Meng Guqing knew well enough who their enemies were. A man like Wang Xiao, the quintessential powerful minister, was practically a legend. Even if you didn’t seek such stories out, they reached your ears.
After the late Empress Dowager Xu’s death, her Xu clan had been gradually forced out of court under Wang Xiao’s suppression. He was said to be exceptionally shrewd: diligent, skilled in strategy, and convinced that the strength of one’s clan was the foundation of power. With the help of his two nieces, he had risen from a lowly attendant to Grand Marshal, ennobled his seven uncles and brothers, and placed his nephews in key posts, making the Wang family the most powerful aristocratic house in Zhou.
Once the foundation was secure, he began exploiting Emperor Yuwen Tai’s negligence in governance and obsession with women, slowly swallowing up authority until he controlled the entire court. When the emperor grew old and had no capable heir, Wang Xiao’s ambition finally showed. He was just waiting for Yuwen Tai to die and then he would seize the throne himself.
But fate had other plans. The long-lost prince of the Xiao family had suddenly reappeared. By the time Wang Xiao learned, the boy was already on Zhou soil. Had he not planted spies on Grand Preceptor Liu Yuan, who had been visiting the former Empress Xiao frequently, he might never have known until it was too late. Furious, he spent a fortune hiring assassins to intercept the returning prince but his entire force was annihilated. The shock had nearly made him cough blood.
Not long after, while visiting his elder brother, Wang Xiao’s carriage entered an alley and never came out. He was assassinated on the spot, one clean strike, dead before he could resist. The news shook the entire Wang clan. How could this be? The man who had dominated court and capital alike, before whom even the emperor trembled, dead just like that? It was unbelievable, absurd. Yet there his corpse lay, stretched across the hall, undeniable.
In truth, the Wang family’s reputation had long soured. The people had grown resentful; the court whispered of corruption and tyranny. When word spread of Wang Xiao’s assassination, many called it divine retribution. Officially, his death was attributed to sudden illness but no one in the capital was deaf or blind. Everyone knew the truth.
The Zhou dynasty’s heavens were shifting.
But such matters were far removed from common folk. They cared only about full bellies and tax burdens. In Shangjing, people died every day; the magistrate’s office was always filled with unclaimed corpses. A Grand Marshal was just another man, dead or alive, what of it?
To Meng Guqing, a newcomer from afar, these political storms felt even more distant. When Xiao Shuo’s men brought her the news that night, she was merely startled, then quietly amazed at how swiftly he had acted and how lucky he was. Beyond that, she didn’t bother thinking further.
Cold and decisive as he was, he had resolved what she had fretted over so effortlessly. She ought to feel relieved.
Now she lived in a mansion where dozens of servants attended to her every whim, all addressing her as Young Madam and calling Xiao Shuo, Young Master. The titles were settled; escape was out of the question. She even found herself growing lazy, with servants everywhere, she barely had to lift a finger.
Seeing her boredom, the household began bringing her amusements: jewelry, fine fabrics, daily luxuries delivered as if from a flowing stream. She soon learned these were all from the finest shops in the capital, the kind that served only the wealthiest noble families.
It left her a little disoriented. Even when she had been an Empress, she hadn’t been treated this lavishly. Now everything felt dreamlike and she didn’t have to spend a single coin.
If Fusang and Caiwei were here, she thought, they would surely love such a life.
But as someone who had known the modern world’s endless entertainments, she found that no matter how luxurious it all was… she still couldn’t help feeling a little bored.
Xiao Shuo had been busy these past few days—out early, back late, hardly showing his face, leaving her alone in this huge house. She knew, of course, that he was out handling important matters, but he was the only person she truly felt familiar with; toward everyone else she still carried some degree of wariness. Out of sheer boredom, she had wandered through the entire mansion, and as she stood looking at the quiet courtyards and the scattered glow of lamps, a sudden realization struck her—when had she begun to care for him this much? The moment he wasn’t around, she couldn’t bring herself to do anything else. She had never been like this before. Such restless, uncertain emotions, weren’t these the kind that only people newly in love would have?
Did she like him? Did she have that constant urge to cling to him all day? Fortunately, after thinking it over carefully, she realized she didn’t feel that way so perhaps it was just boredom. People really couldn’t afford to stay idle.
She had once thought that after being deposed, she would return to Gaochang. But in truth, she had never clearly imagined what she would do after going back. What could a deposed Empress do after returning home? In this era, even if her family still cherished her, there would inevitably be gossip and judgment from others. She had originally planned to spend a few quiet years away, then find something she liked to do.
