Transmigrated into the Scum Female Consort - Chapter 83

Under Ye Xuejin’s scrutiny, Yun Chi felt a sudden wave of nervous tension.

Where had she heard of such things? She hadn’t heard them from anyone; she had read them in the history books of her own world.

“Fuma?” Seeing Yun Chi lost in thought, Ye Xuejin tightened her grip on her hand, her tone softening. “If it is inconvenient for the Consort to say, then this Princess shall not ask.”

Yun Chi snapped back to reality and smiled. “It’s not inconvenient. I simply read it in a book. Is there some secret regarding these words?”

To her surprise, Ye Xuejin told her quite seriously that such words were not to be spoken lightly. “It is fine for the Consort to say such things to me, but do not speak of them to others.”

Yun Chi wanted to ask why, but seeing Ye Xuejin’s solemn expression, she held her tongue. Fine, she thought, when in Rome, do as the Romans do. This is ancient times; I’ll just keep my mouth shut.

As if sensing her internal grumbling, Ye Xuejin squeezed her fingers and explained, “In the laws of Great Shao, for commoners to recklessly criticize the Sovereign is an act akin to treason. To criticize the affairs of the State is no different.”

Yun Chi remained speechless for a moment before she finally couldn’t help herself. “I wonder if you have ever heard a certain saying.”

Ye Xuejin watched her eyes, signaling for her to continue.

Yun Chi gave a profound, enigmatic smile. “To block the mouths of the people is more dangerous than to block a flooding river.

Her meaning was clear: preventing the people from speaking the truth is more perilous for a ruler than the floods caused by damming a great river. So what if these are ancient rules? she thought. Could a modern person like me actually lose a debate?

Ye Xuejin froze. After a few heartbeats, a light flickered in her eyes, as if the morning sun had finally pierced through a thick fog.

“To block the mouths of the people… is more dangerous than a river…” she murmured to herself, reflecting on the depth of the phrase.

Suddenly, she let out a soft laugh, as if she had experienced a sudden spiritual awakening. “The Consort is absolutely right. It was I who was narrow-minded.” Ye Xuejin’s eyes sparkled with brilliance. The laws of Great Shao were not necessarily infallible, and the traditions of Great Shao were not necessarily unchangeable.

If a Sovereign is faint-hearted and incompetent, why should the people not speak? If the government is corrupt, why should the people not discuss it? As the saying goes, it is better to channel a flood than to block it.

Ye Xuejin held Yun Chi’s hand firmly, sighing with genuine admiration. “The Consort truly possesses the wisdom of a deity—seeing the grand design in a single grain of sand. This Princess is far inferior.”

Being praised twice in a row, Yun Chi could no longer maintain her “enigmatic” facade. She felt rather sheepish. “Actually, those weren’t my words, I just…”

Ye Xuejin interrupted her with a smile. “The Consort need not explain. I understand.”

In her mind, her Consort possessed the methods of an Immortal and the foresight of a god; her every word and action were naturally beyond the reach of ordinary men.

Yun Chi: “…” No, I really don’t think you understand.

Regardless, Ye Xuejin moved past the topic and led her back toward the cabins. “Fuma, it is time we return.”

Yun Chi opened her mouth, trying to be the voice of reason. “I just read it in a book and said it on a whim. If you want to make changes, don’t be in a rush. You must consider everything carefully…”

Ye Xuejin’s gaze lingered on her face, her smile deepening. “Rest assured, Consort. I understand.”

Yun Chi: “…” Fine, I’m shutting up.

Back at the wooden cabins, the women were still gathered in the clearing. Some were stitching shoe soles, some were knitting socks, and others were chatting about domestic trifles. It looked like a peaceful, domestic scene. For ordinary women of this era, needlework was their most common pastime.

However, the moment they saw Yun Chi and Ye Xuejin return, they collectively stopped their work. The intensity of their gazes betrayed the tension and expectation beneath the surface.

The Grand Princess and the Consort are back! They won’t leave us behind!

