A Quiet Homecoming

At Shou'an Palace.

The Empress Dowager sat at her desk, brush in hand, copying scriptures. Dangui stepped lightly into the hall and murmured, "Empress Dowager, Eunuch De is outside seeking an audience."

The Empress Dowager's hand paused. She looked up, then set the brush down on the rest.

"It must be the Emperor's doing. Let him in."

"This servant pays respects to the Empress Dowager." Eunuch De hurried in and bowed.

The Empress Dowager raised a hand, signaling him to rise. "Speak. The Emperor should have known my intentions. What does he say?"

"His Majesty says he will handle this matter as he sees fit, and asks that you not worry yourself," Eunuch De relayed Xiao Mingting's words, head lowered, his tone respectful.

The Empress Dowager's brows arched slightly. The old ministers who had once pressed the Emperor to marry had all been retired by him. She had orchestrated Xie Chenyao's encounter with him, yet he merely sent someone with a few lazy words.

That alone spoke volumes.

"I understand." Her tone was flat, her gaze resting on the scriptures as she pondered silently.

*

Because the Empress Dowager's favor toward Chen Yao at the flower-viewing banquet had been so conspicuous—she'd bestowed a bracelet and praised her extravagantly after her zither performance—everyone concluded she truly valued the Number One Scholar's wife.

Meanwhile, in court, the Emperor had also entrusted Shen Yunxiu with real responsibility, granting her the substantive post of Sixth-Rank Director in the Ministry of Revenue—a genuine, weighty appointment.

As a result, invitations from various households for Chen Yao to attend their banquets began to pour in endlessly.

Many she could not decline. Any hint of favoritism would breed talk that the Shen household was putting on airs, and that would ultimately harm Shen Yunxiu's career.

Even with Yuan Wangshu and Qu Zhujun often at her side, Chen Yao found it exhausting.

Fortunately, not long afterward came the plot point where the female lead encountered the male lead at Baohua Temple, and their bond deepened as they talked late into the night. During that time, the male lead vaguely sensed something unusual in his feelings for the female lead, but he didn't dwell on it. Then assassins struck, and the female lead resolved the crisis with quick wit while also saving the Empress Dowager, who happened to be praying at the temple.

*

Today the sky was clear, the sunlight just right.

A low-key, understated carriage set out from the Shen residence, heading slowly toward Baohua Temple outside the city.

"At the very least, before you topped the imperial examinations, I went to Baohua Temple to draw a fortune stick. Now it's only natural that I should go back to fulfill my vow."

Inside the carriage, Chen Yao kept her hands folded on her knees, her tone full of conviction.

"Fine, whatever you say. Haven't I come along with you?" Shen Yunxiu let out a light cough, her eyes brimming with indulgent amusement.

"But you don't look very willing." Chen Yao pouted, the corners of her pretty eyes drooping.

"How could that be? Perhaps I simply slept a bit late last night, so I'm feeling drowsy now." Shen Yunxiu explained gently.

Recently, there had been a drought in the south. She worried that prolonged dryness would breed locusts, plunging the people into even greater misery. So, while her mind was clear at night, she had drafted a memorial. Once the three-day rest period was over, she planned to present her case directly to His Majesty at court.

Chen Yao, however, knew nothing of this. But that wasn't her fault. In this world, how many brilliant and refined women were trapped within the confines of grand mansions, their horizons limited, forced to fixate only on the trivial affairs before their eyes, forever unable to touch the affairs of the realm?

That she could now disguise herself as a man and enter the court, participating in governmental matters only men were permitted to engage in, was already a stroke of fortune—yet it also reflected the misfortune of all women under heaven.

Shen Yunxiu sighed softly inwardly.

"You didn't rest well last night?"

Chen Yao didn't know what was on her mind; she simply noticed the faint dark tinge under Shen Yunxiu's eyes, and her almond-shaped eyes widened instinctively.

Then, in a guilt-laden tone, she said, "I'm sorry. If I'd been more observant, I wouldn't have failed to notice. Otherwise, I definitely wouldn't have dragged you out early this morning."

"It's fine. It happens to be our day off. Accompanying you to Baohua Temple for a stroll is like a spring outing—quite relaxing, really." Shen Yunxiu smiled gently.

Seeing that Shen Yunxiu truly didn't take it to heart, Chen Yao curved her eyes into a smile and softly hummed in acknowledgment. "Mm."

But the carriage had barely left the West Gate when the rapid sound of horse hooves suddenly came from behind.

"Xilan, my good brother, wait for me!" It was Yuan Fuju's loud cry.

Shen Yunxiu, who had been chatting with Chen Yao, twitched her ears slightly. She turned sideways, lifted the carriage curtain, and followed the sound behind them.

Sure enough, she saw Yuan Fuju riding a tall horse, galloping swiftly toward them.

"Yuan Xuzhi?" Shen Yunxiu was a bit puzzled, but she promptly stopped the coachman up front, then stepped down from the carriage to greet him.

She knitted her brows and asked with some concern, "Brother Yuan, how did you come to be here? Has something happened?"

"Can't I come find you even if nothing has happened?"

Yuan Fuju, who had just dismounted from his horse, finally caught his breath and immediately retorted with feigned displeasure.

"That's not what I meant." Shen Yunxiu waved her hand helplessly.

Yuan Fuju kept his face stern and deliberately let out a "tsk" at her. "I think that's exactly what you meant."

He knew his good friend was taking his wife out of the city for a spring outing. But since it was a rare day off, and they hadn't had a chance to gather in a long time, yet he was only thinking about his wife and neglecting his friends—that was simply too inconsiderate.

Chen Yao sat in the carriage without showing herself. But listening to the exchange between Shen Yunxiu and Yuan Fuju outside, she couldn't help but sigh.

"The relationship between the male supporting character and the female lead should be relatively pure, right? Even if he secretly admires her, it's hidden quite deeply—he might not even realize it himself."

She kept her ears perked, continuing to unabashedly eavesdrop on the conversation outside, while simultaneously complaining to System 04 in her mind, "But from the look of him, it's obviously super obvious, you know? And listen to that tone—tsk tsk, he sounds just like a jealous husband."

System 04 replied in a rigid, matter-of-fact manner, "Host, it's perfectly normal for details in the plot to deviate."

"Fine. Even though the male supporting character has no role at all in the Baohua Temple plot, it's still normal for him to chase after us now, right? I understand." Chen Yao curled the corner of her lips.

Anyway, System 04 only ever said that one thing now. It seemed it truly had no other tricks left.