Chapter 64, the grand finale...
Fu Heng had suspected before that Meng Qingci might already have someone else in her heart. At her age, what girl doesn't dream of love? Yet she always exuded an excessive aloofness.
But back then, he could never truly understand her. She seemed to keep everyone at a distance, whether it was the people of the Marquis of Anyi's mansion or the Song brothers. No matter who it was, she could always turn away without a second thought, leaving with an air of nonchalance.
It wasn't until Fu Heng discovered her secret with Gu Huaixu that his suspicions were almost confirmed. How could he let someone else have what he couldn't have? Heaven knows how his repeated suspicions were almost uncontrollable, and he wanted to skin Gu Huaixu alive.
After hearing Meng Qingci's words that pierced his heart, Fu Heng was filled with regret. Now that Meng Qingci was his empress, her title was set and could not be changed. Why should he bring up the past and only entangle the two of them again?
Heaven knows how relieved Fu Heng was inside the Imperial Study while Meng Qingci was dealing with Cui Lingyi outside the study, relieved that someone was sharing his anger.
Meng Qingci was not about to give in to him at this moment. She pounded on his firm, iron-like chest and pushed him away. She was truly fed up with Fu Heng's fickle nature.
He may seem obedient now, but it's just that he can't withstand the torment of suspicion. What she fears is precisely this long-standing distrust, which, once it erupts, will one day take Gu Yuchen's life.
Since that's the case, she might as well take this opportunity to admit it. Given Fu Heng's dog-like temper, he would probably go back to suspecting her.
Fu Heng let Meng Qingci push him, but he wouldn't let go of her arms. He carefully apologized repeatedly, saying, "Qingci, calm down, I really know I was wrong."
Meng Qingci was trapped between Fu Heng and the imperial desk, with nowhere to retreat. Seeing that Fu Heng still acted with an unyielding attitude, attempting to gloss over what had happened that day, she was not about to give up.
Taking advantage of Fu Heng's sudden outburst, Meng Qingci pulled out the golden phoenix hairpin from her hair and pressed it against the artery in her neck.
Because Meng Qingci was also agitated, she lost her aim, and the sharp tip of the hairpin immediately pierced her porcelain-white skin.
The artery in her neck was pressed by the tip of the hairpin, throbbing violently. Fu Heng's pupils constricted in fright, and he tried to reach out to stop her, but Meng Qingci shouted, "Don't move!" As she spoke, the tip of the hairpin pierced a little deeper, and a trickle of blood flowed down.
Fu Heng's breath hitched, and he quickly stepped back an inch, his voice unusually flustered: "I won't touch you, please don't hurt yourself."
Meng Qingci half-closed her eyes and said sarcastically, "I'll go first, and you can do whatever you want with him. Wouldn't that be even better for you? Then I'll really die because of him, and you won't have to have so many suspicions anymore."
Fu Heng shook his head, but dared not touch her. His fingers, hanging at his sides, were trembling slightly. If he had felt three parts regret just now, he felt twelve parts remorse now.
Meng Qingci was never one to cry or make a scene, nor would she easily risk her life in front of him. Before, on the ship, when he angered her so much, she even took a hairpin and stabbed him.
Fu Heng's face was ashen, and he said dejectedly, "Don't be afraid. He is useful to the country, and I will not harm him."
Meng Qingci smiled bitterly: "You know perfectly well, yet you still want to test him. Don't you have murderous intentions towards him? Fu Heng, you are truly insatiable. Why not give me this corpse, and you will finally be done with it."
Fu Heng knew that saying anything more at this point would be of no use. Seeing her tightly gripping the hairpin, giving him no chance whatsoever, and feeling his heart pound with every pulse in her neck, he said, "No, don't say such unlucky things. I was indeed a bastard in this matter." He gritted his teeth and finally said, "I swear I will never touch him again."
Meng Qingci sneered and said sarcastically, "Is that so? He saved my life before, and because of me, he can no longer stand up. We were childhood sweethearts for more than 20 years. How could you tolerate that?"
Fu Heng knew that Meng Qingci always liked to say the opposite of what she meant to make him unhappy, but at this moment he felt that what she said might not be false. However, he dared not have the slightest resentment, for fear that she would become disheartened and kill herself.
Fu Heng knew how morbid his possessiveness was. Even though he knew it was another life for her and Gu Huaixu, he still couldn't help but be jealous and couldn't help but care.
He was jealous that Gu Huaixu had earned her unconditional trust; he was jealous that Gu Huaixu had once received her affection, kinship, friendship, and love—he was jealous of everything.
He messed things up back then, so why should Gu Huaixu get her wholehearted devotion, even when he's not around, making her insanely jealous?
Fu Heng did not answer immediately. He lowered his eyes and tried to slow his breathing: "I know he is out of the game. Today was my fault. You have punished me. I am willing to make amends."
He looked at her almost pleadingly: "Didn't you want to abolish the lowly status of entertainers? Didn't you want to eliminate all brothels and theaters in the world? I have already arranged someone for you. Do whatever you want."
Meng Qingci was only trying to scare Fu Heng, so he was quite surprised to hear this. He didn't expect that Fu Heng, who had just ascended the throne and was busy with many things, would still take the time to handle this matter first. He was not unmoved at all.
