She mistakenly got into the bridal sedan chair and married a sickly but powerful minister, becoming

Zongzheng Changyuan understood Zhao Yi's unspoken thoughts, and the corners of his lips moved slightly, forming a faint smile.

Even though he didn't say anything.

Zhao Yi had guessed it.

"Boom-"

The heavy, resonant sound of the bell from the Meridian Gate tower rang out.

The new emperor's ascension to the throne has been completed.

Zongzheng Changyuan slowly lowered his head.

It froze at this point.

-

After Zhao Yi ascended the throne, he granted a general amnesty, exempting the people from taxes and corvée labor for a year, and reducing the number of palace women by three thousand, allowing them to return to their parents.

In addition, he rewarded meritorious officials by granting them official positions and titles.

A few months later, Shen Qingtan gave birth to a son and a daughter.

The birth of twins (a boy and a girl) by the mother of a nation is an auspicious sign.

Zhao Yi bestowed rewards upon his officials and proclaimed them to the world.

In March of the second year of the Qianyuan era, Emperor Jing'an died, and the four-year-old crown prince ascended the throne. He appointed Grand Secretaries Lin Ruihao and Zhou Chun, and Minister of Rites Su Zhiqing as regents to assist the new emperor. Taking advantage of the situation, the new emperor's maternal family intervened in the government, eliminated dissidents, cultivated their own faction, and seized power.

In the fourth year of the Qianyuan era, under the rule of Zhao Yi, the Northern Qi Dynasty flourished, its army was strong, and its people lived in peace and contentment, entering its golden age.

In February of the same year, an ambitious relative of the Empress Dowager of the Great Zhou Dynasty deposed the emperor, declared himself king, and changed the dynasty. The new emperor was arrogant, extravagant, and licentious, levied heavy taxes, and implemented harsh laws, causing widespread suffering and misery throughout the Great Zhou Dynasty.

In June of the same year, the Northern Qi launched a rebellion against the Great Zhou.

In October of the fifth year of the Qianyuan era, Zhao Yi unified the country.

The Grand Secretary, along with other high-ranking civil and military officials, including the Grand Secretaries and the Ministers of the Six Ministries, petitioned Emperor Zhao Yi: "Your Majesty, since your ascension to the throne, you have achieved great feats, bringing prosperity and peace to the nation. Now, you have pacified the realm, and wherever you go, wherever you see, is now part of our dynasty's territory. Such great achievements are unprecedented. We, your humble servants, humbly beseech Your Majesty to follow the Mandate of Heaven, establish a new dynasty, unify the laws, and thus demonstrate Your Majesty's unparalleled merit."

“My beloved ministers, I have followed the late emperor’s will and continued the legacy of our ancestors. I have devoted myself to this cause day and night, working tirelessly, fearing only that I may fail the late emperor’s trust. The achievements I have made are all thanks to the protection of our ancestors. How can I easily establish a new dynasty?” Zhao Yi put the memorial aside and firmly refused, “This matter need not be mentioned again.”

Undeterred, the ministers continued to risk their lives to remonstrate: "Your Majesty, this is the mandate of Heaven and the will of the people. Even if the late Emperor were alive, he would surely have allowed you to follow the will of Heaven and the people and establish a new dynasty."

Zhao Yi refused again without hesitation: "I inherited the legacy of my ancestors. If I were to establish a new dynasty, that would truly be against the will of Heaven and the hearts of the people."

The other civil and military officials who did not submit a petition knew perfectly well that establishing a new dynasty was Zhao Yi's intention, and that he also intended to move the capital to Yuncheng so that Zhao Yi could better govern the two countries.

These officials who took the lead in making the petition were all Zhao Yi's trusted ministers.

Some people have already started, and even if they don't support Zhao Yi in establishing a new dynasty, they can no longer openly resist.

Otherwise, they'd think they had too much time on their hands.

Finally, all the civil and military officials knelt on the ground and pleaded together: "Your Majesty, if you do not reform the system and unify the laws, I fear it will disrupt the foundation of the country and make it difficult for the nation to be stable. We beg Your Majesty to reconsider."

