Chapter 58

Yun Yaoyao was left speechless.

Logically speaking, shouldn’t a hostage prince who had been abandoned feel resentful, desperately strive to build up his power, rise from the ashes, and then return home in triumph to make them pay?

Oh, right. He was a yandere. Yanderes generally didn’t think like normal people.

“Then spend the rest of your life rotting away in Xiwang Palace!” Yun Yaoyao said coldly.

“Rotting ​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‍away…” Huyan Muk’s ethereal eyes suddenly lit up with excitement. “I’m already nothing more than a puddle of rotten mud. Those words suit me perfectly!”

“Thank you, Your Majesty, for allowing me to rot away in Xiwang Palace.” Huyan Muk sincerely bowed to Yun Yaoyao.

Just then, the woman who had only just been coaxed back into her room by the maid rushed out again, waving her hairpin wildly.

“Jin’er, I’ve thought of something! I’ll offer you to His Majesty. Have him come see me. A day as husband and wife creates a hundred days of affection—he wouldn’t be so cruel to me!”

The maid failed to grab hold of her in time, and the woman’s hairpin slashed across Huyan Muk’s hand. Blood beaded on his pale, slender arm.

The maid hurriedly dragged the woman back into the room.

Huyan Muk froze for a moment. Then he quickly brought over the fish food, dipped it into his own blood, and carefully used every last drop.

The fish food turned an even brighter red before he scattered it into the lake.

“Fish, rot and stink away with me.”

His gentle voice was warm—and horrifying.

Yun Yaoyao: “…”

A profound sense of helplessness welled up inside her.

Yun Yaoyao tried her best to communicate with him from a yandere’s perspective.

“Huyan Muk, what fun is there in rotting away all by yourself? It would be much more interesting to drag the entire Xiongnu into the whirlpool and have them rot and stink away with you.”

Huyan Muk seriously considered this. “That is true.”

Before Yun Yaoyao could continue brainwashing him, he smiled.

“But that would fulfill Your Majesty’s wishes. I don’t like that. I want everyone to stink and rot away with me.”

Ah, so this was what it meant to be a stubborn contrarian!

Yun Yaoyao countered, “Then why don’t you make the Empress Dowager rot away with you?”

Huyan Muk gave her the polite expression one reserved for a fool.

“She treats me as her son. That’s why I’m able to live with her and enjoy a comfortable life in the imperial palace. If I made her rot and stink away, I’d have no choice but to return to the Cold Palace, where I’d be bullied and starved.”

“A person has to stay alive before they can rot and stink away.”

Yun Yaoyao: You’re surprisingly clever for a damned yandere!

“Aren’t you afraid that I’ll kill you?” Yun Yaoyao asked.

She watched with her own eyes as another strange, intense excitement began to flicker in his gaze.

“No. If I could truly experience death, I would long for it.”

The two stared intensely at each other, eyes locked in a contest of big eyes against little eyes. For a moment, Yun Yaoyao was rendered completely speechless.

Just as the gears in her brilliant mind began to turn, his gentle and polite voice sounded again.

“Your Majesty, I’ve changed my mind.”

“Your Majesty, come see me once every three days and spend a little time talking with me each time. After you’ve come five times, I’ll agree to go to the Xiongnu and stir them into chaos for you.”

“Fine.” Yun Yaoyao rose to her feet.

The Xiongnu king had given her half a month, which was exactly enough time. Was Huyan Muk truly heartless, or was his gentle innocence merely an act?

She would know after probing him for half a month.

Without the slightest reluctance, Yun Yaoyao turned and left.

The doors of Xiwang Palace closed once more. Huyan Muk lowered his head, his pale fingertips repeatedly twirling a strand of black hair as he murmured to himself,

“It seems that beneath His Majesty’s current body resides another soul…”

Before long, Yun Yaoyao arrived at Yunning Palace, a box of pastries still in hand. She strode in with great enthusiasm.

“My beloved consort, I’m here!”

She pushed open the door and immediately saw the beauty sitting at his desk, working with complete concentration. His cool, dignified presence was dazzling.

As expected of a former tyrant. She had thought he would still be in a foul mood, but apparently he had already moved past his emotions and was earnestly getting to work.

Yun Yaoyao plopped down beside Tu Shanjin and pushed the pastries toward him.

“Want some?”

Tu Shanjin set down his brush. His gaze fell on the top of Yun Yaoyao’s head, and he naturally reached out to remove a fallen leaf caught in her hair.

