Under Consort Li’s anxious gaze, Emperor Xingwu mounted his horse with one arm holding his little princess.
The officials farther back hadn’t even drawn a full breath before the emperor was already seated firmly in the saddle, not sparing a glance in any direction, focused solely on adjusting his daughter’s position in front of him.
Newborn calves fear no tigers, riding a horse for the first time, Qingyang felt nothing but excitement.
Holding onto the front of the saddle, she leaned forward curiously to look down.
Emperor Xingwu held the reins in his left hand and wrapped his right arm around his daughter’s waist, though with a three-year-old’s size, his broad palm covered her entire chest and stomach.
Even if the warhorse suddenly bolted, there was no way his little princess would fall.
Still, Emperor Xingwu warned her, “Sit still. No moving around.”
Qingyang nodded obediently.
She always listened to her mother’s gentle voice, so before her mother’s own fearful father, she dared not misbehave at all.
Once he was sure his daughter understood and was cooperating, Emperor Xingwu finally scanned his surroundings and let out a satisfied breath.
He smiled and declared, “Into the city!”
The officials were already lined up neatly on both sides of the road, gazing up with admiration and pride at the victorious founding emperor returning to the capital in all his glory.
Emperor Xingwu’s gaze turned toward the city gates, and beyond them, the crowds of citizens eagerly waiting behind the palace guards lining both sides of Tianmen Street.
During the war-torn years, the throne in the capital had changed hands several times.
Three years ago, when he first declared himself emperor, many of these people likely hadn’t taken him seriously.
But now that the entire realm had fallen under his rule, surely they would be convinced?
But the people weren’t just convinced.
When Emperor Xingwu had ascended the throne, he had ended the days of suffering when local warlords oppressed and raided them.
They were grateful.
Now that he had brought an end to the chaos throughout the land, they sincerely hoped he would reign for many years.
Only with a stable dynasty could the people live in peace and prosperity.
And so, wherever Emperor Xingwu passed, the people dropped to their knees in waves, shouting long live the emperor.
Most were cheerful, proud to take part in such a grand occasion.
But some, elderly with deep wrinkles, gaunt men, or haggard women, shed tears as they cried out, their voices breaking with sobs.
Qingyang pointed to an old white-haired woman wiping away tears and looked up to ask, “Father, why is she crying?”
Emperor Xingwu sighed.
“Perhaps her husband or children died in the wars these past years. Now there’s peace, but her loved ones aren’t here to see it, and her heart aches.”
Because his daughter’s pointing gesture was too obvious, Emperor Xingwu spurred his horse forward to approach the woman and gently asked the reason for her tears.
Trembling and sorrowful, the old woman explained that she was mourning her two sons who had been conscripted and died on the battlefield.
As more tearful citizens gathered around, Emperor Xingwu’s expression grew resolute.
He declared, “The previous dynasty was ruled by foolish emperors and corrupt officials, causing great suffering throughout the land. I witnessed too much of this pain and rose in arms to save the people from fire and water. By heaven’s blessing, I’ve unified the realm and fulfilled the first half of my life’s ambition, to end the fires of war.”
“From now on, I will govern with diligence and make enriching the people and strengthening the nation my lifelong vow. I hope you all will trust me, support me, and together let us build an era of prosperity and peace for future generations to see!”
“I believe in the emperor!”
“His Majesty is truly a wise ruler!”
After a few scattered shouts, someone took the lead, and soon all the people on this stretch of Tianmen Street were chanting in unison: “Long live Emperor Xingwu, bring peace and prosperity! Long live Emperor Xingwu, bring peace and prosperity!”
The voices roared like thunder, echoing through the city.
Qingyang didn’t understand all the words, but she knew, they were praising her father.
The little princess once again tilted her head back, gazing up at her father with her big, shining black eyes.
Emperor Xingwu asked, “What is it?”
Qingyang said, “Father, you’re amazing.”
Emperor Xingwu smiled, eyes fixed forward.
“I am, but whether I can be even more amazing… that remains to be seen.”
Conquering the world was easy. Governing it, that was the hard part. His path as emperor had only just begun.
***
By the time Emperor Xingwu entered the palace with his daughter, there was still more than half an hour before the palace banquet.
