Chapter 38 Approaching Mountain Rain之意以下是按照您的要求進行的翻譯，注意我僅翻譯了

y over these seven years; have you thought of me at all, my venerable old man""You little devil! You’ve been gone for seven years and haven’t grown up a bit. Still acting the same way!" An elderly voi...Chapter Thirty-Eight: Omen of an Impending Storm

In the early morning, bustling crowds were already seen on the streets of the capital city as it resumed its usual hustle and bustle.

Yun Qianyue lifted the curtain to take a look outside before letting it drop. She said indifferently, "The old emperor ruled over the Heavenly Saint for thirty years, but in the end, his rule was short-lived like a sailboat on the water. He believed that the Heavenly Saint couldn’t do without him, yet now, the people are still living well and happily. I wonder what he thinks seeing this from the afterlife."

Rong Jing held Yun Qianyue in his arms with a smile, "The people don't care who is in power; they only care about whoever can ensure their peaceful lives."

Yun Qianyue didn’t say anything more. Did the people truly believe that the Heavenly Saint was at peace now

The carriage proceeded smoothly towards the imperial palace.

No one spoke further; when they arrived at the palace gates, the carriage came to a steady stop.

Rong Jing lifted the curtain and slowly got off, reaching out his hand to help Yun Qianyue down. She used his hand to leap lightly off the carriage. Once she had her footing, Yun Qianyue noticed several carriages parked at the entrance of the imperial palace; they were obviously the vehicles of ministers arriving for court, including her father’s carriage as well.

Some people had already entered the palace gates while others hadn’t yet arrived. Upon seeing Rong Jing arrive, everyone came forward to greet him in turn and pay their respects.

Rong Jing held Yun Qianyue’s hand, chatting amicably with the ministers.

Soon enough, everyone politely walked into the palace gates without asking why Yun Qianyue was present at such an early hour. They likely assumed she had some business to attend to or came to request audience from the Regent Prince regarding Empress Jingyi’s health.

The group arrived at the Hall of State Affairs, where everyone showed surprise upon seeing Rong Jing leading Yun Qianyue by the hand into the hall. Two senior ministers from the Bureau of Astronomy opened their mouths simultaneously, "Young Master Jing, are you… do you mean to bring Miss Shallow Moon inside the Hall of State Affairs"

Rong Jing nodded with a warm smile, "To avoid her having to wait for me outside in the cold wind and potentially falling ill, I brought her along."

The two senior ministers’ expressions changed. “This is unacceptable! Women are never permitted within the Hall of State Affairs…”

"She’s no ordinary woman; there’s nothing wrong with her entering," Rong Jing replied with a smile.

“Even so, she remains a woman, and women aren’t allowed to interfere in politics. This goes against ancestral laws…” the two men exclaimed anxiously.

Rong Jing smiled gently, "You all are unaware that five years ago, she played a significant role in resolving the drought in the Northern Frontier by devising strategies to solve the water crisis there. She also initiated terracing and irrigation projects to transform thousands of acres of barren land into fertile soil. Back then, Seventh Prince could establish his base in the Northern Frontier partly due to her assistance. If women aren’t allowed to engage in politics, she has already been doing so for quite some time now. A woman like her surpasses countless men in strength. I believe that even Regent Prince wouldn’t object to her entering the Hall of State Affairs."

Everyone’s eyes widened with disbelief as they stared at Yun Qianyue. No one could have imagined that she had a hand in those policies that greatly benefited the people and made headlines across the nation, but Rong Jing never spoke falsely. The two senior ministers from the Bureau of Astronomy were momentarily speechless.

Rong Jing didn’t elaborate further. He led Yun Qianyue into the Hall of State Affairs with calm steps.

Yun Qianyue wondered if Rong Jing was revealing her involvement in these matters for a purpose She tilted her head sideways to scrutinize him, and he whispered, "Handling court affairs every day is monotonous and burdensome. If I could have you by my side daily, it wouldn’t feel so tedious anymore. Without mentioning your contributions, they would likely pile up mountains of impeachment documents against me. Although I’m not afraid of impeachment, it would be rather embarrassing."

