The Villainous Consort (GL) - Chapter 37

Chu Yan stroked his graying beard. Compared to himself, who spent his years wandering and working, his second senior brother, Prime Minister Chu Yuan, looked younger despite his occasional illnesses.

After his wife passed away, Chu Yan had grown accustomed to the life of a “wild crane among idle clouds.” His only concern was their daughter, fortunately under the constant care of her uncle, the Prime Minister.

Chu Yan’s visit to the capital was specifically for his daughter’s marriage prospects. However, with the Prince Consort on one side and the Princess on the other, he understood the gravity of the situation. Though he no longer held an official post, he knew better than to be drawn into partisan struggles. If the “unmatched wealth and status” didn’t come, losing one’s life instead would be a poor trade.

His daughter had always been sensible, but the trouble lay in the fact that she was raised in the Prime Minister’s Manor. Any misstep could implicate the entire Chu family. This was the source of his anxiety.

Chu Yuan understood this as well. He smiled and said, “There is no need for excessive worry. Chanyi is but a junior; she does not represent the Prime Minister’s Manor. Moreover, today the Princess’s carriage passed our gate without entering—it seems she understands the boundaries.”

“That may be so, but my heart is still unsettled,” Chu Yan admitted. “To be honest, I came here to find a suitable match for Chanyi. If the children do not marry, it remains a weight on my heart.”

Chu Yan knew his own circumstances; he might pass away any day. In the future, Chanyi would need the protection of her husband’s family. Thus, the groom didn’t need to be exceptionally prominent—treating his daughter well was what mattered most.

The Prime Minister nodded. “The children have grown up in the blink of an eye. It is indeed time. I am not well-acquainted with many young men, but there are a few juniors in the Hanlin Academy who are quite outstanding. We can arrange for them to meet when time permits.”

The Hanlin Academy was a “clear stream” (modest but prestigious) office. Prime Minister Chu had started his career there and still visited to mentor young scholars. Over time, he had developed a good understanding of several juniors, perhaps subconsciously keeping an eye out for Chanyi’s sake.

With his brother’s endorsement, half of Chu Yan’s worries vanished. He decided there was no time like the present and sent out an invitation the very next day.

The Blind Date

A “Compiler” (Editor) in the Hanlin Academy was a minor seventh-rank official. Those with luck and talent, like Chu Yuan, might be remembered by the Emperor and rise to the cabinet. Most, however, remained Compilers until old age.

Although Chanyi’s father had once been convicted of a crime, he was now a respected Great Scholar. With the Prime Minister as her uncle, many were eager for the match.

While social customs were relatively open, many still adhered to “the command of parents and the words of matchmakers,” making “blind marriages” common. Chu Chanyi, however, was not that type of person. As soon as she got the news from her father, she sent for Qi Yu to accompany her to Lou Shang Lou to meet her suitor.

Editor Han was the candidate Chu Yan liked most. As someone from a humble background, there was a sense of mutual professional respect. At twenty-six, he was six years older than Chanyi.

He hadn’t married yet due to his family’s poverty. It was only after he passed the high imperial exams two years ago that his life improved. However, daughters of high officials looked down on him, and he looked down on the daughters of commoners. He was stuck in the middle, and thus, he had delayed.

Chanyi’s father had no official rank, but her uncle was the Prime Minister, and her family was wealthy. To Editor Han, she was the ideal wife. He had dressed himself up for the occasion; though his looks were average, he looked decent enough in fine clothes.

Chu Chanyi, preoccupied with unknown thoughts, sat listlessly drinking tea and staring out the window. It was Qi Yu who took the lead: “Has Master Han ever been engaged?”

Editor Han assumed Chanyi was merely shy. Facing the Prince Consort, he answered cautiously, “My mother discussed a few prospects, but a formal meeting like this has never happened.”

His mother believed her son was the best and deserved a high-ranking official’s daughter. Unfortunately, in the capital, no one took a Hanlin Compiler seriously. Every time she tried to arrange a match, she was mocked and sent away before her son could even meet the girl.

Qi Yu had no experience with blind dates. Seeing Chanyi spacing out as if she weren’t involved, she could only make awkward small talk with Master Han.

Just as she was wondering how to end the conversation, a woman in a long white dress pushed the door open. Chanyi, who had been dazed, instantly straightened up. “Why are you here?”

Ai Ye sat down in a chair without ceremony. “How could I miss my dear friend’s great marriage event?” She turned to Editor Han. “This must be Master Han. You truly are… truly handsome.”

The average-looking Editor Han: “The lady flatters me.” He wondered if his clothes made him look better today, but looking at the expressions of the other three, he realized this woman was a “visitor with ill intent,” mocking him on purpose.

Qi Yu was speechless. Why isn’t the female lead fluttering around the Second Prince? Why is she here sabotaging her sister’s blind date?

Ai Ye ignored the discomfort in the room. She poured herself a cup of tea and asked, “Master Han is twenty-six. I wonder, have you ever tasted the flavor of a woman?”

“Pfft!” Qi Yu almost choked on her tea. Is the female lead this fierce? What kind of tiger-wolf words are these?

