Strangely, since Yao Biluo had already broken off her engagement, she should have been sent home. However, the imperial edict required her to continue living in a separate courtyard with the other young ladies, saying that she was kept there to help teach the women who were about to be married because of her outstanding virtue.
These past few days, the young women have been packing their belongings, preparing to leave the place where they have lived for nearly three months.
"Hey, still haven't come up with a solution?" Yao Bile asked impatiently, angrily slamming her bundle down.
Yao Biluo recalled those deep eyes by the lotus pond and remained silent.
"Fine, since that's the case, you don't need to go back anymore. The Yao family is no longer your home." Yao Bile left with these cold words, picked up her bundle, and walked out first.
At the palace gate, several carriages were parked to pick up their young ladies, and everyone boarded the carriages to go to the villa. Compared to the joyous atmosphere on the day of the imperial concubine selection, the atmosphere today was noticeably more somber.
Yao Biluo watched her sister get into the carriage, which showed no intention of stopping to wait for her. She stood in the cold wind, looking lost and unsure of where to go.
"What are you standing there for? Get in the car, I'll take you there." A gentle voice rang out, and Yao Biluo looked up to see it was An Mei.
Having no other choice, Yao Biluo got into the carriage. Anmei didn't say much, but quietly escorted her to the other garden in silence.
Before parting, Yao Biluo asked, "Why were you so kind to me? I've already told you I'm not her!"
Anmei laughed sadly, "I'm only nice to you to put my mind at ease. Just know that I won't hurt you." Then she turned and left without looking back.
Yao Biluo entered the courtyard, where Jiang Yumin was waiting for her in the room. Her thin shoulders, disheveled hair, and slightly red eyes all indicated that Jiang Yumin had not been doing well these past few days.
As Yao Biluo entered, Jiang Yumin stood up: "Luoluo, I know you won't marry me. I've known for a long time that I don't have that kind of luck, but—please don't hate me, okay?"
Seeing Jiang Yumin looking so pitiful, Yao Biluo couldn't harden her heart. She said, "I don't hate you, I'm just a little—envious of her!" After saying that, she lowered her head and remained silent.
Upon hearing this, Jiang Yumin felt even more tormented. She wanted to say something, but only managed to utter one sentence: "If you need anything, you can come to the Sikong Mansion to find me anytime. Remember—in my heart, there will always be only you." After saying this, she left sadly.
The families of several of the imperial concubines arrived in the capital one after another. Prefect Yao and his family also pretended to have just arrived in the capital, looking travel-worn.
Yao Bile and Yao Biluo are sisters, so they were arranged to live together in Tingyuxuan.
At this moment, they stood quietly below the hall, enduring the raging fury of Prefect Yao: "You two are both useless! Especially you!" He pointed at Yao Biluo, "You little beast, you bragged so much, and I actually believed you! Your mother, that lowly woman, how could she be worthy of entering my ancestral temple? From now on, you are no longer a daughter of the Yao family."
Prefect Yao, still not satisfied with his words, slapped him across the face.
With a crisp sound, Yao Biluo covered her face, biting her lip tightly, trying to hold back the tears welling up in her eyes.
Instead, Yao Bile was so frightened that she cried and hid in Madam Yao's arms. She had never seen her father so angry!
"Get out of here!" Prefect Yao pointed at Yao Biluo, his anger still burning.
"Cough, cough!" A purple-clad figure strode in as if no one else was there. He tenderly pulled away Yao Biluo's hand from her face, and seeing the clear handprint, his anger intensified, but his tone remained calm: "Lord Yao! You'd better be more polite to the future Empress!"
When Prefect Yao saw the person's face clearly, he was instantly terrified, trembling so badly that he rolled off his chair and knelt down: "Your Majesty!"
As he approached, he heard a crisp sound coming from inside. Jun Yilin hadn't expected Prefect Yao to be so ruthless. Half of the delicate face of the person before him was flushed red. This was someone he wanted to cherish and protect, and yet he dared to—
Everyone was stunned. How could the Emperor be here?
Prefect Yao knelt on the ground, too afraid to move. Madam Yao was stunned with fright. Yao Bile forgot to cry, while Yao Biluo, upon seeing Jun Yilin, let out the tears she had been holding back for so long.
Jun Yilin helped Yao Biluo sit down, and then sat in the main seat in the hall himself: "Issue an imperial decree to confer upon Yao Biluo's mother the title of First-Rank Imperial Lady! Lord Yao, is such a woman qualified to be enshrined in your Yao family ancestral hall?"
He understood the Emperor's unspoken meaning—he was clearly dissatisfied with what he had just said! Prefect Yao suddenly realized, could it be that this wretched girl—the Empress—this lowly woman actually had the fate of an Empress? The one he had just hit—was the future Empress!
Prefect Yao was so frightened that he trembled and said he dared not.
