Wen Yanran sat within the hall, watching through the drapes as Zhong Zhiwei and Xiao Xichi crossed swords.
Before the hall, sword light arced like flying rainbows, crisscrossing and gleaming against the snow, resembling scattered stars swaying in the sky.
Zhong Zhiwei’s swordsmanship was rooted in the Imperial Guards’ techniques, yet it possessed a fierceness and sophistication rarely seen among the young. Meanwhile, Xiao Xichi’s swordplay was unconstrained and free, appearing like a sudden gust of wind or a flash of lightning – effortless and unrestrained.
Wen Yanran smiled and asked, “In Ah-Yi’s opinion, who will win?”
Chi Yi had always made a habit of accumulating knowledge to respond to her leader’s inquiries, but martial arts were clearly beyond her scope of expertise. She wore a look of embarrassment as she replied, “I cannot comprehend swordsmanship.”
Wen Yanran said, “To be honest, I don’t understand it either. However, General Xiao is an extraordinary figure of our time and older than Captain Zhong. In terms of swordsmanship, she naturally holds the advantage.”
Given Xiao Xichi’s current reputation, there was clearly a very safe distance between her and the title of “extraordinary figure of our time.” However, close attendants like Chi Yi had always trusted the Emperor’s discernment of character. She remarked, “Since Your Majesty is aware that General Xiao’s swordsmanship surpasses Captain Zhong’s, yet still ordered them to duel, you must naturally have a strategy for victory?”
Wen Yanran laughed softly. “Or perhaps I simply wanted to concede a wager to General Xiao?”
As she spoke, she suddenly stood up, pushed aside the dragon-embroidered gauze curtains veiling the hall entrance, and descended the steps one by one.
Xiao Xichi’s true skill was indeed superior to Zhong Zhiwei’s, but she usually made a deliberate effort to conceal her abilities. Unwilling to reveal her real prowess against her opponent, the fight had dragged on until now. As a seasoned martial artist, she remained acutely aware of her surroundings, and from a distance, she sensed the Emperor approaching the dueling ground. An involuntary thought arose in her mind – given the distance between herself and the sovereign, an assassination attempt was now a feasible option.
The relationship between the Qingyi tribe and the Great Zhou was marked more by enmity than goodwill. Many of Xiao Xichi’s clansmen had perished in conflicts with the Great Zhou, and had it not been for the fear of implicating her tribe, she might have been unable to resist turning her sword in that direction.
Yet, in a duel between masters, distraction was impermissible. Xiao Xichi had already been restraining herself, and Zhong Zhiwei was no easy opponent to dismiss. Seizing the opening revealed in that fleeting moment of inattention, the newly appointed Commander of the Imperial Guards swiftly struck the sword from Xiao Xichi’s hand.
The long sword clattered to the ground with a sharp, ringing sound.
Xiao Xichi steadied her mind. Having managed to lie low in the capital for so long, she was clearly not one to dwell on temporary victory or defeat. Suppressing her inner turmoil, she clasped her hands and said, “Captain Zhong’s swordsmanship is superb. I am impressed.”
Wen Yanran stood with her hands behind her back on the stone steps, smiling as she watched the two who had just decided the outcome.
Since Zhong Zhiwei was known as the “Emperor’s Sword,” this blade was naturally wielded in the hands of the Emperor. Thus, today’s contest was not merely a test of skill between Xiao Xichi and Zhong Zhiwei, but also Wen Yanran’s indirect probe into Xiao Xichi.
Wen Yanran looked at Xiao Xichi and said in a gentle tone, “Both of you have your own strengths; it was truly an evenly matched contest.”
Xiao Xichi responded resolutely, “A win is a win, a loss is a loss. Since I have been defeated by Captain Zhong, how could there be any reason to deny it? May I ask Your Majesty, what wager must I pay?”
Wen Yanran seemed lost in thought for a moment before smiling and replying, “A true victory requires winning two out of three rounds. There’s no hurry yet.” She then turned to Zhang Luo and said, “It’s getting late. Have someone escort General Xiao out of the palace.”
Xiao Xichi had been summoned to the palace in confusion and was now sent away just as bewildered. It was only around seven in the evening, so it wasn’t particularly late. Since the Great Zhou did not hold court assemblies daily, Wen Yanran had no need to wake early the next day. She decided to visit her younger sister and brother, who had even less reason to rise early.
