Yingtian Tower stood at the geographic center of the Imperial City, marking the boundary between the Imperial City and the Palace City. To the south lay the Palace City — the residence of the Holy Sovereign, also known as the Forbidden Palace — while to the north stood the Imperial City, home to the offices of the Three Departments, Six Ministries, one Censorate, five Directorates, and nine Courts.

Among all the structures in the Imperial City, Yingtian Tower was the second tallest — five stories high, twenty zhang — surpassed only by the Observatory within the Palace City. Its most celebrated feature was the dawn drum at the tower’s peak. Every morning at the first quarter of the mao hour, the Jinwu Guards would strike the first beat, rousing the entire Eastern Capital from sleep.

It was the Lantern Festival. Yingtian Tower was festooned with hanging lanterns and colored decorations. From a distance, it blazed with brilliant, flowing light. Lin Sui’an felt a momentary trance, as though she were looking at a tourist attraction lit up by modern neon signs.

The Jinwu Guards at the gate were spirited and sharp, their golden armor polished to a gleam — the lantern light could not catch hold of it, simply sliding off and spilling across the ground. The bluestone ground had just been swept with water, and amid the damp scent lingered a faint fragrance of flowers. Female officials robed in plain celadon official dress stood in two orderly rows on either side, welcoming the newly ranked imperial examination graduates.

There were seventeen graduates in all. Two were familiar faces — Bai Ruyi, who placed first, and Su Yiyun, who placed last. Several others looked vaguely familiar, as though she had seen them at Vice Minister Lu’s banquet. All were dressed in white robes, leather boots, and futou headwear. At first glance, their attire appeared no different from one another — but on closer inspection, each revealed its own distinctive character.

Bai Ruyi’s white robe was, quite simply, a white robe — plain and refined, without a single ornamental flourish.

Hua Yitang’s robe was an altogether more elaborate affair. It was layered nine times over, one over another. Were it not for his tall frame, broad shoulders, and narrow waist, the effect would surely have been shapeless and lumpen.

Along the hems and cuffs, the Hua family crest was embroidered in white silk using a hidden technique — layer upon layer, capable of both absorbing and reflecting light, faintly luminous in the dark. Mu Xia had called this effect “concealing stars and gathering moonlight.” The fabric itself was something remarkable: it flowed gracefully when he walked, fell neatly when he stood still, and after kneeling and rising again, bore not a single crease — a truly wrinkle-proof material that was genuinely astounding.

Where Hua Yitang embodied “understated arrogance,” Su Yiyun today was the picture of “brazen extravagance.” His white robe was also layered with several sheets of sheer fabric — the exact number was difficult to determine, but it seemed to exceed even Hua Yitang’s. The waist, cuffs, collar, and front lapels were embroidered with white-thread patterns, though without the reflective effect; the fabric was even lighter and more billowing than Hua Yitang’s. In the breeze, it fluttered like translucent wings. Combined with Su Yiyun’s increasingly pale and delicate features, the whole ensemble carried an ambiguous, bewitching quality that defied easy categorization.

It was not the first time Lin Sui’an and Hua Yitang had seen Su Yiyun like this, yet even now, seeing him again, they felt a faint unease — to say nothing of the other graduates, whose gazes toward Su Yiyun carried a certain strangeness. Some looked puzzled; others, disdainful. This was especially true of the fourth-ranked Ding Rui and the fifth-ranked Wan Feiying, both of whom were women. Ding Rui appeared to be around thirty years of age; Wan Feiying was dressed in a military style and was said to hail from the Wan Family of Qingzhou.

This was Lin Sui’an’s first encounter with female imperial examination graduates, and she looked at them with undisguised curiosity. The two female graduates also appeared somewhat surprised to see Lin Sui’an, but with a female official standing nearby, conversation was not appropriate.

According to protocol, the female officials first led the new graduates through Yingtian Gate, around Huichang Gate, and to a brief rest in the Hall of Refined Thought. They would proceed shortly to Yingtian Tower to attend the banquet and admire the moon alongside the Holy Sovereign and officials from the Six Ministries. The underfloor heating in the Hall of Refined Thought was blazing, and it had been prepared with fresh fruits, pastries, hot tea, and hot broth. Each person was also given a small warming brazier to hold.