Yun Qianyue was somewhat speechless. Mister Rong, when did you become even more concerned about face than Prince Jade

Rong Jing smiled, seemingly able to read her thoughts, "I’ve always cared deeply about my reputation!"

Yun Qianyue was utterly speechless.

As they spoke, the two entered the Hall of State Affairs. The hall was a grand chamber brightly lit, divided into eastern and western warm chambers separated by screens. Bookshelves lined both north and south sides with piles of documents on them; in the middle were around twenty or thirty clean tables.

Several dozen people had already arrived inside; they must have heard about Rong Jing’s earlier remarks at the entrance, as many now stared at Yun Qianyue in amazement. Among those present were familiar faces such as Prince Xiaoqin, Leng Shaozhuo, Prince Deying, and her father, Prince Yun.

Yun Qianyue thought that those who could enter the Council Hall were all important ministers of the court, and she might be the first woman to enter the Council Hall in a thousand years, making her a rare creature. Although she was somewhat uncomfortable with so many men looking at her, based on her identity from her previous life, women were already scarce in such positions, so she quickly calmed down and accepted everyone's astonished gazes.

Although she agreed to follow Rong Jing into the Council Hall because he proposed it, she did not agree without considering the consequences. Night Tianyi and Rong Jing were secretly fighting each other, and with Night Tianyi pressing more responsibilities onto Rong Jing as the Regent Prince, there was naturally no time for him to spend much time with her. She didn't want to count the days waiting for his return from court every day in either the Glory王府 or Yun王府. Such a life seemed dull and meaningless, so if he now willingly brought her along because of similar thoughts, she had to bear these gazes to be able to stay by his side naturally.

"Good morning, all officials!" Rong Jing smiled warmly at everyone.

Prince Regent Duan was the first to come back to his senses, looking at Rong Jing and Yun Qianyue. "Young Prince Jing, although Miss Qianyue is talented, this is the Council Hall. It might not be appropriate for a woman to be here. Since ancient times, there have never been women participating in politics or entering the Council Hall."

"Three thousand years ago and two thousand years ago, female emperors appeared. In Southern Frontier, Princess Ye will become king after mourning; the Guardian Goddess of West Yan has always participated in government affairs; and the head of the Blue Family from one of the ten hidden noble families is a woman as well. Whether it's ancient or modern times, there are historical records to support these facts." Rong Jing said indifferently, "The Heavenly Saint Dynasty has been established for a hundred years, setting many precedents for things that have never happened before. Why not set a precedent of women participating in politics"

Prince Regent Duan opened his mouth but seemed unable to refute it and fell silent.

Rong Jing turned his tone with a faint smile. "Furthermore, she is only here as my companion, not to participate in politics."

"Still... Although that may be so, it's still inappropriate. The emperor doesn't have much time left, and the court is already unstable. If a woman disrupts the order of the court..." Prince Regent Duan said with a solemn expression.

"Prince Duan, you overestimate me. I am just a small woman; how could I possibly disrupt the court" Yun Qianyue laughed, "Rest assured, I won't disturb your work."

Prince Regent Duan fell silent.

"Young Prince Jing, this old minister still thinks it's inappropriate. Miss Qianyue rarely goes out of her residence, but there are constant rumors about her outside. Although she is here as your companion, the ministers here can't avoid being disturbed." The Filial Prince Regent spoke at this time.

"Yes, Young Prince Jing, this place is an important venue for discussing state affairs and not a regular place. Even though history has precedents to follow, it's still too absurd for us in the Heavenly Saint Dynasty," said Prince Duan once again, then asked Yun King who hadn't spoken before, "Brother Yun, do you think I'm right"

Yun Qianyue frowned; if she didn't want to be separated from Rong Jing and wait for him every day, she wouldn't bother looking at these old faces.

The Yun King glanced at the two of them before nodding slowly. "That's right."

Prince Duan quickly took over, "Therefore, Young Prince, regarding this matter..."

