Chapter 42: Longevity

The sight of one person impeaching a hundred officials was so shocking that even after Qiu Che finished speaking, most people were still in a daze.

After a long, deathly silence, some court officials finally regained their senses. Then, with a great clatter, they all fell to their knees, filling the grand hall with cries of injustice and desperate kowtows.

Among them were also minor officials who had been implicated despite not being present, most of whom had powerful family backgrounds.

Qiu Che remained motionless, as if completely unfazed by the absurd scene before her.

Li Shi was stunned into numbness. He bellowed at the officials to quiet down before rubbing his aching temples and turning to Qiu Che. "Minister Qiu, what I asked about was the flood in Puyang. How did this suddenly turn into—"

The officials, too, voiced their anger. "Indeed! At such a critical moment, we should all be working together to solve the flood crisis first. But Minister Qiu, you—"

"Gentlemen, you are mistaken," Qiu Che interrupted smoothly, hands clasped in a polite gesture as she smiled serenely. "Let us set aside the question of whether these records reflect my personal vendetta or the personal interests of certain esteemed officials here. His Majesty inquired about the flood, and naturally, my response pertains to its resolution."

Li Shi raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Prime Minister Wu, sensing something amiss, exchanged a glance with the Crown Prince at the front of the hall. However, the prince, still oblivious to the gravity of the situation, simply looked confused.

Wu sighed inwardly. Hopeless.

Qiu Che continued concisely, "I have listened to the esteemed officials deliberate for quite some time. The core of the debate is merely whether the cost of repairing the waterways should burden the people or the national treasury."

She smiled. "After much thought, since all of you are so eager to support the repair of the waterways, you must be true patriots, deeply concerned for the country and its people. In that case, why not pool some funds from your own wealth to fulfill your noble intentions?"

She turned to the emperor reassuringly. "Your Majesty, you need not worry. The records of these cases are clear and indisputable, with black-and-white evidence documenting each official’s actions—there is not a single falsified word. And truly, we do not need much. If each esteemed official simply contributes a modest sum, it would be more than enough to show their dedication to the nation."

Qiu Che bowed humbly and addressed the kneeling officials with a courteous nod. "Just my humble suggestion. Forgive me if I have spoken out of turn."

The officials: "..."

Li Shi, now fully aware of the situation, realized that most of the court was under Wu Rusheng’s influence. This impeachment was a golden opportunity to weaken the Prime Minister’s faction while also resolving the flood crisis.

Unable to suppress his amusement, he slapped the armrest of his throne and burst into laughter. "Excellent, Minister Qiu! What a fine proposal! I find it most reasonable. Esteemed ministers, I will not hold past transgressions against you. It is merely a small donation, surely you have no objections?"

The officials' faces turned ashen.

With the emperor’s approval, what could they possibly object to?

More importantly, Qiu Che had clearly come prepared. Those implicated could not deny the charges against them. Given the choice between a drawn-out investigation and simply paying a sum to settle the matter, the latter was undoubtedly the lesser evil.

When they thought about it, it wasn’t even that great of a loss, after all, bribing officials had always been part of their affairs. The situation now was eerily similar, except this time, the bribe went directly into the national treasury instead of private pockets.

And worse still, it wasn’t just about the money—

It was about the fact that all of them had just been utterly defeated by a single person.

To make matters worse, most of them had publicly supported the waterway repairs. Now, with Qiu Che slapping a "patriot" label on them, they had no choice but to fall into her trap willingly.

Devious. Absolutely devious.

Internally seething, the officials could only grit their teeth and bow their heads in submission.

It was at this moment that the Crown Prince finally understood what Qiu Che had orchestrated. After today, her name would undoubtedly become even more formidable among the court.

Seeing the emperor’s satisfied expression, the prince scowled, inwardly cursing himself. Such a simple method, why hadn’t he thought of it first?

Li Shi pondered for a moment before speaking again with a smile. "With that settled, let the matter of the Puyang flood be arranged accordingly. Issue a decree, Yang Qiu, who proposed the waterway repairs, shall be promoted to Fifth Rank Court Consultant."

Gasps rippled through the hall.

A jump from seventh rank to fifth rank! Even Qiu Che had never received such a rapid promotion.

It was obvious, the emperor was grooming another trusted official.

Some ministers hesitated, wanting to object, but remembering their recent financial punishment, they swallowed their words.

Li Shi, still not finished, turned his gaze back to Qiu Che. "As for Minister Qiu, your keen judgment and diligence in handling official affairs have relieved me of a great burden. Henceforth, you shall be promoted to Chief Justice of the Court of Judicial Review."

Another leap in rank.

From Fourth Rank Assistant Minister to Third Rank Chief Justice, all within half a month.

At this point, the court officials had become numb to her meteoric rise.

