Chapter 6

Seeing Shen Yanxin approach, Si Yunqin stood up and whispered to the Young Emperor, “Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager is here.”

Upon hearing this, the Young Emperor immediately turned around. When he saw Shen Yanxin, his body tensed instantly. Shen Yanxin watched the two—one tall, one small—stand ramrod straight and bow respectfully.

She pressed her lips together slightly before finally granting them permission to rise.

A gentle breeze blew through the garden, but with the blazing sun overhead, it didn’t feel cold.

Shen Yanxin looked at the Young Emperor. “Has Your Majesty finished lessons for the day?”

The Young Emperor obediently nodded. “To answer Mother Empress, the Grand Tutor said I have completed my recent coursework well, so I may take tomorrow off.”

He was a little nervous, afraid that his mother would disapprove. Before, when he had failed an assessment, she had not allowed him to rest.

Beside him, Si Yunqin nearly nodded along. In the past few days, she had often run into the Young Emperor in the Imperial Garden. She felt this little one was quite good at his studies.

Study should balance work and rest, after all.

She stood nearby, lacking the cautious deference of others, and that alone made her stand out.

Shen Yanxin nodded. “Since the Grand Tutor said so, then you may rest tomorrow.”

The Young Emperor was pleasantly surprised and quickly bowed. “Your child subject thanks Mother Empress.”

“What are you playing?” Shen Yanxin looked at the strange plate on the ground, on which a few wooden beads were placed.

Si Yunqin felt a bit awkward. This was a flying chess set she had ordered made, brought here to play with the Young Emperor—though they hadn’t played yet now.

The Young Emperor seemed eager to get closer to Shen Yanxin and enthusiastically said, “Empress Sister said it’s flying chess. Mother Empress, would you like to play too?”

Shen Yanxin glanced at Si Yunqin. Si Yunqin smiled sheepishly. “This is a puzzle game I used to play as a child with my elder sisters and brothers. It’s an educational game, nothing harmful.”

Hearing her explanation, Shen Yanxin’s lips curled almost imperceptibly. “I have never seen such a thing before.”

“Since His Majesty likes it, why don’t you, Empress, play a round with him, so I can learn a thing or two?” Shen Yanxin had long heard from the Grand Tutor about his little disciple—sharp, quick-minded, farsighted, but lazy and uninterested in handling affairs. Unless forced, the Grand Tutor said, she would never show even a hint of her talent.

As for public opinion about Si Yunqin, it amounted mainly to a few essays she had drunkenly recited.

As for poetry, she had composed several astonishing pieces during her first drunken episode, but never again afterwards.

Yet those one or two essays that had leaked out were enough to solidify her unshakable position among the scholars and heirs of the realm.

Shen Yanxin hadn’t actually read those essays; she simply hadn’t had the time.

Hearing this, Si Yunqin found herself in a bit of a headache.

But the Young Emperor cheerfully set up the board and called her over to play.

Perhaps, living deep in the palace, he rarely had anyone to play with. Meeting someone who didn’t just revere, flatter, or protect him was a rare treat, and he treasured it.

Si Yunqin sighed inwardly, then sat down to play with him.

The rules were simple; Shen Yanxin understood them after watching for a while.

But for a child, they still required time to grasp. Si Yunqin played with the Young Emperor, mindful of his age, and went easy on him appropriately.

She even slowly guided him.

Though the Young Emperor lost, he still seemed quite happy.

When Shen Yanxin saw him look at her, she nodded approvingly. “Luo’er learns quickly.”

The Young Emperor, basking in the praise, blushed shyly and happily.

“The Empress teaches well,” Shen Yanxin said flatly.

Si Yunqin felt awkward. Teaching a child was just that—child’s play.

“Not at all, not at all. It’s simple. His Majesty is clever,” Si Yunqin said, unwilling to take the credit. She was terrified that Shen Yanxin might dislike her—or worse, like her.

If Shen Yanxin handed the Young Emperor over to her, Si Yunqin felt it would be a hassle. She didn’t want to be a tutor, nor did she want the responsibility.

