Wedding

"How's your case going?"

As she spoke, Fu Yijun placed a chess piece on the board, blocking Qiu Che's path.

"Does Your Majesty want to know?"

Qiu Che remained expressionless. "Then you'll have to exchange it for information of equal value."

"Aren't we already partners?" Fu Yijun raised an eyebrow, not falling for the bait. "The emperor will find out sooner or later, so why shouldn't I?"

Qiu Che rubbed the chess piece between her fingers, showing no embarrassment at having her ploy exposed. She remained composed. "Those palace maids were from Consort Xu's palace. While the mastermind has yet to be uncovered, His Majesty has been noticeably cold toward Consort Xu these past few days."

Fu Yijun pondered for a moment. "Consort Xu has always been favored. Though she's arrogant and domineering, she's not a fool… Her relationship with Lehe has always been good. As Lehe's birth mother, she has no reason to target her."

"This is likely a deliberate attempt to frame her."

"You've been outside the palace for years," Qiu Che glanced at her, "yet you seem to know a great deal about what's happening within."

Fu Yijun chuckled. "Without some skills, I wouldn't have been able to get my hands on that memorial of yours, so, what did you find out? Hurry and tell me."

Qiu Che didn't answer immediately.

She contemplated her move, then placed the final piece on the board, breaking through what had seemed like a dead end, an utterly hopeless situation transformed into an unexpected reversal.

A comeback against the odds. A victory snatched from the jaws of defeat.

Fu Yijun's smile froze. She studied the board for a moment before tossing her piece into the basket and commenting with amusement, "…Turns out you're quite the expert. I underestimated you."

Qiu Che: "I appreciate the match."

"Now, will you tell me?" Fu Yijun asked slowly. "Who is it?"

Instead of answering, Qiu Che lifted her chin slightly, gesturing toward a certain direction outside the palace window.

Fu Yijun followed her gaze, and her eyelid twitched slightly.

That was… the Prime Minister's residence.

"Wu Rusheng." Fu Yijun mouthed the name, then let out a soft laugh. "I can't say I'm surprised."

"That old fox… From the moment he betrayed me, I knew he wouldn't be easy to deal with."

She sighed. "He's always had an uncanny sense for enemies… But you, you're new to court. For him to personally step in and pull a stunt like this against you… isn't that a little…"

She thought for a moment, then said, "Isn't that a little too lacking in confidence?"

That didn't seem like the Wu Rusheng she knew.

"Maybe it's not a lack of confidence." Qiu Che turned her head slightly, her gaze fixed on the towering walls of the imperial palace in the distance. Her voice dropped to a murmur.

"Maybe… he caught wind of something in advance."

For two lifetimes, there was one thing she could never quite understand.

Why did everyone around her seem so certain that Li Qingwu would inevitably be tied to her?

Why was Qiu Chudong, usually as timid as a mouse, suddenly so bold, bold enough to plan such a reckless scheme?

One reason was Wu Rusheng's backing, but the other…

They had known for some time.

Li Qingwu had already petitioned the emperor for a marriage decree, a full month ago.

The timing matched perfectly.

It also explained why Qiu Chudong had suddenly asked her that day if she agreed to marry the princess.

Because the news had already spread. And the first person to hear it had likely been Wu Rusheng. From him, it reached Qiu Chudong.

On the surface, Li Qingwu was still the illustrious and beautiful Eldest Princess, her position coveted by many, with suitors lining up for the title of prince consort.

Perhaps Wu Rusheng wanted to reclaim the granddaughter-in-law he had once intended.

Perhaps he simply wanted to probe the nature of the relationship between her and Li Qingwu.

Or perhaps he wanted to test the ability of this newly appointed top scholar who had caught the princess's favor.

Whatever the case, he had made his move.

But it was almost as if he had been playing around.

He had only sent a few palace maids and eunuchs to coordinate within the palace.

If not for the previous life, where the empress had conveniently dismissed so many servants ahead of time, this scheme would have had an 80% chance of success.

His cover-up was even half-hearted at best, pinning the blame on Consort Xu, who had no obvious motive.

A little investigation would easily uncover the truth behind those palace maids.

But even knowing that Wu Rusheng had orchestrated everything, Qiu Che understood she had no way to bring him down.

He had ample ways to clear himself of suspicion.

For instance, while those palace maids had come from his residence, he could claim they had long since severed ties, and he had no knowledge of their later actions.

Or he could argue that, had he truly been the mastermind, he would never have been so blatant.

