“Things that don’t exist should just die.” Xie Jiayan’s voice sounded even colder in the rainy weather. A cold wind blew into the hall, and Baoyun couldn’t help but shiver. “As for Jiang Yuan, I underestimated her. This matter is not urgent and should be dealt with slowly.”
“What you say is absolutely right, Madam,” Jinxiu agreed as she massaged her shoulders. “But she does have a son to rely on, which is not good for us.”
Seeing that Xie Jiayan remained silent with her eyes closed, and remembering her young master's instructions, Jin Xiu had no choice but to continue, "There is only one prince in the palace now, so His Majesty's heart naturally favors her. If you, Madam, can win His Majesty's favor and give birth to a prince in one go..."
Seeing that Jinxiu was talking more and more, and Xie Jiayan's fingertips were turning white from being gripped so tightly, which was a sign of her anger, Baoyun's heart skipped a beat. She quickly used her eyes to remind Jinxiu to stop talking, but Jinxiu was so engrossed in talking that she didn't notice.
Snap—
"Insolence!" Xie Jiayan slapped him hard across the face, his eyes filled with malice. "Who do you think you are, daring to lecture me?"
Jin Xiu was knocked off balance by Xie Jiayan's blow, but she regained her senses and saw the raging anger in Xie Jiayan's eyes. She was so frightened that her knees buckled and she knelt down, begging, "Madam, spare me! Madam, spare me!"
Baoyun and Jinxiu, who had grown up together since childhood, knelt down with her, their foreheads slamming hard against the white jade ground. "Madam, please calm down."
"Why I came in is unknown to others, but have you all forgotten!" Perhaps it's because rainy days always evoke melancholy, but Xie Jiayan's eyes rarely showed any other emotions. "I am no less talented or beautiful than others, and I am the legitimate daughter of the Xie family. I could rightfully marry into a prestigious family and become a proper wife, but what about Father? Why should I be a stepping stone for his ambitions!"
The Xie family of Yanzhou is a prestigious clan with three emperors and empresses in their lineage. Their eldest daughters are always the matriarchs, but she was married to a man who looked down on her and had to be subservient to him. How could she tolerate this?
"Tell me, if Xie Yunyan were still alive, would Father be willing to throw her into this hellhole under the same circumstances?" Baoyun and Jinxiu dared not answer when they heard this name, their bodies trembling like withered branches in the rain. Xie Jiayan moved her lotus steps slightly, her fingertips stroking the carved window frame in front of her. "My poor eldest sister, she truly lived up to her name, fleeting like smoke."
Xie Yunyan was Xie Shengping's eldest daughter, and she was gentle and graceful. However, in Xie Jiayan's eyes, this sickly girl was inferior to her in every way—not as intelligent, not as decisive, and far inferior in terms of talent and needlework. How could her father have been so biased towards her since childhood?
The Xie family always sent a few of their daughters back to their main family to be raised when they were young. When Old Madam Xie came to ask for her, her father threw her onto a carriage bound for Yanzhou without a second thought. She was not even six years old that year, and she went with a strange old woman to a place thousands of miles away, to a place with strangers. She was young and strong-willed, and she had suffered countless mistreatments among the girls in her main family. She would huddle in her blankets every night, crying and waiting day and night for her father to come and take her away.
Day after day, until Ninth Sister found her. Ninth Sister was the legitimate daughter of Second Uncle's family, and was slightly older than her. She said that the old lady's courtyard was going to take in a girl, and since she and Xie Shi were the same age, only one could be admitted.
"If you are not a bright pearl in the center of ten thousand people, you can only be a withered red petal that has fallen into the mud."
Only then did she realize that the girls sent to the main family were all sent to various noble families and royal households for political alliances. Those who were truly cherished were often afraid of being wronged and would not marry too high. Between her and her sister, her father chose her sister without hesitation.
Aren't you wronged?
