The next day, Liu Dezhong came by imperial decree to take her pulse. Seeing Meng Tinghui’s continuously clouded expression, he asked, “Is the Empress experiencing any physical discomfort?”
She shook her head and decided to ask directly, “I share a bed with the Emperor every night, yet why do I show no signs of pregnancy? Does the Imperial Physician think I am someone who cannot bear children?”
Liu Dezhong had not expected her to speak so bluntly. He lowered his head and eyes, smiling slightly, “The Empress’s body is perfectly fine, and you are so young—how could you not bear children? It’s likely because you’ve been too busy and exhausted these past several months. Though you share a tent with the Emperor, pregnancy cannot happen so quickly. The Empress should relax and not dwell on this matter constantly. In my humble opinion, the Empress might consider returning to the capital first, resting in the palace while awaiting the Emperor’s victorious return.”
She sighed softly, then frowned and said, “I understand. You may withdraw.”
In truth, it wasn’t that she craved to be with him day and night and refused to return to the palace early. Rather, he was unwilling to let her go, and she couldn’t bear to leave him alone to manage so many political and military affairs. Since the surrender of the rebel forces, civil and military matters in the northern territories were numerous as hairs on an ox. While the trivial ones had been sent to various route commissioners’ offices for decisions, the more important ones still required his judgment. As a graduate of the Hanlin Academy who had also served as a Drafter of Proclamations, she naturally had the responsibility to draft edicts on his behalf. Moreover, he had assigned her to handle the selection and appointment of officials and generals in the northern territories, citing her expertise in official appointments and military affairs. As a result, she held multiple positions, having helped him with numerous matters. He also felt at ease with her managing various affairs in the army, which was why he had not yet requested the various government offices to dispatch civil officials to the military front.
If she were to leave early, any newly arrived civil official would not understand his intentions. If his temperament became unstable, no one would be able to comfort him. The northern affairs would surely exhaust him tremendously. How could she bear to return to the capital alone to rest?
She was his Empress, and also his capable minister. He couldn’t let her go, and she couldn’t leave him either.
As the Great Peace Imperial Army continuously won victories in capturing cities and territories, by early November, the border between the two countries had been pushed northward by several hundred li. Di Nian personally led his subordinate troops to directly attack Jizhou, the capital of Northern Jian. Northern Jian dispatched troops from the northern routes of their capital to come south for aid, but they were surrounded and attacked midway by the forces under Song, Han, Yue, and others. Meanwhile, the Great Peace Emperor’s personally led forces moved northward from the south, replacing guards and garrisons in the captured states, counties, cities, and fortresses, and clearing out remaining troops from the conquered territories.
The continuous victories in the northern campaign were due not only to the effective command of various military leaders and the determined fighting of the soldiers but also to the invaluable contributions of the officials from the three transport commissions and various state and prefectural offices. People only saw the names of captured cities on the red victory reports, not the effort and sweat of these border region civil officials who worked day and night. Gathering grain, transporting weapons, manufacturing armor, repairing fortifications, settling displaced civilians, registering households in conquered territories—none of these tasks was easy. With the flames of war in the northern territories burning without pause for months, when had these border region civil officials ever rested peacefully?
Therefore, the Emperor’s northern journey was not only to reward the various armies at the border but also to inspect and reward the meritorious civil officials in the three routes’ commission offices and state and prefectural offices.
Although the Emperor had mobilized a large force from the capital for this northern campaign, eighty thousand troops from the capital’s Imperial Army had already entered the border region. Of the thirty thousand troops remaining under his command, most had been distributed to various states, cities, and fortresses in the conquered territories. The journey to reward the northern troops was thus a light and simple one, planning to proceed eastward from Qingzhou, passing through the various military states and counties of the three routes, and then returning to the capital with the Empress via the Linhuai route.
Snow fell early in the northern border region. Heading directly west from Fenzhou in the Jiankang Route, the landscape was already a vast expanse of white desolation. After several days, they arrived at Qingzhou.
The first stop of the imperial tour was Qingzhou, which was an unparalleled honor and glory for all military and civil officials of the entire Chao’an Northern Route. Although the Emperor had issued a decree stating that the civil officials in the city need not come out to receive the imperial procession, Shen Zhishu still braved the snow to respectfully await the imperial arrival thirty li outside the city.
