The Imperial Sword is a colloquial term – it’s actually called the Shangfang Sword. Strictly speaking, this sword is a ceremonial instrument representing the bearer’s authority to execute, make decisive judgments, and act according to circumstances. The scabbard is engraved with the characters “Shangfang,” and some don’t even have inscriptions. If inscribed with the four characters “Shangfang Imperial Sword,” that would definitely be a fake meant to deceive people – might as well be a salted fish.

This sword represents power belonging exclusively to the monarch – only the monarch can execute subjects without judicial trial.

Granting the Imperial Sword signifies the transfer of the sovereign’s power over life and death.

Empress Ma’s request for the Imperial Sword meant actively cleaning house, clearly expressing opposition to Ma Ye’s merit-seeking recklessness and genocidal actions.

Emperor Hongwu said: “Ma Ye is Zi Tong’s closest blood nephew.”

Empress Ma said: “Law shows no mercy. When Your Majesty’s only nephew Zhu Wenzheng rebelled, you also tearfully ordered his execution.”

Zhu Wenzheng, the only son of Emperor Hongwu’s elder brother. During the Fengyang famine, his brother had given his grain to younger brother Zhu Yuanzhang and starved to death himself. After Zhu Yuanzhang gained power, he repaid this kindness by raising nephew Zhu Wenzheng as his own son and arranged his marriage to General Xie Zaixing’s daughter – the Xie family had two daughters: the elder married Zhu Wenzheng, the younger married Duke Weiguo Xu Da and bore the Prince Yan’s consort.

Zhu Wenzheng was talented in both literature and martial arts, distinguished himself brilliantly in the Defense of Hongdu, gained great fame, only to be exposed for rebellion the following year…

Recalling the past, even a heroic ruler like Emperor Hongwu was stunned for a long time, sighing: “Are we husband and wife destined to see our family bonds grow ever thinner?”

Hu Shanwei secretly praised Empress Ma’s wisdom – her answer was flawless, neither appearing heartless while enabling Emperor Hongwu to empathize and understand her grievances and difficulties.

Since Empress Ma rarely spoke up, Emperor Hongwu granted Hu Shanwei the Imperial Sword.

Returning to Kunning Palace, Empress Ma personally wrote the gift list for the Eastern and Western Waters families, ordering Cao Shanggong to have everything prepared within the day.

Hu Shanwei delivered the gift list to Cao Shanggong, who looked at it and said: “Did you take the wrong list? The palace has gold, silver, treasures, agricultural books, and calendars, but these seeds, farm tools, looms and such must be bought outside the palace. Why bestow such worthless things?”

Hu Shanwei said: “The Empress’s meaning is that gifts should be what people like. Though these seeds and farm tools aren’t valuable, they’re more practical than gold, silver, and silk. As the saying goes, ‘Give a man a fish and feed him for a day; teach him to fish and feed him for life’ – that’s the principle.”

Cao Shanggong irritably took the gift list to arrange palace purchases: “You’re now the Empress’s favorite. You’ll be out there wielding the Imperial Sword and showing off, while I, a Shanggong, have to run errands for you.”

Hu Shanwei was used to Cao Shanggong’s sharp tongue but normal heart, ignoring her complaints to ask: “I’ll be gone to Guizhou for at least three months. Who does Shanggong plan to arrange to fill my Siyan position?”

Cao Shanggong thought: “The Bureau of Palace Attendance hasn’t had outstanding people for years. The Empress also prefers young ones who are straightforward and have excellent writing skills for drafting edicts… I plan to ask Cui Shangyi to borrow Shen Qionglian from the Bureau of Rites as a female instructor.”

Shen Qionglian was now fifteen, grown into a graceful young woman, still brilliantly talented with a proud character. However, the Siyan position represents the Empress’s dignity – Shen Qionglian’s arrogance was actually an advantage. Cao Shanggong had good judgment.

