【Let me see!】
When it came to trivial matters that didn’t require expending energy, the system was always happy to indulge its host’s requests.
Pei Lingyue and the others also held their breaths, waiting for the divine answer. They hadn’t expected there to be two children—after all, it was impossible for both to be Emperor Qi Shizong. Of course, as the children of Yu Miaohua and Pei Chiyan, these two were destined to live lives of adoration from the moment they were born. Still, raising an emperor and raising a prince were entirely different matters.
Unfortunately, the system failed to provide an answer this time.
【Host, the backend is temporarily unavailable for queries.】
【Host has triggered Main Quest 8.2: Determine the identity of Emperor Qi Shizong. Reward: Three years of favorable weather (including the Great Qi and the grasslands).】
Pei Lingyue gasped. His precious imperial grandson truly had an awe-inspiring presence! Three years of favorable weather—was such a blessing even real?
Due to the system’s upgrade, Ying Wu, the eldest prince of the grasslands, had also gained the ability to see the divine being.
While waiting for the next heir to be born, he had been briefed on the situation—apparently, the one conversing with the Divine Maiden was the deity itself.
Seeing this reward, he was overcome with euphoria: Three years of favorable weather… including their grasslands. Such a dreamlike fortune had actually befallen them. The Divine Maiden truly treated all equally, showing no bias toward Great Qi just because they were from the grasslands.
No matter what, they had to protect the Divine Maiden and her children. Anyone who dared harm them would be an enemy of the grasslands.
As for Pei Chiyan? The prince outright ignored him.
Normally, a lotus couldn’t support the weight of two infants, but with the system’s enhancement, the two children lay upon it steadily.
The wet nurses, prepared in advance, carefully swaddled the newborns.
Only then did everyone realize—they were twins, a boy and a girl.
Under ordinary circumstances, they would’ve instinctively assumed Emperor Qi Shizong was the boy… but with a reward as monumental as three years of favorable weather at stake, who would dare gamble before confirming the truth?
Especially since the deity’s words left them uneasy.
What if Emperor Qi Shizong was the girl? If they chose wrong and missed out on such a divine blessing, they’d regret it for the rest of their lives.
Pei Lingyue decided that since the children were just born, their temperaments and talents were still unclear. It would be better to wait until they were older before making a choice.
Several names had already been shortlisted before their birth.
After some thought, Pei Lingyue left the final decision to Yu Miaohua.
Yu Miaohua’s heart stirred.
【System, which names would be suitable?】
【Host, I won’t spoil anything. Just choose whatever feels right to you.】
Fine then.
After some consideration, Yu Miaohua settled on the names.
The boy would be Pei Jingyao, and the girl Pei Zhaoxi.
Since the infants had just been born, it wasn’t wise to keep them outside for too long. They were soon carried back into the palace. Hearing their vigorous cries, the ministers couldn’t help but smile with moved expressions.
News of the twins born from the thousand-petal lotus quickly spread throughout the capital.
Yu Miaohua still had an unused "favorable weather" buff from a previous quest reward, so she activated it now to coincide with the joyous occasion.
The entire Great Qi was practically overflowing with celebration.
The wise and virtuous ruler they had long awaited had finally arrived.
It had to be Pei Jingyao, right?
Though the projections had shown many commoners the untapped potential of women—with countless outstanding female figures appearing in later generations—this era had yet to see an empress. Subconsciously, they still assumed Pei Jingyao would be the future Emperor Qi Shizong. Some ministers even submitted memorials urging the emperor to name an imperial heir.
Pei Lingyue naturally refused. No way was he making such a decision before confirming the truth. What if he chose wrong? Who would compensate him for three years of favorable weather?
When Yu Miaohua learned about the ministers’ petitions, she frowned.
She knew they were trying to curry favor with her and Pei Chiyan, but she was genuinely worried the emperor might impulsively issue an edict.
She immediately sought out Pei Lingyue to discuss the matter. "The children are still young, and their temperaments remain unclear. Naming an heir concerns the future of Great Qi—it shouldn’t be treated lightly."
Hearing this, Pei Lingyue sighed in relief. He wasn’t keen on an early decision either.
After a brief pause, he suggested, "How about this? Once they turn three, they’ll be sent to the palace for me to personally instruct them."
Normally, the crown prince’s children would reside in the Eastern Palace. But Pei Chiyan, ever the exception, preferred living outside the palace with Yu Miaohua in the Divine Maiden’s estate—which meant the twins would grow up there as well.
Yu Miaohua smiled. "It would be their honor to learn from Your Majesty. In fact, I believe there’s no need to wait until they’re three. The sooner they’re by Your Majesty’s side, the more they’ll absorb your virtues through observation."