Di Nian had established great military merit in the northern territories, and Shen Zhishu’s position as Transport Commissioner of Chao’an had become increasingly secure. With Dong Yicheng having been dismissed as Pacification Commissioner and the military affairs of the three northern routes now under Di Nian’s sole direction and strategy, the civil administration of Qingzhou and indeed all of Chao’an was fully under Shen Zhishu’s control. Among the three northern routes, the Chao’an Northern Route had contributed the most effort and finances in this war. With such political achievements, once the war ended, Shen Zhishu would certainly be entrusted with important responsibilities.
The imperial retinue was quite simple, not even setting up the full golden and yellow ceremonial staffs as they entered the city.
Understanding the Emperor’s mind, Shen Zhishu did not arrange a banquet at the Transport Commission’s office, but simply set up tables with wine and dishes as usual, and ordered officials from nearby major states, state governors, and commission officials to enter for an audience.
While waiting for the imperial arrival at the office, almost everyone was holding their breath, eager to see what kind of woman Meng Tinghui was—from an orphan girl at the women’s school to the top-ranking imperial examination candidate, from an initially favored courtier to a high official in the two government offices, from an imperial descendant of the previous dynasty to now turning the rebel army and demanding a position and territory—what kind of woman could make the strong and resolute current Emperor take her hand, grant her requests, establish her as Empress, and enfeoff her with territories.
Outside the office was an endless expanse of white. In the distance came the sound of hooves breaking through snow. Shen Zhishu arrived first on horseback, dismounting nimbly and standing before the officials with folded sleeves and lowered head.
Then came two horses side by side, one black and one red. Imperial guards in dark armor galloped to the office entrance, dismounting and taking positions on both sides of the road, light snow flying off their cold armor. Though without a grand display, it was nonetheless impressive.
As the two horses gradually came to a stop, the man on the black stallion reined in and dismounted, then turned and extended his hand to lift the woman from the chestnut horse. He shook the black cloak on his body and wrapped her tightly in it.
The woman struggled lightly a few times, then helplessly yielded to him, allowing him to embrace her as they walked in.
All the officials watched with wide eyes, forgetting even to bow and perform the formal greeting, until Shen Zhishu urged them in a low voice. Only then did everyone hurriedly kneel and kowtow in formal greeting.
Ying Gua proceeded past everyone without the slightest pause, while Meng Tinghui hastily looked back from his embrace and said softly to everyone, “Please rise.”
Everyone thanked them and rose, but dared not enter rashly.
As they walked, she looked up at him. “Why are you showing such an unfriendly face to everyone?”
His steps were slow, his speech equally slow: “They were discourteous first, staring at you without end. If they don’t recognize that you are my Empress, they might think you’re some curiosity they can examine at will!”
She pressed her lips together slightly and lowered her eyes to look at the path.
In all the world, perhaps only he would consider her a curiosity.
After dining with the civil officials at the Transport Commission office, he specifically inquired about the governance and people’s livelihood in the Chao’an route, having the state governors and prefects who had rushed to Qingzhou for the audience respond in detail. He then asked Shen Zhishu for the Transport Commission’s tax registers to examine, briefly reviewing the supplementation of provisions, weapons, and armor for the northern border.
Throughout, she sat beside him, listening as he seriously and earnestly discussed governance with everyone, quietly observing the respectful and reverent expressions on the faces of these important border region officials. A faint sense of joy welled up in her heart.
After all matters had been discussed, he proceeded as previously determined to bestow rewards on the meritorious civil officials. After the officials expressed their gratitude, they did not dare to linger further. Having paid their respects to Shen Zhishu, they bowed and took their leave.
Seeing the outside officials had all withdrawn, he finally relaxed his shoulders and leaned back against the tall chair back, saying to Shen Zhishu, “I wish to see that woman you cannot stop thinking about.”
Shen Zhishu bowed slightly. “Yes.” He then turned and called someone over, instructing, “Go to the rear courtyard of the prefect’s office and invite the madam here.”
When Meng Tinghui heard the words “madam,” she froze momentarily, then suddenly stood up and anxiously asked, “When did you two marry?”
Shen Zhishu replied unhurriedly, “It has been about half a year now. With the pressing war in the northern territories, it wasn’t appropriate to hold grand ceremonies and banquets, so everything was kept simple. Your Majesty personally led the campaign from the capital, with the great army having no fixed camp, so I didn’t previously submit a memorial requesting imperial approval. I hope Your Majesty will forgive my boldness.”