When the Emperor summoned her, Grand Preceptor Ye had no reason to keep her back. Yun Shu soon made her way from the Upper Study Hall to the imperial study. But she didn't come alone. This time, she brought Yun Chuhuan with her.
Inside, upon hearing that Yun Chuhuan had come as well, Emperor Xuanwu's eyes flickered with something unspoken—though he said nothing aloud. Instead, he simply ordered the guards to let them in.
"Your daughter greets Father Emperor," Yun Shu said with a graceful bow.
"Rise."
Emperor Xuanwu's voice was calm as it carried from his seat above.
"We summoned you today because Lord Li has something he wishes to clarify."
Though the matter at hand was clearly an impeachment, the Emperor had chosen to phrase it differently—something merely needing to be "clarified."
This subtle shift in tone did not go unnoticed.
It was an obvious attempt at shielding her. Several court officials lowered their gazes and kept quiet, feigning disinterest.
Only Li Xianyun remained indignant.
If not for the Fifth Princess, his wife—who had endured for so many years—would never have suddenly demanded a divorce.
If not for the Fifth Princess, he wouldn't have become the laughingstock of the capital.
Everything was her doing. And now the Emperor wanted to cover for her?
Not if he had anything to say about it.
So the Emperor wanted clarity? Fine. He would ask his questions in front of the entire court—until even the Emperor could no longer defend her.
With that thought, Li Xianyun took a step forward.
"This humble official does have a question for Her Highness the Fifth Princess. I ask that she respond truthfully."
"Lord Li, speak freely," Yun Shu said with an air of pure innocence. "We shall answer whatever we can."
"We thank Your Highness."
Li Xianyun gave a small, cold bow, then said slowly:
"Is it true that the Capital Weekly was founded by Your Highness?"
"You're mistaken, Lord Li!" Yun Chuhuan cut in before Yun Shu could speak. "The Capital Weekly was founded by me and my Fifth Sister together!"
He couldn't help but speak up.
After all, he had only agreed to co-create the paper in the first place so his name would be attached to it.
But over the past month, every issue had been dominated by the wildly popular Young Master Cao Is Deeply Devoted series and all those bitter tragic romances penned by Yun Shu. The public had completely forgotten he even existed.
Whenever the Capital Weekly was mentioned, all anyone ever talked about was the Fifth Princess.
He was already stewing over how to get his name out there again—and now Li Xianyun had the nerve to pretend the paper had nothing to do with him?
Of course he couldn't stay silent.
Li Xianyun, who had been certain of his footing just moments before, was briefly stunned by the Sixth Prince's sudden interjection.
After a pause, he tried again, changing the phrasing.
"Then… are we to assume that all content printed in the Capital Weekly is ultimately decided by Her Highness the Fifth Princess?"
"Wrong again," Yun Chuhuan said proudly, tilting his chin up. "Those decisions are made jointly between me and my Fifth Sister."
He straightened his sleeves and added, "Granted, she used to make the final call. But starting with today's issue and every issue moving forward, I shall personally review and approve every article alongside her!"
Li Xianyun: "...!"
Had the Sixth Prince lost his mind?
This wasn't some lucrative business from the heavens. Why was he so eager to throw himself into the fire?
If it were only the Emperor showing favoritism, Li Xianyun still believed he had a chance. After all, unless a ruler was utterly despotic, he couldn't just ignore his officials' voices entirely.
But now, the Sixth Prince had joined in?
This changed everything.
Everyone knew who stood behind Yun Chuhuan—Left Minister Liu Yankun, that old fox with decades of political entrenchment and a power base that ran deep. Cunning, calculating, and dangerous.
With the Left Minister and his faction sure to rally in defense, combined with an already-biased Emperor…
If his impeachment succeeded now, pigs would fly.
Still, knowing the odds was one thing—swallowing the loss was another.
Li Xianyun gritted his teeth and pressed on.
