Chapter 222: Fu Ming (Part 1)
“One heard that Prince Rui has a lot of feelings for Rui WangFei currently.” Ye Ke said, “A few days ago, one heard that both of them toured Long Ye hands to hands. It can be seen that Prince Rui love Shen Miao to the bones. Speaking of which, that Shen Miao’s appearance is not as good as yours so one do not know how could another party be fascinated by her.” Ye Ke looked towards Ye Mei, “Does Older Sister still wants to enter the residence of Prince Rui.”
Ye Mei was somewhat upset. She was totally unable to showcase her superiority in front of Xie Yan. When she was in Qin province previously, she would be invincible to whichever man that she wanted to make use of. However when facing Xie Yuan, she always felt that there was nowhere to start. Xie Yuan did not pay any attention to her and Ye Mei could feel in the gaze that Xie Jing Xing use when he looked at her, it was no different from looking at Lu Wan-er or any other daughters of Great Liang officials. She felt that she could not subdue Xie Yuan at all because Xie Yuan did not view her as a female.
Thinking about that, Ye Mei spoke evadingly, “Let’s talk about it later and since Ye Mao Cai did not mention of this matter at the time being, one do not need to think more about it. The most urgent task on hand is to find out what problems is happening to the Ye family. If the Ye family collapse one day, it cannot implicate us so it is better to make plans early.
“Actually…” Ye Ke hummed and hawed, “Previously Ye Mao Cai can to look for me once and have some thoughts of wanting you to enter the Palace.”
Entering the Palace? Ye Mei’s heart jumped and she suddenly laughed. She had a variety of laughter but it was somewhat meaningful, “Ye Mao Cai saw that it was difficult to hook up with Xie Yuan so he let me climb into the Imperial family?”
Entering the Palace naturally did not mean entering the Palace ordinary but entering the Palace to be the Emperor’s woman. Ye Mei sneered, “It is very strange that there is not even a descendent in the Palace so there must be some queer circumstances. If I enter the Palace and do not have any children, one would not have any support for a hundred years. If the Emperor passed on, would one even need to accompany him for burial? Ye Mao Cai only have thoughts of having good relations with the Imperial family and did not care about my life and death. I will not enter the Palace. Let him end such thoughts.” At the end of her words, there was some viciousness in it.
It was not that Ye Mei did not think about entering the Palace but it was because she had always been good and analysing the pros and cons. Currently the Emperor did not have any children and one feared that it was the Emperor that was having the problem so how long could a female without any son be able to live in the Inner Palace? Not mentioning the Inner Palace, even if it was the Inner Courtyard of a big family, death was the only route if one did not have a son. It was both shrinking one’s head and keeping ones thoughts to one’s mind for an entire lifetime but these were not what Ye Mei wanted. She wanted to climb up, and continue to go up to enjoy power and benefits and these are more important than entering the Palace to be the Emperor’s woman.
Ye Ke was somewhat awkward, “I also guessed that you would think as such and immediately told Ye Mao Cai that it is not possible.”
“Oh?” Ye Mei took a glance at him and said fluttering, “You really told him like this?”
Ye Ke avoided Ye Mei’s gaze and said, “Older Sister, you still don’t believe in me?”
Ye Mei smiled but one did not know what was the meaning behind the smile, “In short, both you and I have to be aware of one’s identity. The Ye family is not our real home and the Ye family people are not family, moreover the Ye family have their selfish thoughts. I will find ways to figure out what is actually going on with the Ye family and what kind of plans do they have. If there is a day where the Ye family fall into misfortune, both of us must not fall in together and it is the best if we could withdraw safely.”
“Older Sister, how are things this serious?” Ye Ke disagreed, “If it was really this serious, the Ye family would have long begun to seek a way out for themselves.”
Ye Mei smiled coldly, “One feared that the Ye family themselves do not know that the disaster is coming.”
Just as she was speaking, one heard someone outside calling, “Eldest Sister. Second Older Brother.”
Ye Ke went up to open the doors and saw a servant pushing Ye Hong Guang outside. Even though Ye Mao Cai was shrewd, he treated this crippled son well and had specially instructed people to make a moveable chair for him so that the servant could push him around and he could go around the Ye residence. However Ye Furen did not really like this concubine-born son that was placed under her name.
