In the sixteenth year of Emperor Hui's reign, on the morning of May 13th, Empress Xianyue ascended the throne in the Qianying Palace, marking the beginning of her reign as the second queen in the history of the Feng Kingdom.
This was her first court session since taking the throne. She shed her white garments for the somber black robes of the monarch, a golden crown resting on her head. Seated high on the throne, she gazed through the delicate beads hanging from her crown at the ministers below, who bowed and kowtowed in ritual obeisance. Their thunderous voices echoed through the grand hall as they offered their congratulations, yet Xianyue's mind wandered. Over a decade ago, she had been a small girl kneeling in that very same spot, looking up at Feng Xuanling, the former sovereign, wielding absolute power. It was no wonder so many were driven by ambition to seize that seat—its allure was simply irresistible.
"Present your matters. If none, the court shall be dismissed!" Li Dequan, the eunuch, called out in his shrill voice. Though the emperor had passed, Li Dequan remained steadfast in his duties, closely watching over her and her brother.
"I have something to report," Li Weian stepped forward, his voice booming across the hall, powerful and commanding.
Days earlier, he had ordered men to intercept Xianyue at Xianyue Ridge, planning to send her to the underworld. Yet, to his astonishment, she had escaped unscathed, with no word from those he had sent.
"Speak."
Her gaze, sharp and icy, pierced through the veil of beads hanging from her crown.
"I am aggrieved. Over the years, I have served Feng Kingdom with tireless devotion, yet the king has demoted me and sent me to a desolate frontier. This is clearly a personal vendetta!"
A few days earlier, after Xianyue returned from Xianyue Mountain, she had, without explanation, reassigned Li Weian, who held a position in the capital, along with his close allies, to the western border—a barren, lifeless place where only vast expanses of yellow sand stretched for miles. While these officials, both civil and military, had once tolerated her decisions in silence, when it came to their own prospects and livelihoods, they were bound to stir trouble, with Li Weian taking the lead. This was exactly what she had anticipated, and now she could eliminate them all in one move.
"If the one who made this decision was the late emperor, would you still be dissatisfied, Lord Li?"
Her voice was calm, yet laden with warning. But at this moment, Li Weian remained oblivious. The western border was remote and desolate, and no amount of wealth could bring comfort there. He had grown accustomed to a life of luxury, and had no intention of leaving. What's more, he had already conspired with other ministers, certain of their support.
"Is there anyone else who is dissatisfied?"
Xianyue's gaze swept over the ministers bowing before her. They exchanged furtive glances but remained silent.
"So, it is only General Li who harbors discontent?"
Her voice suddenly rose, and soon, an elderly minister, about fifty, with a protruding belly, stepped forward. "Your Majesty, I am old. I cannot survive the harsh winters of Ninggu. Please show mercy."
"Your Majesty, to exile us from the capital, there must be a reason."
"General Li has served the court with loyalty and diligence. Your Majesty, you cannot send him to the western border. It would chill the hearts of your ministers."
…
One by one, voices rose in protest, until the entire Qianying Hall was filled with kneeling ministers. Sitting on the right side of the hall, Feng Jiulan watched Xianyue seated on the throne but said nothing. Since Xianyue already had a plan in place, he would simply wait and observe.
"So, none of you are satisfied. Very well."
Xianyue let out a light laugh. Seeing that the ministers had spoken enough, she signaled to Li Dequan, who cleared his throat and called out in his sharp voice, "Silence!"
Xianyue did not instruct the ministers to rise. They continued to kneel, heads bowed, the sound of her laugh sending a chill down their spines. They were reminded of a scene from ten years ago—when Consort Li was favored, yet the four-year-old Xianyue had killed her with her own hands in front of the emperor and General Li. That kind of resolve and determination had terrified them then, and the memory now made their scalps tingle with unease.
"Before my father died, he instructed me to treat his loyal ministers well. I had intended to spare you all."
Xianyue sighed, a hint of regret in her voice. "But an assassination attempt against the new monarch—is this General Li's loyalty to Feng Kingdom?"
Her cold gaze was as sharp as a blade, fixed on Li Weian. At her words, several men dressed in black appeared in the hall, their bodies marked with bloodstained wounds so deep that just looking at them made one wince in pain.
The ministers were shocked. The once-quiet hall buzzed with tension as all eyes fell on the black-clad men and then on Li Weian.
"Speak. Who ordered you to attack the royal procession when I was escorting my father's coffin to Xianyue Mountain?"
The men recognized Xianyue at once, and the ministers' gazes followed theirs, all turning toward Li Weian.
"It was Lord Li. He promised us ten thousand taels of gold if we succeeded in killing Your Majesty."
A collective gasp filled the room as the ministers exchanged uneasy glances, unsure of what to say, especially Li Weian's co-conspirators, whose faces had turned pale with fear.
