Chapter 1181: The Whole Nation in Mourning

Ever since she was young, Tong Nianyi had been different from everyone else.

Because Tao'er and Tong Zhihuan frequently nourished her body with Spiritual Energy, she could perceive subtle things others missed, such as a person's aura. Since she often dressed as a man herself, she found Xie Huan's male disguise glaringly clumsy. Anyone paying the slightest attention could see right through it.

When Ruyi looked over, she also spotted a telltale trace along Xie Huan's temples.

Her eyes widened as she recalled Yan Nantian's reaction when she had brought up this person earlier.

"No wonder..."

No wonder Yan Nantian had such a headache.

This Xie Huan truly had some tricks to have fooled the examiners so completely. After all, Ruyi had needed to pull strings with the emperor just to get Tong Nianyi into the examination hall.

Whose connections had Xie Huan used?

She had to be tied to a Grand Secretary of the Cabinet at the very least.

Unlike Tong Nianyi, Xie Huan hadn't cleared things with Yan Nantian beforehand. That unpredictability was likely the reason for his headache.

Ruyi snapped out of her daze just as Tong Nianyi said, "Aunt Ruyi, let's stop chatting for now. I need to enter the palace."

Ruyi gave a blank sound of agreement.

"Hm? Oh."

She watched Tong Nianyi walk toward the palace gates.

Only then did the realization fully register, and Ruyi drew in a deep breath.

Turning around, she headed back into the palace as well.

She decided to just wait outside the Imperial Study.

...

Yan Nantian did not return until late afternoon, just as the sky was growing dark.

Seeing Ruyi waiting outside the Imperial Study, he asked, "Why are you here? Didn't you go out?"

"I'm here to ask you something."

Yan Nantian thought for a moment before saying, "Let's talk inside."

"What's the deal with that Xie Huan?" Ruyi asked.

Yan Nantian paused. "You've met her?"

"Yes."

Ruyi nodded. "I mean, since you already have someone in mind, why not change candidates?"

Yan Nantian exhaled. "It isn't that simple. That Xie Huan is not to be underestimated, and neither is the Xie Clan."

Ruyi raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"Xie Huan is undeniably talented," Yan Nantian said, "but she is far too arrogant. Her temperament is lacking. The Xie Clan's relationship with the Imperial Court is already strained, and I've been planning to make an example of them. Barring the unexpected, Xie Huan will likely bring about her own ruin."

Ruyi was taken aback. "She secured first place in all three examinations. Surely she isn't that stupid."

Yan Nantian opened his mouth to speak. "My concern is that if her arrogance drives her to stir up trouble, this new system of female officials might end before it even begins."

Ruyi fell silent, recognizing Yan Nantian's dilemma.

"Just make sure you look out for Xiao Nianyi," she said. "I watched her grow up. She's like a real niece to me, and as you know, I don't have children of my own."

Yan Nantian replied, "Who can you blame but yourself for that?"

Ruyi crossed her arms. "None of them catch my eye. Like I used to say, any man who marries me has to place first in all three examinations. The last one to do that was my younger brother, and this time, the winner is a woman. How is that supposed to work?"

Yan Nantian rubbed his forehead. "Do you think men who sweep the three examinations can just be picked up off the street? Believe me, I wish we had a few more of them myself."

Ruyi thought for a moment. "Isn't my brother free right now? Why don't you recruit him? He seems quite eager to be an official again."

Yan Nantian paused. "I have other uses for him."

Ruyi was stunned.

"Wait."

"What do you mean by that?"

She stood up. "Are you saying Ping'an is already working for you?"

Yan Nantian raised a hand, signaling her to lower her voice.

Ruyi looked bewildered. She opened her mouth and said, "I am the Second Tower Master, yet I knew nothing about this?"

"There are some things you don't know because I ordered them kept quiet," he said.

"Like what?"

"The truth is," Yan Nantian said, "on the night I breached Shangjing City, I was attacked by assassins. I suspect they were men Zhao Zhen left behind. Every one of them was highly skilled—capable of taking on ten men in the army—and they very nearly succeeded."

He paused. "Tower Master Wang received word in advance and brought men just in time. That was what saved me."

"But don't you have celestial officials around you?" Ruyi asked. "Isn't Priest Sanyuan also a Cultivator? Why did Ping'an have to..."

"Do you think those assassins were fools?" Yan Nantian replied. "Naturally, they chose a moment when everyone was away. That night, a Sword was pressed right against my neck. They were a hair's breadth from succeeding."

He let out a long sigh. "Speaking of which, I truly owe the Wang Family too much."

Ruyi pursed her lips, feeling deeply shaken.

She said, "Just don't burn your bridges after crossing the river, like you did with Minister Tang."

Yan Nantian replied, "If you were the emperor, you would understand my lack of choices."

Ruyi said no more.

She was no longer a child; naturally, she understood the high stakes involved.

...

Early in the fifth month of the Ninth Year of Shunzhi.

The world was steeped in peace. The lands once shattered by war had fully returned to their former prosperity.

The scenic splendor of Jiangnan, the bustling liveliness of Shangjing, and the tranquil harmony of Yuanchuan.

The Goddess of the Celestial River had transformed into a white dragon, taking up the heavy mantle of the Dragon Lord. Over the past few years, she had blessed the Mortal World with favorable weather, making floods and natural disasters exceedingly rare.

The harvests were bountiful, and peace reigned.

Yet, where there was joy, there was also mourning.

The empress passed away from illness, plunging the entire nation into mourning.

As a commandery princess, Ruyi naturally had to attend the funeral rites to offer her condolences.

"How could she pass away so young..."

Ruyi murmured, her mind adrift.

Perhaps she was simply getting older and could no longer bear to see such tragedies. Over the next few days, her mood remained heavily subdued.

This was even more true for Yan Nantian. Following the empress's death, he spent all his days in the Imperial Study, not even returning to the Bedchamber Palace.

His annotations on the state memorials over the past few days had grown noticeably colder. Gone were the notes suggesting leniency; those meant to be executed were executed, and those meant to be sentenced were sentenced. He no longer showed any mercy.

At the same time, he was bitterly disappointed with the celestial officials.

Across the empire, countless celestial officials fed upon the incense of the common people, yet when faced with the empress's illness, every single one of them was powerless—even Daoist Sanyuan.

Listening to Yan Nantian complain about these matters, Ruyi offered him some comfort. After leaving the palace, she sought out Daoist Sanyuan to question him herself.

"Alas," Daoist Sanyuan said, "Her Majesty the Empress was the mother of the nation, tied directly to the destiny of the state. Her Lifespan had run its course. Who could bear the karmic consequences of interfering with that?"

Ruyi pressed her lips together. "With so many celestial officials and so many practitioners of Cultivation, not a single one of you dared?"

"This is the will of Heaven," Daoist Sanyuan replied. "And the will of Heaven cannot be defied."

Receiving this answer, Ruyi scoffed, "Bullshit will of Heaven. Who actually believes in that garbage?"

Daoist Sanyuan simply said, "The will of Heaven is hard to decipher. It is not something this poor Daoist can easily explain."