The Eleventh Princess, Wen Yuansheng, and the Thirteenth Prince, Wen Zhihua, were currently residing in the Qiyan Palace, cared for by their birth mother and palace attendants.
When Wen Yanran arrived, the two children were, as expected, still awake. They were crouched in the garden behind the hall, observing a white rabbit kept in a bamboo cage.
The birth mother of the Eleventh Princess and the Thirteenth Prince had built a solid foundation over years of maneuvering within the palace. Ever since Wen Yanran had shown a lenient and tolerant attitude, the Imperial Household Department often sent toys and playthings to curry favor with the two young royals.
The two children opened the bamboo cage containing the rabbit and, holding a bunch of grass in their hands, tried to lure it out. Unexpectedly, the rabbit remained extremely cautious and refused to move at all.
Wen Yanran had arrived discreetly. It was only when she was right in front of them that the attendants of the two young royals noticed the Emperor’s presence. They hurriedly reminded their masters to pay their respects to the Emperor.
Seeing their older sister approach, the two children stopped teasing the rabbit. Wen Yanran took each by the hand and led them into the hall, where they sat together for a while.
Wen Yuansheng complained, “I tried to lure the rabbit out with grass, but it just wouldn’t come out.”
Wen Yanran replied, “It has been around people for too long and knows that once it steps out of the cage, it will be caught. Simply luring it with grass isn’t enough.”
Wen Zhihua asked, “Then how do we get the rabbit to come out?”
A slight smile lifted the corner of Wen Yanran’s lips. “Open the cage and hide. When it no longer sees anyone around, it will naturally venture out.”
As was her habit, she asked about their daily needs, such as clothing and food. And since the New Year was approaching, she chatted with them for a while about the upcoming celebrations.
Wen Zhihua asked, “When the New Year comes, will our other brothers and sisters visit?”
The Wen clan members from Jianzhou had previously been arranged by Wen Yanran to reside in the Qiyan Palace for some time, and many of them had gotten along quite well with the Eleventh Princess and Thirteenth Prince.
Wen Yanran replied casually, “When you go to the Tianfu Palace to pay respects to our ancestors, you will see Elder Brother Wen Yuan. Other clan members currently in Jianjing will also be there, so you can catch up and share your feelings of separation then.”
The Emperor’s daily routine followed a set schedule. When the second mark of the Xu hour (around 7:30 p.m.) arrived, a palace attendant came to remind the Emperor to return to the imperial bedchambers.
Wen Yanran nodded, instructing the female officials to take her younger sister and brother to rest, while she herself ascended the imperial carriage.
Snowflakes drifted slowly from the sky. These days, the snow fell sometimes heavily, sometimes lightly, but it never truly ceased.
Wen Yanran sat in the imperial carriage, gazing at the falling snowflakes, when she suddenly raised her hand and tapped the edge of the carriage.
Chi Yi drew closer. “Your Majesty?”
Wen Yanran smiled. “It’s nothing. Today, when I saw Eleventh Sister and Thirteenth Brother, it occurred to me that it has been a long time since I’ve heard any news of Fourth Sister.” She turned to Chi Yi and said, “Remind me tomorrow to make a trip to the Tianfu Palace.”
According to ceremonial regulations, upon the late emperor’s passing, his daughter Wen Jinming was required to return to the capital for the funeral. Initially, the faction surrounding the Fourth Princess was undecided about whether to return to the capital. However, after learning of the Seventh Prince’s fate, opposition swiftly gained the upper hand.
Yet, refusing to return required a plausible excuse. The message from Wen Jinming’s side claimed that upon hearing the news of the late emperor’s death, the Fourth Princess was so overwhelmed with grief that she fell gravely ill.
Some lies are understood by all to be of dubious credibility – they simply lack the evidence to be debunked. Moreover, since Wen Yanran herself had just recovered from a serious illness, she had little grounds to accuse the Fourth Princess of feigning sickness.
Jianping, in response, took certain measures – despite being a royal daughter who had already been assigned to a regional post, Wen Jinming’s noble title was only that of Marquis of Quanling. It was precisely for this reason that when she left the capital with the rank of a marquis, the Seventh Prince’s faction considered her thoroughly marginalized, overlooking the fact that not long after, the late emperor had granted her the authority to establish her own administration and recruit officials and advisers – under the guise of compensation.