Seeing that she had softened a bit, Fu Heng breathed a sigh of relief: "Please forgive me, my wife, for the sake of my devoted love."
Meng Qingci loosened her grip on the hairpin and raised an eyebrow, saying, "Your infatuation is truly something I can't bear to accept."
Fu Heng quickly followed the 'ladder' she offered, grabbed Meng Qingci's hand holding the golden phoenix hairpin, snatched the hairpin from her hand and threw it onto the imperial desk, then pulled her into his arms, pressing her tightly against his chest, and only then did his heart, which had been pounding, settle down.
He stroked Meng Qingci's back, still feeling lingering fear: "Qingci, Qingci, I know you have been very tolerant of me. As long as you don't leave me, as long as you don't fall in love with anyone else, what does it matter if you want this world?"
As he spoke, Fu Heng carried Meng Qingci horizontally to the bedchamber in the back hall, took a towel, wet it, and carefully wiped away the bloodstains on her neck, sighing as he said, "If you are angry, just stab me. Why hurt yourself?"
Meng Qing turned her head away, not wanting to pay him any attention. He looked docile now, but if she gave him even a little kindness, he would become arrogant again.
Fu Heng thought darkly: So what if Gu Huaixu was once her age? So what if Gu Huaixu still had feelings for her? So what if Meng Qingci still treated Gu Huaixu specially? He now firmly held her in his palm, and as long as the world was his, she would not leave him.
After wiping it clean, Fu Heng took out the ointment and carefully applied it little by little to her wound.
As if trying to prove that Meng Qingci had feelings for him, his large hands became restless. Only when she was moved by his feelings would Fu Heng feel that Meng Qingci had some affection for him, and that she was not just using him or compromising herself.
Disgusted by the elaborate and heavy skirt, Meng Qingci was shocked. Forgetting everything else, she grabbed his wrist, her delicate eyebrows furrowed, and said in embarrassment and annoyance, "Are you crazy? This is the Imperial Study."
Fu Heng's voice was low and husky as he kissed the sensitive spot behind her ear, coaxing her, "Without my orders, no one dares to come in."
Meng Qingci wasn't saying that to him at all: "No, you may be shameless, but I still have my pride. Let go of me now."
However, she was no match for Fu Heng's strength and was easily subdued by him. In just a moment, her palace attire was disheveled, and her hairpins fell onto the imperial desk with a crisp sound.
Meng Qingci gasped and punched Fu Heng on the shoulder: "Are you crazy?"
Fu Heng gave a wry smile: "Didn't you always know that?"
Meng Qingci tilted her head back, revealing a section of her slender, white neck, where a small wound had dried up, blooming into a decadent yet dazzling flower.
She dug her fingers into Fu Heng's thick black hair, biting her lip to suppress a sound.
Fu Heng saw that she was moved, her skin glowed pink, her clear eyes became misty, and her long, dark eyes surged.
Outside the Imperial Study, Deputy Steward Liu Yusheng and Xiao Ruizi, among others, initially heard faint noises coming from inside the hall, all of which were the Empress's stern rebukes of His Majesty.
Everyone lowered their heads, not daring to breathe, for fear that His Majesty's wrath would affect them, the servants. They wished they had never been born with ears.
Gradually, the Empress's reprimands subsided. Outside, the eunuchs and palace maids stood in fear, each silently praying.
Before long, the deputy steward Liu Yusheng vaguely heard some intriguing sounds coming from the imperial study.
Liu Yusheng lowered his brows, pondered for a moment, and seemed to understand something. He hurriedly waved his hand to send everyone to wait outside the gate of the Imperial Study, fearing that someone might accidentally break in and disturb the two masters inside.
At this moment, Grand Eunuch Wang Zhongxian rushed back and saw from afar that the palace gates were tightly closed and all the palace servants had retreated to the courtyard. They were all bowing their heads and pretending to be dead. The breath he had been holding in was completely relieved.
Wang Zhongxian raised his hand and tapped his godson Xiao Ruizi on the forehead, scolding him in a low voice, "You little brat, I told you to come back and deliver the message, but what are you doing here pretending to be a blockhead!"
Liu Yusheng quickly pulled Wang Zhongxian aside and gestured for him to be quiet: "Please keep your voice down, sir." He then gestured towards the Imperial Study, "Don't disturb the master's good time."
Wang Zhongxian followed his gaze. The old man was shrewd and realized what was going on in a moment. His face immediately showed a complicated expression. It turned out that he had been worrying for nothing all this time.
Inside the Imperial Study, Fu Heng felt that nothing—no emperor, no world—could compare to the beauty before him.
"Qingci, you can't be biased, so please show me some love too!" In the heat of passion, Fu Heng bit the soft flesh of her earlobe and whispered, "I know you want to smelt iron, but how can you do it in just one place? Now that you are my empress, all the iron mines in the world are yours to use."
Forced into a corner by Fu Heng, Meng Qingci bit his shoulder in frustration, her soft voice breaking as she said, "Fu Heng, you're peeping at my things, making it sound so noble, how shameless of you!"
Fu Heng had long lost face in front of her, but now he didn't care. He affectionately nuzzled her cheek and sighed, "I used to hate her, but now that I have you, I should thank her. If I hadn't resembled her, how could I have gotten you?"
