Chapter 16

In comparison, Shen Yanxin felt like she was born to be a workhorse. Even with great power in her hands, she was no better than Si Yunqin, the slacker empress.

Si Yunqin noticed Shen Yanxin’s arrival and quickly pulled the young emperor to his feet. “Your subject greets the Empress Dowager.”

“Your child pays respects to Mother Empress.”

“Rise. Since when has Luo’er been so diligent? Practicing martial arts at this early hour?”

Yuwen Luo felt a bit embarrassed. He couldn’t exactly say that he only came because he found his own palace too boring and had originally wanted to play with Si Yunqin.

Whatever Si Yunqin asked him to do, she would at least keep him company. But in his own palace, everyone avoided him, afraid to talk too much, and even playtime was cautious.

Though Yuwen Luo couldn’t articulate it so clearly, he vaguely sensed it.

He wasn’t good at lying and didn’t know how to explain, so he just lowered his head obediently. “Your child admits fault.”

Hearing him confess, Si Yunqin was momentarily at a loss as to what the young emperor had done wrong.

She was about to refute when Shen Yanxin said coldly, “Lift your head.”

Yuwen Luo straightened up and looked up at Shen Yanxin. Her face was expressionless, giving away nothing of her mood. The little one could usually gauge people’s emotions, but with Shen Yanxin, even Si Yunqin couldn’t tell if she was angry—let alone Yuwen Luo.

“When did I say you were wrong?”

Yuwen Luo instinctively wanted to lower his head. Si Yunqin, standing behind him, gently patted his back. Flustered, the young emperor clasped his hands behind his back, fidgeting with his fingers. “Your child, your child…”

“No one in the palace talks to your child. Only the Empress talks with me. That’s why, that’s why I came to find Empress Sister.” In his nervousness, he forgot that Si Yunqin had told him not to call her “sister.”

“Mm.” Shen Yanxin softened in the end. She crouched down, took out a handkerchief, and wiped his sweat. “Since you’ve done nothing wrong, you should answer boldly. Understand?”

Her tone had gentled considerably. Si Yunqin, standing behind, sensed her tenderness and was reminded of the day of the grand wedding, when Shen Yanxin had similarly soothed the young emperor with a smile.

So this person wasn’t entirely cold and without warmth.

But watching the young emperor’s delicate, refined features—more beautiful than most girls—Si Yunqin understood Shen Yanxin’s strength.

The young emperor had a somewhat soft temperament and lacked the masculine vigor of ordinary men. If he grew up, he would surely be a gentle person. But in a feudal dynasty, gentleness in an emperor was hardly a good thing.

Surrounded by wolves on all sides, he would be devoured without a trace.

Shen Yanxin wiped the young emperor’s sweat, and the little one smiled back at her. “Mother Empress, may your child dine in the Empress’s palace?”

“Naturally.” Shen Yanxin lightly tapped his nose.

“In that case, I shall also dine in the Empress’s palace.” Shen Yanxin said smoothly.

Si Yunqin’s face went blank. Doesn’t your Respectful Peace Palace have cooks? Why come mooch off her?

But Si Yunqin only dared to think that. She certainly wouldn’t say no out loud.

After all, her food, clothing, and even the cooks in the palace were essentially provided by Shen Yanxin. Offending the one who fed her wouldn’t be wise.

“Yes, would Your Majesty like to move inside the hall? The sunlight is strong.” By now, the sun was fully out. Si Yunqin was afraid it might bother Shen Yanxin.

“Alright.” After Shen Yanxin spoke, Si Yunqin had someone take Yuwen Luo to wash up and change clothes.

The young emperor’s personal maid hurriedly sent for his garments.

Si Yunqin bathed in a wooden tub, changed her clothes, and then went out.

Shen Yanxin was in the place where Si Yunqin usually cooled off. When Si Yunqin arrived, Shen Yanxin was reading a book—a collection of poetry.

“I heard the Empress and Consort Yu admired flowers and matched verses yesterday. I imagine the Empress is quite skilled at poetry as well.” Shen Yanxin turned to ask.

She turned to look at the girl before her. Today, Si Yunqin was not dressed as formally as when she paid respects. She wore a light pink dress, her hair simply styled with a red hairpin—adding a touch of color.

Seeing Si Yunqin in pink several times, it wasn’t hard to guess she favored the color.

Hearing this, Si Yunqin honestly shook her head. “Your subject is not very good at poetry. The Grand Tutor also said that I only have flashy words, no artistic conception.”

Shen Yanxin laughed softly. “Isn’t that the case for most scholars in this world? Just ornate language? It’s nothing. The Grand Tutor’s standards are too high.”

Si Yunqin really couldn’t figure out this person’s thoughts. Was she actually praising her?

Shen Yanxin put down the book. “I’ve been puzzled about some matters lately. Does the Empress have time to offer me some advice?”

Si Yunqin: …

So she never comes without a reason. Really annoying.

Fortunately, the young emperor had finished freshening up and came over, saying he was hungry. Si Yunqin quickly ordered the meal served, and Shen Yanxin didn’t continue the topic. As usual, they ate in elegant silence.

Eating with these two always made Si Yunqin feel like she ate too much.

Shen Yanxin was also a martial artist. How could she eat so little?

After the meal, Shen Yanxin originally wanted to grab Si Yunqin and have a proper talk, but then a minister came to the palace for an audience, so Si Yunqin escaped.

But just as Shen Yanxin stepped out of the gate of Eternal Peace Palace and before she could board her imperial carriage, she saw Xi Fengyu approaching with her maidservant.

