Chapter 369

Autumn sunlight streamed through the wide lattice window of the Chancellery's duty room, casting bright, rectangular patches on the floor.

Wang Ru sat upright behind the desk, her posture as straight and meticulous as the document she was reviewing—clear, orderly, without a flaw.

She now held the posts of Deputy Minister of the Gate Affairs, equal to the Chancellors, and newly appointed Tutor to the Crown Prince; her authority grew daily, yet she became ever more cautious in speech and conduct.

The duty room was quiet, save for the soft scratch of her vermilion brush on paper and the regular drip of the copper clepsydra in the corner.

Unlike the silent economic infiltration war Zhang Cheng led in the Ministry of Revenue, the domain Wang Ru oversaw concerned people's hearts, public morals, and the dynasty's internal cohesion and stability.

The Battle of Xiongzhou exposed not only a military gap but also latent internal dangers.

Had the Emperor not turned the tide, the consequences would be unthinkable.

After the war, purging internal corruption, rectifying officialdom, and strengthening loyalty became tasks as vital as restoring national strength.

"Deputy Minister, these are several impeachment memorials just sent by the Censorate, involving three provincial officials and… a scion of an aristocratic family from Bianjing."

A young attendant in a green robe entered softly, reverently placing the documents on the desk.

Wang Ru set down her brush, picked up the topmost memorial, and skimmed it quickly.

The impeachment's contents were nothing more than graft and bribery, shielding relatives' tyranny in the market, or negligence in local administration.

Against the backdrop of a newly pacified realm, such matters were not uncommon.

But Wang Ru examined them closely.

She cared not only about the incidents themselves, but also about their context and how the implicated officials had behaved before, during, and after the Battle of Xiongzhou, and even during the Emperor's illness.

"This Deputy Commissioner of Chen Prefecture," Wang Ru said, pointing at one of the memorials, her voice calm and unruffled.

"His evaluation last year was still medium-high; why did the spring grain transport delay by a full half-month this spring? He had actively raised war funds during the conflict, so why the laxity after the war?"

She lifted her gaze to the attendant.

"Investigate—was the fault his own, or did his entourage cause trouble? Or perhaps… did he have shady dealings with the False Song?"

The attendant's heart jolted; he bowed swiftly: "Yes, I will look into it immediately."

"And this aristocratic scion," Wang Ru said, picking up another memorial.

"He galloped his horse through the streets, injuring people and damaging property, and his servants dared to shout, 'The fighting in the north hasn't touched our family's foundations!'"

She snorted coldly and tossed the memorial lightly onto the desk.

"Inform the Clan Court and the Kaifeng Prefecture to deal with it strictly according to law, showing no leniency."

"In extraordinary times, severe penalties are needed to warn others. Let everyone understand that the realm of Great Chen was won by the Emperor's sword and spear, bought with the blood of countless soldiers—not for them to wield power and privilege."

"Understood!" the attendant felt an invisible pressure, a faint sheen of sweat on his forehead.

After handling these urgent matters, Wang Ru rubbed her temples and took a brief rest.

Her eyes fell on another document on the desk—a report sent from the Eastern Palace detailing the Crown Prince's recent studies.

As the Crown Prince's tutor, instructing the heir in virtue and conduct was a weighty duty bestowed by the Emperor, and also her investment in the dynasty's future.

She rose, straightened her attire, and instructed the attendant:

"I'm heading to the Eastern Palace. If urgent business arises, you may find me there."

"Yes."

……

Eastern Palace, Study of the Lianzheng Hall.

Crown Prince Chen Hongzheng sat upright at the desk, his small frame straight as a rod.

Before him lay an open Analects, yet his gaze often drifted to the window, showing the curiosity and subtle fatigue typical of a child his age.

Since being named heir apparent, his life has undergone a complete transformation.

His daily schedule was packed to the brim with the classics, statecraft treatises, and even trips to the Ministry of Works workshops to see novel contraptions, and to listen to General Shi Dun recount frontier tales.

