Her Majesty Chose Violence, They Chose Her

"Your subjects greet Her Majesty, the Empress! Long live Your Majesty, for ten thousand years, and ten thousand more!"

Separated by a single wall, the Empress Dowager, restrained by Nanny Yang, heard with her own ears the shouts from inside—cries powerful enough to shake the very mountains.

They were cheering for the Empress—for her own daughter.

"A woman cannot be the emperor! A woman cannot wield power! How could she possibly be the emperor?"

The Empress Dowager muttered to herself, her eyes filled with utter disbelief.

Nanny Yang eyed her coldly. "Just because you couldn’t do it doesn’t mean no one else can. There has never been a rule in this world that a woman cannot be emperor. Even if such a rule existed, it would only be because men were the ones who wrote it."

"The world is ruled not by men, but by the strong. It isn’t tragic for men to suppress women. What’s tragic is when a woman reaches a high station only to suppress other women, forever unable to stand tall because of her own gender, even to the point of abusing her own daughter."

The Empress Dowager stared at her with hatred. "You, a bed-climbing wench! What right do you have to lecture me?"

"The only reason you support Xiao Jin is because she resembles the late Emperor. How laughable! No matter how much the late Emperor favored you, you were never given a proper title, never bore him a child."

Nanny Yang decided the Empress Dowager was a lost cause. She knocked her unconscious with a single chop. ’Some people will just never get it.’

’No wonder the court filled with corrupt officials and the country nearly fell to ruin during her years as regent.’

"Victory report! Victory report!"

"General Li has scored a major victory over the Xirong and reclaimed Bafang City! The Xirong army was utterly routed! He is now marching on Changlu Pass to reclaim it!"

The victory report could not have been more timely. It arrived less than fifteen minutes after the crowd had accepted the Empress, as if Heaven itself was intentionally bestowing its favor upon her.

Even old, stubborn ministers like Minister Zhou now had no choice but to fully accept the Empress’s authority.

"May Heaven protect Your Majesty! May Heaven protect Da Wei!"

The Emperor was still the Emperor, just of a different gender. It was as if nothing had changed at all.

Xiao Lv took the initiative and walked over to Xu Shikai. "Mr. Xu, shall we?"

Xu Shikai, just snapping out of his shock, looked completely baffled. "Go where?"

Xiao Lv replied, "To write the imperial proclamation, of course. After witnessing such a divine miracle firsthand, I trust your literary inspiration is practically gushing, Mr. Xu. I’m certain you can pen a masterpiece for the ages."

Xiao Lv’s hand clapped onto Xu Shikai’s shoulder, applying a subtle but threatening pressure. Xu Shikai was rendered speechless.

The officials all departed in a daze. What they had witnessed today would undoubtedly be the most shocking event of their lives—bar none.

Prince Jing rubbed his hands together with glee, a look of pure satisfaction on his face.

’The ancestors really came through for me!’ he thought. ’My prayers must have been sincere enough to move them.’

Just as he was about to go to the Little Emperor and take credit, he saw Meng Xuechen stagger and nearly collapse. The Emperor, quick as a flash, caught him and pulled him into her arms.

The Little Emperor’s face was full of concern. "You don’t have to keep pushing yourself."

"Guards! Bring a sedan chair! Take him to Zichen Palace and summon an Imperial Physician!"

Meng Xuechen leaned weakly against her shoulder. "I’m fine. I just need to rest for a bit."

When the sedan chair arrived, Xiao Yang actually bent down as if to carry him.

The Regent King, standing nearby, could finally watch no longer. He stopped Her Majesty’s hands and helped Meng Xuechen into the chair himself.

As the frail Meng Xuechen was carried away, Rong Yin turned to the Little Emperor. "Your Majesty, may I go to Zichen Palace to have my wounds redressed?"

Xiao Yang nodded. "Perfect. That saves the Imperial Physician from running back and forth."

Rong Yin was very pleased with this answer. Just as he was about to head back with Her Majesty, Xie Liuzheng, who had been hiding all this time, ran out. Her eyes, fixed on Xiao Yang, were shining. She was clearly here for praise, her entire expression screaming, ’Praise me! Go on, praise me!’

That brilliant sparkle in her eyes softened Xiao Yang’s heart, and she opened her arms wide.

Sure enough, Xie Liuzheng dove into her arms without a moment’s hesitation, hugging her tightly.

"Your Majesty..."

’I’m a major hero for supporting Her Majesty the Empress!’ she thought. ’A huge one!’

