The ministers who had just been arguing until their faces turned red displayed a variety of expressions.
In the end, it was Fang Jinxian’s voice that broke the silence.
“This minister obeys the decree.”
The moment he spoke, it was like the strike of a final drum.
Whether willing or unwilling, the others stepped forward and bowed.
“This minister obeys the decree.”
“This minister obeys the decree.”
And that was only the beginning.
Over the next hour, similar situations occurred one after another.
Matters that could have been explained clearly in a few sentences somehow turned into lengthy arguments first.
Factional struggles were truly troublesome.
Yu Qijian endured and endured.
After sitting upright for so long, her lower back had begun to ache.
She took a deep breath and was just about to lose her temper when Fang Jinxian’s cold voice rang out.
“Enough. We will discuss the rest another day. If any of you continue wasting the Empress Dowager’s and His Majesty’s time with this much nonsense, there will be no need for you to attend court at all. Court is dismissed.”
Inwardly, Yu Qijian gave him a huge thumbs-up.
As expected of someone who accomplished great things!
The order to dismiss court was issued, and the tense atmosphere in the hall immediately relaxed.
Soon it was replaced by the rustling of robes and quiet conversations.
Supporting herself with Shuanglan’s hand, Yu Qijian rose to her feet.
Her waist ached, though thankfully not unbearably.
She only wanted to return and lie down as quickly as possible.
Zhao Yan came over and took her hand.
As they left, she glanced back toward where Fang Jinxian stood.
His back was facing her as he spoke quietly with several Grand Secretariat Elders.
Along the way, Zhao Yan asked with concern,
“Mother Empress, has your back pain returned?”
“No.”
Yu Qijian smiled.
“Well? Wasn’t your Mother Empress quite impressive today?”
Zhao Yan nodded vigorously and looked up at her with shining eyes.
“Mother Empress could reprimand them and even speak sarcastically. Will I be able to do that in the future too?”
Yu Qijian nearly choked.
“Why was that your takeaway?”
“That’s not it.”
Zhao Yan smiled and explained,
“Chief Eunuch speaks to senior officials like that sometimes as well. But he tells me not to imitate him because he doesn’t care about his reputation. I, however, am the Emperor, and having a poor reputation is dangerous. Yet today I saw that Mother Empress didn’t always treat the ministers with perfect courtesy and respect either. Does that mean I can do the same?”
Yu Qijian thought seriously for a moment.
“Yun Zhi, before you’re an Emperor, you’re first a person. Those ministers are people too. Everyone has their own temperaments and ways of doing things. It’s not about having to behave in one specific manner. Everyone works together for the sake of the people and the realm.”
Holding the young Emperor’s hand, she walked slowly down the long palace pathway.
Her voice echoed clearly through the open space.
“Whether it’s reputation or etiquette, they’re both just tools. Used well, they become lubricants that make things easier. Used poorly, they become ropes that tie up your own hands and feet.”
Fang Jinxian clearly lacked experience raising children.
He always expected Zhao Yan to figure things out himself.
As for Master Fu and the others, they liked testing people and rarely explained things directly.
Even Yu Qijian felt tired on Zhao Yan’s behalf.
So she broke everything down for him.
“Take today for example. Didn’t I start by reasoning with them and following proper procedure? But did they listen? They were too busy arguing about useless things and ignoring the actual issue. That’s why I eventually told them directly that I wanted results and gave them a deadline.”
She stopped walking and crouched down so she was eye-level with Zhao Yan.
“Yun Zhi, remember this. The most important responsibility of a ruler is getting things done and bearing the responsibilities that come with them. Along the way, you can use benevolence to inspire people, or authority to intimidate them. Sometimes you can even be like Chief Eunuch and skip the pointless arguments altogether by telling people directly, ‘Be quiet and get to work.’”
Zhao Yan blinked.
“Can I really be like Chief Eunuch?”
