Transmigrated as the Short-Lived White Moonlight, I Ended Up Happily Ever After With the Female Lead - Chapter 11

Upon hearing this, Song Yi nodded, slowly raising her foot and stepping onto the carriage. The Ji Manor’s carriage was already considered the most spacious and well-lit, yet it could only accommodate two people sitting. Outside, Le Yan gave a command, and the carriage slowly set off again. The magnificent and grand sight drew many common people on the street to watch.

Song Yi hadn’t spoken a single word since getting onto the carriage, but Ji Yan’an couldn’t stop. Her little mouth chattered incessantly, eager to pull Song Yi into talking about the stars, the moon, and then that male lead with the extremely awful character.

…Meanwhile, Ji Tong’an and the Third Concubine had arrived at the temple early. The heavy snow had just stopped today, and there were many people coming to the temple to pray and burn incense. However, thanks to the Ji Manor’s prestige, the temple’s abbot personally came out to greet them.

After the group offered a few insincere wishes for family and national peace before the Buddha, the abbot led them to a pavilion on the back hill of the temple for tea.

“The two benefactors, please wait a moment, the person you expect will arrive shortly.” The abbot was merely a messenger; after saying what he needed to say, he left, leaving a young monk to help pour the tea.

The scenery on the back hill was something not visible from the Ji Manor. Standing in this pavilion on the back hill and looking down, one could see almost half of the capital: hawkers calling out at the foot of the hill; fortune-tellers holding up their flags… The myriad forms of life, nothing more than this, were all visible. But Ji Tong’an had no mind to admire such beauty, sitting there with a stomach full of grievances.

The Third Concubine’s complexion was also very poor. She sat on the stone stool, looking terrified, truly a pitiful sight.

After a short while, two women walked up to the pavilion entrance: one a matron and one a young girl. The matron seemed to be the same age as the Third Concubine, and the young girl appeared to be of a similar age to Ji Tong’an.

However, the matron always walked with her head held high; at first glance, her demeanor suggested she was the mistress of some household.

Ji Tong’an, however, curled her lip. She knew the identities of these two well: the matron was Wu Shiyuan, the Sixth Concubine of General Lin’s Residence, and the girl standing beside her was no young mistress, but Wu Shiyuan’s biological daughter—the illegitimate Sixth Miss of the Lin Residence, named Jinxi.

“Greetings to Madam Wu,” Ji Tong’an offered a reluctant curtsy, not very enthusiastic. The Third Concubine, on the other hand, grabbed Wu Shiyuan’s hand and sobbed continuously, as if she had met a long-lost relative.

“My dear sister! What is wrong?” Wu Shiyuan’s voice was naturally loud, and she spoke without restraint. Her shout drew the attention of the small monk pouring tea.

The Third Concubine just kept crying without speaking. Wu Shiyuan, feeling helpless, had to look towards Ji Tong’an, hoping to find out what was wrong. After impatiently dismissing the young monk, Ji Tong’an honestly spoke: “That plan you gave me to push Ji Yan’an into the water was useless! I did everything flawlessly, but who would have thought that not only did Ji Yan’an not die, but after waking up, she started defending that tramp Song Yi in every possible way.”

These matters originally did not concern Jianxi, but the mention of the name “Ji Yan’an” immediately made Jinxi’s eyes widen. Before Wu Shiyuan could speak, Jinxi was the first to burst out in anger: “She’s nothing but a pile of dirt that can’t be helped up! Does she really think she’s a phoenix on a branch!?” The jealousy in Jinxi’s eyes was almost burning her entirely, and the hairpin in her hair trembled violently, losing all the composure she had when she arrived.

Ji Tong’an seemed to look down on her and barely acknowledged her words, only looking at Wu Shiyuan, waiting for her to speak.

Wu Shiyuan picked up the tea cup, took a light sip, and put it down, her expression slightly solemn: “This shows that Ji Yan’an has started to guard against you and is instead trying to win over Song Yi. This is not a good situation. I heard… she didn’t take you with her into the palace this time?”

It was better not to mention this; the moment it was brought up, Ji Tong’an became so angry that she smashed the teacup and threw the fruit plate. Still not appeased, she grabbed her personal maid, Jing’er, and slapped her, as if hitting Ji Yan’an’s face.

