Leaving the Changmen Palace

Liu Che was naturally taken aback.

Though Chen Jiao hailed from an esteemed lineage—her mother a princess and her father a marquess—and entered the palace at just fifteen to become empress, she had always been marked by her gentle and obedient nature.

Toward him, she was as soft and tranquil as a springtime pool. Even when she occasionally playfully nudged him, Liu Che’s heart knew that the fault lay with him. Yet, beneath her delicate exterior, she possessed a quiet resilience—she was as a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

Even when she harbored resentment toward her mother-in-law and sister-in-law, she never voiced her anger with ill words.

When someone who seldom loses their composure suddenly does, even Liu Che, proud and confident, instinctively perceives that someone must have crossed a line to provoke such a rare display of emotion. Despite his ambitious pursuits, Liu Che remained deeply kind and generous to those closest to him, valuing harmony and understanding above all.

“What’s wrong?” he asked Chen Jiao, surprised. “What did the elder sister do to you? She just sent me some beauties. If you don’t like them, just send them back.”

Liu Che wasn’t without a secret joy in his heart: She had always been generous and virtuous, and he didn’t see her jealous every day. Such things, done every now and then, were a pleasure, not a cause for concern.

“Since my presence graced the palace,” Chen Jiao sat upright, her expression grave. Had she not donned a deep-colored robe, Liu Che might have mistaken her for a visitor accompanying him to pay respects at the ancestral shrine, “I have diligently served my parents-in-law and tended to the palace servants. I have questioned myself—have I truly carried out my duties to the best of my ability? Yet, whether I have succeeded or fallen short is not for me to decide, but for you, A’ Che. Tell me—have I done well?”

Truly, only the emperor possesses the authority to judge the merits of the empress’ conduct. In their exchanges, Chen Jiao and Liu Che were evenly matched, and she never appeared to be at a disadvantage.

At times, he forgot that, regardless of Chen Jiao’s noble station, she existed for his sake.

Without a moment’s hesitation, he sincerely replied, “Silly Jiaojiao, what are you upset about? Of course you did wonderfully—you couldn’t have done better.”

Liu Che reached out to gently comfort her, as if to soothe the prickles that had bristled on her back.

Yet, Chen Jiao gently brushed his hand away, “Elder sister presented you with a beauties, and you think I shouldn’t be upset, is that it?” She looked directly at Liu Che, her words chosen carefully, her tone steady and composed. “After all, during my uncle’s early reign, my mother also employed all sorts of tricks to offer beauties to the palace. Even now, some imperial concubines and grandmothers remain living deep within Changle Palace…”

The few murmurs of discontent that had stirred in Liu Che’s mind were dispelled by her reasoned words, supported by evidence and delivered with calm assurance.

Embarrassed, he could only hum softly and offer a silent, reluctant acquiescence.

“But A’ Che, have you ever thought about this?” Chen Jiao whispered, “My mother presented beauties because Empress Bo was childless and unable to exercise her power as the empress, and was soon deposed. At the time, the mother of the deposed crown prince, Consort Li, was the actual ruler of the harem. But she was jealous by nature. Not only did she not select beauties for the emperor to conceive an heir, but she was also extremely jealous. Anyone favored by the late emperor would be ostracized and framed. She had her servants curse her behind her back, using all kinds of insidious tactics…

As the late emperor’s sister, mother had no choice but to consider his well-being and present beauties to enrich the harem. But after the empress dowager ascended the throne, with her heart as the mother of the country, she meticulously managed the affairs of the six palaces. My mother no longer had to worry about these unnecessary matters. Think about it yourself, has the Marquess of Tangyi’s mansion ever presented beauties since then?”

She appeared to be recounting a story, her tone steady and composed, as the tension between her brows gradually eased.

She resembled a figure from a painting—her features, though still marked by her eyebrows and eyes, seemed softened and blurred by the passage of time, creating a barrier that separated her from the world around her.

The more Liu Che endeavored to discern her true expression, the more he perceived a subtle indifference, tinged with underlying emotion. There was a hint of anger, yet it also seemed possible to interpret her demeanor as quietly sorrowful.

