Emperor and Empress Discuss Fortune

Midnight.

When the lights of Wan'an County gradually dimmed and everyone had drifted into slumber, the distant Central Capital City still blazed with scattered lantern light. Painted boats on the Ziwei River shimmered in a riot of colors, and at the end of Celestial Street, the Mortal Descent Tower echoed with song and dance.

At the heart of Central Capital City, the Undying Palace Lamp of Eternal Bright Palace flickered with a radiance as bright as day. Seen from above, the entire city resembled a platter of dazzling jewels, and Eternal Bright Palace was the most brilliant pearl among them.

Behind this pearl lay a small patch of darkness. The light of Eternal Bright Palace shone in all directions, yet it could not reach this adjacent hall. The darkness did not clash with the palace's brilliance; instead, it blended with it in an oddly harmonious way.

Outside Quiet Contemplation Hall, a row of inner attendants and palace maids stood silently beneath the long corridor, supervising one another with their eyes, forbidding the slightest sound. The usually amiable Emperor had rarely encountered such vexing matters and had retreated to Quiet Heart Hall for some peace. No careless beast must disturb his thoughts.

A ceremonial procession wound its way forward, its center dominated by a conspicuous Phoenix Carriage. The golden phoenix feathers on the carriage blazed like a cluster of flames. These were not crafted by human artisans but plucked from the Phoenix Bird Clan's chieftain in the Myriad Demon Kingdom and presented as tribute to Great Xuan.

The Head Eunuch Hou An, stationed outside Quiet Contemplation Hall, immediately broke into a smile. He hurried to the Phoenix Carriage, bowed low, and announced: "Greetings, Empress."

The Phoenix Carriage descended, and a noblewoman in resplendent court attire stepped down. She glanced at the dishes held by a few young guards outside the hall and frowned slightly. "Has His Majesty not yet dined?"

"Reporting to Your Highness, His Majesty has refused food since leaving court. This servant has arranged for the Imperial Kitchen to stand ready at all hours."

The Empress shook her head gently, picked up a plate of pastries from the tray, and took a flask of fine wine. She pushed open the door to Quiet Contemplation Hall and entered. Hou An quickly closed the door from outside and stood guard.

The Empress walked into the hall, where a few candles flickered, casting dancing shadows. She saw the Emperor of Great Xuan seated before a low table, holding a scroll of scriptures and reading. The Empress covered her mouth with a light laugh. "Your Majesty, you're holding the book upside down!"

The Emperor sighed, set down the scroll, and looked at the charming Empress approaching him. "Zitong, do not mock Imperial We. Imperial We is truly pained at heart."

"Is it because of that Immortal Literary Heart?"

The Emperor gave a bitter laugh. "The one who knows Imperial We is Zitong. It's laughable to think—Imperial We has been the Emperor of Great Xuan for forty years, yet cannot eat or sleep over a single treasure. The late Emperor was right; Imperial We's vision is too narrow, lacking the boldness of a true sovereign."

The Empress walked to the Emperor's side, nestled down beside him, and poured a cup of the wine she had brought. She comforted him, "Your Majesty suffered many hardships in youth, so naturally you cannot match the aura the late Emperor cultivated while growing up under Emperor Qi's care. Besides, if not for Your Majesty's diligence these forty years, where would Great Xuan's current stability come from? Your Majesty must not belittle yourself."

"As for the Immortal Literary Heart, that is no ordinary treasure. Only a Literary Heart Great Scholar who has cultivated the three immortal achievements—Establishing Merit, Establishing Virtue, and Establishing Words—can condense it. In the six hundred years since Great Xuan's founding, only eighty-six such hearts have been passed down..."

The Emperor drained the wine in one gulp, let out a long breath, and nodded. "Yes. Of those eighty-six Literary Hearts, some have masters, some belong to families; those truly in the court's hands number no more than ten fingers. A rare masterless heart appears, and now it must be given away. Imperial We truly cannot bear it."

"Then why did Your Majesty agree to Minister Wen and let the heart choose its master?"

"Old Minister Wen is devoted to the state and has protected Imperial We for years. When he personally spoke, how could Imperial We refuse? Besides, it is ancient custom for a masterless heart to choose anew. Imperial We had no reason to obstruct."

The Empress smiled again. "Your Majesty worries too much. This matter of a Literary Heart choosing its master has happened before in our dynasty, but how many have truly succeeded? The Kong Family's Establishing Virtue Literary Heart has been waiting for five hundred years. How many times have they invited the realm's talents to participate in the selection ceremony? Yet it still sits enshrined in their ancestral temple. Minister Wen said that if no master is chosen, the heart will be placed in the Confucian Temple."