After all, Wu Rusheng was the nation's foremost scholar-official, renowned for his wisdom and foresight. Why would he do something that brought him no benefit?

Or perhaps those palace maids had only coincidentally been on duty in the imperial garden that day, merely leading the princess along a path.

If they were truly responsible, then how did they end up victims themselves?

Without solid proof that they had set the incense, even the palace maids themselves couldn't be convicted.

Qiu Che sighed heavily in her heart.

The need to reform the legal system was urgent.

Even if the emperor believed her, and even if his discontent with Wu Rusheng deepened, it would only mean one thing—

That pressure would trickle downward.

And as the emperor's favored rising star, the first to bear that pressure would be Qiu Che herself.

But the fact that the emperor had entrusted this case to her was, in the eyes of others, a sign of his trust and favor.

If she failed to produce the name of the mastermind, the emperor would not be pleased.

She was trapped, caught between two impossible choices.

No matter how she looked at it, she was the one who would have to swallow this bitter pill in silence.

But Qiu Che was not someone who tolerated losses.

The day after speaking with the Empress Dowager, Qiu Che began drafting legal reforms.

The court officials had already been keeping a close eye on her movements. Her sudden actions caused a great stir.

Especially because her first proposal was to cut the annual stipends of aristocratic families by ten percent.

It struck directly at the old gentry's most sensitive pain point.

They valued face. And so did Wu Rusheng.

Thus, if there was to be an official protest, it had to come from the Censorate.

The political factions conferred privately and, in rare unanimity, agreed to strike back in the next morning's court session.

They made an unprecedented show of unity.

And so, Qiu Che's first early morning court session since attaining a fifth-rank title unfolded amidst the raucous clamor of old officials bickering like a marketplace haggle.

On the imperial throne, the emperor looked exasperated, surrounded by the squawking of what seemed like a flock of roosters.

Amidst them, Qiu Che stood tall, a solitary crane among chickens.

She seemed oblivious to the outcry of the elder ministers. Her voice remained calm and steady, yet it alone drowned out tenfold their number, engaging them in a battle of wits.

By the end, she had left the senior censors pale-faced, speechless, fingers trembling in outrage.

The debate went something like this:

"Lord Qiu, it's understandable that a new official would want to make an impact, but don't you think this decision is too rash?"

Before Qiu Che could respond, the censor pressed on, "Has the Great Xia legal system become your personal playground? Or should we assume that you harbor disloyalty toward the empire?"

The emperor massaged his temples.

"My lord, Heaven and Earth bear witness to my loyalty," Qiu Che said smoothly. "If you're envious of my promotion and fortune, you could always plead with His Majesty, given your old age and frail health, he might grant you a position—"

The old censor's eyes bulged. "You—!"

"But," Qiu Che continued, "the national treasury is empty, and the empire is in crisis. I hear you recently took in your eighteenth concubine, yet you refuse to part with a mere tenth of your stipend… Should I then assume you are the one harboring disloyalty?"

The censor stammered, "Nonsense! Your Majesty, Your Majesty, do not listen to such nonsense! I—I would never betray Great Xia!"

The emperor sighed and rubbed his temples again.

"Oh, speaking of this, I almost forgot, one more condition must be added." Qiu Che feigned a look of sudden realization, then calmly lowered her head and swiftly wrote another line in the book she held: "Only men over forty who have no heirs may take concubines."

As soon as this was announced, someone immediately jumped to protest, "This is outrageous! Lord Qiu, you are still young, and you are about to marry the most beautiful woman in the capital, the Eldest Princess. Naturally, you don't understand how important it is to continue the family line—"

"It's one thing to abolish foot-binding, but if we must wait until forty to take concubines, won't that leave countless families without heirs? The sages have said, 'Of the three unfilial acts, failing to produce an heir is the worst!'"

"Oh? Is that so?" Qiu Che blinked innocently. "But from my perspective, what you truly mean is: 'How can I indulge in beauty if I'm not allowed to take concubines?'"

She continued tactfully, "My lord, I see your complexion is pale, this is a sign of kidney deficiency. Perhaps you should focus on taking care of your health first."

The man's face instantly turned red with suppressed anger.

"Also, you misquoted the saying," Qiu Che added with a smile. "The phrase 'Of the three unfilial acts, failing to produce an heir is the worst' actually means that there are three levels of unfilial behavior, with the worst being failing to fulfill one's responsibilities to the younger generation."

"Perhaps, my lord, you should read more books before arguing with me. If the sage knew his words were being so distorted, his ancestral tomb might just erupt in fury."