Rong Jing rubbed his forehead and interrupted Prince Duan with a sigh, "Prince Regent Duan and Filial Prince Regent speak very appropriately. But what can I do Without her by my side, I have no heart for state affairs. Should I resign from office or retire"

Everyone was startled.

"She has been ill these days; day and night I've worried about her health, unable to calm down. My mind is on the court but my heart is with her." Rong Jing said helplessly: "Recently, I'm sure you have seen that my state hasn't been good. After much consideration, breaking tradition seems necessary to bring her close."

Everyone exchanged glances and were very clear about Prince Jing's recent condition; no one dared provoke him these days, even the Regent Prince avoided confronting him. Although he seemed in a good mood when he came here yesterday, his mind was clearly elsewhere. It took telling him three times to ask what it was about, which was true. In an instant, all opposition voices subsided.

"In my opinion, there's nothing wrong with this. Prince Jing just said that Miss Qianyue has the talent to relieve drought in Northern Frontier five years ago and break the chaos through strategic planning, turning tens of thousands of barren acres into fertile soil. This is great talent; a country gaining such a person is equivalent to having countless strong soldiers. Although it's unprecedented for women entering the Council Hall since the founding of Heavenly Saint Dynasty, many precedents have been set in other matters which are no different. Besides Prince Jing also said she isn't here to participate in politics but as his companion," Cold Shaozhuo slowly spoke up amid calmness.

Someone immediately added, "Although Miss Qianyue accompanies Prince Jing without following regulations, he deals with official business in a separate room and won't disturb the ministers. Thus this is feasible."

A few young court officials also expressed their opinions that it was unproblematic.

Supporting voices overpowered opposing ones momentarily.

The Prince Regent Duan and Filial Prince Regent exchanged glances; although displeased, they dared not speak up with Prince Jing threatening to resign. After all, the country wasn't peaceful now, and most things in court were handled by Prince Jing while the Regent Prince governed nominally. Furthermore, Prince Jing was highly esteemed nationwide, his reputation influencing commoners' mindsets. There was even a saying among the people that as long as "Prince Jing is here, Heavenly Saint can be peaceful", which was why they weren't too panicked about Emperor's death. If he really resigned and retired, it would cause trouble.

The few old officials also did not oppose after weighing pros and cons; almost no one spoke up again.

"It's time for court!" Ye Tianyi's voice suddenly came from the door, somewhat indifferent.

The crowd was startled and all turned to look at the door. They only then noticed that the Regent Prince had stood there without anyone noticing. He didn't show any expression on his face, said a sentence, and walked out.

Everyone looked at Rong Jing and Yun Qianyue in surprise before quickly following him out.

When Ye Tianyi arrived, Yun Qianyue naturally knew it. Since he didn't comment on the matter now, she supposed that he had tacitly agreed to it. She looked at Rong Jing. Today her greatest worry was Ye Tianyi. She cherished every day she spent with Rong Jing but also feared that Ye Tianyi would cause trouble. Now seeing him like this, did he have a change of heart

"I haven't changed my mind, men from the Ye family are stubborn. However, I know that some things won’t help even if I try. So, there’s no point in wasting effort on them," Rong Jing whispered to Yun Qianyue: "The warm pavilion on the west is mine. Go inside and wait for me. After court ends, I’ll be back."

"Alright!" Yun Qianyue nodded.

Rong Jing gently tapped his brocade robe before turning to leave.

The crowd dispersed in a moment, leaving only the young eunuchs who served in the hall inside.

Yun Qianyue scanned the hall. This grand hall was divided into two warm pavilions: the west one was Rong Jing’s and thus the east must be Ye Tianyi's. With a screen separating them, although she was here, if she didn't leave Rong Jing’s western warm pavilion, they should not meet each other. She felt relieved as she turned to enter the western warm pavilion.

The room in the west warm pavilion was bright and well-lit with a soft bed, an ornamental table, and a row of coat hangers on which there were scrolls and documents. There was also a window by the side with a pot of magnolia flowers.