Although Xi Fengyu rarely appeared before others and mostly stayed cooped up in her palace, Shen Yanxin still remembered her. With that face, it was hard to forget.

And Xi Fengyu, who had come to see Si Yunqin, hadn’t expected to run into the Empress Dowager coming out of Eternal Peace Palace. She quickly stepped forward to pay respects.

Shen Yanxin had no intention of making things difficult for any of the late emperor’s consorts. She allowed her to rise and then left.

When Shen Yanxin’s imperial carriage had gone a bit farther, Xi Fengyu bowed to Si Yunqin. Si Yunqin helped her up with both hands. “No need to be so formal.”

Sitting in the carriage, Shen Yanxin happened to turn her head out of curiosity and saw Si Yunqin smiling at Xi Fengyu like a blooming flower.

That smile was truly bright and cheerful.

“When did the Empress become so close with Consort Yu?” Shen Yanxin was genuinely puzzled. Where did Si Yunqin find time every day to develop such intimate relationships with so many women in the harem?

“It might have been at the Flower Appreciation Banquet hosted by Consort Chen yesterday. I haven’t heard of any previous interaction between the Empress and Bright Palace.” Even Lan Xi was confused.

“Mm.”

Xi Fengyu came to her palace. The young emperor hadn’t left yet and looked at Xi Fengyu curiously.

Si Yunqin tossed him an essay and told him to read it himself. Then she didn’t pay him much attention.

She brewed tea for herself and Xi Fengyu, and they sat in the pavilion. The young emperor was nearby on a swing, reciting texts while rocking back and forth.

“Has the Empress Dowager really entrusted His Majesty to you? Is she that trusting?” Xi Fengyu asked with a smile.

Si Yunqin sighed deeply. “Who knows what she’s thinking? She’s not afraid I’ll lead him astray.”

“Who made your reputation as the Grand Tutor’s disciple so loud?” Xi Fengyu teased.

“Sister, don’t make fun of me. I told you, it was just drunk talk.” Si Yunqin sighed heavily.

Xi Fengyu grew curious. “What did Yunqin study before?”

“Nothing much. I studied literature, was interested in history. I loved reading things like ‘history too brutal to examine closely.’ After graduation, I worked in copywriting and planning. Then I died from overwork.” Si Yunqin spread her hands.

“I don’t know much about history.”

“What did you study, Sister?” Since they were on the topic, Si Yunqin asked casually. “Was it painting? Your character designs are all excellent.”

Xi Fengyu smiled. “No, I studied geology. Often worked in the field.”

“As for painting, I learned it in this life,” Xi Fengyu said.

“That’s impressive too. And your writing is great,” Si Yunqin said.

“A lot of it I learned later. It has nothing to do with my previous major. But I did like reading novels back then, since there weren’t many pastimes in the field.”

“That must have been tough.”

“This era feels a bit like the Tang Dynasty, though it definitely isn’t,” Xi Fengyu said.

Si Yunqin shook her head. “This isn’t the Great Tang. The Tang’s golden age was renowned far and wide. The Zhao Kingdom can’t compare. Even small southern states are wary of us now. If our founding emperor hadn’t unified the southern states in one fell swoop back then, it’s much harder to move now.”

“He probably couldn’t have moved then either,” Xi Fengyu said, having heard something about it.

“Strictly speaking, it’s more like the Sui Dynasty that ended the chaos of the Northern and Southern Dynasties. But it can’t compare to the Sui’s strength either. What’s better than the Sui is that the successors aren’t cruel or reckless. But ultimately, it depends on the current Empress Dowager,” Si Yunqin said softly.

If Shen Yanxin wanted to keep holding power, there would inevitably be conflict between her and the young emperor one day. No one knew how that would develop.

Xi Fengyu nodded. “Let’s not talk about this.”

After all, in the palace, discussing those in power could cost you your head.

Si Yunqin nodded. She only spoke because she knew no one was nearby.

“Is Dunhuang the same as the Dunhuang I knew?” Si Yunqin was more eager for life outside the palace. The vast world intrigued her.

“Some similarities, some differences,” Xi Fengyu said.

“Would you tell me about it, Sister?” Si Yunqin was still very curious about many things in this world.

Before entering the palace, she had even thought that if her family pressured her too much about marriage, she’d wander the Martial World as a carefree swordsman.

Xi Fengyu also missed her younger days. She didn’t refuse and began telling Si Yunqin stories.

At some point, the young emperor came over to listen, sitting on Si Yunqin’s lap as she held him.

Xi Fengyu occasionally glanced at the big and small pair. They looked quite harmonious.

They had lunch together and then parted. The young emperor wanted to take a nap in Eternal Peace Palace, but Si Yunqin picked him up and threw him out. Before leaving, he looked at her with pitiful eyes.

“Aren’t you afraid the Empress Dowager will be angry, treating him like that?” Xi Fengyu asked.

Si Yunqin turned to Xi Fengyu. “You and I can never fully accept certain things. Instead of tiptoeing every day, it’s better to live freely, as long as we don’t make big mistakes.”

Xi Fengyu broke into a smile. Finally, someone in this world understood her. She didn’t really hate going out—she just hated the constraints of this era that denied her freedom. So she wrote all her freedom into books.

“Since we can’t leave, let’s seek the greatest freedom here. After all, why wrong ourselves?”

Xi Fengyu was infected by her smile and nodded slightly. “Yunqin is right.”