"And what difference is there between the Confucian Temple and the court?"

"To take a step back—if a true talent does make the heart choose him, it means Great Xuan will gain another seed of a Great Scholar. Whether a Great Scholar or a Literary Heart is more beneficial to the dynasty is hard to judge."

The Emperor nodded slightly. "Yes, Zitong speaks sense." But the furrow between his brows did not ease.

Seeing this, the Empress thought for a moment. "Does Your Majesty have other concerns?"

The Emperor stood, paced a few steps, and spoke. "Imperial We does have a small selfish thought."

With that, the Emperor walked to a stone screen in Quiet Contemplation Hall. He flicked his sleeve, and a stream of white energy shot from his hand, striking the screen. The screen flashed white, and slowly, the image of nine giant cauldrons appeared. Only six of them glowed with white light; the seventh was about a third lit, while the rest and the remaining two cauldrons remained dim.

"Your Majesty!" The Empress rose in shock.

This National Destiny Wall was a treasure of the Great Xuan royal clan, capable of reflecting the dynasty's fortune.

"The Nine Cauldrons Prosperous Era, the Eight Cauldrons Imperial Dynasty, the Seven Cauldrons Strong Nation!" the Emperor said softly, gazing at the wall. "When Emperor Qi reigned, fortune overflowed nine cauldrons. Demons and barbarians dared not claim kingship; myriad tribes came to pay homage. When Emperor Qi passed, two cauldrons of fortune collapsed. The late Emperor succeeded him, worked tirelessly, launched five northern expeditions and three southern campaigns, beat the barbarians until they dared not look south, and the demons dared not march north. At last, he condensed one more cauldron of fortune..."

"By the time Imperial We ascended, after forty years of diligent rule, only six and a half cauldrons remain, barely maintaining a facade of peace. If fortune falls further, the dynasty will face the danger of instability."

The Empress walked to the Emperor's side, took his hand, and said softly, "The late Emperor's northern and southern campaigns already overdrew our dynasty's fortune. His sudden death damaged its foundation. Then came the three princes' struggle for the throne and Chancellor Huo's usurpation of power, throwing the realm into another decade of chaos. I heard from my father that when Your Majesty ascended, fortune was only four cauldrons—already a precarious state. It was Your Majesty who set things right, working diligently for decades, turning four wavering cauldrons into five, then rising from five to six cauldrons of peace. In this consort's eyes, Your Majesty is no worse than Emperor Qi or the late Emperor!"

The Empress's sincere words warmed the Emperor's heart. He shook his head. "Imperial We lacks Emperor Qi's grand strategy and the late Emperor's soaring spirit. Imperial We has only diligence, barely enough to be a caretaker ruler. Imperial We worries about the Crown Prince..."

The Empress's expression stiffened. Thinking of that headache-inducing Crown Prince, she quickly explained, "The Crown Prince has been making efforts lately..."

The Emperor waved his hand slightly, helped the Empress up, and said, "Imperial We does not blame him. It's just that if Imperial We passes, fortune will stir. If the royal clan has one more Literary Heart to suppress it, fortune can be a little more stable. That is Imperial We's selfishness."

The Empress was startled and quickly said, "Your Majesty is in the prime of your reign. Do not speak such inauspicious words."

"Emperors have their Heavenly Numbers," the Emperor said dismissively. "But if that day comes, a Literary Heart is only an aid. What truly matters are the loyal ministers."

With that, the Emperor looked back at the National Destiny Wall. "If only fortune could be a little more..."

After the Emperor spoke, Quiet Contemplation Hall fell into silence.

The Head Eunuch Hou An's sharp voice rang out from outside the hall. "Your Majesty, Minister Wen requests an audience."

The Empress's voice came from within. "His Majesty is tired. Let Minister Wen return. They can meet at court tomorrow."

Hou An seemed to hesitate for a moment before replying, "Minister Wen specifically instructed me to say that he has a method to increase the dynasty's fortune to present!"

Hurried footsteps sounded from within the hall. The door was yanked open, and the Emperor rushed out.

The Empress followed behind, holding a pair of shoes, calling out, "Your Majesty, your shoes..."

Ask where tickets might be found, the cowherd boy points to the book friends.

Requesting collections, requesting recommendations...

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