Yun Qianyue walked to the window and looked out. It faced the imperial garden direction. No snow had fallen recently; the snow that fell earlier had already melted, leaving the imperial garden empty with its stone sculptures and pavilions desolate. Occasionally a few maidservants or eunuchs hurried past. All around displayed not only the cold of winter but also the calmness of the palace. She remembered that apart from the Empress and Princesses, all other consorts had been banished by Ye Tianyi. That was why it was so peaceful in the palace now.

She turned back to look at the pot of magnolia flowers before her. She didn't know that besides loving the purple bamboo grove, Rong Jing also loved magnolias. This pot of magnolias had begun to bloom with a faint fragrance.

After standing still for a moment, Yun Qianyue sat down on the soft bed and picked up a book to read at random.

The young eunuchs outside were silent, making the entire hall quiet.

About an hour later, she heard footsteps approaching from afar, growing louder. Soon everyone returned to the hall; Ye Tianyi seemed to have told something briefly to Duke De before entering the east warm pavilion, and Rong Jing walked in slowly.

Yun Qianyue looked up from her book and at him.

Rong Jing smiled warmly as he walked over and sat beside her, hugging her gently. He whispered to her: "Today’s early court discussed the matter of going to congratulate Jade Crown Prince on his enthronement. We’re trying to figure out who is best suited for it."

Yun Qianyue raised an eyebrow. "Who decided in the end Surely not you"

"Of course, I can’t be absent," Rong Jing smiled faintly. "The Regent Prince suggested you."

Yun Qianyue frowned. "Why would he suggest me Is there a precedent for women to go on diplomatic missions"

Rong Jing chuckled and said, "Women can enter the hall of discussion, so it’s not strange that they could also go on diplomatic missions."

Yun Qianyue squinted her eyes, wondering what Ye Tianyi was scheming. Did he want to use this as an excuse to send her away Was his plan really that simple She frowned and asked: "What happened after"

"I excused you saying your body wasn’t feeling well, which made both Duke Yun and the high ministers think it inappropriate. The Regent Prince didn't persist on this point but instead proposed that since South Liang’s Crown Prince enthronement is a big event, an official of high status should be sent to show respect, and ultimately chose Duke Yun as the representative," Rong Jing said gently.

Yun Qianyue looked at Rong Jing. "It's already decided then"

"Yes, it’s settled. Duke Yun will set out for South Liang tomorrow." Rong Jing whispered: "He never wanted you in the first place; you’re just a decoy. What he wants is to send Duke Yun on an embassy mission. I argued against him once and kept you here, so now he can’t argue with me again about sending Duke Yun. He’s the Minister of Rites and it’s appropriate that such missions fall under his jurisdiction anyway."

Yun Qianyue pondered to herself, "Could it be that he has another idea in mind"

Rong Jing suddenly smiled and said softly, "When hasn’t he had a plan before" After saying this, he patted Yun Qianyue's head gently and said, "Continue reading." Then, he stood up and walked over to sit at the desk, beginning to review the piles of memorials on the table.

Yun Qianyue rubbed her head. It was good that her father had left; after all, she needed help now that her brother had ascended the throne. Since there wasn’t much for her to do here, it was fine if her parents went south. However, Night Tianyi never did anything without a purpose. She would have to figure out what his purpose this time was.

Even though everyone returned to the hall of deliberations, it remained silent as usual. There were almost no sounds outside, only the sound of pens writing could be heard.

Lifting her eyes to look at Rong Jing, she saw that he appeared indifferent while looking over the memorials. The chancellor’s duty was to report to the emperor and oversee all officials below him; thus, the memorials naturally went through his hands before reaching the emperor. Since the new emperor had not been enthroned yet, it would be the Regent Prince for now. Although she had no experience with court affairs, she could guess that they weren’t easy to handle. It was rare for him to look so at ease sitting here.

"What's wrong" Rong Jing turned his head and looked at Yun Qianyue. "You're bored"

“No!” Yun Qianyue shook her head and pointed outside, “Is it usually this quiet here Everyone does their own thing”

Rong Jing laughed and shook his head, hinting at something, "It’s just special today."

A revelation hit Yun Qianyue; apparently she had a role in keeping things quiet.

