On the Sky Canopy, Liu Sanqi's voice was filled with evident admiration for Emperor Jingwu:
"If Emperor Jingwu, upon receiving news that Song Changqing's mother had arrived in the capital, had not immediately sent a trusted subordinate to find Chen Cuixiang's whereabouts, but instead dismissed that piece of information, then Chen Cuixiang, with the river water already up to her neck at that time, would likely have drowned silently in a river on the outskirts of the capital."
"In fact, after Emperor Jingwu's people rescued Chen Cuixiang from the river, that stubborn old woman still harbored a death wish, telling them not to bother about her."
"Only when Emperor Jingwu's trusted subordinate told her that Song Changqing hadn't truly been blinded by wealth and become a treacherous profit-seeker, but was instead pretending to ally with Qi Wenyuan under Emperor Jingwu's orders, did the old woman stop trying to end her life."
"However, to avoid alerting the enemy and spoiling her son's and Emperor Jingwu's great plan, Chen Cuixiang didn't reply to a single letter from her son for the next four years."
"The outside world truly believed that old woman Chen Cuixiang had completely severed the mother-son bond with her Principal Graduate son. Song Changqing also had no idea that his mother had once attempted suicide."
"And Emperor Jingwu didn't use this to claim credit or win Song Changqing's loyalty. She only privately told Song Changqing that his mother already knew the truth behind the scenes, so he didn't need to worry about her misunderstanding."
"Later, when Qi Wenyuan completely fell, Song Changqing and his mother resumed their normal relationship. When Chen Cuixiang casually brought up this incident at home, Song Changqing only then learned that Emperor Jingwu had not only shown him the grace of recognition but also the grace of saving his mother."
"Thinking that his mother had nearly died in such sorrow, Song Changqing naturally felt a lingering fear, and moreover felt that Emperor Jingwu's kindness to him was as weighty as a mountain."
"Besides, a question also arose in his mind: he couldn't understand how Emperor Jingwu had been able to rescue his mother so timely."
Below the Sky Canopy, Xinyang County, the Song family courtyard.
Song Changqing, who had just been overwhelmed with grief over his mother's death, now after clearing up the misunderstanding, besides being filled with inexpressible gratitude toward Emperor Jingwu, was also genuinely curious about this same question. Even Chen Cuixiang, the person involved, looked at Liu Sanqi on the Sky Canopy with interest, clearly eager for her upcoming explanation.
"Soon after, when Song Changqing met Emperor Jingwu in private, he directly asked her this question."
"And the answer Emperor Jingwu gave left Song Changqing extremely surprised and stunned."
"Emperor Jingwu told Song Changqing that throughout history, she had only ever heard of one mother, Chen Cuixiang, who, after her son became the Principal Graduate, actually wrote specifically to ask him to give up his official post."
"Emperor Jingwu felt that with Chen Cuixiang's unyielding character, if she confirmed she couldn't make her son 'rein in at the brink of the precipice,' she would likely take all the blame upon herself and excessively reproach or even punish herself."
"And Emperor Jingwu believed that if such a tragedy formed by misunderstanding truly occurred, then Song Changqing would absolutely never forgive himself for a lifetime, and would even think that he had caused his mother's death."
"Therefore, Emperor Jingwu would rather have her trusted subordinate arduously search for Chen Cuixiang's whereabouts and confirm her condition, than gamble on a possibility that no one wanted to see happen."
On the Sky Canopy, Liu Sanqi looked at the camera and said with a proud expression:
"Babes, this is why I've been a die-hard fan of Emperor Jingwu for so many years. She is truly a treasure emperor—the more you get to know her, the more you can't help but admire and yearn for her! She has so many shining points; every single one of them can attract countless fans!"
"She is by no means a perfect emperor. For instance, in her impulse, she told Chen Cuixiang the truth, which was actually very risky!"
"If that old woman Chen Cuixiang had accidentally leaked the secret, and Qi Wenyuan and his people eventually learned the truth, then all her and Song Changqing's previous efforts and hard work would have been in vain!"
"But just like during the imperial examination case, she stepped down from the throne to walk outside the palace gates and speak with those indignant scholars, all to protect the chief examiner Li Zeyuan."
"When facing the possibility that Chen Cuixiang might meet with an accident, she also considered Song Changqing's feelings, so she lightly told an ordinary old woman like Chen Cuixiang a shocking secret that should have been kept strictly confidential."
"As a monarch, she did not betray Li Zeyuan's trust in her, nor did she betray Song Changqing's trust."
"Why, during Emperor Jingwu's reign, did everyone around her follow her with utter devotion and loyalty unto death? It was because Emperor Jingwu truly treated them as living human beings, not as tools that could be discarded at will!"