Qiu Che's eyes flickered slightly. She accepted the decree with a deep bow.

As she rose, her gaze met that of the Crown Prince. His expression was dark as ink, and he glared at her with unmasked hatred.

The moment their eyes met, he quickly turned away. But Qiu Che had already caught the resentment burning in his eyes.

She mused to herself, it was likely that her growing favor had only made the prince, who had been increasingly neglected by the emperor, even more envious.

Not that it mattered.

After all, the empress’s scandal had only recently passed. The court still whispered in hushed tones, speculating whether the Crown Prince was truly the emperor’s son or a bastard born of the empress’s affair.

Of course, the emperor refused to confirm or deny it, unwilling to lose face. As a result, the ministers could only gossip in secret.

Qiu Che withdrew her gaze, uninterested in the prince’s petty grievances.

He was nothing more than an idle playboy.

To put it bluntly, he was a pile of rotten mud that could never hold up a wall. In her past life, when she climbed to the position of Prime Minister, the Crown Prince had remained just that, a prince. He had waited ten years, yet the emperor’s throne never wavered beneath Li Shi.

His lack of ambition and strategy meant he had never been a real threat. Qiu Che had never considered him a worthy opponent.

This wasn’t arrogance. It was simply the truth.

…

After the court was dismissed, news of Qiu Che’s promotion reached Madam Wang in advance. Overjoyed, she personally prepared a feast to celebrate.

Coincidentally, Qiu Che ran into Li Qingwu outside the Princess’s residence as they both returned from their respective business.

As they walked toward the main hall, Li Qingwu chuckled and voiced her concern. "You’ve offended nearly everyone in court today. Aren’t you worried?"

Qiu Che smiled. "What matters isn’t whether I’m worried, but whether His Majesty is satisfied with me."

The imperial court was a battlefield where hesitation meant death. Every move Qiu Che made was calculated and razor-sharp, but the rewards were immense.

Just look at how fast she was rising.

Li Qingwu nodded thoughtfully. "As long as you know what you’re doing."

By then, they had reached the main hall. Madam Wang, chatting cheerfully with Fu Ling, beamed as they arrived. "Come, come! Have a taste of the meal I made myself!"

The three of them gathered around the table, enjoying a warm, harmonious meal to celebrate Qiu Che’s latest triumph.

After dinner, Mrs. Wang asked Qiu Che to stay behind, saying there was something she needed to discuss with her privately.

Li Qingwu, ever perceptive, stood up and excused herself.

Seeing the smile on Mrs. Wang's face fade, Qiu Che raised an eyebrow and asked, "Mother, what's wrong?"

"…You’ve been promoted, which is a happy event. But somehow, my heart doesn't feel at ease," Mrs. Wang hesitated, licking her lips before continuing. "Qiu Che, if one day... your identity is exposed, have you thought about what you would do?"

Qiu Che gently patted her mother's hand, offering comfort. "Don't worry, Mother. I've prepared for it. If that day ever comes, I’ll make sure you all are taken care of."

"That's not what I mean," Mrs. Wang said, opening her mouth before sighing. "You have big ambitions, and I won’t stop you, but... you must ensure your safety first. If that day really comes, I don't ask for wealth or glory for you, just peace and safety."

"And then there's Qingwu," Mrs. Wang hesitated. "Even though you two know each other so well, keeping her tied down like this isn't right. It might even cause her trouble in the future. With the new laws in place, if there’s a chance... it might be better to set her free sooner."

Qiu Che responded with a quiet "Mm" as she held her mother's aging hands, her gaze fixed on the garden outside, where flowers swayed gently in the breeze. She didn't say another word.

Back in the bedroom, Li Qingwu was seated at the desk, looking over account books while jotting down notes on a piece of paper.

Hearing footsteps, she glanced up. "You're back?"

Qiu Che nodded, assuming she was working on new designs. As she approached, she peeked at the papers. "What’s this?"

"Layout of the restaurant," Li Qingwu explained gently. "Yao Tai and I discussed it, and we've decided to invest in Linglong Pavilion under the name of the family."

Qiu Che was surprised. "You’re getting into the restaurant business too?"

Li Qingwu smiled. "Yao Tai said that it doesn’t matter what industry you invest in, as long as it makes money. My clothing store just opened, and with all the custom orders and expenses, I still need a steady income."

Qiu Che nodded. "That makes sense. But... since I’ve been promoted, my monthly salary is 70,000 wen. If you ever need money, just let me know."

Li Qingwu seemed to sense a hint of pride in her tone, though she shook her head, thinking it was just her imagination.

"Well then, how about I invest in Linglong Pavilion under your name too?" Li Qingwu said with a smile.

Linglong Pavilion was the largest restaurant in the capital, and as long as it maintained its current standing, profits would flow steadily.

