Throughout history, diligent emperors limited their sleep to no more than six hours per day. Yet Shen Xihe needed at least eight hours of sleep daily. Though the emperor held supreme power, dangers lurked everywhere. With hundreds of court memorials to review daily, just thinking about such responsibilities made Shen Xihe feel overwhelmed – it was more than she could bear.

Being an Empress Dowager would be different. As the emperor’s elder, she would be free from the inner palace’s troubles. The emperor would have to honor and respect her. She could live in the palace or visit temples and summer palaces as she pleased, spending her days tending flowers, drinking tea, watching operas, and enjoying life.

“Is Youyou hinting that she should bear me a little prince to inherit the throne?” Xiao Huayong blinked his eyes.

Shen Xihe couldn’t help but laugh, though her words despite her smiling face were ruthless: “I’m reminding you that you need to ascend the throne successfully.”

As long as Xiao Huayong became emperor, her position as Empress Dowager would be secure. Whether or not she had children with him, no one could bypass her. Even for an adopted heir, they would need her approval and would have to respect her as Empress Dowager and serve her faithfully for life.

Xiao Huayong’s flirtatious smile froze at his lips, and he couldn’t help but snort coldly: “How could an adopted son be of one mind with you?”

“If I am capable, even an adopted son can be of one mind with me; if I am incompetent, even a biological son might not be loyal to me,” Shen Xihe glanced at the huffing Xiao Huayong, slowly averting her gaze and pressing her lips together to suppress a smile. “All humans are born good – how a child turns out depends on their parents’ upbringing. If I were to adopt, I would choose someone young whom I could raise personally.”

The more Xiao Huayong listened, the more unsettled he became: “Youyou, you’ve thought this through so clearly, I suspect you’ve already made plans.”

“Yes,” Shen Xihe nodded sincerely. “I considered all this before deciding to marry Your Highness.”

She had thought about many things – whether she was destined to be a mother, whether she and the Crown Prince were fated to have children, whether she could become a mother during the Crown Prince’s lifetime.

Grinding his teeth, Xiao Huayong felt bitter. Before marrying him, she had already been thinking about their children. To others, this might sound like deep affection, but in reality, it was all for gain.

“Youyou always say I think far ahead, but compared to you, I fall short.” Xiao Huayong’s tone turned sarcastic.

Shen Xihe finally laughed out loud. After a moment, she looked at the pouting Xiao Huayong and composed herself: “I told Your Highness before, people change. Those were my thoughts then, now I only wish to be the Crown Princess.”

Xiao Huayong froze, the previous look of grievance still on his face, somewhat dazed and unresponsive. By the time he reacted, Shen Xihe had already risen and left. He instinctively reached out, the gossamer-thin silk sliding across his palm, leaving a cool sensation.

“Youyou, what did you mean just now?” Xiao Huayong hurried after her.

Shen Xihe entered her room, closed the door, and walked inside with her shawl.

Though Xiao Huayong wanted to burst in, he restrained himself – if he wanted to hear sweet words, he had to follow proper conduct. He went around to the window, peering in: “Youyou, what did you mean earlier?”

Shen Xihe turned and smiled at him: “Figure it out yourself.”

That smile was like a cool breeze in midsummer, sweeping through blooming flowers, carrying a wisp of fragrance, brushing coolly across his heart, stirring ripples in his soul.

Xiao Huayong stood at the window, grinning foolishly: “Youyou has feelings for me.”

Shen Xihe ignored him. Xiao Huayong continued smiling to himself until he saw Tian Yuan approaching. His smile instantly vanished, replaced by disgust.

“Your Highness, His Majesty summons you back to the palace,” Tian Yuan said carefully.

Xiao Huayong lazily acknowledged, then turned back to smile radiantly at Shen Xihe: “I’m returning to the palace. I’ve arranged everything at the summer palace, just bring whatever you like.”

After a lingering look at Shen Xihe, who didn’t even turn to glance at him, Xiao Huayong left somewhat dejectedly.

As his footsteps faded, Shen Xihe walked to the window. Just as she touched it, a head popped up, startling her.

Xiao Huayong smiled mischievously and wickedly: “Forget about being Empress Dowager, Supreme Empress Dowager might work.”

After speaking, Xiao Huayong backed away, his eyes full of mirth as he watched her, only turning to leave when he reached the moon gate.

Watching where his silhouette had disappeared, Shen Xihe’s lips involuntarily curved upward in a silent smile full of warmth.

Her feelings for Xiao Huayong weren’t like those in novels – not the kind of bone-deep longing where a day apart felt like three years. He was like a cup of warm water, quietly slipping into her heart, tasteless yet moistening and dispelling drought.

That afternoon, the imperial edict for the Emperor’s summer retreat arrived, along with a list of accompanying and remaining officials.

The number of people accompanying the imperial procession to Linyou Summer Palace was neither too many nor too few – including the guards, it totaled nearly ten thousand. Shen Xihe had packed early.

The day before departure, a letter and a box of gold arrived for Shen Xihe from Qi Pei.

This determined young man with physical disabilities wanted to work under her command. They had agreed – she would give him one hundred gold pieces, and if he could earn a thousand gold pieces within a year, she would accept him.

Now, barely half a year later, he had succeeded. Shen Xihe’s expression grew serious after reading his letter.

“Something major has happened in Hangjiahu. I must go to the palace.” Shen Xihe took Qi Pei’s letter and headed to the Eastern Palace to find Xiao Huayong.

Xiao Huayong had been listening to court officials’ discussions, but upon receiving word of Shen Xihe’s palace visit, he immediately turned pale and appeared weak. Under the ministers’ concerned persuasion, he reluctantly returned to the Eastern Palace to rest.

“Youyou, is there an urgent matter?” Xiao Huayong spotted Shen Xihe from afar and strode over.

Tomorrow was the departure for the summer palace, and the sun was scorching. Shen Xihe would never come unless it was extremely urgent.

“Your Highness, please look at this.” Shen Xihe handed Qi Pei’s letter to Xiao Huayong.

Qi Pei had earned this money through mulberry leaf trading in the Jiangzhe region, where speculation in mulberry leaves was an annual occurrence. It exploited the unpredictable demand for mulberry leaves by silkworms.

In years of abundant silkworm cultivation, mulberry leaves would become scarce. Saving silkworms became as urgent as fighting fires – to avoid affecting silk production, leaf boats would be dispatched to purchase mulberry leaves from tens or even hundreds of li away.

This led merchants in the Jiangzhe region to purchase large quantities of mulberry leaves when silkworm season approached, watching market conditions closely before selling.

Even immortals couldn’t predict leaf prices – mulberry leaves were treasures when needed but worthless grass when not. Whether one profited or lost, even experienced silkworm farmers found it difficult to estimate.