In a moment of impulse, I forcibly kissed my brother's best friend.

A burst of gongs and drums erupted on the stage.

Ziwei stared longingly at the majestic Monkey King on the stage, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Little Swallow, I think I've met my true love."

"I've made up my mind." She took a deep breath. "I'm not going to be a princess anymore. I'm going to be the Jade Emperor—"

Marry him!

A wave of laughter erupted from the audience, followed by enthusiastic applause and cheers.

Two women were sitting in a secluded, ultra-luxurious private room on the third floor.

He had long, slender eyebrows and an imposing presence that made people afraid to look him in the eye.

Another person, dressed in a light purple belted Hu-style robe, looked languid and relaxed, resting his chin on his hand as he ate soft, fluffy pastries.

"Wanqing, what is the meaning of you calling me to see this today?" Madam Wu withdrew her gaze from the commotion below the stage.

"I heard you're constantly being nagged by a bunch of officials, so I naturally called you over to relax a bit." Xie Wanqing took a bite of a different flavor and chewed lazily.

Empress Wu gave a soft "humph".

"Those old fogies keep telling me to establish a crown prince as soon as possible. His Majesty isn't even dead yet—" Her voice turned colder, "and they're already in such a hurry."

She suddenly turned to look at Xie Wanqing, a sharp glint in her phoenix eyes: "Wanqing, who do you think should be chosen?"

Xie Wanqing choked on the pastry in her mouth. Wu handed her some tea, which she quickly took and drank a mouthful before she could swallow the soft, fluffy pastry.

She composed herself, stood up, gripped the horizontal bar in front of the VIP box with both hands, and glanced down at the noisy crowd below the stage.

When he looked back, he exuded an aura of dominance that seemed to conquer the world.

"Can't you be the one to take charge? Your sons will only squander the foundation laid by the late emperor for this prosperous era."

Wu's phoenix eyes sharpened, and her whole body trembled.

She suddenly stood up and looked intently at the center of the stage.

"Wanqing, what is the meaning of your summoning me to see this today?" She asked the same question again, this time with unprecedented seriousness.

"Throughout history, there has never been a woman who became emperor. Do you know why, sister?"

Wu turned to look at her.

Xie Wanqing didn't wait for her to answer and continued, "That's because from ancient times to the present, the power of discourse has always been in the hands of men. They bind women with etiquette and laws, and imprison them in their hearts with rules and regulations, thus confining women to the inner courtyards of their homes."

Her voice wasn't loud, but every word resonated like thunder.

"During the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, a hundred schools of thought contended. Emperor Qin Shi Huang used Legalism to unify the six states. Later, Emperor Wu of Han used Dong Zhongshu to reform Confucianism, 'dismissing all other schools of thought and exclusively honoring Confucianism,' a policy that continues to this day."

Xie Wanqing stood side by side with Wu Shi, both looking down at the audience.

"This shows that people's thoughts can change."

She stretched out her hand and pointed to the audience below the stage: "We can also seize the high ground in public opinion through ideological guidance."

Her voice suddenly rose, and her eyes sparkled.

"Doesn't my sister want to usher in an even more powerful and prosperous Tang Dynasty?"

"It conquered all nations, its power extended to the four seas, and all countries paid homage to it."

Wu remained silent for a long time.

She watched the lively, absurd plays on the stage downstairs, which captivated the young ladies and gentlemen in the audience.

The words, "The Jade Emperor's throne rotates, this year it's my turn," still seemed to echo in my ears.

If even the Heavenly Palace can change its masters, what about the mortal realm?

Her gaze suddenly hardened.

"Wanqing, would you be willing to help me?"

"No problem!" Xie Wanqing blinked lightly, gave a wink, and excitedly made an OK sign with her hand.

Although Wu was completely baffled by the strange language that occasionally popped out of her mouth, she understood her gestures and the light shining in those eyes.

She is willing.

Xie Yige walked out of the Shufangzhai Grand Theater, feeling dizzy.

The plot of "Princess Pearl" that she had just watched was so explosive that she felt like something incredible had been quietly implanted into her mind. Standing on the steps by the door, she even checked the program schedule for the next two days.

The Rise of Mulan, the Heroine.

"Ascending to the Clouds: The Top Scholar is Actually a Woman".

Xie Yige stared at it for a while; something was wrong!

She kept her head down the whole way, her mind racing, and had just reached the carriage.

"oops--"

A pair of long, strong hands reached out from behind the carriage curtain, grabbed her around the waist, and lifted her up, causing her to fall into a warm embrace.

"Xie Yige, you've even learned to abandon your husband and children. You didn't even wait for me and came all by yourself."

Cui Yutang looked at her with a resentful expression, his face full of grievance.

"My husband, you've worked hard." Xie Yige smiled and cupped his face, then leaned in and kissed him on the lips.

"Did your father call you to work again so early this morning?"

"Yes. He asked me to compile the solutions we proposed yesterday for solving the problem of people's difficulty in accessing medical care into a complete strategy so that he could present it to the Empress Dowager."

Cui Yutang buried his face in her chest and rubbed against her hard.

So soft, so fragrant. He finally felt relieved.

"My lady, why have you been inside for so long? What kind of opera are they performing in there?"

Xie Yige then vividly recounted the earth-shattering plot to him.

Cui Yutang listened attentively. He didn't smile, but his brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.

"Was it really written by your mother?"

"Yes, what Seventeen Sister said is definitely right."

Cui Yutang pursed his lips into a straight line.

"Descending to the mortal realm to undergo tribulations," "ascending to heaven," "the Jade Emperor," "making havoc in the Heavenly Palace"... these strange sayings, like fine needles, silenced him once again.

He thought of his mother-in-law's "M36 revolver" and the cold look in her eyes when she pulled the trigger.

The carriage slowly arrived at Chaoyi Villa, and Cui Yutang lifted her down in his arms.

"I won't let go."

"Then let's change the hug," Xie Yige said softly.

After hearing her request, Cui Yutang smiled in a cryptic manner.

Her face was flushed, her eyes were darting around, and she looked a little embarrassed and angry.

He immediately supported her buttocks with one hand, making her legs clamp around his waist, and pulled her tightly into his arms with the other hand.

"Why do you like it when I hold you like this?"

"I'm mainly afraid you'll drop me." Xie Yige tilted her head proudly.

Deep down, I felt a sweet warmth in my heart, thinking that being closer to him like this would allow me to feel his heartbeat. Holding him tightly made me feel very safe.

"I understand. My wife actually likes to be close to me."

"Don't get too cocky, hmph~"