If she failed to teach the little emperor well, she was doomed.

From what she could see, Shen Yanxin was very serious about Yuwen Luo’s education, treating him as the heir to be groomed.

But Si Yunqin still felt it was too early. The child was so young. Even she, at the same age in her previous life, had been playing with wooden sticks and pretending to be a hero while draped in a cape.

How shameful. Two lifetimes, and she still spent her childhood like that.

With a soul nearly thirty years old, she still enjoyed playing with a bunch of bratty kids. As long as she wasn’t embarrassed, there was nothing to be embarrassed about.

Shen Yanxin caught Si Yunqin’s modest words and cast a brief glance at her. That one look made Si Yunqin feel completely seen.

The pressure was something you couldn’t describe or empathize with unless you’d felt it. It was like being a student caught red-handed by the teacher, though perhaps a little less intense, because you knew the teacher wouldn’t really hurt you—the worst punishment would be a scolding.

Si Yunqin inwardly resented herself for being like this, but she still stood still and proper.

Shen Yanxin withdrew her gaze and asked the palace maid what time it was.

It turned out to be noon already. Shen Yanxin glanced at the sunlight. “Since it’s time, Empress, let’s have the midday meal together.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Si Yunqin quickly agreed.

They returned to the Respectful Peace Palace for lunch. During the meal, they strictly observed the rule of no talking while eating, which was suffocating for Si Yunqin.

She just watched the Young Emperor eat. For such a young child, he was very well-behaved—or at least he was in front of Shen Yanxin.

After finishing the meal, Si Yunqin made a swift escape, as if her feet were greased.

Back at Eternal Peace Palace, Si Yunqin finally relaxed. She didn’t enjoy being around Shen Yanxin. People in such powerful positions were too hard to read. Having lived her past life in an era when the feudal society was crumbling, and being reborn into a military family, she naturally hated guessing people’s thoughts.

Back in her own palace, she took a comfortable nap. When she woke up, she felt refreshed.

Then she went to Grand Consort Yuande’s palace. Grand Consort Yuande was the head of that palace, but it also housed some of the Late Emperor’s other consorts.

Si Yunqin loved looking at beautiful people. Those chosen as consorts were either beautiful or from illustrious families. In truth, most people’s looks weren’t that different; with proper grooming, anyone could be pretty. Not necessarily stunning, but at least not ugly.

The Little Empress was sweet-talking and cheerful, as everyone in the Late Emperor’s harem could see.

Especially in the palaces of the three Grand Consorts she frequented. As soon as Si Yunqin entered, they called her over to share some pastries. Yuande was also there, so Si Yunqin cheerfully joined them.

There weren’t many duties in the harem. Sometimes Si Yunqin would get lazy and put off work for two days, then handle it all at once.

“Yunqin, aren’t you going to Grand Consort Xi’s palace today to practice the zither?” Yuande asked with a smile.

“Grand Consort Xi gave me the day off today. Her senior maid said the consort is painting, so I won’t disturb her. Interrupting her inspiration would be a real sin,” Si Yunqin replied with a smile.

“Grand Consort Xi praised your diligence just the other day,” said one consort who had a good relationship with Grand Consort Xi.

Si Yunqin had just taken a bite of pastry, her cheeks puffed out. “That just means I have no talent, so all that’s left to praise is my hard work. I know my own measure.”

Everyone laughed. After nearly a month together, they knew her temper. Yuande poured her some tea. “Eat slowly, don’t choke.”

These women in the palace were all lucky to have escaped being buried alive with the Late Emperor. Life in the palace was dull, and having a new face around was refreshing. They treated Si Yunqin as a younger generation.

“There’s more if you want. The story you started the other day isn’t finished yet. Today, we have plenty of fruit,” said a woman in a green dress, smiling.

She had been the Late Emperor’s most beloved consort, granted the title Chen. Si Yunqin didn’t know her actual name; asking outright would be rude.

“Consort Chen summoned me here today, I reckon, just to hear a story,” Si Yunqin teased.

