The Tyrant’s Drama Queen Empress

CHAPTER 57: You Tsundere

　　When Shen Kangzheng received news from the Palace that the Emperor, Xie Yuanxun, was planning to host a polo match, his long-dampened mood instantly lifted.

　　If he remembered correctly, his legitimate son Shen Jinxiu was quite skilled at this sport. He himself could no longer take the field, but Shen Jinxiu could step in and perform well. If Xie Yuanxun noticed him, there might even be a reward. At the very least, it would show those officials who had been distancing themselves that he hadn’t “fallen out of favor” just yet.

　　Especially after hearing the subtle, not-so-subtle remarks floating around the Court. People saying he had no shame, that “he clearly has a bad relationship with his daughter, Bao Fei, yet still shamelessly flaunts her influence.” Others would add, “They’re still father and daughter. Even if a child shouldn’t speak ill of their parents, the fact that her relationship with the Shen family is this strained… maybe she suffered quite a bit while living there.”

　　When Shen Kangzheng first heard those words, he was furious.

　　Losing something after having it once was far more painful than never having it at all. He had already tasted what it felt like to be flattered and placed on a pedestal. Now that he had fallen from that height, how could he possibly accept it?

　　Late at night, he had even considered that his daughter Shen Ling might hold resentment toward them and could no longer be relied on. Should he send Shen Xi into the Palace instead?

　　But he quickly dismissed the idea. It wasn’t out of concern for Shen Xi. It was simply because there was no guarantee she would be favored the way Shen Ling had been. Back when Shen Ling was granted the titles of Shen Guiren and Bao Fei by Xie Yuanxun, it had completely exceeded his expectations.

　　On top of that, Shen Xi had once been proposed for marriage under Madam Jiang’s arrangements. Her reputation was no longer as spotless as before. Shen Kangzheng had no intention of provoking Xie Yuanxun over something like that.

　　There was also a deeper reason. Shen Jinxiu cared deeply for Shen Xi, so much so that he would even talk back to both him and Madam Jiang for her sake. Shen Kangzheng only had this one son. He could afford to neglect a daughter, but he could never afford to disregard Shen Jinxiu.

　　To outsiders, Shen Kangzheng seemed deeply devoted to Madam Jiang. He left the entire inner household, including the concubines, in her hands and never interfered with her management. But only he himself knew the truth. His feelings for her were nowhere near as deep as people believed.

　　Back when he was studying for the imperial examinations, he had stayed up countless nights, pushing himself to the limit. His body hadn’t collapsed, but a physician had once quietly told him that his chances of having many children were slim.

　　He never told anyone about this. The reason he married Madam Jiang, aside from her family background, was also because the women in her family were known for bearing many children after marriage.

　　When Madam Jiang gave birth to Shen Jinxiu, Shen Kangzheng finally let out a huge sigh of relief. At least the Shen family now had an heir, someone to carry on the line, instead of everything he built ending up in the hands of some distant branch after his death.

　　As for her second child, whether it was his biological daughter Shen Ling or the switched Shen Xi, he simply didn’t care anymore.

　　Every now and then, Shen Kangzheng would visit his concubines, hoping one of them might become pregnant like Madam Jiang had. Unfortunately, after all these years, his number of children remained pitifully small. He gradually gave up on the idea of having another son. Instead, he put on a show of deep affection toward Madam Jiang. Even if outsiders found it strange that he had so few heirs, they would only place the blame on her.

　　He might not love Madam Jiang as much as people believed, but he cared deeply about Shen Jinxiu. If not for the fear of driving a wedge between father and son, after hearing from Madam Jiang about Shen Xi and Shen Jinxiu, he would have already gotten rid of Shen Xi.

　　Shen Kangzheng shook his head, pushing those thoughts aside. Right now, the most important thing was to inform Shen Jinxiu and have him prepare to perform well in the upcoming polo match in front of Xie Yuanxun.

　　Shen Kangzheng returned to the Shen Manor by carriage. Once inside his study, he ordered a servant to summon Shen Jinxiu, only to be told that Shen Jinxiu had been invited away by Xue Yunshi.

　　He waved the servant off, his brows knitting slightly as he muttered to himself, “Is Jinxiu getting a little too close to Marquis Xue?” With no one else in the study, his question naturally went unanswered.

　　After arranging dinner, Madam Jiang sent Nanny Zheng to invite Shen Kangzheng over. He set down his brush and said, “Got it. Go tell Madam I’ll be there in a quarter of an hour.”