Hu Shanwei spoke with Shen Qionglian, giving countless instructions: “…The Empress prefers quiet. Don’t disturb her without cause. For unimportant troublesome matters, communicate with the female officials of the six bureaus and one department with ‘Shang’ titles. Handle what you can yourselves to spare the Empress worry. She’s just recovered from serious illness, lest—”

“Alright, alright, I remember.” Shen Qionglian knew Hu Shanwei meant well but was somewhat impatient. “Major matters ask the Empress, minor matters decide myself, medium matters ask Cao Shanggong and Fan Gongzheng.”

Hu Shanwei continued: “Also, acting as Siyan, you’ll often encounter His Majesty. You must be careful. Before speaking each sentence, think it through at least ten times in your mind, otherwise a hundred tongues wouldn’t be enough to cut off.”

Having nearly had her eyes gouged twice, Hu Shanwei was still shaken and didn’t want Shen Qionglian to have problems.

Only fifteen years old! When she was fifteen, she only knew how to copy books, yet Shen Qionglian at fifteen had to bear the heavy responsibility of Siyan.

Shen Qionglian: “I swear, before His Majesty, I’ll try my best to keep my mouth shut.”

Hu Shanwei: “Also…”

Shen Qionglian lay on the desk: “There’s more?”

Hu Shanwei whispered: “Regarding the silkworm mother assassination incident, Mao Qiang hastily concluded it as an isolated case of Prince Han’s remnants. I’ve always suspected there’s an inside traitor in the palace working against the Empress. The silkworm mother incident may have been too big, so they don’t dare act again soon. The consort competition was to throw out bait – now that Consort Guo Hui is out, there’s still the three-way standoff between Consort Li Shu, Consort Li Xian, and Consort Guo Ning. You must closely watch their movements and try to prevent them from contacting the Empress. The Empress just recovered from serious illness, her body is weak and her heart troubled – she can’t withstand more shocks.”

Hearing this, Shen Qionglian sat up straight and nodded seriously: “I understand.”

Hu Shanwei: “Also…”

Like Liu Bei entrusting his heir, Hu Shanwei chatted with Zhuge Qionglian all afternoon.

That night, Hu Shanwei bid farewell to Empress Ma: “Shanggong has prepared all gifts. I personally checked them – we can depart tomorrow.”

Empress Ma was reading a history book – “Records of the Grand Historian: Annals of Empress Dowager Lü.” She marked it with a bookmark, took another book from the shelf – “New Book of Tang, Volume 4,” turning to the fourth annals about Wu Zetian, also marking it with a bookmark, and handed both books to Hu Shanwei.

“When you reach Guizhou, have Ma Ye read these two chapters. Tell him the reason I strictly restrain my natal family and prevent His Majesty from granting titles isn’t to sacrifice the Ma family’s future for my reputation.”

Hu Shanwei said: “Ma Ye wouldn’t dare think so.” That wasn’t thinking – that was courting death.

Empress Ma shook her head, showing fatigue as she sat down: “I’ve thought it over. Ma Ye’s extreme actions probably stem from fame and profit. He wasn’t like this before, otherwise I would never have allowed him to hold military power. Unfortunately, people change, and I failed to notice his transformation, leading to Guizhou’s current tense situation. Since it’s happened, self-blame won’t help – I must think how to resolve this.”

Empress Ma taught Hu Shanwei step by step: “Going to Guizhou, use courtesy before force. Courtesy means reasoning with Ma Ye, using history as a mirror. Speaking of powerful external relatives controlling the state, Empress Dowager Lü’s Lü family and Wu Zetian’s Wu family were most prominent, but what was their final fate? Family extermination, weak state, people’s suffering – that’s the first point.”

“Second, the imperial family has many powerful external relative forces. Consort Guo Ning’s two marquis brothers, with the elder commanding the Imperial Guard. The married princes’ consorts all come from prestigious noble families – either dukes or marquises. Why can’t our Ma family even have an Earl of Grace title? Because I have no legitimate son.”

