No matter how turbulent her emotions were, the Empress Dowager spoke these words with casual indifference.

To outsiders, it seemed like she was merely greeting an old acquaintance she hadn't seen in a long time.

However, when this voice fell upon his ears, Chancellor Qi trembled violently.

— He hadn't dared to hope to see her on this trip to the capital.

Yet unexpectedly, heaven had granted him this encounter.

— Although he only kept his head bowed, not daring to raise his eyes, his gaze reaching no further than the hem of her robe.

But it was enough.

Qi Shuguang also made an effort to suppress his emotions, bowing his head and kneeling to pay his respects, saying, "This humble subject pays respects to the Empress Dowager."

This act was appropriate to both the situation and his status as a former official.

In just a moment, the Empress Dowager nodded slightly and then shifted her gaze, looking around at everyone and saying, "This time, you have all gathered in the capital and devoted yourselves to the reopening of Songhe Academy. I am deeply gratified and hope that you gentlemen will do your utmost to contribute to the court and the people."

As her words fell, everyone responded in agreement.

The jumbled voices blended together, making it impossible to distinguish who was speaking.

When everything quieted down, the Empress Dowager spoke again, "You may all go about your business now. I must return to the palace."

With that, she turned and boarded the sedan chair waiting nearby.

Everyone responded once more, and after seeing her off from the Imperial Garden, they continued on their way.

Qi Shuguang maintained a normal expression, but his thoughts lingered on that brief encounter.

— After many years, she had become the Empress Dowager. Her palace robes had changed to dark colors, and her voice sounded much more steady.

Surely she no longer had to worry about difficult political issues or fret over her young adopted son's disobedience.

This must be for the best, he thought.

Just as he was thinking this, he suddenly heard someone address him, "I hear that Chancellor Qi once held the position of Grand Secretary in the Hall of Central Harmony. Now there are still many of your former students in the court. It seems that the position of headmaster of Songhe Academy this time must surely belong to you and no one else."

At these words, everyone chimed in agreement.

Some even bowed to him and offered congratulations, "Congratulations indeed, Master Qi."

Qi Shuguang smiled faintly and said, "You all flatter me too much. I am of mediocre talent and have been living in seclusion in Langya for over a decade. I dare not covet the position of headmaster. Once this matter is concluded, I will return to Langya. Please, everyone, do not hesitate to use your talents and contribute to the academy."

His implication was that he had only come to observe this time and had no interest in the position.

Hearing this, many people secretly felt relieved and praised him again for his modesty as they continued walking.

While these eminent scholars and famous experts were speaking freely in the Wenyuan Pavilion, Yanshu was just leisurely waking up.

As she lounged in bed, rubbing her belly and pondering what to eat for breakfast, she suddenly heard a ding from the system, [The Empress Dowager and Chancellor Qi just met.]

What?

She sat up with a start and fired off a series of questions, [When did they meet? Where did they meet? How did I not know about this???]

The system replied, [While you were just dreaming. The Empress Dowager went for an early morning stroll, and Chancellor Qi was on his way with the others to attend a meeting at the Wenyuan Pavilion. They ran into each other in the Imperial Garden.]

Yanshu: [!!!]

Darn it, if she had known, she would have waited in the Imperial Garden too!

How could a CP fan miss such an important moment?!

She could only ask further, [So what was the scene like when they reunited? Did they stare at each other in stunned silence for a long moment before slowly calling out each other's names?]

The system: [...You're thinking too much. There were so many people around! The Empress Dowager just said it had been a long time, and Qi Shuguang only kowtowed to her before they parted.]

"..."

Well, given the current circumstances, that was probably all they could do.

But even if their status made it impossible, they still managed to meet, didn't they?

This was happening much faster than she had expected!

Yanshu thought to herself, it must be heaven's arrangement.

Thinking of this, and remembering the task the Emperor had given her last night, she quickly got up to dress, had a quick breakfast, and went to the Palace of Benevolent Peace.

She was excited and agitated all the way there, but when she arrived, she saw the Empress Dowager looking as calm as ever, arranging some water lilies.

"This subject pays respects to the Empress Dowager."

Yanshu paid her respects and then stepped forward to compliment, "These water lilies smell wonderful. I could smell them from the hall entrance."

