News of the Empress

As the year draws to a close, snowflakes swirl across the capital.

Every corner of the imperial palace is festively decorated, radiating an air of celebration.

Yet Leonard Li, the Emperor of Jin, clutching a memorial, can’t muster any joy at all. In the imperial study, his face is dark and menacing.

Standing before him is Henry Thompson, who, though young, remains calm and composed.

This newly appointed Minister of Revenue has risen to prominence in just one year, now a favored confidant of the Emperor.

“In just one year, they actually wiped out the Big Four Clans…” Leonard Li let out a bitter smile. “It was too fast—faster than I ever imagined. I thought those clans would at least entangle them for ten years, but… What a bunch of useless families!”

Henry Thompson glanced at Leonard Li and said, "Your Majesty, though this is surprising, on closer thought, it’s not unexpected. King Alexander Hayes commands a powerful army, and Chancellor Lily Evans is a master strategist. As husband and wife, they work in perfect harmony—those four clans never stood a chance."

Leonard Li sighed and rubbed his brow. "Well, now all opposition in Qin has been swept away. That couple can fully devote themselves to revitalizing their kingdom. The southeast may be wild and remote, but with them in charge, prosperity is only a matter of time. Especially Lily Evans—her ideas always amaze me. Henry, your last report mentioned that Chancellor Lily Evans started something called the Clearwater Literacy Program in Charleston and the West River Plains?"

Henry Thompson nodded. "Yes, Chancellor Lily Evans has set up the Clearwater Literacy Program at every gathering spot in Charleston, and in every village too. Not only do they teach reading and writing for free, but they also distribute food based on performance. The program has been running for several months now, and according to my scouts, even seventy-year-old grandmothers in Charleston and the West River Plains can read. Chancellor Lily Evans now controls all of Qin and is expanding the program to other regions. Besides the literacy program, Qin is also building schools on a large scale—another of Chancellor Lily Evans’s initiatives."

"Why is she spending so much effort and money on building schools?" Leonard Li looked genuinely puzzled. As an emperor, he couldn’t see the point in having ordinary people learn to read and write at such great expense.

Only the ruling elite deserve to read and write; commoners are meant to remain illiterate and ignorant—much easier to control that way.

Leonard Li didn’t approve of Lily Evans’s focus on education. He frowned slightly and said, "Lily was a teacher to begin with, so perhaps she thinks studying is most important. Never mind, I’ve overestimated her. After all, she’s just a woman—her vision is limited. All she knows is how to build schools and teach classes. She might be fine running a small business, but governing a nation? Someone who’s never studied the classics can’t possibly manage that."

With that thought, Leonard Li’s anxiety eased a little. He feared Qin’s rise would threaten his own rule.

Now, seeing Lily Evans busy building schools instead of focusing on state affairs, Leonard Li felt much better. He looked up at Henry Thompson: "Any news of Empress Bella Bell? By my calculations, it’s been three months since she gave birth, yet there’s still not a word."

At the mention of Bella Bell, Henry Thompson’s expression flickered almost imperceptibly. He shook his head. "Still no news. Xiao Zetian and Lily Evans have hidden Empress Bella Bell somewhere, and all information about her has been sealed off. My spies have tried every trick, but not a single clue has surfaced."