With the officials having already put it this far, Zhao Yi, feeling forced into the position, said with a helpless expression, "Since the will of Heaven is hard to defy... fine, I will comply with the will of Heaven." Then, he picked up his brush and wrote two characters: "The Northern Qi will change its name to Qiyuan and establish its capital in Yuncheng."

"Your Majesty is wise and mighty." The officials kowtowed: "Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

-

After discussing various matters concerning the establishment of the capital with his officials, Zhao Yi also discussed how to settle the former officials of the Great Zhou Dynasty. By the time everything was arranged, it was already dark. Zhao Yi bathed and changed clothes in the Hall of Mental Cultivation before heading to the Xining Palace.

The palace maids bowed to Zhao Yi and reported, "Your Majesty, the Empress is in the inner palace."

Zhao Yi nodded slightly and stepped into the inner hall.

Shen Qingtan was wearing a soft nightgown and sitting on the bed mending a small skirt.

Zhao Yi walked to the bedside and asked gently, "Where are Sui Sui and Zhao Zhao?"

These are their two children.

Sui Sui is my younger sister.

Zhao Zhao is the older brother.

The two children's nicknames are derived from the phrases "May your wishes come true" and "May you live a peaceful and tranquil life year after year."

"These two little ones aren't sleeping in Xining Palace tonight." Shen Qingtan finished sewing the last stitch, took a pair of scissors, cut the thread, folded the little skirt, and placed it on the cabinet next to her: "Have you finished your official duties?"

"Busy working."

Zhao Yi felt somewhat helpless. The two children were exceptionally attached to Shen Qingtan and refused to sleep with their wet nurse, preferring to sleep with their mother most of the time. They didn't adhere to any rules and indulged their mother in this regard.

Shen Qingtan said that children change every day, so while they are young and clingy to their parents, parents should spend more time with them. Once they grow older, even if the parents want to spend more time with them, the children won't be willing.

Another reason is that Shen Qingtan was separated from her parents at a young age, so she was more lenient with her children.

"Now that the world is unified, I will transfer my father and brothers to the capital so that we can have a reunion this year." Zhao Yi took off his clothes and lay down on the bed with Shen Qingtan: "I have calculated the time, and we will arrive in the capital at the end of December."

Shen Qingtan felt a pang of sadness; they hadn't seen their loved ones for five years.

Finally, they can be reunited.

Zhao Yi reached out and pulled Shen Qingtan into his arms, looking down at her. Her watery eyes held a captivating allure. He couldn't resist gently pecking at her lips, tenderly capturing one soft lip in his mouth, nibbling and sucking it gently.

Shen Qingtan's breathing became erratic, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, responding to him passionately.

Since having a child, the couple has had very few tender moments like this.

The two people were only close to each other when a longing welled up from the depths of their hearts.

Zhao Yi reached his hands under her clothes, tore off a thin piece of fabric, and casually tossed it by the bedside, preparing to lower the bed curtains.

Suddenly, I met four round, bright eyes.

Zhao Yi was startled and instinctively pulled the blanket to cover Shen Qingtan.

Shen Qingtan was also stunned.

The two little ones poked their heads out from the edge of the bed, only their big, watery eyes peeking out as they looked at them with great curiosity.

"Mommy, are you and Daddy having a baby?" The little girl climbed onto the bed with her little bottom sticking up high, chose a spot on the inside of the bed to lie down, and patted the spot next to her: "Brother, come here quickly, the baby is about to be born."

The little boy frowned, utterly exasperated by his silly little sister: "Silly Sui Sui, we children can't see Mommy's newborn baby." Then, with a very serious expression, he said to Shen Qingtan, "Mommy, can you have another one like me?"

Shen Qingtan: "..."

Zhao Yi: "..."

The little boy, his face scrunched up, was about to say that his idea was brilliant when, in the next moment, his feet were lifted off the ground and he was picked up by Zhao Yi and thrown out like a little chick.

With two muffled thuds, the two little ones hit the ground and rolled over once.

Inside the palace, Zhao Yi and Shen Qingtan lay side by side on the bed.

The two men stared at the top of the tent, their faces filled with bitterness and resentment.

Having said that.

How could they have given birth to two such stupid kids?

-

When the Northern Qi and the Great Zhou unified and the Qiyuan Kingdom was established, a grand banquet was held in the imperial palace on the first New Year's Eve.

