Identity Revealed
The Deputy Imperial Historian spoke, “This humble minister concurs. The royal family has always emphasized the importance of having many children and grandchildren to bring blessings to the country. However, Yan Cairen is a male consort.”
“I also concur,” the Chief Officer added, “Since Your Majesty favors Yan Cairen, it indicates that he possesses exceptional qualities. However, it is natural for us to worry that Yan Cairen might influence and seduce Your Majesty to…”
Huangfu Yuhen’s face turned livid. He had anticipated that these people would not speak favorably, but he never expected them to slander his beloved like this.
Yan Xiaojing swiftly stepped forward, his words resounding with authority, “Report to Your Majesty, the Chief Officer has committed a grave offense of treason! Your Majesty, as a wise and powerful ruler, cannot be easily swayed. Such words are disrespectful to Your Majesty! Throughout the history of the Huangfu Dynasty, male consorts have been regarded as symbols of good fortune. Yet, the Chief Officer dares to show such disrespect to our ancestors!”
The Chief Officer’s face paled, and he immediately dropped to his knees, regretting his decision to accept those 500 taels of silver. “I never meant any harm, Your Majesty! Please forgive me.”
Within Huangfu Yuchen, a storm of fury brewed amidst the clamor. “Yesterday, I received a memorial from the empress and the four consorts. Today, several officials have presented reports concerning Yan Cairen. This leads me to suspect, have you all conspired in advance? Should I be gratified by the harmony within the court and the harem? Otherwise, why do all of you hold such grudges against Yan Cairen?”
His gaze subtly swept across Song Chaobang’s face, but Song Chaobang remained calm, his expression unchanged.
“We dare not—” the censors hastily protested in unison.
Song Chaobang cast a disdainful glance at them, “Report to Your Majesty, truthfully, even I share the concerns of these officials. Yan Cairen, as a male consort, cannot bear children and ensure the continuation of the royal lineage. Your Majesty should not invest too much time in him.”
Huangfu Yuchen calmly surveyed his ministers, “Prime Minister Wen, do you share the same view?”
Prime Minister Wen’s surname was Jiang, while Prime Minister Wu’s surname was Jiang as well, so their titles were used to avoid confusion.
Prime Minister Wen boldly declared, “I dare not agree. Since the arrival of the new consort, Your Majesty has diligently attended to state affairs without any neglect due to a particular consort. It is evident that the so-called ‘captivation and seduction’ is baseless!”
Huangfu Yuchen Chen nodded, “And what do you think, Prince Dai?”
Huangfu Yuhu glanced at Song Chaobang and spoke with a raised voice, “Your Majesty is also a human being. Is there anything wrong with having someone you love? Your majesty is already burdened with the affairs of the country, so should you not be able to find solace in the harem? Grand Tutor, if I remember correctly, your household not only has a beloved wife but also a beautiful concubine, does it not?”
Song Chaobang’s face flushed. His concubine was brought into the household when he was young, but Prince Dai made it sound like she had recently entered. Unfortunately, he couldn’t make a retort.
The Left Associate Censor interjected, “Although that may be true, if news of this spreads to the common people, how will they perceive it? The commoners do not understand the intricacies; they may misunderstand Yan Cairen and accuse him of harming the country. We are also concerned for Yan Cairen’s sake. Please consider this, Your Majesty.”
This person was not afraid of death. Huangfu Yuchen looked at Deng Mande.
Deng Mande whispered in his ear, “Your Majesty, the Left Associate Censor is a disciple of Prime Minister Song.”
Huangfu Yuchen sneered, “Left Associate Censor, last month we discussed more effective measures to reduce flooding in the Jiangnan region, and I did not hear your suggestions. When General Yao was recently dealt with for his corrupt practices, I did not hear a word from you either. How is it that you suddenly find your voice today? Or should I conclude that you believe I am a new emperor with limited experience and easier to manipulate?”
The Left Associate Censor’s legs weakened, and he knelt on the ground, “I dare not!”
The other ministers did not dare to make a sound. This was the first time the new emperor had shown such fury since his ascension.