Consort Chen hid her smile behind her hand. “Yunqin, yesterday you stopped right when the senior sister met the wealthy young master who had fallen into the water. Not finishing the story piqued my curiosity.”

Si Yunqin’s stories were all made up by herself, just to satisfy her need to share. In her past life, she had web novels to read; in this life, there were none. The current storybooks didn’t suit her taste.

“Other people’s stories are about the hero saving the beauty. Yunqin’s stories are novel—beauty saving the hero.”

Si Yunqin ate a piece of fruit and said lazily, with a smile, “Why can’t a hero be a woman? Why can’t a beauty be a man?”

“A hero is one who is brave and heroic. A beauty is anyone with pleasing features. What does gender have to do with it?” Her words left the listeners stunned.

They thought her words were too bold, violating the teachings they had known since childhood. But when they wanted to scold her, they found the logic seemed sound.

Si Yunqin smiled and didn’t push further. She changed the subject and continued her story.

The protagonist of her story was a swordswoman, wandering the martial world, free and unrestrained, never bound by love or relationships.

To avoid making her few listeners think she was too outrageous, Si Yunqin kept her stories somewhat restrained.

She only made the female lead roam the world without love or attachment; she didn’t have her find a same-sex partner to wander with.

One of the eager listeners asked why she didn’t write the story down, so they could read it over and over.

Si Yunqin was momentarily at a loss. She coughed lightly. “My handwriting is ugly. Forget it.”

Was she kidding? Writing down such a long story by hand? She was too lazy.

“Yunqin is the Empress. How could she write such things down? What difference would that make from the common folk in the marketplace?” Grand Consort Yuande came to her rescue.

Si Yunqin didn’t agree that writing it down would make her the same as common folk, but since Yuande’s words helped her out, she didn’t argue.

Inwardly, she still felt a little ashamed of herself.

“If I could read and write, I would be willing to write it down,” Consort Chen said to Si Yunqin with a smile.

Si Yunqin had heard about Consort Chen’s background. She wasn’t from a noble family—just a woman the Late Emperor had met when he was returning from a campaign. Her status was low, but because of her beauty and way with people, she had won the Late Emperor’s affection. She had never studied and couldn’t read much.

After spending time with her, Si Yunqin found her a tactful and worldly sister.

She didn’t say it out loud, but Si Yunqin entertained the idea of teaching her.

Late at night, Shen Yanxin finished reviewing the memorials. She stretched and looked at the lovely moonlight outside. Deciding to walk back to her bedchamber, she didn’t bring many attendants, just wanting to stroll.

Lan Xi followed behind her. The palace was quiet in the night.

When they reached a secluded spot, she suddenly heard palace maids whispering.

Lan Xi was about to stop them, but Shen Yanxin raised a hand to halt her.

She heard two young maids talking about a story of a martial wanderer. One of them said, “I’m so jealous.”

The other whispered, “My friend told me the Empress told that story to the Grand Consorts to ease their boredom.”

“Really?”

“Of course. They say the Empress Dowager is just like the heroine in the story—talented in arts, letters, and martial arts. The other day, I accidentally saw her practicing her sword. She was so imposing.”

Hearing this, Shen Yanxin walked on. The two maids were still some distance away and didn’t notice her.

Back in her bedchamber, Lan Xi helped her change clothes. Shen Yanxin rarely smiled. “The Empress’s talents have all gone into making up stories.”

“I’ve heard that the essays the Empress Dowager wrote before entering the palace were also exceptional.”

“Find them for me to see another day.” Shen Yanxin had never read them before, but today she was curious.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Shen Yanxin chuckled to herself. “I thought she might not adjust to life in the palace, what with the freedom outside. But it seems she’s gotten quite comfortable. Isn’t everyone in the palace fond of Her Majesty the Empress?”

Lan Xi couldn’t read her thoughts and answered neutrally, “Her Majesty the Empress is indeed likeable.”

“She’s not like that in front of me.”

Shen Yanxin shook her head. Every time Si Yunqin looked at her, it was like facing some ferocious beast—she wasn’t blind to that.