Marrying the Sweet Story’s Melodramatic Villainess [Transmigration] - Chapter 3

Pei Mingjiao had just arrived outside the Grand Princess’s estate when she encountered a servant out looking for her. She learned that news had come from the palace: her Imperial Uncle, the Emperor, had prepared a family banquet and requested their entire family to dine at the Imperial Palace.

Upon hearing this, Pei Mingjiao went straight to find her mother.

Grand Princess Huayin, Yan Linlang, was currently applying her makeup. Her stunningly beautiful face showed no trace of time; even though she was nearly forty, she maintained her appearance as if she were a young maiden, only with a touch more mature charm than in her greener years.

People often said Pei Mingjiao was the “favored daughter of heaven,” but her mother, Yan Linlang, was even more so. Her surname was Yan—the national surname. Her father was the late Emperor Huidi, who only had two children: the Grand Princess and the current Emperor. Yan Linlang was four years older than her brother. During those four years, Huidi only had her as his sole offspring, and she was pampered to the extreme—even considered as a potential heir to the throne. She could truly have the wind if she wanted wind and the rain if she wanted rain. Even after her younger brother was born of the same mother, she remained favored. No one in the world dared to treat her with anything but the utmost respect. At her current age, the greatest setbacks she had faced were the deaths of her parents.

Hearing hurried footsteps outside, Yan Linlang kept her eyes half-closed. “What are you rushing for?”

Pei Mingjiao took a teacup from a maid, took a light sip, and said, “It’s a good thing I didn’t eat at Lu Erniang’s place. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to eat a bite at the palace later.”

Yan Linlang’s expression remained unchanged as she allowed the maid to continue working on her face. “Why are you back so early this time?”

Pei Mingjiao leaned in to study the floral pattern (dianhua) the maid was painting on her mother’s forehead. “It was meaningless. Boring to death.”

“How so?” Yan Linlang followed up.

Pei Mingjiao recounted everything that had happened at Lu Erniang’s party.

Yan Linlang’s brow twitched slightly as she opened her sharp eyes. “The Liu family’s daughter was there too?”

Pei Mingjiao instantly understood her mother’s implication. “She looked no different than usual.”

Yan Linlang raised a hand to lightly touch the floral pattern between her brows, her voice devoid of emotion. “Oh, is that so?”

Although Pei Mingjiao didn’t like using her brain much, she still possessed the necessary political sensitivity. Her Imperial Uncle had no heirs to this day, and the closest direct line was that of the Prince of Yue, who was highly likely to provide a successor. The Prince of Yue’s estate was currently at the height of its power in Chang’an, yet the more power they held, the more low-profile they became. They were, in fact, low-profile to an extreme. This was natural; the current Emperor was in his prime, and though he had no sons yet, no one could say for sure what the future would hold. If the Prince of Yue dared to show off now, he would be courting death.

The Prince of Yue currently stayed tucked away in his estate, refusing to see anyone who came to curry favor. He understood clearly that if he dared to form a faction, the man on the throne would absolutely take his life. Even his only son, upon reaching marriageable age, only dared to betroth the daughter of a minor official as his Consort. He was, to put it mildly, extremely cautious.

Once the floral pattern was drawn, the attendants applied lip color to the Grand Princess. Pei Mingjiao watched for a while, grew bored, and asked, “Where are Dad and my little brother?”

A maid replied, “Reporting to the County Princess, the Consort-Prince has gone to the Imperial Academy to pick up the Young Heir.”

Pei Mingjiao realized the time. Logically, she should have been studying as well, but she truly had no talent for it and couldn’t sit still. Her family didn’t place requirements on her, so they simply hired tutors to teach her at the estate.

In contrast, her brother Pei Mingxuan was a natural scholar. At only twelve years old, he already possessed quite a reputation. Yan Linlang and the Consort-Prince had two children: the eldest daughter, Pei Mingjiao, and the younger son, Pei Mingxuan. Aside from Mingxuan, everyone in the family was rather “absurd”; that a refined, jade-like gentleman like Pei Mingxuan could come from them was a case of “a good sprout from bad bamboo.”

When Consort-Prince Pei arrived at the Imperial Academy, he heard a Cuju match was underway and that his son was one of the organizers. His interest was piqued, and he quickened his pace toward the field. Before he even reached it, cheers were rising in waves. Pei Heng narrowed his eyes and saw an unfamiliar youth kick the ball into the net from an incredibly difficult angle.