“To the common people,” Huangfu Yuchen sneered, standing up and slowly walking to the edge of the raised throne, overlooking the courtiers, his imperial power emanating, “They dare to meddle in our private affairs! Chen Guowei, do you believe the common people would misunderstand Yan Cairen and accuse him of harming the country?”
Chen Guowei, the Minister of Revenue, spoke in a resolute voice, “Report to Your Majesty, I believe the common people will not only refrain from misunderstanding Yan Cairen but also perceive him as a patriot!”
The courtiers regarded him with eyes that said, “Have you gone mad?” Flattery was not meant to be delivered in such a manner.
“What is the basis of this claim?” Huangfu Yuchen’s voice was gentle.
Chen Guowei said, “In just a few months, Yan Cairen has donated 200,000 taels of silver to the national treasury. If such a person does not love the country, what kind of person can be called patriotic?”
As the Minister of Revenue, responsible for taxation, household registration, the national treasury, military supplies, and grain distribution, it was impossible for him to miss the fact that Yan Cairen had donated 200,000 taels of silver to the national treasury. Huangfu Yuchen had already informed him of Yan Cairen’s departure from the palace to engage in business.
The courtiers were in an uproar, all looking at Yan Xiaojing.
Yan Xiaojing was only a low-ranking official with a monthly salary of a dozen taels, and there was no evidence of him accepting bribes. He was known for his integrity. Yan Cairen’s mother seemed to come from an ordinary affluent family, so where did the family come up with so much silver?
Song Chaobang gave a lesser official a signal with his eyes.
The young official bit his teeth. “Why does Your Majesty play such a big joke with the ministers? This humble minister dares to ask Your Majesty to consider the overall situation and confine Yan Cairen to the cold palace!”
The great hall fell Into silence, and not even the sound of a falling needle could be heard.
“Outrageous!” Huangfu Yuchen roared.
The ministers were frightened and all knelt down. “Please calm down, Your Majesty!”
Huangfu Yuchen snorted, “Summon Yan Cairen.”
“Yan Cairen, please enter the hall—”
From the unusual tone of the eunuch’s announcement, the ministers could feel the favor the Emperor had for Yan Cairen.
In a moment, a person with an extraordinary temperament walked into the hall. It was Yan Cairen, with a smile on his lips, calmly and unhurriedly entering the hall. At this moment, he was not wearing court attire but rather his casual attire for walking outside the palace—a graceful white shirt, exuding an elegant and carefree demeanor.
“Yan Cairen pays his respects to Your Majesty.” Yan Cairen walked to the center of the hall and slightly bowed.
“You don’t have to be so formal.” Huangfu Yuchen stepped down from the steps and walked to his side.
“He is…Young Master Qin! The owner of the First Company!” The Minister of Works recognized Yan Cairen and his eyes were wide from astonishment.
Song Chaobang’s face was filled with shock. Yan Cairen’s second identity was like a slap to his old face.
Huangfu Yuhu stared at Yan Cairen with his mouth agape, his eyes fixed on him.
For the first time, Yan Xiaojing had the opportunity to show his pride in front of others openly.
Yan Cairen smiled, looked around at everyone, his tone devoid of any anger but rather cheerful. “My Lords, it is not impossible to confine me to the cold palace if you can do without concise maps, refrain from dining at Liuxian Pavilion, avoid eating barbecue, stop using toothpaste and toothbrushes, give up writing with fountain pens, not take your grandchildren to the amusement park, refrain from buying medicine at Ping’an Pharmacy, and avoid purchasing jewelry at Linlang Pavilion for your wives or intellectual toys for your grandchildren… And in the future, refrain from drinking the fine wine of the First Company. I can consider taking the initiative to go to the cold palace. What do you think?”
The ministers all revealed expressions of astonishment. Yan Cairen turned out to be the owner of the First Company, Young Master Qin!
Who was Young Master Qin? He was a person who had brought about tremendous changes not only to the capital but also to the entire kingdom! Such a person not only couldn’t be confined to the cold palace but should be revered like a bodhisattva!
Huangfu Yuchen let out a cold snort, and the ministers all shrank their necks.
“Summon the Crown Prince.” Huangfu Yuchen said, then left a sentence and walked to the dragon throne, standing side by side with Yan Cairen.
