TGPSAC – Chapter 111

Thanks to Chi Wan’s efforts, the credit Prince Bao’an received for rescuing the emperor was diminished.

Emperor Shengyuan appointed Prince Bao’an to a post in the Five Army Chief Military Commission—a Vice Commissioner-in-Chief of the second rank. It came with power, covering matters like rewarding meritorious officials, military administration, and supervising army training.

If Chi Wan hadn’t said what she did to the emperor, successfully arousing his suspicion of Prince Bao’an, the prince would likely have been granted military authority.

If Emperor Shengyuan had made him a Commissioner-in-Chief, he would have been able to mobilize troops with an imperial edict.

Even without an edict, there would have been considerable room for him to maneuver.

The power of the Five Army Chief Military Commission wasn’t immense, but it wasn’t insignificant either.

The Left Commissioner-in-Chief of the Central Army Commission was gravely ill and on the verge of death. The vacant position was likely being saved for Prince Bao’an.

He would first serve as a Vice Commissioner-in-Chief to familiarize himself with the commission’s affairs, and once the position opened up, he could be promoted.

Now, however, Emperor Shengyuan would probably not allow Prince Bao’an to take that post.

Given Emperor Shengyuan’s personality, even the slightest suspicion was enough to prevent him from letting that suspicion become reality.

After all, compared to an outsider, he felt his daughter was more trustworthy.

By giving power to his daughter and the throne to a puppet, his legacy would remain secure.

If Prince Shunchéng were willing to acknowledge him as a father, he actually felt Prince Shunchéng was a more suitable emperor than Prince Bao’an, as his youth made him easier to control.

Emperor Shengyuan had his own calculations. His first choice was his grandson. His second choice was for either Prince Shunchéng or Prince Bao’an to be willing to venerate him as a father. His third choice was Prince Shunchéng, who had no power base and would be easy to manage.

Prince Bao’an had a chance, but it all depended on whether he would acknowledge his new “father.”

After this period of probing, Chi Wan had come to understand Emperor Shengyuan. Who did he trust? He trusted no one. He only cared about who he could use.

When the emperor rewarded Prince Bao’an for the rescue, it was to encourage more people to risk their lives for him in the future, not because he was genuinely moved.

---

Time moved on to the twelfth month. Chi Wan calculated that Yu Jiuzhou’s due date should be in early January.

That meant there was only a month left before the children would arrive.

Chi Wan had prepared a sterile room in the Grand Princess’s Residence, stocking it with many supplies. She had made all the necessary preparations.

She was a practitioner of traditional medicine and had no experience delivering babies, so Yu Jiuzhou had found two experienced midwives.

Qiu Lai was also there. During her time as a traveling physician, she had delivered many children and was very familiar with the process.

There were also two physicians skilled in acupuncture, as Chi Wan feared her own hands might tremble when the time came.

She couldn’t bear to see Yu Jiuzhou suffer, so she had several trusted people on standby at the Princess’s Residence.

Even so, she was incredibly nervous.

Chi Wan delegated tasks to Huang Yuecheng or Li Bao. With the two of them handling things, she was less busy and could spend every day at home with Yu Jiuzhou.

Yu Jiuzhou was in her third trimester, and it was best for her not to go out anymore. Worried she might get lonely, Chi Wan naturally had to stay home with her every day.

From time to time, she felt the two little ones showing their disdain for her. She grumbled, “When they come out, I’m definitely going to give them a spanking.”

Yu Jiuzhou said helplessly, “You’re pressing on them.”

Chi Wan retorted, “I am not. I’m clearly hugging you from behind.”

“Your hand is on my belly,” Yu Jiuzhou shot her a look.

Well… what was wrong with her hugging her own wife? These two little ones kept kicking her. She didn’t know which one was so mischievous, but when they came out, she would have to put them through military training.

As Chi Wan thought this, she grabbed Yu Jiuzhou’s hand. “Your Highness, have we not given them names yet?”

Yu Jiuzhou nodded. “No.”

“Although the emperor is supposed to give them their formal names, we should have two backups ready, and nicknames too.”

