“Chancellor Fang, I see right through your scheme. You’re exploiting the Yan family’s mistake to threaten the Left Prime Minister into giving her daughter to the Fang family. I ask you—does your son deserve her?”
The Right Prime Minister’s words rang out loudly, tearing down the Fang family’s pretense. She immediately added, “A man like you doesn’t deserve to educate fine talents at the Imperial Academy. Why don’t you take off your official robe and go home to farm, rather than mislead the young?”
Chancellor Fang believed he was in the right. He’d thought he could threaten the Left Prime Minister, since she was in the wrong and wouldn’t dare make a scene. He never expected the Right Prime Minister to butt in and make him lose face.
He said, “What crime has my son committed, to be insulted like this by the Yan family?”
“What crime has the Young Mistress Yan committed, to have to marry your son?” The Right Prime Minister shot back.
Chancellor Fang was so angry he could kill someone. Seeing colleagues gathering around, he shouted, “As Confucius said, ‘Women and petty people are the hardest to deal with’—it’s the truth!”
The moment the words fell, the Valiant Cavalry General grabbed him by the collar. “Chancellor Fang, what did you say?”
“General Ji, what are you doing? We’re at the Foot of the Emperor! Do you dare raise your hand?” Chancellor Fang shouted. “I’m a civil official, you’re a military general. What do you think you’re doing?”
“What am I doing? You say women and petty people are hard to deal with—what’s the logic in that? Without women, would your mother exist?” The Valiant Cavalry General hoisted him up directly. “I’m a woman, and you’re a man. Look at yourself—do you have any strength? If the enemy comes, you’d hide behind a woman’s skirt. Truly laughable.”
Chancellor Fang’s words enraged the female officials. Terrified, he hurriedly apologized. Seeing this, the crowd dispersed.
But just as they turned around, they saw Her Majesty’s imperial carriage approaching. Everyone knelt and shouted, “Long live Your Majesty!”
The Female Emperor sat in the carriage, watching the Valiant Cavalry General and Chancellor Fang with interest. “What’s going on between you two?”
The Valiant Cavalry General answered immediately. “Your Majesty, the Chancellor said women and petty people are hard to deal with. He insulted me for no reason.”
Chancellor Fang also responded, “Your Majesty, Your Majesty—those were Confucius’s words.”
He argued his case, but Her Majesty’s reply made his heart sink. “Zhen is also a woman.”
“Your Majesty, this subject misspoke!” Chancellor Fang prostrated himself in terror, drenched in sweat. He bitterly regretted intercepting Yan Zhi’an here—he should have gone to her residence instead.
The Female Emperor propped her chin on her hand, gazing at the man on the ground. “What exactly happened?”
She looked up, sweeping her gaze through the crowd. Only the Right Prime Minister stepped forward. “It’s the engagement between the Yan and Fang families. The Yan family’s daughter is unwell and wishes to withdraw. Chancellor Fang refused and kept pressing the Left Prime Minister, demanding, demanding that the Young Mistress Yan marry in her place.”
The moment these words were spoken, the crowd of officials erupted like boiling water.
“If you’re not marrying, cancel it. What is this ‘marry in her place’ nonsense?”
“The Young Mistress Yan is the Left Prime Minister’s heart. Chancellor Fang, I could see your abacus from here.”
“No wonder the Left Prime Minister is angry. If I were her, I’d overturn the table and throw hands. Chancellor Fang, you’ve overreached yourself.”
Everyone chimed in, condemning Chancellor Fang. Only Yan Zhi’an noticed that Her Majesty’s expression had changed instantly. Chancellor Fang probably wouldn’t be able to stay in the Capital City after this. But if Her Majesty lost her composure, people would notice.
She stepped forward to mediate. “Your Majesty, the fault is the Yan family’s. But the matter of marrying in her place is truly unacceptable. My daughter is young, only recently returned to my side. I don’t wish for her to marry early.”
Chancellor Fang was now stuck between a rock and a hard place. He opened his mouth, but the Female Emperor on the throne spoke first. “Marriage is determined by heaven. Since the Yan family’s daughter fell ill before the wedding, it must be heaven’s warning—she is fated not to be a wife of your Fang family. So be it—cancel the engagement cleanly. Why turn a marriage into enmity?”
