My Love Rivals Have All Reborn - Chapter 19

Did he marry two Elder Princesses?

Did this question even need someone to teach her?

Xiao Kuning wanted to roll her eyes but didn’t dare to show her disdain for Xie Yu. She could only nod rapidly like a pecking chick: “Your student has learned a lot.”

Xie Yu didn’t believe her: “Do you truly understand?”

Xiao Kuning nodded vigorously: “Understood.”

Xie Yu said, “Why do I feel like you are being perfunctory with me?”

Xiao Kuning felt her scalp prickle. Perfunctory about what? Do you think I want to talk to you?

She was an adult. In the previous life, she killed everyone in the Zhao Imperial Clan. Where had her courage and cunning gone that she couldn’t tell I didn’t want to talk to her?

Her internal thoughts were one thing; speaking was another. Xiao Kuning nodded desperately: “No, no, no. Master, you misunderstood me. Such a beautiful dagger is definitely meant for self-protection. It’s most suitable to hang by the bed.”

Only then did Xie Yu seem satisfied. Her eyes were bright and soft, like flowing water. She asked Xiao Kuning again: “Beautiful?”

Xiao Kuning flattered her: “Beautiful, beautiful.”

Xie Yu took advantage of the moment: “I will give it to you for protection.”

Xiao Kuning was dumbfounded: “…” When did I ever ask for a dagger for protection? Even if I wanted a dagger, I wouldn’t want yours, Xie Yu.

Seeing her stunned, Xie Yu frowned instinctively: “How about it?”

A look of ‘overwhelmed by favor’ crossed Xiao Kuning’s fair face. She quickly said, “Good, good. Thank you, Master.”

She grabbed the dagger and left, as if avoiding the plague god. Heaven knows if there was a hole in Xie Yu’s head, sending her a dagger for no reason. Isn’t it a nightmare to keep the dagger I used to kill myself in the previous life for protection?

When she returned to her sleeping chamber, the room was buzzing with chatter. Looking around, only the Yan Prime Minister’s legitimate eldest daughter, Yan Ruyu, was missing.

Zhao Can was eating a plate of pastries, her cheeks puffed up, looking very cute. Seeing Xiao Kuning return, she pulled her down to sit and quietly informed her: “They are thinking about how to stand out at the Empress Dowager’s birthday celebration.”

The Empress Dowager’s birthday was approaching, and something significant was indeed about to happen.

In the previous life, the Prince of Zhennan sent a congratulatory gift from the border. Knowing the Empress Dowager was a devout Buddhist, the gift was a jade Buddha. For some unknown reason, when it reached the Empress Dowager’s hands, the jade Buddha was stained with blood.

This was an ominous sign. Although it was later ‘investigated’ and deemed to be intentional sabotage by someone, the Empress Dowager still held a grudge against the Prince of Zhennan’s residence.

She hadn’t known this initially. Later, when she became Empress, the Empress Dowager mentioned it unintentionally, speaking of the Shen family with extreme hatred.

This matter had always been baffling. The mother and son were outwardly harmonious but inwardly at odds. What did it have to do with the Prince of Zhennan’s residence?

Logically, the Prince of Zhennan was far away at the border and wouldn’t get involved in their feud. The Emperor wouldn’t be foolish enough to kill the key official he relied on. How else could he contend with the Empress Dowager, especially since the Prime Minister was her cousin? It didn’t seem like a wise move.

Instead, it looked like an act of instigation by the Empress Dowager. It was also because the Shen family was defeated that the scholar-official-born Prime Minister Yan gained military power.

The birthday was in half a month. The congratulatory gift should still be en route. The key was how to remind Shen Rui to swap the gift. Since someone was trying to cause mischief, they should replace it with a gift that couldn’t be tampered with.

Just then, Shen Yunzhi said, “The Empress Dowager is kind and benevolent. How about we look for a Hundred-Family Robe among the common folk?”

A Hundred-Family Robe is a garment made from fabric donated by a hundred different families.

Hearing the words ‘Empress Dowager is kind and benevolent,’ Xiao Kuning almost burst out laughing. Knowing the Empress Dowager’s malice could be inferred from the fact that Zhao Mian’s heirs died young and he himself died of illness halfway through his reign.

As for the Hundred-Family Robe, the Empress Dowager would find it humiliating.

However, she wouldn’t remind Shen Yunzhi.

After Shen Yunzhi suggested this, several girls agreed, finding the idea acceptable. Zhao Can, with puffed cheeks, wanted to say something, but Xiao Kuning stopped her.

