Chapter IBMLS Ch.12 Return to the Owner (3)
At that time, the Jiang and Xie families were just two small families, and marriage between neighbors was the ideal choice. There was no need to think further. However, there was another reason Jiang Mingwei acquiesced with the teasing remarks of marriage her friends always made.
There was a rumor in their district that Xie Xuanji had a very high-ranking official as an uncle and an outstanding older cousin, both of whom lived in the capital.
No one had seen the Xie family’s main branch so this remained a rumor, but for the children, having a relative in the capital was already very impressive. Therefore, Xie Xuanji gained the highest position in their circle. Jiang Mingwei was arrogant and believed that only such a person was suitable for her, the most beautiful girl in their district.
In the third year of the Hongjia Era, when she was 12 years old, it happened.
Jian’an Street was suddenly filled with carriages. A row of majestic guards stood at the door of Xie family’s house, declaring that General Xie had issued an order to take his younger brother Xie Rui’s family to the capital.
It turned out that the rumors about the Xie family were true; Xie Xuanji really did have a high-ranking official as his uncle! Under the envious eyes of the group of children, he climbed into the carriage and departed for the capital. Before long, the rest of the people in Jian’an Street were also promoted one after another. Jiang Mingwei’s father was one of them, and their family was transferred to the capital city.
It was during this time that Jiang Mingwei learned what being a high-ranking official in the capital city truly meant.
On the day Jiang Mingwei arrived in the capital, Xie Rui’s family and Xie Xuanji were waiting at the gate of the city to welcome them in. As the adults were exchanging greetings, there was a sudden commotion outside. A young youth on a white horse was riding through the crowd at an alarming speed.
The guard on duty noticed the chaos and yelled that those who wanted to enter the city must dismount, but when the horse neared and the youth’s face was revealed, everyone fell silent.
Jiang Mingwei was still trying to absorb the atmosphere of the capital city when this overbearing scene played out before her, frightening her so much that she even forgot how to speak. Just then, Xie Xuanji, who was beside her, ran forward and called out, “Second Brother!”
The youth turned back and spared him a perfectory glance before disappearing into the city with his horse.
Jiang Mingwei remembered that day as though it were yesterday. The youth was named Xie Xuanchen. Later, she learned that while Xie Xuanji’s uncle was indeed a high-ranking official, the entirety of the Xie family’s power and influence did not come from Xie Yi, Xe Xuanji’s uncle.
Half of it came from that arrogant and beautiful teenager, Xie Xuanchen. When she saw him for the first time at the city gates, he was only fifteen years old and yet had already been bestowed the title of “Marquis of Wu’an.” It was said that the number of soldiers under him was equal to that of his father Xie Yi.
This struck a hard blow to Jiang Mingwei. In Lin’an, she was a princess, but here, she was only the daughter of a small official. The Jiang family and the Xie family were once on the same level, but after entering the capital, Xie Xuanji’s status became much higher than hers. She felt inferior. Later, the Xie family rebelled and Xie Xuanji became an imperial prince, which only made her feel even more uncomfortable.
Therefore, in the first year of the Suihe Era, when she learned from her parents that the palace intended her to marry Xie Xuanji, she finally snapped. At that time, the capital was infiltrated by a barbarian spy, Ye Luyan, who broke into her bedchamber. Jiang Mingwei used her identity as Xie Xuanji’s fiancee to hide Ye Luyan, then she was attracted by his warm, generous, and unrestrained temperament and agreed to elope with him during the Lantern Festival.
Thinking back, this was a decision she greatly regretted, as it had ultimately robbed her of her life and fortune.
In her previous life, after she followed Ye Luyan to the north, she found out that he was also a prince. No wonder such a large battle had broken out in the capital that day. Since she was brought back to Beirong by Ye Luyan, the reluctant northern barbarians were forced to accept her as his woman. However, it wasn’t until an entire year later that she and Ye Luyan finally engaged in the ambiguous affairs between a man and a woman, and she officially became his “woman.” However, it was just that.
As a person of Han nationality, she naturally couldn’t become his princess. Eventually, in order to gain more power to attain the throne, Ye Luyan took the daughter of a Beirong noble as his princess. The princess was very arrogant and regarded Jiang Mingwei, who was born in the Han state, as a thorn in her eye. Jiang Mingwei was experienced with how concubines fought and schemed against each other, but not to the savage extent of the princess. All of the malice was straightforward and without concealment. She poured cold water on her in the winter and hid needles in the soles of her shoes.