Her Majesty’s words were a warning. Chancellor Fang gritted his teeth and swallowed the humiliation. “Your Majesty speaks truly. I will go home and cancel the engagement at once.”
With that, the Female Emperor departed. The crowd looked at Chancellor Fang with complex expressions—some disgusted, some sympathetic.
The officials filed into the hall one by one, and the news of the Fang-Yan engagement cancellation spread.
The Right Prime Minister followed Her Majesty into court, catching up to Yan Zhi’an’s steps. “You arranged an engagement for her?”
“Would I dare?” Yan Zhi’an sighed, her steps heavy. “Her marriage is a headache for me. Looking across the Capital City, what suitable young man could match her?”
The Right Prime Minister fell silent. She couldn’t marry into the Imperial family. Looking down, there were the Duke mansions, the Marquis mansions—and below that, no one would be of any help to Xunqi.
She stopped. “Xunqi now has the Yan family as her support. Does she lack help?”
“Only the Yan family?” Yan Zhi’an’s gaze was cold. “I thought she also had the Shangguan family behind her?”
The Right Prime Minister froze, staring at her in astonishment. “When did you start including me in your calculations?”
“From the moment I learned the Madwoman came from the Shangguan family’s gates.” Yan Zhi’an answered frankly, meeting the Right Prime Minister’s gaze. “Compared to the Crown Prince, I believe her chances are greater. The Crown Prince only has Prince Ji. But she has me, and she has Her Majesty. What do you think?”
Though the Crown Prince was of legitimate line, Emperor Hui’s position was itself tainted. Properly speaking, if Xunqi returned, she would be Emperor Ming’s daughter—her claim far more solid.
The Right Prime Minister sighed softly. “The Left Prime Minister schemes deeply indeed!”
She took a step first, quickening her pace to enter the hall ahead of the Left Prime Minister.
The engagement between the Yan and Fang families was dissolved, putting an end to one of Yan Zhi’an’s worries. But Shiqi still hadn’t been found.
Yan Zhi’an sent people to search in secret, hoping to find the girl before the family did.
The people she sent reported nothing. Xunqi grew anxious too. Two months passed, and by the bitter winter cold, there was still no word.
Another year of snowfall arrived, with early red plum blossoms blooming—gorgeous beyond compare.
In the Grand Hall, the Female Emperor handed the Left Prime Minister a stack of albums.
Confused, Yan Zhi’an opened them and saw portraits of handsome young men of the Capital City. Her vision went black. “Your Majesty is settling her engagement already?”
“Come the new year, she’ll be fifteen. It’s time to set it.” The Female Emperor was unconcerned. “Just set it for now.”
Yan Zhi’an gripped the albums, her expression grim. She wanted to refuse, but the Female Emperor descended the Imperial Steps, smiling. “Zhen intends to arrange a marriage with the Sima family for her. What do you think?”
“Which member of the Sima family?” Yan Zhi’an racked her brain, recalling that the third and fourth sons of Duke Dingguo were of suitable age. She frowned. “Xunqi won’t like it.”
“Oh? She has someone she likes?” The Female Emperor was surprised. Xunqi lived in the Prime Minister’s Residence and, apart from visiting the Shangguan mansion on rest days, rarely went out. Could she have met a young man she liked?
Yan Zhi’an was deeply troubled. Gripping the albums, she found it hard to even take steps. She wanted to refuse for Xunqi—Xunqi was kind-hearted, spending her days reading and practicing mounted archery, with no time to meet young men.
But the Female Emperor had spoken. She didn’t know how to refuse.
“Has she taken a liking to someone she shouldn’t?” The Female Emperor’s expression cooled into displeasure. “Even if she has, it’s no matter. Once she ascends the throne, she can summon them into the palace.”
Yan Zhi’an understood Her Majesty’s meaning and was too shocked to know what to do. “Where would she find someone she shouldn’t like? Xunqi is innocent. She probably doesn’t even understand love. Isn’t this too early?”
She’d be only fifteen after the new year. Even in a hurry, one should wait two more years—sixteen or seventeen was more appropriate.
