Ch 70: Is There Really Such a Good Thing? [QT]

Whether or not Fang Yunxuan would bring them benefits in the future remained uncertain, but one thing was clear: the lives of women in the capital had already improved significantly.

Fang Yunxuan’s contributions to the nation and its people inspired widespread admiration and respect. Her achievements made people marvel at her abilities, often exclaiming how capable a woman could be. Many women, encouraged by her example, began to imagine brighter futures for their own daughters, wondering if they too might one day achieve greatness.

Fang Yunxuan’s story spread far and wide, with some details exaggerated over time. It was said that she and her brother were twins, born amidst a sky filled with colorful clouds and blooming flowers—a miraculous scene befitting such a legendary woman. Rumors also claimed her mother died early, her maternal family was wiped out, and her father revealed his cruel and heartless nature by marrying a vicious stepmother who mistreated the siblings. They narrowly escaped death several times, surviving only because of their kindhearted grandparents. Even so, Fang Jun had to be sent away for safety, leaving Fang Yunxuan to endure bullying from her younger siblings, frequent illnesses, and a life more pitiful than a servant girl’s.

Thankfully, Fang Yunxuan’s strong character turned adversity into a test from heaven. Denied proper books by her father and stepmother, she turned to miscellaneous readings, deriving wisdom and knowledge from them. When the Emperor recognized her extraordinary qualities and brought her into the palace, she finally had the opportunity to shine, inventing numerous innovations that benefited the country and its people.

As Fang Yunxuan’s reputation grew, the Shen family’s name deteriorated. Even rural farmers knew of the Shen family’s cruelty, bullying the Fang siblings for over a decade, driving them to change their surname to Fang in protest. People saw the Shen family as blind to their blessings, believing they deserved to miss out on the glory brought by their children.

This tale served as a wake-up call, reminding families to treat their children well, regardless of gender or parentage. Many began to imagine a future where even daughters could bring honor and prosperity. Parents became kinder in their daily interactions, and the practice of selling daughters decreased noticeably. The lives of young girls visibly improved, a change even Fang Yunxuan hadn’t anticipated she would inspire.

Fang Yunxuan’s actions also had a broader impact. She ordered Su Shi (former Madam Li) and Li Su to divorce, exposed Li Su’s crimes, and had him executed. She severed ties with her biological father and took her mother’s surname after their divorce.

These actions showed women they could stand up to abusive husbands and seek justice for their grievances. Many women began to walk taller, and some noblewomen even sought Fang Yunxuan’s help.

A fourth-rank official’s wife came to her, pleading for assistance. Her husband lived extravagantly, squandered their wealth, seized her dowry, and secretly lent money at usurious rates under her name. Fearing both her husband and the law, she begged Fang Yunxuan to help her reclaim her dowry and obtain a divorce.

Usury was a crime, and for an official to knowingly engage in it was even worse. Fang Yunxuan reported the case to the Emperor, who uncovered the official’s misdeeds and punished him accordingly. Fang Yunxuan then ensured the wife reclaimed her dowry and finalized the divorce.

Grateful beyond words, the woman later returned to the palace with a gift list to thank Fang Yunxuan. Placing the gift at the palace gates, she insisted Fang Yunxuan accept it.

Fang Yunxuan paused before laughing. “The world is unfair to women. You may need this in the future—keep it for yourself. Look around—there is nothing I lack. I didn’t help you for a reward. I only hope more women can have a second chance at life.”

The woman, deeply moved, replied, “Imperial Consort, your righteousness is truly admirable. Rest assured, my maternal family treats me well, and my future will not be difficult. This gift is my heartfelt token of gratitude. Please accept it—even if you don’t need it, you could use it to reward others.”

Seeing her determination, Fang Yunxuan relented. “Very well. Since this matter stemmed from extravagance, let’s donate this gift to the border troops. May it serve as a reminder to practice frugality. If others are inspired to contribute to the borderlands, it will be a blessing for the soldiers.”

The woman enthusiastically agreed and spread the word about Fang Yunxuan’s generosity. She rallied her relatives and friends, leading by example with significant donations. Seeing this, other noble families followed suit, unwilling to be left behind in a movement initiated by Imperial Consort Xian.

Suddenly, a wave of donations swept through the capital. Bit by bit, the contributions added up to a substantial amount. The Emperor promptly converted the funds into supplies for the border and praised the donors by name during court, visibly pleased.

