Chen Baoxiang paused for a moment, then slowly broke into a wide grin.

She bounced over and opened one of the boxes, looking back at him. “Great Immortal, do you prefer green jujubes or these guavas over here?”

Zhang Zhixu snapped back to attention and took a proper look. Well, would you look at that — the dark rosewood iron-cornered chests that were usually used to store silver ingots were packed with fresh produce newly sold on the market.

“This is what you called their gift?” He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

Chen Baoxiang put her hands on her hips in displeasure. “What kind of tone is that? You look down on these? They’re expensive — this one crate is worth at least five hundred wen.”

Under the laws of the Great Sheng, an official had to privately accept fifty taels of silver or more in exchange for services before it could be classified as bribery.

These dozen or so crates of fruit fell far short of the bribery threshold and could only be considered ordinary gifts exchanged out of courtesy.

He let out a long breath, leaned back against the edge of the flower bed, and said helplessly, “You troublesome thing — I had already figured out what food to send you in prison.”

“What food?” She wasn’t upset in the least, and asked with great interest.

“Fragrant-leaf pan-fried chicken, braised pork belly, and egg yolk corn pastries.”

“Wow——” Her eyes lit up as she grabbed his arm and pulled him toward the front hall. “Quick, quick, quick — tell the kitchen to make all of it. We’re having that for lunch today.”

He let her drag him forward but still couldn’t help glancing back. “Before you took them in, did you check into their backgrounds?”

“Of course. My disciples are remarkable — I personally went and found each one of them.” Chen Baoxiang said proudly. “Some never attended a private academy but taught themselves the Classics and Mathematics examinations; some are born prodigies who can craft all kinds of weapons you’ve never seen before; there’s even someone who trained at the Emei Sect — you know Mount Emei, don’t you?”

Her chatter showed absolutely no signs of stopping.

Zhang Zhixu watched her quietly.

He thought Chen Baoxiang was a remarkably steadfast person.

When most people are criticized and insulted, they feel at least some discomfort — aggrieved, furious, or even irrational, their emotions heavily affected.

But not Chen Baoxiang. No matter how much abuse she received, she kept right on doing what she planned to do according to her own schedule, and after coming home from court she was still as cheerful as ever.

“Doesn’t it hurt to be insulted like this?” he couldn’t help asking.

Chen Baoxiang gave his shoulder a carefree pat. “My salary comes from those who trust me, not from those who hate me.”

As long as they couldn’t shake His Majesty’s trust in her, she wouldn’t take any of it to heart whatsoever.

His Majesty didn’t care whether she was an unfilial daughter who had murdered her father — she only cared whether her duties were carried out brilliantly enough.

·

“Three months have passed. Under the new laws, the Court of Judicial Review will withdraw the charges filed against you.”

Li Bingsheng sat upright upon the throne and addressed Chen Baoxiang. “Even just to put on a show for others, I ought to give you some reward — what would you like?”

Chen Baoxiang opened her mouth with delight.

“You may not ask for silver ingots or gold bars.” Li Bingsheng added in time.

The kneeling figure’s face instantly fell. “How did Your Majesty know what I was thinking?”

“I’ve known you for nearly half a year now. If I still didn’t know your character, I’d have wasted my life.” Li Bingsheng said in exasperation. “How can you only ever think about money!”

“Money solves every problem, Your Majesty.” She spread her hands innocently. “Shouldn’t a reward be in money?”

Li Bingsheng very much wanted to maintain her imperial composure, but listening to her speak, she was practically fuming — she couldn’t help stepping forward and poking Chen Baoxiang’s forehead with her painted fingernail. “Think of something else — something other than money.”

Chen Baoxiang swayed forward and back as she knelt, following the motion, and looked up hopefully. “Anything at all, as long as it isn’t money?”

“Tell me what you have in mind first.”

Grinning, Chen Baoxiang said, “Then I would like to ask Your Majesty to grant me an ancestral burial ground.”

Li Bingsheng: “……”

Live long enough, and truly, you’ll hear everything.

She was so amused she laughed out loud. “Say that again — what do you want me to give you?”