Though he harbored some doubts, he could not deny that his elder sister had indeed committed an act of pettiness. Whether the grand princess’ actions were merely a gesture of courtesy or driven by a sense of greater purpose, she had indeed stopped to present any beauties after he was made crown prince and his mother became empress.

Regardless of the circumstances, Chen Jiao had not wronged his elder sister, and it had only been a short while since she hurriedly showcased beauties to him—an act that undeniably served as a rebuke to Chen Jiao.

Seeing that his face changed several times and that he was showing signs of approval, Chen Jiao raised her voice and said in a disgruntled tone, “Furthermore, if this gets out, those who don’t know the truth will likely think that I’m like Consort Li and Empress Bo, not only unfavorable, but also narrow-minded… Could it be that my elder sister mistook me for Empress Bo, and is certain that I’ll never have children, so she treats me so arrogantly?”

Liu Che wasn’t even sure if Princess of Pingyang was taking advantage of the fact that Chen Jiao hadn’t yet conceived and hadn’t fully established her position.

A cold sweat dripped down his forehead. Afraid that Chen Jiao was going to continue , he quickly said, “Okay, okay, the elder sister is just like that. She doesn’t mean anything she says. Why are you arguing with her? She only thinks about her younger siblings when she sees something beautiful. If she gets some beauties, who else would she give them to? Would she give them to the Marquess of Longlu? You think about everything too much!”

Chen Jiao regarded him with a subtle smile that concealed deeper meaning, and then let out a slow, resigned sigh, “You’re still unaware of the truth, aren’t you?”

Liu Che was taken aback, eager to probe further, but as he watched her lift her rice bowl and methodically count the grains within, he realized the conversation had reached its unspoken conclusion.

Reluctant to press her further, he welcomed the quiet resolution.

That afternoon, upon entering the Xuanshi Hall, the intrigues of the harem faded entirely from his mind. He immersed himself in state affairs, working tirelessly until late into the night. After dismissing the ministers, he summoned his attendants to review the progress, successes, and setbacks of the new policies, as well as the obstacles still to come.

Their discussions grew animated, both men invigorated by the exchange. It was not until the lamps flickered to life that Liu Che showed signs of weariness. He then dismissed the ambitious young officials and remained only with Han Yan for a quiet dinner, savoring the end of a demanding day.

Although he had many attendants around him, the one with whom he had the most compatible personality since he learned to write was Han Yan.

After nearly ten years of getting along, Han Yan knew at a glance that Liu Che was worried. He didn’t say much, and quietly accompanied him to eat a bowl of rice.

Liu Che then asked him thoughtfully, “When did my elder sister think of sending a woman to the palace?”

Han Yan’s heart trembled, and he immediately realized that there was a commotion in the harem again. This time, it was probably that the empress and Princess of Pingyang had a subtle connection.

After a temporary setback, he had made up his mind not to interfere in the affairs of the harem. Thinking of the dreamlike scene in the courtyard that afternoon, he was even more frightened and did not dare to confront Liu Che head-on.

Of course, this was not something he could answer. He hesitated and said a few perfunctory words.

Liu Che then asked directly, “Your family is near the Marquess of Pingyang’s mansion, so you should have heard of it. When did my elder sister think of sending another stunning beauty to the palace?”

The Marquis of Pingyang’s residence and the Marquis of Gonggao’s residence were certainly not far apart, and the servants kept in contact with each other.

While there were many things that could be hidden from those above, there were many things that could not be hidden from those below.

If Princess of Pingyang held a special status and had obtained a rare beauty, Han Yan would have received the news anyway.

Since he had been asked so specifically, he had no choice but to tell the truth, “Ever since your marriage, the Marquess of Pingyang’s residence has been searching for beautiful women in the Chang’an area, inviting them to the residence and teaching them all kinds of singing, dancing, and seduction. The neighbors have already become accustomed to them. It’s impossible to tell when a rare beauty will appear. There are so many women, it’s hard to tell who is outstanding and who isn’t.”

It has been almost three years since Liu Che’s wedding… The path of offering beauties that Princess of Pingyang chose was indeed too difficult. Of course, as her younger brother, the emperor was grateful to her for her kindness.