"Young Master Jing, the Ministry of War has sent an urgent memorial. The Western Yan border defenses have added five ten-thousand-man forces, as if they intend to mobilize troops." A voice from the outside announced.

“Bring it inside!” Rong Jing instructed.

The Vice Minister of War entered slowly and secretly glanced at Yun Qianyue. He then handed a memorial from his ministry over to Rong Jing.

Rong Jing reached out, took the memorial in hand, and after glancing through it, said calmly: "The King of Western Yan is especially concerned about the State Protecting Immortal Maiden. Given that the State Protecting Immortal Maiden is seriously ill now, the King of Western Yan has no interest in mobilizing troops or handling state affairs. It’s possible he wishes to join her in death for eternal rest. Adding five ten-thousand-man forces at the border might be a precaution against others taking advantage of the situation."

The Vice Minister of War was stunned, "The King of Western Yan would commit suicide over a woman"

"Back then, he seized control of Western Yan to obtain the State Protecting Immortal Maiden. Now, it's not strange for him to die with her." Rong Jing smiled faintly and returned the memorial to the Vice Minister of War, "Go report this to Regent Prince Tianyi and see what he thinks about whether this matter needs to be discussed during tomorrow’s morning court."

The Vice Minister of War nodded and left carrying the memorial.

Yun Qianyue's expression turned serious. It was indeed possible that King Yan would commit suicide over his love for the State Protecting Immortal Maiden, meaning Prince Yan might be all alone in Western Yan then

"There’s no need to worry about him! He has honed himself for years at the Palace of Respect and Filial Piety. After returning to Western Yan, King Yan showered this crown prince with every gift imaginable. Even a few days ago, he was willing to kill two powerful princes who were vying for his throne, leaving no one in the court now who can challenge Prince Yan."

Yun Qianyue nodded. She had thought that he would rise to power someday when she saved him back then, but she didn’t expect it to happen so soon.

Rong Jing continued reviewing memorials. He glanced through the piles of documents, skipping over those unimportant ones and marking significant ones for later consideration before sending them off to the East Warming Study Hall.

Yun Qianyue continued reading her book.

The Vice Minister of War leading the way, more and more people started coming in and out of Rong Jing’s Western Warming Study Hall thereafter. With affairs big and small across the realm to be dealt with, everyone kept coming over for instructions. He made decisions on matters he could handle offhand, assigning them to others or sending those who brought important issues to discuss to the East Warming Study Hall.

Mostly, though, his decisions were quick and did not require reporting to Night Tianyi’s office.

Hence, people flowed in and out of Rong Jing's study hall while the East Warming Study Hall remained very quiet in contrast.

Yun Qianyue got tired sitting down so she lay down. From noon until evening, matters kept coming up without a break. Someone brought lunch during this time; clearly aware that Yun Qianyue was there, the meal was for two people’s portions.

After lunch, someone came to clean up. There was hardly any time for rest when another person arrived with documents. Rong Jing's expression did not reveal impatience; he handled the paperwork casually and leisurely.

Yun Qianyue frowned tightly, experiencing firsthand how arduous the work of a chancellor could be. She wondered if he could endure this. Yun Qianyue was annoyed: Why did Ye Tianyi seem so relaxed And why did Rong Jing have to work so hard This was their Ye family's empire! She didn't know what Qin Chancellor used to do, but it certainly wasn't like how Rong Jing worked now.

The more Yun Qianyue thought about this, the worse her mood became. Even the air in the Western Warm Study turned cold, making all officials who entered shiver from the chill.

After a minister left, Rong Jing put down his pen and smiled at Yun Qianyue: "Why do you look so bad"

"Is your face like this every day" Yun Qianyue asked him with a solemn expression.

Rong Jing chuckled. "During the period after the emperor's death, many official matters were delayed. Then there was this year’s flood which caused disasters everywhere, leading to poor harvests. Later on, there was heavy snowfall that froze and killed many people. Now with the weather turning warm again, numerous issues have piled up. It is only natural for there to be a lot of work."

