Marrying the Sweet Story’s Melodramatic Villainess [Transmigration] - Chapter 12

In the afternoon, as the sun gradually tilted toward the west, Pei Mingjiao was in the Deer Park feeding the milu deer. These deer were raised to be extremely gentle. While the deer grazed, she took the opportunity to stroke its antlers a few times. Once she had her fill of petting them, Pei Mingjiao asked the maidservant attending her, “What time is it?”

A maid replied, “It is the hour of the Shen (3:00 PM – 5:00 PM).”

Pei Mingjiao made a quick calculation. An hour had passed since she sent the gifts to Cui Yi; her servants should be returning soon. She patted the milu deer, which was still focused on its meal, and said, “Changshou (Longevity), I’m leaving now.”

The Grand Princess’s residence housed many exotic birds and rare beasts, but her favorite was this milu deer. She had found it while hunting in the mountains; she had startled a pregnant doe, and in its flight, the doe went into premature labor and the fawn slipped out. Pei Mingjiao picked it up and raised it herself, naming it Changshou in the hope that it would accompany her for a lifetime.

Changshou nudged Pei Mingjiao’s trouser leg in acknowledgment, and she left, feeling satisfied.

Before she could reach her own courtyard, she heard that the Grand Princess had sent for her. Pei Mingjiao changed direction and headed toward her mother’s quarters.

The architecture and layout of the Grand Princess’s residence were the epitome of luxury and refinement, and the resting chambers were even more so, filled with top-tier treasures. As Pei Mingjiao brushed past the pearl curtains, she caught a familiar, rich aroma of wine before she even stepped inside. Her expression shifted. Her mother was reclining on the couch with her eyes half-closed, her long fingers loosely gripping a wine cup. Her cheeks were flushed crimson, and her hair was slightly disheveled—she was clearly intoxicated.

Pei Mingjiao frowned and asked Nanny Zhang, who was in the room, “How much has she had to drink?”

Nanny Zhang replied helplessly, “Her Highness only intended to have a taste. However, after drinking the Thousand-Mile Intoxication, she liked it so much that she finished three cups in a row. Now, she is in a state of ebriety.”

Three cups?

One must know that Yan Linlang was a seasoned drinker, her tolerance being among the best in Chang’an. For her to be floored by three cups made Pei Mingjiao feel that the strength of this wine was almost exaggerated. Suppressing her curiosity, she asked, “Has the sobering soup been brewed?”

Nanny Zhang answered, “I have already instructed the kitchen to prepare it.”

Pei Mingjiao hummed in response, gently took the wine cup from Yan Linlang’s hand, and set it aside. Nanny Zhang took the opportunity to add, “Lady Cui sent ten jars of wine—five each of the Thousand-Mile Intoxication and the Honey Wine.”

The corners of Pei Mingjiao’s mouth curled upward. She secretly thought that Cui Yi had made up for the gifts from their previous five meetings all at once.

“Lady Cui also sent an invitation to the County Princess.” Nanny Zhang handed the invitation card to Pei Mingjiao.

Pei Mingjiao hurried to accept it. Upon reading, she saw that Cui Yi was inviting her to the Cui residence in three days for a wine tasting. A look of joy inevitably spread across her face. Seeing this, Nanny Zhang smiled and said, “It seems Lady Cui has finally recognized the County Princess’s goodness.”

Nanny Zhang had served Yan Linlang since childhood and possessed her absolute trust; Pei Mingjiao never felt the need to avoid her when speaking.

“I have always been good,” Pei Mingjiao replied to Nanny Zhang with a hint of pride. She handed the letter to Caizhu to store safely, her brow light and radiant. “Send a letter to my father. Tell him I’ve obtained something wonderful and wish to share it with him, so he should return home early.”

Pei Heng was a well-known “street-wanderer” of the city; heaven only knew where he had gone to amuse himself today.

Her attendants complied.

As they spoke, a maid arrived with the sobering soup. It had been chilled over ice for a moment so it wouldn’t take long to cool. Pei Mingjiao took it personally, testing the temperature to ensure Yan Linlang wouldn’t be uncomfortable, before calling her mother to drink.

After a few sips, Yan Linlang’s intoxication hadn’t fully vanished, but she became more alert. Feeling thoroughly refreshed, she said boisterously, “It truly lives up to its reputation!”

Pei Mingjiao: “…”

After finishing the soup, Yan Linlang allowed her maids to help her to the bed. With glazed eyes, she didn’t forget to remind her daughter, “Remember to send some to your Imperial Uncle for him to taste.”

Pei Mingjiao agreed. After exiting the inner chamber, she began to distribute the ten jars of wine.

Two of each variety would stay with Yan Linlang, and two of each would be sent to her Uncle. The remainder would be her own.

