Spring arrives and the land smiles

In the early autumn of July, when the makeup is faded, a gentle breeze brings a perfect moment for sleep.

"Alas, life is full of disappointments."

Shen Qingyan sat idly on the swing, swaying back and forth.

"If you want to be happy, you can only think about the remaining one or two tenths, don't you agree, Ning Yuan?"

The man in the light blue floral outfit walked up behind her, gently stopped the swing, and took off his cloak and draped it over her shoulders.

"Princess, it's already past midnight."

"What did you call me?" Qingyan asked him playfully, tilting her head.

"Hmm... Yan'er." The man blushed deeply.

"If you still can't remember, you'll have to copy it a hundred times as punishment." Qingyan chuckled, appearing carefree and showing no sign of worry.

"Then, let's go back." Qingyan slid off the swing, straightened her cloak, glanced at the man beside her, and smiled wearily.

Walking slowly along the cobblestone path leading to Chuyou Pavilion, the slightly uneven texture under her feet reminded Qingyan of the foot massagers of that era.

Perhaps her mind was wandering, or perhaps there were too many obstacles on the ground, but Qingyan's legs suddenly gave way and she stumbled.

"oops!"

"Watch out!" Fortunately, Ning Yuan was quick-witted and agile.

Qingyan clung to Ningyuan's arm; the strong and powerful support kept her from touching the ground, and made her reluctant to leave.

Ning Yuan felt the same way; the soft touch of his palm reached right to his heart. After today, such contact would likely be a rare opportunity again.

Suddenly, as if she had thought of something, Qingyan looked up at the man in front of her in a coquettish manner: "Ning Yuan, carry me back."

"it is good."

But looking at the girl who was as tall as him, Ning Yuan didn't know where to start.

How long has it been? That little girl from childhood has grown into such a graceful young woman!

Yes, time flies, ten years have passed, and his son has grown up.

"What are you standing there for? Turn around quickly." Qingyan urged, frantically climbing onto his back, as always, without any sense of direction.

Ning Yuan smiled inwardly, bent down to lift her up, and carried her on his back.

When he entered the bedchamber, the lovely girl on his back was already asleep. Ning Yuan handed her over to his personal maid, Zhui'er, took one last deep look, and then left.

Alas, tomorrow's worries will come tomorrow; today's flowers are fragrant today. You say you can sleep soundly with a clear conscience.

The entire court knew that after Ning Di, the God of War of the Great Qi, sacrificed his life for his country, his only bloodline, Ning Yuan, was taken into the palace by Emperor Longqing and raised by him personally. He was also granted the title of Duke of Ning and General of Chariots and Cavalry. For a time, the Ning family army was filled with gratitude for the Emperor's boundless grace.

At that time, Ningyuan was ten years old and Qingyan was six years old.

What the entire court was unaware of was that Ning Yuan and Princess Shen Qingyan, childhood sweethearts, had been secretly dating for a long time, only short of pledging their lives to each other. No, wait, it should be said that the princess had been longing for General Ning for a long time, only short of forcing herself on him.

At this time, Ningyuan was twenty years old and Qingyan was sixteen.

Given this situation, it would have been perfectly reasonable for the emperor to make Ningyuan his son-in-law. However, the problem lies in the fact that the eldest princess is of high status and will soon become second only to the emperor.

On the first day of the eighth month of the twenty-first year of the Longqing reign (1596), Qingyan read the imperial calendar and said that today is auspicious for sacrifices, prayers, weddings, moving into a new house, travel, opening a business... In short, it is an auspicious day for all things. If you miss it, you will have to wait another hundred years for this auspicious day.

Of course, the Imperial Observatory also said so; otherwise, there wouldn't be a Qingyan dressed in full regalia standing in front of the nine-foot-high Qiantai Hall at this time.

When the Golden Palace was first opened, sacrificial dances and music were prepared, and the ancestral lineage was established at the Nine Ceremonial Platform.