The hall fell into stunned silence, everyone gaping in disbelief.

It wasn't that they disagreed, it was that no one had expected Qiu Che to dare say such things so boldly.

By the time the debate ended, Qiu Che had secured a decisive victory.

Not only that, but through sheer force of will, she managed to increase the proposed salary reduction from ten percent to thirty percent.

The court officials were, of course, still dissatisfied, but the emperor's expression had already darkened to a frightening degree.

Qiu Che could afford to go all out, countering every attack, after all, she had the emperor's backing.

But they couldn't.

A pay cut was one thing; angering the emperor was another matter entirely.

In the end, Qiu Che departed with an air of unruffled composure, as if she had merely taken a leisurely stroll.

The senior ministers, however, stormed in fuming and left in utter defeat.

That day, Qiu Che made her name known throughout the court.

The emperor was clearly pleased with her performance. Even when she regretfully admitted she had yet to uncover the mastermind behind the case, he simply waved it off as inconsequential.

In an unexpected show of magnanimity, he even ordered the release of Qiu Chudong and his father from the Ministry of Justice's prison so they could attend her wedding together.

Qiu Che wanted to say: Thank you, but that really wasn't necessary.

Getting her proposal approved was only the first battle in a much larger war.

For the next half month, she was so busy that she didn't even have time to meet Li Qingwu in private to check on her.

Finally, after two exhausting weeks, the first draft of the new legal code, personally revised by her, was complete.

The Prime Minister's Residence

"He actually had the audacity to submit this..."

Wu Rusheng sneered as he looked at the memorial before him, already stamped with the emperor's red seal. His tone carried an undercurrent of frustration.

Half a month ago, his right to the final review of legal cases had been stripped away.

"Just a mere upstart, where does he get the confidence to openly challenge the aristocracy?"

"I find it rather amusing," Wu Yiqi, seated below, chuckled leisurely as he fanned himself. "The moment I first met him, I knew he was an interesting person. Sure enough..."

Wu Rusheng narrowed his eyes at his ever-talented grandson. "You seem to admire him quite a bit. I heard you were getting close to him recently?"

"Hardly! He doesn't even acknowledge me as a friend," Wu Yiqi jokes, feigning shyness. But seeing his grandfather's serious expression, he quickly toned down his humor and asked, puzzled, "Why, Grandfather... do you disapprove of him?"

Wu Rusheng glanced at the memorial in his hand, his gaze dark and unreadable. He said nothing.

Wu Yiqi grew even more confused. "He's targeting the old aristocratic families, not us. His reforms align with the emperor's will, and it just so happens that your right to final review was removed as well. But we, as members of the scholarly gentry, should be balancing the power of the aristocracy, wasn't that what you taught me? Have you forgotten? Why, then, do you harbor such strong resentment toward him?"

"Foolish boy," Wu Rusheng snapped. "Do you really think this was just the emperor's idea?"

"If that Qiu fellow hadn't brought it up, do you think His Majesty would have suddenly decided to promote him? No, this was his own ambition at work, and the emperor merely seized the opportunity to elevate a trusted ally and place him in opposition to me."

Wu Yiqi hesitated. "But—"

"Besides," Wu Rusheng started but then suddenly fell silent, as if realizing he had said too much.

A moment later, he waved his sleeve, covering half his face with his hand as he propped his head up wearily. "Enough. Go study."

Though still bewildered, Wu Yiqi didn't press further and soon took his leave.

Left alone in the study, Wu Rusheng watched his grandson's carefree retreating figure with a mix of frustration and sorrow. Finally, he let out a long sigh.

What he hadn't finished saying was: Besides, the Wu family is no longer what it once was.

Once, the Wu family stood proudly with unshakable integrity, and Wu Rusheng could proclaim with confidence: A scholar's backbone must remain unyielding.

But now, their entanglements with the aristocracy ran too deep to sever.

Like lips to teeth, when the aristocracy fell, who could say the Wu family wouldn't be next?

The entire city was abuzz with mixed emotions, but none of it concerned Qiu Che.

She had barely finished submitting her proposal when she was swept up in preparations for her wedding.

Where did the dowry come from? The answer was simple: Li Qingwu's private savings and Qiu Che's aggressive looting of what little remained in the Qiu family treasury.

Qiu Chudong and his father, freshly released from prison, were too afraid of being sent back in to even voice their complaints.

Only Qiu Che could manage to be a "groom" so financially strapped that she had to scrape together her own wedding gifts.

