Chapter One

"This... is still quite difficult to handle. It's not that I don't want to approve it for you." He sighed helplessly. "Princess, perhaps you should think carefully—who exactly have you offended recently?"

"I'm merely following orders." He shook his head, his voice tinged with helplessness. "I have no choice; I hope you'll understand."

That confirmed Zhou Yao's suspicion. Who else could she have offended recently? This time, to save Qi Yanhan, she had dragged the Qi and Zhao families into the mire, effectively severing the Crown Prince's right and left arms. It must be him blocking the official kiln application.

"The reason I called you here today is simple, Minister Zhu." Zhou Yao picked up the teapot and poured a cup of tea. "This world still belongs to the King. The Crown Prince is merely assisting the King in governing it."

"As his subjects, you should naturally be loyal to the King." Her tone carried an edge of threat.

Zhou Yao looked at him with a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Now, the Golden Curtain Pavilion was established by the King's personal decree, backed by the court. If a small fourth-rank official's approval delays important matters..." She released the glass cup in her hand. It fell from a height and shattered on the ground, colored shards scattering everywhere. The sight was almost desolate.

"If a ceramic cup falls, it can survive to some extent. But a glass cup falling from a height—without a sturdy shell or the ability to protect itself—can only end in destruction." She shifted her gaze from the broken glass to Minister Zhu, then took a new cup from the table and handed it to him. "Minister, what do you think?"

"A wise man submits to circumstance, Minister Zhu." Zhou Yao's words were slow and deliberate, dripping with menace.

"As for who to be loyal to, Minister Zhu should think it over carefully before giving me an answer."

"If not, I will... truthfully report to my father that Minister Zhu has been faithfully serving..." Zhou Yao noted Minister Zhu's trembling hands and the cold sweat beading on his forehead.

He raised a shaky hand and wiped his brow with his sleeve, then rose and bowed with clasped hands. "This official naturally serves the King."

After saying that, he accepted the cup Zhou Yao handed him with both hands. "The approval documents for the kiln will be delivered this afternoon."

"Thank you for your trouble, Minister Zhu." Seeing him so cooperative, Zhou Yao's expression softened with satisfaction.

Inwardly, she was calculating other matters. This incident essentially declared war on the Crown Prince. To outsiders, she might seem like an ant trying to shake a tree—laughable.

"Ling'er, see Minister Zhu out."

——

It was execution day for Old Qi and Old Zhao. Having promised to protect Zhao Wenhua, she naturally had to show up. At noon, Zhou Yao arrived at the execution grounds, dressed in a red ceremonial gown with a golden hairpin, the Ninth Princess's token at her waist, and a string of eight-treasure glass beads on her wrist—the standard attire for a princess.

As she descended from the carriage, her entourage was grand and conspicuous. But that was exactly what Zhou Yao wanted—to attract attention, the bigger the commotion the better.

When the carriage passed through a crowd, Zhou Yao heard the commoners whispering beside it: "Which noble lady is that from the palace? If she's a consort, she must be of high rank." "Oh, what do you know? Look at the entourage—clearly a princess from the palace." "Oh! A princess, no wonder such a grand procession! Could it be that the person on the platform... holds a high position?" Zhou Yao paid no attention to their chatter.

After the carriage came to a stop, she was helped down by a servant and walked straight to the lead official. "Since the Chancellor is confined to his residence, and Old Qi, as an elder, is being executed, it would be improper for the other members of the Qi family not to attend. Today, I will witness the execution on his behalf." She added, "I ask you, Minister... to ensure justice is carried out." As she spoke, her gaze swept over Old Qi, kneeling on the ground, his face twisted with resentment and indignation.

"The Ninth Princess is truly filial and benevolent. Since ancient times, loyalty and filial piety are hard to balance. Please accept my condolences, Princess." The official said, evidently moved, believing Zhou Yao was grieving for Old Qi yet chose righteousness for the sake of the country.

"Minister Zhang, no need to worry about me. Please proceed." Zhou Yao found a seat atop the observation platform and sat down. Her personal maid, Ling'er, was absent—she had been sent early that morning to find Zhao Wenhua. Zhou Yao had instructed him to comply with the escort for now, and later find a chance to transfer him back to Chang'an. Until then, he was to stay in Lingnan and keep a low profile.

Old Qi, kneeling below, snorted coldly and suddenly stood up, cursing at Zhou Yao: "Stupid woman, how dare you interfere in state affairs! If not for you—" Before he could finish, the guards shoved him back to his knees. "King! Today you listened to this woman's slanderous words. In the future, there will be endless trouble, King! King!!" Zhou Yao flicked her long sleeves and sternly reprimanded, "Execute him immediately!" She turned her back, unwilling to watch. From afar, she heard the whistling of a blade, then Old Qi's head fell, blood splattering on the spot.