Meng Qingci closed her eyes to resist Fu Heng's invasion. He always wanted to use this method to force his way into the depths of her heart, as if he would not stop until he could explore every part of her heart: "Enough."
"Qingci, are you afraid?" Fu Heng refused to listen: "Afraid that I am so worthless, yet you are still moved?"
Meng Qingci raised her hand and slapped him: "Shut up."
Fu Heng neither dodged nor avoided her, but refused to push her away even slightly. His long, narrow eyes were fixed on her, not missing a single change in her expression. He knew that she was the most soft-hearted.
So what if she's despicable? So what if he has to show weakness? So what if he has to beg and plead? In short, he won't be as foolish as Gu Huaixu, who would push her away. He has plenty of patience to wear her down.
When Meng Qingci emerged from the imperial study, the sun had already begun to set in the west. It was past noon, yet her cheeks still flushed with spring, and her eyes shimmered with a hint of watery light. Fu Heng wanted her to stay and accompany him, but Meng Qingci refused no matter what. He couldn't persuade her otherwise, so he had to let her ride back in his imperial carriage.
Not far from the Imperial Study, he happened to run into Fu Yan'an, who had come looking for Fu Heng.
Now that Fu Chenghuai has been granted the title of Prince, Fu Yan'an has become a Prince of the County. He is now in charge of the Court of Judicial Review, a third-rank official. At such a young age, he holds a high position, which is comparable to Fu Heng's former glory.
Fu Yan'an was dressed in a scarlet official robe with a pheasant embroidered pattern. Compared to his previous refined and elegant appearance in the Marquis of Anyi's mansion, he now appeared colder and more austere. His current appearance truly reflected the true nature of the Fu family.
Fu Yan'an spotted the imperial carriage carried by eight men from afar. The procession was magnificent, with palace servants carrying lanterns and clearing the way. Leaning against the carriage was a woman in a gorgeous and elaborate palace dress. She was frail and delicate, yet stunningly beautiful. She was the woman he had been longing for day and night.
Fu Yan'an stood blankly in the middle of the palace road, his hands behind his back, neither dodging nor avoiding. As the imperial carriage approached, he looked at the figure etched into his bones on the carriage, his eyes filled with deep and unfathomable affection, as if they contained the depths of mountains and seas. He couldn't help but say, "Qing'er."
Seeing that her beautiful eyes were filled with spring-like allure, and that she looked like a blooming flower, stunningly beautiful, Fu Yan'an naturally knew that it was the work of his good uncle. The thought of his beloved being pleased by another man made Fu Yan'an's heart ache.
Meng Qingci was already in a bad mood today, her emotions fluctuating wildly. After being thoroughly manipulated by Fu Heng, she was exhausted and annoyed. Hearing someone call her "Qing'er" was like a firecracker about to explode.
The name 'Qing'er' encapsulates ten years of humiliation and forbearance for Meng Qingci. She finally managed to get rid of this identity, but she doesn't want anyone to mention it again.
If being Jin Yunnian was the most enjoyable two years after her transmigration, then the ten years in the Anyi Marquis's mansion were a nightmare she could not shake off, where she walked on thin ice every day, trembling with fear.
Meng Qingci opened her eyes impatiently on the imperial carriage. Seeing that it was Fu Yan'an who blocked her way, she felt even more annoyed. With a cold face, she said very impolitely, "Everyone says that the young prince is as handsome as an orchid and as gentle as jade, with the same demeanor as your royal uncle. How come you are so rude to me? You should call me royal aunt now."
Fu Yan'an's face turned pale and then red from the retort, feeling as if he had a fishbone stuck in his throat: "You... are you... being forced by him?"
Seeing this, the palace maid Sujuan thought that she should take a chance for her future. She made up her mind, stepped forward, curtsied and said, "Young Prince, it is a matter of propriety to be disorderly in front of the Emperor. Please consider the face of the Emperor and be careful with your words and actions."
Fu Yan'an's suppressed anger was completely ignited by these words. Hearing this, he angrily shouted, "How dare you! A mere palace maid dares to speak in front of this prince?"
Meng Qingci chuckled and said, "Your Highness is quite the imposing figure. My maid is easily frightened. You don't need to make veiled accusations."
Fu Yan'an quickly explained, "That's not what I meant, I just..."
"What? Do you want to ask if I'm doing well now? Or do you want to hear me say that I was forced by your uncle and didn't become empress willingly?" Meng Qingci chuckled mockingly. "You've been an official for several years now, how can you still be so naive? Could it be that you've believed your own lies instead of trying to fool me?"
Meng Qingci used to be sharp-tongued, but unlike today, she seemed to want to peel off his face and trample him on the ground. Fu Yan'an felt ashamed and his face burned. He said with difficulty, "How can you be so heartless? Don't you know how sincere I am to you? Ever since you left the Marquis's mansion, I have been thinking of you. How have you been these past two years?"
"Good nephew, it's not obvious whether my aunt is doing well or not. After all, there aren't many men in this world who could make me empress." Meng Qingci sat on the imperial carriage, looking down at Fu Yan'an with a half-smile: "At least you can't promise me the empress position, or have you inherited the Fu family's bad habits and have a penchant for incest?"