Everyone has their own ambitions. My father was reluctant to send my sister into the family, while I also wanted to marry into a wealthy family.
That night, she didn't sleep a wink. She was nine years old.
That year, she helped her ninth sister enter Madam Xie's courtyard, and Xie Seventeen also entered with her.
Before Ninth Sister married into the Wang family, she held her hand and spoke frankly to her, "Yan Yan, you are a daughter of the Xie family, so you should live better than others! You and Seventeenth Sister are the same age, and the best man and the most prestigious family background will surely be reserved for one of you. Remember, it's either her or you, it's either her or her."
This was a superior's final words to her comrade-in-arms.
In the years that followed, she and Xie Shiqi competed and rivaled in everything, and naturally used a lot of underhanded tactics. Under the brilliance of the two of them, the other daughters of the Xie family were as dim as the sand and stones on the ground.
You can't lose to anyone, because if you lose, you'll lose everything.
You can't be soft on anyone; if you're soft-hearted, you'll have a weakness.
So, she seized Xie Shiqi's weakness and struck a fatal blow. A woman's reputation is ruined; everything is lost. The old lady's gaze towards Shiqi was filled with pity, and then, Shiqi was gone. She knew the old lady, for the sake of the Xie family's reputation, would certainly not let Shiqi live, but she felt no sadness whatsoever, nor did she feel any remorse for that beautiful young woman who had perished so tragically.
At this point, she was the only girl left in the old lady's courtyard, and no one could rival the fifteenth young lady's brilliance. Then two more girls, around 10 years old, entered the courtyard. They were beautiful even at such a young age, and their eyes, though timid, held an undisguised envy and a deep-seated ambition.
It turns out that children's thoughts are so easily discovered. She watched as Old Madam Xie patted their heads and gave them two jade pendants, just as she had done to her and Seventeen years ago.
After that, she stayed at her family home, waiting for her destined marriage. Until one day, news of Xie Yunyan's incurable illness reached Yanzhou. More than grief, she felt an uncontrollable joy. It was as if the dark cloud covering her head had suddenly dispersed, and the sunlight shone on her, making her feel warm and gentle.
Her father wrote, urging her to return to Lin'an. The old lady pleaded with her to stay, but she had to go back. On the day she left Yanzhou, the old lady was furious, her face cold as she didn't even glance at her. A knot remained in her heart, one she couldn't untie. Why? Why? What was it about her that her sister lacked? She was determined to go back, with unwavering pride, to make her father look at her with new eyes.
But what was the result? Sixteenth Sister was temporarily taken into the courtyard by the old lady. Two years later, she was married into the Prince Qi's Mansion, which should have belonged to her. However, she was kept by her father year after year, and her life was dragged on until she was twenty years old.
When she first met Song Yanji, he rode into Lin'an. This eight-foot-tall man was resolute and pure, seemingly untouched by any scheming. She did indeed harbor some feelings for him, but now…
"Song Yanji looks down on me, and I look down on him too!" Xie Jiayan pushed open the window, watching the raindrops fall haphazardly. Baoyun and Jinxiu were still kneeling on the ground, but she pretended not to see them. She thought of her ninth sister's words: she was a daughter of the Xie family, and she should live in the center of everyone's attention, and she should live better than everyone else. Otherwise, "If I'm not doing well, no one else should be doing well! If I'm not happy, no one else should be happy!"
The inner palace was in turmoil, and the situation was even more dire in the imperial court. The incident of Yang Jing'e going to the Yang residence to ask for money caused quite a stir.
Madam Yang was initially delighted that her troublesome sister-in-law had married into the royal family and wouldn't have to spend money on her every day. However, she was pleasantly surprised to find herself burdened with such a huge, troublesome problem. Upon hearing about the river section, Madam Yang fainted on the spot. When she awoke, she disregarded her status and threw a tantrum, demanding money for materials and labor. She exclaimed that even if she poured her entire fortune into the project, it still wouldn't be enough to repair!