“Not only did she not take me, but she also took her precious Song Yi. The two of them are now living in the same courtyard, closer than real sisters!” Ji Tong’an felt like her teeth were about to shatter.

The cold wind blew gently, but it could not extinguish the raging fires of jealousy they had ignited.

Just as their little schemes were clattering noisily, Ji Yan’an and Song Yi’s carriage arrived at the palace gate.

Though called a palace gate, it was merely a side door, used for consorts and the families of the inner court to enter and exit.

As soon as the carriage stopped, several wet nurses rushed forward, eagerly opening the curtain for Ji Yan’an and quickly helping her out. Even Madam Ji could not compare to this fanfare. She only smiled faintly: “The Old Ancestor is still so fond of Yan’an.”

Ji Yan’an took one look at these wet nurses and guessed correctly; these were all the Empress Dowager’s confidantes. Given the original owner’s special status, she was also considered a semi-relative of the Empress Dowager, the Old Ancestor.

Ji Yan’an was not foolish; after just offending that old hag, she needed to secure another powerful backer to ensure her survival. Thus, Ji Yan’an expertly took Song Yi’s hand and began briefing her on today’s main objective.

“First, let the Empress Dowager believe in your innocence, and then I’ll slander that old hag!” Ji Yan’an’s expression was serious.

Song Yi didn’t quite hear what she said, her attention entirely focused on the hand Ji Yan’an was holding.

Seemingly sensing that she was being stared at, Ji Yan’an awkwardly looked at her hand. Just as she was about to let go, Song Yi held it firmly.

“Since we are closer than real sisters, we naturally need to appear more intimate.” Such a high-sounding remark, yet when it came from Song Yi’s mouth, it seemed to be attached with a kind of magic that enchanted Ji Yan’an.

Ji Yan’an shook her small head, allowing Song Yi to hold her small hand, and she happily enjoyed admiring the palace scenery.

As she walked, Ji Yan’an superimposed these sights with the scenes from the TV dramas in her mind, only to find the reality even more beautiful.

Even the bricks on the ground were almost uniform in size. The flowers and plants were pruned without a single messy leaf. The flowers in the Imperial Garden were far more numerous than the rare flowers and exotic plants in Ji Yan’an’s courtyard. Randomly picking out a single flower in a corner could probably sustain a poor person for a lifetime.

Ji Yan’an glanced around everywhere, but Song Yi kept her eyes straight ahead, as if she had long grown tired of these things, only hoping to quickly go and pay respects to the Empress Dowager.

After walking for a while, the group was arranged into sedan chairs.

Ji Yan’an and Song Yi sat together, and Madam Ji rode in a separate one. The sedan carriers were familiar with the route, and they arrived at the Empress Dowager’s sleeping quarters in less than the time it takes an incense stick to burn.

“The Eldest Miss of the Ji Manor, Ji Yan’an, has arrived! The Madam of the Ji Manor has arrived!” The old eunuch’s voice pierced the sky, lingering in the ears. Ji Yan’an covered her ears and ran in first.

Upon entering, she saw a graceful and noble old lady sitting in the main seat, looking at her with an expression of doting affection.

“Empress Dowager!” Ji Yan’an ran quickly into the Empress Dowager’s embrace and used the skill she used to affectionately tease the director of her orphanage, gently rubbing her soft head against the Dowager’s chest.

The Empress Dowager hadn’t expected Ji Yan’an to be this enthusiastic this time and smiled so widely her eyes were almost nowhere to be found, yet still reached out her two hands to hug Ji Yan’an tightly.

Madam Ji and Song Yi, who followed in, bowed respectfully. They only dared to rise after receiving permission to be excused from the formality.

The old Empress Dowager and Ji Yan’an had ruffled her hair from their playful interaction, but she was still smiling. This action left the wet nurses stunned.

“So… even though she is no longer a child, this Miss Ji can still act like a child and affectionately tease the Empress Dowager?” One of the new wet nurses could see that this Eldest Miss of the Ji family held an unusual place in the Empress Dowager’s heart.