Ye Hong Guang however liked Ye Mei and Ye Ke a lot, most likely because he felt the Ye residence had been so quiet and desolate for so many years and now with siblings, he would be happy. He also had a simple personality, like that of a child and did not seemed to be raised by the Ye family. However when one remembered that he had never leave the residence, it was natural to have such a simple personality since he would only be reading other than playing chess with Ye Mao Cai.
Ye Mei smiled, “What matter does Third Younger Brother have?”
Ye Hong Guang’s appearance was not like Ye Mao Cai nor Ye Furen, he most likely looked similar like that late concubine and his facial features were rather delicate. He also smiled, “Father instructed you to make a trip to the study and I took the opportunity to bring the nine connecting chains to Eldest Sister. One heard that Eldest Sister is an expert in nine connecting chains, thus one brought it over.”
Ye Mei took that nine connecting chains over and said, “When I unlock it, one will personally sent it to Third Younger Brother.”
“Thanking Eldest Sister!” Ye Hong Guang looked very excited about it.
Ye Mei smiled gently and turned her head back to look at Ye Ke and saw the solemnness in the other’s gaze.
For Ye Mao Cai to call them both into the study at such a time there was obviously some new matters for them to handle. He was using them as chess pieces but how would Ye Mei and brother let themselves be in another’s mercy?
It would definitely be another exchange of guessing game again.
*****
On the second day, the news about Consort Jing being pregnant had been spread throughout the entire Long Ye.
Emperor Yong Le had been childless for so many years, naturally there were various speculations about it. The most was that Emperor Yong Le was unable to have a child due to some health reasons and because of this reason, there was struggles and non-stop fighting over these years. However when Consort Jing became pregnant, this should have even more meaning to it.
One feared that it was not an issue with Emperor Yong Le or perhaps Emperor Yong Le deliberately did so but now Emperor Yong Le had let Consort Jing get pregnant and it also clarified some questions. Thus a bunch of officials started to stupidly think of sending their residence’s daughter to the Palace. At another side, some of Long Ye’s officials who had been taking the wait-and-see attitude started to have new resolution. In any case, Consort Jing’s pregnancy had brought about a lot of influences in Great Liang’s court and Inner Palace.
When Shen Miao spoke of the matter to Xie Jing Xing, she also said, “Previously because the Emperor was childless, the Inner Palace is clean and there are not much disputes but now that Consort Jing’s pregnancy is spread out, all types of high ranking officials want to send their daughters into the Palace and rush to have children. One fears that the Inner Palace will be chaotic.”
It was the scariest for the usual calm water to become alive because a stone that was thrown into the pond.
Xie Jing Xing smiled, “However it is only if one can actually give birth.”
Emperor Yong Le and gotten them to drink the concoction to avoid pregnancy and Consort Jing’s pregnancy was an accident. However because of this accident, the Palace would be even more rigorous and strict on this aspect in the future so that no one would be able to have any single opportunity.
“But the Lu family is too anxious.” Shen Miao supported her chin, “The news was not even circulated in the Palace and they spread it out first. Now the entire Long Ye knows about it.”
“The faster it is spread, the faster one dies.” Xie Jing Xing was wearing the outer robes at the moment and Shen Miao stood up to help him tidy up his collar. He looked down at Shen Miao and said, “But if you are pregnant with my child, I will instruct people to make it known to everyone in Long Ye.”
Shen Miao glared at him, “If you dare to let another female bear your child?”
“What about it?” Xie Jing Xing frowned.
Shen Miao pulled his collar tightly and said fiercely, “The matter of the elimination of the entire household of Prince Rui would also be spread to everyone in Long Ye.”
Xie Jing Xing laughed out loud and hugged her waist before lowering his head to whisper into her ears, “One have a ferocious wife at home and one’s spirit is weary and all strength is exhausted. One fear that it would not be possible.”
“Ferocious?” Shen Miao almost erupted in anger.
Xie Jing Xing wanted to speak more when Bao Jiao’s voice was heard from outside, “Master, Furen, the horse carriage is prepare. Do we set off now?”
Shen Miao released her hands, “We will speak when we return.”
Xie Jing Xing smiled slyly, “One let the ruler freely rein.”
Shen Miao, “Get out.”
They were to enter the Palace. These days XIe Jing Xing frequently headed to the Palace to discuss with Emperor Yong Le on how to deal with the Lu family. Most likely the Lu family also felt the pressure and started to rearrange the troops but at the other side felt that since Consort Jing was pregnant, Emperor Yong Le would definitely not do anything to the Lu family. At one side they were suspicious, at the other side they believe firmly, thus the Lu family themselves were confused, which went along with the Imperial family’s wishes. The forces of both sides started preparing thus Xie Jing Xing appeared to be exceptionally busy.