The Empress Dowager sighed and said, "They're fragrant when they first bloom, but after a while, they lose their scent. As they say, 'Gather ye rosebuds while ye may.'"

Yanshu: "..."

Why did that sound so profound...

Could she be reflecting on her affairs with the Chancellor?

She glanced up surreptitiously and saw the Empress Dowager's eyes downcast, seeming somewhat sorrowful.

Yanshu silently sighed and quickly tried to divert the Empress Dowager's attention, "The Emperor intends to arrange a banquet in the palace, specifically to entertain the families of the eminent scholars who have come to the capital this time. He wants to ask for your guidance, Empress Dowager. What do you think?"

The Empress Dowager raised an eyebrow and said, "I think it seems somewhat unnecessary."

Huh?

Yanshu was stunned and quickly asked, "Why would you think so, Your Highness?"

Before the Empress Dowager could speak, Yanshu heard the system say, [The Empress Dowager doesn't know that Qi Shuguang is single. She's afraid of seeing his family and feeling uncomfortable.]

Yanshu: [I see.]

Just then, the Empress Dowager spoke, "The affairs of scholars should be discussed in the imperial court. Why involve the inner palace?"

This was clearly an excuse, and it seemed to contain a hint of sourness.

Yanshu thought for a moment and quickly said, "Now that Songhe Academy belongs to the court, the Emperor naturally attaches great importance to it. He also wants these gentlemen to feel his sincerity. Moreover, the Emperor said that this time he plans to invite the families of some officials as well, about seven or eight, with the rest mainly being the families of these scholars. The total number would only be around a dozen or so. However, it's strange that among the four most famous scholars this time, only three have brought their families. That Master Qi from Langya didn't bring anyone."

At these words, the Empress Dowager's hand, which had been arranging the water lilies, paused, but she pretended to ask casually, "Why didn't he bring anyone?"

Yanshu said, "I heard that gentleman is all alone and has never married."

As these words fell, the Empress Dowager paused again.

— He had never married.

In the past, there were always people trying to arrange matches for him, but he never accepted.

Who would have thought that after so many years, he was still alone?

Then Yanshu continued, "So that's one less person. The gathering doesn't need to be too large. Oh, and there's also a young madam from the Tiande Academy in Xiangyang, who is said to be of royal blood."

Hmm?

The Empress Dowager came back to herself and asked, "Who is she?"

Yanshu said, "I heard she's the granddaughter of the Prince of Nanping, surnamed Chen. She seems quite young."

The Empress Dowager thought for a moment and nodded, "Indeed, the Prince of Nanping's eldest son-in-law is surnamed Chen. Years ago, when the Prince of Nanping and his wife passed away from illness, their son inherited the title but was not very honest. He attempted to cause trouble before the Emperor ascended the throne, so the Emperor confined him to his fief. In consideration of his father's loyalty, the Emperor only stripped the titles of his close relatives, leaving them to fend for themselves."

Come to think of it, when she first entered the Yuwen family, that old sister-in-law, the Princess of Nanping, had been quite kind to her.

...

It's a pity her descendants turned out so poorly.

The Empress Dowager nodded and said, "Since there's a descendant of an old acquaintance, we might as well meet them."

Yanshu quickly nodded and replied, "Yes, it's quite hot these days. Why don't we arrange it in the Yunshui Pavilion? It will be cooler there."

The Empress Dowager made a sound of agreement, "You can make the arrangements."

As her words fell, her mind returned to what she had just heard—

He had never married.

This fool, did he not want to leave any descendants in this life?

That day, invitations from the palace were sent out to the ladies who had accompanied their husbands to the capital. The Imperial Kitchens and the Court of Imperial Sacrifices immediately began preparations.

Thus, by the next morning, the ladies gathered at the Yunshui Pavilion to pay their respects to the Empress Dowager.

Yanshu accompanied the Empress Dowager as she received them. She saw that most of these ladies were in their forties, varying in height and build, but mostly with a quiet demeanor.

However, among them was one lady who was tall and robust, with a bright and cheerful disposition that particularly caught the eye. This was the wife of Gu Hongbai, the famous scholar from Lanling.