Then he accepted a pastry and began eating with elegant, aristocratic composure.

Yun Yaoyao’s gaze fell on the sheets of xuan paper spread across the desk.

After leisurely finishing one pastry, Tu Shanjin explained, “The first products from the papermaking and printing workshops have been very well received—better than I expected, in fact. The museum has also received an excellent response.”

“Therefore, I wish to build a library as well.”

“A library?”

“That’s right. Its collection should cover a wide range of subjects. It should include scholarly works, such as the Four Books and Five Classics, as well as practical books on medicine, tools, farming implements, sowing, and so on. Anything that can enlighten the people, promote culture, or improve their skills should be included.”

“It will be open to the public free of charge. However, anyone who borrows books to read privately will have to pay a fee. If the books are returned on time and without damage, the fee will be refunded.”

After listening, Yun Yaoyao was somewhat surprised. Wasn’t this essentially the ancient equivalent of a modern library?

Tu Shanjin was not only capable; his vision was remarkable as well.

Yun Yaoyao praised him sincerely. “Tu Shanjin, you’re truly becoming a wise ruler.”

She laughed proudly twice. “I taught you well, after all!”

“…”

Forget it. She had always been this confident.

“What do you think?” Tu Shanjin asked.

Yun Yaoyao thought for a moment before adding, “There should be a section in the library dedicated to books for women.”

“As far as I know, most of the books available to women in this era are things like Admonitions for Women, The Commandments for Women, and Instructions for Women. They emphasize the Three Obediences and Four Virtues, the husband’s authority over the wife, and the idea that women should stay home to manage the household and care for the elderly and children, never venturing beyond the inner quarters. These beliefs are already deeply ingrained in many people. Abolishing them directly and forcefully would be unrealistic.”

“So we should compile new books for women. There should be entertaining stories like Mulan, as well as books that teach women how to establish themselves and live with dignity. We need to awaken more women to the idea of independence.”

Tu Shanjin said, “Then the compilation of these books can be assigned to the Hanlin Academy.”

Yun Yaoyao shook her head. “Only women can truly understand the constraints and hardships of being a woman. The books for women must be compiled by educated women who have already developed an awareness of their own rights.”

“Guan Wanyu and Ning Ying would both be suitable. They’ve been in the palace for some time now. It’s time to give them an opportunity and appoint them as officials in the imperial court.”

Tu Shanjin continued, “The capital is prosperous in both culture and commerce, and many people there can read. But the other capitals are not like this. If libraries are built in those cities as well, literacy among the people will be a major challenge.”

“Therefore, I plan to build a smaller literacy center beside each library. Every day, teachers will instruct students in simple, basic characters. Anyone who wishes to learn will be welcome.”

Yun Yaoyao gave him a thumbs-up. “Magnificent!”

She had nearly forgotten that this was ancient times. Many impoverished people couldn’t even read.

Yet even poor families understood the saying, “Of all pursuits, studying is the most noble.” Once the libraries and literacy centers were established, how many people’s destinies would be changed?

They would first establish the first large-scale library in the capital, then build more in every city of Yan Chi.

They would expand outward from a single point until the entire land of Yan Chi was covered. Whether they were impoverished scholars struggling to pursue an education, ordinary people trapped in ignorance, or women—anyone who wished to learn would have the opportunity.

The torch of civilization can then be passed down and developed. In the long run, it will do even more to advance the productivity of the entire Yan Chi!

And now is precisely the time when the improved papermaking and printing techniques have just been introduced—a perfect opportunity to make a fortune. If we don’t build them now, when will we?

Once these two projects are completed, Yun Yaoyao didn’t even dare imagine how popular she would become among the people.

Another day spent working toward her image as the “god” of the Yan Chi Dynasty!

Yun Yaoyao patted Tu Shanjin on the shoulder and encouraged him, “Capable people have to shoulder more responsibility. I’ll leave the library and literacy school to you as well. They’ll still be named after you.”

“Let’s go!!”

Tu Shanjin looked puzzled. “What does ‘let’s go’ mean?”

Yun Yaoyao explained, “It’s a phrase from our Underworld. It means to work hard and strive forward.”

Tu Shanjin understood and said calmly, “Then I shall ‘let’s go.’ You should ‘let’s go’ with the Book of Life and Death as well.”

Yun Yaoyao struggled to hold back her laughter. “All right. Let’s ‘let’s go’ together!”