"Lies!"
Li Weian sprang to his feet, rushing toward the three men and kicking one of them in the chest. A military man by birth, he had struck with force, and the black-clad man, already weakened by torture under Xianyue's interrogation, coughed up blood and collapsed to the ground.
"Lord Li, are you trying to silence them?"
Xianyue's voice was as cold as ice. Immediately, the imperial guards restrained Li Weian, preventing him from further action.
"I had no idea my life was worth so little—just ten thousand taels of gold. It's neither an immense nor a small amount. With your salary, supporting your wives, concubines, and lavish lifestyle, how could you possibly save such a large sum?"
Feigning innocence, Xianyue's expression was one of confusion, but beneath it lay an unmistakable air of authority. The ministers, well-versed in court politics, understood what she was truly aiming for.
"This crime was not committed by me."
Li Weian was held down by the imperial guards, forced to kneel on the ground. His face flushed red as he raised his eyes to the crescent moon.
"A true man takes responsibility for his actions. You clearly paid us to do this."
Li Weian shot a fierce glance at the men in black. While he prided himself on being a man, admitting to this would mean the annihilation of his entire family. As reckless as he was, even he would never confess:
"Your Majesty, I am loyal to Feng Kingdom. I could never commit such an act. Someone must be framing me. I beg Your Majesty to investigate and grant me justice."
"Indeed, Your Majesty, these people are clearly driven by greed. Minister Li has always been upright and outspoken, making it easy for him to offend others."
Kneeling beside him, Minister Ye Shengping added his voice.
Xianyue chuckled, her gaze drifting to the silent ministers:
"It seems Minister Ye is indeed magnanimous, or how else could he maintain such a close friendship with Minister Li?"
Her tone was laced with sarcasm, apparent to all. Suddenly, someone stood forward:
"Your Majesty, I have something to report."
Xianyue nodded, her eyes flashing with interest, and her smile growing even brighter:
"Speak."
"I can prove that Minister Li Weian conspired with these men to assassinate Your Majesty."
Li Weian's heart sank as the words dropped like a boulder into still water, sending shockwaves through the hall.
Unlike the men in black, Li Guoqiang, his accuser, was no common figure. Even if there had been secret dealings between Li Weian and the black-clad men, he could still feign ignorance, claiming innocence. If Xianyue convicted him without solid evidence, he could claim wrongful persecution. But Li Guoqiang's testimony was different; he was Li Weian's third son. Even if the relationship between father and son was strained, for a son to accuse his own father was damning. Evidence or not, this alone could seal his fate.
"You ungrateful wretch!"
Li Weian turned, glaring at Li Guoqiang, eyes bulging with fury. He struggled to rise, and though the imperial guards tried to restrain him, it was Yun Qinghen, already standing behind him, who sent him crashing back to his knees with a swift kick. The other kneeling ministers, meanwhile, regretted their choices bitterly. Had they obeyed the earlier commands, at least their lives would have been spared.
"How do you know of this?"
Xianyue reclined on the dragon throne, her hands resting on the carved dragon heads as she calmly questioned Li Guoqiang.
"Your Majesty, I am guilty," Li Guoqiang confessed with a deep bow before continuing:
"That night, I went to my father's study to discuss preparations for Your Majesty's enthronement. There, I saw several unfamiliar figures gathered, seemingly plotting something. Just as I was about to knock, I overheard my father say—"
Xianyue leaned forward slightly:
"What did your father say?"
"He said, whoever brings me the head of the king shall be rewarded with ten thousand taels of gold, ensuring boundless wealth and fortune."
Li Guoqiang's voice faltered as tears welled up in his eyes:
"As a son, I am torn between loyalty to my king and filial piety to my father. But a traitor's heart must be vanquished by all. As a son, I must put righteousness before kinship."
"You lie!"
Li Weian's furious roar echoed through the hall, shaking the walls of Qianying Palace.
"General Li's crime is one of treason and rebellion. His entire clan should be executed," someone murmured.
Li Guoqiang, upon hearing the punishment, paled with fear. Xianyue smiled, her fingers tapping rhythmically on the armrests, each beat tightening the knots in the ministers' hearts.
"Minister Li, your great sacrifice for the kingdom shall not go unrewarded. For your act of filial righteousness, you shall be pardoned. Three days from now, you shall assume the role of Governor of Quning."
"Thank you, Your Majesty. Long live the king!"
Li Guoqiang's face lit up with gratitude as he thanked Xianyue. Although Quning was not the capital, it was the wealthiest and most prosperous region of Feng Kingdom. Far from the royal court, it was a place where one could live like a king in all but name.
Xianyue tilted her head, signaling Li Dequan with a nod. He understood and left the hall. Xianyue then rose from the throne, descending to where the ministers knelt. Her steps were light, but to them, it felt as if death itself approached.
