Echoes of My Heart Throughout the Court

Her father’s hand paused mid-reach for a dish, startled. “Trust? What do you mean trust?”

Her mother replied, “Merchants prioritize profit. If they’re allowed access to administrative channels, they might openly amass wealth, potentially creating colossal entities that could destabilize the nation. Besides, in the end, they’re not one of our own…”

The Princess of Xiangyang was filled with admiration.

Her mother was amazing! She had hit the emperor’s weak spot precisely—her father trusted family above all!

Just as she thought this, she noticed her father’s expression sour, his brow furrowing. “True. But within our own family, we don’t have anyone skilled in business. It’s too late to cultivate someone now.”

Her mother didn’t respond further and simply picked up her chopsticks to continue eating, leaving the emperor murmuring to himself. “Family… family…” Suddenly, he slapped his thigh. “Come to think of it, the wife of the Minister of Works is actually the perfect choice!”

The Princess of Xiangyang blurted, “Huh?” Startled by her outburst, her father turned to her, prompting her to ask directly, “Father, why is she the perfect choice?”

The old emperor smiled slightly, pleased with the opportunity to educate his daughter. “Although she’s not exactly ‘family’ to us, she is to the Minister of Works. If she takes on the role of zhuoqian lingshi—hmm, the name will probably change since the functions differ, but let’s call it that for now—if she assumes that role, she’ll have to constantly consider her husband’s position as Minister of Works. Any misstep on her part would implicate him and her son…”

As he spoke, Empress Dou placed a piece of his favorite braised pork into his bowl—a truly virtuous wife.

The Empress looked at him gently, smiling as she nodded in agreement.

The old emperor returned her smile before continuing, “Of course, Shengxian, remember this: whether it’s men or women, everyone has their little schemes. Your task is to control those schemes.”

The Princess of Xiangyang tilted her head. “Like using the Minister of Works to keep his wife in check?”

The emperor said, “Not necessarily foolproof, but it’s better for her to have concerns than to act without any.”

The Princess of Xiangyang was deep in thought when her mother laughed and said, “Your Majesty, why not appoint a few more women as zhuoqian lingshi?”

The old emperor was surprised. “Why?”

Empress Dou replied, “Women have some cunning but are ultimately less capable than men. If you want to use her, it’s best to give her a few allies. Moreover, having multiple zhuoqian lingshi ensures they aren’t united, making it harder for them to deceive the emperor.”

The old emperor was swayed but still hesitated. “But bringing so many women into court might unsettle women across the empire.”

As if recalling something, his tone hardened. “Lately, women have been growing arrogant, refusing to enter the kitchen. It’s an affront to proper conduct.”

The Empress calmly replied, “And wouldn’t that reveal who the virtuous women are? It’s better to find out before marriage than to discover their scheming hearts afterward.”

She softened her tone and added, “Your Majesty, a truly virtuous woman would never neglect her family.”

The old emperor suddenly sat up straight. “Empress, you’re absolutely right! Just like you—back then, you held a title, and I was willing to let you enter the court. But with the country newly settled, you laid down your armor and donned a hairpin to manage the inner palace for me. A woman who isn’t content in her place will cause trouble no matter where she is, even if confined to her home. You two finish the meal—I’m heading to the Hall of Martial Valor!”

After making his decision, the old emperor stormed off in a flurry of activity.

Empress Dou was just about to lower her head and eat when she noticed her daughter staring at her with wide, unblinking eyes.

“Shengxian?”

“‘Back then, you also had a position, and if you wanted to enter court, I would have allowed it—'” The Princess of Xiangyang mimicked the old scholars, shaking her head and wagging her finger, then parroted like a cheeky bird, “Mother, you had a position? And it was a military one?”

“It wasn’t exactly a military position,” the empress explained with a soft smile. “During the days when we were fighting to unify the country, I led a group of women to manage logistics for your father. We sewed clothes for the soldiers, learned how to defend cities, and those with more strength even helped transport grain. Your father jokingly called us the ‘Women’s Battalion.’”@@novelbin@@

The Princess of Xiangyang listened with rapt attention. “And then what happened?”

“Once the nation was stabilized, both men and women longed for family life. Those women returned to their homes—some reunited with their husbands, while others prepared to marry.”

The Princess of Xiangyang nodded enthusiastically, “Oh, oh. Then what about Father saying he wanted you to serve as an official in court?”

“Your father saw that I was troubled and indeed asked me. But I declined.”

Author’s Notes:

“The households of officials, who receive the state’s stipend, should not compete with the people for industries.”

— Book of the Former Han

“It has always been this way, so it must be correct?”

— Lu Xun

Regarding women unwilling to cook, reference:

“The Book of Poetry says: ‘They only discuss wine and food.’ Cooking and preparing meals were the duties of women. Yet in recent years, women have become arrogant and refuse to enter the kitchen.”

— Yongle Encyclopedia