Shen Xihe waited for Xiao Huayong at Yonghe Palace but received news that he was accompanying Xiao Junzu to rest in the prince’s chambers.
She couldn’t help but smile.
Early the next morning, Xiao Huayong came to help her with her morning preparations. After many years, his technique was somewhat rusty.
Xiao Junzu arrived early as well. The family of three had breakfast together before Xiao Huayong instructed Zhenzhu and others to prepare Shen Xihe’s luggage.
“Luggage? Where are we going?” Shen Xihe looked at Xiao Junzu, then fixed her gaze on Xiao Huayong.
They had agreed not to leave him before his marriage.
“Years ago, I promised to take you to the Black Water tribe to see the eagles I raised,” Xiao Huayong said tenderly. “Every promise I made to you, as long as I draw breath, I will fulfill. Jinyu’er will come with us.”
Shen Xihe considered this. The court was stable now, with enough trusted officials in place. A month-long imperial tour would cause no major issues.
Moreover, being confined to the imperial city meant knowledge gained was shallow. Perhaps seeing things firsthand would better help him become a wise ruler.
There was considerable opposition at court to the Empress Dowager taking the Emperor north to the eastern regions, but none could prevent it – after all, real power lay in the Empress Dowager’s hands.
The matter was so significant that the court couldn’t even be bothered to gossip about how the Empress Dowager had finally taken a male companion out of loneliness.
These years had brought peace and prosperity. Even with occasional natural disasters, the common people had time to recover. As the imperial procession headed north, citizens lined the roads to welcome them, with colored silks, flowers, and ribbons flying everywhere.
Local officials along the route mobilized entirely, leaving their offices empty just to control the crowds.
However, neither the Emperor nor the Empress Dowager was actually in the imperial procession. After leaving the capital, Xiao Huayong took his wife and child away from the main group.
They traversed wild grasslands, crossed flowing streams, climbed towering mountains, saw the true lives of impoverished commoners, and ate the coarsest wild vegetables…
Notably, they encountered old acquaintances along the way.
Amid flying silk banners and scattered flower petals, a dancer moved gracefully.
Bian Xianyi leaped from the high platform, her waist sash striking the hanging floral arrangements, scattering petals like celestial flowers in shimmering light.
As she descended, a chance glance nearly startled her off balance, causing surprise among the audience.
Shortly after Bian Xianyi withdrew, Xiao Changyu personally came to greet the three of them, bringing them to the inner quarters.
“Your Majesty, Empress Dowager…” During his bow, he was unsure how to address Xiao Huayong, momentarily lost for words.
Xiao Huayong didn’t mind: “Sixth Brother, no need for such formality. We’re family – just call me Seventh Brother.”
“I told them Yiran Pavilion was your property as a couple, but Huayong insisted on seeing it,” Shen Xihe mediated, seeing Xiao Changyu’s hesitation. She patted Xiao Junzu’s shoulder, “This is your Sixth Uncle.”
“Sixth Uncle.”
Xiao Changyu hastily demurred: “Your Majesty mustn’t humble this commoner so.”
Xiao Changyu and Bian Xianyi were nervous. Since helping Shen Xihe secure victory in the succession struggle seven years ago, they’d had no contact.
The awe that Shen Xihe and Xiao Huayong inspired in them remained undiminished.
“Sixth Brother, Sister-in-law, please don’t be so formal. We’re just passing through,” Shen Xihe reassured them. “These years, Yiran Pavilion has taken in many abandoned children and helped clean up the entertainment districts. You both deserve great credit.”
Bian Xianyi loved dance. Later, she happened to meet two renowned performers whose attempts to leave the profession and marry had ended badly. Feeling sympathy, the three once-famous performers opened the Yiran Pavilion together.
The dancers at Yiran Pavilion performed only for art, not to sell themselves. The pavilion took in many girls who would have been sold, giving options to women forced into prostitution.
Over the years, Yiran Pavilion opened many branches across the empire. Xiao Changyu was a capable man – without using the royal family’s name, he could protect the pavilion. Bian Xianyi lived her dream life while helping other women live differently.
“We simply follow our hearts – we don’t deserve the Empress Dowager’s praise,” Bian Xianyi could sense Shen Xihe’s goodwill but still couldn’t relax.
Shen Xihe understood their discomfort around her family and didn’t stay long.
She appeared not to praise them, but because she noticed Xiao Changyu and Bian Xianyi deliberately limiting their expansion, perhaps fearing suspicion. After all, the rouge case during the previous Emperor’s reign had been horrifying, and the couple worried about drawing trouble by expanding too much.
So she appeared to make her attitude clear – if Xiao Changyu and Bian Xianyi wished to expand Yiran Pavilion further, they could proceed freely.
After bidding farewell to the couple, they traveled unimpeded to the Black Water tribe, arriving the same day as the imperial procession. The next day, they received officials from the Black Water, Wei Chamber, and Bohai Protectorates, as well as various regional governors of the northeast.
Here, Shen Xihe met another old acquaintance.
She granted You Wenjun, now a Deputy Protector, a private audience.
Their last meeting was after the palace coup when You Wenjun followed Xiao Changying’s last wishes and requested to return home. Shen Xihe had appointed her as an officer in the Wei Chamber Protectorate.
In eight years, she had risen from the lowest officer position to Deputy Protector through her ability.
“Years have passed, and you’ve grown more spirited,” Shen Xihe was happy to see You Wenjun looking energetic, her face having lost its girlish delicacy but gaining a commanding presence.
“Thanks to the Empress Dowager’s blessing,” You Wenjun wasn’t merely flattering Shen Xihe. Though her current position owed much to her capability, it was also due to Shen Xihe’s original appointment and subsequent control of court power that she’d advanced so smoothly.
Previously she hadn’t understood why Xiao Changying was devoted enough to Shen Xihe to give his life, but over the years she gradually understood – Shen Xihe possessed a commanding leadership charisma.
Such women were exceedingly rare in the world.
“Walk with me,” Shen Xihe stood.
You Wenjun’s eyes flickered slightly as she respectfully followed.
She understood why Shen Xihe had granted her a private audience. It wasn’t for reminiscence – her father was elderly, and the Great Protector position was hereditary. These years, she had been in open and subtle competition with her elder brother, the Protector, reaching a crucial point.
Just as Shen Xihe arrived, her father would need to carefully consider his choice.
Loyalty or rebellion to the court hung on a single thought.
Shen Xihe and You Wenjun walked to the grassland heights, distantly seeing herds by the lake and eagles circling overhead, led by Xiao Huayong’s gyrfalcon.
He was teaching Xiao Junzu to train eagles, and the boy clearly showed great interest.
You Wenjun also saw Xiao Huayong, recognizing him truly as himself rather than the rumored consort who resembled Emperor Mingzong.
“Congratulations to the Empress Dowager on holding power over the realm, finding true love, and enjoying family happiness,” You Wenjun offered sincere wishes.
Life’s three fulfillments – holding power, finding love, and family joy – even one was a luxury, yet Shen Xihe had achieved them all.
On the vast grasslands, father and son chased each other joyfully.
In this magnificent land, their golden age would continue, writing new chapters belonging to their family of three.