After Wen Yanran ascended the throne, it was customary to bestow rewards upon officials, the imperial clan, and maternal relatives. However, Wen Jinming, the new emperor’s own sister, was completely overlooked – neither her rank nor her stipend saw the slightest increase. Whispers spread through Jianjing that the Emperor intended to wait until Wen Jinming arrived in the capital before granting any rewards.
Anyone with clear eyes could see that a stalemate had developed between Wen Jinming (the Fourth) and Wen Yanran (the Ninth).
After all, Wen Jinming was a royal daughter with support from regional forces. If the capital were to forcibly summon her to Jianjing or reprimand her for failing to attend the mourning ceremonies, she would certainly seize upon the incident of Wen Yanran killing her brother before the late emperor’s spirit to make a major issue, openly declaring that Wen Yanran’s claim to the throne was illegitimate.
After changing into her sleepwear, the palace attendants quietly moved away most of the lamps and candles around her.
She sat on the edge of the bed while the attendant behind her loosened the hair bun of the Emperor, who was adamant about “never sleeping with her hair tied up.”
Wen Yanran thought to herself that she absolutely could not lose to Wen Jinming.
That interactive novel offered multiple starting scenarios, but regardless of who ascended the throne, none of the final outcomes ever met the World Will’s requirements – none could create a truly satisfying dream. Among those emperors, the incompetent ones were not incompetent enough to plunge everyone into utter despair, and the virtuous ones were not virtuous enough to turn the tide single-handedly. So, naturally, Wen Jinming could not be relied upon; she had to strive on her own.
Based on what Wen Yanran had gleaned from the comment section and the information gathered from court officials, she could basically conclude that the Fourth Princess had always kept a low profile, often acting by going with the flow and leveraging external forces to achieve her goals.
So, what matters now were worth the other party giving a push?
The light inside the palace dimmed as the lamps were removed, leaving only a faint, weak candle glow quietly reflected in Wen Yanran’s dark pupils.
The palace attendant bowed her head and said, “Your Majesty, it is time to retire.”
Qingzhou, Wugu Commandery
According to the Great Zhou’s administrative system, each province was assigned an Inspector, though their role was primarily supervisory. Actual governance and specific affairs remained the responsibility of the various Commandery Administrators.
With the new emperor recently ascended to the throne, undercurrents were stirring among various factions. Many local officials did not disappoint the Emperor’s expectations – they were indeed already rolling up their sleeves, preparing to cause some trouble for the young sovereign.
The Administrator of Wugu Commandery was surnamed Chu, named Chu Cong. He had long been connected to the Cui family by kinship ties and, in his youth, had received favors from the head of the Cui family at that time, even serving as a Registrar in their residence for a period.
Now, Chu Cong had a son and a daughter. His eldest son was traveling for studies, while his eldest daughter had been sent to Quanling to follow Wen Jinming.
From the contemporary perspective, if Chu Cong were to act coldly and indifferently toward the Cui family and the related Fourth Princess, he would likely find himself ostracized in official circles. However, to protect his clan, he could not stake everything on a single gamble. By restraining the younger members of his family from entering official service, Chu Cong was precisely worried that if Wen Yanran firmly secured the throne, the Chu family might follow in the footsteps of the Ji family.
Though the night was deep, Chu Cong had not yet retired. He was in the midst of a discussion with his resident advisers.
“Has the chieftain of the Wuliu tribe arrived yet?”
The adviser replied, “Wu She did not come himself, but he sent his younger brother, Wu Geqi, to Wugu.”
Chu Cong frowned but said nothing.
Like the Qingyi tribe, the Wuliu tribe was inhabited by borderfolks. This tribe had a slightly larger population than the Qingyi tribe. However, just from the naming styles of their leaders, it was evident that their degree of Sinicization was far inferior to that of the Qingyi tribe. As such, they had long been regarded with suspicion and disdain by the imperial court. Given his background from the Xu Province Chu clan, under normal circumstances, Chu Cong would consider it polite not to step on them – he would never show them the level of attention he was giving today.
But now, with a new sovereign on the throne, if Wen Jinming wished to strive fiercely for the throne, someone would need to tie down the government troops.
Chu Cong did not feel that his actions were disloyal to the state. In his view, the borderfolks were like pigs, dogs, insects, or ants – annoying, but incapable of stirring up major trouble. His only hope was to incite these people to proactively raid the border. This way, Wen Yanran would find it inconvenient to recall the border camp troops to reinforce the central government.