Xiao Yang gave her a big hug in return. "You silly girl."

’Such a massive, world-altering phenomenon must have come at an enormous cost. I won’t say I didn’t need it. I received this gift, and I cherish it. I am grateful.’

Xiao Yang reached down, untied a Dragon Jade Pendant from her waist, and handed it to her. "With this, you can come see me whenever you want. You could even move in."

She finished by patting her on the head. "Thank you."

Xiao Yang was a good distance away before Xie Liuzheng stopped grinning foolishly at the Jade Pendant in her hands.

Prince Jing, who had watched the entire exchange in silence, felt the corner of his mouth twitch uncontrollably. ’Well now,’ he thought, ’maybe I should go back and light another stick of incense for the ancestors.’

’Her Majesty’s love life seems a bit... complicated.’

Han Yang arrived with two colleagues from the Imperial Hospital. In a side hall of Zichen Palace, two men were laid out neatly.

The Regent King was covered in wounds, both large and small, looking as if he might split apart at any moment. Mr. Meng had only a single wound over his heart, but his internal injuries were severe.

’Any later, and these two would have been dead for sure.’

Han Yang was a man of great medical ethics. He treated their wounds with diligent care, showing no favoritism and sparing no effort.

However, he wasn’t sure what had happened between the two. They had seemed like friends before, but now the air between them was thick with tension.

Treating their wounds was inevitably painful, but both men were stoic enough to bear it. Yet, the moment Her Majesty’s shadow flickered past the screen outside, their demeanors shifted instantly.

Though they didn’t call out for her, they would let out an occasional grunt of pain, their eyes glued to the doorway as if willing her to appear, terrified she might not come in to see them.

Han Yang was left speechless.

’I know Her Majesty is the Empress now, and it’s only natural for them to admire her,’ Han Yang thought, ’but can we show a little restraint? They’re still injured! They’d better not tear open their wounds, or I’ll have to start all over again.’

It wasn’t that Xiao Yang had forgotten about them. She was simply busy.

Having just orchestrated a major upheaval, she now had to thoroughly root out Xiao Sheng’s remaining supporters, deal with the Empress Dowager’s loyalists, and re-vet the entire court of officials.

Killing people was the easy part; finding replacements to immediately fill the resulting vacancies was the challenge.

Xiao Yang flipped through the official rosters, promoting one person after another, writing so furiously it felt like her brush might catch fire.

’Those two are no help to me right now. It’s enough to know their lives aren’t in danger. The only reason I haven’t dragged them out of bed and put them to work is my conscience holding me back.’

Prince Jing was handling the Royal Family, and Xiao Lv was still tied up at the Ministry of Revenue.

Xiao Lan and Xiao Cheng were both injured.

Here she was, a magnificent Empress, and when she looked around, there was no one she could use.

’Truly, I am the lonely sovereign.’

Wait!

Xiao Yang’s eyes landed on a familiar name in the roster.

’Feng Xian... he’s one of Rong Yin’s men, isn’t he?’

’If Rong Yin can’t work, his man can work in his stead.’

With a flourish of her brush, she promoted Feng Xian directly to Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, effective immediately.

Feng Xian: "..."

’This promotion certainly came out of nowhere,’ he thought. ’I wasn’t prepared at all.’

However, when he saw the long list of promotion edicts the Empress handed him to draft, any joy he might have felt was extinguished before it could even spark.

Having delegated a portion of her tasks, Xiao Yang continued her search for more workhorses—ah, no... more *talent*.

’Xiao Jinsu should be free now. I’ll transfer her over to help. I should call Xie Liuzheng back, too. Can’t let her skills go to waste. I’ll make her my personal female official; that girl should like that.’

’Xiao Lv is busy, but doesn’t Prince Jing Mansion have another son? He’s in the palace already, which saves him a trip home.’

’Right. With the Empress Dowager gone from the inner palace, someone needs to take charge back there.’

’If I can’t find anyone... I wonder if Consort Jing is available for loan?’

Prince Jing, who had just managed to get home: "..."

’Wait a minute, is the Empress just going to fleece my entire family?’

’Aside from me, my entire family has been snatched up and dragged into the palace!’

’I thought I had my two daughters left, but now the Empress has ordered them into the palace to keep Princess Suiyi company and ’liven things up’!’

And so Prince Jing, a man who once had a full family, was now utterly alone. "Aaargh! I’m turning to the dark side! I’m going to rebel! I’m starting a rebellion right now!!!"