The more Chi Wan thought about it, the more sense it made. The children were about to be born, and they still didn’t have names.

No wonder the two of them held such a grudge against her, kicking her all day long. There was a reason for it.

Yu Jiuzhou tilted her head, her eyes fixed on Chi Wan’s. “What do you want to call them?”

“Hmm… I’ve thought of a few names. See which one you like.”

Chi Wan pondered for a moment and actually came up with something. “From the line, ‘Rowing home late, my spirits high, I strayed deep into a lotus field,’ let’s call them Huasheng and Guazi.”

Yu Jiuzhou: “?” What did that line of poetry have to do with those names?

Seeing Yu Jiuzhou’s confused expression, she explained, “‘Deep among the flowers’… hua shen, hua shen… huasheng! Peanut! And if you have peanuts, you have to have sunflower seeds, right?”

Her fists clenched. Yu Jiuzhou really wanted to punch Chi Wan to see what was going on inside that head of hers.

But she still said, “The nicknames are acceptable. What about their formal names?”

This was the greatest tolerance she could show. Just for the sake of the words “rowing home late,” she would endure it.

Chi Wan raised an eyebrow, delighted by Yu Jiuzhou’s trust. As expected, she was a genius at naming.

“For their formal names, one will be Xinggui, and the other Xinghui.”

A happy return? The meaning was quite good.

Yu Jiuzhou held back for a long time before finally saying, “Let’s change one word.”

“Change what?”

“Si.”

“The si from sinian, to miss someone?”

“Yes.”

“Sigui, Sihui, Huasheng, Guazi?” Chi Wan immediately beamed. “Alright, we’ll use those two names as backups.”

Yu Jiuzhou gave her a helpless look. Was she really going to call her two children Peanut and Sunflower Seed in the future?

Having chosen names for the children, Chi Wan smiled with satisfaction.

Yu Jiuzhou had seen everything Chi Wan had been doing these past days.

She meticulously prepared nutritious meals that were delicious but not fattening, along with all sorts of light snacks.

Yu Jiuzhou had a sweet tooth. She often had the kitchen make things like cake, and although she only ever ate two or three bites, it was still something she was quite fond of.

By preparing food for Yu Jiuzhou every day recently, Chi Wan had figured out her preferences.

She liked sweets, which felt quite contradictory.

The lofty Grand Princess, usually so cool and noble, actually liked to eat sweets.

Chi Wan thought that if they were in the modern era, with so many desserts available and without the need to maintain her Grand Princess persona, Yu Jiuzhou would surely eat to her heart’s content.

In reality, Yu Jiuzhou felt she was already eating quite a lot.

Chi Wan’s cooking was average, but the little desserts she made were novel and delicious.

Cake, milk pudding, red bean glutinous rice rolls, ice jelly, sweet corn pancakes, double-skin milk, and so on.

Every single one captured Yu Jiuzhou’s stomach.

Even though the kitchen staff later learned to make them, producing more exquisite desserts with better flavor, Yu Jiuzhou would never forget the feeling of eating these things for the first time, especially since they were all handmade by Chi Wan.

Chi Wan doted on Yu Jiuzhou, and she was more than happy to do so.

It wasn’t just for the children; it was mainly because she was fond of her. The only regret was that they had never confessed their feelings to each other. There was no sense of ceremony.

Every step of their relationship had been mixed with something else; it wasn’t purely because of love.

But now that their relationship had reached this point, Chi Wan no longer dwelled on it. Liking someone was liking someone; there was no need to overthink it.

Now, their two children were about to be born. The thought of a family of four was a happy one.

A joyful smile appeared on Chi Wan’s face. She pressed her forehead against Yu Jiuzhou’s, rubbing it gently before saying, “I never thought I would get married, have children, and marry an ancient person at that.”

More importantly, she had never thought she would meet someone she liked.

She was actually quite a loner, immersed in traditional medicine, with her mind solely on her career.

That was why she could empathize with Yu Jiuzhou. Once they set a goal, they were both the type of people who would give it their all.