The female officials withdrew, the hall doors were closed, and with the warmth enveloping them and the tea warming them from within, the tension eased from everyone’s shoulders. Conversation began to flow.

The first topic, naturally, was Lin Sui’an. All seventeen present were newly ranked graduates — only Lin Sui’an was a commoner without official standing. How could that fail to pique curiosity?

Wan Feiying was the youngest of the group. Her voice was bright and crisp, like a frozen white radish snapping. “I heard that among this year’s new graduates, only Elder Sister Ning and I are women. I wonder — who is this lady?”

Lin Niangzi felt somewhat awkward. “My name is Lin Sui’an. I am —”

“So you’re Lin Sui’an!” Wan Feiying lit up with delight. “My great-grand-uncle mentioned you. He said your swordsmanship is extraordinary and that he absolutely must have a proper sparring match with you sometime.”

Lin Sui’an blinked. “Your great-grand-uncle is…?”

“Wan Lin, Military Advisor Wan of the Capital Prefecture — you investigated a case together, the one about the Taiyuan Tiger.”

Lin Sui’an laughed awkwardly. “Ah — so you’re Military Advisor Wan’s… great-grandniece. What an honor.”

That’s quite the generational gap.

The others had heard of the case involving the Jiang Family’s Jiang Dongyi killing — several of them had even met Lin Sui’an briefly at Vice Minister Lu’s banquet. They crowded around her, trying to get acquainted. Lin Sui’an, being only marginally less than a social recluse, was quickly overwhelmed and thoroughly miserable. She quietly kicked Hua Yitang, hoping he, the social butterfly, might rescue her — but rather than helping, he simply sat there sipping his tea with every sign of contentment.

“The Holy Sovereign truly does lavish favor upon the Hua Family of Yangdu,” Su Yiyun remarked in a sour, underhanded tone. “For the Hua Family’s Fourth Young Master to attend the Yingtian Tower Lantern Festival banquet and still be permitted to bring a personal guard.”

The hall fell silent. The atmosphere turned somewhat awkward.

Hua Yitang blew on the surface of his tea to clear away a peppercorn shell. “Lin Sui’an is not my personal guard. She is my partner, with whom I have solved several major cases.”

Su Yiyun: “This is the first time I’ve heard anyone describe a beloved companion in such an elegantly pure fashion.”

Bai Ruyi said in anger, “Su Tenth Young Master, stop talking nonsense.”

Su Yiyun cast a sideways glance. “Bai Thirteenth Young Master, don’t think placing first in the top tier gives you any authority over me. Tonight’s banquet — the outcome is still anyone’s guess.”

Bai Ruyi paused, startled. “Surely you don’t actually think —”

“Today, the Holy Sovereign personally issued a decree inviting Lin Sui’an to ascend Yingtian Tower,” Hua Yitang cut in, interrupting Bai Ruyi. “There is no room for small-minded, jealous people to voice their objections.”

Su Yiyun reacted like a rooster with someone standing on its neck. “The Holy Sovereign summoned her to ascend Yingtian Tower — on what grounds?!”

Hua Yitang broke into the most infuriatingly smug smile imaginable. “None. Of. Your. Business.”

Su Yiyun’s face went green. Everyone at once lowered their heads to admire their tea, carefully pretending they had seen nothing.

A knock came at the door. A female official pushed it open, bowed, and called out, “Is Lin Sui’an present?”

Lin Sui’an quickly rose and returned the bow. “I am Lin Sui’an.”

“By the Holy Sovereign’s decree, Lin Niangzi is summoned to attend the Holy Sovereign at Yingtian Tower.”

Lin Sui’an was greatly surprised. She glanced at Hua Yitang. He rose to his feet as well, his expression also showing a trace of surprise. “May I ask, honored female official — has only Lin Sui’an been summoned?”

The female official smiled. “The remaining graduates are kindly asked to wait a little longer. Lin Niangzi — this way, please.”

Under Hua Yitang’s deeply unsettled gaze, Lin Sui’an steeled herself and followed the female official out the door.

She had come to the palace for the banquet today without bringing Qian Jing. Her waist felt bare — and so did her heart. A night wind blew past, and a chill ran up her spine, raising the hairs along her back.

Lin Sui’an went over every moment of her previous encounters with the Holy Sovereign and confirmed to herself that she had not committed any act of insolence or impropriety. Only then did the heart lodged in her throat settle, fractionally.

