Heartstrings Resonance: The Beloved Princess of the Female Power

Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, over a year had passed. Zhao State had successfully eliminated most of the spies from Youdu and Husha. Shockingly, Youdu's spies numbered over three thousand! If this trend continued, in ten or twenty years, Zhao State would be completely eroded. This was precisely what the people feared, but they didn't know that in their previous lives, things had indeed unfolded in this way.

Meanwhile, Mu Yunxi returned to Youzhou to prepare for her coming-of-age ceremony. For over a year, she had diligently trained in martial arts in seclusion, finally achieving some success. However, just as she was about to turn fifteen, her master, Xie Shengsheng, decided to take her out of the mountains. The two traveled, stopping to explore, and relished their rare freedom. Mu Yunxi also learned shocking news: Yongle had married, to Chen Ruopeng. Even more surprising, Chen Ruopeng's original name was Ouyang Yi, and he was actually the Fourth Prince of Youdu. Thanks to his meritorious service in reporting spies, he was spared the death penalty but sentenced to life imprisonment in the princess's mansion. Furthermore, the Duke of Qi's Mansion and the Liu family... were accused of numerous crimes, including collusion with Youdu spies to assassinate Princess Yongle, with the goal of sending her to the western part of Zhao State, thereby humiliating the state and demoralizing the soldiers, thereby making Youdu's first battle a success.

The Duke of Qi denied it, but his granddaughter Anping claimed she had no ulterior motive, simply jealous of Yongle. The public, however, refused to accept this. It was clear that the Duke of Qi's mansion was paving the way for the Third Prince. If Yongle were humiliated, bringing disgrace to Zhao State, the Second Prince would also be condemned to shame and disqualified from competing for the throne.

In addition, the Duke's Mansion also committed crimes such as corruption and bribery, framing officials, buying and selling official positions, oppressing the people, and forcing women of good families into prostitution.

When Emperor Qing Zhao issued the decree, he specifically asked the eunuch in charge to go to the Meridian Gate to read the imperial edict.

By the Will of Heaven, the Emperor proclaims:

The Duke of Qi and his family are guilty of numerous crimes, and they deserve to be punished for multiple offenses. They have engaged in corruption and bribery, falsely accusing officials, bribed and sold official positions, oppressed the people, forced women into prostitution, colluded with spies, and murdered the princess. Worse still, they colluded with the enemy and committed treason. These evil deeds are too numerous to list, and have severely damaged our country and the well-being of the people.

I, mindful of the Duke of Qi's past contributions, was willing to pardon him. However, his crimes are so severe that they have infuriated heaven and humanity, and I must punish him severely to serve as a warning to others. Therefore, I strip the Duke of Qi of all official positions, titles, and hereditary rights, confiscate his property, and execute him. All his property will be used to supplement the national treasury.

Furthermore, the Liu family aided and abetted the tyrant's atrocities and participated in amassing wealth, and they cannot escape responsibility. I have decided that the Liu family will be investigated and dealt with together, and will be severely punished.

Once this decree is issued, it must be carried out immediately without error. I hope all officials will take this as a warning, remain loyal to the emperor and patriotic, be honest and dedicated to their work, and work together to build our great country.

So ordered! ?

?Emperor's calligraphy?

In the end, both families suffered a tragic end due to their numerous evil deeds.

However, the fall of the Duke of Qi's mansion also served as a warning to other aristocratic families. They all understood that Emperor Qing Zhao's actions were a message to them: Any aristocratic family, no matter how great their past achievements, who violates the law, engages in corruption, and harms the interests of the state and the people, will be severely punished and will not be tolerated. This was a stern warning to them, and also a clear guide for their future behavior.

As a result, these noble families quietly kept to themselves, no longer daring to act arrogantly and bossy towards Emperor Qing Zhao as they had in the past. After all, the current emperor was no longer a puppet at their mercy, but a true ruler who held the power. Although they were dissatisfied, they dared not express it easily, and could only secretly seek opportunities.

The concubines who had previously relied on their family's influence to wield dominance within the harem also became cautious. They knew their positions were precarious, and if they angered the emperor, the consequences would be disastrous. Especially those concubines who had once had close ties with Concubine Shu were treading on thin ice, fearing they would be implicated.

Ordinary people had no idea what these changes in the harem meant. They only saw the emperor's growing authority, the gradual stabilization of social order, and the improvement of their lives. They began to have high hopes for the new emperor, hoping he would lead the country to prosperity.

At the same time, officials in the imperial court also sensed this shift. Some officials who had previously relied on the aristocratic families began to waver, realizing that as the emperor's power grew, the influence of the aristocratic families was gradually weakening. Continuing to side with the aristocratic families could bring them trouble. Consequently, some clever officials began to quietly align themselves with the emperor, attempting to find their place in this power struggle.

Master Mu Yunxi and her disciple stopped and walked along the way. It took them a full month to reach Youzhou, which was supposed to be a journey of half a month. Xiao Mu and the other two who had been following them were sent back to Youzhou early by her.

