On December 26th, Nan Fengyao was finally freed on her birthday.
Originally, Nan Leli, being petty-minded, had not intended to release her, but wasn’t there Wen Qitian?
Nan Leli happened to be suffering from headaches and had to go to Wen Qitian every night to “receive a slap.” During this time, Wen Qitian mentioned Nan Fengyao’s situation.
His Majesty the Emperor was utterly shocked: “So I’m also responsible for marrying her off?”
Well, judging by his expression of astonishment and disdain, he had clearly long forgotten about this matter.
After a brief moment of thought, he waved his hand grandly and ordered Eunuch Zhang to send someone to the Ministry of Revenue to gather the registry and collect portraits of all the talented young men in Jingnan Kingdom, as if preparing to “select a consort” for Nan Fengyao.
For Nan Leli, getting rid of Nan Fengyao, this troublemaker, by marrying her off was a good solution, sparing him the daily trouble she caused in the palace.
However, he also gave Wen Qitian some face by allowing Nan Fengyao to hold her Birthday Banquet as scheduled.
The Birthday Banquet was held in Changqing Palace, next to Yuyao Palace. Early in the morning, Wen Qitian sat in front of her dressing table, letting Yue E style her hair. As the comb glided through her smooth, dark tresses, Wen Qitian glanced at the busy maids out of the corner of her eye and asked Yue E, “Where is Bai Zhi?”
“It seems she ate something bad, so she asked Tao Zhi to help instead.”
Yue E simply styled her hair into a light and elegant bun, similar to the technique of a draped braid, but it fell on either side of her ears. She then secured it with a vermilion hairpin, making her look charming and adorable. After a glance, Yue E felt it was a bit too plain and searched in the jewelry box for a pair of hairpins with dangling ornaments.
The plum blossoms woven from gold threads were adorned with strings of red agate. When worn, they would sway gently with Wen Qitian’s movements, looking quite beautiful.
Having been in ancient times for so long, Wen Qitian had never bothered with elaborate hairstyles. Her feelings were rather complicated, and her first thought was: the next time she saw His Majesty the Emperor, she would use the ornaments on her head to smack him to death.
Finally, after her hair was done, Yue E asked Tao Zhi to help find some light-colored rouge.
Wen Qitian’s skin was fair and didn’t need powder, but a light touch of rouge could add some color to her complexion.
Nan Leli was never stingy when it came to Wen Qitian’s attire. Whether it was clothing, rouge, powder, or perfumes, she had everything she needed.
There were over a dozen boxes of rouge alone.
Tao Zhi, with an extremely respectful attitude, picked out a pale pink rouge box adorned with peony vine patterns. Just by looking at the box, one could tell the rouge was precious.
“Miss, this is the finest rouge, said to be made from the hearts of peony blossoms. You are so beautiful, and wearing this to Changqing Palace will surely make you outshine everyone.”
Tao Zhi kept her head bowed and her eyes lowered. While explaining, she opened the box, intending to help Wen Qitian apply the rouge.
“Oh, really?” Wen Qitian raised an eyebrow. “In that case, I’ll reward you with it.”
Tao Zhi trembled, nearly dropping the rouge, and knelt on the ground in panic.
“Miss, I am of lowly status. How dare I accept your reward?”
Yue E, who was standing nearby, stopped what she was doing and frowned at her. “The miss is just rewarding you with something. Why are you reacting so strongly, as if she’s bullying you?”
Tao Zhi quickly explained to Wen Qitian, “I didn’t mean that. I just feel unworthy of this rouge.”
Tao Zhi was somewhat attractive, with a fair and delicate face, giving off a modest and gentle impression. Now, biting her lower lip and with a vacant look in her eyes, she appeared pitiful.
Wen Qitian blinked her eyes, then suddenly let out a soft laugh. “Why belittle yourself like that? Rouge suits a beauty. Yue E, quickly help her apply it. Since the gift is already given to her, there’s no need to feel embarrassed.”
Her voice was as sweet as if soaked in honey, but when it reached Tao Zhi’s ears, it sent a shiver down her spine.
Especially when Yue E took the rouge and tried to apply it for her, Tao Zhi’s face turned pale with fright.
Yue E paused her movements. Even if she were slow-witted, she could tell something was amiss.
Her expression darkened. “How dare you, Tao Zhi! What’s wrong with this rouge?”
Tao Zhi shook her head repeatedly, trying to defend herself. “No, it’s not that… I just… I just thought…”
“Oh, Yue E, Tao Zhi is so beautiful, she must have a kind heart too.” Wen Qitian sat on the stool by the dressing table, watching the scene with amusement. Her smile was innocent and harmless, her eyes curved as she urged, “Help her apply it. What ill intentions could she possibly have? She’s just shy!”
Wen Qitian rested her hands on the back of the chair, her chin propped on them. Combined with her attire, she looked like an exquisite doll. However, upon closer inspection, one could see the coldness in her eyes.
She had noticed something off about this little maid long ago.
The girl appeared timid and weak, but her actions were undeniably suspicious.
Last time, Wen Qitian had clearly hidden the portrait inside a cabinet. How had Tao Zhi discovered it?
And how had she dared to make a noise, alerting Nan Leli?
