Miss Shen Is Better

Seeing that there was nothing more for her to do, Shen Anxin hurriedly went back to eating melons.

Chacha: [The two princes were so furious then that they nearly lost their reason. For their imperial mother's reputation and Great Qi's dignity, they fought to the death without retreating.

Of course, there were many reasons they died in battle. This was only one of them, but it was also a major factor.]

Xiao Yanfeng and Xiao Yance's faces darkened when they heard this. In a battle like that, they couldn't retreat! Even if they died, they couldn't retreat.

Empress Wei looked at her two children, her heart aching.

Chacha: [Afterward, word got out, and rumors spread throughout the capital. The crown prince went to deal with the matter, only to be ambushed and gravely wounded. He also lost two younger brothers.

Empress Wei was grief-stricken and blamed herself, believing that she had raised a venomous snake and brought disaster upon her children.

On top of that, the situation outside had already begun to grow unstable. After this scandal, the Great Qi imperial family's standing among the people was shaken even further.

Not long afterward, Empress Wei took her own life to atone. A virtuous empress of her generation fell just like that.]

Everyone's hearts ached terribly at this.

Emperor Hongyao held his empress tightly in his arms.

The last of Empress Wei's strength had already been drained from her body. "Your Majesty, it's all my fault. This is retribution for my failure to keep my people in line."

Emperor Hongyao said, "It's not your fault. The human heart is impossible to fathom."

Xiao Yanchen's gaze was icy, with no trace of its usual warmth.

Xiao Yanfeng and Xiao Yance resolved in their hearts that Western Rong must be destroyed.

By then, Lanxiang had been pinned to a bench with her mouth gagged and given twenty strokes of the heavy board to start with.

As Empress Wei's senior palace maid, she hadn't suffered corporal punishment in many years. It wouldn't have been an exaggeration to say she had grown delicate and pampered.

Now that the board had landed on her body, the pain left her face smeared with tears and snot. Finally, she was dragged off the bench in tears, her expression dazed with pain.

Once real pain fell upon her, all her talk of not fearing death was empty.

"Your Highness, this servant was wrong. I shouldn't have slandered Lord Shen. I was wrong, I was greedy. Please spare my life, Your Highness."

Empress Wei rose to her feet with Emperor Hongyao's support.

"Your Majesty, a female palace official has done wrong because I failed in my supervision. Leave her to me to deal with."

Lanxiang failed to hear the unprecedented killing intent in Empress Wei's voice. She still thought her softhearted mistress could forgive her one more time.

But this time, what awaited her was eternal damnation.

Emperor Hongyao nodded. The theft of undergarments was a scandal. Although most of those present already knew about it, they still couldn't investigate it openly. He would leave the internal matters to the empress and handle the underground forces outside himself.

Empress Wei ordered Lanxiang taken away, then stood up straight, swaying. Xiao Yanchen hurried forward to steady her.

Shen Anxin was still lamenting Empress Wei's tragic fate to Chacha when the empress came over to her.

Shen Anxin hurried to bow, but Empress Wei held her up.

Empress Wei's expression was gentle. "You have suffered an injustice tonight, Lord Shen. Thank you for helping me... catch the traitor in our midst and prevent future trouble. I will reward you generously."

Shen Anxin said, "This humble official is overwhelmed. It is I who should thank Your Majesty and Your Highness on my knees for your trust."

Shen Anxin: [If my credit score with the imperial family weren't so high, my identity really might have been exposed tonight.]

After talking to Shen Anxin, Empress Wei felt less weighed down.

That night, Empress Wei acted swiftly and decisively, bringing an empress's true methods to bear and dealing with the matter before the entire harem.

After a sleepless night, Empress Wei still didn't rest. She went straight to her private treasury, opened it, and had things hauled out one load after another.

Emperor Hongyao and Xiao Yanchen were a little surprised to see this when they arrived.

Emperor Hongyao said, "Is this the generous reward you're preparing for that girl Shen?"

In Emperor Hongyao's eyes, those were all worldly possessions. A contribution like hers deserved something more meaningful.

Although Xiao Yanchen said nothing, there was some surprise in his eyes too. He had thought...

Empress Wei looked over and smiled. "What, did you think I was going to grant her the position of crown princess?"

That was indeed what Emperor Hongyao and Xiao Yanchen had thought. After all, Empress Wei had initially intended to bring the two together, and from an empress's position, the best reward she could think of was probably the position of crown princess.

Empress Wei patted Xiao Yanchen. "My son is very good, but... I suddenly feel that Miss Shen is better..."

Emperor Hongyao: ...Is she saying our most outstanding son isn't worthy of Shen Anxin?!

Xiao Yanchen chuckled. "Yes, Miss Shen is better."

Empress Wei nodded in agreement. As she carefully recalled how Shen Anxin had spoken from a woman's perspective time and again throughout the whole affair, she felt ashamed of herself, even as the mother of the nation and the foremost woman in Great Qi.