The daughter-in-law was making a scene, which only fueled Lord Yang's anger. In his rage, he forgot his own daughter's identity and slapped Yang Jing'e hard across the face. The slap made her see stars, and she covered her face and sobbed incessantly.
"Crying, all you do is cry! You're driving the Yang family to ruin!" Lord Yang clutched his chest, coughing in anger.
Madam Yang, her eyes also red, held a handkerchief and was supported by the First Madam. While wiping away her tears, she said, "Master, what should we do?"
"What can we do? Tomorrow morning I will go to the imperial court to apologize and say that our Yang family cannot afford to repair it."
"No!" Yang Jing'e was stunned by the slap, but upon hearing Lord Yang's words, she quickly stood up, stumbled, and grabbed Lord Yang's sleeve, her eyes brimming with tears. "No, I promised His Majesty. If I go back empty-handed, where will I put my face?"
Lord Yang wanted to strangle her, "What do you want?!"
“Just let my second sister-in-law take the money, however much she has,” Yang Jing’e said bluntly, pointing at her second sister-in-law.
Upon hearing this, Madam Yang Er wished she could pounce on her and tear her mouth apart immediately. She threw down her embroidered handkerchief, slapped her thigh, pointed at Yang Jing'e, and screamed at the top of her lungs, "I don't want to live anymore! You're trying to force me to my death!"
She cried and tried to bang her head against a pillar, but luckily her maidservant was quick-witted and stopped her.
"You think this is a small amount? You brainless thing, how could I have given birth to a daughter like you!" Lord Yang was getting a headache from being bothered by a group of women.
As the evening clouds gradually dispersed, Yang Jing'e, having caused quite a scene at the Yang residence, finally slunk back to the palace to report. Jiang Yuan, still in a good mood after reprimanding the palace servants earlier, was drinking tea. After she finished speaking, he only expressed slight disappointment before letting Yang Jing'e go back.
Once they were outside the palace gates, and even the lights were out of sight, Jiang Yuan spoke softly, "Look at that little face that's been slapped, it breaks my heart to see it."
"Hehe." A pleasant male voice came from behind the curtain, tinged with mockery, "I didn't expect there to be such a hypocritical little fox here."
"Who are you talking about?" Upon hearing this, Jiang Yuan put down her cup and lifted the curtain to enter. The palace servants tactfully withdrew, their beads clinking together with a crisp sound. Song Yanji was sitting cross-legged on a low stool, a half-finished chess game laid out in front of him.
When Song Yansi saw her come in, he stretched out his hand, and only after Jiang Yuan placed her fingers in his palm did he apply a little force to his arm, pulling Jiang Yuan around halfway. With a sweep of his arm, the little woman was just sitting in his lap. Song Yansi held Jiang Yuan in his arms and lowered his head to lightly peck her lips. "Yuan, guess?"
"If I'm a fox, then what is Zhong Li?" Jiang Yuan hooked one arm around Song Yansi's neck, and with the other hand, she stretched out her fingertips, touching his chin with her fingertips. She nestled lazily in his arms, her legs dangling slightly.
“Young hunter.” Song Yansi’s eyes darkened slightly. He opened his mouth and lightly bit Jiang Yuan’s finger, his hand then restlessly sliding towards her waist. “Go and catch this cunning little fox!”
As he spoke the second half of the sentence, Song Yansi's voice gradually became barely audible. His warm lips kissed Jiang Yuan's cheek, and finally he gently kissed her earlobe.
Jiang Yuan was aroused by his kisses, and struggled slightly as she pushed against his body with her arms, saying, "Didn't you just say you had unfinished court affairs?"
You said you'd just come to watch the fun and then go home!
“The world is so big, there are always things to do, it’s okay to push things aside occasionally.” Song Yansi’s hand slid into Jiang Yuan’s clothes, her skin was as smooth as silk and felt soft to the touch. He was very hot, and with a twist of his arm, he pressed Jiang Yuan down and tore open the thin belt around her waist with one hand.