With any luck, it would be as Vice Minister Jiang had said — just a casual chat, a few words of gratitude, perhaps.

If there were a monetary reward on top of that — even better!

Yingtian Tower was taller than she had imagined. Hundreds of steps, winding upward in seven complete circuits, before she finally emerged onto the rooftop. Palace lanterns blazed like a river of fire along the black eaves, swaying gently in the deep-blue night wind. A full moon hung overhead, the sky cloudless, the night soundless.

In the moonlight, a single figure stood — robed in bright yellow court dress, a tall golden crown on her head, hands clasped behind her back, gazing out at the Eastern Capital, which glittered like a sea of stars spread below.

The escorting female official withdrew without a sound. Lin Sui’an’s heart climbed back into her throat. She stepped forward, knelt, and pressed her forehead to the ground. “Lin Sui’an pays her respects to the Holy Sovereign.”

The Female Emperor turned her head. Moonlight from above and starlight from below converged upon her exquisite features — sacred, and gentle. “No need for such formality. Come, keep me company as we look out over the Eastern Capital.”

Why does this scene feel a little… strange?

Lin Sui’an’s heart thudded chaotically. Her limbs stiff, she shuffled to a position roughly one chi behind the Holy Sovereign — and then the view that entered her eyes struck her with such sweeping, staggering force that her pupils contracted sharply.

The one hundred and three wards of the Eastern Capital spread below like more than a hundred square, perfectly aligned star-charts. Joining them all together was a network of bright veins — the four rivers and nine waterways that ran through the Eastern Capital. Pleasure boats, sightseeing vessels, and leisure craft drifted among them like gathered fireflies, their light overflowing from the water, drifting with happiness and hope, only to be absorbed by the lantern towers, lantern carriages, and lantern wheels lining the streets — flowing endlessly in a cycle, the brilliance without limit.

“The Eastern Capital is like this — it seems to carry a subtle, singular gravity,” said the Female Emperor, her voice laced with a smile. “It draws you to keep looking, until your very heart is moved.”

“Your Majesty speaks truly,” Lin Sui’an replied.

Tonight’s wind was particularly cold. It had practically contracted the muscles of her face.

The Female Emperor’s smile grew wider. “On the Yunshui River, you saved my life. What reward do you wish?”

“Whatever Your Majesty bestows will be more than sufficient.”

“Speak honestly. Don’t go the way of Fourth Young Master with that glib tongue of his.”

“…A monetary reward, perhaps…”

“Oh? Following Hua Family’s Fourth Young Master around and you’re still short of money?”

“No one in the world ever has too much money.”

The Female Emperor turned to look at her, her gaze shifting, as though it held ten thousand rivers of stars within it. “What do you think of the view from here?”

Lin Sui’an was so tense the muscles in her calves were on the verge of cramping. “Most splendid.”

“The source of the nighttime travel permit Jiang Dongyi used to move between two wards and commit murder has been traced — it leads to Jiang Hongguang, Right General of the Jinwu Guard, a member of the Taiyuan Jiang clan.”

“Your Majesty’s insight is penetrating. Your Majesty is supremely wise.”

“I have stripped him of his post and sent him home to till the land. As it stands, the position of Right General of the Jinwu Guard sits vacant. Would you be willing to assume this generalship?”

Lin Sui’an was so shocked she could not speak. The muscles of her face seized all at once, likely scrunching her into something resembling a steamed bun.

Jinwu Guard! Right General!

What rank would that be? What is the salary?

No — no, those details don’t matter. What matters is that this is an offer from the Emperor herself. Direct hire from the top!

This wasn’t a “meteoric rise” — this was a “leap to heaven in a single bound,” a stroke of colossal, almost incomprehensible good fortune —

Wait.

This kind of good fortune didn’t fit her “perpetually unlucky” archetype at all!

Something had to be wrong!

Lin Sui’an curled her fingers inward, her nails pressing deep into her palm. The sharp pain cooled her overheating thoughts. She studied the Female Emperor before her with careful attention. She was tilting her head, eyes bright, looking every bit like a young girl endlessly curious about everything around her — but Hua Yitang had once said that everyone in the Xuanyuan imperial family looked far younger than their actual age.