For instance, start a business. Her interests were broad, she could easily pick something she was passionate about. This place might even be more convenient than Gaochang; after all, this was the capital of the Wu Dynasty. More people meant more customers and wider choices. She still had a great sum of silver she hadn’t really touched.
Once she thought of it, she acted. The first things that came to mind were medicinal salves and liquor. In her previous life, she had been surrounded by her grandfather’s medical influence and had memorized many authoritative prescriptions, along with methods for processing rare and valuable herbs. Perhaps she could even try to produce things like alcohol or iodine. If she was to live through a time-travel experience, she might as well benefit the people a little.
Now, in this great mansion, she was the only master left during the day, attended by more than a dozen maids, an enviable labor force. Meng Guqing immediately sketched designs for distillation equipment and had the steward purchase the materials. Then, relying on her memory, she started distilling the wine stored in the estate’s cellars. The results were striking, after several rounds of trial and refinement, she managed to produce high-proof spirits. They were still far from medical-grade alcohol, but compared to what was sold in the market, her wine was far superior.
The downside was that it consumed far too much of the original wine; ten jars would yield only half a jar of refined product. At this rate, even a great fortune couldn’t sustain the waste. Medical alcohol would have to wait, but she could sell the wine instead. After all, wine was a necessity everywhere, and with higher costs came higher prices, there would always be buyers for quality.
Returning to her chamber, Meng Guqing asked the maids for paper and ink, then buried herself in drafting a plan for what could one day become her business empire. She was so focused she didn’t even hear the greetings at the door until the paper in front of her was suddenly taken away. Looking up, she saw that strikingly handsome man.
Since returning to Zhou, he seemed to have grown more dazzling by the day—those refined, sharp features, skin smooth as jade, and eyes deep as a cold lake. He was a silent weapon that could kill without a blade. She didn’t know exactly what he had been up to lately, but judging by the bright expressions of every maid in the house, it was clear his beauty had lethal charm.
Fortunately, he was utterly unaware of it or rather, he treated it as a nuisance. Anyone who dared stare too long would be met with a glare so cold it made them feel filthy, which, in turn, kept her surroundings remarkably peaceful.
Xiao Shuo held the sheet of paper, sat down beside her, his wide dark robe almost swallowing up her pale one, their figures in perfect harmony from behind. Leaning close, he asked, “What’s this?”
“Something I made to pass the time,” she said. “A recipe for brewing wine I found in a medical book. Want to try it?”
She rose, fetched a jar from the inner room, and poured a small bowl for him. Xiao Shuo took a sip. He had never been much of a drinker, but since it was something she’d made, he was curious to try. The flavor was indeed richer, spicier, and smoother than expected. Seeing her gaze full of anticipation, he reached out and touched her face. “What do you want to do?”
Meng Guqing did have an ulterior motive. Opening a wine shop was secondary, the real purpose was to find an excuse to bring Fusang and Caiwei over. But right now seemed like a crucial time for Xiao Shuo. As the lost child of Empress Xiao, his disappearance had been mysterious; surely his return couldn’t be equally abrupt. She guessed he was planning how to reappear in Zhou openly and beyond doubt.
She hadn’t meant to trouble him with her small affairs, but since this was his territory, having his people handle the matter would be far more reliable than doing it herself. She hadn’t expected him to immediately probe right to the heart of it, though.
Not intending to hide it, she explained her plan about the wine shop, how she’d need capital (most of her funds were still in the Wu capital), and reliable people to help manage it. Since she didn’t have anyone she could fully trust here, it would be best to have her own people. Finally, she said, “I’d like to bring Caiwei and Fusang’s families here. I can write to them myself, but I don’t have anyone I trust to deliver the letters. Could you lend me a few men?”
“What’s so hard about that? No need to be so formal,” he said easily. He disliked those two pesky maids, he wanted her world to revolve around him, but he also knew they genuinely cared for her. He couldn’t always be by her side, and if having her people here made her feel more settled, all the better.
Besides, the woman who used to talk constantly about returning to Gaochang hadn’t mentioned it in ages and now she even wanted her maids brought over. Didn’t that mean she’d decided to stay? Xiao Shuo held her tighter, inhaling the soft scent beside her cheek, eyes gleaming with satisfaction barely contained.
Meng Guqing didn’t realize that Xiao Shuo was still guarding against her running off. If she knew, she’d surely roll her eyes at him, he had already taken her, married her, shared a bed with her, even built this grand house to “keep” her, with a whole household surrounding her. And now he worried she’d escape? Wasn’t it a bit late for that?