At the banquet, Master Zhao and his wife sat side by side, frequently glancing towards the entrance of the palace.

Master Zhao stroked the strands of hair at his temples with both hands: "Wife, when you see Yi'er later, he calls me Dad. Should I respond?"

The couple hadn't seen Zhao Yi and Shen Qingtan for six whole years. They exchanged many letters each year, but without seeing them, they missed them terribly. Last night, neither of them slept a wink.

Madam Zhao watched as the old man tugged at his official robes, straightened his hat, and stroked his beautiful beard, clearly showing his nervousness.

Six years ago, when they parted, they were father and son.

Six years later, when they met again, they were ruler and subject.

Madam Zhao rolled her eyes: "When Yi'er calls, you respond faster than anyone else."

Master Zhao was unsure: "That's not necessarily true."

"Father, Mother."

Zhao Yi's voice rang out from above.

Master Zhao exclaimed "Hey!" and his eyes instantly reddened.

Mrs. Zhao's tears also fell incessantly.

Yi'er is still their son, and he still recognizes them as his parents.

That's wonderful, that's wonderful.

Mrs. Zhao wiped away her tears.

"Father, Mother, this is Sui Sui, and this is Zhao Zhao." Shen Qingtan pushed the two babies in front of her grandparents and introduced them to the babies: "This is Grandfather, and this is Grandmother."

The two little bundles of joy called out obediently, "Grandpa, Grandma."

Master Zhao and his wife looked at the two babies in front of them. The girl resembled Zhao Yi, and the boy resembled Shen Qingtan. They were both beautiful and adorable.

Mrs. Zhao held the two babies in her arms; they were so soft and sweet, she couldn't resist giving them a kiss.

Sui Sui nestled in Mrs. Zhao's arms, pouting her little lips and giving Mrs. Zhao a quick kiss on the cheek.

Mrs. Zhao's heart melted. She lovingly stroked Sui Sui's little head, wishing she could give her all of her wealth.

The Prince and Princess of Zhenbei stared intently at the two little ones, seeing in them a reflection of Shen Qingtan as a child. They had originally planned to return to Liangzhou after the fifteenth of the lunar year, but now they were reluctant to leave.

After Zhao Yi ascended the throne in Northern Qi, the Prince of Zhenbei resigned from his post and voluntarily relinquished his military power to Emperor Jing'an. His sons also held sinecure positions. It was precisely because of this that they were not implicated when the maternal relatives usurped the throne.

Now that Zhao Yi has unified the two countries, he has reinstated him and his sons to their original positions and restored their military power.

Seeing her father and mother looking on with longing, Shen Qingtan brought the two little ones over.

The two little babies called out sweetly, "Grandpa, Grandma," and rushed into the grandparents' arms without any shyness.

The Prince of Zhenbei, such a tough and unyielding man, was holding the tiny Zhao Zhao in his arms. The child looked almost exactly like Shen Qingtan when she was a child, as if they were made from the same mold.

His hands, which were holding the child, were trembling slightly.

It seems he's too old to lift a knife anymore.

Now, he can only stay in the capital, enjoying the company of his grandchildren.

"Jiang Shanshan."

Suddenly, Shen Du's cold, slightly warning voice came from the side.

Shen Qingtan turned her head and saw that it was her elder brother and sister-in-law playing around.

Shen Du looked down at his arm, a slender hand resting on it, crumpling his sleeve into a ball.

"General, I feel dizzy." Jiang Shanshan had an oval face, her bright eyes were misty with tears, and she leaned weakly against Shen Du, saying softly, "If I sit any longer, my body may not be able to take it. I need to be closer to you, so that others won't notice."

As she spoke, Jiang Shanshan grabbed Shen Du's robe with her other hand and pulled it down pleadingly, making the robe even more wrinkled.

Shen Du's temples throbbed, but he ultimately held back and didn't throw Jiang Shanshan away.

Jiang Shanshan succeeded, and she held a handkerchief to her nose to hide the smile on her lips.

Shen Qingtan noticed the cunning in Jiang Shanshan's eyes and knew that Jiang Shanshan was deliberately wrinkling Shen Du's robe to punish Shen Du's obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Previously, because Zhao Yi had become emperor in Northern Qi, the Zhenbei Prince's Mansion had fallen into obscurity, and the men in the mansion did not choose to marry women from prestigious families.