Shen Miao also guessed Ming Qi’s situation from Pei Lang’s letter about the future and helped the Shen family escape from Fu Xiu Yi’s surveillance.
Today Shen Miao also planned to enter the Palace to visit Empress Xian De and coincidently Xie Jing Xing was also entering the Palace, thus both husband and wife went in together.
Once entering the Palace, Xie Jing Xing left for the Imperial Study to meet Emperor Yong Le and since Shen Miao wanted to see Empress Xian De, she let Tao GuGu guide her. Shen Miao saw that the road taken were carpeted and there were many palace maids walking in the Palace, thus she became curious and asked what was going on. Tao GuGu said, “This is instructed by Her Ladyship Consort Jing, fearing that she would knock onto something when she walk and harm the child in her womb thus there are much more palace servants than before serving. These days, everyone in the Palace are crazy busy and Her Ladyship the Empress is generous and cannot be bothered to bicker with her thus she had turned the entire Inner Palace upside down.” Tao GuGu was Empress Xian De’s female official and thus did not need to take care of what she spoke but because of Empress Xian De, she had treated Shen Miao as one of her on and would not conceal her disgust for Consort Jing. She said, “There is nothing too much but it is very tiring for everyone, making others feel unhappy.”
Shen Miao raised her eyebrows and asked, “What is the Emperor’s attitude?”
Tao GuGu smiled eccentrically, “The Emperor did not change his attitude towards Consort Jing due to this child thus Consort Jing is brooding because of it, which created all these tricks.” After thinking about something, she continued, “Today the Ye family’s Young Lady and Young Master also entered the Palace. The Young Lady of the Ye family even went to visit Consort Jing and is most likely in Jing Hua Palace. Did WangFei saw the Ye family when entering the Palace?”
The Ye family? Shen Miao shook her head, “One did not see.” However she was turning over in her mind. The Ye family’s Young Lady and Young Master natural referred to Ye Mei and Ye Ke. Ye Mei and Ye Ke came to see Consort Jing? The Lu family and the Ye family were not particularly intimate so why the need for today? To suddenly see Consort Jing, one fear that the wine-lover’s heart was not in the cup. Could it be that they were scheming about something? But why let Ye Mei come to talk with Consort Jing? Not saying how Ye Mei was but Consort Jing was a stupid one so how could she be able to handle such big responsibility? One fear that the Ye family had found the wrong person.
She vaguely felt that something was wrong but she was here to visit Empress Xian De so it was not good to talk more about the matter with Tao GuGu. She was filled with doubts as she arrived in the Imperial Gardens.
Empress Xian De was currently not in Wei Yang Palace as the summer came to the end. Even though Long Ye’s summers are long, at the end it, the days started to cool down. After too many hot and stuffy days, it was rare that there was such a cooling time, thus it was good to sit in the gardens for some air. When Shen Miao saw Empress Xian De, she was brewing tea and upon seeing Shen Miao’s arrival, she invited her over for tea appreciation.
“This is Qiu Shan Huang (directly translated as Autumn Mountain Yellow). This is the tea that was newly sent in this year. BenGong likes it a lot so you should also taste it.” Empress Xian De smiled as she spoke. She seemed to like drinking tea and she herself was also full of fragrant, a female with great aftertaste.
Shen Miao took the teacup up to taste a sip and tasted the bitterness between her lips and teeth. However in the bitterness, there was a long lingering scene that made it a very unique tea.
Empress Xian De asked, “How is it?”
Shen Miao placed the teacup down, “The tea that Your Highness the Empress brew is the best.”
“BenGong do not have any hobbies and only like this.” Empress Xian De smiled, “As this tea taste bitter, most young females would not like it too much but one do not know why but one felt that you will like me. Most likely BenGong find that you are somewhat similar to BenGong.”
Shen Miao said that she didn’t dare but Empress Xian De smiled without caring about it, “Don’t talk about these. That day after you returned, Jing Xing should have spoken to you about matters of the Palace.”
Shen Miao was slightly startled, “Spoke a little.”
“You will be curious and Jing Xing dotes his wife so naturally he will tell you everything.” Empress Xian De smiled, “Then what did you feel after listening to it? What do you think of the current situation?”