Previously, some officials thought Fang Yunxuan meddled excessively, even intervening in marital disputes and encouraging donations. But when they were publicly commended by the Emperor, their attitudes changed entirely. They beamed with pride, realizing that earning the Emperor’s favor made their contributions worthwhile. Who knew? Their generosity might even pave the way for future promotions!

The second round of donations soon began, with the Emperor assigning officials to manage the process. Not only would these funds support the ongoing war, but the system could also be utilized for future natural disasters and crises. Clear rules and rewards were established to prevent any misconduct.

Imperial Consort Xian’s reputation reached new heights. Families previously known for their extravagant lifestyles began to take notice of the border conflict and curbed their excesses. The capital’s atmosphere became more modest, with even casual conversations adopting a more refined tone.

Before long, the woman Fang Yunxuan had helped remarried, this time to a man of integrity. Her new life was visibly happy, with her radiant complexion and frequent smiles at social events catching the attention of many women. They realized that an unhappy marriage didn’t have to be a lifelong sentence—there was indeed a chance to start anew and find happiness.

While most women still chose to hide their marital troubles to protect their children, reputation, or family, a growing number of those unable to endure their situations began seeking Fang Yunxuan’s help.

Fang Yunxuan treated each case with care, ensuring a thorough investigation. If a woman lied to harm her husband, she would not intervene. However, if a woman was genuinely wronged, determined to divorce, and prepared to face the consequences, Fang Yunxuan would inform the Emperor and arrange for the separation.

Initially, many men ridiculed her for meddling and deemed her actions improper. Over time, however, men from harmonious households began to take pride in their behavior. “Cultivate oneself, manage the family, govern the state, and bring peace to the world”—a man who mistreated his wife to the point she sought divorce was clearly failing at managing his own home. How could such a man handle greater responsibilities?

Now, men complaining about their wives in public were no longer met with sympathy but with mockery. Some even joked that if they didn’t treat their wives better, they’d face divorce.

Whether this actually improved marital dynamics, the gradual shift in attitudes among men marked a significant starting point. Fang Yunxuan didn’t know how far she could advance women’s rights in her lifetime, but she resolved to do as much as she could. She hoped women could, like her, find the chance to stand tall, live in peace, and embrace happiness. Her vision was for women to live freely and cheerfully, unshackled by oppressive traditions, as they did in the other worlds she remembered.

To achieve this, she adopted a gradual, non-confrontational approach, planting seeds of change in people’s minds. Even if she couldn’t accomplish everything, she hoped her efforts would one day lead to a transformative societal shift.

Fang Yunxuan’s reputation continued to flourish, and she managed her role as consort with remarkable skill. With no palace intrigue to worry about, the Emperor focused entirely on governance. Supported by Prime Minister Yuan, Fang Jun, and other capable individuals, he implemented numerous policies that steadily improved the nation. His authority grew, and he increasingly resembled the wise ruler Fang Yunxuan remembered from her past life.

Fang Jun also excelled, achieving remarkable success within just half a year. His promotion of cowpox vaccination and fish farming in rice fields yielded impressive results nationwide. Smallpox cases dropped to less than 1% of the previous year, and rice harvests in areas using fish farming increased by 20%, providing additional food for the populace and significantly reducing starvation.

These accomplishments earned Fang Jun a promotion to the fourth rank, making him the youngest and fastest-rising official of that level in the dynasty.

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As the year-end festivities approached, the capital buzzed with excitement. However, trouble erupted at the border.

Shao Kun reported via an urgent dispatch that they had fallen into an ambush and been lured away from their base, resulting in the destruction of a large stockpile of grain. He admitted fault and requested reinforcements and additional supplies. The disaster originated from a grave error made by Shen Yu, the third son of the Shen family.

Upon arriving at the border, Shen Yu had presented a letter from Shao Kun’s father, claiming Shao Kun was his brother-in-law and expecting special treatment. He also mentioned another sister in the palace, a favored consort.

Shao Kun might have ignored a lesser relative but couldn’t disregard the brother of a favored consort. Though Shen Yu proved overconfident and incompetent, Shao Kun reluctantly assigned him as a scout responsible for gathering enemy intelligence.