　　“Yes, Master,” Nanny Zheng replied.

　　A quarter of an hour later, Shen Kangzheng stepped out of the study. Glancing toward Madam Jiang’s main courtyard, he asked, “Has Jinxiu gone over there yet?”

　　The servant replied, “No, Young Master is in his own courtyard.”

　　Shen Kangzheng changed direction and headed straight for Shen Jinxiu’s courtyard. Just as he reached the entrance, he saw Shen Xi’s personal maid, Caixia, walking out with a flushed face.

　　His eyes narrowed. The moment Caixia saw him, the redness drained from her face, turning deathly pale. “M… Master.”

　　Shen Kangzheng swept his gaze around. There were very few servants in the courtyard. At first, he had thought Shen Jinxiu simply wanted some quiet to read or handle matters, but seeing Caixia here, a certain suspicion had already formed in his mind.

　　“Is Xi’er inside?” he asked. It sounded like a question, but his tone was flat and certain.

　　Cold sweat broke out on Caixia’s forehead. “Y… yes… Miss is inside…”

　　Shen Kangzheng’s expression darkened. “Get lost.”

　　Caixia hurriedly fled. Shen Kangzheng then instructed the servants behind him, “All of you wait outside. Don’t follow me in.”

　　Only then did Shen Kangzheng step into the courtyard. Through the window, he could hear Shen Jinxiu and Shen Xi talking inside. Mixed in were Shen Xi’s soft, broken protests, “Don’t…”, “Stop, this isn’t right…”, “Someone might see…” Words that easily stirred the imagination.

　　As someone who had long since seen the world, how could Shen Kangzheng not understand what they were doing in there? He pushed the door open and strode in, only to see Shen Jinxiu holding Shen Xi in his arms. A beauty by his side, sleeves brushing, her lips slightly damp, her cheeks flushed, both of them clearly caught up in the moment.

　　Shen Kangzheng’s expression twisted with anger. “Outrageous! Jinxiu, what do you think you’re doing!” His gaze shot toward Shen Xi, filled with displeasure.

　　Shen Xi froze. She hadn’t expected to be caught like this. Shen Jinxiu had only just returned to the Manor, and she had come over with Caixia, bringing him some porridge to get closer to him again. No matter how much she wanted to marry him, being seen in such an intimate position by Shen Kangzheng left her burning with shame.

　　She quickly slipped out of Shen Jinxiu’s arms, lowering her head. “Father…”

　　“Get out!” Shen Kangzheng barked.

　　“Father!” Shen Jinxiu called out.

　　Beside him, Shen Xi was quietly sobbing. Shen Jinxiu looked straight at Shen Kangzheng and said, “A gentleman knows what should and shouldn’t be said. If you really want someone to get out, you should be saying it to me, not to Xi’er, a defenseless young woman.”

　　Shen Kangzheng’s face darkened. Shen Jinxiu turned to Shen Xi and softened his tone. “Xi’er, go find Mother first. We’ll come later.”

　　Shen Xi nodded. “Mm.”

　　Her eyes were red as she left, but the moment she stepped outside, a shadow flickered across her gaze. Her hands clenched tightly. She would endure this. One day, she would marry Shen Jinxiu. When she became the mistress of the Shen household and took control of its affairs, she would make sure to repay every bit of humiliation she had suffered during this time.

　　Inside the room, Shen Kangzheng and Shen Jinxiu faced off in silence. After a while, seeing not the slightest trace of remorse on his son’s face, Shen Kangzheng snapped, “I know you like her, but outsiders don’t! If what you two were doing alone in this room today gets out, how do you think the Capital will look at you? At our Shen family?!”

　　Shen Jinxiu replied calmly, “Everyone knows Xi’er is your adopted daughter. Even if I marry her, it won’t violate any moral boundaries.”    

　　Shen Kangzheng snapped, “But you haven’t married her yet! Your mother and I haven’t agreed either!”

　　“And even if she is our adopted daughter, so what?” he continued sharply. “Do you really think that kind of status is enough for her to become your wife? This is absurd! I expect you to marry someone of equal standing, not a girl with the blood of some countryside peasant woman running through her veins! If we marry her off, we could at least use it to form an alliance. What’s the benefit of you marrying her? Do you want to be laughed at?”

　　Shen Jinxiu replied in a low, steady voice, “No one will laugh at me. As long as I stand high enough, they won’t dare.”

