Has the Emperor Gone Astray?

Since ancient times, as long as an emperor's wet nurse knows her place, she can usually work until retirement without wanting for gold or silver. With a little luck, she might even earn a noble title and be revered by her family as their founding ancestor.

Shiniang was very lucky. She served as the current emperor's wet nurse for a time when he was still a nobody, then diligently and wholeheartedly cared for him for more than a decade.

Now that he has ascended the throne, it stands to reason that she can retire with honor.

You should only fill a bowl as big as your abilities allow. Shiniang has no designs on titles or power. But with the emperor's support, surely it isn't too much to ask for silk clothes, delicacies, a grand mansion, a fine horse, and a few gentle, attentive male companions to enjoy her twilight years?

She suffered so much in the first half of her life. Now that she has the chance, of course she should treat herself well.

Just as the days of carefree indulgence are about to begin, an imperial decree arrives from the palace.

Madam Shunyi? Enter the palace? Become its mistress?

This is not that kind of madam! Serving the emperor can't compare to having others serve her!

Continuing to bow and scrape in the palace is nothing like leaving it and becoming a fearsome matriarch!

How could being mistress of one palace compare with living far from the emperor's reach?

She always knew that Zhu Fangshen was a calculating boy. Was this his way of getting back at her for making him study so hard back then?

That little emperor has ruined her life!

Content warnings:

1. The wet nurse in this story isn't the traditional kind who cares for a baby from birth. She's more like the wet nurse kept by Empress Dowager Cixi, who provided a daily bowl of breast milk to help her frail employer regain their health.

2. The woman is about ten years older than the man.

3. Neither is sexually inexperienced. Each had partners before they got together, but after that, they are faithful only to each other. If that's not your thing, please don't read.

Theme: The person you should love most is yourself