Female-dominated society: Striving for the position of powerful minister, doting on Xiao Yunqing

“How is this fast? I think it’s slow,” Ling Yun put the soup bowl aside and continued, “It’s been three years since I last waited for this day, it’s really not easy. But for you, it is indeed a bit fast.” She counted on her fingers, “One month, two months, three months... You haven’t even completed half a year yet, you’re truly blessed by God.”

Ning Xi said, "That's true, but Mu Yan has suffered quite a bit. She looked seriously injured during the Songming Temple incident."

“I’d forgotten about it if you hadn’t mentioned it. I was asking about Qiuyi just a few days ago, but now that I’ve seen her, I’ve completely forgotten,” Lingyun said, pulling Muyan aside. “How’s your injury healing? Are there any lasting effects?”

“The injury isn’t a problem,” Mu Yan said. “It’s a pity that the man in black escaped.”

"Weren't they caught? How come they escaped again?"

"They were kidnapped." Mu Yan took off her soaking wet shoes and held them up, saying, "But this isn't our business, and we don't need to worry about it."

“That makes sense. It’s better to avoid trouble.” Ling Yun yawned, stood up and said, “I’m sleepy. I’m going back to rest.”

Mu Yan and the others didn't stay long. Once their robes were almost dry, they went to sleep one after another.

_

Mu Yunqing sent a memorial through someone.

Three days later, word finally came from above, ordering the Court of Judicial Review to cooperate with the Ministry of Justice in handling the case. Mu Yunqing and Shen Chenxi were both young men and had no say in the Ministry of Justice. They were relegated to menial tasks, such as serving tea and water and running errands, and had never even touched the case files.

The two remained calm and stayed at the Ministry of Justice for five days.

This case involved high-ranking officials of the imperial court, so Xiao Ning kept a close eye on it, and the Ministry of Justice dared not slack off either. After several investigations, Zhang Xunyu was imprisoned. Fengqi Kingdom was extremely strict in its punishment of forming cliques; if they weren't investigated, all was well, but if they were, it meant death.

Officials who form cliques and disrupt the government will be executed, their sons enslaved, and their property confiscated by the government.

Knowing that his days were numbered, Zhang Xunyu did not want to suffer in prison and tried to end his own life several times, but was stopped by the prison guards each time.

She couldn't bear the stale food, the sewage, or the bedbugs. Having lived a life of luxury for so long, she felt every moment in prison was torture. No one in the Zhang family, going back several generations, had ever suffered like this.

Zhang Xunyu grew angrier the more she thought about it, and kicked over the rice bowl on the ground. A pile of filthy stuff—how dare they bring it to disgust her!

People often say "when a wall falls, everyone pushes it down," and she was now witnessing that firsthand. She was locked up in jail for three whole days, and not a single person came to visit her; even these lowly jailers didn't give her the slightest bit of kindness.

When she was freezing at night, she begged these men for a blanket. At first, they cursed her harshly, but later they wouldn't even give her a second glance. Every day, they would just throw down their rice bowls and slam the cell door shut.

For the first time, Zhang Xunyu felt utterly alone. She had always been fawned over, with no shortage of sycophants behind her, and every word she uttered carried weight. Even the position of Minister of Rites was bestowed upon her by Xiao Ning himself. What an honor! And now she faced beheading.

She looked up at the dark wall and couldn't help but let out a bitter laugh. After a lifetime of hard work, she had finally fallen victim to this cannibalistic arena of fame and fortune.

"You reap what you sow... You reap what you sow..." Zhang Xunyu muttered to himself, then looked up and saw a flickering fire in the distance.

The firelight drew closer, illuminating the cramped cell. Only dry straw covered the floor, shards of porcelain littered the ground, and a pile of moldy, rancid food lay nearby. Zhang Xunyu, quietly huddled in the corner, quickly lowered his head upon seeing the approaching figure.

Shen Chenxi slowly approached, and when he got close to her, he couldn't help but cover his nose. There was a sour and foul smell in the air, which was really unpleasant.

Shen Chenxi spoke up, "Lord Zhang, you were once so glorious, how did you end up in such a state?"

Zhang Xunyu snorted coldly and did not reply.

Shen Chenxi continued, "Do you know why no one comes to see you? Do you think those who flattered you in the past truly have any affection for you? They only want your power. The officialdom is like a game of chess; one wrong step leads to another. When you formed cliques and pursued personal gain, you should have thought of this outcome today."

Zhang Xunyu raised his head, his eyes filled with hatred: "If it weren't for the two of you interfering, how could I have ended up like this?"

“You have committed many evils, so who can you blame?” Shen Chenxi squatted down and looked him in the eye. “I have come here today to ask you whether you ever met Madam Yingzhi when you were in power.”

"Madam?" Zhang Xunyu scoffed. "In Fengqi Kingdom, men marry women, and there has never been such a thing as a madam. You're not trying to find a pretext to kill me, are you?"

Shen Chenxi smiled and drew his sword from his waist. "Looks like you're not too stupid." He pointed the tip of his sword at Zhang Xunyu's throat. "If you tell me the truth, maybe I can let you die a quicker death."

