Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I gave Zhang Liangdi a lavish burial.

Rumors began to circulate through the capital once again.

They said the reason I had yet to marry into the Eastern Palace was that Zhao Huan didn’t like me.

Supposedly, Zhao Huan had a “white moonlight”-a first love of commoner birth-and he looked down on a noble daughter of the Su Family like me.

No matter how dignified or proper I remained, I was destined to suffer from unrequited love.

When I heard these rumors, I was feeling sullen over Zhang Liangdi’s death, watching a young man perform a sword dance at my home.

“Excellent, truly excellent.” I took a sip of Pear Blossom White wine, my eyes fixed on the youth’s fluid, firm waist. “Which storyteller is so talented that they could weave such a tale about me and the Crown Prince?”

“…It’s the Women’s Academy.”

*Clack.*

I slammed my wine cup onto the table.

Anyone else in the world could spread this mindless gossip.

But not the Women’s Academy.

That academy was founded by my mother. She invited scholars from the Hundred Schools of Thought to educate the daughters of noble families.

They studied both Confucianism and Legalism; nothing was taboo.

In the thirty years since its founding, it had shown signs of surpassing even the Imperial Academy.

Although I had been tutored in the Eastern Palace as a child, I often visited the academy because of my mother.

The moment I stepped through the doors, I took the seat reserved for the master.

My idle younger sisters fell silent instantly, standing up to bow to me. “Greetings, Orchid Terrace Magistrate.”

“I hear your coursework isn’t heavy enough, since you spend every day acting like neighborhood gossips, chatting about love and domestic trifles.” I looked at them coldly. “Thirty years ago, the Grand Princess founded this Women’s Academy so that you could study the Four Books and Five Classics and the strategies of statecraft just like men.

“Even now, our dynasty has only one legitimate female official, Liu Jijiu, and she is only of the seventh rank-not even senior enough to attend the morning court.

“Instead of studying hard and thinking about how to become generals and ministers, you have the leisure to talk nonsense. What, do you want to marry some man, spend your life embroidering and cooking in the inner chambers, becoming one of many wives and concubines, relying on a man’s favor to survive?!”

The girls didn’t dare to breathe.

“You are meant to enter government service. Do you understand what it means to serve the state?”

“We understand!”

“Sit.” I gestured for the examination papers to be distributed. “The water transport in the capital stops in winter and resumes in spring. Devise a method to keep the canals open for transport even during the winter, and write a memorial on it. No one goes home for dinner until they’ve finished.”

The sound of ink brushes scratching against paper filled the hall.

I looked at these bright young girls.

Disappointing.

Thirty years ago, every one of them would have been hidden away in the inner chambers, unknown to the world.

My mother was a genius who had seen through the ways of the world long ago.

Men were unreliable.

That was why the Women’s Academy had flourished.

After my mother passed away, my aunt used her power as the head of the Empress’s faction to suppress the opposition from the court and appointed the first female official.

And I, riding the momentum created by my mother and aunt, became the first female head of the Twenty-Three Surnames of Guanlong.

This was the best of eras.

Yet these girls didn’t know how to value their studies, spending all their time whispering about the private affairs of the inner palace.

Clearly, they had too little homework.

A knock sounded against the doorframe.

A woman wearing a black-and-gold robe and a monocle stood by the door, smiling at me. Her long hair fell loosely over her left shoulder, giving her an air of unbridled elegance.

“A game of Go?”

It was the Libationer of the Women’s Academy, the first female official of this dynasty-Liu Qing.

The legitimate daughter of the Liu clan of Guandong.

“Very well.”

In a courtyard filled with pear blossoms, Liu Qing and I sat across from each other over a game board.

We had never gotten along since we were children.

Back when we were study companions in the Eastern Palace, we were evenly matched rivals.

Every time, either I was first or she was. Neither of us would yield to the other.

-Brother Linhuai was the one who set our exams.

He was indeed a genius envied by the heavens.

However, I had put a great deal of effort behind the scenes to help Liu Qing enter officialdom.

Although I was the Orchid Terrace Magistrate, that was a post within the Empress’s palace staff; it wasn’t the same as her position.

Her rank was low, but she held a proper seal of office.

In my eyes, only Liu Qing was capable of leading the way for women in the government.

“What on earth are you teaching these days? Your little students spend all day gossiping about me.”

“The love life of the eldest Miss Su and the Crown Prince is the biggest political matter in the empire. Why shouldn’t they talk about it? Their only fault is that they don’t tell the story well.”

“And what is your expert opinion?”

“I spend my time in the pleasure districts, and I’ve run into your Crown Prince there.” Liu Qing’s eyes were amber, looking like a cunning fox behind her crystal lens. “Word is, he only calls for women who look like you.”