　　Shen Kangzheng’s expression shifted, uncertain. “What do you mean by that?”

　　Shen Jinxiu didn’t reveal his plans with Xue Yunshi. Instead, he brushed it off with a vague answer. “Our family has produced a Bao Fei. Who would dare laugh at me?”

　　“Yes, we have a Bao Fei,” Shen Kangzheng shot back, “but she’s not on our side! She’s already distanced herself from us! How could people not laugh? Do you think she’ll speak up for you, for us?”

　　If anything, Shen Ling would probably be the first to enjoy watching them make fools of themselves.

　　Shen Jinxiu looked at Shen Kangzheng’s furious expression and said calmly, “Father, the Shen family’s glory won’t come from her. It will come from me.”

　　Shen Kangzheng didn’t take his words to heart. “Since you insist on keeping Xi’er by your side, then take her in as a noble concubine. As for your main wife, that will be someone else. That’s my bottom line. Otherwise, given your mother’s attitude, Xi’er might not even get the status of a noble concubine.”

　　Shen Jinxiu’s expression turned unreadable. He didn’t bother arguing against Shen Kangzheng’s stubbornness. Once his plans with Xue Yunshi succeeded and he became a meritorious figure of the new regime, Shen Kangzheng would naturally stop interfering in his matters with Shen Xi.

　　Wasn’t Shen Ling the same? Ever since she became a Bao Fei, Shen Kangzheng’s attitude toward her had completely changed. At home, he practically praised her nonstop. If she could do it, so could he.

　　Shen Kangzheng led Shen Jinxiu toward the main courtyard. Along the way, he said, “In a couple of days, His Majesty will be holding a polo match in the Palace. I’ve heard he’ll be playing himself. Since you’re skilled at it, you should take the field as well.”   

　　“We can’t rely on Ling’er anymore,” Shen Kangzheng said. “This just happens to be a good opportunity. If you perform well, you might gain His Majesty’s favor.”

　　Shen Jinxiu had already heard about it from Xue Yunshi. Hearing his father’s reminder, he let out a cold laugh. “Favor? You mean the kind where you could die without even knowing how?”

　　Shen Kangzheng’s expression changed instantly. “Jinxiu!” he hissed, lowering his voice. “How dare you say something like that? That’s disrespecting His Majesty!”

　　Shen Jinxiu didn’t back down. “Why wouldn’t I dare? Isn’t he cruel? Doesn’t he have blood on his hands? Doesn’t he act without restraint? How many officials and nobles have already died by his hand? Which part of what I said is wrong? Working under him, who can be sure he won’t suddenly go mad and start killing? Father, aren’t you afraid? Do you really think he’s a wise ruler?”

　　Shen Kangzheng stared at him. If he still couldn’t sense something was off, then all his years of living had been for nothing.

　　His voice trembled. “Y… what are you implying?” he asked in a hushed tone. “If, as you say, he’s not a wise ruler, then who is? You dare speak such treasonous words… are you trying to get our entire clan executed?!”

　　Shen Jinxiu spoke slowly, each word measured. “A tyrant like him, if he truly wants to wipe out a clan, even those who keep their heads down and follow the rules won’t be spared.”

　　“No one wants to live every day under a tyrant, always on edge, afraid for their life.”

　　Shen Kangzheng looked at him seriously. He had to admit, Shen Jinxiu’s words struck straight at his heart. “Yes… no one wants to die.”

　　His mind raced, trying to figure out who around Shen Jinxiu had planted this idea of wanting His Majesty to step down. Shen Kangzheng didn’t dare think that Shen Jinxiu himself meant regicide, but as he ran through everyone close to him, his expression grew colder and colder.

　　Shen Jinxiu smiled. “Looks like you’ve figured it out.”

　　Shen Kangzheng froze. The only person he could pinpoint was Xue Yunshi, the Marquis Xue. It wasn’t that he was overreacting, but Xue Yunshi’s position was delicate—sensitive in some ways, not in others. Shen Kangzheng had read history; he knew full well that in previous dynasties, the prince consort had tried to rebel and seize the throne. Xue Yunshi wasn’t a prince consort, but he was the child of a Princess and a prince consort.

　　So… they were planning a coup? Shen Jinxiu intended to push Xue Yunshi onto the throne? Shen Kangzheng felt his blood run cold.

　　His throat tightened, leaving him unable to speak. Shen Jinxiu seemed to sense his thoughts and simply nodded. “Exactly as you think.”

