The Empress Dowager's gnarled fingers tapped lightly against the dragon-carved armrest of the throne. Her sharp gaze swept across the room before finally settling on Ji Yunxi.
"Since the Eldest Princess insists on proving herself," the Empress Dowager's voice was calm yet commanding, "then let it be so. A test shall decide your worth."
Ji Xinyue immediately rose to her knees. "Imperial Grandmother, is this necessary? Elder Sister's health—"
"Enough!" The Empress Dowager's glare silenced her instantly. "If the Eldest Princess cannot even endure a trial, then she truly has no place near the throne."
Ji Yunxi's lips curved into a serene smile. "I thank Imperial Grandmother for this opportunity."
The ministers exchanged wary glances. A test before the court? This would not just decide the princess's image—it could shift the balance of power in the entire empire.
By afternoon, the palace courtyard was transformed. Long tables were set with scrolls, ink, abacuses, and maps. Representatives of the Ministry of Rites, War, and Finance stood ready, each prepared with a question.
The first minister stepped forward, stroking his beard. "Your Highness, the imperial granaries report a shortage this winter. How will you address the famine in the northern provinces without straining the treasury?"
A murmur rose. It was a trap—if she proposed military requisitions, she'd offend the army; if she raised taxes, the people would riot.
Ji Yunxi, however, calmly dipped her brush into ink. With elegant strokes, she wrote:
"Relocate excess grain from the south by river transport. Levy a fair contribution from the wealthiest noble households. In return, grant them tax relief in spring to balance loss. The people are fed, the nobles compensated, and the army untouched."
She laid down the brush. "Does the minister have objections?"
The man's lips parted, but no words came. He bowed stiffly. "...Wise indeed."
Whispers of admiration began to stir.
The second minister, unwilling to concede, unfurled a map. "Your Highness, barbarians threaten the western border. Should the empire send troops or negotiate?"
Ji Yunxi studied the map before answering, her tone sharp as steel. "Neither. Send merchants instead. Establish trade routes. Once they rely on our goods, their swords will dull. An enemy fed by profit will not raise arms against their own supplier."
Even Mo Liancheng's lips quirked at that answer. His phoenix eyes glittered with unspoken approval.
Finally, the third trial.
The Minister of Rites stepped forward with a scroll. "Eldest Princess, if you were crowned, how would you ensure loyalty in a court where whispers and betrayal are as common as tea?"
The hall grew still. This was the most dangerous question yet—pointed directly at her current situation.
Ji Yunxi looked around at the gathered officials, her gaze lingering on Ji Xinyue before settling back on the Empress Dowager. Then she answered, her voice ringing clear across the courtyard.
"Loyalty cannot be begged or bought. It is earned." She placed her hand over her chest. "I will not bribe the court with empty promises. I will show strength, fairness, and results. Those who remain disloyal—" Her eyes narrowed, sharp as a blade. "—shall be cut away without mercy."
A shiver ran through the crowd.
The Empress Dowager leaned back slowly, her lips twitching as though suppressing a smile. "Well spoken."
Ji Xinyue's face drained of color. She could no longer hide behind her act of fragility—Ji Yunxi had just turned the tables before the entire empire.
And standing among the courtiers, Mo Liancheng's gaze never left her. Pride, admiration, and a strange possessiveness lingered in his eyes, though he remained silent.
So this is your strength, he thought, lips curving faintly. How much more do you hide, Ji Yunxi?