"Do you really have to do this? I clearly promised you the position of my principal wife back then, but you abandoned me. Otherwise, you would be the Princess Consort now. Although your uncle has given you the position of Empress, he is much older than you. How could you be with him for power?" Fu Yan'an clenched his fists, his anger barely contained. He finally couldn't hold back and hissed, "He's old. What can he give you? How can you be so depraved?"
Upon hearing this, Meng Qingci chuckled and teased, "How naive you are! Even if you are His Majesty's own nephew, you are not worthy of the position. How could you possibly become the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review?" He then summoned Wang Zhongxian, "Wang Zhongxian, did you hear me clearly? You must report back to His Majesty word for word later."
Wang Zhongxian, who had been feigning death behind the imperial carriage, wiped the sweat from his brow and had no choice but to turn around. If he had known the twists and turns of the day, he would have claimed to be ill for a day early in the morning, which would have been the death of him.
He had only been living in fear for a few days since the Fu family had declared themselves emperors. He had heard some rumors about the Fu family before, but which aristocratic family didn't have its dirty secrets? No family would dare to openly and blatantly proclaim them in public.
Grand Eunuch Wang Zhongxian said with a bitter face, "Young Prince, be careful with your words. How dare you speak ill of His Majesty?"
"Speaking recklessly?" Fu Yan'an sneered. "He, as the uncle, stole his nephew's beloved, yet he's afraid of what I, the Prince, will say?"
"You just want to keep and tame a beautiful canary. Don't try to glorify yourself. It disgusts me." Meng Qingci put one hand on the armrest of the imperial carriage and said coldly, "In terms of ability, you are neither as good as your father, who severed all feelings and endured humiliation for decades for the sake of revenge, nor as good as your uncle, who at least did not have your hypocrisy."
Fu Yan'an blushed deeply after Meng Qingci's words: "You..."
Wang Zhongxian had witnessed the Empress's sharp tongue firsthand. She completely disregarded the lives of her servants and could no longer pretend to be dead. He quickly stepped in to smooth things over: "Your Highness, since you are here to pay your respects to His Majesty, you must have important business to attend to. You should come with me now, lest you delay your business."
Wang Zhongxian wiped his sweat, fearing that any further delay would lead to the Empress saying something even more outrageous, in which case all of them who had escorted the Emperor today would likely be silenced. He urged the men carrying the imperial carriage, "Hurry up and escort Her Majesty back to the palace! If you tire her out, you all have a death wish!"
Sujuan was also frightened by the words of the Empress and the Prince. At this moment, she was woken up by Wang Zhongxian. For the sake of her life, she acted as if she had not seen the Prince and just led the palace servants to clear the way.
Fu Yan'an couldn't let them bump into him, so he had to step aside and watch the imperial carriage drive away, but he seemed unwilling to give up and stood on the palace road for a long time.
Wang Zhongxian bowed and reminded him, "Your Highness, please stop."
Meanwhile, Meng Qingci was thoroughly fed up with the Fu siblings. She dismissed Fu Yan'an on the palace road, had Fu Heng reprimand him, and then gave him a beating, which finally deterred Fu Yan'an from further misbehavior. Fu Jingyu then frequently sent a token to see her.
Sujuan glanced at Meng Qingci's expression and cautiously reported, "Your Highness, this is the fifth time Princess Ping'an has sent a memorial to request an audience."
Zhu Youyi, standing to the side, gently snapped the tea lid shut, a smile playing on her lips. "She's quite persistent," she said. "What? The Empress has to serve a princess now? I, from a humble background, have no idea what kind of rule this is."
Su Juan was speechless at her words, and stood awkwardly with her hands at her sides, saying in a low voice, "This servant... didn't mean that."
Meng Qingci sighed softly and said to Zhu Youyi, "They are used to flattering and fawning. There are rumors outside that I was once a maid in the Marquis of Anyi's mansion, so they all think that I, as the Empress, am inferior to the Prince of Fu's mansion and should always be tolerant and obsequious."
Sujuan lowered her head even further after her thoughts were exposed.
Upon hearing this, Zhu Youyi scoffed and teased, "Still trying to curry favor? You're already being lenient by not making things difficult for them. Do you expect you to repay evil with good?"
Meng Qingci waved her hand and said, "Just ignore her. She has now gotten what she wanted, but she feels that she has contributed to the country and wants to advance further. She is afraid that I will hold a grudge and obstruct her, so she is just trying to test me. She has always been scheming, so I can't be bothered with her. She is blinded by her own limited perspective. Doesn't she think about how His Majesty would bestow the title of Princess of the previous dynasty upon the Crown Princess of the current dynasty? Wouldn't that be announcing to the world that she has made great contributions to the new dynasty? How will the history books record that in the future?"
Zhu Youyi pondered for a moment, as if she had thought of something, and looked up at Meng Qingci, only to see her just lowering her head to drink tea.
The hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. The few close confidants who served her dared not utter a sound. Although they were used to the Empress’s often startling words, they were still quite taken aback by her words.
Zhu Youyi's mind raced for a moment, and she sensed something else in it. She felt that these words were meant for her, but she didn't know if they were meant to be passed on to His Majesty through her.
