Chapter 196: Emperor Yong Le (Part 1)
In the morning of the second day, Shen Miao would be following with Xie Jing Xing to the Palace to see Emperor Yong Le. Because this was the first meeting, she had to wear the official clothes of the grade of what a WangFei of First Grade should wear. When Xie Jing Xing came out, SHen Miao could not help but be startled.
Great Liang’s and Ming Qi’s court attires were definitely different. Ming Qi’s style geared towards delicate and beauty while Great Liang geared towards noble bearing. Xie Jing Xing wore a purple gold robe with embroidered Qilin and the official hat and green agate belt, it looked extremely imposing. The usual frivolous appearance was shed off and now he appeared to be somewhat unapproachable.
Shen Miao had a meal with him before boarding the carriage to the palace. Because of yesterday’s matters, Shen Miao had felt somewhat uncomfortable but Xie Jing Xing seemed to be very satisfied with her appearance and when they were in the carriage, he mentioned it in a vile manner.
Shen Miao thought that this person really had no scruples because he was in Great Liang but because it was the first time meeting Emperor Yong Le, her heart was somewhat heavy but because of Xie Jing Xing’s teasing, it became much more relaxed.
The residence of Prince Rui of First Rank was not far from the Palace and one did not know if this was done deliberately by Xie Jing Xing. When the guards of the Palace saw Xie Jing Xing, they released their carriage immediately. As Jing Zhe and Gu Yu were Shen Miao first ranking maids, they followed behind Shen Miao but dared not even breath loudly and walked carefully, fearing that any discourteous action would bring trouble for Shen Miao.
The palace maids and eunuchs of Great Liang’s Imperial Palace were all doing their work with their heads lowered but when Shen Miao walked passed, she could feel some inquiring gazes on her. Since it was her first time in the Imperial Palace of Great Liang, perhaps everyone was talking about what kind of wife did Xie Jing Xing marry. The commoners were tolerant of her but people with official positions were different. In addition, Xie Jing Xing had a sensitive identity and if Shen Miao did not guess incorrectly, the position of the Consort of Prince Rui was one that a lot of people would fight for.
Her every move and action were not only representing that she was Rui WangFei but also represent the demeanor of the Shen family of Ming Qi.
Thinking as so, Shen Miao could not help but straighten her back even more and look more dignified. Unconsciously she had brought out the bearing of her past lifetime as an Empress.
Xie Jing Xing noticed her action and smiled meaningfully before whispering to her ears, “No need to be this nervous. You are almost as comparable as the Empress.”
Shen Miao glared at him. What kind of time this was? Xie Jing Xing was still this cheeky. There were many eyes and ears in the Palace and most likely there were Emperor Yong Le’s people. If Xie Jing Xing’s words were carried into the ears of Emperor Yong Le, would she be given a name of a beauty who brings disaster? Thinking of the being a virtuous and respectable Empress in the past lifetime, she had not been an troublesome and disastrous beauty before.
Just as she was thinking about it, Xie Jing Xing took her hand and Shen Miao quickly struggled to break free, “Someone will see…”
“What would be the matter if someone sees?” Xie Jing Xing was not happy, “Do one need others agreement for this Prince to hold WangFei’s hand?”
Shen Miao wanted to say something when she saw that she had walked to a side hall with Xie Jing Xing and there was a fat eunuch who stood outside the door. When he saw both of them, he said, “Greetings to Your Highness Prince of First Rank, His Majesty and Her Ladyship have been waiting for a long time.”
One did not know if it was intentional or not but he did not greet Shen Miao.
“Deng GongGong, this is this Prince’s beloved wife.” Xie Jing Xing did not let this matter pass and push Shen Miao forward, “Why are you not greeting?”
Shen Miao rolled her eyes at Xie Jing Xing in her heart. This Deng GongGong apparently got an order from his master to treat her as such. Other than Emperor Yong Le which other master could there be? Even if this was Emperor Yong Le’s thoughts, not only Xie Jing Xing not go along with others, he deliberately brought it out. Was he here today for a quarrel?
Deng GongGong’s smile remained unchanged and immediately changed his tune and said to Shen Miao, “So it is Your Ladyship WangFei. This servant did not have eyes. May Your Ladyship WangFei forgive oneself.”
Shen Miao was different with Xie Jing Xing. She smiled gently, “It is of no problems.”
Xie Jing Xing swept a look at Deng GongGong, “Fine. Imperial Older Brother is not satisfied with me like this then why call me to come over?” He then smiled, “If it was not WangFei that persuaded me today, who want to come over to see him?”