Editor Han’s face turned bright red. He felt insulted. Seeing that Chanyi and Qi Yu were shocked but silent, he suppressed his temper. Normally he would have stormed out, but this was the Prime Minister’s referral, and Miss Chu was beautiful—a truly good match.

He endured and answered vaguely, “The lady jokes. I have no wife or concubines in my manor. There is only one bed-warming maid, but I have no feelings for her. After marriage, Miss Chu may dispose of her as she sees fit.”

“And what if there are no children after marriage, or no sons?” Ai Ye continued.

Editor Han blushed again. “If the offspring are truly sparse, we can simply adopt one from a relative.”

“And if your wife cannot bear to see the Han family without an heir and arranges concubines for you?” Ai Ye stared at him. “Master Han should know that a gentleman is upright. Do not say words against your heart, lest they become a curse later and turn you into a fickle villain.”

Editor Han’s expression soured. He realized Ai Ye was targeting him. But he was a man of talent; even with a modest background, he wouldn’t let himself be bullied like this.

“It is common for a man to have three wives and four concubines. But if my wife is unwilling, I shall stay only with her. If she arranges concubines, I will respect her and accept them for the sake of the bloodline.”

He finished and looked at Chanyi. He felt his answer was both beautiful and dignified. If Miss Chu was reasonable, she would understand; if not, she wasn’t worthy of him. A wife should be virtuous; otherwise, a good face is useless.

Ai Ye looked at Chu Chanyi. “Did you hear that?”

“What?” Chanyi was stunned.

Ai Ye snorted coldly. “This Master Han has no feelings for that maid, yet he uses her for marital acts, and later, to please his wife, he would dispose of her at will. Then he says if his wife arranges concubines, he’ll ‘respect’ her and ‘reluctantly’ accept them, all for the sake of an heir.

What a heartless, hypocritical, and selfish man. What a thick skin! Who gave you the confidence, who gave you the nerve? A hypocrite like you dares to covet my Chanyi?”

“You… you you you! You go too far! I, Han… I!” Editor Han wanted to curse, but feared losing face. Seeing that Chanyi and the Prince Consort had been in a state of shock from start to finish without saying a word, he couldn’t take it anymore and stormed out.

Chanyi and Qi Yu were indeed in shock. How could they not be?

“My Chanyi”?

Qi Yu was the first to snap out of it, though her mind felt like it had been hit by five bolts of lightning. She looked at Ai Ye in her white dress, then at Chanyi in her light blue dress—same style, different color. This was clearly a “couple’s outfit”! Are these two for real?

The plot has collapsed? The sister stole the Male Lead’s girl?

She asked in disbelief, “What do you mean, ‘coveting your Chanyi’? You’re not joking, right? You two?”

Ai Ye raised an eyebrow. The weakness she showed when she fell into the water at the Princess’s Manor was gone; instead, she declared her sovereignty with sharp confidence: “We are naturally in love. Does Prince Consort Qi have an objection?”

Qi Yu: “…”

“Who is in love with you?” Chanyi scolded playfully, though her face was filled with joy. Overcome with shyness, she turned and ran out. Ai Ye immediately chased after her, leaving Qi Yu alone in the private room to digest the news.

The female lead isn’t going to be with the male lead? Then will the Second Prince still surrender the whole country at the end? If the female lead doesn’t care about him, what is he surrendering for?

Does this mean the ending has been rewritten? I won’t be drawn and quartered? Can it really be like this? No, wait… can these two really be together? The Second Prince and the Eldest Princess are still fighting for the throne! What if they still won’t let me go?

The Princess’s Observation

When Qi Yu returned to the Princess’s Manor, Han Shui immediately went to see the Eldest Princess. She wasn’t “eavesdropping”—she had been ordered to protect the Prince Consort, which Qi Yu knew. She simply had extraordinary hearing and “had no choice” but to hear everything.

“The Princess guessed correctly… Miss Chu and that Second Princess of Xidao are indeed not simple.”

The Eldest Princess remained silent. The spies she had sent to follow Ai Ye had reported everything in detail, which led to her deduction. Now that it was confirmed, she wasn’t surprised.

“What was the Prince Consort’s reaction?”

Han Shui frowned. “The Prince Consort’s reaction was… hard to describe.”

Curiosity flashed in the Princess’s eyes. “In what way?”

“The Prince Consort looked like she had been hit by a lightning bolt. As far as I can see, she’s still in a daze.” Remembering Qi Yu’s dazed face upon returning, Han Shui couldn’t understand. Was it really that shocking?

Why did the Prince Consort act like the sky had fallen? Could it be that she secretly loves Miss Chu, and that’s why she’s so devastated?

This was bad. Han Shui decided she had to keep a close eye on her. What if the Prince Consort, out of unrequited love, tried to ruin Miss Chu’s relationship? Poor Mistress—she finally found someone she liked the look of, only to find their heart was with someone else.

The Prince Consort is truly detestable!

Having inexplicably received a look of deep sympathy from Han Shui, the Eldest Princess knew the girl was daydreaming again. She thought for a moment and said, “Accompany me to see the Prince Consort.”

She wanted to see exactly what “hit by a lightning bolt” looked like.

Was she unable to accept it? But why should she be unable to accept it?