After coming to this world, she hadn’t given up her research in medicine. In this world, with so many physicians in the Imperial Medical Academy—all first-rate—she would have people fetch medical books from there in her spare time.

Those imperial physicians, perhaps to curry favor with her or perhaps because they genuinely didn’t mind sharing their knowledge, would even give her their personal notes to read.

Modern traditional medicine was characterized by innovation and standing on the shoulders of giants, but unfortunately, much of the ancient knowledge had been lost.

Coming to this world, she had found answers to many of her questions.

It could only be said that neither modern nor ancient traditional medicine was superior to the other. Modern medicine had its novelty, while ancient medicine had its mystique.

The key lay in the word “divine.” A brilliant traditional physician could almost bring the dead back to life. If there was one such physician in the modern era, you could find three in ancient times.

And their medical skills did not belong to a single school of thought.

Chi Wan was the only physician who combined both ancient and modern knowledge. Her medical skills were constantly improving, but unfortunately, she could only devote a small amount of time to it.

Given her status, being just a physician would make it difficult to help Yu Jiuzhou, and difficult to save herself.

If they were to fail, they would face not just assassins, but entire armies.

Under the siege of an army of ten thousand, even the greatest master would have to say goodbye.

This was her life; she had to work hard for it. Moreover, she absolutely did not want Yu Jiuzhou to suffer the same fate as in her previous life.

Besides, Yu Jiuzhou was very charming when immersed in her work. A woman’s charm is often greatly reflected in her career.

She was not some scumbag who would marry a career woman only to turn her into a trophy wife.

In Chi Wan’s view, in the environment of her past life, just being able to have a job and support oneself was already impressive.

Someone like Yu Jiuzhou, who aimed to become a female emperor and was constantly striving to achieve that goal—such a tenacious character was even more attractive to her.

She unconditionally and wholeheartedly supported Yu Jiuzhou dedicating most of her time to her career.

All things considered, she was a career-driven person, and Yu Jiuzhou was also a career-driven person. It was quite incredible that the two of them had actually ended up together.

No wonder they say that your destined person will be waiting for you on your path forward. Not only will they not hinder your progress, but they will also help you along the way.

Chi Wan recalled her life in the modern era. Although it was a life she enjoyed, it lacked a spiritual anchor. And Yu Jiuzhou was her spiritual anchor.

So when she spoke of the past, she felt a little dazed. She had lived well before, but ultimately, it had been a bit lonely.

Now, she had met a great beauty, fallen in love with that beauty, and they had even ended up together.

Tsk, when luck comes, there’s no stopping it.

No wonder she couldn’t find anyone she liked in her past life. Who would have thought her true love was in another world?

But while Yu Jiuzhou understood the first part, what did she mean by “marry an ancient person”?

“An ancient person? Me?”

Of course, she knew what an “ancient person” meant. The court was full of old scholars who had “the ancients said” on the tips of their tongues. “In your eyes, have I been dead for a long time?”

Huh? Chi Wan was stunned. Was that what she meant?

“No, that’s not what I meant. Um…” How was she supposed to explain this?

Chi Wan thought for a moment and finally found an explanation. “I come from a world where the imperial dynastic system ended over a hundred years ago. Compared to ancient times, people there are much more equal.”

She began her story from the end of the dynastic system, starting with the awakening of thought, then the nation’s fighting spirit, and finally its transformation into a construction powerhouse.

From there, she could break it down into the development of technology and the changes in cities.

She spoke until the year she was born, then began to narrate from her own perspective: how she grew up, what she encountered along the way—birth, school, the college entrance exams, university, further studies, work.

Then, a few years later, she came to this world.

In between, she had also experienced life and death. Hearing Chi Wan speak of these things, Yu Jiuzhou’s heart ached. She felt for her, having to spend so long alone after her grandmother passed away.

As a teenager, she had to face relatives who were like wolves and tigers, trying to take away everything she relied on for survival.

Fortunately, Chi Wan was clever. Even at such a young age, she was so intelligent, with such a clear understanding of human nature.