Xunqi studied every day; when did she have time to think about such things? Shangguan Li taught her strictly, assigning mountains of homework. She didn’t rest until midnight. She worked so hard, and now Yan Zhi’an was supposed to tell her she’d been betrothed? How heartbroken the girl would be.
“Since she doesn’t like anyone, then let her go meet some.” The Female Emperor took it in stride. The martial arts instructors she’d sent to the Prime Minister’s Residence had reported that Xunqi was diligent and hardworking, never daring to slack off. She was pleased.
Seeing no way to refuse, Yan Zhi’an’s heart went cold. She could only say, “This Subject will ask Xunqi’s opinion.”
“That works. Relay Zhen’s wishes to her.”
Yan Zhi’an left in a daze. Only now did she realize how laughable her promise to Xunqi had been. She couldn’t make decisions at all. When Her Majesty decreed a marriage, even she couldn’t resist, let alone Xunqi.
She was unwilling, afraid, and finally, guilty. Her Majesty chose the Sima family to win them over. Duke Dingguo was also the Crown Prince’s maternal uncle. If the Sima family were won over, Xunqi’s advantages would immediately become apparent.
Her worry followed her all day. That evening, when she returned to the mansion, Xunqi rushed to meet her, pressing a warm hand warmer into her hands.
“Mother, are you cold?”
“No. Keep it for yourself.” Yan Zhi’an refused, pushing it back into Xunqi’s hands. Xunqi pushed it back again. “I’m not cold. Why are you back so early today? I just finished my lessons—how are you already home?”
A heavy snow had wrapped the Capital City in white, freezing everything. The bricks underfoot were harder than usual.
Xunqi wore a bright red outfit, her hair jet-black. From a distance, standing in the snow, she looked like a lively spirit who had strayed from the mountain wilds.
In winter, darkness fell early. Yan Zhi’an usually returned when it was already pitch black. Today, the sky was still bright when she came home.
“Nothing to do, so I came back.” Yan Zhi’an’s words were insincere. Remembering something, she took a small box from her sleeve and handed it to Xunqi. “For you.”
Inside the palm-sized box lay a pair of earrings adorned with red gemstones—bright in color, vivid and translucent, extremely pleasing to the eye.
A smile appeared on Yan Zhi’an’s face. “I saw them in a shop and thought you’d like them.”
“Eh, what’s the occasion? Why did you think to bring me a gift?” Xunqi closed the box, clasped it tightly, and thanked her mother with a smile.
Yan Zhi’an reached out, covering Xunqi’s hand with hers. She was surprised to find it very warm—like a hand warmer. She was in the prime of youth, at the best of ages, hot-blooded, warmth radiating from her whole body.
Yan Zhi’an took the initiative, and Xunqi was happy too. She felt her mother was especially gentle today. Smiling, she followed her mother inside.
Watching her smile, Yan Zhi’an’s heart clenched painfully. How was she supposed to bring it up? How could she say their earlier agreement no longer counted?
They entered the house. Maidservants helped them both out of their cloaks, and a wave of warmth washed over them as they went inside.
Once inside, Xunqi picked up a plate of pastries and began eating, not forgetting to offer one to Yan Zhi’an. “Madam went out and bought some pastries. Try one.”
There were eight pastries on the plate, each different, each with a different filling. Xunqi ate the red bean one—it melted on the tongue—and finished it in two bites.
Watching her devour them, Yan Zhi’an took her own pastry and took a small bite. It was plum-flavored.
“Mother, eat this one.” Xunqi handed over a fresh pastry, swapping it for the one in her mother’s hand that had a bite taken out of it, and casually popped the bitten one into her own mouth.
Yan Zhi’an wanted to refuse, but Xunqi had already finished it.
Yan Zhi’an said, “Why are you eating mine?”
“You don’t like sweets. You take one bite and stop. If I eat the bite you took, you can taste two flavors.” Xunqi said it matter-of-factly, her eyes clear and bright, sparkling with life. Very adorable.
Yan Zhi’an couldn’t help reaching out to caress her cheek, her thumb wiping away the crumbs at the corner of Xunqi’s mouth.