“Depends on the situation. Chief Eunuch can do that because he has enough confidence to back it up, and because he’s willing to bear the consequences and criticism that come with it. You’re still young and still learning. That’s why Mother Empress and Chief Eunuch want you to watch, listen, and think more for now.”
She stood up and took his hand again.
“Once you’ve developed your own judgment, then you’ll truly be able to decide. However, there is one thing you can always do.”
“What is it?”
“You need to be clear about your own principles and bottom line. Just like today—I knew that the delayed grain shipments were the most urgent issue. That was my bottom line. No matter how much they argued, that problem had to be solved first. If you have that anchor firmly planted in your heart, then no matter how fierce the storm outside becomes, you won’t truly panic.”
Zhao Yan nodded vigorously.
His small hand tightened around her fingers.
When they returned to the Palace of Eternal Peace, Yu Qijian had just changed out of her court robes and finished half a cup of hot tea when a palace servant arrived to report that Wang Shuxin had already been waiting outside the palace gates for quite some time.
Yu Qijian adjusted her expression in front of the mirror, deliberately making herself appear more exhausted.
“Invite her in.”
Wang Shuxin practically swept into the room like a gust of wind.
Joy and excitement were written all over her face.
“Qingqing! How did this matter of governing from behind the curtain happen so suddenly? I’ve already heard everything about today’s court session!”
She hurried forward and grabbed Yu Qijian’s hands.
“You handled everything appropriately and spoke decisively. Even that Fang Jinxian publicly supported your decisions… Good. This is truly wonderful.”
Her eyes sparkled.
Lowering her voice, she said,
“Your eldest uncle rushed over immediately after court ended to tell us the good news. He praised you so much that he couldn’t stop smiling… This is exactly the bearing an Empress Dowager should have. From now on, your words in court will carry the force of an imperial decree. If your father and brothers knew, they would be immensely pleased.”
Yu Qijian allowed herself to be led by the hand.
Her voice sounded soft and obedient.
“Mother, please don’t say that. I was terrified. Every one of those ministers spoke in circles and hid meanings behind their words. I merely forced myself to follow procedure and say a few things.”
“Terrified of what?”
Wang Shuxin laughed.
“You did exactly the right thing, good child. When it’s time to make decisions, make them. When it’s time to use authority, use it.”
Then her expression became curious.
“But Qingqing, why did this happen so suddenly? Did something occur?”
Hearing that, Yu Qijian immediately lowered her head and put on a sorrowful expression.
Tears instantly filled her eyes.
Her voice choked with emotion.
“Mother… it was Chief Eunuch…”
Wang Shuxin’s face changed dramatically.
“He bullied you?”
Yu Qijian quickly shook her head.
“No, Mother. Chief Eunuch forced me to govern from behind the curtain.”
“Why?”
Wang Shuxin frowned.
“Could it be that he wants you to obey him and become a hollow shell of an Empress Dowager?”
Yu Qijian hurriedly waved her hands.
She looked as though she had too much to say and did not know where to begin.
Speaking in broken fragments, she said,
“No. It was because I heard Chief Eunuch say that the Yu Clan… has recently been teetering on the edge. For the sake of the family, I had no choice but to fight for influence. Chief Eunuch did not oppose me and allowed me to govern from behind the curtain.”
Wang Shuxin frowned.
“What do you mean by teetering on the edge?”
Yu Qijian looked up with tear-filled eyes.
“Chief Eunuch said that the Yu Clan’s contact with the palace has become too frequent and is already attracting criticism. People are saying that the maternal relatives of the imperial family have grown too powerful…”
“He also said that the family of the Empress Dowager Zhaoming was once incomparably influential, but in the end their entire clan was exterminated. Even the Empress Dowager herself was deposed and imprisoned because of them…”
“History records things like a blade. Later generations would only say that the maternal relatives were greedy for power, disrupted the government, and damaged the reputations of both the Empress Dowager and the imperial family.”
She sniffled and continued,
“Chief Eunuch warned me. He told me not to follow in Empress Dowager Zhaoming’s footsteps…”
Wang Shuxin’s face turned pale.
“He really said that?”