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“People won’t fall for it. And we’ll still lose money.”

“Then we’ll raise taxes on the silks here at home to make up for any lost profit!”

Xifeng couldn’t keep back her snort of derision. She felt all twenty men in the room turn to her in shock, but Emperor Jun nodded at her to speak, the corners of his mouth quirking. She had a feeling he had brought her here for a performance. Well, she would give him one.

“This argument is absurd,” she said throatily, enjoying the way their faces stiffened. “The only thing you should be doing israisingtaxes on foreign export. If you lower them anywhere, you lower them here at home.”

“Your Majesty,” said the councilor, as though Xifeng hadn’t spoken, “do you deem it wise to have anoutsiderat our discussion? I hate to question you...”

“Then don’t.” Jun’s eyes remained on Xifeng.

“I beg pardon, Sire?” the man sputtered.

“Then don’t question me,” the Emperor snapped, “and let her say what she wants to say. Go on, Madam Xifeng.”

She folded her hands demurely in her lap. “I may seem an outsider to you, gentlemen, but I am intimately connected to the silk trade. I was a seamstress,” she said, speaking more loudly to drown out their hum of disgust, “and I grew up working on silk. It’s a slippery material and requires great skill to stitch. My point being: our own people know our own silk best. We know how to work with it and make it appear expensive and attractive.”

The councilor had the nerve to roll his eyes at her. His name was Yee, she recalled, narrowing her eyes as she committed his appearance to memory. He would be dealt with later.

“What decision would you make?” Jun lowered his chin, regarding her as he would one of his ministers. There was no playfulness in hismanner now, only respectful attention, and Xifeng saw the other men’s scorn sobering to match.

“Make silks affordable to our tailors and seamstresses. Strengthen our economy by giving work to the poor. If they can afford more material, they will bring in a greater income.”

Murmurs rose up around the table, some dismissive, others reluctantly agreeing.

Minister Yee snorted. “This is a soft-hearted woman’s idea of politics...”

“And then,” Xifeng continued, lacing her fingers together, “force them to contribute a large percentage of that greater income to our treasury, as farmers do. They will end up making what they always have, despite working more, and we reap the benefits.”

The room went silent.

Emperor Jun stroked his beard.

“As for the overseas merchants,doublethe taxes. If people can afford exported silks, they can afford to pay the levy. They’ll have no choice.” Xifeng calmly took in their stunned expressions. “We hold the monopoly on silk. It is the Emperor’s law that no silkworms leave the borders of our kingdom. If they don’t buy from us, they don’t have silk at all.”

Jun’s elbow rested on the arm of her chair, his hand so close she could feel its warmth.

“You say you were once poor yourself,” remarked one of the elderly dignitaries, scanning her face. “Would you so quickly condemn others of your station to harder work for the same pay? That’s a cold scheme.”

Xifeng gave him a gentle smile. “Warmth has never filled the coffers, Minister. Royal or otherwise.”

As the room erupted into murmurs and arguments, Jun’s fingers found hers beneath the table, his thumb stroking her racing pulse.

•••

From that day on, he never attended a council without her. That was the first change.

The final and complete loss of Empress Lihua’s affection was the second. And as the days grew darker and snow dusted the ground, Xifeng noticed other signs of change, too.

For one, the woman who shared her bedchamber left abruptly one day, removing all of her possessions so Xifeng could have the room to herself. For another, high-ranking eunuchs who had never deigned to speak to her began to show respect and invite her to their little parties.

“No, thank you,” she always said graciously. “I have a prior obligation with Kang.” And they would know whom she trusted: the only eunuch who had been her friend before she’d gained favor with His Majesty.

“You put them in their place so beautifully,” Kang teased her one day.

“It’s an acquired skill. One you should learn, now that you have such influence.” Emperor Jun had readily granted her request to elevate Kang’s position according to his rising importance.

They strolled through the frost-covered gardens in time to see the Imperial physician striding across the Empress’s walkway once again.