The Emperor His Majesty in the eyes of common people was completely different from the Emperor His Majesty in the eyes of court officials.

In their eyes, Emperor His Majesty was benevolent, kind, and the ruler who best understood and sympathized with the hardships of farmers. He not only continuously reduced agricultural taxes, but sometimes even provided necessary subsidies to farmers. Such an emperor was rare throughout history.

In the eyes of the village elders and respected seniors who came to Chang’an in groups to pay their respects to the Emperor, he was frugal and amiable, always welcoming their arrival. For them, dining in the Wanmin Palace was supreme honor. They didn’t know what they ate, only remembering that imposing man laughing heartily and constantly urging them to drink more wine, only remembering that woman with the bearing of the mother of the nation arranging wonderfully exquisite song and dance performances for them.

They didn’t know how they left the Imperial Palace. Their feet felt soft beneath them, their entire bodies soaked through with the rich imperial wine, emanating a heavy wine fragrance from inside out. This life was worth it, especially when they thought of the scene where the equally white-haired Prime Minister stood outside the palace hall with hands clasped in farewell—sweat pouring like rain, tears soaking their garments completely.

Yun Ye also attended the palace banquet, but he and the other sons-in-law were still not well-regarded as always. The side hall was cold and deserted. Everyone seemed preoccupied, each keeping their heads down drinking their own wine with little conversation.

Yun Ye stood in the side hall holding a wine jug, watching those village elders being sent off, sighing endlessly in his heart. Zhangsun Chong moved close behind him and said in a low voice: “What do you think?”

“These people could be dragged off to pave roads. Chongzi, believe it or not, if you dragged them to pave roads right now, they would be willing without complaint. They might even instruct their descendants that after they finish paving, their descendants should continue.”

Yun Ye took a big gulp of wine and answered in a low voice.

“Too magnificent! With just one statement that the Wanmin Palace is the hall of all people under heaven, he has won the hearts of all common people in the realm. From now on, Great Tang need never worry about commoners rising in rebellion. Just watch—from now on, His Majesty’s poor relatives will always come here. Whether carrying a sack of grain or bringing two chickens, they can come to Wanmin Palace for a meal and drinks. We bring precious gifts and can only drink wind in the side hall.”

Zhangsun Chong’s words carried boundless resentment. Knowing he had grievances, the Emperor now gave all his courtesy to the common people. This year’s customary imperial banquet had been replaced by these country bumpkins, which made him very dissatisfied.

Yun Ye laughed and patted Zhangsun Chong’s shoulder, saying: “Let me give the most straightforward example, Chongzi—who would feed more grain to chickens that are already fat and full?”

Zhangsun Chong shook his head regretfully and said: “You’ve ultimately gained important appointment. The empire’s Beiting will henceforth be under your control. Prosperity and flourishing development is already predictable. We can only idle about in Chang’an waiting for death. The Tianshan moon is rarely seen indeed.”

“Is it necessary for you, a Silver Blue Glory Minister, to envy me, this Beiting Protectorate General? I’m going to eat sand there. The situation there changes three times a day. Going there is equivalent to sitting on a volcano. And you still envy this?”

Zhangsun Chong shook his head and said: “Beiting is the only region in Great Tang likely to see major warfare, and also a good place to establish meritorious achievements. As long as you can gain a firm foothold in Beiting and push Great Tang’s borders north and west, the Yun Family can idle about and wait for death on this merit book for a hundred years.”

Yun Ye gave Zhangsun Chong a sidelong glance and said: “Then what are you doing now?”

“Idling about waiting for death!”

Yun Ye grabbed Zhangsun Chong’s collar and roared in a low voice: “You bastard, what exactly are you thinking? I need to go to Beiting and suffer for several years, then fight bloody battles with countless unknown enemies, working harder than a donkey, just to reach what you call the supreme realm of idling about waiting for death. And you’re already starting the happy life of idling about waiting for death now. And yet you still envy me? Was your head kicked by a donkey?”

Zhangsun Chong blinked, not reacting for a moment. According to the literal interpretation, it could indeed be understood this way, but in his heart he always felt something was wrong—very wrong!

There was no time to think more. The Empress came over. She had already finished entertaining that group of princesses and only then remembered there was still a group of princes consort who needed consoling. Only then did she rush over with a large group of attendants surrounding her from front and back.

Gao Yang walked holding a swaddling bundle in her arms without watching the ground at all. Her eyes had already grown onto her forehead. This was very similar to a hen that had just laid an egg. Zhangsun Chong’s wife Li Lizhi walked at the very back with a dark expression. Many other princesses were equally gloomy, including poor Lan Ling—she also had no children.

“Why didn’t you know to see off those village elders when they left just now? His Majesty didn’t inform you, so you had no self-awareness as juniors? Old men like Lord Fang and Lord Du went, but you all had no movement. Did you learn etiquette in a dog’s belly?”

As soon as Zhangsun arrived, she started scolding. This was not good to dispute. At least Yun Ye thought so. There was really no way to reason with a woman who was too deep into her role. This was the Imperial Palace where every word and action had proper protocols. It wasn’t like a neighbor coming to visit where anyone could do whatever they wanted. Seeing her face flushed, he knew she had drunk quite a bit of wine.