Deng GongGong and Shen Miao, “…”
Shen Miao pulled his sleeves and Xie Jing Xing said, “What is there to be afraid? Being the matriarch of my residence of Prince Rui of First Rank, one do not need to be afraid of others. Don’t worry, whoever bullies you, this husband will take it out for you.”
His voice was not concealed or lowered, making the responsive and smart Deng GongGong unable to hide the awkwardness. Suddenly a cough was heard from the main hall and Deng GongGong was sharp and said, “May Your Highness Prince of First Rank and Your Ladyship Wang Fei follow this one in.”
Shen Miao was pulled by Xie Jing Xing and followed in.
She lowered her head all the way and did not raise her head. It was the first encounter and one would follow all propriety. Shen Miao knew that Emperor Yong Le did not like her much and thus was not willing to make any mistakes in these details and could only be perfect. She was only able to see the smooth marble on the flow that was engraved with cloud patterns and the top was covered with a soft wool blanket.
“ChenDi greets Imperial Older Brother.” Xie Jing Xing said lazily and even his gestures were barely passable.
Xie Jing Xing could be that impudent but Shen Miao could not. However she did not go down on her knees and bend her back to greet, “ChenFu greets Your Majesty.”
“You are Shen Miao?” After a while, a majestic low voice rang out, “Lift up the head.”
Shen Miao lifted her head up.
The age of the male that was sitting on the highest seat was not considered too old and looked like he was in his thirties. His brows and eyes were sharp, his nose was high and lips thin. He looked seven to eight tenths similar to Xie Jing Xing. However Xie Jing Xing’s features were soft while his expression was sharp thus the beauty and handsomeness ratio was extremely well blended. The middle age male in front, most likely due to the high position that he was sitting for a long time, did not have any gentle bearing and compared to Xie Jing Xing’s stubbornness, he was even more upright. His had a deep gaze that when looking at another, it would be somewhat cold as if one could see through to the bottom on one’s heart.
Although these two brothers looked similar in appearance and were all elegant and noble, their temperament were as different as the North and South. Xie Jing Xing looked like a gentleman who went around to play and had a type of cynical laziness in dealing with everything but this person was extremely rigorous to oneself and would not let oneself off in any moment.
Shen Miao’s heart felt very strange. She had not thought that the wise Emperor Yong Le throughout the ages would have such young appearance and also looked so handsome. It was very different from a head of white hair than she had imagined to be.
When she was sizing Emperor Yong Le, Emperor Yong Le was also sizing her up. Emperor Yong Le’s gaze was very sharp and there was also a sense of pressure. He had a cold look on his face, as if he would burst in fury the next moment. If it was an ordinary female that he was sizing up, one feared that she would be so scared that one cried. However Shen Miao was different from ordinary young ladies. When she was facing Fu Xiu Yi before, Fu Xiu Yi’s cold expression to her was much more colder.
Seeing that she still remained calm, a sharp gaze flashed in Emperor Yong Le’s eyes but Xie Jing Xing lazy voice was heard in the main hall, “Has Imperial Older Brother seen enough? If one look longer, ChenDi will become uncomfortable.”
Shen Miao was startled and was unable to hide it in her heart. She had always guessed what was the relationship between Xie Jing Xing and Emperor Yong Le would be like and was also faintly aware that these pair of brothers were more sincere than the brothers in Ming Qi’s Imperial family but she had not expect that Xie Jing Xing would dare to say such things to Emperor Yong Le. Moreover Emperor Yong Le did not seemed to be angry at all.
In the Imperial family, there were many rules and regulation and each person’s status was subtle thus it was just impossible to have a relation like ordinary brothers. It was already a luxury that bothers were not fighting and were on friendly terms. Moreover Xie Jing Xing was in Ming Qi for so many years but currently it looked like he was living with Emperor Yong Le since young.
“Jing Xing, BenGong will also be angry with your words.” A laughing voice was heard and Shen Miao’s gaze landed on the female by Emperor Yong Le’s side.
One had thought that this person should be Emperor Yong Le’s wife, Empress Xian De of Great Liang.
Empress Xian De looked younger than Emperor Yong Le and she was wearing a pomelo green embroidered robes with a wide belt. This dressing was considered very plain and simple but she had a dignified appearance and with one look one could tell she was a female who was well-educated by a large family and was intelligent and calm. She was sitting by Emperor Yong Le’s side smiling towards Xie Jing Xing.
