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

Time flies, leaving us behind; the cherries have ripened, and the plantains have turned green.

Looking back on the past years, Mu Yunqing felt as if he had been living for others all along.

He thought he could endure it all and live a quiet, uneventful life.

Until he met Mu Yan, the one who helped him fall into the abyss and then brought him back to the light.

He suddenly realized that the meaning of life is not just about living, but about living meaningfully.

Mu Yunqing looked up at Mu Yan intently, a glimmer of hope igniting in her aquamarine eyes, a faint smile playing on her lips.

Mu Yan smiled gently at him, her beautiful eyes seeming to say, "Mu Yunqing, you can do it."

Perhaps it was his emotions, but as the soft light fell upon him, he felt a long-lost warmth.

In that instant, it was as if the plum blossoms had survived the harsh winter, with each blossom hanging high on the branch, accompanied by a flurry of snowflakes.

For a hundred years, plum blossoms thrive amidst ice and snow, existing proudly and independently between heaven and earth.

The overwhelming emotions, carried away by the chill, faded silently, and the obsession that had been accumulating in her heart for many years, also fell quietly like snowflakes, watering her heart.

It's time for him to live for himself for once.

……

"Mu Yunqing, if you feel that you are too tied to the Prime Minister's residence, I can let you leave."

"Perhaps the outside world is more suitable for you."

"Perhaps... once you leave the Prime Minister's residence, your grudges and resentments will fade, you will be able to truly let go, and you will have a better life."

This was the result of her careful consideration, and the only way she could think of to make him look forward.

"But I cannot leave the Prime Minister's residence."

Mu Yunqing's tone was calm, as always, without any emotion.

Of course, he always accepted his fate regarding the life-and-death contract.

He didn't feel wronged, nor did he feel it was difficult; he wasn't even afraid of death.

Mu Yan looked up at him in surprise, "Why?"

"I signed a contract that stipulates my life or death."

"A life-and-death pact?"

"Did you sign it with Mu Yan?"

"No, I signed it with the Prime Minister."

Mu Yan's mind was in a mess. In her opinion, it was understandable for Mu Yunqing to sign a life-and-death contract with Mu Yan, but why did her gentle and refined mother have to sign a life-and-death contract with him? Mu Yunqing didn't seem to be of any particular use.

Mu Yan thought for a moment, then looked up at Mu Yunqing and asked him seriously, "Can you tell me why I need to sign?"

She saw a rare hint of tenderness flash in his light blue eyes.

He said he did it "to repay a debt of gratitude."

So he signed a contract that would protect him for life or death.

He told her that Mu Yunyan wanted him to protect her with his life, and if she died, he would have to be buried with her.

...This mother and daughter are really heartless.

However, Mu Yunqing couldn't even protect herself. If she hadn't transmigrated, he might really be going to be buried with her now.

Well then, since she'd gone all the way, Mu Yan decided to teach Mu Yunqing some self-defense techniques, just in case she got herself a bodyguard.

So from that day on, the two agreed to practice their martial arts together every evening until Mu Yunqing mastered them.

_Drunken Fragrance Pavilion

Xiao Ran ate with great satisfaction. Hehe, it really makes a difference to have a beautiful woman by your side; the food tasted much better. This time, Xiao Ran finished all the dishes!

After the two had eaten and drunk their fill, they went to Sunlai Lane, where Xiao Ran kept buying things and dragged Nian around everywhere. Around dusk, Xiao Ran finally took Nian back to the brothel and then returned to the palace by carriage.

Ah, today was such a wonderful day! Hehe, I feel like I won't be able to sleep tonight. Even just reminiscing all night wouldn't be enough!

Imperial Palace (Xinghe Hall)

Xiao Ran hummed a song and walked into the palace with a smile, completely unaware of the person beside her.

"Princess, Princess..." the little maid whispered to her.

"Ouch, you..."

Before Xiao Ran could finish speaking, she caught sight of the Empress standing outside the door.