Yanshu immediately became interested and asked the system, [This lady seems to be in excellent physical condition. Could she be from a martial arts background?]

The system replied, [That's right. Madam Gu is the daughter of a famous martial arts family in Lanling, and her kung fu is excellent. Years ago, when she went out to the market, she happened to come across the handsome scholar Gu Hongbai, who was setting up a fortune-telling stall and being harassed by some ruffians. She immediately stepped in to right the wrong, kicking the ruffians to the ground and rescuing Master Gu. The two of them formed a bond from that moment on.]

Yanshu's eyes lit up.

- This sounds like an interesting little sweet story!

But why was this Mr. Gu out on the streets fortune-telling when he was young instead of studying properly?

Tsk, it seems I'll need to learn more about this later.

Just as she was thinking this, she saw a woman in her forties leading a young lady approach. They bowed to her and the Empress Dowager, saying, "This humble servant is Madam Wang from Xiangyang, accompanied by my daughter-in-law Lady Chen. We pay our respects to the Empress Dowager and Consort Yi."

Xiangyang, Lady Chen?

So this was the granddaughter of the Prince of Nanping.

Yanshu hurriedly introduced her to the Empress Dowager, "This is the lady I mentioned to you yesterday, Your Majesty."

The Empress Dowager nodded, examining Lady Chen. She appeared to be about seventeen or eighteen years old, with a beautiful face. Her eyes and brows seemed to still carry traces of her grandmother, the Princess Consort of Nanping from years ago.

However, her expression lacked the spirit of her grandmother. Her gaze was lowered, giving an impression of meekness and submission.

The Empress Dowager sighed inwardly. A good descendant of the imperial clan, ruined by that unfortunate uncle, has now become an ordinary girl.

She said, "I used to spend a lot of time with your grandmother back then, and I watched your mother grow up. How is your mother doing now?"

But Lady Chen lowered her head and replied, "I regret to inform Your Majesty that my mother has passed away."

This was truly a sad thing to hear.

The Empress Dowager sighed, "After many years apart, many people are no longer here to meet."

As they spoke, Yanshu quietly observed the young lady, feeling something was strange.

On this hot day, while others were wearing low-necked summer clothes, her garments had a high collar, tightly buttoned up, looking uncomfortably warm. Her sleeves also reached down to her fingers, as if she was afraid to expose her wrists.

Combined with her demeanor...

Yanshu quickly asked the system, [Why does this girl seem so unhappy?]

The system replied, [Who could be happy when they're beaten and scolded by their husband every day?]

What?

Yanshu was stunned and hurriedly asked, [What's going on? Isn't her husband's family from a scholarly background in Xiangyang? Her father-in-law Hong Yusheng is even the principal of Tiande Academy! And she's considered a relative of the imperial clan, how dare her husband beat and scold her at will?]

The system responded, [Even great scholars can raise degenerates! Her mother-in-law, Madam Wang, actually spoils her son excessively, indulging his violent temper and unreasonableness. He beats his wife at the slightest provocation. The reason this girl is dressed so conservatively is to prevent others from seeing the bruises and injuries on her body.]

Outrageous! Domestic violence cannot be tolerated!!!

Yanshu was furious and quickly asked, [Don't her in-laws intervene? What about her own father?]

The system explained, [Her father-in-law takes pride in his son's scholarship and doesn't care about these matters. They specifically brought her to the capital this time because they want their son to secure a position at Songhe Academy. Her mother-in-law even blames the girl for not being able to bear children, often verbally abusing her!]

[As for her own father, he's even worse. The Emperor didn't punish him back then, only stripped him of his title, but left him with the family property. However, he was lazy and gluttonous, squandering everything within a few years. That's why he married off his daughter to that beast in human clothing from the Hong family, just for some dowry!]

This infuriated Yanshu even more, [Another girl being exploited! Even if she had children in such an environment, it would be miserable! Besides, how can they blame the woman for not having children? It's usually the man's fault!]

She suddenly found Madam Wang extremely distasteful, wanting to spit in disgust.

This matter couldn't be ignored.

So she thought for a moment and said to Lady Chen, "It's so hot today, have you caught a cold? Why are you dressed so heavily?"

In fact, the Empress Dowager had also noticed this earlier and asked with concern, "Are you perhaps exhausted from the long journey? Would you like us to summon the imperial physician to examine you?"