Ye Xuejin gave a slight nod of acknowledgment before leading Yun Chi back into their room. As the door opened and closed, the tension among the women finally dissolved, and the atmosphere became truly relaxed. One by one, they exchanged pleasantries and retired to their rooms to rest.

Once everyone had dispersed, Lu Shang noticed Madam Zhou staring blankly into the distance and Zhou Qiyue struggling with a stubborn shoe sole. “Madam, Miss Zhou, do you also enjoy the sun? The sky in Yangzhou is usually overcast; sunshine is a rare sight.”

Madam Zhou stretched her old bones and stood up. “Ai, my body is getting old. You young people stay out and enjoy the sun; I’m going inside for a nap.”

In truth, she didn’t care much for the cold winter sun. She had stayed out because she saw how anxious the women were whenever the Princess and Consort left. She felt it was her duty to sit with them to put their minds at ease. Poor old woman—worrying her heart out and freezing for half the day.

Lu Shang smiled, seeing the genuine kindness in the people around the Princess. Suddenly, her eyes narrowed as she spotted a figure in the distant woods.

“Miss Zhou, please carry on. I’m going to take a look around.”

“Oh, okay,” Zhou Qiyue replied, only to look up sharply as she watched the direction Lu Shang was heading. She accidentally pricked her finger. “Hiss! That hurts!”

Her fingers were already covered in needle pricks, and now she truly couldn’t hold the needle anymore. But she ignored the pain, pulled the needle out, and dashed after Lu Shang.

Lu Shang heard the footsteps and turned to speak, only to see Zhou Qiyue sprint past her like a gust of wind.

“Miss Zhou, wait!” Lu Shang cried out, startled, and hurried to follow.

Zhou Qiyue didn’t hear her. She ran straight into the woods toward a slender figure. She threw her arms around the woman and burst into tears.

“Sister-in-law! Waaa! I’m so glad you’re okay! I missed you so much!”

The woman she embraced was thin, with delicate features and a gentle aura. She was Qi Mingyan (née Qi), the wife of Zhou Qishan.

Qi Mingyan smiled helplessly and patted Zhou Qiyue’s back. “Xiaoyue, let go. I am fine. Why are you still acting like a child?”

Zhou Qiyue refused to let go, muttering, “I won’t. Why did you only arrive now? I was worried to death.”

Behind them, Lu Shang paused and offered a polite smile to Qi Mingyan. Recognizing the connection, Qi Mingyan returned the smile, and Lu Shang discreetly turned back to give them privacy.

Qi Mingyan wiped the tears from Zhou Qiyue’s eyes. “Little crybaby. Didn’t you say you were an adult now and wouldn’t cry anymore?”

Zhou Qiyue pulled away, acting embarrassed. “I wasn’t crying! Sister-in-law, come with me to see Mother. And little Ying’er—they’ve all been worried about you.”

Qi Mingyan’s expression faltered, and she remained silent.

Unaware of the shift in mood, Zhou Qiyue continued, “Where is Chen’er? You brought Chen’er with you, right? We are all following the Grand Princess now; there will be no more suffering. Let me tell you, the Grand Princess can talk to the Immortals…”

She spoke enthusiastically, but slowly trailed off as she noticed Qi Mingyan’s silence and the fading light in her eyes.

Zhou Qiyue’s heart sank. She grabbed her sister-in-law’s arm. “Sister-in-law, do you… not want to be with us?”

Qi Mingyan’s body stiffened, her eyes filling with grief. “Xiaoyue… Chen’er…”

“What happened to Chen’er?” Zhou Qiyue asked, panicked.

When the Zhou family faced their downfall, the old Imperial Censor had ordered his son, Zhou Qishan, to divorce his wife so she could take the children back to her maiden home for safety. However, Zhou Qishan had only allowed Qi Mingyan to take their son, keeping their daughter behind. He had secretly transferred the family assets to ensure his wife and son could reach the Southern Border first.

After a long silence, Qi Mingyan let out a heavy sigh. “Xiaoyue, take me to see Her Highness and Mother first. We shall speak then.”