Jun Yilin glanced contemptuously at the person kneeling on the ground, then turned to Yao Biluo and said softly, "I was afraid you would disagree, so I planned to tell you in a few days, but I didn't expect it to happen today—Luo'er, the decree to make you empress will be issued soon. During this time, you can stay here in peace. I believe no one will dare to touch a hair on your head!" After saying that, he gave Prefect Yao a cold look, and Prefect Yao lowered his head even further in fear.
☆、12、Runaway Bride
Jun Yilin gently stroked Yao Biluo's flushed cheek and asked tenderly, "Luo'er, will you marry me?"
Yao Biluo felt as if she were floating in the air, without any ground to stand on. How could this be?
Could it be that when he said he had found someone he deeply loved that day, he meant himself? Impossible!
Would you like to marry him? He's the emperor; he only needs an imperial decree to marry whomever he wants. Why go through all this trouble to ask my opinion?
Seeing the confusion on Yao Biluo's face, Jun Yilin smiled and said, "No rush, think it over for a few more days. Remember, follow your heart!"
Should I follow my heart? Yao Biluo wondered, what is my heart? Does he know?
Jun Yilin glanced at Yao Biluo with affection, then ignored the people around him and reluctantly turned and walked away.
The room was still quiet, with everyone in a daze.
"Hmph, I knew it! So that's how it is!" Yao Bile spoke first. "You were making excuses and refusing to help me the other day, but it turns out you've climbed the social ladder yourself! I never would have guessed!"
"Le'er, shut up!" Prefect Yao also realized that this daughter was his lucky star, the hope for his future glory. He couldn't afford to offend her. He winked at his second daughter, "Le'er, how dare you talk to your sister like that? Apologize now!"
Seeing Prefect Yao's expression turn into a somewhat distorted fawning one, Yao Biluo felt disgusted: "No need, I may not agree to marry the Emperor, so don't get your hopes up too high!"
"You!" Prefect Yao was furious. He raised his hand, then lowered it again, ultimately daring not to strike again. Madam Yao, standing to the side, was also ashen-faced, tightly holding onto her daughter, afraid that she might do something disrespectful.
Looking at their expressions, Yao Biluo felt a surge of satisfaction. She glanced at each of them with disdain and returned to her room.
The pleasure is fleeting, but the troubles will follow immediately.
Should she agree to the Emperor's request? If it were before, Yao Biluo would have been completely captivated by such affectionate eyes. However, after what happened with Jiang Yumin, Yao Biluo had reservations and suspicions about such feelings.
Is such deep affection truly for oneself?
There was a time when I was deeply moved by Jiang Yumin's affection, but what did I get in return?
Should we believe it this time?
Yao Biluo felt that her heart had never been so tired.
If he were to use force, she might not be able to resist, but he gave her the opportunity to choose. Even the matter of her mother being enshrined in the ancestral hall, which she was most concerned about, was taken into consideration by him. He left her with a relaxed and free space. Such respect made Yao Biluo feel comfortable and at ease.
...
Forget it, Yao Biluo's head was throbbing from thinking about it. She pulled the covers over herself in a huff and lay down, deciding not to think about it anymore and to think about it again in a few days.
In her dream, the man who called out to her so affectionately appeared once more. This time, his blurry face became incredibly clear; Yao Biluo could even clearly see the fine hairs on his face. She could even smell the faint scent of ambergris on him, feel his familiar warmth, and see his clear eyes…
He called out to himself with such deep affection, but he was actually calling someone else's name.
"Zijin!" Yao Biluo sat blankly on the bed. This name was too familiar. This was the nightmare that had haunted her for a year. This was the name that shattered her beautiful fantasies about her future husband. This name, Yao Biluo bit her lip, truly was her nightmare!
Jun Yilin received a letter from Yao Biluo, delivered by a palace maid from another courtyard, inviting him to meet. Unaware that his smile was already overflowing, he held the letter in his hand as if it were a precious jewel. "You've made up your mind so quickly? Zijing, we haven't missed each other again!"
When Jun Yilin arrived at Tingyuxuan, it was just after a light rain had stopped, the air was clear, and a faint rainbow hung in the sky, a rare sight, just like his mood.
Yao Biluo stood with her back to him under a magnolia tree. The large, white magnolia blossoms were vibrant and exuberant, making her delicate face under the tree look even more beautiful. Holding a magnolia petal between her fingers, Yao Biluo stared blankly into space.
"Luo'er." Jun Yilin was reluctant to interrupt this beautiful scene, his voice soft and gentle, like a sigh.
Yao Biluo tossed away the magnolia petals, slowly turned around, and upon seeing the person who had arrived, she smiled knowingly. In that instant, the rainbow paled in comparison, and only her beautiful face was truly captivating in the entire painting.
Jun Yilin's heart trembled slightly. This was the person he loved! How beautiful, how sacred!
"Yilin, you've come." When his beloved softly uttered that name from her red lips, Jun Yilin felt as if he could fly.
Seeing Jun Yilin standing there in a daze, Yao Biluo smiled even more charmingly: "What are you standing there for? I'm back! I'm Zijing!"