“Yiai, look at little Fang’er—he was just blowing bubbles.” Gao Yang called her husband in a sweet voice. She was prepared to show off to the end, completely disregarding the increasingly embarrassed faces of Changle and the others.

Fang Yiai clearly doted on his child to the bone. He awkwardly clasped his hands toward the other brothers, then hurried over to lift the swaddling cloth to see how his son was blowing bubbles like an old turtle.

Zhangsun glanced at Gao Yang but didn’t scold her. This was naked favoritism! Yun Ye didn’t care—he himself had three chubby sons so naturally had no worries. Taking this opportunity to properly observe the dark faces of Zhangsun Chong and the others wasn’t bad either.

Zhangsun coming over wasn’t at all to console these sons-in-law, but rather to question why she had so few grandchildren. Continuing the family line had always been a major matter in Great Tang, and also an important criterion for judging whether a married couple was harmonious. Among Zhangsun’s duties as the mother of the nation, the most important was harmonizing yin and yang. Offspring reproduction was precisely what she should oversee. Therefore, those sons-in-law without heirs could only lower their heads and listen to Zhangsun’s scolding.

After being scolded all day in the Imperial Palace, the sons-in-law almost had to write guarantee letters promising to definitely produce children next year before Zhangsun let these pitiful people go. When leaving the palace, Yun Ye looked at the gloomy faces of Zhangsun Chong and Li Lizhi and couldn’t help saying: “Others can be gloomy for a bit, but what are you two gloomy about?”

With these words, Li Lizhi’s tears immediately flowed out. She was originally the most favored daughter. Whether in temperament or appearance, she was top-notch. Now regarding the matter of heirs, she had suffered endless torment. She had drunk many medicinal decoctions without the slightest movement.

Zhangsun Chong said somewhat irritably: “If Heaven doesn’t give, what can we do?”

“My God! You two are maternal first cousins! Close maternal first cousins! Uncle Zhangsun and Empress Her Majesty are from the same mother. Lizhi is also Empress Her Majesty’s legitimate daughter. Under these circumstances, what children do you want? You know about Han Zhe, right? If your bloodline gets any closer, you’ll become him. You still dare mention children? This is best. When idle and free, go read books at the Academy. First sort out clan bloodlines before discussing anything else.” Yun Ye was shaking his head. When the imperial family married off daughters, they first considered whether the person receiving the marriage was worth winning over, then considered bloodline assimilation problems. As for whether they were suitable—that wasn’t within consideration at all. There were even cases of nieces marrying uncles.

The imperial family’s messy relationships couldn’t be sorted out clearly. To sort them out would require the Academy to specifically establish a Clan Studies department. Yun Ye’s thoughts weren’t on this matter. After the second month, he would have to go far away to Beiting. Whether the imperial family liked producing idiots had nothing to do with him at all. With this effort, it would be better to teach his own son to draw turtles—that was the proper business. This was a family-inherited skill that absolutely couldn’t be lost.

“Son, look—you must draw this turtle vividly to appear charmingly naive. Drawing it with an eagle’s hooked beak wouldn’t be appropriate. Although such turtles do exist, they look sinister and lose the original meaning of an auspicious diagram.” Yun Ye stood behind Yun Shou. Seeing his son’s mind wandering, he spoke to remind him.

“Father, can you take this child along when you leave this time?” Yun Shou put down the brush in his hand and asked his father in a small voice. Since Father returned, he had felt a trace of relief. As long as he followed Father’s side, Li Yanrong didn’t dare come over. Xiao Wu would also return to being that gentle and lovely good girl. Mother also no longer nagged him. In short, many benefits.

“If Father weren’t going to Beiting, taking you along would be fine. For boys to see the world earlier isn’t a bad thing. But Father must go to Beiting. That place is too harsh for you. Only after you grow to fifteen years old can you go there to experience the vastness and magnificence of the land. Under blue sky and white clouds with only yourself—that’s a very marvelous feeling.”

“It’s settled then!” Yun Shou actually extended his palm wanting to strike palms with his father in oath. Yun Ye smiled and extended his hand, striking three times consecutively according to Yun Shou’s request. This child knew he couldn’t go out now and was deliberately playing tricks on his father.

The home was still as warm as always. The other four children had all reached school-entering age. Because they couldn’t find a suitable teacher, they received Xinyue’s education at home. Father-in-law had returned to Shu before the year. This time returning home, the Yun Family used official postal stations. Traveling home in such splendor this way, the lower-level officials of Shu couldn’t possibly not know the Xinyue Family’s status. Brother-in-law Xin Ran was unwilling to return to Shu and wanted to find a position in the Yun Family. If he weren’t her own younger brother, Xinyue could make the decision. Now she could only wait for the family head to return before making arrangements. This was the rule.

“The Yun Family has so many stewards. Randomly finding a capable and competent one for him to follow and learn from for two years before arranging something wouldn’t be too late. His temperament is still unstable now. Giving too much authority would harm him. Our family is different from Father-in-law’s place. This family not only belongs to us but also belongs to those household officials and family generals. We can’t tolerate making messes. If he screws something up, even if we don’t pursue it, those household officials will come forward to demand accountability. We won’t even have the opportunity to excuse him then.”

Xinyue nodded. In executing rules, she was far more resolute than Yun Ye. She even wanted to formulate a set of family rules. The draft was already written. When she showed it to Yun Ye, he crumpled it up and stuffed it into the stove to light the fire.