Since she was now on good terms with Cui Yi, would she ever lack wine to drink in the future?

Thus, in the Imperial Palace, Emperor Qi (Yan Zhao) received the filial tribute from his niece. He said to his eunuch attendant with amusement, “She is still the same—whenever she gets something good, she sends it straight to the Palace.”

The attendant echoed the sentiment with a beaming smile.

After the wine underwent rigorous safety checks, it was presented to Emperor Qi. The attendant poured a cup for him. The clear, bright liquid flowed from the pot into the cup. The Emperor took a sip, his features relaxing as he laughed. “It is exactly as Minister Liu described—truly a nectar of the gods.”

“Minister Liu” referred to Liu Mingjin, the Right Vice-Director of the Department of State Affairs and a titan of the literary world. Emperor Qi would often appreciate the poems Liu wrote in his leisure time, so he naturally knew that a marvelous wine had appeared in Chang’an.

The Emperor ordered, “Go and send a flask of each to the Noble Consort. She is quite the ‘wine-enthusiast’ herself.”

The attendant obeyed.

He then instructed the attendant to go to the treasury and pick out some jewelry to send to Pei Mingjiao. After the orders were taken, the Emperor resumed his official duties.

Word quickly spread through the palace that the Emperor had sent a unique reward to the Noble Consort. Many were so jealous they could have torn their handkerchiefs in frustration. Empress Zhao, upon hearing this, remained indifferent, though a palace maid muttered indignantly, “The Noble Consort is already overbearing; after this, who knows how arrogant she will become.”

The Empress glanced at her head maid, who immediately had the instigating maid gagged and dragged away.

The head maid, Xia Zhu, whispered, “Your Majesty, we need only wait for the future.”

Empress Zhao understood this better than anyone. However, as the saying goes, ‘A new Emperor brings a new court.’ The Zhao family held two ducal titles; would a new Emperor still look upon them with favor?

The Empress said to Xia Zhu, “Tomorrow, have my eldest sister-in-law come to the palace to see me.”

When the wife of the Duke of Chengen—the Empress’s sister-in-law—received the news, her thoughts were clouded. She regretted that she had not given birth to a son; otherwise, such good fortune would not have fallen upon the heir of the Duke of Weiguo. She felt only pity for her two daughters. The Duke of Chengen had delayed requesting the official title of heir, which had caused those beneath him to harbor wild ambitions.

How could her daughter’s rightful inheritance be something a concubine’s son could covet?

None of these schemes concerned Cui Yi. However, when Cui Yan returned, he brought her excellent news: the Son of Heaven had spoken highly of her wine.

An “Imperial Endorsement.”

This had already exceeded Cui Yi’s expectations. Now, she only had to wait for the shop to open.

The wine shop was located in a bustling section of the East Market. By coincidence, a shop directly opposite hers was also undergoing renovations. Gu Jing scouted the area and returned to tell Cui Yi, “A soap shop is opening right across from us!”

Gu Jing was a huge proponent of soap, as it was durable and fragrant; she had already stockpiled several bars.

Hearing this, Cui Yi said nothing. The female protagonist had no conflict of interest with her, so where she opened her shop was of no concern.

Cui Yi also became busy, as she had to learn from Lady Du how to manage the household and the family’s finances. This wasn’t difficult for her, just tedious. With an upcoming banquet at the residence, she had to follow along and learn. Fortunately, there were only four formal masters in the household; in a larger clan, one wouldn’t have a single moment of peace.

While Lady Du and Cui Yi were busy, Cui Yan was also occupied. For a time, they all forgot that Cui Ting was about to return for his break.

It was only after Nanny Li reminded them that Lady Du reacted, quickly ordering the kitchen to prepare several of Cui Ting’s favorite dishes.

Cui Yi, who had not yet met Cui Ting, remembered from her memories that he was a very talkative and lively younger brother.

Cui Ting was only twelve years old. Having spent over a month at the Imperial Academy (Guozijian), he was terribly homesick. As soon as his break began, he rode his horse home. Passing through a slightly crowded street, he dismounted and asked a peddler, “What are people buying here?”

Once the subject was broached, the peddler had endless things to say, his weather-beaten face breaking into a smile.

“This is the soap shop. A small bar can wash clothes, hair, and your body. It’s guaranteed to clean you thoroughly and even comes with its own fragrance! It’s very popular with the young ladies. One bar is only fifty wen, and if you’re frugal, it can last two months.”

Seeing this, Cui Ting became even more curious and planned to come back the next day to take a look.

As he left, Gu Ning, watching the bustling crowd from the second floor, felt a flash of anxiety.

She had to find a partner as soon as possible.

She was leaning toward the male protagonist.