Initially, Shen Yu performed adequately. However, when a rival earned a promotion for a successful mission, Shen Yu became envious and reckless. Upon discovering seemingly reliable intelligence about enemy grain stores, he hastily acted without consulting Shao Kun. Leveraging his connection to Shao Kun, he misled a group of soldiers into accompanying him to destroy the grain.

The enemy had anticipated this and set a trap. Shen Yu’s team suffered heavy casualties, and he returned to camp, badly injured, with a few survivors seeking help. Unfortunately, among those he brought back was an enemy soldier disguised in blood-soaked clothes, who later set fire to a large portion of their grain stores during the rescue mission.

The Emperor was furious. During the morning court session, he ordered the ministers to deliberate on the matter and, unusually, allowed Shen Xiuyuan to attend.

Shen Xiuyuan initially thought this was a sign of the Emperor’s favor and hoped for reinstatement, perhaps believing Fang Yunxuan had spoken on his behalf. However, his joy quickly turned to despair when he realized he had been summoned because of his youngest son’s catastrophic blunder.

Shen Xiuyuan’s face turned as pale as paper, and he quickly knelt to plead for forgiveness, his voice trembling. “Your Majesty, I have failed to discipline my son. Please punish me as you see fit.”

The Emperor’s voice was icy. “Shen Yu has been a troublemaker since childhood, prone to bullying his elder sister, incorrigible, and disobedient. You dared to exploit familial ties to insert him into the military! Shao Kun mentioned that Shen Yu is Imperial Consort Xian’s brother—does this mean your Shen family is using her name to commit misdeeds?”

The accusation was grave. Despite the cold weather, sweat dripped from Shen Xiuyuan’s face onto the floor. All he could do was repeatedly say, “It is my fault, Your Majesty. Please punish me.”

With a wave of the Emperor’s hand, Li Defu brought out an imperial decree, reading aloud Shen Xiuyuan’s numerous administrative failings over the years. The decree emphasized his poor character, lack of fatherly discipline, and especially the current offense of knowingly sending Shen Yu, an unfit individual, into the military under the guise of Imperial Consort Xian’s name. This act showed a blatant disregard for the war effort, the soldiers, and the welfare of the nation. The Emperor deemed it unforgivable and stripped Shen Xiuyuan of his official position, reducing his entire family to commoners.

Madam Liu fainted upon hearing the news. Losing her noble title and being reduced to a commoner was a fate ten times worse than Shen Yunrong’s supposed dream. She could not bear it.

Shao Kun was also at fault in this matter. However, as he was still needed to lead troops against the enemy, his punishment was deferred, with orders to atone for his mistakes through military merit.

When Shen Yunrong heard this, she was stunned. If Shao Kun had to “atone for his mistakes,” it meant he wouldn’t be promoted, even if he achieved great merit. Did this mean she would continue living her current life for many years? Some noblewomen’s head maids likely lived more comfortably than she did. That scoundrel Shen Yu! How could he implicate Shao Kun like this? If she had known, she would never have agreed to let Shen Yu go, no matter how much her family begged.

For the first time, Madam Shao lost her composure and scolded Shen Yunrong. It was the Shen family that ruined Shao Kun, tarnishing the Shao family’s reputation. Madam Shao had regretted the marriage swap countless times before, but never as much as now.

Why had she agreed to the swap? If Shen Yunxuan had married into the Shao family, her abilities would have elevated their standing. Achievements like cowpox vaccination, rice-fish farming, accounting methods, and farming tools—if associated with the Shao family—could have brought immense glory and support to Shao Kun. Such accomplishments might have even led to a marquis title or prime ministership.

Even without such achievements, Shen Yunxuan would never have caused harm to Shao Kun, disgraced the Shao family during their wedding, or sent her brother to the border to create chaos.

It was all Shen Yunrong’s fault! Since she entered the Shao household, nothing had gone smoothly, and even Madam Shao and her husband had lived in misery. If she had known things would turn out this way, she would never have agreed to the swap, even if it cost her life.

Shen Yunrong, however, refused to take the blame. She pointed out that when the Shen family asked Old Master Shao to write the letter for Shen Yu, he agreed without hesitation, not considering it a significant matter. The responsibility lay entirely with the Shen family and Old Master Shao—it had nothing to do with her. She even criticized Old Master Shao for his poor judgment in writing the letter.