As soon as they arrived at the gate of the Mu Mansion, Mu Yunxi and Xie Shengsheng saw a tall, beautiful woman walking towards them with a smile on her face. It seemed that she was waiting for them here.

Yongle wore an exquisitely embroidered long dress, its hem gently swaying, as if each flower held life, swaying with her steps and emitting a delicate fragrance. The dress, with its elegant moon-white base, was embroidered with intricate and delicate peach blossom patterns. Each petal seemed vivid, as if ready to flutter in the breeze. A wide brocade belt, inlaid with sparkling gems, shimmered with a dazzling light, adding a touch of elegance to her appearance.

Her hair was tied high in a bun, its strands as black as ink, smooth and soft. A few strands of black hair gently fell on her shoulders, adding a touch of softness to her beauty. Her eyebrows and eyes were picturesque, her eyes were deep and bright, and a gentle smile played at the corners of her mouth. Her red lips were slightly parted, revealing pearly teeth, making her even more beautiful.

In the sunlight, her skin appears crystal clear, as if radiating light. She is unforgettable at first sight. Her beauty is not merely external, but also emanates a nobility and elegance from within, captivating you.

Mu Yunxi looked...and lost herself in thought.

In Yongle's eyes, the thirteen-year-old girl had grown into a mature woman, a true beauty in her transformation. She wore a stylish outfit, looking heroic and radiant, exuding an extraordinary aura. She stood there quietly, like a cold and elegant statue, her eyes gradually becoming hazy, as if lost in deep thought.

Yongle came up to her and asked with a smile, "You're back? Are you happy that I'm here to celebrate your coming-of-age ceremony with you?"

Mu Yunxi looked at Yongle quietly, letting her thoughts drift. Yongle also let her look at him. At this moment, it seemed as if there were only the two of them in this world.

After a long moment, Mu Yunxi took a half step back, a calm expression on her face. She slowly bowed to Yongle and then softly introduced her to Xie Shengsheng, "Master, this is Princess Yongle of Zhaoguo." Xie Shengsheng also hurriedly bowed. At this moment, Mu Cheng and his wife hurried over.

However, Yongle forgot to ask Xie Shengsheng to stand up because of Mu Yunxi's distance. It was not until Mu Cheng and Xiao Yao saluted that Yongle noticed Xie Shengsheng who was still saluting and hurriedly asked her to stand up.

Xiao Yao said with a smile on her face: "Everyone please stop standing in the yard and go inside quickly." Then, she turned to look at Mu Yunxi and said kindly: "The princess has been here for several days. This time she came specially to attend your coming-of-age ceremony." What Xiao Yao didn't say was that Yongle came to guard the gate every day, saying that he hoped to see her as soon as Yunxi came back.

Mu Yunxi simply responded calmly without saying anything else. Seeing her cold attitude, Yongle couldn't help but feel a little disappointed, as if she wasn't welcome. She didn't care about the other people around and asked Mu Yunxi directly, "Don't you want me to come?"

Everyone around felt their hearts tighten, but Mu Yunxi remained calm as she gracefully stepped forward, bowed, and said, "It is my great honor to have your presence here. To have the honor of having you attend my coming-of-age ceremony is a blessing others only dream of. How could I dare to be unwilling?"

Princess Yongle clearly didn't believe Mu Yunxi's words. She snorted coldly, "Hmph! You're still so eloquent." Then, she turned to Mu Cheng and his wife and Xie Shengsheng standing nearby and said, "Since you elders are meeting for the first time, why don't you get to know each other a little bit?" Then, she glanced at Mu Yunxi, indicating that she should follow her. "Follow me."

Mu Cheng and his wife looked at the departing figures of Princess Yongle and Mu Yunxi and couldn't help but sigh in unison: "Alas!"

Xie Shengsheng, who was standing by, looked at the expressions of the two and couldn't help laughing. "Isn't it a good thing that Xi'er is on good terms with the princess? Why are you two sighing?"

After hearing Xie Shengsheng's words, the expressions on Mu Cheng and his wife's faces became more and more depressed. They secretly complained in their hearts, but they couldn't confide in her. After all, they couldn't tell Xie Shengsheng directly that the friendship between Princess Yongle and her daughter was not an ordinary friendship between women, right?

But Xie Shengsheng's question brought them back to their senses. They immediately composed themselves and began to entertain their daughter's master, Xie Shengsheng. She then took a closer look at the female martial arts master, now over forty years old. Xie Shengsheng's face was dignified, her brows radiating a resolute determination. Her posture was upright, revealing the unique aura of a martial artist, and every movement was composed and steady. Her healthy complexion betrayed the tenacity and vitality of years of martial arts training. She was dressed in a blue ensemble, simple yet elegant.

Mu Cheng and Xiao Yao learned from Xie Shengsheng about Mu Yunxi's growth over the past year, and Xie Shengsheng was full of praise for this apprentice. Hearing Xie Shengsheng's praise of their daughter, Mu Cheng and his wife's mouths kept curling up. They said, "No, no, it's all thanks to Master Xie. It's all Master Xie's good teaching!" But in fact, they were already very happy.