The little girl before her eyes was surprisingly calm. Wei Xiao clenched her hands tightly inside her sleeves. This girl was right—what kind of temperament her daughter had, she knew better than anyone. That day, she had clearly told her that she liked Xun Changqing…
A romance between master and disciple was taboo, especially between two women. Wei Xiao felt she shouldn’t have sent her to Lingyun Mountain to learn martial arts in the first place, nor should she have agreed to the Pingnan Prince’s Consort’s request to have Wei Lingci take Xun Changqing as a disciple.
She had essentially lifted a rock only to drop it on her own foot—a rock she couldn’t kick away, so she could only swallow her resentment.
Wei Xiao’s heart ached with anger. She pointed at Xun Changqing, a thousand harsh words on the tip of her tongue but unable to speak them. She wanted to find her parents, but Xun Changqing’s parents weren’t in the Imperial Capital. If this got out, it wouldn’t just ruin Xun Changqing’s reputation—her own daughter’s would be destroyed too.
She was so furious she was speechless, but Xun Changqing’s knees buckled, and she knelt at her feet. Her face showed relief after a tangle of complexity. She said, “County Princess, this matter is beyond your power to change. True love—what’s wrong with that? Besides, it won’t disturb others. If A’ci is happy, you’ll be happy too.”
Wei Xiao sidestepped, dodging Xun Changqing’s grand gesture. Their statuses were worlds apart; the slap earlier had already been improper. She couldn’t accept this courtesy. Her lips curled coldly. “Something that defies heaven’s principles—can that be called happiness in your mouth?”
Again with “heaven’s principles.” In this life and the last, she couldn’t escape those two words. Xun Changqing clenched her fists, raised her eyes to meet Wei Xiao’s deep, mocking gaze without flinching, and said, “How does it defy heaven’s principles? I haven’t killed or committed arson, altered the heavens or reversed fate, disrupted the court or harmed the people. How is that defying heaven’s principles? If it truly did, no need for you to say it—heaven’s law would reject me itself. Masters and disciples are people too. Why can’t women love each other? Since ancient times, emperors have been men, but our dynasty’s Ningyuan Emperor ascended to the throne as a woman and has ruled for years. At first, they said it defied heaven’s principles too, yet Great Qi has enjoyed good weather, and she deserves the greatest credit. What more is there to say?”
Wei Xiao wasn’t just heartbroken—she had a headache too. Both of them had logic on their side, leaving her at a loss for rebuttal. Her eyes blazed with indignation. “No matter what, I won’t agree to this. When Xun Yi returns, I believe he won’t agree either.”
The discussion ended in failure once more. Wei Xiao had only come to reason, but since she couldn’t outtalk Xun Changqing, she flicked her sleeves and left.
Xun Changqing remained kneeling on the ground, rubbing her cheek. Frost gathered in her eyes as bitterness and helplessness slowly took root in her heart. Everything she did was to break free from these shackles of “heaven’s principles.”
Their conversation had lasted less than a quarter of an hour. When the Wise Noble Consort entered the hall, Wei Xiao was already gone, but Xun Changqing was still kneeling inside. She was puzzled—given their ranks, why was it this girl’s turn to kneel? As she approached, she immediately saw the clear handprint on her face.
She couldn’t help but chide, “The Ning’an County Princess still can’t control her temper—resorting to hitting people.”
With an outsider entering, Xun Changqing hurriedly stood, avoiding the Wise Noble Consort’s probing gaze. She lightly covered for it. “It’s nothing, just a few words.”
The Wise Noble Consort had survived in the palace for over twenty years and had seen such scenes before. One willing to hit, one willing to take—no need for her to intervene. She pulled her over and examined her closely, sighing, “His Majesty just sent word for you to go to Splendid Clarity Palace. Cover it with some powder first, then cold compress when you return. It should be gone by tomorrow.”
His Majesty summoning her probably had nothing to do with Wei Xiao entering the palace. Xun Changqing could only comfort herself with this self-deception.
Perhaps her muttering along the way had worked—the Emperor’s summons truly had nothing to do with Wei Xiao.
Splendid Clarity Palace was the Emperor’s sleeping quarters; without an edict, no one could enter casually. When Xun Changqing arrived, the area before the hall was unusually quiet, unlike usual. She asked the servants attending His Majesty and learned that the Emperor had just woken and ordered no one to wander outside the hall casually.
After entering, the Emperor reclined on a soft couch. An nearly empty medicine bowl sat on the table, and he still held a memorial in his hand. Seeing Xun Changqing, he steadied his breath and beckoned her closer.
Xun Changqing hurried forward, standing straight and proper before her, her demeanor deferential. Her cheek was thickly powdered to hide the slap mark. Fortunately, the Emperor was gravely ill, his eyesight not what it once was, and he didn’t notice anything amiss.
He straightened up, coughing a few more times, his breathing uneven. Xun Changqing stepped closer to gently pat his back. In just a few short days, much more white had appeared in his hair. Worrying over the nation and its people while guarding against her own son’s rebellion—this Emperor was truly exhausted.
The Emperor was somewhat stubborn and pushed her away, laughing. “I don’t like beating around the bush, so I’ll say it straight. Changqing, do you think I should kill Xun Yiran?”
Her words startled Xun Changqing. Was this probing her?
Xun Changqing raised her eyes slightly to study the Emperor’s expression. His face was haggard, lips pale, demeanor solemn, eyes deep yet clear—not like he was joking. Xun Changqing relaxed a fraction. She wasn’t a tyrant, and Xun Yiran was her son. No father in the world hoped for their son’s death.
She smiled back. “Second Brother’s mistakes can still be redeemed. Your Majesty acts with benevolence and righteousness, so of course you shouldn’t kill him.”
The words “benevolence and righteousness” stirred old memories. The Emperor’s brows furrowed tightly, her heart feeling as if sliced by a knife. She gasped sharply for a moment before saying, “Benevolence and righteousness—wielded well makes a benevolent ruler; wielded poorly, it’s indecisive weakness. I am the latter. I’ve clung to benevolence and righteousness my whole life, breeding the Shao Family disaster and allowing my own flesh and blood to plot rebellion.”