She paused for a moment, then naturally changed the subject, reporting on the important matter: "As Your Majesty instructed, I have already sent a letter to Zhaoqing Prefecture, and all the manpower needed to set up workshops in various places has been allocated. However," she paused slightly, showing some concern, "there are still remnants in Datong, Shandong, and Henan prefectures. Even if they are recovered in the future, the local powerful clans will still be deeply entrenched, and it will probably be easier to operate and develop in places with a more stable foundation than in ours."
"You are unaware of this," Meng Qingci said with a faint smile, a hint of smugness in his voice. "Throughout history, has there ever been a city gate that couldn't be breached by powerful ships and cannons? Once the Ministry of Works' 'Heartless Cannon' breaks through the three prefectures, those local gentry and powerful families will be terrified, like eggs falling from a nest. When people think they are trapped in a desperate situation, what does losing a little profit matter to these stubbornly persistent gentry, as long as there is a glimmer of hope? It is the perfect opportunity to destroy and rebuild." (Note: The "Heartless Cannon" is from our army, K Memorial Hall, made from gasoline drums. I'm borrowing it here because it's simple, effective, and powerful.)
Now, when the treasure ship was anchored in Minzhou, Zhu Youyi returned to Guangzhou as instructed by Meng Qingci. Fu Heng had been running the business there for many years, and with Mo Song's help, the reform of the entertainment registration system was quickly implemented, and the lowly status was abolished.
Actors and entertainers who sold themselves into opera troupes or brothels could redeem themselves based on the amount of money they had paid when they sold themselves.
A body seal is only valid if it has the official seal of the government. If the troupe leader and the madam cannot produce a body seal with the official seal, the government will not recognize it. Actors and female entertainers, regardless of their gender, can directly register a regular household at the government office and immediately become ordinary citizens protected by the new dynasty.
Meanwhile, in those theaters and brothels, which decent family would sell their children there unless they were desperate? These two places mostly dealt in people from unknown sources, and the madams and troupe leaders could only accept their bad luck.
The wealthy merchants in these two regions were mostly loyal followers of Fu Heng who had established his dynasty in his early years. Now that a new dynasty was about to be established, and they could expect to change their allegiance and secure a bright future, they were naturally happy to curry favor with the new emperor. This would demonstrate their loyalty and provide an opportunity to launder their less-than-glamorous businesses, a win-win situation.
With Prefect Yao and the Chen family in Zhejiang, things were going smoothly, so Zhu Youyi encountered little resistance when handling the matter. As for those who had obtained new household registration but had nowhere to make a living, they were all incorporated into the various workshops under Meng Qingci and Zhu Youyi's names. They were taught and trained, given skills, and given the means to make a living, preventing them from falling back into depravity due to lack of livelihood.
Although Zhu Youyi didn't know what the "heartless cannon" was, and she didn't witness it when the capital was bombarded, she still deeply believed Meng Qingci's words.
She once thought that without Meng Qingci and her young son Cen Yichu, she would lose her soul, possessing only wealth but no will to live. She never imagined that she would be able to expand her business across the country—something she never dared to dream of before. Even more precious was that Hongxiao was now by her side, sharing her burdens and providing invaluable assistance.
Zhu Youyi knew perfectly well that everything she was currently managing was crucial to the future stability of Meng Qingci and Cen Yichu's power. This slightly lessened the deep longing she felt for them.
Meng Qingci then explained the iron ore mining details to Zhu Youyi. Since she would have difficulty leaving the palace in the future, she could only entrust the matter to Zhu Youyi. She had already discussed this with Gu Yuchen; their ultimate goal was to manufacture guns.
As the two were discussing the matter, an announcement came from outside the hall that Vice Minister Song of the Ministry of Justice had come to see them.
"Your subject pays respects to Your Majesty the Empress. May Your Majesty live a thousand years!"
Meng Qingci told the person to rise, and only then did she see who it was. She was surprised and said, "How come it's you?" Fu Heng had told her earlier that he would send his disciple to do something for her, but she didn't expect that this person would be Song Wenjing.
Song Wenjing had already learned of Meng Qingci's entry into the Empress's palace, but now he dared not have any more thoughts of overstepping his bounds. He simply lowered his head and said respectfully, "Your Majesty was kind enough to accept me into your service and to help me grow up. Only then could I serve Your Majesty today."
Meng Qingci was at a loss for words when she saw Fu Heng. She knew perfectly well that Fu Heng was only bothered by what she had said to Song Wenjing in the teahouse, which was why he had deliberately taken Song Wenjing as his disciple.
Thinking of this, Meng Qingci couldn't help but sigh inwardly: This man is all-encompassing in other matters, but in this kind of thing, his heart is smaller than a needle tip.
“This is also your blessing.” After a moment of silence, Meng Qingci nodded slightly, signaling the palace servants to offer Song Wenjing a seat. Her gaze was warm, and a faint smile played on her lips as she spoke slowly, “His Majesty mentioned a few of your suggestions regarding the laws to me earlier. They were detailed and thorough, showing your thoughtfulness.”
"It is all my duty." Song Wenjing bowed and thanked her, then paused and said, "It is my honor to be able to share Your Majesty's worries, and I will certainly live up to your expectations."
When Meng Qingci saw Song Wenjing bow his head in greeting after entering the hall, he thought to himself that Song Wenjing was indeed too young. He then introduced him to Zhu Youyi, saying, "This is the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice who is with you, Lord Song. If you encounter any difficulties, just ask him for help."