After a moment, a small figure in bright yellow raised its head and confidently stepped into the hall.
“This son pays respects to Father Emperor, long live, Your Majesty!”
“Rise.”
The Crown Prince stood up and bowed to Yan Cairen again. “Greetings, Yan Cairen.”
“No need to be so formal, Crown Prince.” Yan Cairen smiled.
The young Crown Prince turned to the ministers and glared at them. “This Crown Prince won’t allow you to bully Second Master! Second Master knows a lot, not only able to perform calculations using simpler methods, but he is also knowledgeable in many other things.”
The ministers suddenly realized that the “Second Master” mentioned by the Crown Prince during the celebration was Yan Cairen.
“Does anyone have anything else to say?” Huangfu Yuchen asked coldly.
The ministers remained silent, secretly thinking about what else they could say. They quickly considered apologizing to Yan Cairen. As ministers, they rarely had the opportunity to meet Yan Cairen, but they could take the time to visit the Yan Mansion. As for the imperial consort freely engaging in business, although unheard of, it was the Emperor’s decision. Whoever wanted to seek death could go ahead and bring it up.
Huangfu Yuchen cast a cold gaze at the Left Censor, the Middle Censor, and the Lesser official. “Take them away! Remove the black hats from the Left Censor and the Middle Censor for their lack of consideration for state affairs and impudent remarks about the imperial consorts. As they have made contributions to the nation in the past, only the black hats will be removed. As for the lesser official, for speaking without proper investigation and audaciously remonstrating, dismiss him from his position and investigate further!”
The Left Censor, the Middle Censor, and the lesser official had their black hats removed, their faces ashen. Their official careers ended here, their lifelong efforts in vain. How could they not feel devastated?
Song Chaobang’s vest was completely soaked with sweat. The Left Censor and the lesser official were his students. Was the Emperor warning him with this action?
“Take them away!” Huangfu Yuchen showed no mercy to the ministers, his expression icy. “When it comes to matters of the state or even when advising on my own actions, as long as it benefits the nation, I will not only refrain from punishing, but also reward generously! However, anyone who dares to criticize my personal affairs will face dire consequences.”
The ministers all knelt in fear and loudly responded, “We obey your orders!”
The young Crown Prince looked up at Huangfu Yuchen, his eyes shining like black grapes, filled with admiration and adoration.
Huangfu Yuchen continued, “Draft the decree—starting today, the First Company shall bear the imperial seal and be known as the Imperial Merchant. Announce this to the world.”
“Yes!” Deng Mande said.
Once again, the ministers collectively exclaimed, “Congratulations, Your Majesty!”
Huangfu Yuchen added, “Yan Cairen has made significant contributions. Grant him the noble title of Guiren.”
“Yes.”
—“Ding. Congratulations on successfully completing Main Mission 7—being promoted to Guiren. Mission success rewards: 5,000 taels of silver, ‘Fengyun Immortal Records’ cultivation method up to the Late Enlightenment stage.
Main mission 8—being promoted by the Emperor to Shiqing. Mission success rewards: 10,000 taels of silver, ‘Fengyun Immortal’ cultivation method up to the End of Golden Core stage. Mission failure deducts 10,000 taels of silver. Accept the mission by selecting ‘Yes,’ reject the mission by selecting ‘No.’”
Yan Ge accepted the mission without hesitation and leaned in close to Emperor Huangfu Yuchen’s ear, puzzled. “I thought you would announce that “Nan Yi” is actually “fei” and is a new character meaning “male consort” and reveal my identity.”
Huangfu Yuchen also leaned in, stealing a kiss at the corner of his mouth while the ministers dared not look up. “Indeed, that was the initial plan. But now you are the one I love, not just a ‘male consort.’ Let’s drop the “fei” meaning and stick with ‘Nan Yi,’ it’s become familiar and rather pleasant.”
“No, it’s fine. We should also consider the future male consorts. It would be better for them to be referred to as ‘fei’ rather than using the ‘female consort” character. I can endure it, let me do this good deed for them.”
Yan Ge spoke openly, amusing Emperor Huangfu Yuchen, who then allowed Deng Mande to add a few sentences to the first imperial edict.