Qiu Che agreed. "Sure, whatever you decide."

Since they were both business owners now, Li Qingwu briefly explained her thoughts. "Yao Tai suggested we should research new dishes. The stories told by the narrators on the first floor aren’t interesting enough; we could look for more diverse stories to attract more customers…"

When she talked about business, she always sounded so knowledgeable.

Perhaps she didn’t even realize that, in those moments, her eyes sparkled.

Unlike the ever-calm and polite "Princess," only then did she seem to be truly herself.

Qiu Che listened intently, though some terms went over her head. She still responded from time to time, asking questions when she didn’t understand. Li Qingwu would smile and explain, saying that Yao Tai had taught her, and it was all quite fascinating.

When Li Qingwu paused to drink, Qiu Che poured her some tea without a word.

"Thank you," Li Qingwu said softly.

As Qiu Che set the teapot down, she suddenly asked, "You seem to mention Yao Tai a lot recently."

Li Qingwu paused, holding her cup, and looked at her hesitantly. "Are you... unhappy about it?"

"No," Qiu Che quickly replied, trying to hide her curiosity. "I just find it odd. How is it that you two became so close in such a short time?"

Li Qingwu smiled and took a small sip from her cup. "Maybe it’s just that we met too late."

"How do you mean?"

"I’ve always felt that Yao Tai has... some kind of trait that really draws me in," Li Qingwu said carefully. "She’s so free-spirited and carefree."

She was similar to Qiu Che in some ways, but to Li Qingwu, the feeling was completely different.

Qiu Che raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

Li Qingwu brought up a past incident. "Do you remember the thing with Yuan Fu? When I saw how she handled it, I couldn't help but cough, then I thought... She really doesn’t seem to care. The business at Hongxia, Zhao was hurt by her ‘loss of virtue,’ but she didn’t mind at all. I even asked her how she could be so... at ease."

"And what did she say?"

"She said," Li Qingwu paused, her face turning slightly red, "that after doing such things for so long, she just doesn’t feel anything anymore."

Yao Tai’s words had been more daring, she said it was just a matter of sharing a bed. It didn’t bother her since she had enjoyed it, and the other person was long dead, so she didn’t lose anything.

Li Qingwu was stunned into silence by Yao Tai’s shocking statement.

Yao Tai had teased her, saying, "What, blushing? Haven’t you ever done something like that? Oh, right, with your wooden-headed self, I guess you two haven’t even kissed yet, have you?"

Li Qingwu’s face immediately turned bright red.

She was composed and polite in every situation, but when it came to Qiu Che, she couldn’t help but blush, especially when it came to these matters.

Yao Tai had been even more surprised: "No way, really? You haven’t even kissed yet? After all this time... Can Qiu Che even do it?"

Li Qingwu stuttered, unsure of what to say.

She wasn’t sure whether Qiu Che had ever told anyone about her true gender. From how Yao Tai casually teased them, it seemed that she hadn’t.

At that moment, Li Qingwu didn’t dare explain, especially since they were both women. There was no real emotion between them, so it would be impossible to kiss or do anything like that.

But for some reason, she couldn’t stand hearing others speak ill of Qiu Che. She quickly changed the subject and asked, "So, with all that said, does that mean you have plenty of experience?"

"Aren’t you a courtesan?"

Yao Tai half-smiled and didn’t press further. She reclined on the chaise lounge, her tone playful as she responded, "Yes, so what? Being a courtesan just means I only sleep with men I choose."

Her words were bold, and Li Qingwu felt her ears redden as she stammered, "Why... Why do you do it like that? Don’t you have someone you care for?"

Yao Tai raised an eyebrow, confused. "What does that have to do with someone I care about?"

Li Qingwu's heart skipped a beat. She almost blurted out, "What do you mean by that?"

Did Yao Tai know that Qiu Che was a woman?

And what did she mean by "women, too"?

Was she just speaking casually, or was there something more?

Before Li Qingwu could let her mind wander too far, Yao Tai continued, "As for someone I like... I did once."

Li Qingwu snapped back to attention. "Huh?"

"We were in love, we wanted it to last forever, but... people change."

Li Qingwu stared at her, taken aback.

Yao Tai spoke with a languid, almost weary expression, unlike her usual bold and lively demeanor. There was a hint of sadness in her eyes.

But in the next instant, she shook it off, smiling with a calm expression. "But none of that matters anymore."

"I still believe in love," she said, gazing at the flowers in the courtyard. Her tone was slow. "I just don’t believe it’ll happen for me anymore."

Yao Tai turned to Li Qingwu with a knowing look. "But you still have a chance. Cherish the person in front of you."

"The Buddha says life is short, so enjoy it while you can. He also says love is fleeting and hard to last."

"But still, I wish you both lasting happiness."