“Good ball!!!”

Pei Heng was a playful man by nature and had loved Cuju in his youth. Seeing such stunning footwork, he was delighted. He asked those nearby, “Who is that young man?”

His attendant, Li Wei, immediately replied, “Reporting to the Consort-Prince, that is Cui Ting, the son of Palace Attendant Cui.”

In Pei Heng’s memory, Cui Yan was a man steeped in bookish air; he hadn’t expected his son to be so different. Looking closer, he saw his own son—wearing a different team uniform—looking indignant, which made him chuckle.

Clang…

The gong sounded.

The referee’s steady, powerful voice rang out: “Red Team wins!!!”

Cui Ting was instantly surrounded by a crowd like stars around the moon. From Pei Heng’s angle, he could see Cui Ting’s bright, open smile.

A classmate standing next to Pei Mingxuan grumbled indignantly, “This Cui Ting only has Cuju to be proud of.”

Pei Mingxuan frowned. “Do not say such things. A loss is a loss. We will simply win it back next time.”

At these words, the indignant classmate felt embarrassed. Pei Mingxuan, however, struck up a conversation with the approaching Cui Ting. The two youths agreed to a rematch next time, and the lively competition came to an end.

“Brother Pei, look who’s here?”

Pei Mingxuan followed his classmate’s gaze and saw Pei Heng looking at him with a smile. He ran over, his youthful face beaming. “Dad, why are you here?”

“Your Imperial Uncle invited our family to dine at the palace; I came to pick you up.” Pei Heng added, “If I’d known you had a Cuju match, I would have come earlier.”

Pei Mingxuan was full of spirit. “Come next time, and I’ll definitely win.”

Pei Heng played along. “Alright, next time I’ll bring your mother and sister along too.”

As the father and son left chatting and laughing, Cui Ting watched them, feeling a bit homesick. Students at the Imperial Academy were not allowed to leave except on specific holidays; the Pei family was a special exception granted by the Emperor—a clear sign of their unique honor.

As soon as Pei Mingxuan returned to the Grand Princess’s estate, he quickly bathed to wash off the scent of sweat. Once he was dressed and the family was ready, they boarded the carriage together for the palace.

Emperor Zhao of Qi, Yan Zhao, had always been close to their family. Going to the palace for a meal was a routine occurrence for the Peis.

Upon arrival, the leading eunuch explained respectfully, “His Majesty is still handling government affairs; the Empress is waiting for you.”

Hearing this, Yan Linlang found it somewhat strange. The relationship between the Emperor and Empress was cold, and they rarely invited people together. She wondered what they were planning.

After about fifteen minutes, the Pei family reached the Hall of Supreme Harmony. The Empress, dressed in dark green ceremonial robes, smiled kindly upon seeing Yan Linlang. “It has been a while. Huayin is as radiant as ever.”

The four members of the Pei family gave their greetings. Yan Linlang smiled and returned the compliment. “Your Majesty is the one who is truly a national beauty.”

Empress Zhao smiled and turned her gaze to Pei Mingjiao, sighing. “Seeing Jiaojiao makes me think of the time when you, Huayin, were the talk of Chang’an.”

To be honest, the Empress hadn’t had much contact with Yan Linlang when they were both unmarried. After becoming the Crown Princess, Yan Linlang rarely entered the palace. Later, when she became Empress, they only met on specific occasions. But over the years, she had come to understand Yan Linlang’s temper. Seeing her still looking the same as she did in her youth, the Empress couldn’t help but sigh that some people were truly blessed by heaven.

Yan Linlang caught the Empress’s sentiment and chuckled, her phoenix eyes shifting. “Yes, so many years have passed in a flash.”

Empress Zhao’s gaze lingered on the dazzlingly beautiful Pei Mingjiao and then on the still-youthful Pei Mingxuan. Looking at Yan Linlang’s two children, Empress Zhao couldn’t help but feel envious, though her expression remained dignified and warm. She chatted with the family about mundane things. Yan Linlang didn’t know what the Empress was up to today, so she sipped her tea and agreed politely.

After half a cup of tea, Emperor Yan Zhao arrived. The Emperor was thirty-four this year, in his prime, and possessed a fine appearance. He was Yan Linlang’s biological brother and had always been close to her; their interaction was like that of ordinary siblings. Seeing the four members of the Pei family sitting neatly, he laughed heartily, devoid of imperial sternness. “What are you talking about?”