Identity Revealed
The Deputy Imperial Historian spoke, “This humble minister concurs. The royal family has always emphasized the importance of having many children and grandchildren to bring blessings to the country. However, Yan Cairen is a male consort.”
“I also concur,” the Chief Officer added, “Since Your Majesty favors Yan Cairen, it indicates that he possesses exceptional qualities. However, it is natural for us to worry that Yan Cairen might influence and seduce Your Majesty to…”
Huangfu Yuhen’s face turned livid. He had anticipated that these people would not speak favorably, but he never expected them to slander his beloved like this.
Yan Xiaojing swiftly stepped forward, his words resounding with authority, “Report to Your Majesty, the Chief Officer has committed a grave offense of treason! Your Majesty, as a wise and powerful ruler, cannot be easily swayed. Such words are disrespectful to Your Majesty! Throughout the history of the Huangfu Dynasty, male consorts have been regarded as symbols of good fortune. Yet, the Chief Officer dares to show such disrespect to our ancestors!”
The Chief Officer’s face paled, and he immediately dropped to his knees, regretting his decision to accept those 500 taels of silver. “I never meant any harm, Your Majesty! Please forgive me.”
Within Huangfu Yuchen, a storm of fury brewed amidst the clamor. “Yesterday, I received a memorial from the empress and the four consorts. Today, several officials have presented reports concerning Yan Cairen. This leads me to suspect, have you all conspired in advance? Should I be gratified by the harmony within the court and the harem? Otherwise, why do all of you hold such grudges against Yan Cairen?”
His gaze subtly swept across Song Chaobang’s face, but Song Chaobang remained calm, his expression unchanged.
“We dare not—” the censors hastily protested in unison.
Song Chaobang cast a disdainful glance at them, “Report to Your Majesty, truthfully, even I share the concerns of these officials. Yan Cairen, as a male consort, cannot bear children and ensure the continuation of the royal lineage. Your Majesty should not invest too much time in him.”
Huangfu Yuchen calmly surveyed his ministers, “Prime Minister Wen, do you share the same view?”
Prime Minister Wen’s surname was Jiang, while Prime Minister Wu’s surname was Jiang as well, so their titles were used to avoid confusion.
Prime Minister Wen boldly declared, “I dare not agree. Since the arrival of the new consort, Your Majesty has diligently attended to state affairs without any neglect due to a particular consort. It is evident that the so-called ‘captivation and seduction’ is baseless!”
Huangfu Yuchen Chen nodded, “And what do you think, Prince Dai?”
Huangfu Yuhu glanced at Song Chaobang and spoke with a raised voice, “Your Majesty is also a human being. Is there anything wrong with having someone you love? Your majesty is already burdened with the affairs of the country, so should you not be able to find solace in the harem? Grand Tutor, if I remember correctly, your household not only has a beloved wife but also a beautiful concubine, does it not?”
Song Chaobang’s face flushed. His concubine was brought into the household when he was young, but Prince Dai made it sound like she had recently entered. Unfortunately, he couldn’t make a retort.
The Left Associate Censor interjected, “Although that may be true, if news of this spreads to the common people, how will they perceive it? The commoners do not understand the intricacies; they may misunderstand Yan Cairen and accuse him of harming the country. We are also concerned for Yan Cairen’s sake. Please consider this, Your Majesty.”
This person was not afraid of death. Huangfu Yuchen looked at Deng Mande.
Deng Mande whispered in his ear, “Your Majesty, the Left Associate Censor is a disciple of Prime Minister Song.”
Huangfu Yuchen sneered, “Left Associate Censor, last month we discussed more effective measures to reduce flooding in the Jiangnan region, and I did not hear your suggestions. When General Yao was recently dealt with for his corrupt practices, I did not hear a word from you either. How is it that you suddenly find your voice today? Or should I conclude that you believe I am a new emperor with limited experience and easier to manipulate?”
The Left Associate Censor’s legs weakened, and he knelt on the ground, “I dare not!”
The other ministers did not dare to make a sound. This was the first time the new emperor had shown such fury since his ascension.