She was the Female Emperor of the Tang Kingdom — a realm that had stood for three hundred years, its prosperity and splendor surpassing any dynasty Lin Sui’an had ever known of. Could a person who governed such a magnificent empire truly bestow the post of Right General of the Jinwu Guard on a random commoner on a whim?

That made no sense.

Could it be — the Female Emperor was testing her?

Why test her?

What was she testing for?

Because of the Hua Family? Because of Hua Yitang?

Or was it because of Qian Jing? The Pure Sect? The Ten Purity Collection?

A torrent of tangled thoughts flooded Lin Sui’an’s mind — and then, in an instant, scattered, leaving behind a single clear answer.

She could not accept the post of Right General of the Jinwu Guard.

Lin Sui’an felt as though she had been deliberating for a long time, but in truth only a single breath had passed. She dropped abruptly to her knees, clasped her fists, and said, “Lin Sui’an is a mere martial commoner — without virtue, without talent. I am unworthy of this honor. I beg Your Majesty to rescind the command!”

The Female Emperor let out a long “hmm?” “You’ve refused already? Won’t you think it over a little longer?”

“The post of Right General of the Jinwu Guard carries great rank and authority. I, Lin Sui’an, am undeserving of it!”

The Female Emperor fell silent. Moment by moment, the time passed. Sweat beaded on Lin Sui’an’s forehead. She even began calculating the odds — with this body’s physical abilities, what were the chances of surviving a jump from Yingtian Tower? And the chances of transmigrating back to her original world?

After a long silence, the Female Emperor let out a quiet, pensive sigh. “Lin Sui’an — are you aware of the rumors circulating among the great noble families regarding the purpose of this Special Imperial Examination?”

Lin Sui’an looked up abruptly. The Female Emperor regarded her steadily, her gaze deep and inscrutable.

“I have heard fragments of it,” Lin Sui’an said in a low voice.

The Female Emperor nodded, then reached down and helped Lin Sui’an to her feet. “As a fellow woman, you must understand intimately how difficult it is to accomplish anything of significance in this world — and how much more so for a sovereign. There is no heavier burden than that.”

Lin Sui’an said nothing.

The Female Emperor turned away, her gaze reaching toward the far horizon where heaven and earth met. “Those noble clans and powerful families are like a deep-rooted, festering illness clinging to this land. They have held themselves above all others for a thousand years, and long ago lost any regard for the kingdom’s welfare or the welfare of the common people. In their eyes, the Tang Kingdom — three hundred years of it — is no more than a naive and ignorant child. They cannot abide women holding office. They cannot abide a woman sitting on the throne. They cannot abide scholars from humble origins sharing a court with them. They cannot even abide the thought of common people living better lives day by day. In their view, all such people are fit only to grovel in the dirt — to be ants, to be dung — fit only to gaze upward at those lofty ones above. If this sickness is not cut out at the root, the Tang Kingdom will fall within days.”

Lin Sui’an nodded. “Your Majesty is wise and perceptive.”

The Female Emperor glanced at Lin Sui’an’s expression. “You don’t seem surprised by what I’ve said.”

“It is simply the truth.”

Viewed from the perspective of history, the decline of the noble clans was only a matter of time.

The Female Emperor smiled. “From the very first moment I saw you, I felt you were different from others — and indeed, you see further than most.”

Lin Sui’an’s heart gave a lurch. She hastily pulled someone else forward to take the credit. “I heard similar words from Hua Yitang.”

“Ah, the ever-unconventional Hua Family,” the Female Emperor mused. “In the end, it seems I chose the right person…”

The wind lifted her bright yellow imperial robe, rippling it with a rushing sound. In the moonlight, the pearled tassel of the imperial crown swayed softly — carrying a faint loneliness, and a faint chill.

“Lin Sui’an — do you truly not wish to stand at my side, and look out upon this view from on high?”

Lin Sui’an lowered her eyes and silently drew a breath.

It wasn’t that she didn’t want to. Serving at a ruler’s side was like walking beside a tiger. She didn’t have the nerve to take on a challenge of that difficulty level.

“The view from on high may be magnificent, but a tower a hundred zhang tall must rest upon its foundation — and a tree a hundred chi tall must rest upon its roots. I believe that only by being rooted in the earth, and rooted in the people, can this great tree of the Tang Kingdom stand unshaken.” Lin Sui’an went down on one knee, clasped her fists, and raised them above her head. “Lin Sui’an is willing to be planted deep in the earth, to guard the foundation of the Tang Kingdom.”