He then said to Song Wenjing, "This is the Crown Prince's godmother, Miss Cen. You will need to cooperate with her when you go to the provinces to promote the new laws."
After exchanging greetings, Meng Qingci smiled and said to Zhu Youyi, "You and Lord Song are not strangers. Do you recognize him? He and Song Bojian are twins."
Since men and women are different, Zhu Youyi didn't want to look at Song Wenjing too much. But after hearing Meng Qingci say that, she looked at him carefully and nodded, saying, "You know what, he really does look like him. No wonder he looked so familiar."
During the past two years, Song Wenjing had been in the capital. As for his correspondence with Song Bojian, Song Bojian never mentioned business matters to him. Therefore, he knew very little about his elder brother and asked curiously, "Does Miss Cen know my elder brother?"
Zhu Youyi nodded and said succinctly, "We used to do business in Tencel cotton together, and now we serve the Empress together."
Meng Qingci sipped her tea, watching the two chat idly. She couldn't reconcile the refined and cultured Song Bojian with the cruel official Fu Heng had described.
Thinking back to how Fu Heng had evaluated Song Bojian that day: "This young man is decisive and ruthless in handling cases, and his actions have the style of a cruel official. He is just right to promote new policies."
Meng Qingci couldn't help but smile: Ah, so Fu Heng was trying to sow discord between others back then. She had said that those few comments didn't sound like praise, nor did they sound like a teacher commenting on a student. It turned out that he had deliberately said them to her.
In just six months, those local powerful figures who were eager to get a share of the spoils or compete in this turmoil all gave up their ideas after being bombarded by the deafening roar of cannons. Fu Heng firmly secured his throne and took control of the entire country.
Meng Qingci's new policies and industrial promotion went exceptionally smoothly. Six months later, she even opened a bank, offering interest-free loans to farmers and slaves who wanted to redeem themselves.
Under the new policy, a servant who wanted to redeem himself could simply pay the amount of silver he had paid for the purchase. Now, however, a servant's master could not prevent him from doing so; otherwise, the servant could file a complaint against his master with the authorities. If the authorities verified the complaint, the servant would be given twenty strokes of the cane before being convicted.
Furthermore, if the master convicts the servant of a crime, the servant will not need to pay the ransom money. Instead, the servant can obtain a new household registration from the government and then find a job at the Cen family's workshop.
Although the law did not explicitly prohibit the buying and selling of servants, it virtually abolished the practice of selling servants for life, giving people more options and reducing the need for people to sell themselves.
Ultimately, everything Meng Qingci had depended on Fu Heng's imperial power, and Fu Heng's background and his old subordinates were mostly from the old aristocratic families. She couldn't undermine these people's foundations in a short period of time; she could only proceed gradually.
That night, Fu Heng stood behind Meng Qingci and personally removed the hairpins from her hair. As he did so, he looked into her eyes in the mirror: "Your parents arrived in the capital today. Prince Meng has submitted a memorial, saying that Princess Meng hopes to see you in the palace tomorrow."
Meng Qingci's expression indeed softened slightly: "They are too old for such trouble."
Fu Heng grasped her shoulders and advised, "I know you're impatient, but tomorrow you should just go through the motions. You're a delicate person now, so you have to be reasonable and avoid any gossip that might be detrimental to you."
Surprisingly, Meng Qingci listened to some of it, paused for a moment, and then nodded in agreement. The idea that filial piety is the most important virtue and that parents are never wrong is not a concept that can be broken overnight.
The next morning, Meng Qingci dressed up, specially wearing the Empress's palace attire and a phoenix crown. The weight of the phoenix crown made Meng Qingci frown, and she secretly complained to the Princess Consort Meng: "She's sick and still doesn't behave herself, she still has to come all the way to the capital."
At 9:00 AM, Princess Meng came to pay her respects. Meng Qingci sat upright in the hall but did not rise.
Princess Meng truly lived up to her reputation as a beauty of Shu. Although she was frail and sickly, her beauty was undeniable, and everyone would call her a "sickly beauty." After entering the hall with the help of her maid, Princess Meng was stunned to see Meng Qingci sitting upright on the throne.
Sujuan stepped aside, her voice carrying an undeniable authority: "Princess Consort Meng, with the Empress in front of you, how can you look directly at her? Shouldn't you pay your respects to Her Majesty the Empress?"
Upon hearing this, Princess Meng paused, gazing at her daughter whom she hadn't seen for many years. Overwhelmed with emotion, tears welled in her eyes. She felt both heartache and guilt towards this daughter, which was why she had begged Prince Meng to travel such a long distance to see her.
Before Princess Meng could respond, Shen Yunxi behind her retorted sharply, "You audacious wench! This is the Empress's biological mother. No matter how noble the Empress is, she has no right to make her own mother kneel. Aren't you afraid of shortening the Empress's lifespan?"
"No noise is allowed in front of Her Majesty." Su Juan remained unmoved and said coldly, "Since ancient times, the ruler has always been the first to govern, and the subjects the second. Are the people of the Meng Prince's Mansion so unruly that they harbor disloyal intentions?"
Shen Yunxi had thought that she might be harassed by Meng Qingci when she came today, but she did not expect that Meng Qingci, who had gained power, would not bother with formalities and would not care about the face of the Meng Prince's Mansion at all.
