Volume 1, Chapter 8: You Shameless Empress, You've Ruined Me!
Shangguan Wan'er, who had just been deeply soured by the pot of chrysanthemum tea, now reached out with her small, cold hand to cover her mouth in shock, her eyes fixed on Su Chen in utter disbelief.
It must be said that Shangguan Wan'er’s background was no ordinary one; she was the granddaughter of the sitting Chancellor, Shangguan Yi. Coming from such a prominent official family, she naturally stood out, for how else could she have caught the Empress’s eye to become her personal lady-in-waiting? Yet, even with her pedigree, she had never encountered someone as hopelessly ungrateful as Su Chen.
The Empress had personally favored Su Chen, granting him a position in the imperial court, only for this wretch to refuse her! Good heavens! Was the second young master of the Su family a fool? Her head was spinning.
...
Hearing Su Chen’s words, Su Zhongwen immediately snapped to attention. The imperial grace the Empress had just bestowed upon the two Su brothers was unprecedented and rare; it was only natural that Su Zhongwen felt deeply moved. For anyone else, this would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. After all, the Great Qian Dynasty had countless officials, yet only a hundred or so ever truly occupied the Empress’s mind.
An ordinary person, upon receiving such a promotion, would have long since knocked their head in gratitude, shouting vows of loyalty to the Empress and the empire. But this was Su Chen. A man who, regardless of wind, rain, thunder, or even an earthquake, insisted on sleeping eight full hours a day—could he possibly handle a life in the imperial court?
Thinking of this, Su Zhongwen hesitated. After a long silence, he finally spoke. Despite the magnitude of the Empress’s favor, his concern for his brother compelled him to harden his heart and decline.
"Your Imperial Majesty, my brother is a simple, honest man. I fear he lacks the cunning required for the political machinations of the court. Furthermore, as I already serve as the Minister of Justice—a position granted to me through your extraordinary grace—should you appoint my brother as well, the other officials would surely whisper. I humbly implore Your Majesty to rescind this order."
[Well played! I love you, brother!]
[I have to give you a thumbs up for this performance. Say no more, you are my real brother, my greatest hero! From now on, I’m sticking to your side, and I’m never letting go!]
[You spoke beautifully, brother, truly well! But you could have been even harsher. Come on, you brute, say it! I can take it—let the storm rage even harder!]
Su Chen was reveling in his heart. Su Zhongwen’s words were brilliant! Simply magnificent! Let’s see how that woman tries to refute this!
[I truly don’t believe it. After hearing my brother’s words, if she still thinks I’m brilliant, she must have a screw loose! My brother already said I’m simple and honest—it wouldn't be appropriate for me to join the court!]
...
The Empress’s previously relaxed brow began to furrow once more. It was not because of Su Zhongwen, but because of the incessant, cynical inner voice of that wretch, Su Chen. The beautiful Empress ground her teeth in secret.
This scoundrel was truly detestable. She had kindly offered to promote him, allowing the two brothers to support each other in court, yet he showed not a shred of gratitude. He even went as far as to disparage himself through self-defamation, dragging his brother into it, and finally resorting to a combined effort to ruin their reputations!
Su Chen, you wretch, isn't this going too far? Do you really think I can’t see what you’re plotting? "Simple and honest"? Compared to you, a devious villain, your brother is the only truly honest one. I suspect you’ve been deceiving him for years!
"But you won't escape my grasp so easily," Wu Zetian thought.
She spoke again: "Minister Su, rest assured. While my selection of officials is unconventional, it is based on merit. By mid-spring, I intend to hold the Imperial Examination. You may allow Su Chen to participate then. There are two months left; perhaps you can guide your brother at home. I believe that with his… brilliance, he will surely rank among the top and make a name for himself. When I promote him then, it will be entirely justified."
"Besides, if I recall correctly, you were a Juren scholar. Since I am reopening the examinations, don't you wish to see Su Chen rank as the top Zhuangyuan scholar?"
"Your Imperial Majesty..."
Wu Zetian’s words struck a chord in Su Zhongwen’s heart. Although his talent had been proven—he was truly peerless and held great power as a Minister—he had not placed as the top Zhuangyuan in his own youth. The Great Qian examinations were divided into three tiers: Juren, Jinshi, and Zhuangyuan. The Zhuangyuan exam focused on current affairs and poetry, while the Jinshi focused on current affairs and the classics. The former was harder, the latter easier.
Those who placed as Zhuangyuan generally looked down on the Jinshi. Su Zhongwen had passed the easier Jinshi exam, but not the harder Zhuangyuan. This remained one of the few regrets of his life. Wu Zetian had touched upon his deepest sensitivity.
[Oh, come on! Does this enchantress know my brother better than I do? This is clearly a premeditated trap!]
[Brother, you must hold firm! You absolutely cannot bow to this woman! You are Su Zhongwen; you have your own dignity! So what if it’s the Jinshi track? You passed it, and you’ll go down in history as the greatest Chancellor of the Great Qian!]
Su Chen screamed internally, wishing he could lean over and shout it into his brother's ear. But he could not. With Wu Zetian present, he had to watch, observing every subtle flicker of expression on Su Zhongwen’s face.
...
"Su Chen, you wretch, you think you can escape my palm like this?"
"And you, keep your thoughts in check! While your brother has great talent, do you really think I’d have designs on him based on his looks? And as for you—pfft, even if it were you, it wouldn’t happen!"
"But what is this 'Detective Su Zhongwen' nonsense?" Wu Zetian pondered silently.
...
Although she was seething with hidden rage, her face remained as gentle as a spring breeze.
"Minister Su, let me tell you this: Su Chen may be your brother, but can you shield him from the wind and rain forever? A bird must eventually fly into the vast sky. I can see that your brother has the talent to soar. If we don't cultivate it now, wouldn't it be a waste of such natural ability?"
"If you agree, I can have him sent to the Inner Academy to study. Minister, hesitation leads to disaster. Do not let such a golden opportunity slip away."