I slammed my piece onto the board with a sharp *clack*.
I slaughtered her dragon in the mid-game.

“Such a short temper.” Liu Qing pushed up her glasses helplessly. “Another round?”

“No.” I flicked my sleeves and left.

“It’s rare for you to visit. We could at least chat; I’ve just composed a new piece,” Liu Qing said with a smile.

I shot her a glance. “Your playing is the worst, and I don’t like a single word that comes out of your mouth. I’m leaving.”

I was seething with rage on the way back.

Zhao Huan’s earlier actions were a deliberate display for my benefit.

He simply wanted to emphasize that I was just a woman.

He intended to humiliate me with that fact.

After some thought, I headed to He Yin Fang to find my favorite, Su Wen.

Su Wen was handsome and a skilled musician.

Even just sitting there in his snow-white robes without saying a word, he was a feast for the eyes.

I listened to the light tunes and drank wine until I was pleasantly tipsy.

I didn’t notice when the music stopped, but suddenly Su Wen was sitting by my side.

“Does Miss Su have something on her mind?”

“Everything is bothersome.”

“Then forget it all.” Su Wen gently loosened his robes and pressed his lips against mine.

His scent was clean, his movements tender; I found it quite agreeable.

After a bout of passion, I had just closed my eyes in Su Wen’s arms when I heard shouting from below: “Who are you people? How dare you barge into He Yin Fang!”

I sat up abruptly.

Indeed, who would dare barge into He Yin Fang?

With me here, they wouldn’t dare disturb my dreams even if they had ten times the courage.

Unless…

It was someone I couldn’t afford to offend, at least on the surface.

With a grim expression, I threw on my outer coat, pushed open the window, and climbed out.

“Ah, Miss Su… be careful,” Su Wen looked at me with concern.

“Keep your mouth shut. Don’t mention you have anything to do with me.” I tilted his chin up, gave him a quick kiss, then turned and slipped into my carriage, racing back to Su Manor.

Liu Qing had a certain reputation in the capital.

In truth, I also frequently stayed out overnight.

But I was careful about it.

Even though my father had married my mother-a Grand Princess of immense status-he still openly took several concubines for himself.

I didn’t see why I had to be so secretive about keeping a few handsome young men.

And yet, here I was in the middle of the night, fleeing with my clothes in disarray.

All because I was afraid of Zhao Huan catching me.

How utterly hateful!

I rushed into my bedroom at home and sank into a hot bath.

I hoped it was just a false alarm.

Unfortunately, things didn’t go my way. Before I could even warm up, Zhao Huan kicked the door open and stormed in.

“Where were you tonight?” A chill radiated from him, matching the darkness in his eyes.

“I am not yet married. For the Crown Prince to intrude into my private chambers is hardly appropriate, is it?”

He grabbed me by the neck and hauled me out of the water. “I asked you, where were you tonight?!”

I was wearing only a loose chemise without a sash.

My clothes were half-soaked, and my long hair fell like a waterfall.

Zhao Huan’s eyes were red with a manic intensity as he squeezed my throat. “Which man were you being intimate with behind my back, hmm? Was it that male prostitute from He Yin Fang?!”

I sighed and draped my arms over his shoulders.

“Why the hysterics? It’s not like I don’t dote on you.”

His beautiful peach-blossom eyes widened.

He stood there dazed, letting me push him onto the bed.

If a problem can be solved by sleeping together, why waste breath talking?

I find jealous men the most tiresome.

I ended up having to lend him a hand.

He was young and vigorous after all, only willing to rest once the hour of the Rat had passed.

I wrapped myself in the quilt. “It’s late. You should leave.”

Zhao Huan, who had just lain down, sat right back up. “What did you say?!”

“We aren’t married. If you stay the night here, my family will gossip.”

“You’re afraid of gossip?” Zhao Huan sneered. “You are the Head of the Su Family. Who in the entire Su Family would dare gossip about you?”

My arms were sore and I was too exhausted to argue with him.

Fine, there are benefits to staying the night too.

I gave him a soft pat. “Sleep.”

Zhao Huan lay back down.

He wrapped his arms around my waist from behind.

Even after I shook him off several times, that heat-radiating embrace would always press back against me.

The next morning at the fourth watch, I prepared for court while Zhao Huan was still asleep.

I instructed Shuxian, “Redeem Su Wen’s contract and settle him in the villa outside the city. As for those on patrol last night, give them all twenty strokes of the cane.”

My Su Manor is a massive estate with nine courtyards.

And yet, a lone Zhao Huan managed to barge straight into my bedroom!

Are the private soldiers I’m raising just useless mouths to feed?

There is simply no justice.