Blood gushed from the gaping wound, splashing onto the filthy dust beneath his feet. His henchmen and subordinates, already in utter despair, fled for their lives without looking back. Who among them thought of coming to his rescue?!
"superior!"
"Let's go into town!"
"Clear the way for His Majesty!"
"Quickly, get to the city wall and capture Yun Zong alive!"
His shouts echoed through the heavens and earth, but his mind became hazy in waves. Before him lay a fire that would burn everything, a fire that also burned on his path toward the gates of hell.
The bleeding was too much, and the pain was too intense. The pain reminded him of when he was just an unknown eunuch in the palace, and he was punished with caning for offending a maidservant who was favored by the emperor's concubine.
He once thought he would be beaten to death, but he survived with great difficulty. In such a place, status and power determine life and death. Hatred and the desire for power made him climb up at all costs.
Those palace maids, those favored concubines—after he rose from eunuch to high-ranking official and finally became the Ninth Prince, all died at his hands. He was arrogant, even turning the Empress into his puppet. He thought he had reached a point where he would never be humiliated again, but…
But all this power was ultimately shattered by the fierce blade from the Northwest.
"I will never regret it."
He gave a hoarse, cold laugh, his gaze gradually unfocused, but his head remained raised, staring in the direction of Xi Chenzhou.
“I’m waiting… Hahaha, you’ll kill her sooner or later… That seat can’t hold a second person. You’ll kill her for my power sooner or later. I’m waiting…”
Everyone turned to look at him, but Xi Chenzhou remained unmoved and said calmly, "You've always been wrong about one thing."
"What……"
“I raised an army, I attacked cities, I killed people, I entered the palace,” Xi Chenzhou said, “but never for power or the throne.”
He raised his hand and took Tongsu's hand, glancing at her with a gentle look in his eyes, his affection as deep as the sea.
"All I've ever planned for is one person."
On New Year's Day of that year, the Empress finally donned the dragon robe and officially assumed power.
All oppressive policies and heavy taxes were abolished, corrupt officials who embezzled and abused their power, and incompetent officials who held their positions without doing their jobs were all brought to justice. A large number of talented new scholars were selected, and the imperial court was completely renewed.
The new Kang dynasty changed its name to Tong and set the reign title as "Yong'an". Whether it was divine favor or not, the first year of Yong'an was blessed with good weather and abundant harvests, and even the crops in the fields yielded more than three times the harvest.
Spring came exceptionally early in the second year of Yong'an. The green hills outside the city were bursting with the promise of spring, and as I rode my horse past, I could see lush green grass everywhere I looked.
Tongsu loosened the reins, letting the light-gold Ferghana horse beneath her roam freely, a light smile on her face.
"Just as I left the capital, I saw that the Changning Marquis's family was preparing for a wedding. They sent the dowry a day early. The bride was said to be the youngest daughter of her family, and the dowry was a full 120 loads."
“One hundred and twenty loads is too meager. I have long-term plans and have prepared several hundred loads long ago.”
"...You have a wedding planned in your household?!"
The man nodded thoughtfully: "You could say yes, or you could say no."
Tong Su pursed her lips: "What do you mean?"
"I say yes because there was a verbal engagement made long ago; I say no because," the man chuckled, "a certain unfaithful woman has repeatedly made excuses and prevarications, and as time has passed, she has never mentioned the six rites, which makes me suspect that she has changed her mind."
Tongsu reacted instantly, lightly kicking the horse's belly to urge it forward. Her cheeks flushed red, her eyes darted around, and she suddenly started whimpering.
"Isn't it because... I've just assumed power and have been too busy this past year? There's politics, the new imperial examinations, and the Grand Tutor has to teach me the Four Books and Five Classics."
"Has His Majesty mastered all four books?"
"More or less, I've basically got it. What's wrong?"
"I do have a chapter of the Great Learning that I do not understand, and I would like to ask Your Majesty for a detailed explanation."
"you say."
Tong Su was eager to show him her talents, and confidently let him ask her questions. When she turned around, she saw the man reining in his horse and smiling gently.
"The Great Learning says: 'Only when the mind is rectified can the person be cultivated; only when the person is cultivated can the family be regulated; only when the family is regulated can the state be governed; only when the state is governed can the world be at peace.' Your Majesty, which should come first, 'regulating the family' or 'governing the state'?"
"...I think the general has become increasingly glib lately. Before 'managing the family and governing the country,' he should first learn what 'uprightness of heart' and 'self-cultivation' mean!"
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