Yun Qianyue still wasn't satisfied; she pointed at the Eastern Warm Study: "Why does he look so relaxed"

Rong Jing suddenly smiled with great fondness, walking over and hugging Yun Qianyue. He said gently, "The Regent Prince has his own responsibilities, and I have mine as Chancellor. Even if I take on more work, what's the harm If my efforts can ensure that all subjects of this land are well-fed and clothed, safe and sound, it is a worthy cause. What I strive for is not just Ye’s empire but also the livelihood of the people in Tiánshèng Kingdom."

Yun Qianyue's anger immediately subsided; she said with concern: "But this is so tiring!"

"Once Shěn Zhāo enters court, it won't be as exhausting," Rong Jing released her. "He has the talent to assist me."

Yun Qianyue blinked.

"Don’t freeze everyone out anymore or nobody will dare come in." Rong Jing bent down and kissed her cheek, then got up and sat back at his desk.

Yun Qianyue calmed down, picked up the book and continued reading.

I heard that Little Miss came to the Hall of State Council

Night Qingran's voice suddenly came from outside; he sounded a bit hurried. "Where is she"

No one answered him, so he walked over and entered through the screen door into the Western Warm Study.

Rong Jing glanced at him idly but didn’t say anything. Yun Qianyue remembered the destroyed screen and remained silent as well.

"Today I went to inspect the Grand Military Camp, and when I heard about this event, I didn’t quite believe it; now I see it’s true," Night Qingran came closer and looked at Yun Qianyue. "Little Miss, aren't you bored staying here with him"

Yun Qianyue shook her head: "I’m not bored." She added, "As long as he's around me, I won’t be."

Night Qingran’s face darkened. "He treated you like that and left you alone for days; how can you reconcile so quickly Are you just this easily satisfied"

"I have no great ambitions, what good is ambition to a woman!" Yun Qianyue didn't want to argue with Night Qingran here any longer. She waved her hand: "Go back to whatever business you were handling. Don’t disrupt everything here. It’s already hard enough for me to be here without your interference making it seem like I’m really affecting their meetings."

Night Qingran was caught off guard, and he looked at Yun Qianyue speechless.

“What are you still standing there for Do you have something to report” Yun Qianyue raised an eyebrow.

Night Qingran shook his head, gave Rong Jing a slight snort, and turned around to leave. After taking two steps back, he turned again to say: "Qingnuan hasn’t seen you for years and wanted to talk with you today, but it seems she missed you." With that, he left.

Yun Qianyue smiled without saying anything; she continued reading. Her thoughts drifted to Night Qingnuan. The little girl hadn't been back for six years, and in this season of many matters, Prince Dērīng had brought her back. Was it because she was completely recovered or due to some other reason Yun Qianyue preferred to believe the former.

The afternoon passed quickly; Rong Jing put down his pen and said to Yun Qianyue: "Let’s return home."

Yun Qianyue immediately put down the book and stood up.

Rong Jing reached out to hold her hand, pulling her out of the Western Warming Pavilion just as Ye Tianyi was coming out from the Eastern Warming Pavilion. He glanced at them but didn’t say anything before walking out first.

After Yun Qianyue and Rong Jing left the Hall of Deliberation, the sun had already started to set in the west. The two of them walked towards the palace gates.

At the entrance of the imperial palace, a familiar carriage was parked there. Ye Qingnuan was peering out from the curtain, and upon seeing Rong Jing and Yun Qianyue emerge, she happily shouted, "Brother Jing! Sister Yun!"

Rong Jing and Yun Qianyue stopped in their tracks simultaneously. Rong Jing smiled gently, "It’s Young Lady County Princess."

Ye Qingnuan pouted and complained, "Brother Jing, you’re too unfair! How could you claim that half the credit for Sister Yun and your reconciliation is mine when I haven’t even been able to see her A few days ago, when I went to the Royal Manor of Glory, they said she was resting. Today, when I came again, she was brought here by you, leaving me empty-handed. Now I have no choice but to wait here; this time around, there’s no way you can stop me from seeing her."

After finishing her words, she looked at Rong Jing smugly.