Song Yansi and Jiang Yuan had been husband and wife for two lifetimes, and he knew her body like the back of his hand. Every time, he would use his strength and skill to make Jiang Yuan groan softly. Her voice was sticky and sweet, like a kitten, tickling the heart.
They embraced and kissed face to face, their breaths audible. Jiang Yuan was naturally beautiful, and motherhood had given her an even more captivating charm. By candlelight, she lay sprawled in his arms, her black hair flowing freely, as dark as the night, which only accentuated her snow-white skin. Their eyes met, and Song Yansi looked at Jiang Yuan, then suddenly smiled. His phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, his nose touching hers, one hand supporting him beside her, fine lines appearing at the corners of his eyes from pleasure.
"What are you laughing at?" Jiang Yuan shook her head, gently rubbing his nose, and asked softly with curiosity.
"It's nothing, I just feel happy holding A-Yuan." Song Yansi reached down and grasped her fingertips, intertwining their fingers, and then lowered his head to kiss her lips.
As Jiang Yuan was being kissed, her mind was already a complete mess, but she still couldn't help but hum in protest, "Then...then why did you say...I'm a fox?"
"It was my fault." Song Yansi's eyes gleamed, his gaze frighteningly bright. "I'm the fox."
Before Jiang Yuan could react to what Song Yansi meant, he flipped her over and pulled her onto him. Jiang Yuan gasped and quickly reached out to press down on Song Yansi's broad shoulders. He held her waist and laughed, "This time, it's Yuan's turn to catch me."
"Pah! You're so unserious!" Jiang Yuan's face instantly turned as red as an autumn persimmon. She bit her lip and scolded him. The man reached out and pulled her down again.
The candlelight by the bedside cast long shadows of the two people, and the embroidered quilt with mandarin ducks rippled like red waves, filling the room with a tender spring atmosphere.
As dawn broke and the sky began to lighten, He Qian's knocking came from the door. "Your Majesty, it's time to get up."
Song Yansi frowned deeply, pretending not to hear.
"It's time for the morning court session." Jiang Yuan, nestled under the brocade quilt, propped herself up with her jade arms and nudged Song Yansi beside her.
"Let's hug a little longer." Song Yansi narrowed his eyes slightly, reached out and pulled Jiang Yuan into his arms, burying his head in her neck. After a long while, he spoke, his tone sounding somewhat resentful, "If Chengyu were ten years older, that would be perfect."
*Pfft*
Jiang Yuan couldn't help but laugh out loud. His breath sprayed against her ear and neck, making her feel tingly. She gently bumped her head against Song Yansi's forehead. "Wait until we get back to sleep. Didn't you say yesterday that you were going to put on a big show in court today?"
“That’s right, we have to put on an act.” Song Yansi propped himself up, his moon-colored undergarment loosely draped over his body, and he pulled Jiang Yuan into his arms with one hand. “Yang Jing’e has really helped us a lot this time.”
"Mmm." Jiang Yuan nestled in his arms and nodded solemnly.
The Meihe River is close to Qi'an, so Fu Zhengyan can use the pretext of repairing the river to return legitimately! As for the money, the Yang family will naturally have to contribute some, since no matter how much or how little, it's all money.
Using other people's money to enhance his own reputation, Song Yanji's plan was truly brilliant.
Jiang Yuan had just begun to think when a dark figure pressed down on her, and in the blink of an eye, she was pinned down on the bed. Beneath her was a soft, yielding surface; Song Yanji held her close, his eyes half-closed.
Is he going to sleep again? Jiang Yuan listened to the constant tapping at the door, and He Qian's voice grew increasingly anxious. In her past life, Song Yanji wished he could stretch one day into two, but she had never seen him so lazy and easily sleepy! She had no choice but to patiently push him again, "Zhong Li."