For the first time, Empress Ma voiced her concerns: “Consort Guo Ning has son Prince Lu, the princesses’ husbands all surnamed Zhu, all Zhu bloodline. To put it bluntly, even if imperial power wavers, whoever sits on the dragon throne will be a Zhu. His Majesty will be more tolerant of them. But what about the Ma family? If the Ma family becomes powerful, the realm would change names and masters. With His Majesty’s temperament, how could he tolerate it?”

Every word struck like thunder. Hu Shanwei was shocked: “His Majesty trusts Your Majesty – it may not reach such extremes.”

Having spoken her heart, Empress Ma felt somewhat relieved and smiled faintly: “You’re unmarried without marriage experience – it’s hard to understand real marital relationships. ‘Closest yet most distant – husband and wife’ explains this principle. Moreover, His Majesty is a monarch, and I am also His Majesty’s subject. Preventing problems before they arise, constant self-reflection, maintaining calm composure – only thus can one protect oneself. Don’t pin hopes on His Majesty’s benevolence and tolerance.”

No one understood her husband better than Empress Ma.

“First reason with Ma Ye. If he’s still the reasonable person he once was, he’ll definitely heed my edict, bind himself and return to the capital. As long as no great error is made, he still has a chance to live.”

“If Ma Ye persists in his delusion and acts willfully,” Empress Ma’s gaze turned cold, “then clean house for me.”

Hu Shanwei felt a chill in her heart: “I will not fail Your Majesty’s trust.”

The next day, Hu Shanwei and Liu Shuzhen departed together southward, first by water route. Due to the tense situation and fear that Ma Ye would see through Liu Shuzhen’s empty fort strategy, they traveled on a large official ship disguised as a merchant vessel, with imperial gifts wrapped in merchant labels as cargo. The ship had two shifts of sailors working day and night.

Ji Gang still led disguised Embroidered Uniform Guards as escort.

To successfully complete the mission, Hu Shanwei studied Yi language and writing with Liu Shuzhen on the ship. Liu Shuzhen wrote a line of characters that made Hu Shanwei’s eyes spin: “This… I’d better just learn daily conversation.”

From beginner to giving up – just the time for one cup of tea.

Liu Shuzhen laughed: “Our writing is too complex – only nobles have the energy to learn it. Ordinary people can’t read their own tribal script, let alone Central Plains writing, so they’ve remained in ignorance and darkness for thousands of years. Without literacy, enlightenment is difficult. She Xiang and I plan to reform Yi script, making it simple and easy to understand, easy to learn so common people won’t find it difficult. If we promote this, when more people can read books, our culture can be passed down. Relying on just a few nobles, it might become extinct someday.”

Hu Shanwei was eye-opened: “Reform writing? Can characters be changed at will?”

“Of course.” Liu Shuzhen said: “Your writing has also constantly changed over thousands of years, becoming simpler and easier to write and recognize, so your culture spreads far without fear of extinction. She Xiang and I, ruling Guizhou from east and west, hit it off immediately with many shared ideas. We change together, transform together, implementing from top to bottom so new script replaces old script – this is also civilization.”

Previously, meeting female officials like Fan Gongzheng and Shen Qionglian – seeing the Great Ming’s most outstanding women – Hu Shanwei felt like a frog in a well. Then meeting strategic court women like Prince Yan’s consort and Empress Ma, and now knowing Liu Shuzhen and Lady She Xiang – such far-sighted politicians with courage to change writing and educate people.

Honestly, things Hu Shanwei wouldn’t dare imagine, they had already begun doing.

Hu Shanwei felt incredibly fortunate to know them.

Hu Shanwei gave up learning complex Yi script – she’d wait until Liu Shuzhen and Lady She Xiang simplified it. She used the most primitive method to learn spoken language, using Chinese characters for pronunciation notation, learning to understand common Yi expressions. If such excellent people work so hard, what excuse do I have not to strive?

Over twenty days later, reaching Guizhou territory, Hu Shanwei’s Chinese pronunciation notes had piled as high as her forehead. She mastered basic listening and speaking, able to communicate with Liu Shuzhen in Yi language.