The large carriage convoy departed from the manor entrance. Yang Xiuying lifted the window curtain. What she saw was her husband riding his horse flanking the carriage, slightly ahead. So she propped her chin on the carriage window frame, contentedly watching his broad back and the horse’s rump swaying back and forth, thinking she’d like to ride a horse too.
Jian Hantian, sensing he was being stared at, turned back to look. He found a pair of large, round, sparkling eyes watching his horse’s rump with great interest. Not knowing quite how to feel about this, he cleared his throat and turned his attention back to the road ahead.
The citizens who saw Qin Wang’s carriage convoy immediately knew that inside must be Qin Wangfei—Qin Wang’s primary consort from a foreign land who’d married him just yesterday. So they gathered to peek from both sides of the street.
Those citizens on the side who managed to see Qin Wangfei’s face—because she’d opened the window curtain to admire the capital’s atmosphere—all widened their eyes and gaped, one after another.
Many had thought she must be so ugly she couldn’t find a husband on Long Yu Island, which was why she had to seek one from another kingdom. Who would have thought she’d be even more beautiful than Miss Ma, renowned as the capital’s number one beauty? Many men even thought to themselves that Qin Wang’s years of remaining single had truly paid off handsomely.
Thus, rumors of Qin Wangfei’s beauty spread among the citizens that very morning, while the woman herself had to follow her husband to meet with the Emperor and Empress at the imperial palace.
***
When they arrived at the Emperor’s study, she hadn’t expected that besides the Emperor and Empress, there was also the Crown Prince and all the various wangs, who had each brought their own consorts and gathered from early morning.
Yang Xiuying swept her gaze around, thinking to herself, ‘Can’t tell at all how badly they wanted to see my face.’
But in that very moment, the area where Li Wang and his primary consort stood erupted with an unexpected reaction.
“You!!” That was Chu Huiru’s voice, eyes wide, raising her finger to point at Qin Wangfei’s face in an unmannerly way.
Yang Xiuying raised her eyebrows to look in that direction and gave a wicked grin. So this must be Li Wang’s primary wife. And that plain-faced, weak, frail man with an expression like a startled dog—that’s the Li Wang who broke A Zhen’s heart so badly she wouldn’t wake up? With a face like that? Really?
“Li Wangfei, control yourself.” Jian Hantian’s warning came cold and sharp. His cold, intimidating tone made Chu Huiru startle, but inwardly she was burning with agitation.
That vile concubine Yu Zhenzhen was dead, wasn’t she?! Then this woman with a face so identical it was like they’d been cast from the same mold… no… she had to say, more beautiful, confident, and radiant than that vixen before she was caged and drowned… if it wasn’t Yu Zhenzhen, then who else could it be?!
Li Wang himself was also speechless. Over the past several days, his thoughts had been confused and conflicted, turning over repeatedly. And when he had more time to reflect, he discovered many suspicious things about the incident where people found her lying with a man that day. So he had people investigate further. Only he still hadn’t gotten clear answers, because that mysterious man had disappeared from the scene. No one knew who he was or how he’d gotten into his manor. The more he thought about it, the more abnormal it seemed.
But one thing was crystal clear to him—his regret over that sweet, beautiful concubine more lovely than any woman he’d ever met. Seeing her again today, he realized how much he truly missed her.
Yang Xiuying curved her lips in a smile and turned her chin away. She paid respects to both those in power with full ceremony. She’d already learned these things from traveling to various kingdoms south of Long Yu Island with her aunt before. She’d met emperors from those kingdoms too. Some were just like old uncles. Nothing scary about them.
The wangs and their consorts themselves hadn’t expected that the woman from this remote island would be so completely opposite from expectations. Not only was she not ugly or coarse in manner like an uncultured savage, she even appeared more distinguished and graceful than many sheltered young ladies who’d been well-trained.
Of course, Yang Xiuying’s skill at putting on an act wasn’t poor either. Even though she disliked these annoying ceremonies, it wasn’t like she couldn’t perform them.
“Finally we meet the daughter of the Long Yu Island Lord. We, as Emperor of Jian Kingdom, officially welcome you as part of the Jian royal family.” The greeting and welcome for his foreign sister-in-law was filled with gentleness as if she were one of his own children.
“We have promised your parents that we will look after you as if you were our own child. If anything troubles you, you may come tell us. Or you may tell A Tian. He will certainly handle it fairly for you.”