The more difficult the path of offering beauties to the Princess of Pingyang became, the more Liu Che felt that his sister was truly well-intentioned. Of the three sisters, she loved him the most.

Therefore, the most outstanding part of the strategy of offering beauties is that it can simultaneously block the sister-in-law’s path and win over her brother.

This seems to be a universal and effective method, but in fact, it is a rare and classic move. But when Liu Che saw Chen Jiao in Jiaofang Hall, he felt a little weak again.

He sighed regretfully and said to Han Yan, “The Xiongnu were recently at odds with each other. The news was spread by the merchants. Have you heard of it?”

…

He returned to the Jiaofang Hall late that evening.

Upon learning that Chen Jiao had already fallen asleep, he chose not to disturb her repose. Instead, he summoned two petite palace servants to serve him.

Noticing their slender waists and delicate features, he was reminded of the two beauties sent by the Princess of Pingyang, whom he had yet to meet. For a moment, a wave of regret swept over him.

The following morning, upon rising, he reaffirmed his loyalty to Chen Jiao.

“Send those two concubines back today,” he instructed.

As Chen Jiao was adorning herself before the mirror, with Chu Fu gently combing her long, lustrous hair, she cast a glance at him, her expression a subtle smile, “They’ve already been brought in. To send them away now would be a sign of disrespect to the elder sister. Let’s keep them.”

Men, after all, are often reluctant to part with what pleases them—once they have tasted something desirable, they hesitate to relinquish it.

This was Liu Che’s first experience with such beauty. He was elated that she need not send them back, and in that moment, he grew even more appreciative of her virtue.

Again overcome with guilt, he tugged on her sleeve and cried out in a gentle voice, “Jiaojiao—”

Chen Jiao rolled her eyes at him and said in a sour mood, “I’ll forgive you this time, but if you humiliate me like this again… I won’t care about your feelings.”

With her last words, the corners of her mouth slightly raised, revealing a smile that wasn’t really a smile. It conveyed the fearless, arrogant attitude of an imperial aristocrat.

Liu Che’s heart tightened, and he automatically nodded in agreement.

A few days later, he enjoyed the twin girls, who looked very similar. After enjoying his satisfaction, he saw the Princess of Pingyang, but didn’t dare thank her.

He didn’t want to bring up Chen Jiao’s great principles.

He felt so oily and numb that he said, “There are already enough women in the palace. Those who have been unfavor for so long are deeply resentful. If things continue like this, I’m afraid that ghosts and demons will appear in the palace. Besides, it hasn’t even been a year since our father passed away, and my elder sister still has to be filial.”

He refrained from invoking Chen Jiao’s ‘satisfaction’ theory as a means to provoke discord, instead elevating the matter to a higher principle—namely, filial piety.

Princess of Pingyang’s anger was immediately constricted within her chest; she was reluctant to swallow her resentment, yet dared not voice it aloud.

After a prolonged stammering, she finally resorted to a sigh, “I didn’t expect Jiaojiao to be so strict with you!”

Being criticized as a henpecked husband was undoubtedly damaging to one’s reputation, and Liu Che naturally felt displeasure stir within him.

He was prepared to boast of his courage, to demonstrate that he was never afraid of Chen Jiao, and that any beauty could be sent to the palace—yet a quick glance revealed a fleeting gleam of triumph in the princess’ eyes.

Though her provoking method was simple and coarse, it was undeniably effective and widely used.

He suddenly experienced a chilling sense of weariness. Despite his lustful nature, he disliked others wielding his passions as a tool to stir trouble. Still, beneath it all, he remained Liu Che.

Now that circumstances have reached this point, asserting that the Princess of Pingyang refused to follow the traditional path of the grand princess would be utterly false—so much so that even he himself could not reconcile such a claim.

Yet, he was only sixteen years old this year, and had yet to even sire a child.

Despite his youth, he was already contemplating repeating the old pattern of the golden house—thinking of cultivating a favored concubine—while neglecting Chen Jiao, who, as the true mistress of the palace and an exemplar of virtue, had devoted herself completely.

Though he did not openly challenge the Princess of Pingyang’s transgression, he averted his gaze and let out a soft, contemplative sigh.