"I will go to Ninggu," Minister Ye's voice trembled as he suddenly spoke up.
Xianyue smiled and shook her head:
"Didn't you all demand clarity? If you cannot acknowledge your own actions, allow me to enlighten you."
She seated herself on the palace steps, directly facing the ministers who had been silent for too long. Li Dequan, holding a stack of blue ledgers, stood beside her. Xianyue gestured for one, and he handed it to her. She flipped through the pages with speed, the sound of the turning pages crisp and unnerving.
"No wonder General Li could afford to hire assassins. The yearly tributes you receive from the ministers are quite substantial. Minister Li, your private treasury must rival that of Feng Kingdom itself."
Xianyue let out a soft chuckle, tossing the ledger at Li Weian's face:
"Take a good look, General. See if the numbers are correct."
Li Weian dared not meet Xianyue's gaze. He bent down, picked up the ledger, and quickly scanned the pages. The blood drained from his face as he turned a sickly pale, staring blankly at Xianyue. The other ministers, upon hearing her words, grasped the gravity of the situation, silently cursing their own misfortune.
"Minister Ye, you seem to be stuffed with silver."
Xianyue mocked Ye Shengping, pointing to his eight-month swollen belly, laughing at the absurdity. It was a gesture no king should make, yet not a soul dared speak out.
"In Fengdu, you own eight grand mansions. You already have a wife, thirteen concubines, and more bedchamber maidens than you can count. Yet you still frequent pleasure houses and even keep mistresses in secret. An old man like you should take care of his health, or one day, your women will leave you with nothing but shame."
Some of the kneeling ministers stifled their laughter, though inwardly, they were terrified. Ye Shengping offered no defense, confirming that Xianyue's knowledge was accurate. How could she, after a decade-long absence, know such details?
As they eyed the ledgers and the trembling ministers, they thanked their luck for having refrained from further betrayal. The new ruler was no ordinary sovereign; she was a smiling tiger, capable of taking lives with a jest.
"With so much silver, Minister Ye, do you think you'll live long enough to spend it all?"
Xianyue casually tossed the ledger aside, instructing Li Dequan:
"Distribute these records to the other ministers."
Li Dequan handed out the ledgers, each one meticulously recording every corrupt transaction, down to the last coin. As they flipped through the pages, their hands shook with fear and disbelief. Even the ministers who had thought their deeds well-hidden could not escape Xianyue's all-seeing eye.
"My father, before his death, advised me to treat you all with kindness. But your actions have chilled my heart."
Xianyue sighed as she rose.
"Your food, your clothes, your very livelihood—all are provided by the people of Feng Kingdom. Your salaries come from the hard-earned taxes paid by the citizens. Yet instead of gratitude, you act for your own selfish gain, engaging in corruption and ruining innocent lives. Such ingratitude is inexcusable! Feng Kingdom's people suffer because of parasites like you, and their voices cry out in despair.
I had intended to show leniency, for my father's sake. But your greed is insatiable, and now your misdeeds have come to light. If I continue to show mercy, how can I face my brother, who toiled day and night for the kingdom's sake? How can I answer to the people of Feng Kingdom? Mercy will only embolden others to follow your path of betrayal. Therefore, you must be punished."
"Long live the king! Long live the king!"
Everyone knelt on the ground, silent, yet their hearts were clear as a mirror, secretly admiring Xianyue's cunning. She had dug the pit long before, just waiting for these people to fall in. Without reason, being transferred to such a remote place, and in such large numbers, anyone would unite to rebel. And that's exactly what she was waiting for: their rebellion. Then, with the evidence she had prepared in advance, she'd make them submit, speechless. The ledgers she intentionally showed them were to serve as a warning, proving her resolve to punish those people, yet appearing merciful in doing so. They must regret it now, for it was they who paved their own path to ruin.
"Li Weian disrespected his superiors, attempted to assassinate the new king, and engaged in corruption—a crime tantamount to treason. His entire clan will be executed, and their assets confiscated to the national treasury. The rest of you shall be exiled to the borderlands, forbidden to take anything with you. May you reflect upon your sins there."
As soon as Xianyue finished speaking, the imperial guards entered and dragged the men away. They dared not look at her, nor did they expect her to change her mind. Desperate, they turned to Feng Jiulan for mercy, "Your Highness, spare us!"
"Your Highness, please spare us!"
Feng Jiulan remained seated, unmoved, without casting them a glance, his gaze fixed on Xianyue standing at the center of the hall. Memories of ten years ago suddenly flashed through his mind—when he was still unconscious, she had knelt in that same spot, pleading for justice from their father. In her disappointment, she had stood there, swearing to the heavens, and even at her tender age, her hands had already been stained with blood.
The cries for help gradually faded into the distance, their figures shrinking into tiny dots. Yet Xianyue remained in her place, as if seeing them off. The ministers, still kneeling, were silent with fear, not daring to rise.
