TCPM 7

Chapter 7

Xu Jianyou had grown accustomed to Wei Zai's presence. During this period, the two of them were practically inseparable. She simply treated Wei Zai as a friend and steadfastly avoided bringing up anything else; she didn't ask, and Wei Zai didn't bring it up either, knowing she had plenty of patience. There were so many fascinating new things in this world that they practically dazzled Wei Zai. Since Wei Zai’s range of movement was restricted to the vicinity of Xu Jianyou, she constantly coaxed Xu Jianyou into taking her to see different places. However, Xu Jianyou was extremely busy. Although she was only in her first year of graduate school, she had a heavy academic workload: she had to read books, attend lectures and seminars, write short research papers, prepare for projects and field surveys, and meet with her advisor every week to discuss her study progress. When she got caught up in her busy schedule, she barely had time to breathe. Fearing that Wei Zai would be bored, she handed her iPad to Wei Zai, taught her how to use it, and let her find her own entertainment. Wei Zai took to it quite enthusiastically, clinging to the iPad the moment she got home.

The last time Xu Jianyou had checked on Wei Zai's iPad usage, she was reading The Loss and Gain of Politics Throughout the Dynasties. The book had a traditional Chinese character edition, so Wei Zai had no reading barrier. Xu Jianyou was left speechless: having a feudal monarch sit right in front of her reading modern scholarly evaluations of feudal dynasties felt surreal to the extreme. She couldn't help asking about Wei Zai's reading experience.

Wei Zai remarked, "Quite good. It makes a lot of sense."

Feeling slightly dizzy, Xu Jianyou asked, "Would you like to take a look at Marxist-Leninist political economy or Mao Zedong Thought?"

Wei Zai glanced at her and handed the iPad back: "Download a traditional character version for me."

Reciting the concepts of productive forces and relations of production, value, and surplus value inwardly, Xu Jianyou concluded that this reading difficulty might be a bit too advanced for someone from ancient times, so she decided to let her start with A Study of History instead.

Wei Zai had an abundance of free time, and Xu Jianyou was somewhat shocked when she checked her reading history. Why was she reading literally everything? From Studies in Bureaucratic Politics to The Prince, and all the way to The Overbearing Princess Fell in Love with Me... Wait, where on earth was she even finding these things! Not only did she read books, but she also watched videos on streaming platforms—watching content creators lecture on historical materials, historical fan edits, university lectures, and animated series. After a brief glance through the more serious content, Xu Jianyou felt a lingering suspicion that if Wei Zai kept studying at this rate, she ought to be the one taking home a master's degree in political science. Most absurdly of all, while Xu Jianyou was writing a short research paper, Wei Zai glanced over her shoulder and pointed out an error. Xu Jianyou felt like she was losing her mind; as a specialized graduate student in political science, she had just been given a lecture on the separation of powers and checks and balances by an ancient person from a feudal society over a thousand years ago—who would ever believe such a story if she told them!

Wei Zai's response to this was: "Do not use your casual hobby to challenge my professional career."

Good grief, could life get any more trying than this? Xu Jianyou struck back: "When you read these specialized monographs criticizing feudal society, don't you feel even a tiny bit uncomfortable?"

Wei Zai raised an eyebrow: "They aren't criticizing me. I'm safely included in the part that gets praised."

Wei Zai felt a quiet sense of triumph. In her youth, she had been quite delinquent in her studies, and Xu Qingchu had had to tutor her through countless lessons; she never imagined that one day she would actually be able to guide Xu Qingchu in writing essays. Ah, Wei Zai was tickled pink with amusement.

Xu Jianyou asked how she viewed the viewpoints presented in these monographs. In truth, the question of how to make the world a better place was a problem that capable minds of all eras, both past and present, Chinese and foreign, had always cared about—it was just that different people had different answers. How could she and Xu Qingchu not have groped their way forward through trial and error? Had they never harbored such doubts themselves? Back then, there weren't so many research works to reference; the words of the ancient sages were limited, though they could give rise to countless interpretations. Yet not a single text told them how to force the swarm of fatuous parasites in the court to do some honest work, how to stop the great rivers from bursting their dykes, how to keep war away from the frontiers, or how to ensure their starving subjects could eat their fill and stay warm.

Right after ascending the throne, Wei Zai had suffered immensely. Countless affairs of state piled up high on her desk, and every single memorial she endorsed would determine how the common people lived. This was far more grueling than she had ever imagined. Before seizing the imperial seat, she had fought against her brothers in a life-and-death struggle amid deep waters and scorching fires, but that was ultimately her own private affair; losing meant nothing more than forfeiting her own head. Her head was lighter than a goose feather, whereas the affairs of state and the people's livelihood were heavier than Mount Tai—far too heavy, crushing her until she could barely draw breath. Her instinctive reaction was to run away and shove all the state memorials onto her chief ministers. Infuriated, Xu Qingchu had stormed into her bedchamber, grabbed her by the collar, hauled her to her feet, and looked as though she wanted to slap her across the face several times.

Grieving and aggrieved, Wei Zai had wept. Filled with fierce discontent at her lack of steel, Xu Qingchu had reprimanded her: "What do you think this imperial throne is? Is it a medal awarded for victory? No, it is a heavy responsibility! The vast rivers, mountains, and millions of common folk are all resting on your shoulders!"

Wei Zai knew it all too well. Within just a few days, as she felt herself losing the strength to hold the cinnabar brush, she had asked: "Why cannot you people handle the matters I am incapable of managing?"

"If a young child holds a rare treasure, anyone passing by who takes a fancy to it can step forward and fight to snatch it away. But if a strong and fierce warrior holds that same treasure, then anyone wishing to seize it must first weigh whether they possess the capability to do so. One who holds jade must possess the strength to guard it; otherwise, chaos will surely engulf the realm," Xu Qingchu had stated.

Wei Zai had asked again: "Yet that treasure is already in the hands of a child—what is to be done then?"

"There is no choice but to make that child grow strong, to teach her how to protect herself, how to command her guards, and how to master her servants."

"Even if she dislikes doing so?"

"Yes. Your Majesty, you must remember that from the moment of your ascension, you are no longer a willful young maiden, nor a carefree little princess, and you are no longer even that A-Zai. You can only ever be: Your Majesty."

Wei Zai had worked extremely hard to learn how to be a sovereign, and she learned it very well. In truth, it wasn't that she was incapable of doing it; she was simply terrified.

She disliked having Xu Qingchu address her as Your Majesty. Amidst every single formal utterance of Your Majesty, Wei Zai felt herself gradually turning into a stone statue. She stopped being afraid; she no longer trembled secretly when making momentous decisions, and she felt not the slightest hesitation when confiscating properties and executing entire clans. She was the ancestral temple, she was the imperial jade seal, she was sovereign authority—yet she was no longer a living human being.

She wanted Xu Qingchu to call her A-Zai—inside the bedchamber, upon the couch, when their bare bodies were pressed closely together. Only in those moments could she sense that her blood was still flowing, and only then could she realize that she was still a living, breathing person.

By that stage, she was able to sit across from Xu Qingchu and discuss statecraft on equal terms. She had grown steady and far-sighted; once stripped of those emotional burdens, she was paradoxically able to see everything clearly—comprehending precisely what her realm, her country, and her court were truly about, and what steps needed to be taken. They had debated and discussed countless matters. Throughout that process, Xu Qingchu had walked ahead of her, blazing a trail for her, and she had placed absolute, unreserved trust in Xu Qingchu.

Yet she couldn't help wondering: did Xu Qingchu's heart never flutter with emotion? And at what precise moment had Xu Qingchu herself undergone that inner transformation?

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