“Your Majesty, the Emperor is here.”
After Gu Fu left the palace, the Empress forced herself to stay composed as Nanny Jing reported the palace affairs to her.
The case of Princess Yulou sent chills down the Empress’s spine. She couldnât imagine what chaos would ensue if the lady-in-waiting, who was skilled in martial arts and had killed Princess Yulou, had managed to slip into the palace unnoticed. Therefore, in addition to multiple screenings, she set a rule that from now on, palace maids and eunuchs would be grouped in teams of three to five, and any anomalies that were not reported would result in collective punishment if anything went wrong.
With so many matters being reported, it made her busier than usual. When she heard that the Emperor had come to visit her, she not only didnât feel happy but rather found him a nuisance.
The Emperor and Empress had been married for so many years that he could easily see through the Empress’s impatience hidden beneath her dignified demeanor. So, he waved his hand, telling the Empress to continue with her work, while he just sat down to rest for a while.
The Empress, upon hearing this, didn’t stand on ceremony and really did immerse herself in managing the palace affairs, leaving the Emperor aside, with Nanny Jing anxiously making faces.
That evening, the Emperor stayed for dinner at Fengyi Palace. At the dinner table, the Empress chatted with the Emperor for a bit and casually brought up her disagreement with Gu Fu.
The Emperor knew she was busy with the matter of the women’s academy and hadn’t stopped her. Now, upon hearing that they were looking for reasons to establish the academy, he laughed and said, “Why make it so complicated? Just open it directly.”
It’s easy to give advice when you’re not the one in trouble.
The Empress sighed and said, “To be honest with you, Iâm not afraid of others, just Grand Tutor Wei. If he submits a memorial in opposition, would Your Majesty be able to overrule it on my behalf?”
Grand Tutor Wei was most wary of powerful clans. Whenever the Li family showed the slightest sign of movement, he would latch onto it relentlessly. Now that the Empress wanted to establish a women’s academy, he would undoubtedly be more sensitive than anyone else, suspecting that the Empress was building a faction for herself, with the next step being to interfere in politics and appoint women as officials.
To be honest, the Empress did indeed want to make history by allowing women to enter the court as officials. However, this didn’t mean she wanted to usurp her husband’s empire. Unfortunately, Grand Tutor Wei had never been shy about assuming the worst of the Li family, and the Empress felt there was nothing she could do about it.
The Emperor hesitated, “This…”
Grand Tutor Wei had once taught the Emperor; he was essentially the Emperorâs mentor. Any suggestion Wei made, as long as it wasnât outrageous, was difficult for the Emperor to reject, especially when the idea of a women’s academy seemed so unnecessary in the eyes of the public.
Unable to respond, the Emperor changed the subject, “Given that, your concerns aren’t unfounded. But since Gu Er is unwilling to listen to reason, how do you plan to persuade her?”
The Empress replied, “Let’s wait and see. Maybe sheâll suddenly come around.”
The Empress was quite fond of Gu Fu, and the preparation for the academy had made her feel very fulfilled. She often fantasized that if she had been born in an era where women’s academies had existed, she might have surpassed her two brothers to become the pillar of her family, conducting business and earning wealth that others might never amass in a lifetime. At that point, even if she were forced by the late Emperor’s decree to marry the then-Crown Prince, who would dare to mock her humble origins and claim she was unworthy of the Eastern Palace?
However, Gu Fu had her flaws, especially her stubbornness.
It wasnât that she didnât know how to be flexibleâafter all, a general who didnât know how to adapt would be courting death. But she held firm to her principles in certain matters. Otherwise, she wouldnât have joined the military at such a young age, and upon returning, sabotaged her own arranged marriage, causing one potential suitor after another to withdraw. If it werenât for the fact that she already had feelings for the Imperial Preceptor, her marriage would have been a long, drawn-out struggle.
It was only after the Emperor arranged the marriage that the Empress realized from Gu Fu’s reaction that Gu Fu already liked the Imperial Preceptor, rendering her previous worries entirely unnecessary.
However, the Empress didnât intend to just focus on convincing Gu Fu without reflecting on herself.
As the saying goes: “If you want to destroy someone, first make them arrogant.”
If a person becomes so arrogant that they refuse to listen to others, their downfall isnât far off.
So, after dinner, the Empress asked the Emperor if Gu Fuâs words made any sense.
The Emperor, naturally aligning with the Empressâs thoughts, said, “Guâer shouldnât think that she can force her way through everything. Occasionally, she must consider reality, learn to bow her head, and compromise. If the womenâs academy cannot be established, whatâs the point of her holding on stubbornly to her original intention to open the academy?”
The Empress tugged at the Emperor’s sleeve and changed the way she referred to herself, saying, “I want to hear the truth.”
The Emperor couldnât resist whenever the Empress changed her self-reference from “čŁĺŚž” (your servant) to “ć” (I). Every time she did that, it felt to him like she was being coquettish. Others might think it was disrespectful, but he found it very endearing, and he could only helplessly say, “Didnât Guâer already explain the pros and cons to you?”
The Empress replied, “But I find it easier to listen to you.”
