The nearly quarter-hour segment about her was arguably the most excruciating time Yu Miaohua had ever endured in her life, making her truly understand what it meant for time to crawl by.
She could feel waves of admiration directed at her from all sides, so overwhelming that she nearly drowned in them. Forced to maintain the dignified composure of a divine maiden, she barely managed to endure until the ordeal passed.
When the celestial screen finally shifted to show a young woman from the future standing before a bulletin board, introducing the luminaries of Jingcheng University over the past century, Yu Miaohua finally let out a sigh of relief.
[System, are there any more segments about me later?]
[It’s already over!]
Only then did Yu Miaohua regain the mood to continue watching.
[Entering the modern era, Jingcheng University lived up to the expectations placed upon it. Over the past century, it has produced numerous trailblazers who shattered gender biases and rose to the pinnacle of their respective fields. They became brilliant stars, admired by countless.]
[First on the list—Zhuang Mingjing. Surely no one is unfamiliar with her? The renowned Mother of Wireless Communication, selected as one of the twenty greatest figures of the last century worldwide.]
Next, the celestial screen played a documentary clip about Zhuang Mingjing, and the mere glimpse it provided opened the doors to an entirely new world for the audience.
Earlier, the celestial screen’s backdrop had been set within Jingcheng University. Though people were stunned by the university’s grandeur—its cleanliness and magnificence rivaling even the imperial palace—it was still within the realm of their comprehension. But the documentary was something else entirely.
What they witnessed left them questioning their very existence.
Being able to speak with someone thousands of miles away, not only hearing their voice but also seeing their face—wasn’t this the mythical "clairvoyance and clairaudience"?
And this miraculous device wasn’t exclusive to the nobility; ordinary people in the celestial screen were seen using it to chat with friends, family, and even clients.
In this era, commoners couldn’t even afford glass, yet in the future, such divine tools were accessible to the masses. The contrast struck them like a hammer blow.
How could their lives be so much better? How was this even possible? Was the emperor of that time truly so benevolent?
The segment on Zhuang Mingjing concluded with footage of her state funeral, a ceremony the celestial screen’s narrator emphasized as a mark of supreme honor.
Zhuang Mingjing’s extraordinary treatment planted a seed in the hearts of the onlookers.
So, a woman could bring such glory to her ancestors. Given the opportunity, women were no less capable than men.
Zhuang Mingjing, Pei Baixuan, Luo Qingwan… One after another, modern women appeared on the celestial screen.
Their names became known to countless, their achievements immortal.
The people of Great Qi not only witnessed these dazzling stars but also caught a glimpse of the miraculous modern life of future generations—
A dragon-like cross-sea bridge, colossal vehicles traversing thousands of miles in a single day, enormous birds carrying humans into the sky, terrifying cannons capable of annihilating cities thousands of miles away…
These things defied all understanding. Had they not seen it with their own eyes, they would never have believed it—not even in their wildest dreams.
The projection’s impact exceeded Yu Miaohua’s expectations, effortlessly completing a previously stalled mission.
[Congratulations, Host. Main Mission 7.3: Change the outdated belief that "women are inferior to men" among over 100,000 people. Reward: Six months of favorable weather buff—now active.]
Before the first two missions were even completed, Main Mission 7.3 had already been accomplished.
After the half-hour projection ended, the stunned expressions on the ministers’ faces told Yu Miaohua that the remaining two missions were as good as done.
Just as she predicted, three days later, after heated debates in the morning court, two new decrees were passed.
The first allocated an annual sum of 100,000 taels of silver from the Ministry of Revenue to fund women’s education. The second introduced a new imperial examination category—Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Transformative Studies—to be implemented the following year. Though the quotas for these new subjects were far smaller than those for the traditional Four Books and Five Classics, it was still a groundbreaking step for Great Qi.
Having witnessed the marvels of the future, even the most obstinate ministers could no longer turn a blind eye. None wished to be branded as historical villains responsible for the dynasty’s downfall.
Yu Miaohua, in turn, smoothly secured her rewards.
[Congratulations, Host. Main Mission 7.1: Persuade the court to allocate no less than 100,000 taels annually for women’s academies—completed. Reward: Techniques for firing Doucai and Celadon glazes—now available.]
