"I heard the Regent died in prison from poison?" two ministers whispered during the morning court.
"Yes, His Majesty buried him with the rituals of a prince," another minister replied.
"His Majesty arrives!" the booming announcement echoed, silencing the murmurs. All eyes turned towards the palace entrance.
A slender, tall figure in bright imperial yellow appeared, slowly making her way forward.
The morning sunlight slanted down, falling precisely on the figure in imperial yellow, bathing her in a glorious golden hue.
The young girl with a clear, refined face, her gaze as clear as water, looked at the bowing officials on either side. She walked into the golden light, onto the path leading to the Dragon Throne.
She looked at the familiar faces, so familiar she knew her era had truly begun.
The young man at the head of the court watched her with gentle eyes. The girl returned his smile, faint yet soft, like the light draped over her. Da Feng Novel Network
Gentle and radiant, she captivated all gazes.
The young man lowered his eyes. No matter how many years passed, he would remember this day, when, above all the ministers, the girl smiled at him, a smile just for him.
The girl ascended the steps, arriving before the Dragon Throne. She slowly turned, her eight-dragon embroidered imperial robe tracing an elegant arc through the air with her movement.
All the ministers knelt and prostrated themselves, their voices shaking the palace, reaching the heavens.
"Long live His Majesty, long live, long live!"
The girl raised her eyes, gazing into the distance. Her reign as Empress had arrived. From now on, there would be no more regent to assist her, only herself.
No, she glanced at the young man seated to her lower right. She was not alone. With him, behind him were Grand Commandant Lin and Minister of Justice Yu. With their company, this journey would not be lonely, for she was not alone.
"All ministers, rise!" the girl’s red lips parted, her voice soft.
The ministers stood. The girl sat firmly on the Dragon Throne.
Her clear, refined face held eyes as clear as water, yet also filled with majesty and sternness.
The era of the Regent’s assistance was over. The era of the Empress had begun.
"If you have matters to report, present them. Otherwise, the court is adjourned!"
The young man at the head of the court stepped forward, bowing and saying, "Your Majesty, Censorate Official Li has submitted a memorial requesting Your Majesty’s permission to retire."
The girl looked at the young man. "Has the Prime Minister agreed?"
The young man nodded. "I believe that Lord Li is advanced in years and may not be able to judge matters effectively. In that case, it would be better for him to relinquish his official robes. After all, the position of Censorate Official is very important."
The girl nodded. "Does the Prime Minister have a suitable candidate?"
The young man raised his head, his gaze towards the girl softening considerably. "Your Majesty has a suitable candidate by your side."
The girl paused slightly, then remembered there was indeed a candidate in her harem.
But...
The girl’s red lips parted. "He is still young, and a bit rash."
The young man smiled, his lips curving. "Your Majesty, if he succeeds in the imperial examinations this time, how about leaving this position to him?"
The girl started. She stood up. "You mean he participated in the imperial examinations?"
The young man smiled. "Yes."
Li Residence
"My lord, why... why have you resigned?" Aunt Qiao looked at Li Shengming, dressed in plain clothes, with a look of surprise.
Li Shengming's face seemed to have aged many years. Looking at Aunt Qiao, he no longer found her gentle and virtuous. His tone was not particularly kind. "If I don't resign, am I waiting for the Empress to issue a decree herself?"
Aunt Qiao sensed the sarcasm in Li Shengming's tone and quickly said, "My lord, although you were once the Regent's man, the young master is also highly favored by the Empress. You..."
Hearing Aunt Qiao mention the young master, his face darkened instantly, and he roared, "If it weren't for how you treated them, the siblings, back then, I could truly rely on them now. But look at them now, they have already left the manor and established their own residences. Do you expect me, their father, to go begging them with my aged face? I tell you, it's impossible."
Aunt Qiao bit her lower lip, her face extremely distressed. If she had known today would come, how could she have offended those siblings?
Who would have thought that the valiant and skilled Regent would lose to an Empress who hadn't even reached her prime?
No one would believe it.
Perhaps this was what people called fate?
No, she refused to accept fate. She still had Fang Hua.
Aunt Qiao never imagined she would be driven out by her own daughter.
And told not to return again. Although Wu Dakang did not participate in the power struggle, he was, after all, once the Regent's man. Therefore, Wu Dakang requested an imperial decree to guard Dongling Pass.
The Empress also granted it, bestowing Wu Dakang the title of Great General of Xiling, commanding fifty thousand troops, and forbidding his return to the capital without an imperial decree.
Li Fanghua had restrained herself considerably since that incident. Upon entering the Wu manor, she discovered that although Wu Dakang was rough, he was upright. Despite having many concubines, none sought favor or engaged in flattery.
Coupled with her intelligence, she quickly distinguished herself among the concubines and was now considered a favored concubine.
Li Fanghua gradually came to understand that the path was forged by oneself, and that not all that her aunt had taught her was correct.
From now on, she would walk her own path.
At this moment, many scholars were gathered at the city gates of the capital. A young girl wearing a veil tightly gripped a handkerchief. "Qing Xiu, see if Chen Xuan's name is there."
Qing Xiu started looking from the bottom. Upon seeing the third-ranked scholar (tanhua), she said, "Miss, the third-ranked scholar does not have the young master's name."
"What about the second-ranked scholar?" the girl's voice trembled with nervousness.
Qing Xiu shook her head. "No."
The girl clutched the handkerchief tightly and asked, "Then... then the top scholar?"
Qing Xiu looked at the three characters above and jumped up excitedly. "Miss, there is... there is..."
"There is what? Is it Chen Xuan's name?" The girl's voice choked with excitement.
"Yes, there is the young master's name," Qing Xiu said excitedly.
"That's great, that's great! Qing Xiu, help me back to the manor. I want to tell Chen Xuan this news!" The girl was overjoyed.
Li Chen Xuan had not gone to the city gates to see the posted results. If he didn't succeed this time, there would be another time. He was still young, and there was plenty of time.
He picked up a brush and wrote a single character on the Xuan paper: Ning.
His eyes flashed. He quickly folded it and placed it over his chest. The door was pushed open, and he sighed, "Sister, did I not pass?"
He raised his head as he spoke, looking towards the doorway.
A figure of a young girl stood in the doorway.
A long dress the color of the sky meeting the water outlined the girl's graceful figure, slender and delicate.
He moved his lips, his gaze falling on that incomparably beautiful and refined face. Her eyes were as clear as water, pure and transparent, reflecting the distant, shimmering mountains.
After a long moment, he came to his senses and knelt on the ground with a thud. "Your... Your Majesty..."
The girl's red lips parted. "Young Master Li, today, you and I are not sovereign and subject, but friends."
Li Chen Xuan's body stiffened. He looked up and saw a jade-like hand reaching out towards him.
Could he?
"Is it difficult to be friends with朕?" the girl's red lips parted.
"No... no..." He shook his head. He wiped the hand he had used to hold the brush until he felt it was clean, then extended his hand.
He took her jade-white hand, and a warm temperature spread from his palm.
The girl spoke slowly. "Young Master Li, congratulations on achieving the top scholar."