"Your subject pays respects to Your Majesty." Xiao Ran knelt down with a thud.

"Get up"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" (Stands up)

"Where has my son gone today? I have been waiting for him."

Good heavens, can we please stop prying into each other's privacy right from the start? Can't we at least give each other some space?

I can't exactly tell you I went shopping with my sweetheart, can I? And you came without even letting me know, waaaaah, if no one reminded me, I'm probably doomed~.

Xiao Ran complained inwardly for a while, and finally decided to tell a heartfelt lie, fabricating a fact that did not belong to her.

"Your Majesty, I went to Sunlai Lane today. Hehe, look, this is a sachet that I specially bought for you. I heard it has a sleep-aiding effect." Xiao Ran said, taking out the sachet from his bosom as if presenting a treasure.

Xiao Ran bought this sachet from a foreign merchant. She originally just bought it to play around with, but it actually came in handy! Haha, what a stroke of luck!

Sure enough, God still wants every child to have a wonderful home. > < ??

"My son is so thoughtful." The Empress took the sachet from Xiao Ran's hand, her eyes full of smiles.

She hasn't had a single good night's sleep these past few days.

"Your Majesty has come today because you have something to discuss with me," Xiao Ran said with a smile.

Based on her observations of the Empress over the past three years, Xiao Ran was certain that this person was definitely up to something.

Every time the Empress visits, it's either because she has something to do or she has something to do. Now that she's free, it must mean she has something to do.

In fact, Xiao Ran and the Empress were not very close. Their relationship had always been lukewarm. The Empress was busy with state affairs, and Xiao Ran was playful, so the number of times the two met could be counted on one hand.

But the empress seemed to like Xiao Ran very much. She always sent things to Xiao Ran's palace, gave her a lot of money every month, prayed for her during festivals, and occasionally painted pictures for Xiao Ran herself. She would also visit her when she was sick or injured.

"Aran, Wenzhou is experiencing frequent floods again," the Empress said softly, her tone tinged with regret.

Wenzhou? What kind of place is Wenzhou? Xiao Ran quickly flipped through the information in her mind.

Oh, it's the birthplace of her father.

"It's alright, Mother, the flood will recede," Xiao Ran comforted her.

"Mother Empress, I'm sorry to your father. I promised him I would protect the people of Wenzhou, but I broke my promise." A hint of melancholy lingered in the Empress's deep eyes.

"It was a natural disaster and a man-made calamity, so Your Majesty need not blame yourself," Xiao Ran said, patting the Empress's shoulder reassuringly.

The people Xiao Ran was comforting were dumbfounded. Why did these ancient people like to take responsibility for themselves so much? Today they felt they were wrong, and tomorrow they felt they hadn't done well.

And this empress! Is she being presented incorrectly? Where's the promised majesty? Where's the harem? Nothing at all!

As far as she knew, the Empress had only married four men in total. Her current wife was still alive; she had married her along with the current Prime Minister, and she heard that the two had a very good relationship.

Then there was the Imperial Noble Prince, her unfortunate father, who died young.

Next is Dejun, who is said to be eating vegetarian meals at a temple now because the Empress doesn't often bother him anymore. The last one is Huijun, who used to be a musician, skilled in singing and dancing, and has recently been quite favored.

Next comes this empress. You can't say she's majestic, nor can you say she's gentle; you'd say she's a mix of both. When she smiles at you, she's genuinely gentle; when she kills, she's genuinely majestic.

Looking at the melancholy empress before her, Xiao Ran was caught in a dilemma, lost in thought...

Logically speaking, a daughter should share her mother's burdens, emm... well, I can't really call myself her daughter. But seeing her so sad, I couldn't help but feel sorry for her; after all, she was the original owner's mother.

But this flood... emm, it doesn't seem like it'll be easy to control. Let me think, how were floods controlled in the time-travel novels I've read before...?

"I just remembered! I can build a reservoir!" Xiao Ran suddenly had a flash of inspiration and looked at the Empress with a smile.

"Your Majesty, I have a plan that may help you quell the floods."