Already in poor health, Old Master Shao fell ill under the stress of his son’s misfortune and his daughter-in-law’s accusations. Still angry, Shen Yunrong quarreled with her in-laws before returning to the Shen family to demand compensation of several thousand taels of silver. But with the Shen family now relying on their remaining assets to survive, Madam Liu refused, instead blaming Shen Yunrong for her misleading “dream.” She claimed that if not for this “dream,” Shen Yu wouldn’t have fled home and gone to the battlefield at such a young age.

The mother and daughter argued fiercely but ensured no outsiders overheard their words. In the end, they parted on bad terms, with neither gaining anything.

Yet, within days, their argument spread throughout the city, and thieves broke into their storeroom, stealing a significant amount.

Shocked and panicked, Madam Liu investigated the source of the leak, eventually discovering that a maid named Qingju, who had been picking beads in her courtyard that day, had overheard them. Qingju had since disappeared with her belongings. Enraged, Madam Liu sent servants to track her down. They eventually captured Qingju, silenced her by mutilating her tongue, and sold her off.

Meanwhile, Shen Xiuyuan and Shen Ming demanded to know the truth about the “dream.” In anger, Madam Liu recounted everything Shen Yunrong had told her, claiming she only agreed to the swap out of fear that the Shen family would meet a tragic end. She had gone to great lengths to send Shen Yunxuan to the palace and push her sons to succeed.

But it was all a lie. None of it matched the dream, and everything had gone wrong. Madam Liu wanted to confront Shen Yunrong and demand she plead with the Shao family to help Shen Ming. With the Shen family’s current state, their only hope lay in Shen Ming’s academic potential.

However, Shen Ming stopped her. “The family has fallen, and our most prominent relative is my sister. If we confront or pressure her, we will cut off our last hope. It would be wiser to wait and repair the relationship later, so we might ask for her help in the future.”

Though Madam Liu hated Shen Yunrong deeply, she acknowledged Shen Ming’s reasoning. She turned her pleas toward sparing Shen Yu from severe punishment.

Shen Yu’s actions, however, were grave. Misled by the enemy, he had acted on false information, misused his connection to Shao Kun, and led troops into a disastrous ambush, causing heavy casualties. Furthermore, in his panicked retreat, he inadvertently brought an enemy spy into the camp, resulting in the loss of a large grain supply.

The severity of his crimes left no room for leniency. The Emperor ordered that Shen Yu be punished with 200 military lashes, carried out in the camp.

The military rod was extremely heavy, and Shen Yu couldn’t even endure fifty strokes. Two hundred strokes were clearly a death sentence. The punishment, carried out in the barracks, served both as justice for the soldiers and a stark warning to others. On the battlefield, countless lives were lost in an instant; such recklessness could not be tolerated.

When Madam Liu heard the decree, she fainted and remained unconscious for three days. Upon waking, she immediately requested to enter the palace to meet Fang Yunxuan.

Fang Yunxuan was puzzled. “She wants to see me? For what? To plead for Shen Yu? The imperial decree has been issued; it cannot be changed. Coming to me is useless.”

Curious about Madam Liu’s intentions, Fang Yunxuan agreed to meet her. To her surprise, Madam Liu, seeing the familiar faces of Qinglan and others from the Shen household, began bluntly: “Imperial Consort Xian, you are now a favored consort of the palace, admired and esteemed. But if the Emperor learned that you were once betrothed to Shao Kun, do you think he would still favor you?

You might not know this, but Qingju overheard my conversation with Shen Yunrong and spread it around. Now, everyone knows you switched marriages back then. But if you agree to save Shen Yu’s life, I will claim it was all my madness, and none of it ever happened. What do you say?”

Madam Liu spoke quickly, her eyes unblinking, desperate for Fang Yunxuan’s agreement. She was even willing to ruin her own reputation, be deemed insane, or sent to a nunnery—anything to save her beloved youngest son.

Fang Yunxuan finally understood her scheme and let out a chuckle. “Shen Yu deserves his punishment. I will not plead for him. Leave now.”

As Qinglan stepped forward to escort Madam Liu out, she added in a panic, “You don’t care about yourself, but what about your children? If the Emperor is displeased, your children will lose his favor too. Are you willing to harm them? And Shen Yu is your biological brother. How can you watch him die? Are you going to let him die?”