Those sitting quickly rose to give their greetings, but the Emperor reached out to stop them. “Sister, I’ve said that family needn’t be so formal.”

Yan Linlang rose smoothly and smiled. “It’s just that I’ve been scared by the censors’ memorials lately.”

The Emperor frowned. “I’ve let Sister suffer grievances.”

Yan Linlang smiled but didn’t reply. At that moment, Pei Mingjiao called out in a sweet, soft voice, “Imperial Uncle.”

The Emperor’s favorite niece was Pei Mingjiao. He knew she loved beauty most and praised her knowingly, “Jiaojiao has become even more beautiful.”

Pei Mingjiao: “…Uncle is being perfunctory with me again.”

The Emperor laughed loudly and apologized without any imperial airs, making the Empress at the table look like an outsider. However, the Empress didn’t mind. Watching the warmth between the Emperor and the Pei family, it seemed the Emperor’s long-stifled affection had nowhere else to go. He turned his gaze to Pei Mingxuan and began testing him on his studies.

Pei Mingxuan was used to this different treatment. Pei Mingjiao, listening to a head full of the Four Books and Five Classics, found it boring and tedious. She lowered her head to sip her tea, only to see Pei Heng doing the exact same thing.

Pei Heng: “…”

As the youngest son of his family with an illustrious background, Pei Heng could enjoy wealth and honor for a lifetime even if he did nothing. He had been raised into a complete wastrel—a total playboy. Even at nearly forty, he hadn’t even finished reading the Four Books. Hearing the back-and-forth between the Emperor and his son, he habitually felt sleepy.

Pei Mingjiao, having inherited her father’s brain, was naturally the same. Seeing her Uncle’s enthusiastic look and knowing this wouldn’t stop anytime soon, she couldn’t take it anymore and interrupted, “Uncle, I’m hungry.”

The Emperor was still full of interest, but seeing Pei Mingjiao’s aggrieved look, he immediately ordered the palace maids to serve the meal. After washing their hands, the imperial dishes were laid out in an orderly fashion. While the era emphasized “no speaking while eating,” this rule didn’t exist at the imperial family banquet. The Emperor looked at the charming Pei Mingjiao and sighed, “Jiaojiao has grown up too.”

Yan Linlang’s heart skipped a beat. Pei Mingjiao was oblivious, focusing entirely on her food; she hadn’t eaten in the afternoon and was starving.

When the Emperor speaks, someone must respond. Yan Linlang replied with a smile, “Look at her; she doesn’t look like she’s grown up at all.”

Hearing her mother’s slight put-down, Pei Mingjiao puffed out her cheeks indignantly, making the Emperor laugh heartily again.

The meal was enjoyed by both hosts and guests. The Emperor kept the family for a while longer to chat and bestowed many gifts upon them before they finally left the palace.

Pei Mingjiao frequently dined at the palace and thought it was just a routine family banquet. Yan Linlang, however, took it to heart. Combined with the Empress’s unusual behavior, she understood exactly what it meant.

The Empress came from the illustrious Zhao family, a clan that had held two dukedoms and had been heavily relied upon since the founding of the dynasty. The Zhao family was low-profile and maintained a clean family reputation. Now that they had extended an olive branch, they clearly intended to form a marriage alliance. Yan Linlang recalled the younger generation of the Zhao family; the only one who could match Jiaojiao was the Heir Apparent of the Duke of Wei, Zhao Xuan. Yan Linlang had two children; as Jiaojiao grew older, she had secretly scouted the situation of various families. The Zhao family was naturally on the list. Zhao Xuan’s background, appearance, and scholarship were certainly not lacking. There was only one point: the Duke of Wei had a younger brother for Zhao Xuan born of a second wife, not to mention several sons of concubines.

Just the presence of concubine-born sons was enough for Yan Linlang to discard the idea. She could not tolerate Jiaojiao being trapped in inner-residence struggles. However, it was rare for great clans not to have concubines, so the matter had been delayed. As for the Zhao family’s intentions, since they hadn’t been made explicit, Yan Linlang acted as if she didn’t know. Even if they were made explicit, she could still refuse.

Pei Mingjiao knew nothing of her mother’s plans for her. She was currently thinking about whether to visit the Gu residence to see Gu Yue—after all, she was quite satisfied with Gu Yue as a “lackey.”