[Main Mission 7.2: Promote Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry, and persuade the court to add a new examination category—completed. Reward: Treasure maps No. 4 and No. 5 from the previous dynasty—now available.]
Yu Miaohua pondered. The profits from Doucai and Celadon could fund academies across the nation. Relying solely on the capital’s resources was insufficient. Besides women’s academies, schools teaching Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry could also be established. She couldn’t shoulder the entire financial burden—her funds were limited.
As for the treasures from the maps… She considered whether some could be retrieved to finance the construction of academies nationwide.
Perhaps fueled by motivation and inspiration, Yu Miaohua drafted a comprehensive plan in one go.
After refining it with the system’s help, she submitted the proposal to the Emperor.
Upon receiving the memorial, Pei Lingyue convened another discussion with the ministers, and the plan was swiftly approved.
Ministers like Jiang Kangyou, who could see the system, knew that the Doucai techniques and treasure maps were rewards from Yu Miaohua’s missions.
But most officials remained unaware. To them, these divine gifts seemed bestowed by the heavens as soon as the policies were enacted—clear proof of divine approval.
Who would dare oppose now?
Approved! Unanimously approved!
Not only did they support it wholeheartedly, but they also refrained from embezzling the funds—an unprecedented display of integrity.
Yu Miaohua had braced for battle, only to find no opposition at all. It left her momentarily bewildered.
The projection’s impact had clearly exceeded expectations. The points spent were well worth it.
She didn’t care whether their support was genuine. Results were what mattered.
In the following weeks, she immersed herself in these affairs, so much so that even the divine consorts in her residence rarely saw her.
After a prolonged absence of mission triggers, the system couldn’t help but remind her.
[Host, have you been deliberately avoiding them lately?]
[Nonsense! I’ve been occupied with matters of national importance—affairs that determine the dynasty’s fate. Men would only distract me from my ambitions.]
Yu Miaohua refused to admit the truth.
The real reason was her uncertainty about facing Pei Chiyan. The pressing matters provided a convenient excuse to avoid him.
The system wouldn’t dare deceive her—the future footage it provided couldn’t possibly be fake.
She knew her own temperament well—relying solely on a child to secure her future was hardly a winning strategy... especially since the child wasn’t even hers.
In other words, her eventual acceptance of Pei Chiyan must have stemmed from some genuine affection for him.
She hadn’t expected that Pei Chiyan, as the Crown Prince, would actually hold on so steadfastly.
Ahhh!
Could it be that he had liked her all along? Back then, when he claimed his role as a Divine Consort was for the stability of the nation—had that all been a ploy to win her over?
These speculations had been swirling in Yu Miaohua’s mind like a storm these past few days.
[Alright, help me check where the ledger has issues.]
Yu Miaohua immediately handed the task over to the system.
Every time the account books were delivered by her subordinates, she would simply flip through them, letting the system scan everything. Given the system’s capabilities, calculating these figures was child’s play—by the time she finished turning the pages, it had already circled all the discrepancies.
Admittedly, this inadvertently bolstered Yu Miaohua’s image as someone unfathomably shrewd.
According to the system’s markings, one of the stewards managing her estate had cooked the books, skimming off a portion of the profits.
Yu Miaohua had always been generous, offering top-tier benefits, yet this person had grown greedy and resorted to embezzlement. Naturally, she wouldn’t spare their dignity.
She summoned Cuiwei and entrusted the matter to her.
After some time, Yu Miaohua heard that Pei Chiyan had been injured. She called for his guard.
"How long ago was he hurt? How did it happen? And why was I kept in the dark?"
"It’s been four days. He fell from his horse. The Crown Prince said the Divine Lady had been busy with official matters and didn’t want to trouble you with such trivialities."
Yu Miaohua frowned. Since when was the Crown Prince’s injury a trivial matter?
She stood. "I’ll go see him."
As she stepped out of the main courtyard, she slowed her pace and asked, "Who was present when he got hurt?"
The guard seemed to grasp what she truly wanted to know and replied respectfully, "Prince Feng’s heir, the Fifth Prince of the Grasslands, Yang Qizhou..."
Hmph. Every single one of them was a Divine Consort from her harem.