“In reply to Your Majesty: an ancestral burial ground.”

“You want me to grant you a plot of land with favorable geomancy?”

“No.” Chen Baoxiang raised her eyes. “I wish to ask Your Majesty’s permission for me to establish a clan under the name of Ye Qiongxin, found an ancestral burial ground, and inter my birth mother and other loved ones there. When I pass from this world in time, I too will rest in that place.”

Li Bingsheng was briefly startled, but then she understood.

Chen Baoxiang had no father or mother, and her living relatives were few, but the people she wanted to bury in this ancestral ground must be many — aside from this Ye Qiongxin, there were surely also the older sisters she had once spoken of, those who had sheltered her in a pit on Tianningshan.

She glanced over at Hua Lingyin beside her, and the latter clasped her hands in a bow. “There is still open land near Qingshan Mountain — someone can be sent to mark it out.”

Li Bingsheng raised an eyebrow. “I only meant to ask if this was within the rules — yet here you are, already giving away land from the loyal ministers’ burial ground on my behalf?”

“Your subject was rash.”

“Never mind. You all just take advantage of the fact that I can’t bear to part with any of you, every single one coming before me to play tricks.” She clicked her tongue. “Have the Court of State Ceremonial go and take care of the arrangements.”

“Many thanks to Your Majesty.” Chen Baoxiang smiled and bowed her head all the way to the ground.

·

The Court of Judicial Review had failed to bring a case against Chen Baoxiang and had instead caused her to receive a reward — those in court who disliked Chen Baoxiang were thoroughly vexed.

They began to find fault with the burial ground, hoping to pick out some new flaw.

To their surprise, when they actually looked into it, they really did find a problem.

Ye Qiongxin — daughter of Ye Shuangtian, the Chief Minister of the previous dynasty, who had been implicated in her father’s fall from grace and banished from the capital, permanently barred from official appointment.

“If such a person is admitted to the loyal ministers’ burial ground, would that not be an act of defiance against the late Emperor?”

“I say this Chen Baoxiang harbors treasonous intentions, deliberately choosing a figure like this to found a burial ground around.”

“Your Majesty, Chen Baoxiang is trying to place you in a position of unfilial and unrighteous conduct!”

Li Bingsheng’s head ached.

Such a small reward — how could it possibly stir up this much trouble?

“Chen, my beloved subject — do you know your offense?” she asked in a grave tone.

“Your Majesty.” Zhang Zhixu stepped forward first, his expression serious. “The late Emperor, in his benevolence, never issued a decree of banishment against the Ye family. I have reviewed the original case files, and it was the former Chief Minister Gu Changyu who rendered the verdict.”

“Oh?” Li Bingsheng suddenly grew interested. “What sort of case was it?”

“Your Majesty!” Someone hurried forward to interrupt. “This is an old case from the previous court. Dredging it up now would only stir up a face full of dust — why bring it up again?”

“Exactly. It’s all ancient history — bringing it up only invites ill omens.”

Chen Baoxiang unhurriedly stepped forward and knelt, extending both hands cupped before her. “Your Majesty, my grandmother was loyal and righteous all her life. She served for five years in the Military Magistrate’s Office without a single error or dereliction of duty. In my view, if even she cannot rest at Qingshan, then a great many of the mounds already there ought to be dug up and moved out.”

“Insolence!”

“You are truly arrogant and rude — utterly contemptuous of all order and propriety!”

The officials in court erupted in outrage, cursing and hurling their boots at her.

Li Bingsheng had no choice but to adjourn court early yet again.

She called Chen Baoxiang alone to the Imperial Study, and with a dark expression demanded: “You’re scheming against me?”

Chen Baoxiang shook her head. “Your subject would not dare.”

“The way I see it, there is nothing you would not dare.” Her expression remained unfriendly. “Backing me into a corner like this — you want me to overturn the verdict on that grandmother Ye of yours?”

“No.”

“You dare say no?!”

Chen Baoxiang lifted her head calmly and spoke with sincerity: “In reply to Your Majesty — truly, it is not.”

Because it was never Grandmother Ye’s case to begin with.