Three days later, on the summer solstice, a day deemed auspicious for marriage and blessings, the grand wedding commenced..."

Li Qingwu was pulled out of bed early in the morning by Fu Ling. Still drowsy, she was handled by the palace maids for nearly half an hour, dressed in the finest wedding robes embroidered by the palace's most skilled seamstresses, her hair and makeup meticulously arranged.

By the time they reached the hair-combing ceremony, she was finally awake enough to think clearly.

Her birth mother had passed away, and the Empress, holding a noble status, would not perform this ritual for her. Instead, a specially invited joyous matron took on the role.

In the mirror, she saw herself clad in brilliant red wedding attire, her waist-length hair cascading down, while the joyous matron stood behind her, smiling as she held a sandalwood comb.

As she combed through Li Qingwu's hair, she chanted loudly,

"One stroke, comb to the end, may you be blessed with a household full of children and grandchildren."

The room was filled with smiling faces, the atmosphere jubilant. Yet, as Li Qingwu gazed at the reflection of the young girl with crimson lips and snow-white teeth in the bronze mirror, she remained expressionless.

Children and grandchildren?

Given her and Qiu Che's gender, that was unlikely.

"Two strokes, comb to the end, may you enjoy a life of glory and wealth."

Li Qingwu lowered her gaze.

Glory and wealth?

For the first seventeen years of her life, she had been surrounded by endless luxury, wealth beyond measure.

Yet no one knew that beneath that opulent façade, she was covered in invisible scars, her soul already decayed, corroded by this so-called prosperity.

Glory and wealth... she could do without them.

"Three strokes, comb to the end—"

"May husband and wife respect and cherish each other, and grow old together in harmony."

Grow old together in harmony?

Li Qingwu's eyes flickered.

Her heartbeat quickened ever so slightly.

If it were with Qiu Che… even if they weren't a real couple, just imagining such an ending already felt like a kind of contentment.

She hesitated, slowly closing her eyes, and thought to herself—

Then, let it be.

No grand ambitions. Just a lifetime of mutual respect… and growing old together.

Since ancestral rites had to be performed, the wedding ceremony was held at the Qiu residence.

The guest list was neither too long nor too short, just enough to include everyone Qiu Che had offended.

But so what?

This was the wedding of the Eldest Princess. If they refused to attend, they'd be slighting the Emperor himself.

Even if they were inwardly resentful, they had no choice but to put on smiles, bring their congratulatory gifts, and show up.

Their misery was Qiu Che's gain.

The imperial edict of marriage had granted Li Qingwu her own princess manor. According to Great Xia's customs, on the wedding day, she would leave the palace and wait there for Qiu Che to come and escort her.

Dressed in a crimson robe, she rode on horseback, her entire figure exuding an air of elegance and refinement, her complexion radiant like a blooming peach blossom.

She was even more captivating than the day she had ridden through the streets in triumph after making the imperial honor roll.

The young ladies who had gathered to watch the spectacle blushed the moment they met her gaze, staring at her dreamily, unable to look away.

When dismounting, mindful of the fact that Li Qingwu's face was covered with a red bridal veil, Qiu Che reached out to support her.

Li Qingwu stiffened for a brief moment before gradually relaxing.

She took hold of the red silk ribbon, led by Qiu Che's hand, stepping over the ceremonial fire basin, and walked step by step into the grand hall.

At the high seats, Qiu Chudong wore a stiff smile, seated beside his wife, Lady Liu, the matriarch of the household, as they watched the proceedings.

Just as the formal wedding rites were about to begin, a sharp voice suddenly rang out from outside—

"His Majesty has arrived—!"

The entire hall was stunned.

Just as everyone was about to kneel, Li Shi strode in with grand, confident steps, laughing heartily.

"No need for formalities, everyone! It's a day of celebration, stay seated! I'm just here to share in the joy and see the fun."

Though he said so, the Qiu couple still scrambled to their feet, nervously making room for the Emperor.

The invited guests exchanged glances before hesitantly sitting back down.

But now, the importance of this wedding has been raised to a whole new level in their eyes.

For the Emperor to personally attend the ceremony… Even if it was partly because of the Eldest Princess's favored status, it also meant that this Young Master Qiu was truly about to become one of the Emperor's trusted officials.

The hall was filled with unspoken thoughts, but Qiu Che, the very person at the center of it all, remained as calm as ever.

"First bow to the heavens and earth!"

"Second bow to the parents!"

"Bow to each other as husband and wife!"

"—Escort the bride to the bridal chamber!"