"Your daughter greets Father Emperor. May Father Emperor live ten thousand years!"
Yun Shu walked into the grand hall as if she were striding down a red carpet runway. She passed through the ministers aligned on either side of the palace path, each one turning their head in perfect unison to watch her. Her bearing was relaxed, almost casual.
It was as if she had not just entered the Xuan Zheng Hall, the very brain of the Tian Sheng Dynasty, but some quiet garden path in the Imperial Garden.
Even the tone of her greeting carried a certain brightness and ease.
Emperor Xuanwu's eyelid twitched. He couldn't shake the feeling that the entire atmosphere of the court had grown… less solemn the moment this little scoundrel stepped in.
But the timing was ill-suited for a reprimand. All he could do was speak mildly.
"Rise. Did you hear what was said outside the hall just now?"
"Replying to Father Emperor, your daughter caught every word without missing a single one."
Yun Shu straightened with perfect formality and cupped her hands.
"May Father Emperor grant this daughter a chance to persuade the court ministers."
Emperor Xuanwu: "..."
Why did this feel more and more like something was amiss?
Had this little rascal not promised just yesterday that she would not go looking for trouble?
She certainly didn't look like someone who intended to stay quiet and behave.
Still, she should know her limits.
Let those old fossils flail about a bit.
In less than three seconds, Emperor Xuanwu had convinced himself. He gave a small nod.
"Very well."
"Many thanks to Father Emperor!"
With a clear, spirited voice, she offered her thanks, then turned with a swish of her sleeve. One simple raised brow brimmed with arrogance and mischief.
"Which esteemed ministers were it who believed This Princess unfit to serve as President of the Merchants' Association?"
"It was this official who said so!"
Censor Liu was the first to step out, unable to restrain himself.
The officials from the Censorate were, by nature, watchdogs of the court.
Put simply: their job was to pick faults.
If anyone in office made a misstep—they would impeach them.
If a minister's son caused trouble—they would impeach.
Even imperial princes and princesses—if their conduct did not meet imperial standards—they would impeach without hesitation.
In short, whether the matter was grave or trivial, if they saw something they didn't like, a memorial of censure would appear on the Emperor's desk by morning.
Censor Liu had served in this role for nearly thirty years. His instinct to nitpick was practically engraved into his bones. It was only natural he found Yun Shu's cocky, flamboyant demeanor insufferable.
Yun Shu had already been impeached by him more than once. So when a familiar face stepped forward once more, she did not even blink.
"Censor Liu, is it? And what reason do you have for believing This Princess is unfit?"
"Precisely because the Princess is still studying in the Imperial Academy alongside the Sixth Prince. That is why this official believes the Princess cannot shoulder such a responsibility."
Censors were not cowards. Not even in front of a princess would they hold back.
With an aloof expression, Censor Liu bore the manner of a scholar too refined to associate with someone so lacking in virtue or talent.
Yun Shu, however, was not offended. She merely chuckled softly.
"Now that is an interesting stance. If This Princess recalls correctly—when Censor Liu was twenty, you wished to sit for the imperial examination. But your tutor advised against it, saying your knowledge was insufficient and that you should study for three more years."
She spoke slowly, her tone light.
"But Censor Liu was stubborn. You refused to listen. In the end, your tutor had no choice but to report the matter to your father. Your father chased you through the entire household with a sandal, and still couldn't get you to give up on the exam. So he finally locked you in the house out of sheer frustration."
Yun Shu's eyes gleamed with mischief as she watched his face begin to flush.
"But you still managed to crawl out through the dog flap and sat for the exam. By sheer luck, you passed the provincial exam, and later the palace exam…And now here you stand."
She raised her brow, smile sharp.
"The same situation—told to study more, refused to yield. Yet now, you claim This Princess is unfit to serve in court for the very same reason. Is it because you went through it yourself and now project your past onto others?
But Censor Liu, you have already served in court for over three decades.
Are you saying that all these thirty years…you've merely been muddling through, deceiving His Majesty?"
"I never—!"
Censor Liu tried to speak, but as soon as he lifted his head, he found Emperor Xuanwu staring at him coldly.
Frightened, he dropped to his knees at once.
"Your Majesty is wise! Ever since this official entered court, I have served with utmost diligence, never once daring to slacken. I have never deceived Your Majesty!"
"Then by your own words, all your duties were carried out well?" Yun Shu's voice drifted lazily from behind.
Though he understood her trap, Censor Liu could only follow along.
"Naturally!"
"Then it seems studying longer does not preclude one from serving in court."
With the first loud opponent struck down, Yun Shu turned her gaze to another official who had declared that never in Tian Sheng's history had a princess served in court. His tone had dripped with disdain for women.
"This one… let This Princess think. Assistant Minister of Justice, Lord Song, is it not?"
She smiled faintly.
"This Princess heard your esteemed mother was born to a military family. Raised on the frontier, she possessed a fierceness uncommon in the capital's ladies."
Yun Shu's voice remained calm and measured.
"When Lord Song was young, you were quite the troublemaker. At age seven, you offended the wrong group. While relieving yourself, they lit firecrackers beneath the latrine and blew it to pieces—"
Gasps.
Even decades later, those near Lord Song instinctively edged away.
Song daren's face flushed red, exactly like Censor Liu before him.
Yun Shu, however, was far from finished.
"Upon hearing of the matter, your esteemed mother did not immediately seek revenge. Instead, she investigated the cause, found that you had started the fight, and beat you so thoroughly you couldn't leave your bed for three months.
It was only after that incident that you began to mend your ways and avoided growing into a complete hooligan."
She smiled gently, her words barbed.
"Could it be because of that experience that Lord Song now believes women should remain in the inner chambers, raising children, and not appear in court?
But from where This Princess stands, a woman of such clarity and judgment as your esteemed mother… might very well outperform you if she had been appointed to the Ministry of Justice.
After all, even you were raised and disciplined entirely by her hand."
"You—!"
Song daren, just exposed with an utterly humiliating childhood memory, looked both stunned and livid. His mind a whirlwind, he could not even form a rebuttal.
Yun Shu's lips curved slightly, another opponent silenced. Her lazy gaze flicked past him, eyes twinkling as if in search of the next target whose past she might unearth.
===
The Role of the Censorate (御史台, yùshǐtái)
No discussion of the Heavenly Court would be complete without mentioning the Censorate (御史台, yùshǐtái), a unique body of officials tasked with supervising the rest of the bureaucracy. The censors were the emperor's eyes and ears, charged with monitoring the behavior of officials, investigating corruption, and ensuring that the laws were enforced fairly. Fearless and incorruptible, censors could even critique the emperor himself, though such boldness was not without risk. Their role was essential in maintaining the moral integrity of the court, acting as guardians of justice and accountability.
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The Ministry of Justice (刑部, xíngbù) was one of the six ministries in imperial China and played a crucial role in overseeing legal and judicial matters throughout the empire. Its primary responsibilities included handling criminal law, overseeing courts, administering justice, and managing the punishment of criminals. Although the ministry had extensive authority, it did not have the final say on the most serious cases, as those could be reviewed by the emperor or the Grand Court of Revision (大理寺, dàlǐsì).
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