“Mi’er. Tell mother the truth. Are you alright?” Shangguan Yan removed her mask of frailty, pulling XunMi close with concern.
“Mother, I’m fine. Really.” XunMi swung Shangguan Yan’s arm back and forth, acting spoiled.
“As long as you are fine, as long as you’re fine. I was worried all night.” Thankfully her daughter was fine, or else she would have made the entire Prime Minister estates pay.
“Mother, I...Do you still have feelings for the prime minister?” After hesitating for a second, XunMi ultimately decided to ask. She didn’t want such a pretty mother to waste the rest of her years on such a scum.
“After so many years, I’ve already lost it all. Now, mother only wants Lu’er and Mi’er can live happily. That’s enough.” Shangguan Yan grabbed a child in each arm, contently looking at her children’s brilliant smiles.
“Mother, little brother and I also want you to be happy. Let’s leave the prime minister estate. Mother, we can live on our own, okay? I know you’re only staying at the prime minister estate for brother and I, but you also saw. We won’t be protected in this kind of place. Instead, we will be trapped. I was lucky enough to dodge this one time, but could I the next?” XunMi didn’t have much emotion towards the estate to begin with. Moreover, there was so many messy people in there. She couldn’t wait to get out.
Shangguan Yan silently thought over her daughter’s proposal. But...
“Mother I know what you are worried about. Who said that women can only live adhering to men. The Confucian morals for women should be observed and we also shouldn’t go against ideas of women virtue and chastity. But at these guidelines’ foundations, we first need to place importance on our lives.” XunMi was determined, she must have her mother divorce that scum. Doing that in front of the emperor should be more refreshing, right? She wanted to know if she could potentially gain more points with this method.
Shangguan Yan looked at her daughter’s beautiful face, then turned to her son, silently making a decision. She definitely couldn’t let those people ruin her wonderful children.
“After this, mother will take you two to see your grandfather.” XunMi knew that her mother had made a decision, making her break out into a smile. Wenren Lu was also ecstatic. He could finally leave that stifling place.
But someone wasn’t happy. Having been forgotten to the side, An wang silently bemoaned that the only place that his belle should be returning to is his estate. She shouldn’t be going to some duke’s estate.
Soon, everyone arrived at the imperial palace. An eunuch was already waiting. Because An wang was with them, many people stopped to pay their respects on their way in.
In the grand hall, XunMi quietly sized up the middle aged man sitting on the throne. Based on outer appearance, he was a gentle, scholarly man. However, the sharp wrinkles on his forehead told a different story.
With a flash of understanding, XunMi realized that the crown prince and female lead was also up front. As expected, emperors all behaved like emperors. He had eyes everywhere.
“How come Ninth brother suddenly remembered to visit the palace today?” The emperor didn’t jump straight to the point, instead inquisitively asking An wang.
The previous emperor had left a total of nine sons. Although the current emperor was the eldest of the bunch while Zongzheng Mufeng was the youngest, both were the previous empress’ biological sons. Whereas the other princes were either dead or sent away to serve penal sentences, Zongzheng Mufeng was bestowed with the title of An wang and held immense power in country An.
“That’s because I had finally met a person I admired. I was worried Emperor brother would bully her so I could only accompany her here.” Zongzheng Mufeng didn’t even try to conceal anything. Afterwards, as if afraid they wouldn’t know who he was referring to, he took XunMi’s hand and pulled her to stand next to his side.
Zongzheng Muye helplessly laughed. This little brother of his really hasn’t changed at all. “Then I must see what kind of outstanding beauty could attract your attention.” Half jokingly and half seriously, he spoke to the woman in white with her head lowered, “Lift up your head.” Meanwhile, in his head he was nodding with approval. Based on that aura alone, she had proven she was a beauty that seeped from within.
XunMi obediently lifted her head and respectfully curtsied with a light smile directed at the emperor. “Prime Minister’s Second Miss Wenren XunMi greets Your Majesty the Emperor. Long live Your Majesty.”
This dynasty’s regulations on women was a bit more lenient than most. In this situation, XunMi didn’t need to kneel down.
Zongzheng Muye was surprised for a second. This woman was quite beautiful. She wasn’t a bit inferior to women like Baosi or Daji that brought down empires. {T/N: Baidu says they were famed legendary beauties and concubines of Chinese emperors that brought disaster to the kingdoms}.
What a pity that such a beautiful woman couldn’t become his daughter-in-law. But looking at this situation, she would still be considered a part of his family.
“The aura of serene orchid, the voice of spring water, a figure of elegant bamboo. As if created from autumn waters, as if the moon itself formed the soul. How come I have not heard of the Prime Minister’s Second Miss possessing such incomparable beauty?” Everyone has natural affinity towards beauty, especially since it the object of affection was such a resplendent, proud, beautiful woman.
The Prime Minister awkwardly bowed his head, completely of unsure of what to say. He had never noticed how beautiful this daughter was. If he had known earlier, then today’s situation would never have happened.
XunMi’s eyes were bright. With one gaze, it was like any nasty thoughts were unable to be covered.
“The emperor exaggerates. I could not compare to Eldest Sister. Eldest Sister is capital city’s famed beauty and talent. Those that are able to receive Eldest Sister’s good graces are the most fortunate. Of course, being able to receive the crown prince’s attention is also considered a blessing worth three lifetimes. Unfortunately, I am no a lucky one. ” So I wouldn’t be able to handle that blind son of yours.
XunMi had already felt that sharp gaze of jealousy, disdainfully snorting. As for the crown prince, lights was shooting out of his eyes.
Don’t misunderstand, he wasn’t lovestruck by XunMi, rather he was feeling a combination of surprise and shock. He had seen Wenren XunMi before. But the XunMi then definitely wasn’t as captivating as the woman before him now.
“Crown prince, where are you looking? This is my wangfei. Your princess is by your side.” Zongzheng Mufeng unhappily stood in front of XunMi, coldly addressing the crown prince. Didn’t he see that the ‘kindhearted’ Prime Minister’s Eldest Miss had adopted a predatory gaze, as if she wanted to see blood?
The crown prince was choked by Zongzheng Mufeng’s words, yet he didn’t dare retort. His entire heart was filled with nervousness at the moment. He didn’t know if his father the emperor was going to blame him for this matter. But he didn’t regret marrying the woman he loved.
Shangguan Yyan and Wenren Lu had pretty much discovered An wang’s intentions in the carriage on the way over. Hearing him speak so blatantly in the grand hall, they weren’t that shocked.
Meanwhile, Wenren Xiang’s eyeballs almost protruded out, completely destroying his noble and virtuous image.
Zongzheng Muye looked at everyone, a profound look in his eyes.