. She coughed twice and said, “My days are numbered, and I must quickly settle the matter of establishing a crown prince. Wangshu, I want to hear your opinion.”

Without hesitation, Cui Xun replied: “Prince Jingcheng should be appointed.”

The Empress was slightly surprised by his answer: “Oh? Why?”

“Prince Jingcheng is the only blood relation of Your Majesty and the late Emperor. Moreover, he is filial and benevolent. If he ascends the throne, the Li imperial family will have no objections, and the Jiang clan can also be preserved. The Taichang reforms have been implemented for forty-six years now. The empire needs a kind yet wise ruler to continue the Great Zhou’s golden age, and Prince Jingcheng can achieve this.”

As Cui Xun lavishly praised Prince Jingcheng, the Empress remained silent. She looked around the narrow cell: “I remember that it was here where his father ordered you to be tortured. Your fingers were all broken, and there wasn’t a patch of uninjured skin on your body. If not for that ordeal, you wouldn’t have died at twenty-four in your previous life. Don’t you hate him?”

Cui Xun replied candidly: “That was a grievance between his father and me. At that time, Prince Jingcheng was still in his mother’s womb. No matter how vengeful I might be, I wouldn’t bear a grudge against an unborn child.”

The Empress stared at him. Previously, she had rather despised him, considering him a man without principles who would kowtow until his forehead bled just to save his life, not at all like a son of the Boling Cui clan. But later, she gradually realized she might have been wrong. Now, in this Dali Temple prison, she had to admit once again that she had indeed been mistaken.

In this aspect, she was not as perceptive as Mingyue Zhu.

After a while, the Empress sighed: “Good. You don’t let personal matters interfere with public duties. Wangshu, you are worthy of Mingyue Zhu’s affection.”

She continued: “Your suggestion regarding the crown prince just now—I will have the Imperial Secretary record it for inclusion in the historical records.”

Cui Xun was momentarily stunned. The Empress suddenly smiled: “Wangshu, I have come tonight to bestow upon you a lifetime of wealth and honor.”

As she finished speaking, Cui Xun understood. Currently in court, although officials believed Prince Jingcheng was the most suitable heir, they feared the Empress and dared not suggest it. Cui Xun, however, had risked his life to advise her. How could Prince Jingcheng not be deeply moved?

If Prince Jingcheng ascended the throne, he would certainly be grateful for Cui Xun’s assistance. This was what the Empress meant by bestowing a lifetime of wealth and honor.

Cui Xun pressed his lips together and sincerely kowtowed: “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

When he straightened up, the Empress added, “However, Wangshu, you will need to stay in this Dali Temple prison for a few more days.”

She explained: “Prince Jingcheng has been kneeling before the Shenlong Hall daily to save you, begging me to be discerning and release you from prison. I should fulfill his wishes, shouldn’t I?”

After a few more days, when the Empress finally heeded Prince Jingcheng’s advice and released Cui Xun, scholars throughout the empire would admire Prince Jingcheng’s benevolence. In everyone’s eyes, Prince Jingcheng would have saved Cui Xun’s life, and Cui Xun would be grateful to Prince Jingcheng. In the future, they would create an exemplary story of harmony between ruler and subject.

The Empress was deliberately giving Prince Jingcheng the credit for saving Cui Xun. Seeing her careful planning, Cui Xun was deeply moved. He kowtowed and said: “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“If you truly wish to thank me, then treat Mingyue Zhu well,” the Empress said emphatically. “Wangshu, I am entrusting my most beloved daughter to you.”

Cui Xun replied: “Your Majesty need not worry. In this life and all future lives, I will protect Mingyue Zhu.”

Regarding the conversation that night, historical records documented that Cui Xun “spoke with righteous courage,” not only refusing again to become Princess Qi’an’s Prince Consort but also offering forthright advice to the Empress, analyzing advantages and disadvantages, and “recommending Prince Jingcheng be appointed heir.” After leaving the prison cell, the Empress was reportedly “greatly angered,” rebuking him as an “insolent subject” who “deserved execution.”

Later, when Prince Jingcheng learned of Cui Xun’s recommendation, he was astonished. He had no personal relationship with Cui Xun—who could have imagined that Cui Xun would risk death to recommend him as heir? Deeply moved, Prince Jingcheng, disregarding the Empress’s fury, continued to kneel outside the Shenlong Hall to plead for mercy. As Prince Jingcheng strove to save a national talent, students from the Imperial Academy also began petitioning the Empress to release Cui Xun. Under public pressure, the Empress finally released Cui Xun from the Dali Temple prison three days later.

That same day, the Empress inexplicably collapsed, her health deteriorating rapidly. Court officials urged her to quickly establish an heir, and after much consideration, she appointed Prince Jingcheng Li Zheng as the Imperial Grandson. Everyone believed it was Cui Xun’s prison advocacy that had persuaded the Empress.

Because of this life-risking recommendation, after Li Zheng ascended the throne, he greatly valued Cui Xun throughout his reign. Cui Xun, out of gratitude for “saving his life,” served Li Zheng with unwavering loyalty. The two trusted each other completely, without any barriers between them, becoming a model of ruler-subject relations for future generations.

After Cui Xun was released from the Dali Temple prison, preparations for his wedding with Li Ying began in earnest.