Pei Lingyue found this reasoning quite agreeable and readily consented. Then he noticed the relieved, almost gleeful expression on Yu Miaohua’s face.
A bad feeling crept over him.
Once the twins were handed over, he understood why.
From birth, the two had been exceptionally healthy—loud, demanding, and fiercely attached to their parents.
At the Divine Maiden’s estate, they refused to be left alone without Yu Miaohua or Pei Chiyan nearby. If separated, they’d wail relentlessly.
They didn’t need to be held constantly, but their presence alone was enough to tie Yu Miaohua down—Pei Chiyan had even mastered the skill of handling government affairs while keeping an eye on them.
With them around, Yu Miaohua couldn’t freely indulge in her novels, comics, or… other private readings.
The emperor taking them off her hands? A blessing in disguise!
…
As time passed, the twins grew, and their personalities became increasingly distinct.
The elder, Pei Jingyao, was quiet and gentle, with a love for books and laboratory work. His memory was photographic, bordering on genius-level. He grasped advanced mathematics and sciences effortlessly, needing little guidance. Recognizing his talent, Yu Miaohua exchanged points in the system’s shop for Olympiad-level problem sets to challenge him.
Pei Zhaoxi, on the other hand, was lively, assertive, and disarmingly charming. Her sweet words and radiant smiles melted hearts, coaxing generous gifts from the Empress and Empress Dowager. Her personal treasury far surpassed her brother’s.
Yet for all her wealth, she spent lavishly. On her eighth birthday, she funded an orphanage for the elderly, children, and disabled beggars—earning widespread praise as a "celestial maiden reborn." When Yu Miaohua fretted over her finances, Pei Zhaoxi simply started a trade caravan, exchanging tea and fine silks for medicinal herbs and spices from the Half-Moon Country and Yue Country.
There were many merchant caravans engaged in this trade, but none could match her ability to arm herself with firearms. Strength was the ultimate truth—with firearms in hand, her caravan naturally feared no bandits on the road. The carts she used for transportation were designed and modified by her elder brother, Pei Jingyao, making them more durable and stable. A single round trip could earn her hundreds of thousands of taels of silver.
Not only that, but her caravan also collected local intelligence from the Half-Moon Country and Yue Country, allowing the Great Qi to stay informed about their affairs in real time.
Of course, there were those who coveted her wealth, but given Pei Zhaoxi’s status as a royal descendant, they dared not forcibly seize her caravan.
Unable to resort to underhanded tactics, some chose instead to impeach Pei Zhaoxi, accusing her of competing with commoners for profit—behavior unbecoming of her royal standing.
When Yu Miaohua learned of this, she was so furious she pounded her pillow in anger.
"Competing with commoners for profit? My Zhaoxi is earning money from the Half-Moon Country and Yue Country, and she doesn’t even spend it on herself! My daughter is so kind and dutiful, wholeheartedly serving the people, and yet they dare slander her? They must have blackened hearts!"
Her daughter, if she knew she was being maliciously smeared, would surely burst into tears. Just imagining Pei Zhaoxi crying made Yu Miaohua’s heart ache.
Yet before she and Pei Chiyan could intervene, Pei Zhaoxi resolved the matter herself.
In the grand hall of the imperial court, facing the officials who had impeached her, Pei Zhaoxi directly presented the account books detailing the annual expenses for sheltering beggars.
"The esteemed ministers are right. As a royal descendant, I should not engage in mercantile activities. But if I stop, the charity houses will have no funds to operate, and I’ll have to watch the poor starve to death."
"After all, in the eyes of these ministers, the lives of commoners are far less important than my reputation, am I right?"
Her sarcastic retort left the impeaching officials green with rage. If they dared agree, their reputations among the people would be ruined.
Pei Zhaoxi then turned to the Minister of Revenue and said, "Since we live off the emperor’s bounty, we cannot stand by and let the people starve. Perhaps the Ministry of Revenue could allocate funds to support them?"
For the Ministry of Revenue, being forced to disburse hundreds of thousands of taels annually was worse than death. The officials immediately lashed out, berating the impeaching ministers and even exposing their dirty secrets.
One accused Minister A of using the impeachment to eliminate business rivals, as his concubine’s family was involved in the tea trade.
Another exposed Minister B’s cousin-in-law for seizing multiple medicinal herb shops and now having the audacity to target a royal descendant.
Their lofty words were nothing but a cover for their own greed.
In the end, the impeachment attempt collapsed, and the ministers found themselves stripped of dignity, gaining nothing from their efforts.
Pei Lingyue then issued an edict appointing Pei Zhaoxi to the Ministry of Revenue, effectively granting her imperial sanction to continue her trade.