Zhao Can reluctantly closed her mouth and continued eating her pastries. After a while, she suddenly remembered something: “One person shares a birthday with the Empress Dowager. Are you going to prepare a gift for her?”

Same birthday? Everyone was startled and asked who it was.

Zhao Can struggled to swallow the pastry in her mouth. She opened her small mouth, then paused, not speaking, her small face full of worry.

Shen Yunzhi, who was outspoken, spoke for her: “I know who it is. It’s the former Elder Princess Leyang. Didn’t I hear she died?”

Xiao Kuning’s eyelid twitched. The curiosity of the others was piqued, and they all said they hadn’t heard of this person.

Shen Yunzhi was the oldest among the group and the most experienced. She glanced at the empty doorway and whispered, “I heard she was once married to Prime Minister Yan and gave birth to a daughter. When the late Emperor ascended the throne, he was at odds with Elder Princess Leyang. Prime Minister Yan broke off his relationship with her and then remarried the late Emperor’s younger sister, the present Elder Princess Jingyang. It’s a pity Elder Princess Jingyang didn’t have children, which is why she adopted Yan Ruyu’s siblings under her name.”

Married two Elder Princesses? The girls in the room covered their mouths. Zhao Can pursed her lips and remained silent.

Someone asked, “I’ve never heard that Prime Minister Yan married two Princesses?”

Shen Yunzhi was quite daring. Seizing the moment when there were no palace attendants outside, she quickly spoke: “Elder Princess Leyang admired Prime Minister Yan and married him secretly. But who knew Prime Minister Yan would renounce the relationship? Later, I heard she went mad and died after going mad. Think about it, if you’re at odds with the late Emperor, how can you have a good outcome?”

When the old Emperor died and the young Emperor ascended, power shifted. Those who failed the Son of Heaven would inevitably pay the price.

This was unquestionable, and no one found it strange. More people were disgusted by Prime Minister Yan’s behavior.

Instead, Zhou Wenqing, the daughter of the Marquis of Dingyuan, spoke strangely: “How come I heard that Elder Princess Jingyang was sought out for marriage by Prime Minister Yan? It was quite a beautiful tale at the time.”

Hearing this, Zhao Can couldn’t help herself: “It was my Aunt Jingyang who liked Prime Minister Yan and snatched him from Aunt Leyang.”

Shen Yunzhi had always been defiant toward Yan Ruyu. She felt that Yan Ruyu acted superior just because she was the Prime Minister’s daughter, unaware that the Prime Minister was scum. She immediately said, “It seems that’s right. I heard Prime Minister Yan was as handsome and refined as jade back then—the most beautiful man in Chang’an.”

Zhao Can nodded: “Yes. But my Aunt Leyang didn’t like Prime Minister Yan. He was secretly pursuing her. Later, when my Aunt Leyang went mad, he killed that child and turned around to ask for my Aunt Jingyang’s hand.”

Everyone was shocked. He even killed his own daughter?

Shen Yunzhi, however, said, “You must have heard that wrong. That child weighed less than three jin when born. I heard she couldn’t be kept alive. It happened twenty-plus years ago. The stories are quite fantastical.”

Zhao Can wanted to argue, but Xiao Kuning tugged on her sleeve. Yan Ruyu had returned.

Zhao Can quickly shoved a piece of pastry into her mouth. The others also noticed and consciously closed their mouths.

The palace maids behind Yan Ruyu were holding wooden boxes. Today, she wore a light blue duijia (sleeveless vest) over a white long dress. The color of the lake and mountains gave her an ethereal quality, making her as beautiful as a painting.

The maids placed the wooden boxes on the table and opened them one by one. Inside were various hairpins—magnificent and extraordinary, made in the palace, exquisite and appealing.

In the past, everyone would have gathered around to admire them. But after hearing the ‘bizarre’ little stories, they all sat rigidly in their seats, not moving an inch.

Zhao Can was used to it. She stretched her neck to look, her eyes shining with admiration. She praised, “So beautiful! Did the Empress Dowager bestow them?”

With the Prince of Yanping’s consort selection imminent, the Empress Dowager paid special attention to the girls in the Guanzhi Study Hall, often bestowing gifts—hairpins and pastries—one for each person.

What was different today was that the hairpins were all distinct: jade, emerald, various gems, gold pins, and silver pins. While everyone received one, the choice of which to take would reveal the intentions of the girls.

Xiao Kuning glanced behind her. A palace attendant stood outside the door, not one who usually served in the Guanzhi Study Hall, but seemingly someone from the Empress Dowager’s side.