“To the common people,” Huangfu Yuchen sneered, standing up and slowly walking to the edge of the raised throne, overlooking the courtiers, his imperial power emanating, “They dare to meddle in our private affairs! Chen Guowei, do you believe the common people would misunderstand Yan Cairen and accuse him of harming the country?”
Chen Guowei, the Minister of Revenue, spoke in a resolute voice, “Report to Your Majesty, I believe the common people will not only refrain from misunderstanding Yan Cairen but also perceive him as a patriot!”
The courtiers regarded him with eyes that said, “Have you gone mad?” Flattery was not meant to be delivered in such a manner.
“What is the basis of this claim?” Huangfu Yuchen’s voice was gentle.
Chen Guowei said, “In just a few months, Yan Cairen has donated 200,000 taels of silver to the national treasury. If such a person does not love the country, what kind of person can be called patriotic?”
As the Minister of Revenue, responsible for taxation, household registration, the national treasury, military supplies, and grain distribution, it was impossible for him to miss the fact that Yan Cairen had donated 200,000 taels of silver to the national treasury. Huangfu Yuchen had already informed him of Yan Cairen’s departure from the palace to engage in business.
The courtiers were in an uproar, all looking at Yan Xiaojing.
Yan Xiaojing was only a low-ranking official with a monthly salary of a dozen taels, and there was no evidence of him accepting bribes. He was known for his integrity. Yan Cairen’s mother seemed to come from an ordinary affluent family, so where did the family come up with so much silver?
Song Chaobang gave a lesser official a signal with his eyes.
The young official bit his teeth. “Why does Your Majesty play such a big joke with the ministers? This humble minister dares to ask Your Majesty to consider the overall situation and confine Yan Cairen to the cold palace!”
The great hall fell Into silence, and not even the sound of a falling needle could be heard.
“Outrageous!” Huangfu Yuchen roared.
The ministers were frightened and all knelt down. “Please calm down, Your Majesty!”
Huangfu Yuchen snorted, “Summon Yan Cairen.”
“Yan Cairen, please enter the hall—”
From the unusual tone of the eunuch’s announcement, the ministers could feel the favor the Emperor had for Yan Cairen.
In a moment, a person with an extraordinary temperament walked into the hall. It was Yan Cairen, with a smile on his lips, calmly and unhurriedly entering the hall. At this moment, he was not wearing court attire but rather his casual attire for walking outside the palace—a graceful white shirt, exuding an elegant and carefree demeanor.
“Yan Cairen pays his respects to Your Majesty.” Yan Cairen walked to the center of the hall and slightly bowed.
“You don’t have to be so formal.” Huangfu Yuchen stepped down from the steps and walked to his side.
“He is…Young Master Qin! The owner of the First Company!” The Minister of Works recognized Yan Cairen and his eyes were wide from astonishment.
Song Chaobang’s face was filled with shock. Yan Cairen’s second identity was like a slap to his old face.
Huangfu Yuhu stared at Yan Cairen with his mouth agape, his eyes fixed on him.
For the first time, Yan Xiaojing had the opportunity to show his pride in front of others openly.
Yan Cairen smiled, looked around at everyone, his tone devoid of any anger but rather cheerful. “My Lords, it is not impossible to confine me to the cold palace if you can do without concise maps, refrain from dining at Liuxian Pavilion, avoid eating barbecue, stop using toothpaste and toothbrushes, give up writing with fountain pens, not take your grandchildren to the amusement park, refrain from buying medicine at Ping’an Pharmacy, and avoid purchasing jewelry at Linlang Pavilion for your wives or intellectual toys for your grandchildren… And in the future, refrain from drinking the fine wine of the First Company. I can consider taking the initiative to go to the cold palace. What do you think?”
The ministers all revealed expressions of astonishment. Yan Cairen turned out to be the owner of the First Company, Young Master Qin!
Who was Young Master Qin? He was a person who had brought about tremendous changes not only to the capital but also to the entire kingdom! Such a person not only couldn’t be confined to the cold palace but should be revered like a bodhisattva!
Huangfu Yuchen let out a cold snort, and the ministers all shrank their necks.
“Summon the Crown Prince.” Huangfu Yuchen said, then left a sentence and walked to the dragon throne, standing side by side with Yan Cairen.
