Advancing Together

Xiao Yanchen cleared his throat. "What I mean is that someone like her won't harm Great Qi. She'll only want Great Qi to grow ever stronger."

Emperor Hongyao narrowed his eyes slightly at Xiao Yanchen and saw that he looked perfectly composed. "All right, I know this girl poses no threat to Great Qi. Go on."

Xiao Yanchen continued, "Shen Anlan took leave immediately after assuming his post, so not many officials at court have spent time with him. He and his sister look so much alike that, with a little dressing up, almost no one can tell them apart.

"Some time ago, the head of the Imperial Medical Academy was summoned to treat the Marquis of Shuoping. He was indeed gravely ill and frequently unconscious.

"Shen Anlan probably had no other choice, so he decided to feign illness and take his father south for treatment. He likely didn't expect Father Emperor to suddenly issue an edict ordering all officials in the capital to attend court."

Everyone could understand that. Relations between the two countries had yet to open up, and with a marquis and a third-place imperial examination laureate in Shen Anxin's family, they were not permitted to go to Southern Xia.

If someone discovered and reported them, they could easily be charged with colluding with the enemy.

The news given to outsiders was that both the marquis and his son were bedridden and recovering, with only loyal servants attending them. Shen Anxin was also staying obediently inside the residence, and even the eldest daughter, who had married out, had been kept in the dark.

Once the imperial edict came down, Shen Anxin had no choice but to brace herself and attend court in her brother's place. Otherwise, someone might discover that the marquis and his son were absent from the residence, follow the trail, and accuse them of colluding with the enemy.

In fact, if the system and her inner thoughts hadn't been exposed, Shen Anxin really could have gotten away with it.

Emperor Hongyao nodded. There were extenuating circumstances.

"Then her inner thoughts..."

Xiao Yanchen said, "There was nothing unusual around her before today. Judging from her conversations with Chacha, it all began today.

"I've already sent the Brocade Guard to verify it through multiple means. Most court officials can hear her as long as they're within a hundred meters."

Emperor Hongyao's expression changed instantly. "Who can't hear her?"

Xiao Yanchen took a sheet of paper from his sleeve. It listed the people who had been tested and confirmed unable to hear her inner thoughts, followed by information the Brocade Guard had quickly gathered on them.

Emperor Hongyao's expression changed when he saw the first few names.

Several of them were spies planted by Southern Xia. They had been identified long ago, but he had not wanted to beat the grass and startle the snakes. Keeping them around might prove highly useful later.

Emperor Hongyao had originally intended to kill them all if they could hear her. He could not allow the information to leak out.

Xiao Yanchen had thought the same, which was why he had kept all the officials behind and forbidden them to leave the palace.

But unexpectedly, they couldn't hear her at all.

Besides them, there were also the names of some corrupt officials Emperor Hongyao had recently been preparing to deal with.

"Could it be that anyone harmful to Great Qi can't hear Shen Anxin's inner thoughts?" Emperor Hongyao frowned. Then he suddenly saw several names he could hardly believe and flew into a rage.

"Please calm your anger, Father Emperor. We haven't established the pattern yet. These officials are advanced in years and served dutifully while they held office. They no longer handle affairs and are ready to hand over their duties and retire at any time. I've already sent people to investigate, and there's nothing wrong with them." Xiao Yanchen calmly soothed Emperor Hongyao's anger.

"Ordinary eunuchs and palace attendants can't hear her either. If they were all harmful to Great Qi, wouldn't the imperial palace be a sieve?"

Emperor Hongyao was surprised. "So many people can't hear her? Could the listeners be designated?"

Xiao Yanchen shook his head. "Shen Anxin doesn't even know we can hear her. How could she designate anyone? For now, this pattern seems to work in our favor. At least we can investigate everyone who can't hear her more carefully. We may find many fish that slipped through the net."

Emperor Hongyao nodded.

Xiao Yanchen continued, "I also had people test it. Those who can hear her thoughts can discuss them with one another, but if they try to tell someone who can't hear them, an invisible force stops them."

Emperor Hongyao was delighted. "That saves us some worry. We needn't fear important information leaking out."

Xiao Yanchen said, "As for that system, Chacha, there's no trace of it to follow. I think it's probably some kind of invisible force that exists only in Shen Anxin's mind. It can talk to her, tell her things, and let her redeem some marvelous items."

Emperor Hongyao immediately recalled the defensive, damage-reflecting eight blessings Shen Anxin had redeemed.