Jiang Shanshan was the eldest daughter of the centurion of Liangzhou. She was beautiful but frail. She always had to hold Shen Du's arm when she went out. Since then, Shen Du's clothes have never been neat.

Looking back now, it seems like they found joy in each other's company.

On the other side, Shen Lue drank bowl after bowl of wine, the alcohol making his head spin and his face turning a dark red.

He slammed the wine bowl down on the table and glared at the woman beside him.

Qi Chuyin raised an eyebrow: "Want to fight?"

Shen Lue said firmly, "I'll give you one more chance."

This kid dares to provoke her?

Qi Chuyin crossed her arms, but before she could speak, Shen Lue continued, "I'll give you one more chance to coax me."

She was slightly taken aback, and then she saw that Shen Lue's eyes drooped down, making him look just like a pitiful big yellow dog.

Qi Chuyin helplessly rubbed his head: "Okay, I'll coax you, don't be angry anymore."

The more perfunctory you are, the more perfunctory you can be.

Shen Lue, however, was quite pleased and hummed, "Next time, you're not allowed to leave me at home and go out by yourself."

Qi Chuyin took a deep breath, feeling nostalgic for Shen Lue, the man who had looked down on her back then.

At least he's a real man.

Shen Qingtan couldn't help but chuckle when she heard her third brother and sister-in-law's conversation.

Only the second son of the Shen family remains a lifelong bachelor.

Shen Qingtan looked at her old bachelor and saw that Shen Zhuo had taken apart Sui Sui's pigtails and was carefully braiding Sui Sui's hair.

Although Shen Zhuo's eyes revealed impatience, his movements were very gentle, as if he was afraid of hurting Sui Sui.

Seeing everyone in pairs, living happy and fulfilling lives, Shen Qingtan couldn't help but smile, genuinely happy for them. The only downside was that Qin Yao was facing some trouble in her business and couldn't attend the palace banquet.

My uncle and cousin went to Nanling Prefecture.

Fourth Aunt Su Rao is about to give birth and will not be able to come to the capital with Zhao Qiyuan.

Princess Guangning no longer needed to marry into another state and chose to stay in the Great Zhou. It is said that she once went out by chance and found a fox and kept it as a pet.

As for Shen Shaobai, he rose to the position of centurion at the border through his own abilities.

After Shen Shaoheng was able to leave the border, he disappeared without a trace.

She thought, "He probably went to find Mei Ruoxue."

The time for the banquet was approaching, and Zhao Yi took Shen Qingtan's hand and they returned to their seats.

Zhao Yi spilled three cups of wine on the ground.

Shen Qingtan was slightly taken aback, but immediately understood Zhao Yi's intention: this was a toast to the Imperial Tutor.

After the coronation ceremony concluded, Yan Yi delivered Princess Yizhen's remains.

Zhao Yi arranged for his closest and most trusted relatives to escort Princess Yizhen's remains back to the Great Zhou Dynasty and bury them in the cenotaph that Emperor Jing'an had prepared for Princess Yizhen.

Before Emperor Jing'an passed away, he sent them a letter saying that a new grave had appeared next to Princess Yizhen's tomb.

At this moment, the officials offered their New Year's greetings: "Your Majesty and Empress, may the sun and moon shine together, and may heaven and earth be in harmony. As the year ends and the new year begins, may we celebrate eternal spring together. May the Emperor and Empress live in perfect harmony, and may the mountains and rivers last as long as the Emperor. Long live the Emperor, long live the Emperor, long live the Emperor!"

"My beloved subjects, rise." Zhao Yi raised his hand.

The officials rose and took their seats.

Inside the palace, singing and dancing filled the air, and officials clinked glasses in celebration, creating a joyous atmosphere.

From then on, palace banquets also became their family banquets.

Shen Qingtan felt an unprecedented sense of peace. She turned to look at the man beside her, only to find him staring intently at her.

His once clear and bright eyes were now tinged with a hint of intoxication.

She leaned closer and asked, "What are your New Year's wishes?"

Zhao Yi covered his face with his wide sleeves and placed a kiss on her lips.

May you be free from worries year after year, and may Chang'an always be peaceful and safe.