Chapter 48

Si Yunqin returned to Eternal Peace Palace, washed up, and changed her clothes, but she wasn’t sleepy. That day, she had been rash to lay her cards on the table with Shen Yanxin, but sometimes things truly wouldn’t go according to her plans.

She hadn’t expected Shen Yanxin to suddenly lay her ambitions out in the open.

Si Yunqin sat by the bed, looking out at the night, and sighed softly. In the end, she had still stepped into this muddy water.

But deep down, she felt a strange excitement—an eagerness for what the future held.

No one else could understand this excitement. Unable to sleep, Si Yunqin put on an outer robe, casually tied up her hair, and told Si Yin she was leaving before scaling the wall to Bright Palace.

At Bright Palace, Xi Fengyu was also still awake. The hardworking and reliable author, Shallow Pond, was busy writing furiously.

When Si Yunqin tapped on the window, Xi Fengyu didn’t seem surprised.

She opened the window and said to Si Yunqin with a half-smile, “How does the Empress of the realm keep coming through the window every day?”

Si Yunqin swaggered in and sat down opposite Xi Fengyu. She glanced at the paper and brush on the table. “How does a consort of the realm keep writing smut?”

“Don’t look,” Xi Fengyu said, shutting her up.

“Alright, alright. You go ahead and write. I just can’t sleep myself.” Si Yunqin lay her head on the table, looking pitiful.

Xi Fengyu truly ignored her, quietly finishing the rest of the story. By then it was the third watch. She rubbed her wrists and leisurely turned to Si Yunqin. “Spill. What did you talk about with the Empress Dowager?”

“We talked about changing the world.” Si Yunqin perked up, eyes burning as she looked at Xi Fengyu.

Xi Fengyu seemed to sense something. “You came clean?”

“Originally, I just wanted to warn her to be careful of the Wen Clan. But then Shen Yanxin laid her ambitions right out in the open. The conversation went off track. She asked if I could be her right hand. I said no. And then it just strayed further and further.” Si Yunqin recounted everything she had discussed with Shen Yanxin.

“Shen Yanxin had already thought it through long ago. Every step she took to draw me into the game was laying the groundwork. Having me help Yuwen Qiyue evaluate the Eldest Son of the Wen Clan’s character—wasn’t that also a way to have me test the Wen Clan’s stance? She knew I couldn’t refuse, because I couldn’t let Yuwen Qiyue jump into a fire pit.” Si Yunqin said helplessly.

“You knew this in your heart, but you still chose to do it.” Xi Fengyu added some incense to the burner.

“You knew too, and you still followed me into this mess.”

Bored, Xi Fengyu drew two whiskers on Si Yunqin’s face. “If you hadn’t shown up, I’d never have waded into this muddy water. Of course, I’m not unwilling. After all, the Empress Dowager’s ability is convincing enough.”

“That’s why I’m excited and can’t sleep.” Si Yunqin brushed her hand away. “Stop messing around. It’s hard to wash off.”

Xi Fengyu laughed. “Our Empress has a busy road ahead.”

“Don’t worry, if I’m busy, you won’t be idle. And Jing’an, the noble ladies in the capital—none of them are getting away.” Si Yunqin smiled wickedly.

Xi Fengyu put down her brush and snorted. “So if you get rained on, you have to tear up everyone else’s umbrella too?”

“How can you say that? This is about following our great Future Empress in doing great things.” After spouting that nonsense, Si Yunqin sighed again. “People are always contradictory. I died suddenly in my previous life, so in this life I didn’t want to work so hard. But a woman ruling the world… I really look forward to it. You know what I mean?”

Xi Fengyu sorted the completed essays. “I know.”

She indeed understood Si Yunqin’s thoughts, since she felt much the same.

“But the biggest surprise is that the young emperor is a girl. No wonder she’s so adorable—so she really is a girl. Shen Yanxin sure is bold.” Si Yunqin absolutely refused to believe the late emperor knew. If he had truly been willing to let a woman succeed him, he wouldn’t have supported Prince Han and made him heir apparent.

“The previous empress was gentle; she probably wasn’t the one who came up with this idea. So it must have been the Empress Dowager.” Xi Fengyu agreed with her guess.

The two chatted until after midnight, and finally Xi Fengyu sent Si Yunqin back to sleep.

The next day, Si Yunqin woke up late. The young emperor trotted over to Eternal Peace Palace to ask her for advice on her studies again.

Xi Fengyu happened to arrive, and Si Yunqin shamelessly pawned the young emperor off on her.

After a while, Yuwen Qiyue also came. Everyone liked to gather at her Eternal Peace Palace, but Si Yunqin was happy with that—the livelier, the better.

Yuwen Qiyue and Si Yunqin slacked off on the side while Xi Fengyu taught Yuwen Luo the lessons the Grand Tutor had assigned.

“These are clearly beyond what someone her age should be learning. How can that old man be so harsh?” Si Yunqin complained.

If Yuwen Luo weren’t a bit more intelligent than her peers, she really wouldn’t be able to handle it.

Yuwen Qiyue reached over and fed a bayberry to Si Yunqin. “You, that’s the Grand Tutor. You must show respect.”

Si Yunqin ate the bayberry and smiled lazily. “He’s been pranking me since I was little. Elder Sister Qiyue wouldn’t understand.”

Yuwen Qiyue indeed didn’t quite understand. During her youth, she had only studied under the Grand Tutor for a short time before her father forbade it. Everything she had learned since was taught by tutors her mother hired, in addition to her mother’s personal instruction.