The Emperor, unable to resist, gave her the truth as she wished: “Both of your ideas are reasonable, and your goals are the same, but you…”
The Emperor paused, then pulled the Empress onto his lap, holding her in his arms before continuing, “But have you ever considered that problems and difficulties wonât decrease just because there are more solutions? Today, you solve the problem of ‘the difficulty in opening the academy,’ but in the future, when the academy changes hands, the question of why the academy was established will become a new problem, left for future generations to solve.”
“Do you have confidence in future generations?”
The Empress fell silent.
Although it might sound arrogant, she had confidence in herself more.
Leaving the future fate of the academy in the hands of future generationsâshe wasnât at ease with that.
The Empress said, “I can announce my original intention for establishing the academy to the world before I die.”
“Donât talk about death,” the Emperor said, covering her mouth and muttering several times about “innocent talk,” before responding, “Are you planning to build just one academy?”
The Empress shook her head and, at the same time, realized that announcing her intentions before death probably wouldnât work, unless she never intended to open the academy outside the capital for the rest of her life.
Moreover, an academyâs founding principles cannot be changed easily. Suddenly announcing them to the world would only make some people feel deceived and even less willing to accept the women’s academy.
It might be better to face more difficulties from the start, as it could reduce future troubles and uncertainties.
The Emperor added, “And besides…”
The Empress frowned: Thereâs more???
The Emperor continued, “As for the students, that’s one thing. But if the teachers come in with preconceived notions, thinking it’s enough for the female students to learn just the basics to appear competent, then does it matter who you choose as a teacher?”
The Empress had gone through great trouble to select teachers under the guise of Princess Ruiyang, precisely because she feared they might look down on women and refuse to teach them properly.
The Empress leaned into the Emperor’s embrace, stayed silent for a moment, and then said, “I’ll think about it some more.”
…
The Gu family sent only one carriage to pick up Mu Qingyao and Gu Fu, so after Mu Qingyao left the palace, she didnât go straight home. Instead, she waited in the carriage until Gu Fu came out.
During this time, there was a small incidentâ the Heir Apparent of Prince An came out of the palace and mistakenly identified the wrong carriage, almost lifting the curtain of the Gu family’s carriage.
Fortunately, the Gu family’s coachman reacted quickly and stopped him. Afterward, the Heir Apparent apologized to Mu Qingyao inside the carriage. Since Mu Qingyao had no maidservant with her, she put on a veil, stepped out of the carriage gracefully, and accepted his apology, dispelling his embarrassment with a few words before returning to the carriage.
When the Heir Apparent found his own carriage, he discovered his mischievous younger brother sitting inside and immediately realized that his brother had deliberately parked the carriage so far away.
As expected, his younger brother burst out laughing as soon as he saw him: “Hahaha! You couldnât recognize it, could you? The Gu family’s carriage looks just like ours. I knew you would mistake it!”
The Heir Apparent grabbed his brother by the neck and pressed him against the carriage wall. “You’re pretty pleased with yourself for embarrassing your brother, huh?”
The younger brother yelped, and the two of them tussled until they finally stopped.
By then, the carriage had traveled quite a distance, and the younger brother, unconcerned, asked, “Hey, brother, was that the Gu family’s cousin just now?”
Heir Apparent glanced at him without responding.
The younger brother continued, “I secretly asked one of the maidservants in Mother’s quarters. Mother intends to propose to the Gu family to marry their cousin to you as your wife.”
The Heir Apparent frowned and asked, “Which maidservant in Mother’s quarters dares to gossip like that?”
“Come on, brother!” the younger brother said with a slap. “Iâm serious. What do you think of her?”
“Not much,” the Heir Apparent replied, recalling Mu Qingyaoâs poised response and behavior but feeling an unshakable dislike in his heart.
The late Emperor did quite a few questionable things, like arranging marriages for his sons with women who were completely unworthy of them, simply because he didnât favor those sons.
As a result, both Princess An and the current Empress had humble origins. Perhaps because of this, Princess An became more concerned with what she lacked, and she was determined to find a well-educated and flawless noblewoman for her son. However, the heir of Prince An, having seen how others looked down on his mother during his childhood, had developed a strong aversion to the type of women who were so proper that even their walking seemed measured with a ruler.
He found them annoying.
When Gu Fu emerged from the palace, the carriage slowly pulled away from the palace gates. Mu Qingyao set down her book and asked, “You donât seem very happy. Did something happen in the palace?”
Although her words were meant to show concern, Mu Qingyao had a way of saying them in such a flat, emotionless tone that, combined with her expressionless face, came across as cold and indifferent.
Gu Fu replied, “I had a minor disagreement with the Empress, but it’s not a big deal.”
Since Gu Fu didnât want to elaborate, Mu Qingyao didnât press the issue. She wasnât curious, nor did she feel that Gu Fu was being distant by not sharing more. She remained as indifferent as ever.
At times, Gu Fu even envied Mu Qingyao, thinking that aside from her love of cleanliness, Mu Qingyao had no other desires and lived a carefree life.
