Chapter 29: Radiance. It began with the scene from the night before, where the capital was ablaze with ten thousand lights and the common people knelt along the streets to welcome the procession.

It spoke of the crimson brocade carpet unrolled upon the Red Steps, stretching all the way from the Meridian Gate to the foot of the jade stairs of Taihe Hall.

On both sides of the brocade carpet stood rows of Imperial Guards in armor and holding halberds, their helmet tassels like a forest, their armor gleaming with a cold, sharp light in the morning sun.

The musicians of the Ministry of Rites played the grand ceremonial music, and the twelve palace gates opened one after another; each opening was accompanied by the deep, resonant booming of a bronze bell.

The tolling of the bells rippled outward from the center of the Imperial City, audible even to the commoners standing at the ten-mile pavilion outside the city walls.

The Female Protagonist wore the black ceremonial robes embroidered with the twelve symbols, and on her head rested the flat-topped crown with twelve hanging bead curtains; the beads swayed gently with her steps, yet they could not conceal her eyes.

She walked from the Meridian Gate into the hall, the crimson brocade carpet behind her fluttering slightly in the morning breeze.

The civil and military officials were arrayed on both sides of the Red Steps, from the Three Lords and Nine Ministers to the high officials of the Six Ministries, from local dignitaries to veteran generals; they knelt in a vast, dark sea, their official robes ranging from purple to scarlet to blue to green, as if cleaved open by her stride.

She walked along the Imperial Way to the top of the Red Steps and turned around, the bead curtains of her crown swaying gently before her.

The entire court of civil and military officials knelt in unison, shouting, "Long live the Emperor."

The sound struck the dome of Taihe Hall and rebounded, echoing layer upon layer over the Imperial City.

And there, in the center of that wave of sound, stood The Female Protagonist, her eyes behind the bead curtains gazing straight ahead, overlooking her empire.

"A woman, truly became the Emperor."

Zhou Ming lowered his voice, finishing the ending for The Female Protagonist in a tone that was almost a self-mutter.

"She spent twenty-three years crawling out from a pile of corpses, climbing to the highest position under the heavens."

"When the entire court knelt at her feet, they were not kneeling to her ceremonial robes, nor her Imperial Seal, but to these hands of hers."

"These hands that have killed people, healed the sick, written policy papers, held the tiger tally, and reviewed memorials."

The story was finished.

The Martial Arts Training Ground remained silent for a long while, with only the rustling of bamboo leaves and the faint sound of footsteps from guards changing shifts in the distance.

The maidservants and older women were still immersed in the imagery of the enthronement ceremony, unable to snap out of it.

Dongmei's eyes were as bright as if lit by lamps; her mouth was slightly open, and her hands were tightly gripping the handkerchief she held.

Then, Zhou Ming saw the eyes of Empress Su Mingyue.

Empress Su Mingyue had sat up straight at some point, her back no longer resting against the chair, her hands folded on her lap, her knuckles turning slightly white from the force.

Her phoenix eyes were opened wider than usual, and in her pupils, it seemed as if something had been ignited, shining with an astonishing brightness.

It was not her usual cold, sharp scrutiny, nor the awe-inspiring Killing Intent from when she fought enemies at West Mountain, nor even the composed steadiness she displayed when reviewing account books.

It was a kind of radiance Zhou Ming had never seen on her face before, burning from the depths of her eyes, bright enough to be almost scorching.

Zhou Ming's heart skipped a beat as he was stared at by this gaze.

In his previous life, he had seen too many novels and TV dramas; he knew that kind of focus, so fervent it was almost burning.

He had seen it.

That was ambition.

He saw ambition in the eyes of Empress Su Mingyue.

As soon as this thought emerged, Zhou Ming was secretly shocked.

Could it be that the Eldest Miss also harbored thoughts of becoming Emperor?

This thought only circled his mind once before he hurriedly shook his head.

He quickly cast this thought out of his mind.

He felt that he had simply told too many stories, muddling his own brain.

Who was Empress Su Mingyue?

She was the Eldest Miss of the Yongning Marquis Mansion, the daughter of a Marquis; even going back three generations, they were merely noble families, not some royal lineage or imperial clan members.

Her father, Old Marquis Su Yongning, had been stationed at the border for years and did indeed hold military power, but a Marquis was just a Marquis; he was a hundred and eight thousand li away from that chair.

It must be that he was overthinking; the overly bright light in Empress Su Mingyue's eyes just now was perhaps merely triggered by the counterattack of the great heroine in the story.

After a long while, Empress Su Mingyue finally came back to her senses.

She blinked, and the overly bright radiance in her phoenix eyes receded bit by bit, as if someone had slowly lowered a gauze curtain deep within her pupils.

The woman from just a moment ago, who had listened so intently and whose eyes had almost betrayed a flickering flame, was gone.

Sitting on the chair once more was that cold, reserved, and inscrutable Eldest Miss of the Marquis Mansion.

Zhou Ming saw this, and the stone in his heart quietly settled to the ground.

Empress Su Mingyue cast a light glance at Zhou Ming.

That look was not exactly stern, but it carried a faint sense of warning, as if saying: "Don't think that just because you told a good story, I've forgotten about you squatting at the cave entrance holding a broken wooden board the day before yesterday."

"Do not tell such treasonous stories in the future,"

She spoke, her voice not loud, her tone as flat as if she were instructing the Kitchen to use less salt tomorrow.

"If this spreads, watch your head."

Zhou Ming hurriedly lowered his head, feigning fear and trepidation, and repeatedly agreed in his mouth.

While he appeared fearful on the surface, he was crystal clear on the inside—the point of the Eldest Miss's words was not "don't tell them," but the second half: "watch your head."

In other words, he wasn't being scolded for telling a story, but for telling a story about a heroine becoming Emperor.

And in this world, the very word "becoming Emperor" was enough to lose one's head.

She was reminding him to watch his tongue and not speak carelessly outside, otherwise, even she could not protect him.

After speaking, Empress Su Mingyue stood up, her gaze sweeping over everyone present; her tone remained that same indifferent pitch, but with an added layer of unquestionable cold sternness: "No one is allowed to spread today's story."

Chunlan led the response, and the rest of the maidservants, older women, and guards followed in unison.

Empress Su Mingyue said no more and turned to walk out of the Martial Arts Training Ground.

The line of maidservants and older women behind her hurriedly followed, with Chunlan close behind, and Dongmei walking at the very end.

Before leaving, taking advantage of the fact that Empress Su Mingyue wasn't looking back, Dongmei quietly turned her head and cast a meaningful look at Zhou Ming.

Then, she raised her thumb and waved it in front of him, and made a sealing gesture by drawing two fingers from the left corner of her mouth to the right.

She also pointed at her empty sword scabbard at her waist and silently mouthed a few words: "Continue tomorrow."

Zhou Ming stood in place, watching the back of Empress Su Mingyue disappear around the bend of the bamboo path, his shoulders relaxing inch by inch.

Having walked out of the Martial Arts Training Ground, Empress Su Mingyue paused in her steps.

She spoke to Xiahe, one of her four main maidservants, beside her.

"Xiahe, when we go back later, write down the story Zhou Ming told into a book."

"This servant obeys; this servant will write it down as soon as we return."

"Write down everything he said and compile it into a volume. Keep it in my study; do not let it spread outside."

"This servant obeys."

After watching the Eldest Miss and the others leave, Zhou Ming did not stay at the Martial Arts Training Ground for long.

With stiff legs, he slowly shuffled toward the Kitchen.

The Eldest Miss had not yet eaten dinner, and everyone in Begonia Court would have their afternoon meal delayed.