Rong Jing smiled and said, "Since Young Lady County Princess has returned to the capital, talking with her will be something for another day. It’s not a big deal if we postpone it by one or two days."

"But I miss Sister Yun! I’ve been back in the capital for several days now but haven’t had a proper chat with her," Ye Qingnuan called out to Yun Qianyue from inside the carriage. "I don’t care, today evening Sister Yun has to play with me. Brother Jing, you can’t object."

Rong Jing replied with a smile, "I may not oppose it, but tomorrow Cloud Uncle is going on an envoy mission to West Liang; she needs to wake up early to see him off. She shouldn’t be too tired today."

"Is that so" Ye Qingnuan frowned, seeing Yun Qianyue hadn’t spoken yet. She turned and asked her, "Sister Yun, then can we play together tomorrow"

Yun Qianyue smiled at her, "If you have the time, it’s fine."

Seeing Yun Qianyue agree, Ye Qingnuan cheered up immediately and looked smugly at Rong Jing. "Brother Jing, Sister Yun has agreed to me! You can’t stop us tomorrow."

Rong Jing smiled but didn't comment on it; he told her, "It’s getting late. Let's head back quickly!" After that, he pulled Yun Qianyue towards his carriage.

String Song immediately raised the curtains of the carriage for them to get in and ride off.

Ye Qingnuan watched as the entirely black carriage drove away; she stuck out her tongue playfully before turning around. She saw Ye Qingran coming out from the palace gates, so she hurriedly called out, "Brother, I’m here."

Ye Qingran frowned at her and got into his own carriage. The curtains fell down as the carriage headed towards the Manor of Duke De.

Rong Jing and Yun Qianyue were silent for a moment; the carriage quietly moved forward. After turning onto another street, Green Bird suddenly flew in with a note tied to its leg. Rong Jing reached out to untie it from Green Bird’s leg and looked at it before whispering to Yun Qianyue, "The soul of the Protecting Nation Goddess has ascended; West Yan’s King is heartbroken and committed suicide."

Yun Qianyue was startled. "You were right! But this happened too quickly."

"It wasn’t quick either. The illness of the Protecting Nation Goddess had been treated with medicine, delaying its progression; it’s peaceful for her to leave now that she has seen her son for so long," Rong Jing glanced at the note and said, "Before he committed suicide, West Yan’s King wrote a will in front of all officials, appointing his successor. First ascend the throne, then announce the death. He asked for no congratulatory missions from other countries but requested loyalty from ministers and stability among military personnel and civilians."

"Immediate succession" Yun Qianyue looked at Green Bird and analyzed it, "It takes a day or so to spread news, so this means that West Yan Yue ascended the throne today."

"Yes! West Yan’s King had always intended to die with his Protecting Nation Goddess. So when he returned from abroad, he prepared everything for West Yan Yue in advance—killing his own son and swiftly clearing out corrupt officials. He even prepared a coronation ceremony for him," Rong Jing said warmly, "This somewhat makes up for the suffering West Yan Yue had endured. Although he has been back for only a short time and doesn’t have much foundation yet, with West Yan’s King’s decisive actions, things in the country are now clear and clean; his ascension is less troublesome than your brother’s in Southern Liang. He just needs to face the grief of losing both parents. I think he must have been mentally prepared for this."

"Lesser Official Gu said that Uncle wants to detain all imperial princes on their tenth birthday, using it as an opportunity to clear out corrupt officials and stabilize the country, but Brother considered them his flesh-and-blood kin and thus staged a show with Lesser Official Gu to eliminate those who were disloyal while preserving many members of Southern Liang’s royal family," Yun Qianyue sighed. "Now that new policies have been implemented in Southern Liang, West Yan, and the South Frontier, it seems like this era is truly starting anew. But even though everything looks peaceful on the surface, I feel as if a storm is approaching."

——

Really amazed by the fact that the title’s 'desire' (欲) was censored; what good does censoring one word do anyway…ng, she finally opened her mouth helplessly and said persuasively, "Xiao Yue’er, Mother's old bones can't take your beating like this. Let’s stop!"Cloud Qianyue snorted, “Do you still know that I’m yo...