"Oh? Tell me."

"Your Majesty should know the principle that as the tide rises, so does the boat. Now it is the rainy season, and the rainfall is sometimes heavy and sometimes light. I think we can build a reservoir on the upper reaches of the Wenzhou River and design a mechanism to allow the reservoir to be opened and closed freely. When there is a lot of rain, we can use it to store water, and when there is little rain, we can release the water."

"In this way, we can prevent both drought and flooding, killing two birds with one stone."

Xiao Ran became more and more excited as she spoke. She suddenly felt like a little genius. Hehe, if she really succeeded, she was afraid she would be rewarded with a lot of money.

"My son is truly clever. I will discuss this with the Prime Minister tomorrow. If this plan proves feasible, he will be richly rewarded!"

"Hehe, then I'll thank Mother Empress in advance."

"My son has grown up and can now share the burdens of his mother. Your father will be very happy to know this," the Empress said with a look of satisfaction.

"Haha, of course, of course. Mother, you worry too much. Go back, take a bath, and get some rest. You must believe that everything will be alright."

"Alright, alright, then I'll head back now. Aran, you should get some rest too."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Phew, now that the Empress is gone, Xiao Ran's happy time has returned! She excitedly ran into her bedchamber; she still had so many stories to read.

So going to bed early is impossible. I won't sleep until the moon does! I'm an active little baby!

_Flower House

After returning to her room, she took a flower bath and then began rummaging through her closets to pick out clothes.

A little boy was picking out hairpins for him.

"Young master, we have distinguished guests arriving tonight."

"Well... but... I want to see that distinguished guest." Nian said, her face flushing slightly.

"Wow, does the young master have someone he likes?"

"Okay, you can't tell anyone~" Nian made a "shh" gesture.

"Yes, young master, I promise not to let the host know. So... the person you like is the princess, right?"

"Pfft, what are you thinking? How could I possibly like a princess?" Nian said, taking a black dress out of the closet.

"Ah~ she's not a princess."

"Of course it wasn't the princess. I only met the princess once."

Nian felt a pang of sadness again. He and she had only met once. So many days had passed; would she have forgotten him?

"Then...which family's young lady is she?"

"Hehe, I won't tell you." Nian said, picking up the black clothes and handing them to the boy.

"Could you take a look and see if this one is okay?"

"Young master looks good in anything."

The two chatted back and forth for quite a while before they finished getting dressed.

"Young master's attire makes him appear composed and dignified; that young lady will surely like him."

"Thank you for your kind words. Remember to leave the door open for me, and don't let Father know."

"Yes, young master~"

After saying that, Nian slipped out of the window with the rope. He had already asked about the way to the Prime Minister's residence. He walked along East Street and turned at the bridge. It wasn't far.

However, he couldn't go directly through the main gate, so he had to go in through the alley on the right side of the bridge and then climb over the wall.

As Nian walked, she looked at the small note she had copied down. Mu Yan's room was on the west side, and there was a sycamore tree in the courtyard.

"We've arrived." Nian looked at the high wall in front of her, her heart filled with joy.

He raised his hand and threw the rope in. The hook caught firmly on the thick sycamore branch. He then climbed up the wall along the rope in one smooth motion, a movement so perfect it was almost unbelievable.

Worried about being discovered, he tiptoed carefully, making his footsteps very quiet, and slowly approached the window step by step.

He drilled a small hole in the window, just enough to see what was happening inside.

For some reason, he always felt that the lights in the room were dim, and he couldn't see anything clearly from a little distance away.

Suddenly, a white shadow flashed before his eyes! It was a man! Nian felt a pang of sadness. So she had already married someone. It seemed he could only be a concubine.

To get a clearer view, Nian enlarged the small hole a little more, instantly widening her field of vision.

He saw the man sitting next to Mu Yan, and Mu Yan seemed to be talking to him about something. Then the man stood up.

Nian's pupils dilated. That man was actually helping Mu Yan fix her hair! How could he do that? How could he do that?!