Before her stood a majestic and solemn palace, its platform adorned with a Sumeru pedestal, highlighting the emperor's supreme status. The surrounding balustrades and pillars were carved with auspicious clouds and coiled dragons. Qingyan mentally counted the white marble steps, gently opened her wide sleeves, and slowly ascended to the highest point of the palace platform.

"Princess Xuanda is here to pay her respects."

The high-pitched voice of the father-in-law, with his red lips and white teeth, reached Qingyan's ears. She looked up at the highest-standard double-eaved hip roof, adjusted her wide sleeves, and stepped into the hall.

Hundreds of eyes from the entire court immediately fell on Qingyan. Qingyan snorted inwardly and, without looking to the side, paid her respects to the Emperor in the center of the hall.

The chief eunuch, Wang Huaisheng, glanced around the room. At the Longqing Emperor's signal, he carefully unfurled a scroll, the distinctive bright yellow of the imperial edict standing out prominently.

"I have ascended the throne more than twenty years ago by the late Emperor's will, inheriting his virtues and achievements, governing the country before chaos arises, and protecting the nation from peril, working diligently day and night..."

Wang Huaisheng's voice sounded like noise to Qingyan. The various details in the imperial edict were just formalities, and Qingyan listened to them only half-heartedly.

"...She is hereby established as the Grand Princess, and bestowed with the title Pingqiu. It is hoped that you will do your utmost to assist me, serve the people, and share my burdens!"

Finally, she finished reading. Qingyan breathed a sigh of relief, because her knees ached stiffly from kneeling on the cold, golden bricks of the imperial kiln.

Just as Qingyan thought she could get up, she heard Wang Huaisheng's shrill voice again:

"...Furthermore, Fu Yunxuan, the eldest son of Grand Secretary of the Fengtian Hall and hereditary First-Class Duke, and Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, is hereby appointed as the Imperial Son-in-Law and Consort of the Princess, to formally recognize the Princess's status. The grand wedding will take place one month from now. The relevant authorities are hereby ordered to select an auspicious day and prepare the necessary ceremonies for the investiture ceremony. This is the imperial decree!"

A grand wedding?!

Qingyan disregarded etiquette and abruptly raised her head, her dark eyes staring incredulously at the emperor on the dragon throne. The knowing look on the Longqing Emperor's face made Qingyan's pupils dilate in anger.

The wedding is in a month; it seems they've been planning this for a long time.

"Princess, accept the imperial decree and express your gratitude!" Wang Huaisheng looked at Princess Pingqiu, who was stunned on the spot, and assumed that she was overjoyed and lost her composure.

Qingyan was still furious, but at this moment she had no choice but to withdraw her gaze. Under the varied gazes of the civil and military officials, she accepted the imperial edict with a heart full of resentment and said through gritted teeth, "Your subject thanks Your Majesty for your great favor. Long live the Emperor!"

The Longqing Emperor smiled and nodded.

Qingyan was certain that the Longqing Emperor had seen her anger just now, but he was laughing, and kept laughing.

"Flat body."

Everyone rose upon receiving the decree, except for Qingyan, who was a full beat late.

Yes, she did it on purpose.

All the civil and military officials' eyes fell on Qingyan again, each with their own unique expression. Ning Yuan was also looking at her, feeling extremely anxious. Meanwhile, Fu Yunxuan, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review who had just been called out, had a slight smile on his lips.

Qingyan slowly rose. This level of protest was probably the Longqing Emperor's bottom line. After receiving the Emperor's permission, Qingyan stood to the left of the throne, holding the imperial edict, and accepted the kneeling and bowing of the court officials, who unanimously praised her.

"Congratulations on the Princess's long life! Long live the Princess! Long live the Princess!"

"I hope that all my ministers will work together to assist the Princess, so as to ensure national peace and prosperity and the flourishing of virtue." Emperor Longqing was very satisfied.

"Your Majesty, we obey your decree." Although the officials all spoke with one voice, each harbored their own ulterior motives.

