Transmigrated into the Scum Female Consort - Chapter 96

The two finished speaking and turned to pick up the peach wine they had prepared on the small side table. The pale pink liquid gave off a rich peach aroma and had a refreshing, slightly sweet taste.

Even Ye Xuejin, who had once been the nation’s Eldest Princess, showed a moment of appreciation on her face. Nectar of the gods—this is surely it.

The others were equally enchanted, thinking to themselves that this was no mere wine, but an immortal brew. Their eyes collectively drifted back to the small table behind Ye Xuejin and Yun Chi, all conveying the same silent message: That was delicious. Is there more?

Unfortunately, there were only empty bottles. The group withdrew their gazes in disappointment, assuming the Immortal’s gift was limited. They would have to settle for water.

Only Qi Mingyan remained staring at the empty bottles. They were transparent as amber and surely made of the finest glass. If they were in the Capital, these bottles alone would fetch an astronomical price.

Yun Chi kept her gaze steady. She had plenty of wine, but she only brought out enough for one glass per person. Except for her, Ye Xuejin, Qi Mingyan, and Shushi, the other girls were quite young. Ten Mei, the oldest, had just turned seventeen, while the others were sixteen.

In the Kingdom of Dashao, a girl reached adulthood at fourteen. But to Yun Chi’s modern sensibilities, they were still minors. Minors shouldn’t be drinking heavily; a small glass of low-alcohol fruit wine was enough for a taste.

Until…

Shushi sniffed her empty glass. “Your Highness, is this really wine?” It didn’t taste like much of an alcoholic drink to her, and it didn’t burn her throat at all.

The others nodded in agreement. It was delicious, but it didn’t feel like “wine.”

“It’s different from any wine I’ve had,” Ten Song added, being uncharacteristically talkative today.

Qi Mingyan raised an eyebrow. “You’ve tried many kinds of wine?”

Ten Song answered honestly, “Yes, I drank with my father every few days. We had Shaodaozi, Laobaigan…”

Qi Mingyan paused. “How old are you?”

“Sixteen.”

Qi Mingyan wanted to say more, but seeing everyone watching, she pursed her lips and fell silent. Yun Chi was stunned. Shaodaozi? Laobaigan? Since she was a child?! Ancient girls are hardcore!

Sensing her surprise, Ye Xuejin whispered, “In Dashao, it is custom to drink during the New Year and other festivals. Children usually join in starting at age seven. Often, the child drinks first—from youngest to oldest—to symbolize bidding farewell to the past and welcoming a new day.”

However, a girl like Ten Song was rare. Usually, high-born girls like Ye Xuejin only had a small drink on specific holidays.

Yun Chi hesitated and lowered her voice. “Then… a little more?” Since it was the local custom, she might as well adapt.

The others pricked up their ears. Did the Consort just suggest… more?

Ye Xuejin smiled, patted Yun Chi’s hand, and addressed the group. “Eat more, do not go to bed on an empty stomach.”

“Your Highness, we are full,” the group replied as they rose. They wanted to ask about the wine but felt it would be impolite. Since Ye Xuejin didn’t mention it again, they had to leave.

Qi Mingyan followed them to the door but paused. Ye Xuejin smiled. “Mingyan, come back in. I have matters to discuss with you.”

Back at the table, only the three of them remained.

Ye Xuejin looked at Qi Mingyan. “Would Mingyan care to share a few more drinks with us?”

“I would be honored,” Qi Mingyan replied.

Ye Xuejin took Yun Chi’s hand, not hiding her affection in front of Qi Mingyan. “The Consort, like me, can communicate with the Immortal. In many matters, I rely on her.”

Understanding the weight of this statement and seeing the tenderness in Ye Xuejin’s eyes, Qi Mingyan showed appropriate joy. “To have the Consort’s help is Your Highness’s fortune, and ours as well.”

Ye Xuejin smiled meaningfully. She wasn’t surprised by Qi Mingyan’s intelligence or her poise, but she hadn’t expected the strategist to be so skilled at saying exactly what she wanted to hear. Brilliant, strategic, and socially savvy—a true statesman.

“To have Mingyan’s help is also my fortune,” Ye Xuejin acknowledged.

Qi Mingyan looked humble. “I am ashamed. To meet Your Highness is the blessing of my lifetime.” For a “Thousand-Mile Horse” to find its “Bole” (discerning judge) was rare. In the Capital, she would have just been a pawn for her family’s marriage alliances. Here, she was a strategist who could command.

“Alright, you’re both lucky. Now drink,” Yun Chi chimed in with a laugh.

They toasted and drank. Ye Xuejin set down her glass. “Mingyan, you stopped at the door. Was there something on your mind?”

Qi Mingyan nodded. “The vessels the Immortal granted are no ordinary items. Such high-quality glass would be worth a thousand gold pieces in the Capital. Does Your Highness have plans for them?”

Yun Chi’s hand froze mid-air. A thousand gold pieces for a glass bottle?! She suddenly wanted to sell everything. I’m going to be rich!

Seeing the greed—or rather, the delight—on Yun Chi’s face, Ye Xuejin smiled. “Mingyan, my private treasury is quite deep. We don’t need to waste manpower traveling to the Capital.” She had the gold her mother left her. As for the bottles, she had other plans.

In the next instant, the empty bottles vanished.

Yun Chi took a sip of wine and said seriously, “The Immortal is so thoughtful. He always waits for us to finish before taking the bottles back.”

Ye Xuejin: “…” She didn’t know what the Immortal thought, but her Consort certainly loved money.

Qi Mingyan looked at Yun Chi’s serious face and thought: This is a classic case of ‘the lady doth protest too much.’ She suspected the disappearance of the bottles was Yun Chi’s doing, not an Immortal’s.

Feeling the two women’s sharp gazes, Yun Chi stood up awkwardly. “I’m a bit tipsy. You two talk; I’m going out for some air.” She fled the room, feeling that in front of these two geniuses, her little tricks were transparent.

Outside, Yun Chi saw a dark shadow jumping around the yard. She almost screamed until she realized it was Ten Song practicing with a wooden stick.

“Consort,” Ten Song stopped.

“Practicing martial arts?” Yun Chi asked, looking at the wrist-thick branch.

“Practicing the saber,” Ten Song corrected. “I’m on night watch. Practicing doesn’t waste time.”

Yun Chi was moved. “You volunteered for the watch?”

Ten Song nodded. “I have the best skills; it’s suitable for me.” She wanted to protect everyone, watch Su Da, and perhaps… find a chance to talk to the Strategist again.

“Do you know saber techniques?”

Ten Song lifted her chin proudly. “I learned from my father. Hunters love sabers. When we hit a wild boar—white blade in, red blade out—we don’t worry about meat for half a month.”

Yun Chi looked at the girl’s messy hair, which reminded her of a ruffled kitten. She reached out and patted Ten Song’s head. “What kind of saber do you like? Long, short, wide, or narrow?”

Ten Song froze at the touch, but her mouth answered quickly: “I like the Heng saber—straight back, straight blade. Like my father’s mountain-cleaving blade, but a bit shorter and heavier. Weight gives it power for hacking…”

The girl’s eyes sparkled as she gestured with her hands.

“Wait for me,” Yun Chi said. she ran back into the house, grabbed two compressed biscuits as a “cover,” and handed them to Ye Xuejin before running back out.

Ye Xuejin and Qi Mingyan, who had been in the middle of a serious discussion about the Zhou family, watched her in bewilderment.