The Emperor’s words seemed on the surface to support his new sister-in-law, but the true intent was, ‘If anything happens, don’t rush home to complain to your parents that you weren’t treated fairly. Try coming to tell me or your husband first, in case we can talk it out.’
Naturally, Yang Xiuying didn’t intend to expose this Emperor. Since he’d said himself that he would back her up—even if it was sarcasm or preemptive blocking—so what? The result was the same, wasn’t it?
“Your Majesty is too kind.”
***
The new sister-in-law’s formal greetings passed simply and quickly. Once the customary procedures were finished, everyone dispersed from the Emperor’s study.
Yang Xiuying deliberately swayed her hips as she walked, waiting for that mad dog to quickly chase after and snap at her. Jian Hantian saw his Wangfei walking so slowly even a turtle could overtake her, so he turned back with a questioning look.
“Stop, Yu Zhenzhen!” That shrill, piercing voice rang out from behind. Naturally, Yang Xiuying heard it loud and clear, but since that wasn’t her name, why would she turn around?
“I told you to stop!” When shouting orders yielded no response, Chu Huiru lunged forward and roughly grabbed Qin Wangfei’s arm, rage surging until her vision darkened.
Yang Xiuying had been waiting for this moment. So she pretended to cry out in shock, “Ahhhhh!” like someone scared out of her wits, but spun around and swung her arm to slap Li Wangfei’s face, sending her flying and rolling several times at a speed ordinary humans couldn’t track. Meanwhile, she herself pretended to fall from Chu Huiru’s forceful yank as well.
That scene left everyone there completely stunned, not knowing exactly what had happened. Li Wang, who’d intended to follow and speak with his Imperial Uncle’s Wangfei, had to go check on his primary consort—whose cheeks were now swollen like dumplings, eyes closed, unconscious.
Probably only Jian Hantian, with his formidable martial arts, had caught sight of his Wangfei deliberately swinging her arm to knock someone unconscious. So he walked over to watch her performance up close.
Seeing her husband approach, Yang Xiuying pretended to cry pitifully while extending her hand for him to help her up.
“Husbaaaaaand, that woman suddenly lunged and grabbed this consort from behind. This consort was startled and accidentally swung my arm out, and then fell and rolled too. It hurts so muuuuuch!”
Naturally, those words reached all the other wangs and consorts clearly. They merely wondered when she’d rolled anywhere too, since the one who’d actually rolled around seemed to be Chu Huiru, didn’t it? But everyone had indeed seen that Chu Huiru went looking for trouble with Qin Wangfei first.
Yang Xiuying had been holding out her hand for quite a while, but her husband just stood there like a statue. She waved her hand emphatically a few more times until he finally took her hand to help her up.
Even after he helped her up, she still pretended her limbs were weak, letting all her body weight fall for Jian Hantian to support.
“Can’t stand. I happened to twist my ankle when she yanked me.”
Her new husband maintained the same impassive expression, but he decided to scoop up her delicate frame in a princess carry.
Before leaving, he even turned to ask everyone.
“Just now, everyone saw the events the same way—that Li Wangfei started making trouble for my Wangfei from inside the study, and when we came out she even dared to yank her until she fell and got injured so badly she can’t walk. Correct?”
The wangs and consorts glanced at each other under his pressure before responding.
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Yes.”
“You too, correct, Li Wang?” He even turned to ask his nephew, who was still crouched down checking on his primary consort on the floor.
“Uh… y-yes, Imperial Uncle.”
“Good that we’re all on the same page.”
***
After getting into the carriage, Yang Xiuying’s previously weak and feeble demeanor vanished as if it had never existed. Jian Hantian, who’d climbed into the carriage with her, asked.
“Do you have some prior grievance with Chu Huiru?”
That deliberate arm swing to knock someone unconscious was still etched in his mind. If there was no prior grudge, why strike so violently?
“Hmph… Wangye should go ask that Chu woman instead—what madness possessed her to make trouble for this consort in front of everyone like that.” The answer came with a vicious grin and murderous aura she didn’t bother hiding, making Jian Hantian fall silent.
Since she refused to tell him, he wasn’t about to force it out of her. So they sat in silence the rest of the way back.
After escorting his Wangfei into the residence, Jian Hantian turned to order Le Qi.
“Go investigate whether she and Chu Huiru have some prior grievance.”
Le Qi bowed and left immediately.
Her new husband, meanwhile, found himself puzzling over this. Wasn’t this her first time in the capital? How could she have prior issues with Chu Huiru?
Author’s Note:
I’m not saying she enjoyed that slap, but the mermaid is definitely swimming with a grin now.
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