However, Gu Fu soon realized she was mistakenâMu Qingyao wasnât always able to maintain her detached calmness.
When they got home, Gu Qizheng informed them that Mu Qingyao’s father had sent a letter saying that the troop rotation in the northwest had been handled and that he would be returning to the capital soon.
Upon hearing this news, Mu Qingyao couldn’t maintain her usual composed noblewoman facade. She threw herself into Gu Fu’s arms and cried her heart out.
A chubby pigeon landed on the ground and cautiously inched closer, but because it was afraid of the scent of Fu Yan that lingered on Gu Fu, it didnât dare approach. Instead, it just hopped around them anxiously.
Later, Gu Fu stayed with Mu Qingyao for dinner.
After calming down, Mu Qingyao took out the deeds to their family’s property in the capital. She planned to go out during the upcoming rest day to find someone to properly clean and manage the Mu residence, which had been unoccupied for years. She also intended to purchase some clothing and other necessities, as well as hire a few more servants, so that her father and brother would have people to command when they returned home.
Seeing that Mu Qingyao was alright, Gu Fu then went to bathe and change her clothes before heading out to Qitian Tower under the cover of night.
Tomorrow was a rest day, so Gu Fu didnât have to get up early to go to the palace, which was favorable timing. Qitian Tower was heavily guarded, and no one dared to enter without permission, meaning the Emperor wouldnât summon Fu Yan to the palace in the middle of the night, which was advantageous in terms of location. Fu Yan had slept well the previous night, and if nothing unpleasant had happened today, he likely would have eaten obediently, which meant that the circumstances were favorable.
With the right timing, location, and people, Gu Fu was determined to finally “devour” Fu Yan tonight.
When she arrived at Qitian Tower, Gu Fu asked Fu Yan, “Did you eat properly?”
“I did,” Fu Yan replied, looking up at her. “Are you upset?”
Gu Fu was taken aback and moved closer to him, asking, “Why are you saying that too?”
Fu Yan raised his hand and gently caressed her cheek. “Don’t be upset.”
Gu Fu smiled and rubbed her face against his palm. “I’m not upset.”
Seeing the slight furrow in his brow, Gu Fu had no choice but to set aside the urgency she couldn’t quite express and reluctantly shared the disagreement she had with the Empress.
This disagreement wasn’t enough to truly upset Gu Fu, but because she had something on her mind, it was inevitable that those who cared about her would notice.
“Was I wrong?” After finishing, Gu Fu asked Fu Yan.
Without even blinking, Fu Yan replied, “You weren’t wrong. Insisting on establishing a solid foundation for the academy will ensure that your intentions are preserved for a long time, preventing future generations from misinterpreting them.”
Gu Fu laughed. “Don’t be so biased toward me. If you make me too steadfast in my thinking, and the Empress remains firm in her decision, something unexpected might happen.”
Fu Yan remained silent, seemingly hesitating.
Gu Fu touched his cheek. “Just say what you want to say.”
Fu Yan asked, “Are you familiar with Grand Tutor Wei?”
“I’ve heard of him,” Gu Fu replied.
“Grand Tutor Wei holds a high position and is deeply wary of the Li family, who are at the height of their power. He’s my best tool for keeping the Li family in check, and I often use him to suppress them,” Fu Yan said this without the slightest hint of shame, as if it were no big deal that he was suppressing his sister-in-law’s family.
“There are many others like him… If the academy is not established in the Empress’s name, it will certainly provoke countless criticisms, making it even harder for the academy to operate. However, the Empress’s name is not all-powerful either. If you don’t set a harmless foundation for the academy, it will inevitably arouse suspicion among those with ulterior motives. And if this endeavor fails, any future attempt to establish a women’s academy under someone else’s name will undoubtedly be suspected of having the Empress’s backing, making it even harder to explain.
“They will wonder why the Empress is so insistent on an academy if it’s just an ordinary school, leading them to believe something is amiss. This could even lead to fervent opposition.
“Never underestimate those court officials. When they become obstinate, it can make you wish you could get rid of them.”
Fu Yan’s words made Gu Fu fall into deep thought. After a moment, she shook her head and sighed, “I still need to think about whether there’s a third option…”
Given the gravity of the situation, she didn’t want to gamble.
With her mind preoccupied, Gu Fu didn’t practice the konghou or pester Fu Yan. She just sat there, lost in thought.
Suddenly, Fu Yan let out a soft hiss.
Gu Fu snapped out of her daze and looked at Fu Yan, who had withdrawn his hand and hidden it in his sleeve.
“Let me see,” Gu Fu said, extending her hand toward him.
Fu Yan lowered his eyes and, after a moment, extended his hand, saying, “It’s nothing, I just got a little scalded by the tea.”
“How could you be so careless?” Gu Fu saw that his fingertips were red and immediately told him to sit still. She ran downstairs to fetch ice from the well, soaking it in water for Fu Yan to dip his hand.
Watching Gu Fu run back and forth, even seeking out Yi Ye for burn ointment, all while losing the heavy expression she’d had while deep in thought, Fu Yan thought to himself: “So what if I’m being a bit spoiled?”
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