　　Shen Jinxiu spoke as if to himself, “Marquis Xue has prepared thoroughly. He’s the one I recognize as a wise ruler. You know his character, Father. Putting him in power is far better than letting a bloodthirsty tyrant sit on the throne. My ambitions can only be realized under a wise ruler.”

　　After a long pause, Shen Kangzheng said, “Today, I heard nothing. You told me nothing.” In matters of this magnitude, he couldn’t risk dragging the whole Shen household into trouble. If Shen Jinxiu succeeded, that would be best. As for Shen Ling, she was ungrateful. Relying on her was less reliable than relying on Shen Jinxiu, but if things went wrong, the Bao Fei position could still serve as a backup, someone who could beg the Emperor on Shen Jinxiu’s behalf.

　　Shen Jinxiu nodded, “Understood.”

　　Later, even at the dining table, Shen Kangzheng was in a daze. When he changed clothes for bed that evening, Madam Jiang tried to bring up Shen Xi, but he had no interest.

　　Madam Jiang said, “I feel that Xi’er is becoming less and less well-mannered. At dinner today, she ate so restlessly. Right in front of us, she was flirting with Jinxiu. Watching it made me upset. Master, aren’t you going to say something?”

　　Shen Kangzheng replied, “What flirting? I didn’t see any of that. She behaved perfectly. You’re just biased against her. If Jinxiu wants her, let him have her. He knows what he’s doing.”

　　Madam Jiang was surprised, “You…”

　　“Weren’t you, like me, against them being together? Why the change of heart now?”

　　Shen Kangzheng said, “You don’t need to worry. Young people have their own thoughts. We’re the elders. As long as they don’t stray from the right path, why should we put on a bad face? Xi’er has been raised under your care all these years. Could you really bear to marry her off?”

　　Madam Jiang wanted to say she could, but seeing that Shen Kangzheng was clearly set on letting them handle their own affairs, she didn’t want to go against him. She didn’t know why his attitude had changed so drastically, but she was sure he wouldn’t harm Shen Jinxiu.

　　So she gritted her teeth and said, “I’ll follow your lead, Master. If you say I shouldn’t interfere, then I won’t. After all, children will have their own luck.”

　　Shen Kangzheng closed his eyes, “Exactly. Also, if Jinxiu ever asks for silver in the future, just give it to him. Don’t ask why.”

　　Madam Jiang smiled, “Alright, I won’t ask.” She didn’t mention that he had already asked her for several large sums of silver.

　　After the candlelight flickered out, the entire room fell into darkness. Madam Jiang quietly turned her head, eyes open, lost in thought. She wondered what Shen Xi had done to make Shen Kangzheng agree. Little did she realize, it had nothing to do with Shen Xi at all. It was entirely because Shen Jinxiu had stirred up something so huge that it left Shen Kangzheng completely shaken, and Shen Xi’s little matters no longer mattered in comparison.

　　......

　　Shen Ling sat at the desk, brush in hand, practicing her calligraphy. Her strokes were gradually taking on Xie Yuanxun’s style. Once she filled the last sheet, she set the brush down and compared her work with his, nodding in satisfaction.

　　So it’s true what they say: strict teachers make top students. Even her sloppy, dog-paddling writing had turned this pretty. No wonder teachers always complained that poor grades weren’t because the students were dumb, but because they didn’t work hard enough. Shen Ling used to scoff at that, but now, looking back at the stacks of papers she’d already filled, she felt almost… happy enough to cry. As long as you don’t die from learning, throw yourself into it. The process is brutal, but the result shines bright. That’s the real “inspirational speech.”

　　Shen Ling clasped her chest, sighing.

　　—Damn, I’ve really sunk so low that I’m feeding myself motivational speeches.

　　—This is so frustrating!

　　But what else could she do? Even knowing it was just motivational nonsense, she had to force it down. Otherwise, was she supposed to sit and dwell on her misery? No way she was going to turn into some sobbing martyr.

　　“Smack.” Xie Yuanxun tossed over a folded ¹memorial. “Smack, smack, smack——” and then a whole bunch more landed in front of her.

　　Seeing Shen Ling frozen and clueless, he said, “Why are you spacing out? Once your writing’s done, start reviewing these memorials.”

　　“You haven’t even looked at a single one?” Shen Ling flipped through them, expressionless.

　　“I haven’t. I saved them all for you,” Xie Yuanxun replied.

　　“...I refuse.”

　　“Refusal is invalid.”

