At first, Tang Wanzhuang found it embarrassing to enter the palace so freely, feeling as if every guard she passed looked at her with peculiar eyes. But now, she was entirely accustomed to it. In fact, she even joked about it with Xia Chichi.0

Tang Wanzhuang moved gracefully into the imperial study. Xia Chichi was hunched over her desk, meticulously reviewing documents, her small face scrunched in concentration. She was clearly exhausted.0

Tang Wanzhuang sighed inwardly. If the previous emperor had shown even half this level of diligence, no matter how poorly he ruled, the empire would not have fallen into such disarray. Now, the Han dynasty was recovering at an astonishing pace, not just due to the natural course of chaos evolving into order, but also thanks to Xia Chichi’s tireless efforts. She slept no more than two or three hours a day, and sometimes skipped sleep altogether. In the beginning, she had been completely unfamiliar with state affairs, knowing little about governance. But now, she had grown into a highly competent ruler.0

If nothing else, her presence alone was commanding. Her steady composure, the sharp glint in her eyes, an aura that...0