She had once thought that granting a marriage to the crown prince would be an enormous repayment of a debt of gratitude.

Now, however, she felt that wasn't repayment.

Repaying a benefactor meant asking what they wanted, not deciding what one wanted to give them.

Although she didn't know Shen Anxin very well, she could tell from her scattered remarks that she didn't want a marriage contract to fall from the sky. If she wanted something, she would take the initiative to pursue it, like snatching the crown prince and bringing him home as a live-in son-in-law...

She had once dared neither imagine nor approach such a disposition. Now that she had truly encountered it, she felt only envy.

So Empress Wei would no longer think about granting a marriage. She would give her practical things instead: gold, silver, antiques, calligraphy and paintings, things that could be exchanged for money. Whatever Shen Anxin wanted in the future, she could buy herself.

As for whether anything would come of things between her son and Shen Anxin, that would depend on his own abilities.

The next day, before attending court, Shen Anxin heard that after Lanxiang had been interrogated the previous night, her quarters had been searched and evidence found that she had been reselling palace property. With one crime added to another, she would undoubtedly be sentenced to death.

She heard that Lanxiang had also tried to use their old relationship to guilt Empress Wei into taking care of her younger brother outside the palace.

But just as she was about to die, Xiao Yanchen brought her barely living brother before her.

It was said that her brother had been cornered by people from a gambling den and nearly beaten to death with clubs.

Xiao Yanchen sent no one to treat him. He simply let Lanxiang's brother suffer the agony of broken bones before her, dying bit by bit from the pain.

Lanxiang could only watch it all happen, watching the person she treasured most die before her eyes while she was powerless to help, consumed by grief and rage.

That was the cruelest punishment for her.

Shen Anxin didn't know exactly what had happened to them, nor did she care.

Shen Anxin: [As long as Lanxiang dies, Empress Wei will be safe. Maybe the second and third princes' lives can be saved too, and Xiao Yanchen can remain crown prince in good health.]

Chacha: [Host, you care quite a bit about the imperial family.]

Shen Anxin: [Of course I have to care! These princes are all so outstanding. Only if they shine and give off heat in their posts, act as good lead sheep, and build up Great Qi properly can I enjoy life to my heart's content! Keep it up, Great Qi's imperial family!]

Emperor Hongyao and the princes, who were preparing to attend court: ...Something feels strange.

The assembled ministers: Please, could you stop praising the imperial family as if they were beasts of burden every time?!!!!

At court that day, Shen Anxin had no chance to eat melons.

That was because the Southern Xia envoy delegation would arrive in the capital the next day.

Thus, today's court session consisted of Emperor Hongyao sharing the latest information gathered about the delegation, assigning tasks, and stressing the gravity of receiving them.

The atmosphere was so solemn that even Shen Anxin grew nervous.

Shen Anxin: [Chacha, are there any melons to eat about establishing diplomatic relations this time?]

Everyone instantly pricked up their ears and stole expectant glances at Shen Anxin.

Chacha: [One of the subjects of the melon is outside the hundred-meter range. Unable to search.]

Shen Anxin: [Looks like we'll have to wait until the delegation arrives.]

Everyone was disappointed, but as long as Shen Anxin was present when the time came, they would feel a little more confident.

When court ended, they didn't need to cling to Buddha's feet at the last minute this time. Emperor Hongyao had finally seen fit to give them leave, letting them go home and rest for the night so they could face the battle the next day.

Shen Anxin remarked to Chacha that this was just like relaxing before an exam.

When Shen Anxin left the palace, Empress Wei came to see her off in person and presented her with several wagonloads of rewards.

Shen Anxin's eyes went wide at the sight, and she could barely keep the corners of her mouth from turning up. Celebratory fireworks were going off in her head.

She hadn't expected to become rich overnight just from being framed.

Empress Wei was happy to see that she liked them.

And so Shen Anxin rode in her carriage with a grand procession of rewards following behind, drawing envious looks from everyone.

Her return caused a shock among the servants at the residence.

There weren't many servants at the Marquis of Shuoping's Residence these days. To avoid exposing his and his father's whereabouts, Shen Anlan had given most of the household servants extended leave before departing, leaving only the most loyal to look after Shen Anxin.

Shen Anxin hadn't come home after her first court session disguised as a man, frightening the few servants half to death.

Some waited outside the palace every day for news, some burned incense and prayed to Buddha for her safety inside the palace, and some guarded the front gate as though expecting an imperial decree to confiscate the family's property at any moment.

At the sight of the second young lady returning safe and sound, they all wept for joy. But when they saw the grand procession of rewards behind her, they were dumbfounded.

They didn't know that more than a dozen hidden guards had also returned with Shen Anxin.

Their first task was to record useful inner thoughts; their second was to protect Shen Anxin.

Back home, Shen Anxin could finally change back into women's clothes and have a proper rest.

Then she began exchanging points for goods.

She had long since set her sights on the dazzling array of daily necessities available.