The Female Emperor was silent for a long moment. “What is your one true pursuit in this life?”

“To live honestly, and as I please — to take whatever comes with an easy heart.”

Translated plainly: no great ambitions whatsoever. I simply want to lie flat and do nothing. I am truly not the stuff of officialdom — please, let me off!

“Well said! A life lived honestly and freely!” The Female Emperor burst out laughing — a bright, resonant laugh that rang through the space between heaven and earth, shaking the night air over the Eastern Capital. That laughter, for the first time, made Lin Sui’an feel it with bone-deep certainty: this was, without question, the true sovereign of a nation.

In the very next instant, the Female Emperor’s expression shifted. Her voice dropped — turning soft, almost like a young girl speaking in a playful, coaxing tone. “But this does make things rather difficult — what on earth shall I reward you with?”

Lin Sui’an noticed that the Female Emperor had said “I” — not “We” in the royal sense. That was not a particularly reassuring sign.

“To protect the Holy Sovereign is the duty of every subject of the great Tang Kingdom. As long as Your Majesty is safe and well, that is the greatest reward I could receive!”

“That simply won’t do,” the Female Emperor said, pouting slightly. “I must absolutely give you something. Otherwise those long-winded historians will say I’m stingy and petty — and knowing them, they’ll make sure to write it into the official record.”

Lin Sui’an kept her head bowed, the back of her neck rigid, the feeling of dread growing heavier by the moment — pressing down on her shoulders until they ached.

“Ah — I have it.” The Female Emperor’s sleeve rustled softly, and she produced something from within it, extending it toward Lin Sui’an. “I’ll reward you with this.”

It was a black iron tablet. No text, no insignia. Moonlight fell upon it and shimmered — as if crushed starlight had been scattered into the iron itself.

Lin Sui’an swallowed hard. She had seen this object before, back in Yangdu — Ling Zhiyan had one exactly like it. The sight of it had, on the spot, frightened the Yangdu Prefect into wetting himself.

The Female Emperor rolled up her wide sleeve, crouched down, tilted her head forward so the red bead on her golden crown nearly knocked Lin Sui’an in the forehead, and pushed the black iron tablet a little closer. “This is the credential of a Censorate Shadow Censor. Those who carry it are regarded as though the Holy Sovereign herself were present. Every official above the sixth rank will recognize it.”

Lin Sui’an stared at the Female Emperor with a quivering face. The Female Emperor smiled radiantly and said in a conspiratorial tone, “Shadow Censors are all personally appointed by me. There is no restriction on background — this has been the custom of the Tang Kingdom since its founding. Rest assured, no one will have cause to object. Furthermore, the identities of Shadow Censors are kept secret at all times. Only I and the Chief Censor of the Censorate know who they are. It is perfectly safe.”

Lin Sui’an: “…”

It sounded significantly more dangerous!

“Shadow Censors bear responsibility for surveilling officials, inspecting the conditions of the people, and rectifying discipline and order — all carried out in secret. You may go about it however you wish. It’s quite an entertaining role, really — do give it a try.”

Things had been put in such terms that refusing to try was hardly an option anymore.

“The annual salary is one hundred thousand strings of cash,” the Female Emperor added, pressing her advantage.

Lin Sui’an closed her eyes, accepted the credential with both hands, and said, “Lin Sui’an humbly obeys the Holy Sovereign’s command!”

The Female Emperor nodded with a beaming smile and patted Lin Sui’an on the shoulder. “From time to time, when there is a matter requiring investigation, I’ll have a trusted person make contact with you. Do your best — and if you do well, there will be even better rewards ahead!”

“My deepest gratitude, Your Majesty!”

The Female Emperor stood up in high spirits and stretched out in one long, unrestrained yawn. Lin Sui’an rose alongside her, tucked the credential safely away, and rotated her stiff ankle — sure enough, it had cramped, and the pain brought a cold sweat to her brow.

A female official seemed to materialize from thin air behind them and said in a low voice, “Your Majesty, the officials of the Six Ministries and the new graduates have been respectfully waiting below for some time.”

The Female Emperor shook out her robes and turned, composing her expression into the dignified bearing of an empress. “Serve the meal!”