"You insolent maid, how dare you slander the Empress's maternal family!" Hearing the palace maid's words about treason, Shen Yunxi could no longer maintain her usual composed demeanor: "Do you really think my Meng Prince's mansion has no one left?"
Princess Meng looked to be caught in a dilemma, unsure of what to do. She glanced at Shen Yunxi, then at Meng Qingci, and stammered, "That's not how it is."
Meng Qingci gave a mocking smile before slowly saying, "Alright, take a seat. Let's sit down and talk about what we have to say."
When Shen Yunxi saw the cold look in Meng Qingci's eyes, she felt a chill in her heart. She tightened her grip on Princess Meng's arm, but thinking that Princess Meng was there and considering the purpose of her visit, she did not dwell on what had just happened.
After the two were seated, Meng Qingci said, "I heard that the Princess Consort is ill, yet she still came to pay her respects to me. I appreciate this gesture." She then instructed Sujuan, "Prepare some of the best medicinal herbs for Princess Consort Meng to take back with her."
Sujuan curtsied and replied, "You gave the order early this morning, and I have prepared everything."
Princess Meng's features were strikingly similar to Meng Qingci's. At this moment, her eyes were brimming with tears, as if they held three thousand weak waters, making her look pitiful: "Qingci, do you not recognize your mother? I have heard that you have suffered a lot of tears over the years. Do you blame your mother? It is all my fault for being incompetent and not being able to find you sooner all these years."
Meng Qingci scrutinized Princess Meng's expression and couldn't find a trace of affectation. She couldn't help but marvel at herself, wondering how she had never noticed before that Princess Meng was such a pure and innocent beauty.
Shen Yunxi advised at the right moment, "Aunt, it's not easy to find your cousin, and now she's the Empress. This is a joyous occasion, so you shouldn't cry. If you're so sad, your uncle will be heartbroken." She then said to Meng Qingci, "Back in Minzhou, I felt that you looked somewhat like you when you were young, but I didn't expect that you didn't remember anything from before. I couldn't be sure at the time, and I missed the opportunity. Now that we sisters have finally recognized each other, it must be the will of Heaven."
Upon hearing Shen Yunxi's words, Princess Meng patted her hand affectionately and smiled through her tears, saying, "It is indeed fate; my son is blessed."
She then turned to Meng Qingci and said, "Seeing how promising you have become, I am very pleased with myself."
Meng Qingci smiled faintly and said, "Since that's the case, and we've already met, you're not feeling well, so you should go back and rest early."
When Princess Meng heard Meng Qingci's words, she was stunned. She couldn't understand why her usually considerate daughter was so aloof. She thought to herself: How can a woman who is not gentle and obedient please her husband? She couldn't help but worry that Meng Qingci's affection for the emperor would not last.
Shen Yunxi frowned almost imperceptibly upon hearing this, and gave Princess Meng's arm a suggestive squeeze: "Aunt, don't you still have many things to say to your cousin?"
Princess Meng seemed to remember something and said softly to Meng Qingci, "To be honest, it is fate that you sisters are destined to be together. Originally, Yunxi was engaged to His Majesty, but His Majesty married you first. Now that His Majesty has ascended the throne, he will inevitably take in many concubines. The Meng Prince's Mansion is far away in Shu, so you will inevitably be alone in the capital."
Meng Qingci seemed to be listening carefully, but a hint of sarcasm appeared on her lips. She thought to herself, "Princess Meng really is a complete 'brother-supporting demon'."
Princess Meng looked at Meng Qingci with affection. Seeing her obedient appearance, which seemed to overlap with her childhood self, she continued lovingly, "As your mother, I have been thinking about this day and night. Why not let Yunxi stay and keep you company, so that you can serve His Majesty together and become your help?"
"I said I insisted on coming to the palace to see me, and that was my original intention." Meng Qingci chuckled. "I wonder if Prince Meng knows what you're thinking?"
Shen Yunxi lowered her head shyly and said softly, "Sister, I failed to protect you back then, and I have been blaming myself for it all these years. I have been unable to sleep day and night. Hearing about what you have suffered all these years, I wish I could take your place. Don't worry, I know His Majesty's feelings for you are deep. He will never compete with you for favor. He just wants to enter the palace to accompany you and protect you so that you will not be in danger again."
Meng Qingci couldn't help but laugh out loud again: "Shen Yunxi, you are truly skilled and daring. I don't have time to deal with you, and you should be burning incense in gratitude. You actually dare to come to the palace on your own initiative."
Ignoring the stunned Princess Meng, Meng Qingci said to Shen Yunxi, "You think I'm disappointed and want to gamble again? You succeeded with the substitution trick once before, tasted the sweetness, and now you want to use the same trick again?"
Shen Yunxi was shocked upon hearing this: "You..."
Princess Meng was also surprised, her beautiful eyes filled with undisguised panic: "Qingci..."
Meng Qingci sneered: "What, you enjoy raising the murderer who harmed your daughter as your own? You've been raising her like your own daughter? And now you want to send her here to eat your own daughter's flesh and blood?"
Princess Meng shed large tears and shook her head, murmuring, "No, Qingci, it's not like that, it's all a misunderstanding."