"Crown Prince, have you sent anyone to test those eight blessings?"

Xiao Yanchen shook his head.

"Why not? It's only a test. It wouldn't really hurt her." Emperor Hongyao frowned. Given his son's temperament, he should have thought of it. Could he really have gone soft on the girl? Couldn't he even frighten her?

Xiao Yanchen said, "Those eight blessings apply when someone wants to hurt her. If they only recognize a person's malicious intent, our test might not work, and someone could get hurt.

"Besides, testing them isn't necessary. We'll have a chance to see them in action someday. What we need to do now is protect her. She's important, very important to the future of all Great Qi."

Emperor Hongyao stared at Xiao Yanchen and pondered for a moment. Xiao Yanchen lowered his eyes but refused to yield an inch.

At last, Emperor Hongyao relented. "Very well, no testing. How do you think we should treat her from now on?"

Xiao Yanchen said, "Everything should remain as usual. Since an invisible force prevents us from telling her directly, we should go along with it. Besides, only while she knows nothing will her inner thoughts be the absolute, uninfluenced truth."

Emperor Hongyao thought it over. That was indeed best. If they treated the girl differently and frightened her into not letting her thoughts wander during court, the information they received would shrink drastically. As things stood, although they could hear her say many terribly disrespectful things and throw everyone into chaos, at least they could hear the most information, and the most truthful.

As long as it benefited Great Qi, he would bear it even if the girl cursed him, the emperor, in her head.

Emperor Hongyao could no longer stay lying down. He hurried to get up and handle the matter, summoning the ministers who could hear her thoughts to explain what was at stake, the plans for the future, and how they should treat Shen Anxin and those who could not hear her thoughts.

The ministers understood what the emperor meant. Most importantly, no matter what mistakes they might make in the future, as long as they were wholeheartedly devoted to Great Qi now, Emperor Hongyao could act as though he had heard nothing even if he heard something in the future. That put the ministers at ease.

If they wanted to prolong Great Qi's life and their own glory, they needed to unite, regard Shen Anxin as an auspicious divine maiden from now on, and change the nation's fate.

With everyone united, their hearts soon settled.

While the emperor held a major meeting with the entire court of civil and military officials over her inner thoughts, Shen Anxin was sleeping soundly. She rolled over, and the blanket draped over her stomach slipped off.

With a creak, the door was pushed open.

Xiao Yanchen had found a moment to slip away and had intended to check on Shen Anxin. But when he heard her steady breathing inside, he helplessly softened his footsteps, walked over, and picked up the blanket to cover her.

He was just about to withdraw his hand when Shen Anxin rolled over and happened to grab his finger.

Xiao Yanchen froze. No inner thoughts reached him, so it seemed Shen Anxin was still asleep.

This Second Miss Shen really was a restless sleeper.

His slender finger was enclosed in her burning palm, making Xiao Yanchen uncomfortable. He tried to pull it away, but Shen Anxin had a firm grip.

Helpless, Xiao Yanchen could only raise his other hand and patiently pry her hand open bit by bit before withdrawing his finger.

His fingertip brushed across her soft palm. Once free of Shen Anxin's warmth, it unexpectedly felt a little cool.

Xiao Yanchen turned and left, but his fingers unconsciously clenched.

Shen Anxin was awakened by a palace maid. Yawning, she listened as the maid told her that the emperor had recovered and court would resume.

In the Hall of Heavenly Mandate, a small number of ministers were still full of questions.

After all, the morning court session had been strange from the very start. Either no one spoke for a long time, or everyone suddenly went mad together. When they asked their colleagues what was wrong, they couldn't get a clear answer.

Something had suddenly happened to the emperor, and now court was about to resume. It felt as though one dream had given way to another.

But the ministers who could hear her inner thoughts had all regained their composure. Nothing could frighten them anymore.

Until Shen Anxin's inner thoughts reached them, growing louder as she approached.

Shen Anxin: [What? The Crown Prince came by while I was asleep? He even covered me with a blanket, and when I grabbed his finger, he didn't get angry and wake me up?

I'm Shen Anlan right now! Does that make sense?

Could the Crown Prince and Shen Anlan actually have a secret they can't tell anyone?

Could it be... could it be... Emperor, your son is gay! Your son is a cut sleeve! Do you know that?]

Everyone: Aaaah! Poke our ears blind!

Emperor Hongyao: Your son is the cut sleeve!!! Wait, why does that comeback somehow make me uneasy?

Xiao Yanchen: *...*