After a moment, a small figure in bright yellow raised its head and confidently stepped into the hall.
“This son pays respects to Father Emperor, long live, Your Majesty!”
“Rise.”
The Crown Prince stood up and bowed to Yan Cairen again. “Greetings, Yan Cairen.”
“No need to be so formal, Crown Prince.” Yan Cairen smiled.
The young Crown Prince turned to the ministers and glared at them. “This Crown Prince won’t allow you to bully Second Master! Second Master knows a lot, not only able to perform calculations using simpler methods, but he is also knowledgeable in many other things.”
The ministers suddenly realized that the “Second Master” mentioned by the Crown Prince during the celebration was Yan Cairen.
“Does anyone have anything else to say?” Huangfu Yuchen asked coldly.
The ministers remained silent, secretly thinking about what else they could say. They quickly considered apologizing to Yan Cairen. As ministers, they rarely had the opportunity to meet Yan Cairen, but they could take the time to visit the Yan Mansion. As for the imperial consort freely engaging in business, although unheard of, it was the Emperor’s decision. Whoever wanted to seek death could go ahead and bring it up.
Huangfu Yuchen cast a cold gaze at the Left Censor, the Middle Censor, and the Lesser official. “Take them away! Remove the black hats from the Left Censor and the Middle Censor for their lack of consideration for state affairs and impudent remarks about the imperial consorts. As they have made contributions to the nation in the past, only the black hats will be removed. As for the lesser official, for speaking without proper investigation and audaciously remonstrating, dismiss him from his position and investigate further!”
The Left Censor, the Middle Censor, and the lesser official had their black hats removed, their faces ashen. Their official careers ended here, their lifelong efforts in vain. How could they not feel devastated?
Song Chaobang’s vest was completely soaked with sweat. The Left Censor and the lesser official were his students. Was the Emperor warning him with this action?
“Take them away!” Huangfu Yuchen showed no mercy to the ministers, his expression icy. “When it comes to matters of the state or even when advising on my own actions, as long as it benefits the nation, I will not only refrain from punishing, but also reward generously! However, anyone who dares to criticize my personal affairs will face dire consequences.”
The ministers all knelt in fear and loudly responded, “We obey your orders!”
The young Crown Prince looked up at Huangfu Yuchen, his eyes shining like black grapes, filled with admiration and adoration.
Huangfu Yuchen continued, “Draft the decree—starting today, the First Company shall bear the imperial seal and be known as the Imperial Merchant. Announce this to the world.”
“Yes!” Deng Mande said.
Once again, the ministers collectively exclaimed, “Congratulations, Your Majesty!”
Huangfu Yuchen added, “Yan Cairen has made significant contributions. Grant him the noble title of Guiren.”
“Yes.”
—“Ding. Congratulations on successfully completing Main Mission 7—being promoted to Guiren. Mission success rewards: 5,000 taels of silver, ‘Fengyun Immortal Records’ cultivation method up to the Late Enlightenment stage.
Main mission 8—being promoted by the Emperor to Shiqing. Mission success rewards: 10,000 taels of silver, ‘Fengyun Immortal’ cultivation method up to the End of Golden Core stage. Mission failure deducts 10,000 taels of silver. Accept the mission by selecting ‘Yes,’ reject the mission by selecting ‘No.’”
Yan Ge accepted the mission without hesitation and leaned in close to Emperor Huangfu Yuchen’s ear, puzzled. “I thought you would announce that “Nan Yi” is actually “fei” and is a new character meaning “male consort” and reveal my identity.”
Huangfu Yuchen also leaned in, stealing a kiss at the corner of his mouth while the ministers dared not look up. “Indeed, that was the initial plan. But now you are the one I love, not just a ‘male consort.’ Let’s drop the “fei” meaning and stick with ‘Nan Yi,’ it’s become familiar and rather pleasant.”
“No, it’s fine. We should also consider the future male consorts. It would be better for them to be referred to as ‘fei’ rather than using the ‘female consort” character. I can endure it, let me do this good deed for them.”
Yan Ge spoke openly, amusing Emperor Huangfu Yuchen, who then allowed Deng Mande to add a few sentences to the first imperial edict.