Yu Miaohua wasn’t the least bit surprised. She could even guess the reason for the fight—after learning through spoilers that Pei Chiyan would emerge victorious, they must have been seething with resentment and challenged him privately.
Pei Chiyan’s residence was close to hers, just a garden away, and she arrived swiftly.
Upon entering the courtyard, she caught a faint whiff of medicinal herbs.
The moment she stepped inside, the system’s excited voice rang in her mind.
[Ahhh, Host! Holy—!! The side quest is complete!]
[Pei Chiyan’s favorability toward you has reached 100! You’ve accomplished the "Pei Chiyan’s Favorability at 100" mission and earned one use of the artificial womb.]
[...]
Wait—she had only come to check on him and hadn’t even seen him yet. How could his favorability already be maxed out? Was that even logical?
Yu Miaohua was baffled, unable to make sense of Pei Chiyan’s thought process.
Did everything she do earn points in his eyes? Was his bias that deep?
An artificial womb... Even in her previous life’s world, such technology hadn’t existed.
So that was how the child came to be—a reward for full favorability. In that case, using it for Pei Chiyan was only fair.
With mixed emotions, she walked in.
Pei Chiyan showed no visible signs of bandaging. When he saw her, he smiled gently, as always. "You’re here."
Yu Miaohua sat across from him while the others discreetly withdrew, leaving the two alone.
"I heard you were injured."
She expected Pei Chiyan to downplay it, but he admitted outright, "Yes, though the wound isn’t serious."
His gaze lingered on her. "I knew they were just acting out of jealousy and helpless rage—they wouldn’t truly harm me. I could have avoided it..."
Yu Miaohua’s temper flared. "Was this a ploy for sympathy?"
"Did you want me to worry about you?"
Pei Chiyan continued to regard her with tender eyes.
She had known there was more to his injury, yet she still chose to visit. That alone proved he wasn’t just some insignificant presence in her heart.
Unbidden, his mind replayed the scene.
While on horseback, he had suddenly decided to gamble—to test his standing in Yu Miaohua’s heart.
The expressions on Pei Yuheng and the others when he fell had been priceless.
To them, he was always the epitome of prudence, never one to risk his safety lightly. No one would have guessed he’d walk into such an obvious trap.
"It wasn’t a ploy. I just wanted them to back off."
He wanted them to know that when it came to Yu Miaohua, he wouldn’t retreat—even if it meant staking his well-being. He was willing to gamble. Were they?
"Just for that?" Yu Miaohua couldn’t quite grasp it.
But as she studied his expression, the reality finally sank in—this man truly loved her.
"Future generations say you rose to power through your child. What do you think about that?" she suddenly asked.
Pei Chiyan’s lips curved into a serene smile. "I’m honored to have that advantage—to rise by my child’s merit."
Did Pei Yuheng and the others not wish to climb the ranks the same way? They dreamed of it. But they hadn’t been chosen.
Whether Yu Miaohua’s decision was strategic or not didn’t matter. In the end, he was the one standing beside her—no one else. That was enough.
Yu Miaohua felt a pang of complexity. It seemed he had never even considered the possibility that she might one day return his feelings.
His love felt like his own private affair—he refused to burden her with it, as if afraid she’d flee. Had it not been for the spoilers, he might have maintained this careful distance indefinitely, letting her grow accustomed to his presence.
Touched yet inexplicably irritated, she said, "Come here. Let me see your wound."
Pei Chiyan coughed lightly. "Really, it’s unnecessary. It’s nearly healed—just a scrape on my arm."
He wouldn’t go so far as to inflict a serious injury just to guilt-trip her.
Yu Miaohua’s tone brooked no argument. "Show me."
She rose and stood before him, looking down.
Their eyes locked.
In the end, Pei Chiyan relented. "Fine."
He rolled up his sleeve.
Yu Miaohua unwrapped the bandage—the wound wasn’t as minor as he’d claimed. A long gash ran down his arm, the blood long since clotted, with scabs forming in places. It looked rather ghastly, though not life-threatening. In a few more days, it would fade.
"See? Just a minor injury. No need to—"
Before he could rewrap it, a delicate fragrance enveloped him, and something soft pressed against his lips.
Pei Chiyan’s mind went blank.
Watching his stunned expression, Yu Miaohua felt thoroughly satisfied.
