“It’s not that you’re wielding power, not that you’re sarcastic and intimidating me over and over again. It’s your eyes. When you look at me, you never look at a person—you look at something interesting, something useful, something to pass the time with, like a trinket…”
“Is it fun? What I ate at night, who I spoke to, how carefully I tiptoed around you—do you really have nothing better to do? So much free time, so bored every day?”
Zhao Yan widened his eyes and stared at her blankly.
He didn’t understand everything, but he could clearly feel the anger and grievance almost materializing in the air.
“What is the Empress Dowager saying? This subject does not understand.”
“You understand. You understand better than anyone. Is Guan Zhong the kind of person you need to dissect heart and lungs from to inspect whether they’re red enough, warm enough, before you place him on your chessboard? But you forgot—no chess piece willingly accepts being treated like that.”
The playful expression on Fang Jinxian’s face finally disappeared.
Yu Qijian stood up. The pain in her lower back made her face even paler, but her gaze remained full of disdain and mockery as she looked down at him.
“You’re nothing special either.”
She stepped back, creating distance, drawing a clear line between them.
“From today onward, the Palace of Eternal Peace does not welcome anyone from the Eastern Depot. My affairs do not need to be reported in detail to the Imperial Secretariat. I will take care of the child. I will do what I should do. But how I do it, and when I do it—it is my business.”
“Chief Eunuch may continue extending his hands, but I will cut them off sooner or later.”
“I am tired.”
Her sleeves swept through the air as she turned and walked away with decisive steps. Only after her figure disappeared beyond the palace doors did that pair of pale yet clear eyes fade from sight.
After a long silence, Fang Jinxian lowered his gaze and gave a soft, harmless chuckle.
The Empress Dowager… truly spirited.
Yu Qijian had just returned to the Palace of Eternal Peace when the imperial physician arrived.
She asked Shuanglan, “Did you summon the doctor?”
Shuanglan wasn’t in the hall. Only later did they learn that once she heard the Empress Dowager had back pain, she immediately went to fetch the physician—but even then, it shouldn’t have been so fast.
The physician bowed. “This servant received an oral order from His Majesty a quarter of an hour ago, and came at once.”
Yu Qijian softened slightly. The child was quite considerate.
“It’s an old ailment. Just prescribe something to relieve the pain.”
Although she said so, the physician still followed proper procedure, took her pulse, taught Shuanglan massage techniques for pain relief, and only then prescribed medicine before leaving.
Yu Qijian lay face down on the bed, drifting into a drowsy state when Shuanglan’s voice softly came in.
“Your Highness, Madam has arrived.”
This was her first time meeting the Duchess of Imperial Grace, Wang Shuxin. Slightly nervous about being “seen through” by her so-called mother, the pain was instantly pushed to the back of her mind.
“Mother, why have you come?”
Seeing her try to get up, Wang Shuxin quickly waved her hand and sat by the bedside, reaching out to check her forehead with concern.
“My dear, are you unwell?”
“My dear”—that must be the original owner’s childhood name. Rather intimate.
Yu Qijian forced herself to ignore the discomfort and smiled obediently. “I accompanied His Majesty in class today and stood for too long. I’m just a little tired.”
Wang Shuxin frowned at her. “You are the Empress Dowager. Why were you standing during lessons?”
“I was late. I should set an example for His Majesty. If I do wrong, I accept punishment.”
“Silly child. He is the Son of Heaven—even if he is wrong, it is still considered right. Why must you endure this?”
Yu Qijian said nothing.
This kind of value difference couldn’t be resolved in a few sentences.
“My dear,” Wang Shuxin continued, “not to be harsh, but His Majesty is still young. Your position as Empress Dowager is ultimately nominal. Matters of the court are handled by your father and uncles. You do not need to worry. Why refuse to take regency? You could simply sit behind the curtain and nod when needed, enjoying endless comfort. Your uncle has come three times already; he left furious every time. He even insisted I come persuade you.”
Yu Qijian, still unaccustomed to maternal concern, had not expected the conversation to turn so quickly from care to persuasion—to become a request that she obediently serve as a puppet.
According to Shuanglan, the original owner had always listened to her mother. She must have been a classic “mom’s girl.”
If so, then maybe acting cute would work?
But after her confrontation with Fang Jinxian, she also wanted answers.
—Was the Yu Clan planning treason, or merely trying to dominate power as imperial in-laws?
“Mother, tell me honestly,” Yu Qijian leaned closer and whispered, “does the Yu Clan have any improper intentions?”
Wang Shuxin’s expression changed instantly. “How dare you say such things! The Yu Clan has served loyally for three generations—how could we have improper intentions?”
Yu Qijian sneered inwardly.
So it wasn’t rebellion. It was something worse—turning her into a beautifully dressed puppet to seize imperial power through her.
No different, in essence, from Fang Jinxian.
Neither side ever treated her as a person.
The Late Emperor had left the empress position vacant, and the Yu Clan had used astrology and court influence to push her into it—declaring her fate aligned with the throne, making her the “perfect match” for destiny, placing her as Empress, and now Empress Dowager.
From the beginning, it had all been a carefully constructed scheme.
She didn’t know if the original owner had consented. But as a modern outsider, she knew clearly: factions like this almost always ended badly, just like the Lü Clan or the Huo Clan in history.
It was a dead end repeatedly proven by time.
She needed information. She needed time. She needed to decide her path carefully.
When she looked up again, her expression had already turned soft and dependent.
She gently grabbed Wang Shuxin’s sleeve. “Mother, don’t be angry. I’m just afraid.”
“I’ve heard rumors in the palace… people say our family has become too prominent. If something happens, I would be the first to suffer…”
Wang Shuxin’s expression softened slightly. She patted her hand. “Silly child. With the Yu Clan here, who can touch you?”
“And… what about the Chief Eunuch? He made things difficult for me today at the Hall of Literary Glory. I’ve heard he doesn’t even give face to Father…”
As expected, the moment Fang Jinxian was mentioned, a clear flash of dislike and wariness crossed Wang Shuxin’s face.
“That eunuch!” she hissed. Then softened her tone again. “Don’t be afraid, my dear. Though the Late Emperor gave him authority to assist in governance, part of that authority belongs to you as well. That is an official decree. That is exactly why you must seize regency power. With power, your father and brothers can contend with him and protect you and the family.”
“So Father and the others have already been planning for me… I was the one being ignorant.”
Yu Qijian pretended to be convinced, then hesitantly asked, “What should I do? I’ll listen to you. It’s just… I’ve been uneasy these days, and my back still hurts. The physician said I need rest. If I take regency now, I’m afraid I won’t have the strength and might ruin Father’s plans.”
Seeing her pale face, Wang Shuxin softened. “Of course. Your health comes first. Rest well. I’ll discuss this with your father and brothers. I heard His Majesty has moved into the Palace of Eternal Peace—use this time to build your relationship with him…”
“I understand, Mother.”
Yu Qijian obediently saw her out.
When the doors closed, she lay back down. Her face was calm, almost eerily clear.
A wolf in front, a tiger behind.
This Empress Dowager’s path to “peaceful retirement” had been completely sealed off.
If no one was going to let her live comfortably—
Then nobody would get to be comfortable.