Such remarkable news, of course, could not remain known only to the nobility and high-ranking officials who had witnessed it firsthand.
The next issue of the Capital Weekly—arranged at once.
Even though the publication had long been considered too costly for the common folk, and up till now was mostly purchased by the gentry and the wealthier merchants of the capital, that did not matter anymore.
Tea house storytellers—arranged as well.
Yun Shu's written account was sent ahead to the capital by fast courier, delivered with all haste.
And so, by the time the hunting party returned to the city, Wang Zhongcheng had not yet stepped foot inside his residence when he began to hear murmurs on the streets.
"Did you hear? His Majesty actually agreed that if the Fifth Princess finds her future consort displeasing, she may choose to divorce him—or even dismiss him entirely!"
"What? Dismiss her husband? That can't be true! Where did you hear something like that?"
"Where else? That tea house, Yuanlai Teahouse. The storyteller wasn't telling tales today—he was reading from an article in the Capital Weekly."
"They say the Capital Weekly was founded by the Fifth Princess and the Sixth Prince themselves. Not only does it contain all sorts of amusing tales and novel happenings, but it even covers true stories from within the palace and noble households.
That news I just shared? It was written by the Fifth Princess herself—there's no way it could be false!"
"Gracious heavens… truly, fate plays its hand however it pleases!"
The last voice belonged to a woman in her forties. Though still relatively young, her hair had already turned silver.
As she rearranged the leftover embroidery in her basket, she sighed softly.
"Only someone as exalted as a princess could ever have the right to dismiss her husband…"
"Who says so?"
Perhaps it was because, among those present, she was the only one who had been selling her wares near the teahouse and caught a few words.
The first speaker puffed up their chest with visible pride.
"Wang Zhongcheng of the Censorate said it himself—the laws of our dynasty never once stated that women cannot dismiss their husbands!
Do you even know what the Censorate is? They're responsible for supervising all civil officials, even those of the Imperial family! If anyone dares act outside the bounds of the law, even a prince or princess cannot escape scrutiny!"
"So…"
The older woman paused, her hands frozen mid-motion. She stared blankly at the embroidery cloth in her hands, eyes unfocused.
"Women truly can dismiss their husbands?"
"Outrageous!"
A passing scholar, clearly of rigid temperament, overheard this exchange and could not help but interject with righteous fury.
"How can a woman be permitted to dismiss her husband? Do they not understand what it means to follow the virtue of womanhood? Such women are unfit to be wives or mothers!
This is a mockery of the natural order, a complete inversion of moral principle!"
Yes, yes—that was how it should be said.
Wang Zhongcheng, hearing this, felt a pleasant warmth spread through his chest.
Let the world hear just how absurd the Fifth Princess's demands truly were. She may have silenced him in court, but could she silence all under heaven?
Let the whole capital know how scandalous and disgraceful the Fifth Princess had been.
A slow, satisfied smile spread across his face—only to vanish in an instant as the scholar continued, voice rising in indignation.
"What nonsense is this Censorate? That Wang Zhongcheng is no more than a sycophantic lackey, currying favor where he can!"
Wang Zhongcheng: "…"
The smile froze on his lips, the bubbling satisfaction in his chest now turning to fury, yet he had nowhere to release it.
At that very moment, a loud thwack echoed from outside.
Someone had smashed a basket over the scholar's head.
"Have you gone mad?"
The scholar, who had been preaching with great passion about what he believed to be right, was caught entirely off guard.
The bamboo basket struck him squarely. Dazed and stung, he turned sharply, furious and eager to confront whoever dared lay hands on him.
But before he could even remove the basket from his head, another blow came crashing down.
"His Majesty, the Fifth Princess, and even that Lord Wang all said it—the laws of this dynasty have never forbidden a woman from dismissing her husband!
It's people like you, with your foul words and crooked hearts!
If not for the likes of you, my daughter would not have been beaten to death by that man she married!
And she was only a child, barely grown!
You call yourself a scholar? Bah! All you care about is your own manly pride, never the lives of women.
Your so-called sacred teachings—you've fed them all to the dogs!
If I were your mother, I'd be ashamed to have raised a creature like you!"
Wang Zhongcheng: "…"
He slowly drew his neck back into the shadows of the carriage.