The Great Qi Dynasty has lasted for nearly three hundred years and has had twelve emperors. Historically, it has produced two empresses: Empress Shen Hong of Chengze and Empress Shen Sumei of Kangyuan. These women were remarkable figures, no less capable than men. According to ancestral rules, if an emperor has no male heir to establish as crown prince, he can appoint the empress's eldest daughter as a princess, sharing the throne with the emperor. However, Emperor Longqing was already forty-eight years old, hence this current situation.

As the eldest daughter of the emperor, Qingyan felt both a responsibility and a helpless situation. In truth, Qingyan did have brothers, but none of them were suitable to be the crown prince.

The eldest son, Shen Qinghuan, was Qingyan's elder brother, born blind. The second son, Shen Qingyu, was Qingyan's second elder brother. When he was twelve years old, a high fever that lasted for three days and three nights not only made him mentally impaired but also cost him the crown prince position that was within his grasp. The third son, Shen Qinghong, was Qingyan's third elder brother. Nineteen years ago, when Emperor Longqing was on a campaign against the Khanate of Kamus, he met a woman who captivated him. He made her his concubine, Luo Fei, and she gave birth to a son during the battle between the two armies. However, during a night raid by the enemy, Emperor Longqing was momentarily careless and lost his wife and son. Although he searched for several months after the Khanate was pacified, he only found Luo Fei. The prince was lost among the common people and has not been heard from since.

Afterwards, the imperial harem had three thousand beauties, but none of them gave birth to male offspring, and even those who had children were very few. Thus, the saying began to circulate: "The prosperous reign of Chengkang, the Empress of Heaven."

Emperor Longqing's decision to establish an heir was arguably in accordance with the will of the people and the mandate of heaven. However, amidst open and covert struggles among the civil and military officials, two factions gradually emerged: one led by the Emperor's father-in-law, Shangguan Qing, supported the eldest princess to inherit the throne; the other, led by the late Emperor's third son, Prince Jin, advocated that the Emperor adopt Prince Jin's eldest son and establish him as the crown prince. Today, the Emperor's move to establish an heir before bestowing the marriage undoubtedly served as a warning to Prince Jin's faction, and the once neutral but powerful Fu family had now joined the princess's faction.

The Fu family has held high-ranking positions for generations, with Fu Tinghe, the great-grandfather, being a veteran of three reigns. Although he has retired to his hometown, his disciples are found throughout the court and the country, making him arguably the foremost figure among the upright officials. With the Fu family's assistance, Qingyan's rule would be half secured. The Fu family's ancestral precepts have always upheld the legitimacy of the imperial family. If the Longqing Emperor's ascension to the throne had not been so illegitimate, the Fu family would not have remained neutral until now.

Emperors are indeed masters of balancing, manipulating everyone, including their own flesh and blood.

After the Mid-Autumn Festival, Chuyou Pavilion became somewhat chilly. Fallen leaves rustled in the pavilion, both in keeping with the season and the scenery.

"Mother, were you already aware of this matter?" Since the imperial decree was issued, Qingyan has not left the Chuyou Pavilion for three days. Outsiders all thought that the princess was busy preparing for her marriage, but only Empress Shangguan knew her true thoughts.

"Yan'er, your father has his reasons for doing this." The usually gentle and quiet Empress Shangguan did not answer directly, seemingly somewhat helpless.

"Yes, when did the princess of the imperial family ever get to make her own decisions?" Qingyan smiled self-deprecatingly, "Mother, it was just that I was being willful."

Empress Shangguan felt a pang of heartache; she had two children, and her youngest daughter was the apple of her eye.

"Yan'er, Fu Yunxuan is a rare talent, with elegant writing and handsome appearance, and a humble and gentle personality. Moreover, you have known each other since childhood, so your father will not mistreat you." Empress Shangguan finally couldn't help but offer her full advice, but the smile that was originally meant to accompany her words looked very stiff.

Qingyan nodded, forcing her expression to be natural, hoping not to deepen her heartache.