She had always been someone who didn’t do things she’d regret, not that every choice she made was perfect, but as the saying went, there are no right choices, only choices you make right. Though she’d been the passive one in their relationship, she now chose to stay of her own will, determined to turn passivity into initiative, to make the most of it. How far they could go would depend on fate.
Xiao Shuo remained busy, but Meng Guqing no longer spent her days waiting for him at home. After sending word toward Gaochang, she took to going out whenever the weather was fine. The mansion she lived in was surrounded by wealth and power, you could tell just by the broad stone-paved street out front.
The day after she moved in, the neighbors began to call. The most enthusiastic was Madam Yu, whose husband held an official post. At first sight, she was effusively warm.
People loved gossip and novelty; in these ancient times, with little entertainment, any new arrival was cause for excitement. It was said that this mansion had been bought half a year ago, and Madam Yu had been waiting eagerly for her new neighbor. But only a month ago did the steward and servants arrive to refurbish the place, which made Madam Yu even more curious about the owner’s identity.
When she finally saw Meng Guqing, she was genuinely dazzled and immediately resolved to befriend her. To Madam Yu, Meng Guqing was young, beautiful, and well-mannered, surely someone of notable birth. But after some probing, she learned the household merely did business, had some wealth, but no noble background.
There was a young master in the family, but he was always away, and Madam Yu had never seen him. Seeing Meng Guqing alone day after day, she went to visit and upon hearing she planned to open a wine shop, she exclaimed, “Oh my, what sort of household lets their young mistress run a business? These merchant families really have no sense of propriety!”
Sitting in the main seat, Meng Guqing listened to Madam Yu’s endless chatter, growing a little weary. It wasn’t even that she had revealed her plan herself, the woman simply had a sharp nose. The moment she stepped into the courtyard, she’d smelled the alcohol.
Madam Yu was overly familiar and came visiting frequently, even inviting Meng Guqing to her own home. Though Meng Guqing didn’t particularly enjoy her lack of boundaries, Madam Yu was well-connected and knew all the latest gossip. Her husband’s position in court meant she had access to plenty of news, so keeping up the acquaintance was useful.
That day, after boasting at length about her husband’s rank, Madam Yu invited Meng Guqing to go out the next morning. “Tomorrow is Grand Marshal Wang Xiao’s funeral,” she said. “The Wang family is holding it on an enormous scale, practically a national day of mourning. Any respectable family must set up roadside altars. We’ve booked a fine room along Zhuque Avenue to watch the procession. They say the mourning parade stretches for miles! It’ll pass straight through the busiest part of the city and exit from the grand Yong Gate.”
Wouldn’t that cause a massive traffic jam? Meng Guqing almost asked but held her tongue. Seeing Madam Yu’s face full of admiration and envy, she could tell the woman still looked up to the Wang family’s power.
After a pause to sip her tea, Madam Yu smiled and said, “Ah, see, this is why people must always climb higher. Look at the Wang family, every daughter an Empress or consort, every man a minister or marquis. I heard this single funeral cost over a thousand gold taels! Their wealth could rival the state treasury itself.”
Meng Guqing had heard Madam Yu speak of the Wangs many times. The family’s glory was dazzling, especially the sisters Wang Da and Wang Xu. It was said that once they entered the palace, Emperor Yuwen Tai was utterly captivated, neglecting state affairs even more. Within just three years, Wang Da had risen from a mere beauty to Empress, while her sister Wang Xu, recommended by her, had been made an imperial consort, showered with luxury and favor.
As for the two sisters themselves, Meng Guqing learned more about them from Madam Yu and it was immediately clear that they were far from kind. There were two notorious incidents that made this obvious.
First, the elder sister, Wang Da. Though she was favored, the reigning Empress Xiao was the princess of Fulan, with a powerful family background. Emperor Yuwen Tai’s affection for her had waned somewhat, but he still treated her with respect. No one believed her position could ever be shaken. Yet things turned out completely unexpected.
Wang Da was said to be pregnant, but barely half a month later, the child was “accidentally” lost. After much investigation, suspicion somehow landed on Empress Xiao. Never mind that the miscarriage case was full of holes and lacked real evidence, even if the Empress had indeed caused a concubine’s miscarriage, with her rank and backing, she shouldn’t have been so easily deposed. And yet, she was sent straight to the Cold Palace, paving the way for Wang Da. It showed just how blind and absolute Yuwen Tai’s favor toward her had become.
