The bright moon hangs high, beckoning him down from his pedestal.

Inside the Jiaofang Hall of the Great Zhou Imperial Palace.

At dinner time, the palace was brightly lit with candles, and the palace servants stood quietly in attendance.

Shen Wangxi was dressed in casual clothes, which made her look less like a warrior and more like a noble and elegant woman.

Wu Lanyun sat beside him, dressed in a crimson phoenix-tail dress, radiant and beautiful, though a hint of melancholy lingered between her brows and eyes.

She personally served Shen Wangxi a bowl of soup, her voice gentle: "Your Majesty, now that the capital has been established and the country is named Great Zhou, the Ministry of Rites has reported that the imperial genealogy must be revised as soon as possible to ensure proper legitimacy."

Shen Wangxi took the soup bowl, her fingertips lightly touching hers, and said in a gentle tone, "You've put your mind to this matter. Yi Nian has been granted the title of Prince of Xiaoyao, and A Yan has been granted the title of Princess Protector of the Nation. The Ministry of Rites has already drafted the relevant regulations."

Wulan Yun nodded, remained silent for a moment, and finally spoke softly, "What title does His Majesty intend to give Qingruo? After all, she is of royal blood; she can't remain without a formal title forever..."

As she spoke, she lowered her eyes slightly to conceal the emotions in them.

Wu Lanyun knew that as the legal mother, she should be magnanimous and not hold a grudge.

But the thought of the maid she brought back who ended up in her beloved husband's bed, and the child born from that incident, was like a thorn stuck in her heart, and even after more than a decade, she still harbored resentment.

Shen Wangxi looked at her lowered eyes. In the candlelight, her face was still bright and noble. Time seemed to have been exceptionally kind to her. However, the forced calmness in her expression betrayed her inner discontent.

He put down the soup bowl, reached out, and gently covered the back of her hand that was resting on the table.

"Ah Yun," he called her by her given name, his voice gentle, "it's just a title. If you feel it's inappropriate, there's no rush."

He looked at her, his gaze focused and indulgent: "If you don't want to see their names on the imperial genealogy, then we won't record them."

"Everything is as you wish."

Wulan Yun raised her head and met his eyes, which held a tenderness that was uniquely hers.

The knot in her heart loosened slightly, and a warm feeling rose within her, but she also felt a little guilty because of her secret calculations just now.

Wulan Yun grasped his hand in return and shook her head: "That's not what I meant, but there has to be an explanation."

"After all, she has called you Father for so many years..."

Shen Wangxi patted the back of her hand and said calmly, "Her identity is special. She was once a hostage. For now, she will retain the title of princess and reside in the palace."

"The matter of the imperial genealogy will be discussed later."

He neither explicitly said to input it nor not to input it, leaving the decision to time, or rather, to Wulan Yun's mood.

Wu Lanyun knew that this was her husband's thoughtfulness, not wanting her to worry about it. Looking at his still handsome face, the little bit of resentment in her heart faded away.

"Mmm," she responded, picked up her silver chopsticks again, picked up a piece of pastry for him, and her bright smile returned to her face.

"I will obey Your Majesty."

Shen Wangxi watched as her smile returned, a hint of relaxation flashing in her eyes.

To him, the entire world was perhaps not as important as the relaxed expression on the face of the person before him.

As for the nominal daughter, a princess title and a palace are enough to settle her.

-

Three days later, the palace was decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers, creating a festive atmosphere.

At the beginning of the new dynasty, His Majesty held a family banquet in the palace, which was also the day when the Empress and the two princes and princesses were officially recorded in the imperial genealogy.

Shen Qingruo's residence was named Qingyi Palace. Although the name was elegant, the location was not good. She sat in front of the dressing table and looked at herself in the mirror.

The maidservant chose a light blue belted long dress for her, and her black hair was tied into a simple bun, adorned with only a white jade hairpin and a few pearl silk flowers.

She was elegant and refined, yet amidst the bustling palace, she appeared too plain.

"Aruo, you're so beautiful," Xiao Jiu whispered in her mind, "like a tender willow in early spring, soft and clean."

Shen Qingruo smiled slightly but didn't say anything.

No matter how beautiful she is, she's always the one who gets forgotten.

As night fell, all was quiet outside Qingyi Palace, except for the faint sounds of string and wind instruments coming from afar.

There was no one speaking inside the hall, only two young palace maids standing quietly by the door.

"They've already started, haven't they?" Shen Qingruo walked to the window and pushed open the window shutter.

Outside the window, fine snow fell silently, covering the stone steps of the courtyard, creating a chilly atmosphere.

"Mmm," Xiao Jiu replied softly, "The banquet is being held in the Taiji Hall; it's very lively."

"Shen Wangxi, Wulan Yun, Shen Jingyan, and Shen Yinian are all here, along with many other members of the imperial clan and ministers."

Shen Qingruo gazed at the night sky and murmured, "Xiao Jiu, I thought I didn't care anymore."

But the dull, astringent feeling in my heart couldn't lie.

Both were his children, but Shen Yinian was granted the title of Prince of Xiaoyao, while Shen Jingyan was the unparalleled Princess Protector of the Nation.

Only she remained the Princess Qingruo, whose title was neither legitimate nor rightful.

Even now that she's been included in the imperial genealogy, no one remembers her; she's not even qualified to be included in his.

"Aruo..." Xiao Jiu's light sphere flickered worriedly in her mind.

"I'm fine," Shen Qingruo interrupted, opening the window wider to let the distant noise in more clearly.

She leaned against the window, listening quietly.

Separated by layers of palace walls and wind and snow, that bustling scene seemed like another world.

A world that has nothing to do with her.

Meanwhile, inside the Taiji Hall.

Shen Wangxi sat in the main seat, dressed in a black dragon-patterned robe, exuding a cool and noble air.

Ulan Yun, dressed in a bright red palace gown, sat beside him, her eyes smiling.

Shen Jingyan, sitting to the left of her parents, was flamboyant and eye-catching. She was raising a wine glass and chatting and laughing with several young generals, her spirits high.

Shen Yinian, dressed in an indigo brocade robe, sat a little further away, talking in hushed tones with a scholar-like man, looking relaxed.

The imperial relatives and high-ranking officials toasted each other, their words filled with flattery for the new dynasty and praise for His Majesty, the Empress, and the princes and princesses.

"The Princess Protector of the Nation is so valiant and spirited, quite like His Majesty in his prime!"

"His Highness the Carefree Prince is kind and humble, truly a blessing to the nation."

"His Majesty and His Majesty the Empress are a perfect couple, a model for the world..."

A scene of harmony and prosperity unfolds, and everything is renewed.

Shen Wangxi held her wine glass, seeing the smile on Wu Lanyun's face, seeing Shen Jingyan's smugness as she was surrounded by people, and seeing Shen Yinian's leisurely indifference.

He slowly drank the wine in his glass.

Everything was fine, just as he had wished, as stable, powerful, and orderly as the new Great Zhou Dynasty.

Inside Qingyi Palace, gusts of cold wind seeped in through the window cracks, making Shen Qingruo shiver. She hugged her arms tightly, feeling a bit cold.

"Aruo, shall we close the window?" Xiao Jiu suggested softly.

Shen Qingruo nodded and closed the window.

She knew she had to do something.

She hates being ignored again and again.