Yu Jiuzhou couldn’t help but think of herself. In her past life, she had relied on her parents, never thinking her imperial father would plot against her, only to have a painful awakening just before her death.

If she had known the ugliness of human nature as early as Chi Wan did, would her ending have been different?

No, if that were the case, she would never have met Chi Wan.

Yu Jiuzhou was silent for a moment, forcing back the heartache in her voice. “I thought you grew up in a large family in the south, perhaps with some connection to Lin Qianduo. And because of Lin Qianduo, you came into contact with Prince Bao’an and learned so much about him.”

Uh…

Her and Lin Qianduo?

Chi Wan was puzzled. “Why would you say I have some connection to Lin Qianduo?”

“What do you think?”

Yu Jiuzhou huffed softly. She had never told anyone what she had been thinking.

Back then, Chi Wan had spoken about Lin Qianduo’s affairs with such clarity, even knowing many private details that an outsider couldn’t possibly know. Their relationship must have been incredibly close.

She had wondered if Chi Wan was in love with Lin Qianduo, or if they had been in love with each other, only for Prince Bao’an to interfere.

Later, Prince Bao’an did not treat Lin Qianduo well; one could say he had failed her.

Therefore, Chi Wan had no loyalty to Prince Bao’an and even wanted revenge, which was why she could tell her his secrets without hesitation.

And to prevent Lin Qianduo from getting entangled with Prince Bao’an again, she had pulled Lin Qianduo to her side. For Lin Qianduo’s safety, or perhaps to keep her away from the vortex of conflict, she had sent her to the south.

It had to be said, Lin Qianduo’s business was now doing much better than in her previous life. It wasn’t just business for the Grand Princess’s Residence; Chi Wan also supported her in pursuing her own ventures.

Lin Qianduo was indeed a genius in business, with a sharp eye, and she had made a lot of money.

In Chi Wan’s words, she was a bona fide career woman.

Away from the conflict and the scumbag, running a bigger business than in her past life, Lin Qianduo had been the first among them to change her own destiny.

Chi Wan’s contribution to all this was undeniable, so it was normal for Yu Jiuzhou to have such thoughts.

It was normal, but Chi Wan hadn’t expected her to have written a whole short story in her head.

Chi Wan was stunned for a long time. “Me and Lin Qianduo… a business partnership?”

Other than that, she couldn’t think of any other relationship.

In fact, after Chi Wan finished telling her about her past life, Yu Jiuzhou knew that the little story she had imagined was false.

They weren’t even from the same world; how could there be any connection?

Then why did Chi Wan know so much about the events of this world?

Yu Jiuzhou cleared her throat. She didn’t want Chi Wan to know that she had played out a grand drama in her mind.

She was the dignified Grand Princess; how could she have such jealous thoughts?

“As you said, then why do you know about the events of this world?”

Chi Wan observed Yu Jiuzhou’s expression, thought for a moment, and then said, “It’s because of a novel, or what you would call a storybook.”

“A storybook?”

“Yes.”

Chi Wan recounted the plot of the novel. Yu Jiuzhou gripped her hand tightly. From the force of her grip, Chi Wan could feel that her emotions were in turmoil.

This was why Chi Wan had hesitated. Few people could accept that they were living in a storybook.

It would mean that one’s destiny was controlled by a great hand. This person had designated a protagonist, and no matter how hard people like them tried, they could never defeat the protagonist.

Just like Yu Jiuzhou in her past life. She had clearly helped Prince Bao’an so much, yet she was still treated as an enemy, simply because she hadn’t eagerly handed over her power when he ascended the throne.

Yu Jiuzhou frowned. “So I am just a rebellious character in someone else’s writing?”

Chi Wan shook her head. “Although that’s one way to put it, this world is a real world. The so-called storybook couldn’t capture one ten-thousandth of this world’s splendor. Weren’t you wondering why I knew about some people but not others? It’s because the storybook didn’t write about them, yet the lives of many people here are very rich.”

“Whether it’s you, Your Highness, or anyone else, you are not just characters on a page. At least to me, Your Highness is a real person of flesh and blood.”

