When the last tear of the old era quietly dried within the high walls of the cold palace, the gears of the new era began to turn with unprecedented vitality.
After purging the old faction, filling in the ranks with new officials, and reforming the harem, the once beset by internal and external troubles and teetering on the brink of collapse finally regained its footing on the ruins and began to thrive again.
As the creators of all this, Xiao Che and Lin Wanwan finally enjoyed a rare, peaceful night.
That night, Xiao Che did not stay in the imperial study to review memorials or handle any official business. He dismissed all the palace servants who accompanied him and, alone, took Lin Wanwan's hand and climbed to the highest observatory in the palace.
This is the highest point in the entire Forbidden City, and the closest place to the starry sky. The evening breeze, carrying the chill of early winter, fluttered the hem of their clothes, but it could not dispel the peaceful warmth between them.
"Standing here, it feels like the entire capital city is at my feet," Lin Wanwan sighed softly as she gazed into the distance from the railing.
From this vantage point, the view is incredibly expansive. Below, the massive outline of the imperial palace lies silently beneath the moonlight, like a sleeping behemoth. Beyond the palace walls stretches the vast and boundless capital city.
Millions of lights, like stars scattered across every corner of the city, outlined the layout of the market and the direction of the streets. Streaks of light converged, forming a flowing river of light that stretched all the way to the distant, dark border of the city walls. In the distance, several temples and pagodas, burning brightly all night, could be faintly seen, radiating a soft glow in the night.
The entire capital city, like a dazzling sea of stars, quickly returned to its tranquility and prosperity as the heart of the empire after the brief panic of the palace coup.
"So beautiful." Lin Wanwan was immersed in the magnificent night view and exclaimed sincerely. This shimmering light represented stability, vitality, and the life force of a vast empire.
She turned her head, wanting to share this joy and sense of accomplishment with Xiao Che beside her. She thought that he would feel the same pride as her for this prosperous land that belonged to him.
However, she saw that Xiao Che was just standing quietly beside her, also gazing into the distance from the railing, but his brows were slightly furrowed, and his eyes did not show much appreciation, but rather a hint of scrutiny and criticism.
Lin Wanwan was somewhat surprised. She followed his gaze and saw the same dazzling sea of lights, nothing seemed amiss.
Just as she was puzzled, Xiao Che suddenly turned his head, looked at her, and asked a question that left Lin Wanwan dumbfounded in an extremely serious tone.
"Wanwan, look, isn't my empire... a little ugly?"
"ugly?"
Lin Wanwan repeated the word in astonishment, momentarily thinking she had misheard.
Pointing to the dazzling, dreamlike night view below, she asked, puzzled, "What's ugly about it? Aren't all these lights and bustling traffic beautiful?"
In her view, this was the ultimate in romance and splendor that an ancient city could present.
"It does look quite nice on the surface." Xiao Che nodded, acknowledging her statement. Then, he changed the subject, raising his hand and pointing to an area in the distance.
“But look there,” he said, his tone like that of a craftsman nitpicking his failed work, “that’s Yong’an Ward in the south of the city, one of the largest commercial districts in the capital. But right next to it is Anle Ward, the most densely populated residential area. The noise of the shops and the rest of the residents are mixed together, the streets are narrow and the crowds are congested. If a fire were to occur, the consequences would be unimaginable. The planning of the wards and markets is a complete mess.”
Lin Wanwan looked in the direction he pointed. Although it was not very clear in the darkness, after he pointed it out, the lights in that area did indeed appear crowded and chaotic, without any order.
Before she could react, Xiao Che's finger moved to another spot, where a winding river, shimmering in the moonlight, flowed through the city.
“And look at the downstream section of that moat,” he frowned even more deeply, “the riverbed is clearly silted up and the water flow is sluggish. It’s fine on ordinary days, but it will inevitably backflow during the rainy season. At that time, the people living along the river will suffer.”
Then he pointed to the distant outline of the city wall.
"That section of the city wall was left over from the previous dynasty and has been in disrepair for many years. When I left the palace last time, I saw with my own eyes that the bricks were falling off. If there were a war, I'm afraid it wouldn't even be able to withstand a volley of slingshots."
...
Xiao Che stood on the star-gazing platform, pointing out the "landscape" he saw one by one.
In his words, the romantic and dazzling night view that Lin Wanwan had seen seemed to instantly transform into a city planning map full of bugs and flaws.
The planning here is chaotic, the facilities there are outdated, there are safety hazards here, and there is an eyesore there...
What he saw was no longer the bustling prosperity of countless homes, but the responsibility of rebuilding everything hidden beneath that prosperity.
Lin Wanwan stared at him blankly as he frowned and earnestly complained about the "ugliness" of his kingdom. Suddenly, an unprecedented feeling welled up in her heart.
At this moment, what she saw was no longer a partner who would act coquettishly, get jealous, or say one thing but mean another, but a monarch who truly cared for the world.
His vision had long surpassed mere appreciation; it had penetrated the very fabric of the city, revealing its ills and contemplating its future. This unexpected, almost "occupational" quality, rather than any sweet words, highlighted his sense of responsibility and duty as an emperor.
After a long while, Xiao Che finally stopped his "roast session".
He seemed to realize he had spoiled the mood, so he coughed lightly and turned away somewhat embarrassedly.
He sighed, his tone tinged with helplessness and melancholy: "The previous dynasty valued civil affairs over military matters, focusing only on beautifying the superficial prosperity of the capital while the interior was already riddled with problems. After my father ascended the throne, he was constantly engaged in wars and had no time to attend to these issues. Under the Regent, he only knew how to plunder and not how to build anything up... Alas, the problems are too deep to be reversed."
After he finished speaking, he turned his head and looked at Lin Wanwan, hoping to find a glimmer of approval in her eyes.
However, when he saw Lin Wanwan's bright eyes, full of smiles and understanding, he was slightly taken aback.
He saw that there was no displeasure in her eyes from his "spoiler," but rather a deeper understanding and resonance.
In that instant, all the helplessness and heaviness in his heart seemed to find an outlet.
He looked at her, at the only woman who could understand him and the only one who could help him, and his eyes suddenly shone with an astonishing light—a light that seemed to have found a kindred spirit, filled with hope and anticipation.
“Therefore,” he began slowly, his voice low and solemn, carrying a serious invitation, “I wish to be with you.”
"Let's make it the way we all like it."
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