Frightening. It was truly fortunate that the Fifth Princess had only used words in court that day and not her fists. Good heavens.
Where did that vicious old woman suddenly come from?
Even as he inwardly cursed her ferocity, Wang Zhongcheng could not help but lift the curtain just a little, peering through a narrow gap to get a look at the scene outside.
By then, the woman who had struck the scholar had been pulled back by her companions.
She struggled briefly, but could not break free. In the end, her legs gave out and she collapsed onto the ground, weeping bitterly.
"My poor little girl… married to a drunkard and gambler, beaten nearly every day. She begged for a separation, but he refused to let her go!
We went to the local constable for help, but all he said was that they don't interfere in family affairs!
My girl was pregnant—seven months along!
Even when she was being beaten to death, she still tried to protect her belly…
If we had only known then that she could have dismissed him… even if it cost me my life, I would've helped my daughter rid herself of that vile man!"
The woman's hair was streaked with white. Her sobs were heartrending, each word slicing into the hearts of those who listened.
Even Wang Zhongcheng, who had just moments ago been cursing her temper and ignorance, froze in place, the edge of the curtain still in his hand.
He, too, had a daughter at home.
If his daughter were ever…
No. He could not bear to think it.
His chest heaved violently, emotion surging up from a place he had long kept sealed.
That cloud of stifled resentment and frustration that had weighed on him for days now seemed to dissolve, just a little.
Perhaps…
Wang Zhongcheng pressed his lips together and chose not to think further.
Instead, he spoke to the coachman in a low voice.
"This road is blocked. Go around. Why are we still lingering here?"
"Yes, Lord."
The carriage slowly turned down another lane.
And as it pulled away, the deep-seated convictions that Wang Zhongcheng had clung to for decades were, without his realizing, quietly left behind—amid the fading wails of a grieving mother.
As for what transpired on Wang Zhongcheng's end, Yun Shu—now back in the palace—knew nothing of it.
Nor did she care.
At present, she was busy dealing with Yun Chuhuan, the endlessly energetic little pest.
"Fifth Sister, you're definitely leaving the palace tomorrow, aren't you?"
"Hmm…"
Following the autumn hunt, there was a day of rest before returning to studies.
Yun Shu did plan to leave the palace tomorrow for some errands, but she wasn't particularly keen on dragging Yun Chuhuan along.
"I'm heading to the Tang household first, then scouting a location for a new restaurant. Even if you come along, there's nothing fun to see."
"Oh, that's easy!"
Yun Chuhuan had already devised a plan.
"Fifth Sister, all you need to do is take me out of the palace. Once we're outside, I'll go find Ziming to play with. I won't get in your way at all!"
===
So, I recently returned to this novel and started re-reading it. When I came across the term "Father Emperor," I paused and thought, "Would 'Imperial Father' sound better?" That curiosity led me to dig deeper into the term 父皇 (Fù Huáng).
After doing some research, I decided to keep translated it as "Father Emperor." And yes, don't worry, that's actually the correct and contextually accurate choice.
Here's what I found:
The difference between Father Emperor and Imperial Father isn't about physical location (like whether they're speaking inside or outside the court), but more about tone, formality, and narrative perspective.
You might have noticed that in the last 10 chapters, I've been using both Father Emperor and Imperial Father—this is why. I've also gone back and updated the entire novel, from chapter 1 to the latest, to keep things consistent.
1. Father Emperor (父皇, Fù Huáng)
Direct and personal.
Used most often by princes and princesses when speaking to their father, regardless of setting.
Works in both private and public conversations when the tone is emotional or familial.
It reflects how they would address him verbally, even in court.
Example used in dialogue:
"Replying to Father Emperor, your daughter has indeed decided."
2.Imperial Father
Narrative or formal tone in English.
Often used in third-person narration, inner thoughts, or ceremonial writing.
Not how they would typically address him out loud, but how someone might refer to him when thinking or speaking about him to others.
Example used in narration:
Only when Yun Shu and Yun Chuhuan heard his voice did they realize their Imperial Father had come. Both quickly set down their bowls and stood up.
So in summary:
"Father Emperor" = what their children say in dialogue.
"Imperial Father" = what others call or refer to him in more formal narration or ceremonial language.