"Therefore, Li Zeyuan was willing to step forward and take the hot potato of being the chief examiner of the Spring Examination when Qi Wenyuan obscured the sky with one hand, selecting the most suitable talents for the court on Emperor Jingwu's behalf! Song Changqing could risk his life by infiltrating Qi Wenyuan's side, ultimately even collecting irrefutable evidence of Qi Wenyuan's collusion with the Najie Tribe!"
On the Sky Canopy, the live-stream barrage was now lively, filling the screen:
[Anyone who understands the history of Emperor Jingwu's reign would definitely understand why the ancients could say 'A gentleman dies for his bosom friend.']
[Don't even mention ancients. If I time-traveled to Emperor Jingwu's era now, I'd definitely want to fight tooth and nail for her!]
[Seriously, I ask, who is the feudal emperor here? I feel Emperor Jingwu is a hundred times more humane than my stupid ex-boss! That stupid ex-boss only ran a small studio of a dozen people, but he threw his weight around in the office every day, treating us employees as harshly as if we were indentured slaves!]
[When I first started working, my first boss was also that kind of Huang Shiren! That old geezer was older than my dad, yet he asked me if I could be his mistress. Scared, I resigned and fled that very night, not daring to stay a day longer!]
[No wonder the ancients said a petty man who achieves his ambition becomes arrogant. That's really the bitter experience summed up from life.]
[Alas, any wage earner surely understands how rare a leader who can take responsibility like Emperor Jingwu is in the workplace. You can't find one even with a lantern!]
[LOL, there's a director surnamed Kang in our department, but we privately call him 'See for Yourself' because no matter what work you ask him, his answer always revolves around those three words, as if he's afraid of taking responsibility.]
[Don't even mention taking responsibility. Now I think just not shifting blame to subordinates counts as a good boss.]
[Hehe, how do you know I just took the fall for our grade director today?]
[Unbelievable. Yesterday at the departmental dinner, our leader kept shouting slogans like 'We should have the spirit of taking courage, since we eat the lord's grain, we should share the lord's worries.' But what he really meant was for us to chip in money to cover an 80,000 yuan shortfall in the department.]
[What a 'share the lord's worries'! Have they no shame? Why doesn't he look at how Emperor Jingwu treats her subordinates?]
[Alas, I don't want to say anything more. I'll just rub off some of Song Changqing's career luck.]
[Same here, rubbing career luck. Please grant me an Emperor Jingwu as boss!]
...
Below the Sky Canopy, Xinyang County, the Song family courtyard.
Chen Cuixiang, ordinarily, actually didn't like to lecture Song Changqing too much; she felt that her son, well-read in the classics, surely understood right and wrong better than she, an obscure embroiderer. But today, this unexpected revelation from the Sky Canopy stirred many emotions in Chen Cuixiang's heart.
"Child, if you really become an official in the future, you must cherish this precious opportunity given by heaven. We can't live this life in a muddle; we must find something meaningful to do."
"Don't think your mother suffers daily from embroidery—I actually take pleasure in it. I love embroidery, especially when I see customers wearing the clothes I made; it makes me so happy! If you really become an official, you must accomplish something substantial, benefit the local people, and not let the common folk curse you behind your back. The common people may not be educated, but they are not fools; they have a clear mirror in their hearts and know who is good and who is bad."
"Don't mind your mother being old and naggy. You're lucky to have encountered such a good emperor as Emperor Jingwu. I believe that under her, if you truly have the will and are willing to work hard, you can certainly achieve great merits that benefit all people!"
Song Changqing naturally took Chen Cuixiang's heartfelt words to heart. He looked at Chen Cuixiang with a solemn gaze and said, "Mother, rest assured. If I do serve as an official in the future, I will never allow myself to be an official for a lifetime and end up only leaving a 'stinky reputation' and 'notoriety' among the people of Great Jing!"
While Chen Cuixiang and Song Changqing were speaking, Liu Sanqi on the Sky Canopy also bid farewell to everyone, indicating that this live stream was over.
In the palace, at the banquet, although the Sky Canopy had disappeared, everyone's hearts were still hard to calm. Emperor Jingwu is Yin Ning? Yin Ning is Emperor Jingwu! Even though everyone had already known this earth-shattering fact just now, now that the Sky Canopy was gone and they shifted their focus back to reality, they still found it unbelievable. Their next emperor was actually a female emperor? After all, there wasn't even a single female official in the court! Therefore, when Emperor Jingming, high on the dragon throne, announced the end of the banquet but told Yin Ning to accompany him to the Imperial Study, many courtiers couldn't help but take a few glances at Yin Ning before rising and leaving the hall.