"Hmm?" He squinted and asked lazily.
Jiang Yuan used all his strength, coaxing and persuading him, to finally push him out of Fengqi Palace. The moment the palace door closed, Song Yanji was actually a little reluctant to leave.
"Your Majesty, it's time." He Qian bowed, his soft voice barely audible.
If only Chengyu were a little older! Song Yansi had been attending the morning court for decades and was really fed up with it, so he couldn't help but think of Song Chengyu again.
By this time, the little fellow had already dressed in his fine robes and jade crown, and was reading history and classics with Wei Zhao in the study, swaying his head as they read. Suddenly, his nose itched, and he couldn't help but sneeze three times. He rubbed his nose and realized: it must be my mother thinking of me.
"Your Majesty, I am ashamed to have failed Your Majesty's trust." Minister Yang knelt in the hall, tears streaming down his face.
"When Yang Jing'e spoke, I asked her several times, and seeing her so certain, I finally had an idea." Song Yanji said arrogantly, a handsome smile curving his lips. "So, what does the Grand Master think we should do?"
Yang Fengchang glanced at Xie Taifu. He had brought this upon himself, so he had no one to blame but himself. He forced a smile and said, "We can shorten its length and repair it for more than fifty li."
“Alright, then let’s go with the Qi’an section.” Song Yansi lowered his eyes in thought. “As for the selection of personnel…”
"Your humble servant recommends Xie Jiali, Your Excellency." The Grand Master stepped forward. "Your Excellency in the capital is a man of exceptional talent and integrity, as clear as the sun and moon and as vast as the rivers and lakes. You are the only suitable candidate."
"While the Grand Master of the Capital is admirable, he lacks experience in river repair." Before the Grand Master of Ceremonies could finish speaking, Zhang Jijiu stepped forward and said, "I recommend Zhao Hongqing. Lord Zhao participated in the repair of the river after the disaster in Qingzhou, making him a more suitable candidate."
The court was ever-changing, with undercurrents of tension, a daily occurrence. Song Yanji had seen this drama for many years and was already quite tired of it. At this moment, he simply straightened his posture, made a circle with his index finger and thumb, and gently tapped the table under his wide sleeve.
"Why don't we send someone from Qi'an?" Jiang Zhongsi, who had been quiet as a shadow since arriving at the court, suddenly spoke up. "The people in the court are good, but they are far less knowledgeable about the local disaster situation than the local officials."
The main hall was silent. Whose people were Qi'an working for?
“What Lord Jiang said makes sense,” the Grand Minister blinked quickly, then spoke up in a firm and resounding voice, “An official must take the people as his foundation. Lord Fu has served as an official in Qi’an for many years and knows its terrain well. He is indeed an excellent candidate.”
Fu Zhengyan! Song Yanji's right-hand man.
Xie Shengping subtly glanced at Jiang Zhongsi. Jiang Zhongsi seemed to sense his gaze, and the corners of his mouth curled up slightly, with a provocative meaning. Xie Shengping's eyebrows twitched slightly. Had he chosen Song Yansi?
"I also think Fu Zhengyan is excellent. Since no one objects, let's choose him."
"Your Majesty is wise."
The doors of Suyun Palace were tightly shut. Jiang Yanting looked at the note on the table. The note, with golden branches clustered together, was printed on a piece of white paper. Her fingertips trembled as she opened it. “All the twists and turns are in vain, a beautiful dream.”
Her small lips trembled incessantly, and she clutched a red embroidered bundle with a green background in her arms. She could barely speak, "Miss... what... should we do?"
"Who else knows about this?" Jiang Yanting pinched the note and quickly stuffed it into the incense burner, where it burned into a wisp of smoke in a moment.
"This servant didn't know. This thing was found in front of my door this morning." Xiaoqiao was almost crying with fright. They had covered it up so well. "What about Miss's plan?"