"Pleasant? Since I entered this prison, I haven't had a single day of pleasure," Zhang Xunyu laughed maniacally. "Do you think I need one more blow from your blade to feel good? I wish I could die right now and become a vengeful ghost to haunt you and Mu Yunqing, making sure you two never have a moment's peace!"

"It's a pity that you still care about us even after you're dead. I, Shen Chenxi, have many vengeful ghosts around me," he sneered. "Someone like you would probably be reduced to ashes before you even get close."

Zhang Xunyu roared, "Stop trying to fool me with your words! If you're here to take my life, then go ahead and do it!"

Shen Chenxi said calmly, "You're going to die anyway, so why rush it?"

"You think you can live forever?" Zhang Xunyu spat. "Arrogant brat, you may kill me today, but you might not be able to kill others in the future. So lacking in manners, plenty of people will deal with you in the future! We'll wait... we'll wait until your head rolls!"

"You need not worry about my life or death," Shen Chenxi said softly as he raised his sword to stab her. "However, those who know what I seek will not live past tonight."

Blood splattered on the cell wall as Zhang Xunyu collapsed, his eyes wide open. Shen Chenxi expressionlessly drew his sword, wiped it clean with a handkerchief, and said to the jailer outside the door, "Lord Zhang could not withstand the severe torture and committed suicide with his sword. Take him away."

_

Besides Zhang Xunyu, Sun Xiaowu was also imprisoned.

Thanks to the protection of the Dali Temple, he did not suffer in prison. He ate steamed buns with pickled vegetables every day and lived a relatively comfortable life.

He hadn't felt this relaxed in a long time. The butcher's knife in his hand had been suffocating him, and he often heard the cries of the dead when he lay down at night.

Sun Xiaowu felt guilty. Killing was not his intention, but once he picked up the knife, it was hard to put it down. Once he put it down, he never wanted to pick it up again.

Now that he's been sentenced to ten years in prison, consider it an opportunity given to him by God for self-reflection. He spends his days copying scriptures and striking the wooden fish, and the days pass by without him finding it too difficult.

He wasn't without a chance to get out; Shen Chenxi's men had approached him. One of them said, "As long as you're willing to serve my master, you can be released from prison right now and reunite with your wife and children."

Upon learning that his wife and children were still alive, Sun Xiaowu wavered for a moment. But he was unwilling, unwilling to kill again, unwilling to hand over the lives of his wife and children to others.

The Sun Xiaowu who used to kill for others is dead. Now, Sun Xiaowu only wants to be an ordinary person, to be a wife and mother, and to spend the rest of his life with his family.

_

Kyoto had been experiencing seven days of rain, but now, with the winter sun shining down, there was a long-awaited warmth.

Fan Chengjun hung the washed clothes on the pole and glanced to the side to see the little girl running towards her with a pomegranate silk flower in her hand.

Mumu said, "Mommy, this is... a flower from a handsome older brother."

"Which handsome brother? Is it the same Lord Shen from before?" Fan Chengjun squatted down and asked her.

"No, it's another handsome older brother." Mumu tucked the silk flower into Fan Chengjun's hair and clapped her hands, saying, "Mommy, it looks beautiful!"

Looking at the pomegranate silk flower reflected in the water, Fan Chengjun couldn't help but cry until her eyes were red. She didn't know when it started, but every time Sun Xiaowu came home, he would give her a pomegranate silk flower, and she would accept it as usual. Over time, she accumulated a whole box of flowers.

She wore flowers in different styles every day, and Sun Xiaowu would always praise her when he saw her. This continued for eight years of marriage.

May you first blossom, and I then bear fruit; may our branches intertwine, and may we be together forever.

Now that the silk flowers have arrived, it's likely that Sun Xiaowu will return soon and reunite with her and her son.

_

Dali Temple

It took half a month for the Empress's decree to be issued after Zhang Xunyu's case was closed. The palace had sent word early on that people were waiting, and Mu Yunqing led his men to kneel in the courtyard. A short while later, they saw Eunuch Cao enter with small, quick steps.

“Oh dear, everyone is kneeling,” said Eunuch Cao. “I’m a little late today, and I’m sorry to have kept you all waiting. I hope you two gentlemen will forgive me.”

He exchanged a few polite words, then unfolded the imperial edict and read aloud: "By the mandate of Heaven, the Empress decrees: I, having received the Mandate of Heaven, nurture the people, govern diligently day and night, and tirelessly seek out virtuous and capable individuals. Now, my ministers Mu Yunqing and Shen Chenxi, by nature loyal and virtuous, and of outstanding talent, have, since assuming their posts, been conscientious and diligent in their duties, repeatedly achieving remarkable feats, and have won my deep favor. Therefore, I hereby specially promote Mu Yunqing and Shen Chenxi to the position of Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, hoping that they will work together to serve the country. They are granted one thousand taels of gold and two black gold belts as a reward. So be it!"

"Your Excellencies, please accept the decree."