“As the Buddha said, there are three thousand worlds—a thousand minor worlds, a thousand medium worlds, and a thousand major worlds. The universe is vast and all-encompassing.”

“We think that one day in heaven is a year on earth, that time passes differently in heaven and on earth. In fact, it’s because they belong to different spaces. The celestial beings in heaven can see everything that happens on earth. If they are dissatisfied, it’s normal for them to write a storybook. But reality is reality. The fact that our current situation is so different from the storybook’s content proves that the storybook is the storybook, and we are we.”

Yu Jiuzhou lowered her eyes in deep thought. “The storybook is the storybook, and we are we?”

Then, she regained her usual domineering air. “You’re right. So what if it’s a storybook world? I believe that human will can triumph over fate.”

Chi Wan let out a sigh of relief. She had been worried that revealing the storybook world would shatter Yu Jiuzhou’s spirit.

Fortunately, Yu Jiuzhou was much more resilient than she had imagined, and her ability to accept things was also very high.

Chi Wan smiled and ruffled Yu Jiuzhou’s hair. Before she could speak, she heard Yu Jiuzhou say, “To be able to ascend to the heavens and dive into the seas, to move mountains and fill oceans, and even turn deserts into oases… is that immortal arts? Are you from the Immortal Realm?”

Huh?

Chi Wan was dumbfounded. She could make that connection? It seemed there was nothing wrong with the logic.

“Not the Immortal Realm. Everyone has the same lifespan. That’s technology.”

“Technology?”

Chi Wan thought for a moment. “Gunpowder is technology. Now we have fire-lances; in the future, there will be guns that can fire hundreds of rounds. Things like what the Directorate of Astronomy does, as well as mathematics, agricultural irrigation and farming techniques, advances in medicine, and even the houses we live in are all considered technology. It just needs time to develop to the level of my world.”

She slowly described the changes brought about by technological development, how technology benefited humanity, and the process of how ancient things developed into the highly intelligent things of later generations.

After listening to the end, Yu Jiuzhou suddenly said, “It seems many things were invented by lazy people.”

“Hmm? Why do you say that?” Chi Wan raised an eyebrow.

Yu Jiuzhou: “They didn’t want to travel on foot, so they invented cars. They didn’t want to wash clothes by hand, so they came up with washing machines…”

That seemed to make a lot of sense.

Chi Wan couldn’t help but laugh. “Your Highness is right. Some people are lazy by lying down, while others are lazy by inventing things that allow them to be lazy.”

The two were just joking, using it to lighten the topic of the storybook world.

After a while, Yu Jiuzhou thought of something. “If there’s a chance, I’d really like to experience that world of yours.”

“Then Your Highness can’t leave me behind,” Chi Wan added with a smile.

At this moment, the two were stealing a moment of leisure from their busy lives. Yu Jiuzhou was still very busy during her pregnancy; the number of memorials was still high.

Since she had stopped going to the palace to handle official business, the court assembly hadn’t been held for a long time. Emperor Shengyuan was content to recuperate, ignoring state affairs and leaving everything to his pregnant daughter.

Chi Wan was learning to handle the memorials, and with the help of the secretarial team, things were running smoothly.

But it wouldn’t do to not hold court assemblies for a long time. Emperor Shengyuan wasn’t so ill that he couldn’t get out of bed. He left all the hard work to Yu Jiuzhou, while releasing his power bit by bit.

Yu Jiuzhou simply stopped holding court assemblies. She only met with the cabinet members daily, summoned other officials she needed to see, and then had the cabinet convey the Grand Princess’s edicts.

Today, there was nothing urgent. The two of them leaned against each other, brewing tea by the stove and chatting.

If life could just go on like this, peacefully and simply, it would be wonderful.

Every time she was near Yu Jiuzhou, Chi Wan became like she had no bones, eagerly clinging to her.

Clinging and clinging, she would start to hug her, then kiss and nuzzle her. Even a clingy kitten couldn’t compare.

