“A hen crowing at dawn—if Noble Consort Yan continues like this, I fear she’ll grasp the great power of the court.” There were also clear-headed people who reminded Shen Guiwu thus.

Shen Guiwu was more clear-headed than anyone, but this was exactly the situation he wanted. So he didn’t intervene. Having toiled on the battlefield for so many years, now finally settled in the prosperous capital, Second Brother Shen very actively threw himself into the pleasure quarters, even giving the imperial seal to Shen Guiyan.

Wen Shoushan fought bitterly in Lizhou. He had taken two hundred thousand troops, and in less than half a year, half were lost. Shen Guiyan very actively dispatched the capital’s garrison troops as reinforcements. Grain and fodder supplies, soldier training—not a single item was neglected.

So even when people whispered in Wen Shoushan’s ear, Wen Shoushan didn’t think it was any big deal. As long as it helped him accomplish great things, men and women were the same.

Holding the imperial seal, Shen Guiyan seemed like a different person—calm, composed, handling matters with propriety. If one didn’t look at that face, everyone would think she was a man.

Only Baoshan felt heartache. Ever since the capital fell, her master had rarely spoken. At night, holding the crying child, she would only silently walk and rock him in the room in silence.

When would His Majesty return?

Spring arrived. Shen Guiyan looked up at the willow trees budding along the palace wall, her expression in a trance.

“Your Ladyship, the imperial prince seems somewhat strange.” Baoshan placed the six-month-old little prince on the soft couch. What was strange was that his legs didn’t move at all.

Shen Guiyan’s eyes flickered slightly. She summoned an imperial physician to examine him.

Director Guo said, “Your Ladyship, the little prince’s legs and feet… seem not quite nimble.”

What did “not quite nimble” mean? Shen Guiyan glared at him. Director Guo, being stared at, felt somewhat panicked and knelt down. “Perhaps it was brought out from the mother’s womb. The little prince’s legs and feet, the tendons and bones aren’t right. I don’t know if he’ll be able to walk normally when he’s older.”

Quack.

Shen Guiyan lifted her skirts and went in a daze to find that Doctor Liu who used to be at the Gu residence. His medical skills gave her more peace of mind.

Doctor Liu entered the palace and examined the little prince over and over for a long time. Finally he smiled. “The legs are deformed. It’s nothing—perhaps when he grows up it will be fine.”

Shen Guiyan nodded and finally smiled a bit. Holding the little prince, looking at his features that gradually unfolded and increasingly resembled Gu Chaobei, she kissed his little face with reddened eyes.

Doctor Liu stood up wanting to leave, but Baoshan blocked him. “Doctor, please stay in the palace. Master’s condition isn’t too good either. She’s often ill and needs a reliable person to look after her.”

Doctor Liu clutched his medical records and laughed dryly twice. “That’s not necessary, is it?”

Baoshan also smiled at him. With a push, she pushed him toward the Imperial Medical Bureau, conveniently snatching the medical records from his hands.

A new page was added, titled “Imperial Prince,” with a note: “Leg bones deformed, congenital disability.”

Baoshan’s eyes reddened.

If the National Preceptor hadn’t left with the Emperor, if he were still in the capital, Baoshan would definitely drag him out and beat him severely. Didn’t he say her master was born holding phoenix jade, naturally blessed with good fortune? What empress fate, what double-tenth great joy—her master hadn’t received a single one. What she received instead was her husband leaving her, her child born disabled!

Hiding behind the artificial mountain, she cried her fill. Only after wiping away her tears did Baoshan dare to return to serve.

Shen Guiyan held the imperial prince, still not speaking. She only gently teased him with her fingers. The child, cute as glass, giggled under her teasing. Sunlight from outside shone in, illuminating her hair. Baoshan had the illusion that within her master’s black hair, there already seemed to be some graying.

Some people were born to wage war, some were born with literary talent. From the moment Shen Guiyan sat in the court hall, the ministers all discovered that this woman had great political strategy.

Ruthless when she needed to be ruthless—she established eighteen cruel punishments, even reviving the long-abolished punishment of roasting. Orders came from above, and those below followed. If anyone disobeyed, they were all executed.

Benevolent when she needed to be benevolent—toward the common people, Shen Guiyan reformed the agricultural taxation system, reduced taxes, encouraged farming, and even advocated putting people first and agriculture as the foundation.

With Shen Guiwu supporting her, a large group of ministers in the court swore loyalty to the death. Although some attacked Lady Shen for not observing womanly virtue and presumptuously meddling in government, Shen Guiyan still sat steadily in that position for three years.

During these three years, Wen Shoushan was beaten back step by step by Gu Chaobei. He had once thought of retreating to defend the capital, but Shen Guiyan supported him with troops and grain while blocking the capital’s gates—she simply wouldn’t let Wen Shoushan return. Wen Shoushan also knew what Shen Guiyan was doing in the capital. However, in front was Gu Chaobei in relentless pursuit, while behind was the aid Shen Guiyan provided. He couldn’t possibly turn back to blame Shen Guiyan and disrupt his own position.

So Wen Shoushan could only steel himself and continue fighting.

The people suffered terribly. In three years, the realm was devastated everywhere. Everyone said the capital was the last sacred place. Because Gu Chaobei had ambushed Wen Shoushan’s granary in Zhengzhou, burning two li of Zhengzhou, but hadn’t touched the capital. He wanted to come to the capital but was also blocked tightly by Wen Shoushan. The two sides faced off—neither could return to live peaceful days.