Fang Yunxuan laughed again, this time coldly. “Look at your three children. You’re in no position to teach me how to be a mother. As for Shen Yu,” her expression hardened, “it was you who ruined him. For years, every time he bullied me, you feigned punishment and enabled his behavior. That’s why he became so reckless, leading to this tragic end. If he lives, who will answer for the innocent soldiers who died because of him?”

Qingmei covered Madam Liu’s mouth, and she and Qinglan dragged her out. With her last chance gone, Madam Liu collapsed into tears, finally regretting her years of indulgence toward Shen Yu and mistreatment of Fang Yunxuan. If she had disciplined Shen Yu and treated Fang Yunxuan better, Shen Yu might now be her greatest support, just like Fang Jun.

This disturbance did not escape Qin Mama’s notice. She was surprised to learn about this part of Fang Yunxuan’s past and worriedly reminded Qinglan and the others to keep silent. Fang Yunxuan, however, smiled and said, “The Emperor has known about it for a long time.”

Qin Mama was even more astonished but felt reassured. If the Emperor already knew and nothing had changed, it wasn’t an issue. She was glad the two of them had such a strong bond.

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Ultimately, Shen Yu succumbed to his injuries from the military punishment. Shen Xiuyuan fell gravely ill, while Madam Liu suffered from constant headaches and required increased doses of medication. The Shen family relocated to a small estate on the outskirts of the capital, reducing their household staff and expenses. Immersed in their grief, the once-proud family became a shadow of its former self. The oppressive silence suffocated Shen Ming, who couldn’t help but think how different things would be if Fang Yunxuan had never entered the palace or if Fang Jun hadn’t returned to the capital.

Soon, however, news broke that Fang Jun had requested to go to the border. The Emperor granted him 3,000 elite soldiers to escort supplies to the front lines. Within two months, multiple victories were reported. People learned that the 3,000 troops were equipped with the latest firearms, and under Fang Jun’s leadership, they were invincible on the battlefield. Even more astonishing was Fang Jun’s mastery of military strategy, allowing him to win several battles against overwhelming odds and quickly reverse the military’s dire situation.

From that point on, Shao Kun’s name was never mentioned again. All the glory belonged to Fang Jun, making it nearly impossible for Shao Kun to redeem himself.

Old master Shao, who had held on for so long, realized his son’s future was bleak. Blaming himself for writing the letter that led to Shen Yu’s placement in the military, he succumbed to his guilt and passed away.

With Shao Kun already disgraced, his father gone, and Fang Jun firmly in control at the border, the Emperor ordered Shao Kun to return to the capital for mourning leave.

When Shen Yunrong heard this, she couldn’t believe it. She confronted Madam Shao, demanding, “This can’t be true, right? Shao Kun is fighting for the court. How could they order him back for mourning? Fang Jun has only been at the border for a short time—how could he replace him? Isn’t Shao Kun supposed to be irreplaceable?”

“Shut your mouth!” Madam Shao snapped, her eyes red with anger. “No one in the court is irreplaceable! Stop spouting nonsense that will harm our family!”

Madam Shao’s voice cracked as she continued, “If it weren’t for you blaming my husband for writing that letter, he wouldn’t have been so consumed by guilt. You’ve brought nothing but misfortune to this family. Get out of this mourning hall!”

Shen Yunrong sneered, “He wrote the letter himself, and Shao Kun willingly took in Shen Yu. Don’t pin this on me. Since I married into this family, I’ve been mistreated daily. Do you want me to go to my sister and request a divorce? I could expose everything you’ve done to the world and let them see what kind of malicious mother-in-law you are and how Shao Kun has tormented his wife!”

“You—!” Madam Shao, overwhelmed with rage, collapsed in the mourning hall. Shen Yunrong’s expression shifted, and she refrained from escalating further, retreating to her quarters. She had only mentioned Fang Yunxuan to frighten Madam Shao, not daring to actually seek her out. Shen Yu’s death was proof that Fang Yunxuan wouldn’t help them.

Now truly at an impasse, Shen Yunrong deeply regretted her choices. If she had gone directly to the palace upon her rebirth or followed Fang Yunxuan’s original path after marrying into the Shao family, she might have become a marquis’s wife.

Instead, her meddling had caused her in-laws to resent her, Shao Kun to lose his military position, and the Shao family’s downfall. Would Shao Kun even have a chance to rebuild his career? How could she ever recreate the happiness Fang Yunxuan had in her previous life?

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