He felt like a sack suddenly stuffed full—heavy, and sometimes hard to breathe.

"Your Highness, the Crown Prince."

A gentle yet solemn voice sounded at the doorway.

Chen Hong started, instantly gathered his gaze, sat properly, and looked toward Wang Ru as she entered.

"Master Wang."

Wang Ru walked to the desk, glanced at the Analects, did not rush to quiz him, and instead sat lightly on the embroidered cushion beside him.

"Your Highness, you seem a bit distracted."

Chen Hong's cheeks flushed; he lowered his head and whispered:

"No… no. It's just… I feel there's too much to learn."

Wang Ru looked at him, her eyes full of understanding, yet she did not relax her expectations.

"Do you know why the Emperor and we ministers have arranged such a heavy course of study for you?"

Chen Hong pondered, then replied:

"Because I, as the subject and heir, will one day govern the state."

"That's correct, but not entirely."

Wang Ru softened her voice.

"Governing a state requires knowledge, but even more, it requires virtue."

"The Emperor founded Great Chen, enduring hardship and peril, relying not only on splendid martial prowess but also on an unyielding will and the virtue that wins the people's hearts."

"You study the classics to understand principles, statecraft to grasp the situation, and the investigation of things and military affairs to adapt to change."

"But the foundation of all this lies in your having a heart that loves the people and is loyal to the state."

"Virtue means loyalty to the realm and its altars, benevolence toward the common folk, and clear discernment of right and wrong."

"Without this foundation, no amount of learning is more than a castle in the air—and could even become a source of chaos."

She paused, looking at Chen Hong's half‑comprehending gaze, then asked in another way:

"Your Highness, do you still remember, after the Battle of Xiongzhou, the families of the fallen soldiers?"

Chen Hong nodded, his expression grew dim.

"I remember. Master Zhang took me to see the distribution of condolences; they… were very sorrowful."

"Yes, very sorrowful."

Wang Ru said softly.

"Their sons, husbands, fathers gave their lives to defend Great Chen, to defend a child like Your Highness so that he could study in peace."

"Every word Your Highness learns today, every principle you know, embodies their sacrifice."

"This is responsibility."

"Responsibility to the departed, responsibility to the living, responsibility to this land."

"Loyalty means remembering this responsibility and practicing it with your whole life, so that their sacrifice becomes meaningful."

Chen Hong listened, dazed, his small hand unconsciously clenched.

He seemed… to have understood a bit.

The dry words on those pages seemed to connect with the blood‑soaked soldiers on the city walls, the famine‑stricken southern populace yearning for aid, and the sweat‑drenched artisans in the workshops.

"I, your subject… understand." He lifted his head, his gaze much clearer than before.

"I, your subject will study well."

A faint, hardly noticeable relief appeared on Wang Ru's face.

"Understanding is enough."

"Today we won't cover new material. Your Highness, please read the chapter 'Govern Virtuously' from the Analects three times, slowly and carefully."

"After reading, think about it: if you were a county magistrate, how would you apply this teaching to govern the locality and bring peace to the people?"

"Yes, Master Wang."

Chen Hong respectfully complied, picking up the scroll again; this time his gaze became focused and tranquil.

Wang Ru stood aside, watching silently, her thoughts surging.

Educating the heir is like nurturing a sapling.

One must neither pull the shoots to help them grow nor leave them to their own devices.

It requires patience, method, and above all, leading by example.

All she can do is to do her utmost, firmly embedding this belief—loyalty to the state and benevolence toward the people—like a cornerstone, layer by layer, into the heart of this future ruler.

This is not only a subject's duty, but also a repayment of the emperor's benevolence in recognizing her, and a promise to the future of this nascent dynasty.

Only when the court above and below, ruler and minister united, with loyalty as a steadfast pillar, can they withstand internal and external turmoil, letting Great Chen's realm truly stand firm as a rock.

Outside the window, the autumn wind blew, bringing a few fallen leaves.

Inside the study, the youth's clear, resolute reading voice, together with the calmly seated figure, formed a picture concerning inheritance and the future.