　　—What? Invalid? Oh, great. Fantastic!

　　—I’ve already eaten, drank, and slept alongside you, and that’s still not enough. Now you want me to review all your memorials for you too? I’ve done everything, what more do you want from me!

　　—Damn it, I just want to grab your head and shake it!

　　Shen Ling was in a foul mood, especially seeing that huge stack of memorials Xie Yuanxun had thrown onto the desk. She felt like she was about to give up on life entirely.

　　—No wonder he had me practice copying his handwriting. He just wanted me to waste my time reviewing all these memorials for him. Seriously, so infuriating.

　　—Are all those ministers blind? How could they not notice that even though my handwriting looks like his, there’s still a difference!

　　Sigh… even if the ministers could see it, Shen Ling figured they wouldn’t dare say anything. Sometimes it’s safer to notice and stay silent.

　　Shen Ling decided to make one last stubborn move. She raised her arm weakly, stretching out her hand and said in a delicate, powerless tone, “Your Majesty, my hands are so tired. I don’t want to move. Don’t make me review them. Can you just massage them for me?”

　　—I’m acting all weak and helpless, don’t you want to come fuss over me, rub my hands, and give me a hug? You’re probably thinking right now, ‘My little darling is tired, why make her review anything? Not reviewing!’ As long as you say not to, I definitely won’t do it, so hurry and pity me already!

　　—Who made me such an obedient little thing?

　　Xie Yuanxun said, “One character reviewed, one hundred taels of silver.”

　　Shen Ling pulled her hands back and said shyly, “Your Majesty, you’re so annoying. We get along so well, why are you even talking about silver?”

　　Xie Yuanxun snorted. His tone was full of, ‘Ha, I still have you under control, little brat.’

　　Shen Ling lowered her head and rolled her eyes.

　　—You stubborn tsundere.

　　—I already said I don’t want silver, and you insist on giving it anyway. What can I do? I’m just an innocent, poor soul being bombarded with silver by you.

　　Xie Yuanxun: “…” When did she ever say she didn’t want it? Poor soul, huh? He didn’t see any of that. All he noticed was her grinning so wide her teeth showed.

　　Shen Ling was completely unaware of Xie Yuanxun's resentment towards her. She picked up her brush and started flipping through the memorials. If it was a routine memorial paying respects, she would write her notes straight away. If it was something important, she would read it aloud to Xie Yuanxun, and whatever decision he made, she would mark it down exactly as he wanted.

________________

Glossary:

¹Memorials & Reports for the Emperor

☘️ Memorial (奏折, zòuzhé / 表, biǎo) – A formal written report submitted to the Emperor by officials, usually concerning governance, requests, or policy matters.

☘️ 折 (zhé) – A folded report or document, often concise, submitted for the Emperor’s review.

☘️ 表 (biǎo) – Another type of formal report, sometimes more detailed than a “折,” often used for petitions or recommendations.

☘️ 请安折 (qǐng’ān zhé) – A ceremonial report submitted by an official or subordinate to greet or show respect to the Emperor.

☘️ 上奏 (shàngzòu) – The act of submitting a memorial to the Emperor.

☘️ 落批 (luòpī) – The Emperor’s written approval, comment, or directive added to a memorial after review.

☘️ 复折 (fùzhé) – A reply memorial, where the Emperor’s response or instructions are written for further action.

☘️ 呈 (chéng) – To present a memorial or document formally to the Emperor.

☘️ 批示 (pīshì) – An official directive or comment from the Emperor regarding a submitted memorial.

☘️ 重事折 (zhòngshì zhé) – Memorials concerning major affairs, such as taxation, military, or state policy, which often required careful deliberation.

☘️ 奏事 (zòushì) – Matters or issues reported to the Emperor via memorials.

☘️ 皇批 (huángpī) – The Emperor’s personal comment, approval, or instruction written directly on a memorial.

☘️ 上书 (shàngshū) – The act of submitting a written report or petition to the Emperor, sometimes used more broadly for any official document.

☘️ 密折 (mìzhé) – Secret or confidential memorials sent directly to the Emperor, bypassing regular channels.

…..

T/N: Omg, I seriously hate translating anything about the Shen family or Xue Yunshi. Tsk, they’re so shameless that I just want Xie Yuanxun to send them straight to the afterlife. 🤣 The whole Shen family is an absolute mess of shamelessness! They literally have no shame, and Xue Yunshi is just the icing on the chaos cake.

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