Before their relationship was confirmed, Chi Wan had been quite proper. But now, why would she be proper with her own wife?

At this thought, Chi Wan’s throat went dry. Her wife smelled too good; she couldn’t help but want to be close.

She kissed the tip of Yu Jiuzhou’s nose with her lips, and then their lips touched, a way to soothe the craving in her heart.

But her pheromones wouldn’t listen to her. They slowly began to seep out, gradually making Yu Jiuzhou’s eyes grow hazy.

In her daze, Yu Jiuzhou felt a tickle on her chin and neck. She gave Chi Wan a soft push, and the next second, she felt a swelling sensation in her chest.

“You… you scoundrel,” Yu Jiuzhou cursed softly, her voice sounding more like flirting.

Chi Wan coaxed her in a gentle voice, “Your Highness, be good~”

She just wanted to be close; what bad intentions could she have? Her reason was still intact, so she naturally wouldn’t cross the line.

Just then, Chun Gui, Xia Qu, and Qiu Lai burst in, their faces anxious. Dong Ying, being expressionless, showed nothing.

Seeing the scene, the four of them turned around in unison, thinking: Are we going to be silenced?

Soon, Yu Jiuzhou’s cool voice came from behind them. “Speak.”

No matter how well she disguised it, the coolness couldn’t hide a trace of coquettishness.

The four maids stood as straight as trees. It was Xia Qu who was bold enough to speak. Still facing away from them, she looked up at the sky outside. “Your Highness, an urgent dispatch from eight hundred li away! Beining is attacking with an army of eight hundred thousand! The messenger has already entered the palace!”

The worry that had been hanging over the entire court of Great Zhou had finally come to pass. Beining’s army of eight hundred thousand was attacking Great Zhou. Even with preparations in place, it was enough to stir unease throughout the empire.

---

Footnotes:

1. 兴尽晚回舟，误入藕花深处 (xìng jìn wǎn huí zhōu, wù rù ǒu huā shēn chù): This is a famous line from the poem “如梦令·常记溪亭日暮” (Rú Mèng Lìng · Cháng Jì Xī Tíng Rì Mù) by the renowned Song Dynasty female poet Li Qingzhao (1084–c. 1155). The poem describes the joyful memory of a boating excursion where the speaker, intoxicated by scenery and wine, loses her way in a vast field of lotus flowers. Chi Wan quotes this line because it contains the characters for “晚” (wǎn, her name) and “回舟” (huí zhōu, which sounds like “Jiuzhou”). It’s a romantic literary allusion to their union.
2. Huasheng (花生) & Guazi (瓜子): Meaning “Peanut” and “Sunflower Seed“. These are the proposed nicknames, derived from a playful and nonsensical misinterpretation of the phrase “藕花深处” (ǒu huā shēn chù, “deep within the lotus flowers”) from the poem. Chi Wan twists “花深” (huā shēn, “flowers deep”) into “花生” (huāshēng, “peanut”). Following this logic, she pairs it with “瓜子” (guāzǐ, “sunflower seed”), a common snack partner to peanuts.
3. Xinggui (兴归) & Xinghui (兴回): Meaning “Joyful Return” and “Joyful Rowing Back“. These are the proposed formal names, directly inspired by the first part of the poetic line, “兴尽晚回舟” (xìng jìn wǎn huí zhōu), which can be interpreted as “rowing back late, my joy/happiness complete.” The names are meant to commemorate the happy circumstances of the children’s arrival and their mothers’ relationship.
4. Sigui (思归) & Sihui (思回): Meaning “Longing for Return” and “Longing to Row Back“. Yu Jiuzhou suggests replacing the character “兴” (xīng, “joy/prosperity”) with “思” (sī, “to miss/long for”). This changes the meaning from a celebration of joyful completion to a more profound and poetic sense of yearning and remembrance.
5. Imperial Naming Convention: This is a historical practice in many imperial courts, where the ruling emperor would confer names upon the children of high-ranking nobility or members of the imperial clan itself. This was a significant honor and a means of asserting imperial authority and patronage.

---

Get instant access to all chapters now.