The two had wielded power for half their lives, only to end up with their heads on the ground. Zhou Yao couldn't quite articulate what she felt. But they had to die. The Crown Prince had to die as well—this was essential on her path to the throne.

"This kind of bloody scene is extremely gruesome. If the Ninth Princess..." Minister Zhang walked over to Zhou Yao. She didn't respond to that, instead turning to ask another matter. "I recall that Minister Zhang has a daughter who entered the palace and was greatly favored by my father in past years. I've been outside the palace recently and feel I've lost news of her. Would Minister Zhang happen to know?"

Minister Zhang's daughter was the consort once favored by the King, and the one who had originally caused the deaths at the Jiuyao Kilns. Now that someone was reopening that old case, she would see it through. Minister Zhang cleared his throat awkwardly. "Thank you for your concern, Ninth Princess. My daughter was ungraced and didn't have the fortune to serve the King properly. Not long ago, she hanged herself in the palace..."

"Hanged herself?" Zhou Yao frowned and looked at him again. "I'm sorry, I didn't know..." He interrupted her. "It's alright. My daughter was foolish, listened to slanderous words, and was used as a pawn without realizing it. I raised such a rebellious child. Bad causes lead to bad effects; I'll bear it."

"Minister Zhang..." Zhou Yao didn't know how to comfort him. In the short time she had known him, she could tell he was an honest and upright official. Likely, that favored consort had become a discarded pawn in the power struggle. A woman's death had been for political games and the interests of petty men, leaving her with a white silk rope and her own life. Being in the vortex of power, how easy was it to stay safe?

Zhou Yao had once been a victim of power, stepping onto this path of no return to resist. Now, for the sake of power, she had turned others into victims. At that moment, she wondered: What difference was there between her and those she once hated? Maybe a difference existed. But she seemed to have lost her original intentions. What were her original intentions? To seek power for women, to seek freedom, to seek a way to survive, to seek peace for the people, prosperity, and tranquility. The vows sounded nice, but the resistance was heavy, not something achieved in a moment or with a slogan. Old Qi said she was interfering in state affairs and would bring endless trouble. Then she would prove him wrong—to him, to her father, and to the world.

Zhou Yao didn't know how she descended from the execution grounds, nor when she returned to the Golden Curtain Pavilion. The only thing she was certain of was that women needed to read and broaden their horizons. Not just noblewomen, but also daughters of ordinary families should be able to read and learn.

The approval documents for the kiln arrived at the Golden Curtain Pavilion that afternoon. As soon as she received them, she immediately had people start establishing the new kiln. Time had passed quickly. The fragrance powder sales were exceptionally popular, and with the income from custom glass orders, Zhou Yao's private treasury swelled.

Letting women read was not just a slogan. Zhou Yao wanted to find a place, hire a tutor, and let ordinary women learn to read and write. They didn't need to be proficient in poetry and literature. They only needed to recognize characters and read, to form their own thoughts, unconfined to the inner courtyard and independent of a single man.

She spent a long time in her study, marking several locations on a map of Chang'an for the women's academy. She transferred some of the clever women from the Golden Curtain Pavilion who had studied poetry to those locations to negotiate land deeds and rents.

The Fragrant Orchid Pavilion opened the next day, and Zhou Yao had Ling'er prepare her attire in advance.

"Princess..." A weak but familiar voice came from outside the window. Zhou Yao recognized it instantly. Not long ago, she had acted impulsively because of that voice's owner. Zhou Yao stood up, facing the silhouette reflected on the window. "Qi Yanhan." Her voice trembled involuntarily. He let out a light laugh and spoke gently, "I heard from Duyun that you spent your entire fortune to plead with the King for me." Even through the window, Zhou Yao could imagine his delighted, proud expression, his fox-like eyes filled with affection.

"What? Do you think your life is too cheap?" Zhou Yao stared at his silhouette, wondering about his injuries—were there any lingering effects?

"No, I'm just a little surprised."

"Surprised that you'd care about my life or death, and spend your entire fortune for me... You clearly love money so much, why would you..."

Zhou Yao chuckled softly. "I never expected someone as afraid of death and calculating as you to be capable of such impulsiveness."

"Stupid, aren't I?"

"Not stupid." Qi Yanhan, outside the door, looked seriously at her silhouette. "My willingness to give everything for you has never been an empty promise."

Author's Note:

None.