Choosing a hairpin was a subtle art. Xiao Wenxue, on the side, secretly pulled Xiao Kuning’s sleeve, signaling her not to choose first.

Xiao Kuning understood this principle. Zhao Can, who was pulling her to sit, was the first to rush over, picking and choosing among the wooden boxes, mumbling continuously.

The others weren’t very concerned, but Yan Ruyu kept a close eye on Zhao Can’s every move.

Zhao Can was still a child and naturally chose the most magnificent one—a pin with several rubies at the head.

Shen Yunzhi followed closely, choosing an emerald green hairpin made entirely of jadeite.

When Zhou Wenqing, the Marquis of Dingyuan’s daughter, made her selection, she glanced at Yan Ruyu and abruptly changed her hand’s direction from reaching for a gold pin to a silver pin.

The rest of the people cleverly avoided the gold pin. In the end, only a jade hairpin and a gold hairpin remained. The jade was translucent, and the gold pin’s tail was decorated with kingfisher feathers to resemble a phoenix tail.

Xiao Wenxue frowned. Xiao Kuning, however, boldly took the gold pin from Zhao Can’s hand: “Yours is the best-looking. I’ll trade you for pastries. I’ll give you whatever you want.”

Zhao Can’s eyes lit up. She shoved the hairpin into her hand: “I want the white pastry made by Mr. Xie.”

Xiao Kuning: “…” Never mind. I’ll just choose the gold pin and offend Yan Ruyu.

At this moment, Xiao Wenxue felt relieved and reached out to take the jade pin. Zhao Can was the Prince of Yanping’s cousin, so only she could choose the gold pin without incurring resentment.

After Xiao Wenxue made her choice, Xiao Kuning was utterly disheartened. Heavens, why did I choose last?

Zhao Can swiftly grabbed the remaining gold pin in her hand and curiously scrutinized Yan Ruyu: “Sister Yan, why don’t you choose one?”

Yan Ruyu was very pleased with everyone’s choices. She didn’t pay any mind to the silly glutton Zhao Can. She feigned virtuousness and said, “These are gifts from the Empress Dowager for you. Mine were already bestowed.”

Zhou Wenqing, holding the jade pin, also smiled: “The Empress Dowager’s gift to Sister must be the best.”

Yan Ruyu humbly said, “Sister Zhou is joking. The Empress Dowager treats everyone equally.”

Everyone laughed along. Only Zhao Can pulled Xiao Kuning to whisper: “Do you know Mr. Xie’s pastry is the most delicious? Even better than my family’s chef’s. Last year, when I visited Mr. Xie’s residence with my father, I happened to see the Master making white pastry himself. I secretly ate half a plate. It was truly delicious.”

Xiao Kuning didn’t know these things. The Sage Xie Yu actually cooks?

The two whispered secretly. Zhou Wenqing left with Yan Ruyu. Instead, Shen Yunzhi approached: “Do you have any way to make Mr. Xie make pastries?”

Xiao Wenxue heard this but paid no mind, thinking Mr. Xie was generous and kind and wouldn’t bother with them.

Xiao Kuning didn’t want to look for Xie Yu. She pulled Zhao Can: “I’ll make it for you. It will definitely taste better than Mr. Xie’s.”

The Guanzhi Study Hall had a small kitchen, and the ingredients were readily available. What couldn’t she make? In her previous life, she loved Xie Yu and learned to cook pastries to her taste.

She was very confident in this.

Shen Yunzhi lost interest upon hearing this. She squeezed her handkerchief and left. Only Xiao Wenxue offered a warning: “Don’t set the kitchen on fire.”

Xiao Kuning: “…”

Zhao Can: “…”

Zhao Can was a little scared. She didn’t want to go with Xiao Kuning. Burning down the kitchen was too much trouble. She pulled Xiao Kuning toward Xie Yu’s area: “Let’s go find Mr. Xie, okay?”

Xiao Kuning never dreamed things would escalate to this point. She absolutely refused to see Xie Yu: “No! Why bother the Master when we have hands and feet? The Master always says to do everything yourself. We’ll make it ourselves.”

Zhao Can was small but strong. She was determined for the sake of food. She pulled Xiao Kuning to the outside of the Guanzhi Study Hall’s side hall and motioned for Xiao Kuning to enter: “Fine. I gave you the hairpin, and you give me the white pastry. I won’t bully you, Sister.”

Xiao Kuning turned to leave, but Zhao Can hugged her with outstretched arms: “Sister can’t lie to me.”