"Rest assured, my lords, Feng Nation will not fall, nor descend into chaos with these parasites gone. Tomorrow, others will take their place. I hope you will cooperate with them for the welfare of the kingdom's people."
Even Bai Shouxin, the old patriarch of the Bai family, was shocked and awed. He had never underestimated the young girl, but her swift and decisive actions still startled him. The power of the Li family in court was uprooted in mere days, all meticulously planned by her in less than a month since her return to Feng Nation.
"If one does not wish to be known, one must refrain from evil deeds. In life, who hasn't made mistakes? But as the saying goes, 'To recognize a fault and correct it is the greatest virtue.'"
Every word she spoke was mild and kind, yet they were filled with deep reverence. They understood she was giving them a chance.
Indeed, no one in life is free from mistakes, and they too had erred, but they had not crossed her bottom line this time, and so they were spared. However, she knew every one of their misdeeds. If they slipped again, who knows if they wouldn't be the next ones dragged out. Compared to the merciful Crown Prince, her methods were much more severe. The Li family, such a vast and powerful house, had become a thing of the past in the blink of an eye, all at the hands of their 15-year-old king.
When the lips grow cold, the teeth die. Without the Li family, how could Li Guoqiang's influence persist?
"Long live the King. We humbly accept your teachings."
Three days later, Li Weian was executed in the eastern market, and Ye Shengping and his men were escorted out of the capital. The commoners had gathered in the streets early in the morning, throwing rotten vegetables and leaves onto the ground. Such people should have been executed long ago. The Crown Prince loved the people, but like the previous king, was too lenient, allowing these people to get away for too long. The words Xianyue had spoken in the Qianying Hall were now being passed around in the streets, moving the people to tears, their admiration for Xianyue growing stronger by the day. News spread quickly of her identity as Feng Nation's divine daughter.
It was said that whoever possessed the divine daughter of Feng would rule the world. The people believed that as long as their king was there, they would be protected from the ravages of war and continue to live in peace.
In the Snow Mulberry Palace of Feng Royal Court:
"Yue'er."
Feng Jiulan looked at Xianyue, his eyes glistening with emotion. "The people of Feng Nation are all praising you."
Keeping Li Weian alive had provided Yue'er with an opportunity to establish her authority and win the love of the people. She was far more suited for the throne than he was. He knew he didn't possess the same skills or determination. His Yue'er had not only subdued the entire court but also astonished him.
Those men, after all, were long-serving ministers of Feng Nation. He understood that for the sake of the people, they should have been dealt with long ago. But the intricate connections among them had always made it difficult to act. Now, it was done—Feng Nation was truly cleansed. Even if it wasn't completely rid of corruption, those remaining would no longer dare to misbehave.
Xianyue nodded, reclining in her chair, leisurely eating her exquisite pastries. "That was inevitable."
No matter how much food was in her mouth, her words were always exceptionally clear. She turned and smiled at Feng Jiulan, her teeth filled with crumbs from the various pastries, "Like my brother, I love the people as my own children."
Besides, she had embraced the principle of serving the people with all her heart. How could they not be moved?
"Your Highness, My King."
Xianyue glanced up at Yun Qinghen. "What is it?"
"Lord Li Guoqiang was found dead at the border between Quning and Jinyang."
Xianyue closed her eyes and sighed lightly, "Oh? Do we know who's responsible?"
Seeing Yun Qinghen remain silent, Xianyue added, "Li Weian was in Feng Nation for decades, he had acquaintances in both the underworld and among the respectable. Now that he's dead, many have lost their livelihoods. Although Li Guoqiang betrayed his father out of loyalty to the throne, he still offended others. Dead is dead. Find a place and give him a decent burial."
"Yes."
Yun Qinghen exchanged a glance with Feng Jiulan, who nodded, before departing.
"Yue'er."
Feng Jiulan walked over to Xianyue, knelt beside her, and took her hand. "These matters should have been mine to handle."
It was because of him that her hands were stained with blood.
Xianyue sat up and shook her head. "There's no difference between you and me, Brother."
Her brother was kind-hearted and would even stain his hands with blood for her sake, but he would be tormented by it. She, on the other hand, believed those she killed deserved to die, so she never felt remorse or sorrow.
She smiled and looked up at the green canopy overhead. "When I was at Pear Blossom Mountain, seeing the blooming pear flowers always made me think of you. So pure, so pristine, untouched by filth. I hope you can stay that way for your entire life. Clean and untainted. Don't let my bloodstained hands drag you down. Let me handle these matters alone."
Feng Jiulan looked up at her, silent, his heart filled with complex emotions. He had never done much for his Yue'er, but to Xianyue, his silence was the greatest support, just as it had been that day in Qianying Hall.
"Princess, the envoys from Lan Nation have arrived."