Fu Shou could clearly feel it.
Beneath her palms, the heart inside Liu Xie's chest had begun beating a little faster.
So she simply leaned forward and pressed her ear against his back. Through the thin robe, the sound of that heartbeat became even clearer.
"Bohe, are you worried that Imperial Uncle might ultimately choose to remain here?"
At once, the heartbeat quickened again.
Fu Shou heard it clearly, and she could not help letting out a soft laugh.
Ye City naturally had no imperial palace. When Cao Cao had previously transferred them here from Xu Chang, she and Bohe had been placed only in the residence of a former Hebei noble. The arrangements had been crude and temporary.
After the city was seized, however, the two of them moved into what had once been Cao Cao's residence, the most prestigious estate in Ye City. Everything there was refined and carefully prepared, including this bedchamber warmed by underground heating channels.
Fu Shou's meaning was quite obvious.
She listened to the thumping heartbeat beneath her ear.
At last Liu Xie spoke in a low voice.
"I trust Imperial Uncle's character."
He stopped there.
There were no outsiders present, so Fu Shou asked directly,
"Then you do not trust that those under him will be satisfied with things as they are?"
Once again, silence answered her.
Yet that silence itself was already an answer.
Fu Shou twisted her body gracefully and slipped completely into Liu Xie's arms. Her head rested beneath his chin, her cheek pressed against his bare chest.
"Bohe worries that someone among Imperial Uncle's followers will persuade him to follow Cao Cao's example."
"But Bohe is mistaken."
"Imperial Uncle was always someone Cao Cao feared. And Imperial Uncle has never been Cao Cao."
"If there are doubts, why not summon him directly? Ask whatever you wish."
"I…"
Liu Xie wanted to speak, but Fu Shou's finger pressed gently against his lips.
Then she whispered softly,
"Bohe has always been clever. My foolish thoughts are surely nothing you have not already considered."
"But Bohe has also always hesitated and struggled to decide."
"Are you afraid your opinion might differ from Imperial Uncle's?"
"Do not be afraid."
"Do not be afraid."
Her voice had nearly become a murmur, yet it sounded even more gentle.
"Imperial Uncle is Imperial Uncle."
"That villain Cao is Cao."
"In the past, Cao Cao used Bohe to steal the authority of the realm. Bohe had no choice."
"But now Imperial Uncle has restored the authority of the realm."
"Even if there is some appearance of control, he is still a descendant of the Liu house."
"What does Bohe have to fear?"
"No matter what happens, the former master of this place will never return."
Her hand moved upward, sliding along Liu Xie's cheek.
Soon a faint smile appeared on her face.
"Why is Bohe crying again?"
Fu Shou understood this so-called Son of Heaven better than anyone.
Living under another's roof. Serving as a puppet. Bending to bandits. Speaking politely to treacherous ministers.
All of these had been his life.
At night she had heard him weeping quietly, apologizing to Emperor Guangwu and Emperor Gaozu. She had heard him whisper prayers to Emperor Wu, begging for protection in a trembling voice.
If this emperor had possessed even the slightest trace of fierce resolve, the two of them would likely never have survived until now.
He was weak.
Yet he still held fast to the bottom line of an emperor.
Though forced to serve wolves, he never became one of them.
And he had once risen up.
Even now Fu Shou could not say for certain whether, on that day when her husband asked for her help to kill Xu Chu, it had been because the effects of the anesthetic wore off and left him exhausted, or because terror had finally drained all strength from his body.
She also understood something else.
What Liu Xie feared now was not the generals and strategists serving Imperial Uncle.
What he feared was the imperial authority that had been returned to him.
That authority was tempting.
Yet in less than thirty years it had turned Liu Xie, who should have lived a carefree life, into a true solitary ruler.
A Son of Heaven raised up by villains now feared the power that should have been his.
If the world were peaceful, Fu Shou knew she ought to encourage her husband to defend that ominous authority with all his strength, and from it bring honor to her maternal family.
But when she thought back to the chaos before the city was taken, when the state was no state and the people were hardly people, even she felt weary.
"Do not cry."
"Bohe, do not cry."
"If you dislike it, then do not take it."
"Even if we become simple farmers, I will never abandon you."
"If Imperial Uncle could support a collapsing empire, how could he not hold up a small piece of sky for Bohe?"
Gradually she felt the heartbeat in his chest begin to steady.
After wiping away the tears of this man who hardly resembled an emperor, Fu Shou pulled his familiar head into her arms and sank down onto the bed behind them.
"Bohe… it is late."
---
What Fu Shou had not expected was that this Little New Year celebration would be so grand.
Early in the morning she heard a maid report that Imperial Uncle had personally led a group of sturdy soldiers through Ye City. They carried grain and coal briquettes, visiting widowers, widows, and the destitute who had no one to rely upon.
"And also…"
The maid hesitated, glancing carefully toward the emperor beside the empress.
"And also Imperial Uncle told those elderly widows and widowers that after the New Year he will build a Tianfu Hall in Ye City."
"It will be funded by donations from wealthy households, to provide care for those who have no support in old age."
"That way the elderly may have somewhere to rely upon, and wealthy families may accumulate merit."
Fu Shou fell into thought.
Liu Xie, however, smiled easily.
"Excellent."
The maid's expression stiffened slightly.
Seeing this, Fu Shou suddenly felt much happier.
---
The Little New Year banquet was held in the Ye City government hall.
The great hall was extremely spacious. Snow had been cleared away and piled into shapes resembling auspicious beasts. Dozens of braziers warmed the interior until it felt almost like midsummer.
Green vegetables that looked as though they had just been picked.
Sweet canned fruits and honeyed preserves warmed until their fragrance filled the air.
And of course, countless dishes of meat sprinkled with spices.
If one judged purely by luxury, Liu Xie felt it did not even compare to the banquets he had once been forced to attend for Cao Pi and Cao Zhi in Ye City.
Those banquets overflowed with gold ornaments and silk decorations.
Here, however, such extravagance was almost nowhere to be seen.
Only the food was somewhat unusual.
The people moving about the hall also did not strictly follow complicated etiquette. A clear aura of military life clung to them, yet with a few simple courtesies added, it was not unpleasant or frightening.
Liu Bei personally came forward to greet them.
"Your Majesty."
Liu Xie answered with a sincere smile.
"Imperial Uncle."
After brief pleasantries, the famous generals and ministers came to pay their respects.
Seeing the younger officials and captains approaching, Liu Xie waved a hand: "As the Imperial Uncle said before, do not stand on ceremony."
Liu Bei personally escorted Liu Xie and Fu Shou to the inner hall. As they left, the atmosphere outside turned boisterous.
Inside, Liu Xie sat cross-legged on the couch without any imperial "decorum," picking through the food for his favorites.
Fu Shou asked curiously: "Bohe went to see the Imperial Uncle yesterday..."
Liu Xie nodded, his mouth full of fruit. "The Imperial Uncle said that as long as he is here, I have nothing to worry about. It's just a pity he won't let me go back to being the King of Bohai..."
Outside, the atmosphere grew even more heated.
Fu Shou clearly heard someone shouting a toast.
"Ten thousand years for the Great Han!"
Liu Xie raised his wine cup and shouted through the door.
"Ten thousand years for the Great Han!"
His voice sounded utterly relaxed.
Fu Shou could not help smiling as well.
She filled her cup and drank.