"Your mother knows that you and Ningyuan are childhood sweethearts," Empress Shangguan said, seemingly having suddenly come up with an idea. "How about Your mother petitions the emperor to make Ningyuan your consort?"

"Ah—?" Qingyan's mouth dropped open, her pupils dilated in disbelief, and the dark color of her pupils slowly faded with surprise. Her expression froze completely on the spot.

It wasn't the pairing of one woman with two husbands that shocked Qingyan, because according to ancestral rules, to balance the influence of maternal relatives, the Empress of Great Qi, like the male emperor, could also have three palaces and six courtyards. However, in this patriarchal world, the concubine seemed somewhat out of place.

"Mother, let me speak for myself!" Seeing Empress Shangguan speaking so seriously, Qingyan quickly stopped her.

Ningyuan...

Qingyan felt a pang of heartache.

"As you wish." Empress Shangguan smiled slightly, taking it as Qingyan's agreement to this compromise.

After seeing off Empress Shangguan, Qingyan returned to her desk and stared blankly, letting her usually fast-paced mind indulge in a moment of emptiness, completely unaware that someone was already standing in front of her desk.

“Princess—” Zhui’er placed the soup bowl on the table.

"Stop arguing, I'm annoyed!" Qingyan impatiently dismissed Zhui'er. The little girl had been making her drink rock sugar bird's nest for a month, and she had long wanted to rebel.

"A girl changes a lot as she grows up, and my little sister's temper has grown even more." A gentle male voice entered with the footsteps.

“Brother,” Qingyan quickly jumped up from her seat, took the man’s hand from the eunuch, and helped him sit down. “Why are you here? If you need anything, just have someone call me over.”

The man, dressed in a silver-moon-colored robe, exuded an air of refined elegance. However, his beautiful eyes, devoid of luster, had lost all their sparkle. "Looks like you're really angry. You even smashed my usual teacup." The man picked up the teacup presented by Zhui'er, gently stroked it, then sipped his tea, smiling teasingly.

"Brother, Father has gone too far."

The eldest prince, Shen Qinghuan, who is blind, has always been mild-mannered and unambitious. He also dotes on his younger sister, Qingyan, to the point that she is unrestrained and reckless in front of him.

"Then how does my little sister plan to deal with the overbearing Emperor?" Shen Qinghuan followed up on her words, only these two dared to say such disrespectful things.

"I refuse to marry you, I'd rather die than marry you!" Qingyan plopped down angrily.

"Then she and Ning Yuan lived happily ever after. Then, with no crown prince and no capable generals in the country, some busybodies took the opportunity to launch an attack and wipe out the entire Ning family army, while also angering the already wavering Fu family." Shen Qinghuan smiled nonchalantly.

"Brother, if I don't vent, I'm afraid I'll kick Fu Yunxuan out of the bridal chamber on the wedding day."

"Then kicking him out of the bridal chamber is better than turning the world upside down." Shen Qinghuan thought for a moment, took her hand, and wrote a word on her palm.

拢。

Qingyan immediately understood all of her father's intentions.

The Fu family was a powerful and influential clan that had served in the court for over a century, and they were suspected of having overshadowed the emperor with their achievements. Moreover, Emperor Longqing had seized the throne through extreme means, which had already drawn much criticism from the court. During the palace coup, the Fu family maintained neutrality, and only now had they changed their stance through marriage. If it weren't for Emperor Longqing's outstanding political achievements since his ascension to the throne, the conservative Fu family, which had always upheld the orthodoxy of the imperial family, would not have offered their full support at this time, even sending their eldest son and grandson to the palace as a consort. It seemed that the Fu family was determined to surrender this time. In that case, how could Emperor Longqing ignore what he had been longing for?

“There’s a limit to being willful, brother, I understand.” Qingyan sighed helplessly.

“Little sister,” Shen Qinghuan murmured with heartache, “I am your brother, not the emperor’s brother, so I will support any decision you make.”

"Brother, thank you!" Thank you for always supporting me. Qingyan smiled shyly, feeling bittersweet but relieved.