However, Madam Wang hurriedly replied, "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. She's fine, just naturally cold-natured and afraid of the cold."

Lady Chen herself didn't dare to speak.

The Empress Dowager observed this and merely nodded, saying, "That's good then. Please, take a seat and rest."

Today's gathering didn't have many guests, and the banquet wasn't long. After about an hour, it came to an end.

As everyone came forward to bid farewell, the Empress Dowager said to Lady Chen, "Since you're a relative of the imperial clan and it's rare for you to enter the palace, why don't you stay behind and chat with me for a while before leaving?"

Yanshu's eyes lit up. Seeing that Madam Wang was about to speak, she quickly interjected, "Don't worry, Madam Hong. After the Empress Dowager finishes talking with your daughter-in-law, we'll naturally send her back to the guesthouse. You can go back first."

Madam Wang was taken aback, hesitated for a moment, but could only respond, "Yes."

Thus, after everyone had left the palace, the Empress Dowager took Lady Chen back to the Palace of Benevolent Peace.

Once they were alone, the Empress Dowager said to Lady Chen, "You know, your grandmother took great care of me back then. I've always remembered that over the years. That's why I specifically kept you behind to talk. You are of the Yuwen clan's bloodline, so you can consider this your maternal home. Tell me, how are you faring in the Hong family?"

As she finished speaking, Lady Chen's expression shifted slightly, her eyes seeming to mist over.

However, after a moment's hesitation, she said, "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I... I'm fine, doing well in the Hong family..."

Seeing this, Yanshu sighed and quickly said, "Don't worry, the Empress Dowager kept you behind today with the intention of helping you. As a member of the imperial bloodline, you really don't need to worry about the Hong family. If they're not treating you well, you can always divorce and remarry. After all, you have the Empress Dowager's support."

Hearing this, the Empress Dowager raised an eyebrow and glanced at Yanshu.

This girl, quite good at volunteering her for things, isn't she?

Yanshu's eyes darted around, and she quickly added, "The Empress Dowager is known for her hatred of evil and her fairness. She would never stand by and do nothing."

As she finished speaking, the Empress Dowager nodded and said to Lady Chen, "Indeed. If you have any troubles, feel free to speak up. Once you return to Xiangyang, I might not be able to help you anymore."

Upon hearing this, Lady Chen paused for a moment.

Then suddenly, tears welled up in her eyes, and she cried, "I... I don't want to live anymore..."

After crying for a while, she voluntarily loosened her collar and cuffs, showing the Empress Dowager, "These are all from Hong Tianzong's beatings. Your Majesty, I... I really don't want to live anymore!"

The Empress Dowager hurried to look and saw that her arms were covered in bruises, and her neck even had finger marks, clearly from being choked.

Yanshu was also shocked by the sight and immediately said to the Empress Dowager, "Your Majesty, this man actually dares to abuse a member of the imperial bloodline like this. He absolutely cannot be let off lightly!"

Hearing this, the Empress Dowager nodded and quickly ordered, "Someone, go inform His Majesty that I am summoning Hong Tianzong for an audience."

Immediately, a palace servant responded and quickly headed to Qianming Palace.

Soon, the Emperor in his study received the news.

The Empress Dowager had only summoned Hong Tianzong without mentioning the reason. Although he found it a bit strange, he still sent someone to the guesthouse to fetch him.

Come to think of it, Hong Tianzong, known as a talented scholar from Xiangyang, had impressed many officials yesterday at Wenyuan Pavilion with his impromptu poetry.

Of course, given his age, being a principal was far from enough, but he could certainly become a lecturer at the academy.

As he had matters at hand, after dispatching someone to fetch Hong Tianzong, Emperor Yuwen Lan returned his attention to the memorials before him.

By the time he finished reading the memorials, about half an hour had passed.

Thinking that Hong Tianzong must have arrived at the Palace of Benevolent Peace by now, he became curious and decided to see why the Empress Dowager had summoned this man.

So he left his study.

However, as he approached the Palace of Benevolent Peace, before he could enter, he suddenly heard a man's agonized scream from inside.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, please have mercy..."

Emperor Yuwen Lan: "???"