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Chapitre 3

The encounter with Liu Ruxu truly instilled a sense of crisis in her. From that day on, Rongyue intensified her training, working day and night. In just a few days, she managed to restore her body to 20% of what it was in her previous life. Although it was only 20%, she was overjoyed, because this body had been pampered for too long, and every cell in it was fatigued. This was incomparable to her previous life, where she had been crawling and rolling among piles of corpses since childhood! Achieving such results in such a short time was truly remarkable. With 20% strength, she could easily handle seven or eight burly men with her bare hands; with weapons, she could easily take on ten or more! Fortunately, this body was only fifteen years old, young enough that given time, she believed restoring it to 70-80% shouldn't be too difficult.

These past few days, she had Luo'er inventory all her gold and silver jewelry, estimating it to be around ten thousand taels. She wasn't very familiar with the currency exchange rates of this dynasty. According to Luo'er, one tael of silver here could be exchanged for ten strings of copper coins, and each string contained ten copper coins. One copper coin could buy two large meat buns. From Luo'er, she also learned that here, twenty taels of silver was enough for an ordinary family of four to live comfortably for a year, with some even left over. Her assets of approximately ten thousand taels would be enough for her to live a life of luxury! Rongyue was secretly delighted, weighing the gold and silver jewelry in her hands, pondering whether she should find time to exchange them for lighter, more portable banknotes.

"Miss, Miss..." Luo'er's extremely anxious voice faintly came from afar, interrupting Rongyue's fantasy of planning for the future.

Ever since Liu Ruxu's taunt, Rongyue had repeatedly ordered Luo'er to address her as "Second Miss." But who would have thought that this seemingly gentle and weak girl was actually incredibly stubborn! No matter how much Rongyue threatened her or tried to persuade her gently, the girl remained unmoved, refusing to change her address, as if to say, "I'll give you my tongue if you won't change it." In desperation, a compromise was reached: the number at the beginning was dropped, and she was now addressed as "Miss."

Setting down the valuables in her hands, Rongyue smiled as she looked at Luo'er, who was leaning against the doorframe, panting heavily. She chuckled and scolded her, "Look at you, in such a hurry, are you rushing to be reincarnated?"

"Miss... hurry, hurry... hurry and go receive the imperial decree..." Ignoring Rongyue's teasing, Luo'er ran up to her, grabbed her arm, and ran towards the door without saying another word.

"Imperial edict? Luo'er, don't rush off. Explain yourself first. What exactly is this imperial edict?" Rongyue asked, frowning as she pulled back the anxious Luo'er.

Luo'er stamped her feet anxiously, her little face scrunched up with worry: "Miss, how would this servant know what imperial decree it is! Hurry up and go receive the decree, Miss! The eunuchs have come from the palace, if we are delayed, it will be... it will be a beheading..." As she spoke, Luo'er pulled Rongyue tightly, hurriedly leaving the small building and rushing towards the main house.

Letting Luo'er pull her along, Rongyue's heart was filled with doubt. What was this emperor up to? Why did he suddenly decide to give her an imperial edict? Could it be that he had a change of heart and wanted to reward her with some beads or agate as compensation? That couldn't be it, could he? If he were going to just give it to her directly, why go through all this trouble and issue an imperial edict? What could it be...? What could possibly warrant an imperial edict from His Majesty...? Rongyue racked her brains, pondering deeply, occasionally recalling historical dramas she had watched, trying to fathom the emperor's unpredictable thoughts. Suddenly, a thought flashed through her mind: Could it be...?

"Congratulations, Second Miss! Congratulations, Second Miss! This servant has come to offer my congratulations to the Second Miss—" As soon as Rongyue entered the door, Eunuch Deng, dressed in a dark blue eunuch's robe, hurriedly stepped forward to offer his congratulations, his face beaming with smiles, his old face turning into a bright chrysanthemum.

Rongyue, who was initially uncertain about the situation, was startled by the "Congratulations," and her heart sank. Sure enough, if she wasn't mistaken, the Emperor had come to arrange her marriage! Ha, Old Master Liu, so what if you're the Emperor's brother-in-law? So what if you're the Emperor's own uncle? The Emperor is still wary of you! He's afraid you'll use your last daughter to win over political colleagues, so he struck first! But the Emperor underestimated her simple abilities. Did he really think she was a puppet to be manipulated? The Emperor wasn't qualified to decide her simple marriage!

"Second Miss, heed the imperial decree!" Unfurling a bright yellow silk scroll, and after Rongyue and her entourage knelt, Eunuch Deng cleared his throat and read aloud: "By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: 'The second daughter of the Prime Minister, Liu Rongyue, is virtuous, kind, respectful, and courteous… Therefore, she is betrothed to Prince Yao, to be married on the same day as me! A match made in heaven, a blessed union. May the couple live in harmony, respect each other, be forever united, and grow old together!' So be it—" Closing the imperial decree, Eunuch Deng looked at the stunned Rongyue kneeling on the ground and coughed lightly: "Second Miss Liu, why don't you quickly accept the decree and express your gratitude!"