Heaven knew how troublesome it was to brush one's teeth, use the toilet, and deal with a period in ancient times.

There was also the cola, instant noodles, and ham sausage she'd dreamed of having a taste of.

Fortunately, she'd collected quite a few points from eating melons in the palace over the past few days. Otherwise, she couldn't have borne to spend them.

After happily indulging herself, Shen Anxin looked at the ten points she had left and decided to save them for the time being, in case she needed them.

The next day, Shen Anxin had to attend court early and couldn't go out into the streets to join the excitement. In the past, she would certainly have gone to watch the Southern Xia delegation's procession.

As her carriage passed along the main street, people had already begun staking out spots by the roadside.

Everyone looked delighted. They had truly come to welcome the delegation with joy.

"Grandpa, why are you so excited?" a little child asked his grandfather, who was saving a place.

"Grandpa is excited on his own grandpa's behalf. Back then, my grandpa was separated from his brothers and sisters. He stayed in Great Qi, while his closest kin were all in Southern Xia. They never got to reunite in their lifetimes."

"So Great Qi and Southern Xia are like Grandpa's grandpa and his siblings?"

As Shen Anxin passed, the last thing she saw was the old man beaming as he patted his grandson on the head and nodded yes.

In the common people's eyes, Southern Xia and they were one family. They spoke the same language and wrote the same characters; they were kin. That was why they welcomed Southern Xia's arrival so warmly.

But according to the information Emperor Hongyao had investigated, the visitors had come with ill intentions.

Not to mention the information Shen Anxin had gleaned indirectly while eating melons. It could be said that Southern Xia looked down on Great Qi to its very bones, and even hated it.

In short: what they had cast aside and discarded had no right to grow and prosper, much less surpass them.

But none of that had much to do with her. She was only a fake crown prince's attendant, and she merely hoped no trouble would find its way to her.

Let the imperial relatives and the civil and military officials at court worry about affairs of state.

Just then, she passed the Tongyuan Bookshop.

Shen Anxin's eyes lit up. Right, the fanfiction storybooks.

Shen Anxin ran inside excitedly, then walked out disappointed.

So at court, everyone heard Shen Anxin complaining.

Shen Anxin: [Damn butterfly effect! Who on earth touched my storybooks? Boo-hoo, there isn't a single one left. I still wanted to read a thing or two about the civil and military officials at court!]

The civil and military officials: ...His Majesty is wise!

General Wu and Minister Zheng in particular: We thank Your Majesty on our knees!!!!!!

She still wants to read storybooks about us? Not a chance!

But... what does butterfly effect mean? Never mind, just ignore the words we don't understand in Shen Anxin's inner thoughts.

Although it was morning court, it was plain to see that the emperor and all the civil and military officials were tense.

There was a sense that wind and rain were about to break.

Shen Anxin: [Everyone's so nervous. Chacha, don't you think it's strange? Great Qi clearly crushes Southern Xia in military strength, so why is Great Qi the nervous one, acting as if it's afraid it won't receive them properly? Anyone who didn't know better would think subordinates were receiving their superior and awaiting inspection.]

The moment they heard that thought, everyone's heart gave a sudden jolt.

It was as though something had knocked against their heads, stiff with tension.

Even the military officers at court were momentarily unable to react.

Chacha: [It's probably because they both came from Great Xia. Back then, Great Xia revered virtue, etiquette, and culture, so in their eyes, military strength and culture still rank differently.

Even though Great Qi knows it can easily defeat Southern Xia, Southern Xia has inherited all of Great Xia's institutions unchanged, so Great Qi still subconsciously wants Southern Xia's approval.]

Shen Anxin: [Emmm... is that necessary?]

The person's and the system's remarks left all the civil and military officials speechless, and for a time, even lost.

Even the decisive and ruthless Emperor Hongyao couldn't help asking himself at that moment whether he, too, subconsciously wanted the Xiao clan to gain the Southern Xia imperial family's approval.

Chacha: [It isn't. Because it has little practical value.

From a practical standpoint, Great Qi is located in the north and has long suffered shortages of grain, salt, and minerals. All of these are essential if it wants rapid, stable development.

Aside from sentiment, Great Qi is so eager to establish diplomatic relations because of practical benefits. Southern Xia has plenty of all those things.]

Emperor Hongyao breathed a sigh of relief. Indeed, that's what I value most! Chacha really understands me!

The civil and military officials nodded inwardly. That was right, that was how it was.

Chacha: [But rather than curry favor to gain their approval, it would be better to conquer them outright, unify the north and south of the river basin, and settle the matter once and for all.]

Emperor Hongyao: ...Huh? Wait, that's not right!

The civil and military officials: Isn't this Chacha supposed to eat melons? Why is he so bellicose?

Xiao Yanchen pressed a hand to his forehead. From a long-term perspective, that wasn't actually wrong.

But if they really did that, he and his imperial father would probably stink for ten thousand years.