"Didn't anyone tell you I remembered everything?" Meng Qingci turned to Shen Yunxi again: "Guess what I'm going to do with you?"
“No, we are sisters. You are now the Empress. You cannot…” Shen Yunxi grabbed Princess Meng’s arm in fear: “Aunt, save me.”
After all, she had been raised by his side for more than ten years. Princess Meng couldn't bear it and pleaded with Meng Qingci, "Qingci, considering that you are currently safe and have married His Majesty by chance, please spare Yunxi. She was young and ignorant at the time and did not do it intentionally."
In Meng Qingci's heart, she had long since grown cold towards the Meng King and his wife. In her heart, her real parents were somewhere else. Perhaps because of the 'incense planting', she no longer had many emotional fluctuations about many things.
Meng Qingci looked down at Princess Meng and said sarcastically, "You should save your tears for old Meng; they're no use to me."
Upon hearing this, Princess Meng felt her thoughts exposed and was caught in a dilemma, unsure whether to cry or not. Only then did she realize how unfamiliar her daughter, whom she hadn't seen for many years, was. She also subtly doubted in her heart that Qingci had always been sharp-tongued and unforgiving.
"Don't worry, I won't do anything to you." Meng Qingci ignored the muddle-headed Princess Meng who only knew how to support her brother, and looked at Shen Yunxi with a cold smile: "But you will also suffer the same pain you made me suffer. Not a day more, not a day less. If you are still alive then, I will forgive you."
When Shen Yunxi realized the meaning behind Meng Qingci's words, she shuddered. She looked at Meng Qingci in disbelief: "No...you can't do this to me, my aunt won't agree." She was in love with Fu Heng, and she knew a little about the Fu family's filth. The thought of being a slave and living in such a filthy place almost suffocated her with fear.
Princess Meng, with tears streaming down her face, pleaded, "Qingci, when will this cycle of revenge end? You are sisters."
Meng Qingci decreed, "From this day forward, Princess Meng shall never enter the palace again."
Princess Meng thought of how her own daughter had been clinging to her and always trying to please her until she was five years old, and she still couldn't reconcile that image with the cold and aloof woman before her. She stood there, stunned, as palace servants helped her out of the palace, still unable to come to her senses for a long time.
In the evening, in the bedchamber, Fu Heng stroked Meng Qingci's silky black hair. Meng Qingci lay on her side with her back to Fu Heng, still breathing slightly heavily. The two of them were unusually warm and quiet.
Fu Heng pinched her smooth, rounded shoulders and asked, "The entire Shen family has already been exiled, why bother with all this trouble?"
“They are related to me after all. Would those people let them die on the road to exile? Besides, although I wish they were dead, they did not deserve to die.” Meng Qingci was powerless. She did not move and let Fu Heng be unruly. She was barely breathing. “Shen Yunxi did this herself back then. Of course she should also taste this bitterness.”
Fu Heng sighed: "Today, your father expressed deep regret in front of me. He felt ashamed and had no face to see you, but he assured you that he would never let the Shen family get away with it."
Meng Qingci said calmly, "He has already made his choice; there is no need for him to choose again."
What Prince Meng meant by this was that he had abandoned Princess Meng. But belated fatherly love is worthless, so why would Meng Qingci cherish it? It was just a case of a man abandoning his beloved wife in the face of power.
Upon hearing this, Fu Heng immediately held his breath, his palms almost sweating. He thought to himself: He had also made a choice before, but he made the wrong choice in a moment of weakness. In her heart, has she not given him a chance to correct himself yet?
Fu Heng gritted his teeth and rejected the idea. He had already changed his ways and put her first in everything. Even if things went wrong, they still had their son. He was different from others after all.
That night, in her dream, Meng Qingci felt as if she were in a sea of fire, unable to escape no matter what she did. Her skin and flesh were being roasted dry, and her throat was parched. Suddenly, she encountered a clear spring, incredibly sweet, and she drank from it desperately.
Fu Heng half-held Meng Qingci, giving her a cup of water as he did so. Seeing her anxious expression in her dream, he couldn't help but chuckle silently and said softly, "Slow down, no one's going to take it from you."
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Author's Note: Fu Heng: I am ultimately the man who laughs last.
Meng Qingci: Hehe, whatever makes you happy.
Author's note: The next update will be a side story about Fu Heng's rebirth. I'm most afraid that everyone will say the ending isn't enough, but I like to end things at the most exciting point after the climax. There will be 30 red envelopes for the last comment. Thank you all for your support.
Here's a shout-out to my upcoming novel, "The Tavern Across from the Ministry of Justice" (1v2). Hope you all enjoy it!
Modern detective Yang Fei travels back to the Ming Dynasty and, relying on her winemaking skills, opens a tavern and becomes a wine seller.
It just so happens that Yang's tavern is located opposite the Ministry of Justice. One case today, another tomorrow, and Madam Yang would crack melon seeds, sip her wine, and casually guess the details of the cases.
Amazing! He was right every time he guessed a case, and became famous far and wide for his uncanny ability to solve cases.
Yang Fei: Huh~~ Isn't her mother a widow? Why is the emperor so eager to be her father?
Wine selling, gourmet food, crime solving, romance, lighthearted, everyday life, farming, family matters
CP: A dashing wine-selling lady, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice & a ruthless commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