Oh, I've finished reading it. This emperor is really long-winded!

"This commoner thanks Your Majesty for your grace! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!" Even if I haven't eaten pork, I've seen pigs run! I respectfully kowtowed, accepted the imperial edict, and bowed my head, retreating respectfully to the side. Thankfully, I'm only marrying a prince, not following in the footsteps of the legendary concubines Ehuang and Nüying. The palace is heavily guarded; if I were to enter that cage, escaping would be extremely difficult! Escaping from a prince's residence to ascend to heaven should be relatively easier!

Rongyue's unusual quietness surprised the old man standing in the middle of the hall, dressed in a dark blue official robe with auspicious cloud patterns. He was Rongyue's father—Liu Zhiyi. No one knows a daughter better than her father; over the years, Old Master Liu had long since figured out Rongyue's true nature. Given her temperament, if she were betrothed to a fool, she should have stormed out on the spot, or been pointing her finger at him and crying and making a scene. Why would she be so docile now? He looked at his unlikable daughter more closely. Her sharp edges were concealed, she was respectful and measured, her face gentle, her eyes lowered—completely unlike the prickly little hedgehog of the past…

While Old Master Liu was sizing her up, she was also secretly observing this man who was nominally her father. He wasn't the bloated, greasy-faced, pig-headed figure she'd imagined; he wasn't the stereotypical image portrayed on television. Old Master Liu was lean and upright, vigorous and energetic, still quite virile, and full of life! On the surface, Rongyue had a fairly good impression of Old Master Liu, provided, of course, that she ignored the utterly hypocritical fake smile on his lips…

Under the probing and suspicious gaze of Old Master Liu and the gloating look of Liu Ruxu, Rongyue bowed with Luo'er and returned to her small residence with the imperial edict.

As soon as she entered the room, before she could even sit down properly, Luo'er grabbed her clothes and burst into tears.

Rongyue was very surprised. What happened this time? Why did she suddenly start crying?

"Waaah... Miss, how are you going to live from now on... Why are you so unlucky..."

"Misfortune?" Rongyue pondered these two words, looking at Luo'er in surprise: "What do you mean?"

"Miss, have you forgotten...? That...that Prince Yao is a fool—"

Volume One: Pear Blossom Courtyard Under the Melting Moon, Chapter Five: Marrying into the Prince's Mansion

The fragrance of pear blossoms, a heart breaking with sorrow; a thousand cups of wine, to ease my longing. Brother Yao, is that brightest star in the sky you? Is it because you can't let go of Dandan either, so you followed her to another time and space? Brother Yao, do you know, when I saw him, I really thought it was you coming to find Dandan…

But once you've seen the ocean, other waters seem insignificant; once you've beheld the clouds of Wushan, other clouds seem pale in comparison. He, in the end, is not you...

Fallen petals, cold and chilling, ground into fragrance, my heart aches unbearably. Brother Yao, I'm so cold, so afraid… Since you left, no one has protected Dandan, cared for Dandan, or loved Dandan anymore… Brother Yao, you didn't like Dandan's hands stained with blood, but do you know, after you left, Dandan became a mercenary again, staining her hands with blood time and time again. Because Dandan heard from the old people that some who have passed away often leave one of their three souls and seven spirits in the mortal world to protect their loved ones, unable to let go of them. So, out of selfishness, Dandan didn't listen to you to keep one of Brother Yao's spirits. Brother Yao, you won't blame Dandan, will you…?

Brother Yao, where are you? Can you hear my call...?

The strong liquor in the jar swayed, and Rongyue's face was streaked with tears. One tear after another silently slid down her pale cheeks, dripping into the jar and creating ripples. She picked up the jar, tilted her head back, and drank the liquor, mixed with tears, in one gulp. The liquor only deepened her sorrow; it wasn't refreshing and crisp, but rather unbearably bitter. She couldn't tell if the bitterness came from her tears, the liquor, or her own heart-wrenching grief…

Rongyue had been married into the Prince's mansion for three days, and for three days she had been drunk and distraught. From the moment the Prince lifted her bridal veil, Rongyue locked herself in her bridal chamber, clutching a wine jar, gazing at the stars through the window, crying and wailing for three days and three nights. To outsiders, she was merely venting her resentment at marrying a fool. But only Rongyue knew in her heart that it was that face, so strikingly similar to her brother Yao's, that had stirred up a hidden sorrow within her. She just wanted to hide away, to lick her wounds in private…

"Bang—" The thick, vermilion wooden door was kicked open with a thud. After creaking and swaying a few times, the left door finally came loose from its frame and met its end. The sudden light made Rongyue's eyes sting, and she covered her forehead with one hand, trying to block out the blinding light.

One step, two steps, three steps... accompanied by steady footsteps, a pair of soft-soled black boots embroidered with dragons stopped in front of Rongyue, who was holding a wine jar.

