Emperor Xuanwu cast a quiet glance at the unruly little rascal before him. Outwardly obedient, but inwardly clearly dismissive, she was fooling no one.
He continued in his unhurried manner, "Just now, We spoke with Grand Preceptor Ye regarding the matter of centralizing the local merchant guilds. The best course, it seems, would be to establish a higher-level position here in the capital—a Guild Master over the General Merchants' Association.
This individual must also be elected from among the merchants, yet their status must command universal respect. Most importantly, the General Guild Master must be entirely selfless and able to withstand the pressure brought by powerful noble families and senior court officials.
What do you think of this role—"
At this point, Emperor Xuanwu deliberately paused longer than necessary.
Yun Shu assumed he meant to ask her opinion on potential candidates. She was just considering whom to suggest when, in the very next breath, the Emperor suddenly said:
"What if you took up the post?"
Yun Shu: "???"
"Absolutely not, Father Emperor!"
She nearly leapt to her feet.
"You know better than anyone what I am capable of. I'm still attending lessons in the Imperial Study with Sixth Prince, who is only eight! And between us, his schoolwork is far better than mine.
If anything, he would be a better choice than I am for such a position.
At least his maternal family is the wealthiest in Jiangnan! If you named him Guild Master, Prime Minister Liu would be the first to support it!"
"But We favor you."
Emperor Xuanwu leisurely admired the look on her face, as if she'd just sat on burning coals.
"You are the founder of Tian Waitian Restaurant, and you made a considerable fortune from the Di Long trade. Compared to your Sixth Brother, who only knows how to squander money, you are far more suited for the position."
"But I truly don't have the time to be a Guild Master!"
Yun Shu clung to the Imperial Study as her final excuse.
"I still have lessons to attend!"
"That is no obstacle."
Emperor Xuanwu raised a brow.
"You never do your homework anyway. Once classes are over, you're idle.
The duties of the General Guild Master should be light in the beginning. This gives you time to ease into the role and become familiar with it."
"But—"
"This matter is settled."
Emperor Xuanwu allowed no room for further protest.
"We have observed your recent actions. It seems you are genuinely committed to elevating the status of women in the Tian Sheng Dynasty.
Now We grant you this opportunity—to become the first woman in this court to hold official office.
Whether you seize it or squander it, that is up to you."
Yun Shu, who had a dozen more excuses ready on her tongue, suddenly fell silent.
There was no denying it—his final words had struck a chord.
In this era, the shackles placed upon women were far too heavy.
They lived in invisible cages, struggling in vain to break free.
Perhaps, through her recent actions, she had already brought a sliver of light to some of them. But a single firefly could never light the entire sky.
That required time. Patience. A long and steady accumulation.
But if she could enter court as a woman and stand tall at the front, like the rising moon—would it not make the path behind her a little easier for those yet to come?
Even if...
Never mind. Enough waffling. Just do it.
Before doubt returned, Yun Shu clenched her jaw and seized the momentum.
"I accept the appointment, Father Emperor."
"Good."
It had to be from this precise angle, Emperor Xuanwu mused, the angle she cared most about. Only then could she be properly guided.
He nodded in satisfaction.
"Go then. You need not attend court just yet, but in a few days when We issue the decree to appoint you, you will have to make an appearance during morning audience.
Prepare yourself well. If you embarrass yourself due to nerves, We will not shield you."
"Understood, Father Emperor."
Attend court too?
Regret was already bubbling up inside her.
Yun Shu gave a reluctant bow and muttered, "Your daughter takes her leave."
—
Since New Year's Eve, the skies over the capital had grown steadily warmer day by day.
On the way back from the imperial study, Yun Shu took special care to avoid walking beneath any eaves, wary that the melting snow might slide from the rooftops and land directly on her head.
Ting Xue followed close behind, dutifully holding an umbrella to shield her from snowmelt dripping from beams and branches.
They had just returned to the gates of Fengyang Palace, still dry and clean, when a sudden clamor erupted from within:
"Quick, bring more buckets! Eunuch An still has a long way to go to reach Yaohua Palace. There's no way we can block this off!"
"It's over, the front courtyard is already flooded. By the time Eunuch An returns, the whole of Fengyang Palace will be soaked through!"
"What do we do? Should we send someone to inform the Princess?"
"No one moves!"
That last voice, clearly shouting in a panic, was unmistakably Yun Chuhuan's.
"It's not even a big deal! I said I'd take care of it before Fifth Sister returns, and I will!
Why are you all panicking? Get back here and keep scooping water!"
Yun Shu: "..."
What a beautifully obscure vocabulary.
Her palace—her Fengyang Palace—was flooded.
Flooded...
She must be hallucinating. There was no other explanation for such an absurd statement. There was not even a pond inside her palace.
Totally baffled, Yun Shu strode into the front courtyard.
Sure enough, her once clean and orderly little courtyard was now submerged ankle-deep in water.
In one corner, several young eunuchs were desperately trying to plug a leak under Yun Chuhuan's direction. But clearly, they had failed. Water sprayed through like a fountain, scattering in every direction.
The palace maids had all brought out every available bucket. Some were even using pots and bowls in desperation, trying to bail out the flood.
But even with all their frantic effort, it was doing little good.
Yun Shu took a deep breath, hoping to steady her mood.
That breath, however, only fueled the fire in her belly, and emerged as a thunderous roar that rang through the air.
"Yun Chuhuan, get over here!"
"Fi–Fifth Sister!"
Yun Chuhuan's shoulders jolted. He had not expected her to return so soon. Plastering on a sheepish smile, he turned around, stammering,
"Wha–why are you back so early?"
"Must This Princess report to you before returning to Her own residence?"
Yun Shu ground her back molars, pointing at the mess that had once been her courtyard.
"You had better explain what in heaven's name happened here!"
Even her tone had shifted to the formal "ben gong"—a sure sign of rising fury. Yun Chuhuan shrank into himself, voice growing smaller.
"Didn't you tell me to find a way to redirect water from Yaohua Palace to Fengyang Palace?
I just... wanted to surprise you. And then..."
Yun Shu: "..."
===
If you forget about 'ben gong':
"本宫" (ben gong)
Literally: "This Palace"
Idiomatically: "This Princess" or "This Consort," depending on the speaker's status.
In the imperial context, "本" (ben) means "this," referring to oneself, and "宫" (gong) refers to the palace, but not just any palace—it implies the rank and authority of someone who resides within and has status in the imperial palace.
Only imperial women of certain ranks are allowed to use it. Common speakers include:
Princesses (公主)
Empresses (皇后)
Imperial Consorts (妃,嫔)
Occasionally Dowager Empresses or other royal women with formal court titles.
Using "ben gong" asserts not just personal identity, but also imperial rank, dignity, and authority. It's never used by commoners or even lower-ranked concubines.
Tone and Function
It signals a shift to formality and superiority.
Often appears when the speaker is giving orders, questioning someone sternly, or asserting rank-based privilege.
Even if the tone isn't angry, it still conveys royal detachment or majestic presence.
Example in context:
"你竟敢欺瞒本宫?"
"You dare deceive This Princess?"
The phrase alone places the speaker above the listener, commanding respect and submission.