"Do the two of Your Highnesses know that the final article in today's issue may be construed as reckless commentary on court officials, even a potential leak of state matters?"
"Is that not too grave an accusation, Lord Li?" Yun Shu finally spoke again, placing a gentle hand on the Sixth Prince's arm to stop him from speaking.
She tilted her head slightly, the picture of an innocent and naïve young princess.
"Have I made any direct remarks about any official in that article?" she asked, voice mild.
"…No," Li Xianyun admitted after a pause.
"But you wrote about internal court affairs," he pressed. "The article concerns court officials, and as a result, the public is now gossiping about the integrity of said officials!"
"Ah, so according to Lord Li, your impeachment of me is now considered a court secret?" Yun Shu blinked, then turned toward her Imperial Father, her expression adorably confused.
"Father Emperor, did We truly reveal classified information?"
"…No." Xuanwu Di's lip twitched. "That imp! She was putting on quite the act."
Still, his face remained stern and regal as he replied, "This does not qualify as a state secret."
"Oh, thank goodness!" Yun Shu let out a visible breath of relief. "If it isn't confidential, then there's no issue, is there?"
She looked back to Li Xianyun with wide, guileless eyes.
"Besides, Lord Li, when you submitted your impeachment, didn't you march openly into the palace with your memorial? You weren't exactly keeping it secret then—why act like it's forbidden knowledge now?"
She paused, then added with a puzzled frown, "And wasn't this matter about me too? Surely I have the right to respond publicly?
Come to think of it, I've written about Sixth Brother before too!" she added brightly. "By your reasoning, did I recklessly comment on princes and princesses as well?"
She turned to Yun Chuhuan beside her and asked, eyes wide with mock sincerity, "Sixth Brother, do you mind?"
"Of course not!" Yun Chuhuan said quickly, finally catching on to her rhythm. He even shot back his own question with a grin.
"Fifth Sister, do you mind?"
Yun Shu shrugged. "I don't mind either."
"Well then," Yun Chuhuan said slowly, mimicking the drawl he had heard from their Imperial Father when fining him a hundred taels of gold, "if neither of us minds…"
He turned back toward Li Xianyun.
"Lord Li, are you saying you're more important than a prince or princess?"
The implication landed like thunder.
Li Xianyun paled and hastily bowed. "This humble official would never dare!"
"Then why can't we write about it?" Yun Shu muttered just loud enough for everyone to hear.
"Is it because someone's conscience is guilty and they're afraid of being found out?"
Li Xianyun: "…"
Emperor Xuanwu: "…"
All the officials: "…"
Well, wasn't that the truth?
Abandoning his wife for a favored concubine, driving her to demand a divorce—and then blaming it all on the Fifth Princess rather than taking responsibility.
He should have known better than to pick a fight with Her Highness.
Instead, she had turned around and laid everything bare for the entire capital to see.
Tsk. No face left at all—not inside the court or out.
===
In traditional Chinese (and other East Asian) imperial governments, there were often two high-ranking officials known as the:
Left Minister (左相 / 左丞相 / 左僕射)
Right Minister (右相 / 右丞相 / 右僕射)
These titles often existed under a Chancellor or Prime Minister system, especially in dynasties like the Tang and Song.
The Left Minister and Right Minister were usually: Equal in rank (both are top ministers); Divided in duties or symbolic hierarchy based on direction (left vs. right); Sometimes, Left was slightly more prestigious, since in traditional Chinese philosophy, the left side was considered more honored than the right
This is rooted in Confucian ritual rankings. For example, in court ceremonies, the left side (from the emperor's perspective) was considered the higher position.
Their Roles:
Left Minister: Often oversaw civil or central administrative matters, like personnel, education, law, or court records.
Right Minister: Might focus on military, public works, or supporting roles in governance.
But keep in mind: the exact roles vary by dynasty, and in fiction, authors sometimes adjust titles to fit their world-building.