Suddenly, her chin was grabbed and forced up high, so that she was facing the man in front of her.

"What, you really want to marry me that badly? Can't you live without me? Want to marry me? Hmph, why don't you take a look in the mirror and see if you're even qualified! Liu Rongyue, stop daydreaming! I will never like a woman like you! Now that you've married into the Prince's Mansion, you're my brother's woman, the Princess Consort of the Eastern Dynasty! You'd better tone down your old temper! I only have one brother like you. Treat him well. If I find out you've been having any ulterior motives towards him, hmph, then you'll see how I deal with you..." Dongfang Lie's gaze was like a dagger, each word a vicious warning. Rongyue stared blankly at the resolute and handsome man before her, her eyes unfocused. She watched his thin lips move for a long time, but she didn't hear a single word he uttered.

Seeing that he had been talking for so long without any reaction from the person in question, Dongfang Lie was furious. He grabbed her eyes and looked into them, but there was no trace of him in her obsidian-black eyes. It turned out that he had been putting on a one-man show all this time! Enraged, Dongfang Lie raised his strong hand and slapped Rongyue hard across the face!

Recalling the past, Rongyue's eyes were full of smiles. Her eyes curved like the crescent moon in the sky. Brother Yao was always helpless against her; although he often raised his hand to slap her, he never actually managed to land a blow. In Brother Yao's words, she was his nemesis, a witch sent by heaven to subdue him…

Seeing Rongyue lying on the ground, smiling sweetly, Dongfang Lie was utterly astonished, strongly suspecting that he had knocked her senseless. He crouched down, grabbed her chin again, and forced her to look him in the eye: "What are you laughing at?"

The pain in her chin slightly brought Rongyue back to her senses. Adjusting her focus, Rongyue looked at the man before her, clad in a dragon robe and exuding a menacing aura, and tentatively called out, "Emperor?"

A question? Dongfang Lie raised an eyebrow, a playful smile playing on his lips. His warm hand gently caressed Rongyue's swollen right cheek. "What's wrong, cousin? Did your cousin really beat you senseless?"

Dongfang Lie's touch disgusted Rongyue. Her body reacted faster than her mind, slapping away Dongfang Lie's hand that was on her face. A red mark immediately appeared on the back of her fair hand. Dongfang Lie's expression changed drastically. He grabbed Rongyue's hair and pulled her closer: "Do you know who you hit? Do you want to die?!"

"Brother, don't hit my wife!" Just as Rongyue was worrying about how to avoid the punishment of this angry wolf, an anxious voice broke in. Rongyue then fell into a warm embrace and looked up to see that face that made her dizzy with beauty once again.

“Brother Yao…” Rongyue couldn’t help but wrap her arms around Dongfang Yao’s neck, her eyes fixed on him, greedily gazing at the face that had appeared in her dreams a thousand times. In the past, whenever she had suffered injustice, her Brother Yao would shield her from the storms of life with his broad chest, providing her with a safe haven, making her no longer lonely or desolate, giving her a sense of belonging. Even though she knew he wasn’t her Brother Yao, at this moment she wanted to believe he was! Call it self-deception, call it blind faith, at this moment, she only wanted to draw warmth, a warmth she had longed for…

Rongyue's soft, sweet yet deeply aggrieved "Brother Yao" startled both Dongfang brothers. Dongfang Lie only knew Rongyue as domineering and arrogant, a stubborn and unyielding person; he had never imagined she would show such a pitiful, puppy-like expression and utter such a soft, weak voice. He secretly wondered if he had gone too far. Dongfang Yao, on the other hand, was filled with righteous indignation at being called "brother." He felt that as an older brother, he had to protect his sister, especially since she was his wife. His mother had told him a few days ago that he should cherish his wife and not let her suffer any injustice. Now that his wife had been bullied, he had an obligation to protect her and not let anyone bully her, not even his imperial brother!

Volume One: Pear Blossom Courtyard Under the Melting Moon, Chapter Six: Turbulent Times in the Prince's Mansion

After Dongfang Lie left, Dongfang Yao carried Rongyue to the bed, stripped himself naked, slid into the covers, and then started to pull off Rongyue's clothes.

"What...what are you doing!" Rongyue exclaimed in shock, desperately clutching her clothes to prevent him from succeeding. Heavens, although he looked like Yao-gege, he wasn't him! It was true she wanted to rely on him, to draw warmth from him like Yao-gege, but that didn't mean she could have sex with him!

"Wife, don't be afraid, I won't hit you! Be good, be good..." Seeing Rongyue looking at his hand in terror, he stopped and affectionately patted Rongyue's head to soothe her still-shaken state. But just as her nerves relaxed a little, Dongfang Yao once again reached for her clothes.

"Don't touch me!" Rongyue cried out, slapping away his wicked hand.

Dongfang Yao felt a little wronged and muttered under her breath, "If I don't help you take off your clothes, I won't have a doll..."

"you……"