When news spread among the populace, the impeaching ministers were disgraced, while Pei Zhaoxi’s reputation as a selfless royal who bore slander for the sake of the poor soared. Many praised her as a living goddess.
"Poor Princess Zhaoxi, working so hard to feed the beggars, only to be accused of being money-grubbing and tarnishing the royal family’s dignity by those heartless officials."
"Besides her and the Divine Maiden, who else truly cares about us common folk?"
"Do you think she might be the reincarnation of Emperor Qizong?"
"If she were Emperor Qizong, we’d be blessed indeed."
...
After the morning court session, Pei Chiyan summoned Pei Zhaoxi to his study.
He looked at his daughter calmly and asked, "Did you incite Lord Xue and the others to submit that impeachment?"
Pei Zhaoxi had given them the illusion that the emperor and he disapproved of her mercantile activities.
Tempted by the opportunity, they had leaped at the chance to impeach her.
Pei Zhaoxi didn’t deny it. "Yes, I did."
Pei Chiyan asked, "Was this to build your own influence?"
Pei Zhaoxi scoffed. "Some people want to place their children as my brother’s companions, driving a wedge between us."
Their greed for future rewards from the throne was obvious.
"I just wanted to cut off their hands and show them that some schemes are beyond their reach."
It was easy to dig up their misdeeds. The beggars Pei Zhaoxi sheltered served as her informants, gathering secrets for her. She had even selected the most talented among them to train as her personal guards.
Under her father’s gaze, she hesitated before admitting, "Of course, I won’t deny that I want the throne."
She and her brother were both their parents’ children—why should only he inherit the throne? She didn’t believe she was any less capable. No, in fact, she was certain she could do better.
As they grew older, voices urging the emperor to name an heir grew louder. Though she and her brother had always been close, Pei Zhaoxi refused to gamble on human nature. She couldn’t guarantee their bond would remain unbroken forever.
Pei Chiyan asked, "Do you intend to compete with your brother for the crown prince’s position?"
Pei Zhaoxi met his gaze. "That position doesn’t belong to him alone. Father, I won’t yield."
Pei Chiyan curled his fingers and lightly tapped her forehead, a flicker of amusement in his eyes.
"If you want it, then come and take it. I’ll be waiting."
Pei Zhaoxi’s eyes lit up. Her father’s words meant he wouldn’t favor her brother over her.
The emperor, too, remained neutral—otherwise, he wouldn’t have assigned her to the Ministry of Revenue.
As for her mother, she had always treated her and her brother equally. There was no need to worry there.
All she had to do now was continue proving herself, showing everyone that she was the better candidate for the throne.
After Pei Zhaoxi left, Yu Miaohua emerged from the inner chamber.
Her daughter had always appeared obedient and gentle in front of her, and she had worried the girl might be bullied. But now, it seemed she had underestimated her.
Without her realizing it, Pei Zhaoxi had grown up—even mastering the art of using others’ strength against them.
This time, when she was impeached, outsiders only saw her as an innocent victim. Who would have guessed she had orchestrated it herself?
Yu Miaohua had to admit that, compared to Jingyao, Pei Zhaoxi displayed far greater aptitude for rulership.
[System, Zhaoxi is Emperor Qizong, isn’t she?]
[Host has confirmed?]
[Confirmed.]
[Congratulations, Host, for completing Main Quest 8.2: Identifying Emperor Qizong’s true identity. Reward has been issued.] The system even added a round of applause for effect.
Yu Miaohua exhaled in relief, her expression a mix of pride and quiet excitement.
So it really was Zhaoxi. This had been her longest mission yet—eleven years in the making.
She huffed. "I was going to give her a treasure map from the previous dynasty out of pity, but now I think better of it. She’s clearly more than capable on her own."
The last remaining treasure map of the fallen dynasty had been her reward three months prior, containing jewels worth two million taels.
Pei Chiyan smirked. "I’ll be sure to pass on the good news."
And when Pei Zhaoxi learned she had missed out on the treasure map, she let out a piercing wail—a sound so pitiful it could move even the hardest hearts to tears.
...
Six months later, Pei Zhaoxi was officially designated as the Crown Prince. A divine oracle descended from the heavens, granting both the Great Qi and the grasslands three years of favorable weather. This celestial decree also completely dispelled the doubts of some, solidifying Pei Zhaoxi's position beyond question.
Three years after that, Pei Lingyue abdicated the throne, and Pei Chiyan ascended as emperor, bestowing upon Pei Zhaoxi the title of Crown Prince and Pei Jingyao the title of Prince of Jin.
As for Yu Miaohua, she remained the Great Qi's one and only Divine Maiden.
Being the Empress could never compare to the freedom of being a Divine Maiden.
Pei Chiyan also became the only emperor in history to maintain an empty imperial harem for his entire reign.