Some said Shen Guiyan could make herself Empress, just like that shameless Wen Shoushan who made himself Prince Protector of the Realm. Sitting in that position, wouldn’t it also be more legitimate?

Shen Guiyan didn’t. She continued to be called “Noble Consort Yan,” wearing palace robes, sitting on the dragon throne. The way she reviewed memorials wasn’t domineering at all—rather, she was like a young daughter doing needlework, full of joy, waiting and hoping—when that person returned, would he praise her for doing well?

Waiting for three years. Her son still hadn’t been given a name and was called the First Prince. Old ministers suggested many names, but Shen Guiyan always stubbornly shook her head.

The First Prince had a leg ailment. At three years old, he could only be carried by palace maids and eunuchs. Shen Guiwu made him a wooden wheelchair, pushing him to the imperial garden every day, fearing this child would become dark and depressed because of his legs.

But he worried too much. Because his mother consort never spoke, the First Prince had been very considerate and careful from childhood. Even unable to walk, he never blamed anyone, only curiously asking his uncle, “Everyone says Mother Consort isn’t mute, so why doesn’t she speak?”

Shen Guiwu stroked his head. “Your mother consort has too many words in her belly. She’s waiting for someone. Only when that person comes can she speak them.”

The small prince seemed to understand yet not understand. Sitting in the oversized wheelchair, he quietly looked at the flowers in the imperial garden.

“Your Ladyship, this subject believes that now the capital is prosperous, the people’s customs are pure—it’s a rarely good atmosphere.” Scholar Zhou had been enfeoffed as Grand Preceptor. At this moment he stood beside Shen Guiyan. “Since it’s already stable, there’s no need to continue providing reinforcements and grain.”

The two words “stable” indicated that in this capital, those who still wanted to go to war and risk their lives for Wen Shoushan had almost all disappeared. Three years of comfort were enough to wear down people’s fighting spirit.

Wen Shoushan’s troops suffered huge losses. Years of continuous warfare had also greatly weakened his body. Now, as long as he was defeated one more time, he would collapse like a mountain, never able to rise again.

Shen Guiyan turned her body and stared blankly at Scholar Zhou for a while. Her eyes, rippling with light, held all the words she wanted to say.

What about him?

“In this past year, His Majesty has used the troops of Huainan and with General Yuwen recovered much lost territory. Now the most important place left is only this capital.” Scholar Zhou said, “As long as His Majesty can win once more at the Battle of Jingjiang, then returning to take the capital won’t be difficult.”

Her eyes brightened slightly. Shen Guiyan picked up her brush and wrote the decree: Reinforcements withdrawn, defend the capital to the death.

Putting down the brush, she lifted her skirts and ran toward the rear palace, through the corridors, running to her son, her face carrying a brilliant smile.

“Why is Mother Consort crying again?” The small child reached out his hand to wipe away the tears about to overflow from her eyes.

Shen Guiyan shook her head and hugged her son’s small body tightly.

Gu Chaobei looked toward the direction of the capital, standing on the watchtower, his mind wandering.

He had also become much thinner than before. Three years—no news at all from inside the capital. He wanted to send letters there but feared causing trouble for Yan’er. Back then, without a single word of explanation, he left her in the capital. She must hate him to death, mustn’t she?

Every time he thought that Yan’er might never forgive him, might even have forgotten him, Gu Chaobei felt all strength leave his body.

“Your Majesty.” Zhuiyun steadied him, looked at the height of this watchtower, and pressed his lips together. “Stand steady. It won’t be long now.”

Gu Chaobei turned to look at him and asked softly, “Zhuiyun, are you afraid?”

Zhuiyun was puzzled. “Afraid of what?”

“Afraid that by the time we return, Baoshan will have already married?”

Zhuiyun’s face turned deathly pale.

Too many things could happen in three years. Calculating by age, Baoshan should be almost eighteen now. She was only two years younger than Noble Consort Yan.

The sudden departure back then—no one wanted it. His Majesty had even planned to defend the streets and hold out to the death. Who knew someone would directly open the city gates? Without any preparation at all, there wasn’t even time to return to the palace once. They could only leave the capital directly from the West Gate.

That bit of evacuation time was bought by Yuwen Changqing’s temporary defection, at the cost of many soldiers’ lives. If the Emperor had turned back to the palace to fetch people then, not only would no one have escaped, it would have disappointed the three armies. How could someone too devoted to romantic love sit firmly on this throne?

His Majesty hadn’t done wrong. He also hadn’t done wrong. But why were they regretting it now?

Zhuiyun didn’t answer the Emperor’s question. Instead, he stood with the Emperor on the watchtower in a daze, his body swaying precariously.

The three armies fought fiercely. That old scoundrel Wen Shoushan was obstinate and old-fashioned. Although the final battle lasted over a month, Gu Chaonan used troops divinely and cooperated extremely well with Yuwen Changqing. Their own generals and soldiers didn’t suffer too many losses, while the opposing side showed signs of retreating to the capital.

“Pursue!” The Emperor, wearing armor and standing on his war horse, gave the order.

Everyone understood the principle of not pursuing a desperate enemy, but this time, they followed behind the Emperor, pursuing for hundreds of li.

Wen Shoushan wanted to return to the capital, but the capital’s gates couldn’t be opened.

“Outrageous!” The gray-haired Old Master Wen coughed. “The realm I conquered—why won’t they let me in? Where’s Shen Guiwu?”

A trusted subordinate reported, “General Shen is said to be indulging in pleasure houses, ignoring worldly affairs. Everything in the capital is decided by Noble Consort Yan.”

Perfect. He went out once, and she changed the house keys on him!