However, those who still had the presence of mind to observe Yin Ning at this time were mainly those without guilty consciences. For instance, Yin Dan, who had clashed with Yin Ning earlier before the banquet, was so guilt-ridden that she didn't even dare to glance in Yin Ning's direction. Yin Dan had never imagined that she was simply attending a banquet as usual, only to not only have her own brother Yin Yi get into trouble, but also to find out that Yin Ning was the very Emperor Jingwu she had been scheming to curry favor with. Yin Dan herself couldn't recall how many times she had fought with Yin Ning since childhood. Everyone in the palace knew that she, the Sixth Princess, and Yin Ning were irreconcilable. Thinking that from now on, for many years, she would have to live under Yin Ning's thumb, Yin Dan felt even more furious. She even entertained a thought: since Yin Ning could become emperor, why couldn't she? Yin Dan felt she was no worse than Yin Ning; she just lacked a single opportunity. Of course, Yin Dan kept these resentful thoughts to herself and didn't dare to voice them aloud. But in fact, no one present cared about Yin Dan's feelings.
Empress Xu knew that Emperor Jingming had called Yin Ning to the Imperial Study for important discussions. After all, whether it was the sweet potatoes yielding two thousand jin per mu, the liquidation of Qi Wenyuan's faction, or Yin Ning's identity as Emperor Jingwu—these were all monumental matters. However, Empress Xu was still worried that Emperor Jingming might find fault with Yin Ning because of her female identity and be dissatisfied. So, when she passed by Yin Ning, Empress Xu couldn't help but show some worry in her gaze toward Yin Ning.
"Mother, wait a moment, help me with something."
Hearing Yin Ning's call, Empress Xu immediately stopped. The others who hadn't left yet also turned their attention to the mother and daughter. Empress Xu thought Yin Ning had something important to ask of her, so her expression was tense and serious. However, Yin Ning merely smiled and handed the little orange kitten she was holding to Empress Xu:
"Mother, can you take this little kitty back to your place? I don't know when I'll return. I'll come see the kitty at your place tomorrow."
When Empress Xu heard it was just such a trivial matter, she immediately glared at Yin Ning, "At a time like this, you still have the mind to worry about this little orange cat?"
Yin Ning blinked, "If you're not willing, then I'll take this little orange cat with me to the Imperial Study?"
Hearing this, Empress Xu quickly and gently took the little orange cat from Yin Ning's hands. Seeing this, Yin Ning couldn't help but chuckle. When she saw Empress Xu looking at her as if about to scold her, she quickly spoke first:
"Mother, I'm off to see Imperial Father. See you tomorrow!"
With that, Yin Ning turned and left, as if chased by some flood or beast.
Emperor Jingming seemed not to have paid attention to Yin Ning's movements, but when she reached him, he said to her:
"What were you dawdling about with your mother just now?"
Yin Ning replied casually, "Imperial Father, it's nothing. I just entrusted my kitten to Mother for care."
Emperor Jingming: "...As I recall, those three calico cats in your mother's palace now were also picked up by you a few years ago?"
Yin Ning chuckled, "Is that so? I don't seem to remember."
Emperor Jingming glanced at her upon hearing this, "You can remember the entire contents of those examinees' answer sheets, but you can forget this? If not for Liu Sanqi's Sky Canopy, I wouldn't have discovered until when that you actually have such a good memory."
Seeing that Emperor Jingming wouldn't let her play dumb, Yin Ning had to speak frankly, "Mother is quite bored in the palace on ordinary days. Raising a few lovable kittens to amuse herself makes life a bit more interesting, doesn't it?"
Although Yin Ning had not yet built her own mansion outside the palace, she had moved out of the Empress's Kunning Palace at the age of four, as per regulations, and lived in another palace. Emperor Jingming had originally thought that Yin Ning simply didn't have the patience to raise these kittens herself, not knowing the real reason. A flicker of surprise crossed his brow. Then, he didn't pursue the matter further and simply led Yin Ning toward the Imperial Study, as if he had already put it behind him.
However, Yin Ning suddenly received a notification from the 007 system that Emperor Jingming's familial affection score for her had increased by 3 points, now reaching 88 points. At this change, Yin Ning's expression remained unchanged, as if nothing had happened.
In fact, the reason Emperor Jingming's affection suddenly increased was that Yin Ning's soft-heartedness and thoughtfulness gave him a sense of security. Before the appearance of the Sky Canopy, Emperor Jingming had never considered abdication. In his eyes, only the power in his own hands could reassure him. But based on the information Liu Sanqi had previously revealed on the Sky Canopy, Emperor Jingming understood that the historical version of himself would likely die of illness around three or four years later. Before people know their time of death, they always seem to think they have a long life ahead. But once they learn that their time may be short, the fear of death in their hearts suddenly multiplies thousands or even ten thousand times. Emperor Jingming was naturally extremely dissatisfied and even furious about having only three or four years left to live. But according to the imperial physician, if he wanted to live longer, he would have to lighten the burden on his shoulders.