Si Yunqin deduced from this that the late emperor must not have known Yuwen Luo was a girl.

After two idle days in the palace, Si Yunqin dragged Xi Fengyu and Yuwen Qiyue outside again. In the morning, they swung by Zhu Jing’an’s academy, had some tea with her, and in the afternoon they went to Fragrant Pavilion. Yiyi’s ability to gather information was indeed formidable.

The list of officials associating with Wen Kai was ready.

Si Yunqin took the list and stayed at Fragrant Pavilion until evening. Yuwen Qiyue tried interacting with the women at the pavilion and found them lovely and interesting.

That day, after returning to the palace, Si Yunqin made a point of bathing and changing clothes before going to Respectful Peace Palace, so Shen Yanxin’s sharp nose wouldn’t catch the scent of perfume on her.

When Si Yunqin arrived at Respectful Peace Palace, Shen Yanxin was still reviewing memorials.

Seeing Si Yunqin enter, she gestured for her to sit before she could bow.

Si Yunqin didn’t stand on ceremony and directly presented the list before taking a seat.

Lan Xi came over and placed some snacks beside her. Si Yunqin wasn’t hungry today—she had eaten enough at Fragrant Pavilion and couldn’t stomach any more.

She sat there without saying much, only telling Shen Yanxin who was on the list.

“The Empress has worked hard. I have already made a decision.” After reading through the names, Shen Yanxin understood.

They were mostly Imperial Loyalist Faction members, but one or two were Prince Han’s men.

And that one or two gave Shen Yanxin an idea.

“What does the Empress Dowager plan to do?” Si Yunqin asked curiously.

“The Astronomer of the Imperial Observatory, the Recorder of the Court of Judicial Review, and the Gatekeeper of the Chancellery—Prince Han has a long reach.” Shen Yanxin set down the list and spoke softly.

“Indeed, quite long. They don’t seem like big shots, but they’re all in key positions,” Si Yunqin said.

Shen Yanxin said softly, “The Recorder of the Court of Judicial Review is from the Yang family of Heyang. The Yang family and the Wen Clan have close private ties. There’s nothing wrong with Wen Kai seeing him openly.”

“But I think it’s time for a new Recorder at the Court of Judicial Review.” Shen Yanxin picked up her brush and drew an X over Yang Xiyuan’s name.

Si Yunqin raised an eyebrow. “A decisive move, Your Majesty.”

“This won’t have a major impact on the Wen Clan for now, but it can break the marriage alliance between Qiyue and the Wen Clan. The Wen Clan has many descendants. If Wen Kai can’t become the next family head, someone else will take his place. When the younger generation fights for it, we’ll have our chance. That’s what truly matters.” Shen Yanxin didn’t expect an Yang Xiyuan to cause any real harm to the Wen Clan.

But if the young master Wen Kai were to be deposed, that would be interesting.

Si Yunqin’s hand, fidgeting with a fruit, paused. She had always known Shen Yanxin was unfathomable, but today she truly witnessed it.

She rose and bowed to Shen Yanxin. “The Empress Dowager’s strategy is brilliant.”

Shen Yanxin shook her head. “This is only the beginning.”

“I heard the Ministry of Rites is preparing a grand banquet?” Si Yunqin asked.

“When Southern Yue is conquered, shouldn’t we celebrate? I heard your elder brother has been performing meritorious deeds in the military, just like your father in his day. By then, the Sikong family should celebrate too, shouldn’t they?” Shen Yanxin smiled.

Si Yunqin didn’t respond, only thanking her calmly.

Her elder brother had made a name for himself and achieved repeated merits. Indeed, it seemed to outsiders that the Sikong Mansion was at its peak.

But Si Yunqin deeply understood the principle that “merits overshadow the sovereign,” and she didn’t think this was a good thing.

Shen Yanxin seemed to see her worry. “I trust the Empress, and I trust the Sikong.”

“It’s not a problem with the Empress Dowager.” Si Yunqin shook her head. “I’m just worried that some people at court might try to sow discord.”

“So I have a request. Even if my brother establishes merits this time, I ask that he not receive a high official post. Rewards of gold and silver would be better.” Si Yunqin petitioned.

Hearing this, Shen Yanxin thought for a moment and then agreed.

“Thank you, Empress Dowager.” Si Yunqin stood up, a smile returning to her face.

“If there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave.” Having said what needed to be said, Si Yunqin didn’t want to stay long at Respectful Peace Palace. She had been out all day and was tired.

Seeing her like that, Shen Yanxin teased, “Tired?”

“Do you read minds?” Si Yunqin murmured quietly.

Shen Yanxin took a box of incense from beside her and handed it to Si Yunqin. “A new tribute of incense. I know you like this scent. There’s one box left. Take it.”

Si Yunqin took it and smelled it. It was indeed her favorite incense. Delighted, she thanked Shen Yanxin.

Watching Si Yunqin leave happily, Shen Yanxin’s smile lingered.

Lan Xi entered from outside. “The Empress Dowager truly cares for Her Majesty the Empress.”

“In the entire court and harem, there’s only this one. They’re just little trinkets. She likes them, so I give them.” Someone who could offer advice and also lift one’s spirits just by being there—there was indeed only one such person.

It wasn’t that she was being special to Si Yunqin; it was that Si Yunqin herself was special.

Si Yunqin had no idea Shen Yanxin thought so highly of her. She hugged the box of incense and treasured it, placing it on her bookshelf when she returned to the palace. The next day, she went to show it off to Xi Fengyu and Yuwen Qiyue.

She had no other virtues, but she knew how to be content with what she had.