Mu Yunqing and Shen Chenxi respectfully accepted the imperial edict and shouted in unison, "Thank you for your great kindness, Your Majesty."

Eunuch Cao smiled and helped the two up. “You two are young and promising, and you will surely have a bright future.” As if remembering something, he turned to Mu Yunqing and said, “His Majesty has summoned you to the palace. My family has ample carriages and horses. If you don’t mind, you can come back with me.”

Mu Yunqing nodded in agreement and followed Eunuch Cao into the palace.

Upon reaching the outside of the study, Mu Yunqing took a deep breath, straightened his clothes, and then entered the study.

The Empress was sitting behind her desk reviewing memorials when she saw him enter. She raised her head slightly and said, "Minister Mu has arrived."

After Mu Yunqing bowed, the Empress continued, "You handled this case well. I have granted you a residence near the palace, which will make it convenient for you to enter and leave the palace for official business in the future."

This favor came so suddenly that Mu Yunqing had no reason to refuse, nor was he entitled to refuse. He could only bow his head and express his gratitude.

After leaving the palace, he returned to the Green Bamboo Garden as usual. As soon as he entered the garden, he noticed that there was an extra person under the eaves.

Su Qin was holding a few green vegetable leaves in her hand, tearing them into pieces and throwing them into the fish tank in front of her.

The fish in the tank were blowing bubbles at him, as if mocking his ignorance. Whose fish eat vegetables? Su Qin didn't think that far ahead; he only knew that these fish would eventually become his meal.

Mu Yunqing quietly circled around behind Su Qin and kicked his butt. "Where did you get this fish?"

Su Qin rubbed his bottom and said, "Brother! You're finally back! I caught these fish from the pond; they look so plump and delicious!"

Mu Yunqing glanced down at the fish and asked, "What have you been busy with these days? I haven't seen a soul around."

“It’s not that I don’t want to see you,” Su Qin explained. “My mother said that now that you’ve been appointed to an official position, officials are concerned about their reputation. She told me not to be idle and to learn some skills from you, so that I won’t embarrass you if I walk alongside you in the future.”

"What skills did you learn?"

“There are plenty,” Suqin said, scooping the fish out of the water. “But I’m hungry right now, so I’ll show you after I’ve eaten!”

Mu Yunqing took the fish from his hand and said, "Once you've eaten your fill, you'll forget about this too."

"Oh dear, why bother with all this!" Su Qin pushed Mu Yunqing through the door. "Nothing is more important than eating."

"You came here just to have a meal?"

"of course not!"

"What is that for?"

Su Qin pouted and said, "Why do you have to ask for a reason for everything? Can't I just want to come and see you? There are so many reasons. I'm not an outsider. Why are you asking me anything? Humph, there's nothing." He muttered as he helped Mu Yunqing with his work.

The two of them busied themselves for a while and prepared a table full of dishes.

"Eat more," Su Qin placed a piece of fish into Mu Yunqing's bowl. "Look how thin you've become. Is the food at the Dali Temple really that bad?"

"It's alright," Mu Yunqing said. "I've been busy investigating cases lately and haven't paid much attention to my diet."

"You didn't just not pay attention, you didn't eat at all!" Su Qin put down her chopsticks and said, "I originally thought that your life would be better if you went to the Dali Temple, but now it seems that it would have been better if you hadn't gone! It hasn't been long, and you've already lost a lot of weight. Next time I see you, you'll probably be skin and bones."

Mu Yunqing pushed the fish towards Su Qin, "Didn't you say you were hungry? Let's eat first."

"I won't eat!" Su Qin said angrily, "You always shut up whenever I bring up these things. You're such a grown man, and you don't even know how to take care of yourself!" He looked up at the dilapidated house and became more and more annoyed with it. "And this shabby house, and your broken bed, I've told you so many times to change it, but you just won't listen. What kind of official lives in such an old and cramped place! You're just asking to suffer!"

Mu Yunqing paused for a moment, then said, "His Majesty has bestowed upon me a residence today."

"Really?" Su Qin's face lit up with a smile again as she asked, "How's the house? Do you like it? If you don't, I'll buy you another one."

"I haven't seen the house, and I don't plan to live there."

"Stubborn!" Su Qin scratched her ear anxiously. "Why wouldn't you live in a house! But speaking of which, why did the Empress grant you a house and promote you?"

"I suppose so," Mu Yunqing said slowly after taking a sip of tea. "There's no rush with the house; I'll consider it later. As for the house bestowed by the Empress, it's best to leave it alone unless absolutely necessary."

Su Qin asked, puzzled, "What kind of extraordinary treasure is inside that we should only go there as a last resort?"

Mu Yunqing said, "If it were a world-renowned treasure, that would be great, but I'm afraid it's full of scheming."

"Oh, right, I almost forgot about that. Serving a ruler is like serving a tiger; it's best to be careful." Su Qin stroked his chin thoughtfully. "But you can't stay here forever. I saw a house the other day that perfectly suits your temperament. I'll take you to see it another day."