Fanglan Garden (indoors)

Mu Yunqing raised her wrist and gently gathered Mu Yan's long hair, using a hairpin to wrap it around once, and the hair was secured.

"I didn't expect you to know how to do this." Mu Yan said, raising her hand to touch the hair that Mu Yunqing had styled for her, her eyes filled with joy.

“I usually tie my hair up, so I know a little bit.” Mu Yunqing said, pouring a cup of tea and then sitting down next to her.

The two inside were enjoying themselves immensely, while those outside were watching with a burning desire.

Ugh, he was so angry he wanted to leave. But she's so beautiful.

Nian looked at Muyan in the room. Her long hair was tied up high, with a wisp of hair hanging down by her ear. Her brows were furrowed with a hint of joy, and a smile played on her lips. She was looking down at a book. This was the beauty of the world.

She held a pen in her hand, sometimes talking, sometimes writing and drawing on the paper, her seriousness impeccable.

The man beside her watched her speak quietly, nodding occasionally in approval.

He suddenly realized that the man was also quite handsome, but a different type from him.

He has a rather aloof appearance, with very nice features, especially his eyes. Judging from his appearance, he should look very handsome when he smiles, but he doesn't seem to like to smile.

_(inside the house)

Mu Yan pointed to the rough sketch she had drawn on the table, then looked up at Mu Yunqing and said, "You know what I mean, right?"

"understood."

"Okay, I understand. It's getting late, you should go back and rest." Mu Yan said, taking a sip of tea.

"it is good."

"Wait, take the drawings I made back and look at them. If there's anything you don't understand, come and ask me."

"Okay." Mu Yunqing replied, then bent down and picked up the picture on the table.

Nian realized he was about to leave, so she quickly hid.

He breathed a sigh of relief after watching Mu Yunqing leave.

"What are you doing, sneaking around like that?" Mu Yan pointed her sword at the person in front of her.

"I……"

"read?"

"it's me."

"Did you... need something from me?"

Mu Yan looked at the person in front of her. Today he was wearing a black robe, his long hair was half tied up with a wooden hairpin, and the rest was still loose. It looked casual, but in fact it was extremely well done. His eye makeup was extremely exquisite, and his lips seemed to be even more beautiful than that day.

"I...I just wanted to come and see my benefactor," Nian said, lowering her head shyly.

"You came to see me? You ran away from the brothel?"

"Hmm... But don't worry, I won't drag you into this."

"Haha." Mu Yan chuckled softly upon hearing this.

Hearing Mu Yan laugh like that, Nian suddenly felt even more at a loss. After getting closer to her, he found that she was even more beautiful, but her personality seemed to have changed a lot, which made him feel embarrassed.

When she first came to the brothel, she was as shy as a little white rabbit. But now... it's him who's shy.

"So you came so late just to see me?" Mu Yan looked up at Nian.

“I can say no.” Nian opened his long, narrow peach blossom eyes, the corners of his mouth slightly upturned, his tone extremely charming.

"Haha (chuckles lightly) It's getting late, let's go back and rest." Mu Yan said, looking up at the sky.

Yes, the moonlight is quite beautiful tonight.

"I can leave, but... can I ask you a question?"

Mu Yan looked at Nian suspiciously, then said, "Go ahead and ask."

"What's your relationship with that guy who just left?"

"Ok?"

"The one in the white shirt."

"Oh, he's my subordinate, I'm her master."

After Mu Yan finished speaking, she suddenly seemed to remember something and covered her mouth, laughing heartily.

"You...you don't actually like him, do you?"

"No, I didn't... Don't talk nonsense!" Nian's face turned red with anxiety.

"Okay, okay, I won't talk nonsense. You should go back and rest."

"alright."

He glanced at Mu Yan with reluctance.

But she smiled and said goodbye to him.

……

"Be careful on your way home. I'm going back to my room to rest now," Mu Yan said as she walked into the house.

Nian stood there stunned for a moment, then took the rope and returned to the brothel the way she came.