The ceremonial officials and palace staff were already busy arranging the seating for civil and military ministers.
As for the emperor, he would take this time to rest.
Dust-covered and road-weary, Emperor Xingwu went to bathe first.
By the time the two consorts, Princess Yongkang, and the four princes arrived, having traveled more slowly in their carriages, he was already freshly washed, seated in the rear chamber of Qianyuan Hall.
He had changed into a crimson brocade dragon robe and held his obedient little princess in his lap.
At that moment, the head eunuch He Yuan respectfully reported, “Your Majesty, the Noble Consort and the others have arrived.”
Emperor Xingwu made a gesture to summon them in.
A short while later, the Noble Consort and Consort Li entered in succession with the four children.
After being away from the capital for over a year, Emperor Xingwu had spent his days leading armies and making military decisions, constantly mentally exhausted.
Only during quiet, late nights did he allow himself to think of the family he had left behind.
The ones he missed the most were that little enchantress Consort Li, whom he had once wished he could bring to war, and his adorable, pretty little princess who had grown up right under his eyes.
But he often thought of his virtuous and well-read Noble Consort and his four other children as well.
Seated on the couch, Emperor Xingwu looked them over one by one in the order they entered.
The Noble Consort was still as dignified and graceful as he remembered.
They had met in the third year after the Empress’s death, the same year Chancellor Yan Xi pledged allegiance and became his strategist.
The Noble Consort, Chancellor Yan’s eldest daughter, was only seventeen then. Emperor Xingwu had been focused entirely on his grand ambitions and had no interest in collecting beauties, much less any thought of pursuing the daughter of his own strategist.
But some rowdy generals around him stirred up trouble and brought the matter to Chancellor Yan.
Yan humbly claimed his daughter was unworthy.
Emperor Xingwu, not wanting to let his adviser degrade himself, explained that he still mourned the late empress who had saved his mother and had no intention of remarrying.
Yan ended up being even more impressed by him, and thus came the arrangement for his daughter to enter the palace as a high-ranked consort.
Emperor Xingwu had read books and considered himself somewhat knowledgeable, but deep down he still saw himself as a rough man.
He didn’t feel he had much to talk about with a refined lady from a scholarly family.
Still, with one focused on the outside world and one on internal matters, their relationship had remained respectful and proper.
In truth, Emperor Xingwu was more relaxed around Chancellor Yan than he ever was with the Noble Consort.
Whenever he saw her, he had to restrain himself so she wouldn’t find him too crude, and blame her father for matching her with an uncouth husband.
Next came Consort Li.
The moment she entered, she looked first at her daughter, then at him.
Their eyes met, and she quickly dropped her gaze in a fluster.
Emperor Xingwu couldn’t help but lift the corners of his mouth.
Wherever he conquered, there were always clever people trying to present him with beautiful women.
But he had no interest, lust was a flaw of foolish rulers.
If he couldn’t even resist a few lovely faces, how could he accomplish great things?
He had refused them all, until one day in a small county office, he met Luo Ling, a minor official’s illegitimate daughter who had been assigned to deliver his meal.
That was when Emperor Xingwu realized: it wasn’t that his willpower had been especially strong over the years, it was simply that none of the beauties he’d encountered before had been beautiful enough.
Beautiful and timid, just teasing Consort Li gave him endless amusement, let alone…
But there were too many people around.
Emperor Xingwu forced himself to shift his gaze away from Consort Li’s soft, lovely face and let it fall instead on his eldest daughter, Princess Yongkang.
Seventeen-year-old Princess Yongkang bore a strong resemblance to the late Pure and Filial Empress.
At first glance, her face alone projected the image of gentleness and virtue.
But this child had been born into chaos, had witnessed her mother’s death with her own eyes, and had been raised first by the Grand Empress Dowager, then by the Noble Consort as she grew older.
That upbringing had taught her to take care of herself early on, and there was a resilience and toughness in her eyes that her mother never had.
How tough?
Tough enough to even look down on her own father.
At least, Emperor Xingwu caught a glimpse of the unhidden, fleeting emotion in his eldest daughter’s eyes, an unspoken disdain, as if mocking him for his overindulgence in Consort Li’s beauty.
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