Then there was the younger sister, Wang Xu, even more ruthless. Despite her youth, she was venomous by nature. She loved to “adopt” other concubines’ children in the palace, only for those children to mysteriously vanish after a while. Everyone knew what was happening, both inside and outside the palace, but no one dared to speak out. And even if they did, who would listen? Yuwen Tai’s indulgence toward the sisters was limitless. When concubines, pregnant women, and even children disappeared, he never questioned it.
It was said that in one particular year, Noble Consort Wang, who had been in the palace for five years, finally conceived, along with two other concubines. The consort bribed an official, claiming that the other two pregnancies would endanger her own. Hearing this and seeing his beloved cry, the emperor ordered both women executed without hesitation.
But heaven does not turn a blind eye. After committing so many sins involving children, the two sisters, though basking in favor for years, never bore a single one of their own. Madam Yu, while recounting this, could hardly hide her glee. She leaned close to Meng Guqing and whispered, “The emperor is nearly fifty and still without a proper heir. Lately, he’s been anxious, I heard he’s planning a beauty selection this autumn. Whoever’s child he fancies could one day be the next ruler. You, my dear little sister, with your looks, it’s such a waste to stay hidden away here. If you went, there’d be no competition.”
This thought had been in Madam Yu’s head since the first time she laid eyes on Meng Guqing. Her husband had said the court was currently scouring the land for beauties, and though she herself had none to offer, fate seemed to deliver one right to her doorstep. She had once seen the Wang sisters at a palace banquet; true, they were breathtaking but her lovely neighbor was no less stunning, perhaps even more so. What perfect material for the palace! Imagine the shared benefits and prosperity that could follow.
Sensing the implication in Madam Yu’s words, Meng Guqing drew a quiet breath but pretended not to understand. Smiling, she said, “You’re teasing me, madam. The palace is full of beautiful women, I’d hardly stand out among them. And besides, have you forgotten? I’m a married woman. How could I possibly join such a selection?”
Madam Yu waved it off. “What of it if you’re married? You’ve no children, and even that doesn’t matter, the emperor took in two widows a few years ago. One even bore a child seven months after entering the palace. If not for… well, never mind. The emperor might’ve even acknowledged it.”
Meng Guqing could guess what the woman hadn’t said aloud, likely another small life snuffed out by the Wang sisters. But she was also a little speechless. A so-called “ancient” woman being so open-minded and actually encouraging her to enter the beauty selection? That was… bold. But she couldn’t just play dumb now. If that man at home heard about this, there’d be no peace left in her life. Not that she feared for herself, she was worried for Madam Yu. That “monster” she lived with might look civilized enough, but Meng Guqing had not forgotten his terrifying past.
So she said, “You jest, madam. I was born and raised in the countryside. Having enough to eat and wear, that’s peace and contentment for me. How could you call that a waste? As for the palace, I wouldn’t dare even dream of it. Please, don’t joke about such things, if word got out, people would laugh themselves silly.”
Let this conversation stay between heaven, earth, and the two of them, she prayed Madam Yu would forget about it soon and stop having such ideas.
But Meng Guqing underestimated the power of her own beauty. She had seen her face for so many years that she no longer paid it much mind but to Madam Yu, such a beauty was a once-in-a-lifetime gift. If heaven placed such an opportunity before her, how could she not seize it? Meng’s initial refusal, Madam Yu thought, was only due to surprise, she simply hadn’t tasted the lure of power and wealth yet. With a bit of persuasion, even a clay figurine could be moved.
Madam Yu decided to take her time. Having already tested the waters, she dropped the subject for now, planning instead to grow closer before bringing it up again. So when Meng Guqing later heard that Madam Yu wanted to “adopt” her as a goddaughter, she was genuinely impressed by the woman’s persistence. Was she really that determined to send her into the palace for profit? Even after rejection, she was taking the roundabout route! Had Meng been too polite, too easygoing?
On reflection, her problem wasn’t her temperament, it was her supposed “merchant background.” It offered no deterrence, no protection at all.
That realization was a little disheartening. She’d once dreamed of roaming freely beyond the palace walls, but now she saw the truth, with her looks and without powerful protection, she was like a child clutching gold in a crowded market. She was feeling gloomy about it… but that didn’t last long.
Someone in her household, apparently too loyal for their own good, had gone and told Xiao Shuo about Madam Yu’s idea. And that, naturally, kicked the hornet’s nest.
When he came in, face dark as thunder, his voice dripped with menace: “She’s been pestering you since the moment she moved in. I only kept her around so you wouldn’t get bored, turns out she had this in mind? What, do they all think I’m dead?”
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