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墨書 Inktalez
Sunken Daydream. Imperial Study.
“Your Majesty, the waters of the Yangtze River are flooding in the middle and lower reaches, destroying fertile fields and homes, and many commoners have lost their lives and vast tracts of their land. Moreover, after the flood, a large outbreak of plague has occurred. If the court does not take timely measures, the consequences will be unimaginable. There have already been instances of riots among the people in Jiangdong…” As he spoke, several elderly ministers sighed deeply, unsure of what to do.
Particularly, Right Chancellor Li Daoming, the father of Consort Li, had grown increasingly anxious, with more strands of white hair appearing at his temples.
The emperor's face darkened with anger as he exclaimed, “Are there truly no solutions to this problem? Every year we face floods and riots. I fear that if this continues, it will lead to instability among the people.”
The elderly ministers shook their heads helplessly.
Just then, a person who had been quietly pouring tea and preparing to leave suddenly paused and returned to continue serving tea under the astonished Gaze of the emperor.
Seemingly casually, they said, “The long-term flooding is caused by the differing weather between winter and summer. In winter there is a lack of water, while in summer there is an excess, leading to riverbank breaches. Why not focus on water conservancy projects, build dams, levees, and reservoirs to prevent such disasters? We could also raise awareness among the surrounding populace about flood prevention so they can be mentally prepared…” The calm individual spoke lightly. After a moment, they smiled and added, “Your Majesty, do not be angry; take your time.”
Amidst the astonished Gaze of those present, the beautiful Beauty continued:
“Your Majesty, as Mencius said: ‘The people are of utmost importance; the state comes second; the ruler is least important.’ Thus, one becomes an emperor through the support of the people. Confucius also advocated for benevolent governance. Why not allow for rest and recovery among the people? Implement soft policies to govern the realm with light taxation and seek benefits for all? I have heard that a charitable organization has emerged among the common folk that embodies such benevolence. Wherever there is famine or disaster in the world, they send silver and good seeds, earning great affection from the populace. If Your Majesty were to do likewise, how could there be riots among the people?”
“Water can carry a boat; it can also capsize it. The will of the people is what truly matters,” she concluded earnestly. This was her heartfelt advice to him; she hoped that during his reign he could be a Ming Jun, a ruler who cared for his people.
“Please continue,” said the emperor, his Gaze lingering on that enchanting Beauty, his eyes sparkling with admiration.
The astonished ministers murmured among themselves: “Water conservancy projects, reservoirs, dams… these are concepts we have never heard of; no one in Jin State understands them. What should we do?”
The stunning Beauty cast a calm glance at everyone: “You ministers may not be familiar with these matters because they are not your responsibilities. However, in this world, each field has its experts; there are certainly knowledgeable individuals out there. As long as you act as mentors for them from the start. I can draft initial plans for those craftsmen or workers involved in water conservancy projects. Afterward, you can seek out such talents to serve as instructors.”
One minister suddenly recalled another issue that had been troubling them old officials and cautiously said: “Recently some foreign tribes have begun to invade our borders. Although we have sent troops multiple times to suppress them, they never seem to stop. Might Your Highness have any clever solutions…” He felt somewhat ashamed at having to seek advice from a woman when he was supposed to be a high-ranking official capable of alleviating concerns for the emperor.
The exquisite Beauty paused slightly before seeming to understand something. She recalled hearing about foreign invasions while serving tea days ago but hadn’t paid much attention at that time since she generally preferred not to involve herself in political matters. However, upon hearing about the survival of commoners today—knowing how crucial it was—she felt compelled to speak up.
She looked at the embarrassed and timid officials and smiled gently: “That is not difficult at all. Your Majesty could both appease and entice those foreign tribes simultaneously. They invade our borders primarily because they covet Jin State’s rich resources and prosperous economy. Living in harsh conditions in their wild lands makes them yearn for material wealth and prosperity from the south. Your Majesty could send envoys skilled in agriculture to teach them farming techniques, irrigation systems, weaving silk… Additionally, you could appoint their leaders as kings and collect annual tributes from them while fostering friendly relations between our nations through trade along our borders. Their lives would fundamentally improve; naturally, they would develop genuine respect for Your Majesty. Now that peace has only recently been established across the realm—when everyone despises war—wouldn’t it be better to pursue harmony rather than conflict? Which option seems more appealing to Your Majesty: war or peace?”
The emperor gazed silently at her suddenly radiant beauty and thought: Haven't you already been doing border trade? Haven't you already established charitable organizations? Haven't you already sent people to teach agricultural practices to those ethnic minorities?
The name Jin Kingdom has become indelible on this continent—a sun that never sets—illuminating hope for those living in darkness without direction.
After pouring one last cup of tea in silence, the stunning Beauty prepared to leave but paused at the hall's entrance and solemnly said with deep expectation: “Your Majesty must consider the welfare of all living beings. The people are indeed the reason for a nation's existence.”
