Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
There was no point in getting so worked up over it.
Jiang Pengji rested her chin in a palm and stared at the old monk, waiting for him to speak.
“This is your mother’s will,” the old monk said as his fingers moved over the prayer beads. “Your mother had lost two sons that year and requested that I look at all of the children’s fates. None of them had an emperor’s life, yet your mother was sure that Liu She’s daughter would become a sovereign ruler.”
Jiang Pengji narrowed her eyes. If Liu Lanting’s mother had been that sure, did that mean that she was a time-traveler who knew this era’s history?
“My ability was limited, so I got a friend to help. Finally, we managed to foresee that Liu She is indeed destined to be the father of an emperor. But that daughter had yet to arrive. Then before your mother died, she seemed to have realized something and asked for my help...”
The monk laughed and continued. “Your mother did not care that she might be treated like a demon and burned alive. She told your father about her true identity and how she came about. She used to have two souls in one body, but due to some misfortune, one of the souls was lost. Being her daughter, you may face the same fate...”
“Two souls in a body?” Jiang Pengji’s hands trembled, and some tea spilled over the sides of the cup.
Was that why the stepmother and Liu She believed that the real Liu Lanting was now dead due to “some misfortune”?
“If this is not the case, animosity will grow between you and your father, and a quarrel may happen,” the monk continued with an amiable smile. “Furthermore, your mother was sure that you are her real daughter. There is no doubt about that.”
“But why was she so sure that Lanting’s death would happen when she was twelve years old?”
Jiang Pengji had her suspicions, and she wanted confirmation.
“When your mother birthed you and your twin brother, she saw that both of you were smart and normal. She secretly asked me if your body had been taken over by someone else. She stated explicitly that your body should be soulless and stupid until you turn twelve...”
Jiang Pengji crossed her arms as she thought about all the clues.
According to the information she had gathered, this mother of hers was definitely a time-traveler who knew this era’s history, History must have stated that this female ruler was famous and that she would be stupid, unfeeling, and unreasonable when she was younger. Perhaps the history books had even stated that this female ruler would not get along with her father.
However, time and space was a complicated thing.
Her mother may have known the future, but her actions had affected the course of history.
According to the old monk’s words, her mother had been held back by her knowledge of this era’s history and was therefore unable to live freely.
“How can fate be predestined? If I fight for the throne, that’ll be because I want to do it and not because fate forced me to do it. The future holds countless possibilities. Not just one.”
One’s course of action decides their fate. When has it ever been the other way around?
Jiang Pengji shook her head in displeasure. “This is of no interest to me. But I do have to thank you for helping me.”
Two souls in one body was nonsensical. But for these ancient people, it was much easier to just accept the theory so they wouldn’t have to understand it.
“Don’t thank me.” The monk shook his head. “You’re thorough in your thoughts and reasoning. Fate is a profound thing, and it is not unchangeable. Maybe now that you know your fate, you won’t lose the throne by making any wrong decisions...”
Jiang Pengji replied obstinately, “If I want the throne in the future, then the throne will belong to me. I will kill all who stand in my way.”
After her declaration, the stream screen started filling with flowers.
Nongfu Shanquan Youdianxuan: “Hahaha, I love this host’s bad*ss image. Hahaha.”
Nide Yida: “Yup. There’s this refreshing feeling about her.”
Kele Leyile: “Bring me a 40m long sword! I’m looking forward to watching the host have a harem fight. If she kills the emperor, she can still be a ruler and sleep with the men and their wives.”
The screen quickly began filling with dirty comments.
Ouhuang Saigao: “If it’s gonna be a harem fight, might as well just rear a dog? What’s the point of sleeping with the emperor? Disgusting.”
Shuibian Sanguo Nanshen: “A harem fight to become the ruler doesn’t sound challenging. What concubine can withstand the host’s slap? How about vying for supremacy, bedding all the officers, and leaving some sexual stuff in history?”
Yanling Shi: “Hahaha, bed all the officers +1”
Shangle Nazhi Ji: “Bed all the officers +2”
As she looked at the screen, Jiang Pengji’s expression changed. She began an idle chat with her audience.
Host V: “Eh, even if I want to do that, it would be with the officers’ wives. I love girls.”
Shuibian Sanguo Nanshen: “Eh, this host will be over sooner or later.”
Yanling Shi: “Eh, this host will be over sooner or later +1.”
“...”
Jiang Pengji lost her smile. She had just been joking. She did like girls, but her sexual orientation was normal.
Jiang Pengji left the meditation room in a slightly better mood and entered the side hall. She found Liu She kneeling on a praying mat in the midst of a prayer.
She looked at the memorial tablets in front of her. Beside Gu Min’s tablet were two others for Liu Lanting’s brothers. Next to those, there was a newer but blank tablet.
Her heart skipped a beat when she realized who it was for. The tablet was empty because writing the name of someone who was still living was bad luck.
She lit a few incense sticks.
“Should I change my name?” Jiang Pengji asked.
The memorial tablet was empty and desolate looking. It was probably difficult for Liu She to see it.
“There’s no harm in having a new name.” Liu She sighed before sticking the incense sticks into a pot. His gaze looked complicated and nostalgic at the same time. “I thought Gu Min and I would have a bunch of kids. So we prepared more than ten names... Boys, girls...”
It was a pity that they only used two names. The twins had shared the same name.
“I’ve been wondering why you brought me up as my brother.”
If it were some period drama, Jiang Pengji would not have been surprised if her mother had brought her up as a boy in order to keep her place as the first lady.
But there was no need for the disguise because most of the lords and ladies in the Liu manor already knew her true identity.
Liu She replied, “A daughter would not live as freely as a son. Your mother suffered from learning all the rules and etiquette of being a girl when she was very young. She was right when she said that letting you live as your brother would allow you to be free. Nothing else matters as long as you’re happy.”
If Liu Xi were the surviving son, would he still be alive now?
Liu She sighed as he entertained some depressing thoughts.
As for descendants, there would be ways to achieve that when Jiang Pengji got older.
There was no need for Jiang Pengji to worry about her family’s future. Liu She and Gu Min had already spent the first half of their lives working hard to ensure that Liu Lanting could enjoy herself.
Gu Min had spent years getting her husband accustomed to the idea of time-travelers. As a result, he was more accepting, and his thinking was more progressive.