Shen Miao remembered that Xie Jing Xing once praised Empress Xian De. There were not many female that Xie Jing Xing would praise as he was so critical and for Empress Xian De to become of them, there naturally be something special. Even if Xie Jing Xing not mentioning it, Shen Miao would still have a good impression of Empress Xian De because she had a graceful and calm bearing that even Shen Miao, who was an Empress in her pass lifetime, would feel inferior and ashamed.
“Jing Xing’s wife, the Young Lady of the Shen family in Ming Qi.” Empress Xian De nodded her head and smiled warmly, “BenGong has always be curious what kind of Young Lady would make Jing Xing curb his heart. Now upon looking, one understood. Jing Xing has good eyes.”
Shen Miao repeatedly reply that she didn’t dare.
Empress Xian De’s praises however made Emperor Yong Le dissatisfied. He glared at Empress Xian De and seemed to be somewhat unhappy but he only said solemnly, “Ming Qi’s and Great Liang’s rules and regulations are different. Since you have married and become Great Liang’s people, rules and regulation of Great Liang must be kept.”
“Imperial Older Brother.” Xie Jing Xing interrupted his words, “This ChenDi will naturally teach the rules and regulation. If one is unable to teach, Imperial Older Brother need not have to worry, the people of the residence of Prince Rui of First Rank will be looked after by ChenDi. It is better for Imperial Older Brother to manage your own matters.”
Xie Jing Xing protected Shen Miao to this level and did not even give Emperor Yong Le any face in front of Shen Miao at all. Emperor Yong Le was finally angered and said, “You protect your wife this much? And don’t even allow Zhen to say a single word? Why not Zhen give you this position to sit?”
“Forget about it.” Xie Jing Xing waved his hands without any care, “Keep this position for yourself as ChenDi is not interested. It is just that it was so difficult for ChenDi to marry a Young Lady and if you intervene again and one’s wife run away, what should ChenDi do? Be lonely for the rest of one’s life?”
Shen Miao, “…”
If Xie Jing Xing were brothers with Fu Xiu Yi and spoke to Fu Xiu Yi those words, one feared that he would be dead seven to eight times.
Emperor Yong Le stood up and looked at Shen Miao. That long was filled with threats before he turned around and left with a brush of his sleeves. After walking halfway and seeing that Xie Jing Xing was still standing by Shen Miao’s side and had no intention to follow, he was suddenly angry again, “Roll over to Zhen here.”
Xie Jing Jing was helpless about it and said to Empress Xian De, “Imperial Sao, will hand Jiao Jiao over to you.” Then he said to Shen Miao, “After matters are settled, I will pick you up.”
After Xie Jing Xing and Emperor Yong Le left, Empress Xian De then smiled gently and stood up to walk over to Shen Miao, “The room is rather stuffy. Since you have not come to the Imperial Palace of Great Liang, BenGong will bring you around.”
Shen Miao quickly complied.
Empress Xian De was a good person and seemed not to put on any air of an Empress. Both of them went to the Imperial Gardens to stroll around and on the way there, Empress Xian De asked if she was used to Long Ye. The conversation was intimate like talking to one’s Eldest Sister, which made one’s heart feel smooth.
“Ever since Jing Xing returned to Long Ye, BenGong had never seen him being interested in any young ladies. One had thought that most likely it was not possible for him to like any young lady and did not think that he would marry a wife in Ming Qi. Even though it was somewhat surprising, but one’s heart was very comforted. Otherwise BenGong would really worried that he would not find a young lady for his entire lifetime and be alone.”
When Shen Miao heard those words, she smiled and said, “How could the Prince of First Rank be alone? When he was young in Ming Qi, there were many Young Ladies that liked him so no matter what he would not be alone.”
Empress Xian De shook his head with a smile, “Then have you seen him being particularly good to anyone?”
Shen Miao was startled.
Empress Xian De then carried on herself, “Jing Xing and the Emperor looked like different people but in fact both brothers are the same. The Emperor looked cold on the surface and his temperament is also cold. Jing Xing looked warm and easy to talk to but his temperament is also cold. Most likely they themselves are clear that their identities are special and should not think about things that one should not think of.” She looked at Shen Miao with a smile, “One thinks that Jing Xing had told you about his secret so this is not a secret.”
“That kind of child had to hide himself and live like this since young. Be it hiding one’s identity or emotions, one’s self control had been gradually developed but one’s heart also harden. This is a good thing to the Imperial family but to himself, it was not a good thing. BenGong had always thought that if Jing Xing was the same as the Emperor then it would be too unfair. It was fortunate that he was luckier than the Emperor and met you.”