After saying that, she left.
The ministers kneeling on the ground stared blankly at her, like a wisp of smoke that had quietly come and gone. There was no showiness, no arrogance in this woman. They recalled her exquisite face, always bearing a calm expression, and the weight of her words as she departed. Confusion grew in their hearts.
This woman had been suddenly brought back to the palace by the emperor a few months ago. They only knew that she had thwarted the ambitions of the Tenth Prince and the Ninth Prince while in the residence of the prince. Moreover, the emperor had once said that harming her would be equivalent to harming him.
Additionally, she bore a striking resemblance to the late Empress Zejin, her features almost identical.
Yet her temperament was entirely different. The former Empress Zejin had often been ill, rarely seen in public, and avoided conflict, which had repeatedly angered the emperor and led to her loss of favor. She was obedient and humble, somewhat timid but kind-hearted. Before her departure, she had left a lasting impression with a song that made everyone remember her serene figure clad in white as she quietly faded away. Even now, everything from that day remained vivid in their minds. Soon after, news spread through the court of her death due to illness. The emperor had nearly taken his own life in grief over her loss; had it not been for the ministers kneeling outside the hall pleading with him, he might have already perished.
The emperor's deep love for Empress Zejin had moved all of Jin State, causing both people and nature to mourn—a tale that became legendary.
Now, he had suddenly brought forth a woman said to be the daughter of a merchant from the countryside, who was regarded as a replacement for Empress Zejin after being favored by him and brought into the palace. This woman was named An Ge Yi, and she seemed far from ordinary; the emperor's expression towards her suggested that he viewed her as more than just a stand-in for Empress Zejin.
This An Ge Yi was indeed peculiar; after entering the palace, she shunned company and resided in Frostfall Palace—the same place where Empress Zejin once lived—leading a secluded life. Aside from serving tea to the emperor daily, she was rarely seen. It was said that she possessed an indifferent demeanor; many concubines had attempted to trouble her during this time but were met with her calm indifference. Although those concubines were furious, they found themselves powerless against her.
However, there was an odd phenomenon: those who sought to trouble her were mostly new arrivals without favor. The more seasoned concubines chose silence after encountering her just once, tacitly accepting all of the emperor's affections towards her.
This strange woman existed within the harem in an unusual manner.
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"Your Highness, it's getting windy; come inside and put on an extra layer."
I snapped back to reality upon hearing Xiao Quanzi's voice while standing in the courtyard gazing at the sky.
Since I entered the palace, he had resolutely insisted on leaving the emperor's side to serve me here.
In truth, I understood him well.
I vaguely remembered some things. Moreover, Yun Ying had told me various details about him. When I decisively left the palace years ago, I had instructed him to stay behind and look after that emperor for me. Thus, Xiao Quanzi remained faithfully by my side in the palace for five years.
Now that he saw me return, he willingly abandoned his position as head eunuch to stay by my side as an ordinary little eunuch. Looking at him—who had always followed me—though he appeared just an ordinary little eunuch to others, he was one of my rare family members.
After entering the palace, I thought I would recall something; however, nothing came back to me.
I remembered when the emperor first brought her out at a public banquet; a woman resembling Jieyu suddenly stood up as if possessed, staring at me in terror before bursting into laughter and collapsing. Days later, when she awoke, she remained dazed and seemed to have lost her mind. A few others looked at me not with jealousy or envy like other concubines but with an indescribable complexity in their expressions. They gazed at me silently for a while before each smiled at me as if relieved and then never appeared before me again. Yet I clearly saw recognition in their eyes.
But I did not know them.
Later, Xiao Quanzi told me that the madwoman was once a younger sister who got along very well with me, named Yaya. Because she had once framed me, believing she had caused my death, she had been filled with guilt. Upon seeing someone who looked exactly like Empress Zejin, that Xie Weiying, she suddenly lost her mind, driven insane by the guilt in her heart.
When he told me this, his expression was calm, as if she deserved her fate. As for me, having long forgotten those past events, my expression was also calm.
The weather was truly nice. I never expected that after so many years, everything here felt new, as if it had been waiting for its master to return. Everything was clean and tidy; even the garden had been well maintained. It gave me the illusion that no one had left this place for five years, but rather just a short while. It felt as if I had lived another life.
However, Xiao Quanzi informed me that after I left, the Emperor came here every day to tidy up and often stayed for an entire day.
As I turned from the courtyard and prepared to enter the house, a hesitant yet hopeful voice suddenly called out from behind me: "Mother, is that you?"
A handsome young man stood quietly there, as if he had mustered great courage to step into this place again, hoping to see the person he had silently yearned for so long—someone whose name he had whispered in his heart until now, when his own life was nearing its end.
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