Jun Yilin felt as if a lightning bolt had struck his heart, leaving him dizzy, his heart trembling, his face slightly flushed, and his mind racing...
"Zijin, you remember?" Jun Yilin asked in a trembling voice.
Yao Bilu glared at him, her beauty captivating: "Now that you know I'm back, why don't you come over here!"
Jun Yilin lifted his numb legs and strode towards Yao Biluo. He looked intently at her face, then suddenly pulled her into a tight embrace. The force was so strong it was heartbreaking. He sobbed, "That's wonderful, that's wonderful! You've finally remembered. We'll never be apart again!"
The person in her arms suddenly stiffened. Yao Biluo felt as if her heart had shattered into pieces, and she could almost hear the sound of it breaking. Her throat was dry, and her body began to tremble. She didn't know where she found the courage, but she clenched her fists tightly and desperately tried to break free from Jun Yilin's embrace.
As expected, as expected...
"What's wrong with you?" Jun Yilin noticed her unusual behavior and asked hurriedly.
"Oh, I'm fine. I just suddenly feel a little unwell and want to rest for a while. You should go back first!" Yao Biluo said, forcing back her tears.
"Are you alright?" Jun Yilin hurriedly grabbed her hand and asked anxiously.
"It's nothing, just a woman's discomfort." Yao Biluo lowered her head to hide her unease, but Jun Yilin mistakenly thought she was shy.
"Alright then, go back and rest first. I'll bring you to the palace in a few days, and we'll never be apart again, okay?" The gentle, almost pleading tone shattered Yao Biluo's heart, bringing her to the brink of collapse. She nodded haphazardly and quickly turned and went back to her room.
The moment I turned around, tears streamed down my face uncontrollably.
Jun Yilin watched the petite figure enter the house, his face full of satisfaction.
Three days later, an imperial edict was issued, officially appointing Yao Biluo as Empress, and she was to enter the palace immediately.
The imperial edict startled Prefect Yao, whose thin body had been looking worried these past few days.
"What to do, what to do, what to do?" Prefect Yao paced around the room, pounding one hand on the other, muttering to himself.
"Dad, what are you afraid of? Let me go!" Yao Bile's eyes shone with excitement.
Prefect Yao stopped in his tracks, looking at his fervent daughter, seemingly considering the feasibility of the situation. After a moment, he waved his hands repeatedly: "No, no, this is a crime of deceiving the emperor, we cannot bear such a responsibility!"
“We’ll die anyway if we don’t hand her over, so why not give it a try? Maybe the Emperor will forget about her once he sees me!” Yao Bile was unwilling to give up.
Yes, Yao Biluo disappeared the day after meeting Jun Yilin, taking her everyday clothes and valuables with her, clearly planning to go on a long trip.
Prefect Yao was so angry that he was glaring and couldn't eat or sleep. His complexion was dull and he had become quite thin.
The only happy one was Yao Bile. With that woman gone, no one was competing with her for favor anymore, and she had a chance! Wasn't this the best opportunity?
When Prefect Yao heard Yao Bile speak so recklessly about death, his body trembled again. He carefully examined his daughter's face and found that she did resemble that girl somewhat. Perhaps it was better to substitute one thing for another?
“Very well, you shall go to the palace in her place! But you must remember, from now on, your name will no longer be Yao Bile, but Yao Biluo, understand?” Prefect Yao made up his mind, his eyes flashing with a fierce light.
Yao Bile was initially unwilling, but seeing her father's fierce gaze, she had no choice but to reluctantly agree. What did a name matter? As long as she could gain the emperor's favor, she would do anything!
Under the phoenix coronet and embroidered robe, in the dim candlelight, Yao Bile was heavily made up. Her features did resemble Yao Biluo's, but she lacked some of the otherworldly temperament and charm.
She happily examined the treasures bestowed by the Emperor. Their brilliance was so dazzling it hurt her eyes, but she couldn't bear to look away. A string of pearls from the South China Sea, a coral tower from the East China Sea, a peerless jade ruyi, a priceless jade Buddha, and a pair of lovebirds silk brocade that took eighteen embroiderers several months to weave... Yao Bile had never seen any of these before, but she knew they were incredibly valuable and precious!
"Your Highness, it's getting late, we should get going!" the maidservant reminded her softly, though inwardly she looked down on her as a country bumpkin who had never seen the world. However, being rational, she didn't show any annoyance and instead smiled kindly.
Yao Bile snapped out of her daze. Yes, the time had come. Once she entered the palace, what would all this matter? All the treasures in the world would belong to her!
She smiled and nodded, and the palace maid lowered the pearls from her phoenix crown to cover her face.
At the entrance of the villa stood the Empress's entourage: a phoenix-drawn carriage, a curved-handled yellow umbrella, a straight-handled yellow umbrella, incense fans, a golden chair, footstools, an incense burner, an oil-soaked bed, a vermilion bird bed, fly whisks, white silk curtains, and red ribbons...