As a first-class palace maid serving in Nanli Palace, Wen Qitian refused to believe she could be so indiscreet.
The reason she had offered the rouge as a gift was merely to test her. Unexpectedly, Tao Zhi truly had something to hide.
Yet Wen Qitian couldn’t understand why Tao Zhi, who seemed perfectly fine, would act so recklessly.
Unaware that she had long caught Wen Qitian’s attention, Tao Zhi was still desperately trying to save herself.
Trembling with fear, she finally gritted her teeth and said, “This humble maid thanks the young lady for the gift.”
Tao Zhi wasn’t acting recklessly, but she had no other choice.
Her father was a minor official, and unlike other noble young ladies in the capital, she had spent her childhood following behind the daughters of influential families, bowing and scraping to fit into their circle. Sometimes, obedience had become second nature to her.
If someone ordered her to do something, she had no choice but to comply.
Otherwise, her family would have no way to survive.
But offending Wen Qitian would also lead to a terrible fate.
Her only option now was to deny everything. At worst, she could apply the rouge to her face to prove her innocence.
After all, it was just some pollen that caused allergies.
Tao Zhi’s main goal was to make Wen Qitian’s face break out in an allergic reaction, leading the Emperor to reject her.
The pollen would take effect after five hours, and by the time it flared up in the evening, it would be difficult to pin the blame on her.
She had thought this woman was naive and easy to bully, but unexpectedly, she had stumbled upon the truth.
Tao Zhi clenched her teeth and was about to apply the rouge when, at that moment, Wen Qitian changed her mind.
“Oh! I almost forgot—His Majesty once said that the more beautiful a person is, the more poisonous they might be. What if this rouge really is poisonous? Yue E, take this to Taiyiyuan and have it examined. If there’s a problem, we can check who handled the rouge. We mustn’t wrong anyone.”
What could be more heartbreaking than giving someone hope before crushing it?
Tao Zhi’s face instantly turned ashen.
Wen Qitian glanced at the time, worried that if she delayed any longer, she wouldn’t have time to continue dealing with this. She ordered someone to detain Tao Zhi for the time being, sent Yue E to Taiyiyuan, and then grabbed a random young maid to lead her to Changqing Palace…
Changqing Palace had been largely idle since Nan Leli ascended the throne, as there were no consorts in the rear palace to host banquets. Only on Princess Yuyao’s birthday banquet each year did the noble ladies and young misses have the opportunity to be invited into the palace.
But not just anyone could enter the palace—at the very least, illegitimate daughters were not permitted.
If Wen Qitian were here at this moment, she would certainly recognize the scene unfolding before her—a cliché scenario of suppressing the female protagonist.
“Lately, I haven’t seen the young miss of the Wen family. Isn’t she usually the most fond of such occasions? What was Yongwen Hou thinking, actually allowing an illegitimate daughter who can’t even hold her own in proper society to enter the palace?”
“The Yongwenhou Residence really doesn’t consider the occasion. This is Princess Yuyao’s birthday banquet. I’ve heard even His Majesty shows face for the princess.”
“What a nuisance. What is the Wen family’s legitimate daughter up to? Could it be that she’s been overshadowed by an illegitimate daughter?”
The young misses thought they were speaking softly, but their whispers still reached Wen Jiyue’s ears.
Compared to the other young misses, her attire was plain and understated. Standing among the crowd, she looked like a delicate white flower swaying gently in the wind.
Wen Jiyue bit her lower lip lightly, her gentleness tinged with restraint.
Now, she was the only young miss in the residence. The invitation had been hard-won from that man. Those who could enter the palace were all prominent nobles of the court. She had originally hoped to befriend them, shed her identity as an illegitimate daughter, and integrate into their circle.
Yet what she encountered was humiliation and embarrassment.
They spoke of propriety but gossiped about her incessantly. Was this what legitimate daughters were like?
Just as willful and unreasonable as Wen Qitian.
But even with all her grievances, Wen Jiyue would never give up this opportunity.
After some thought, since they were all discussing Wen Qitian, why not start with her?
“Are you all talking about my elder sister?”
Wen Jiyue forced a smile, trying to blend in.
The chatter abruptly stopped as everyone turned to look at her in surprise.
No one expected her to have the courage to approach them.
Seeing that she finally had their attention, Wen Jiyue breathed a sigh of relief. She then tried to smile gracefully and naturally as she addressed the group, “Actually, this is all my fault. My elder sister was pampered by the family since childhood, the only young miss in the household. Ever since I appeared, she’s felt that I’ve taken what rightfully belonged to her. In a fit of anger, she ran away from home, and she still hasn’t been found.”
She lowered her gaze, took out a handkerchief, and gently dabbed at her eyelids, as if deeply distressed.
Instantly, everyone’s attention shifted.
Although the boundaries between men and women in Jingnan Kingdom were not overly strict, for a young miss of a noble residence to run away from home and remain missing inevitably invited speculation.
The capital was neither too large nor too small, but any hint of gossip would quickly spread.
Previously, many had admired Yongwen Hou for having only one wife and one son and daughter in his lifetime.
Now, an illegitimate daughter had suddenly appeared, inevitably evoking sighs of pity.
Upon closer reflection, this turmoil had already lasted a month. If Wen Qitian had been missing for so long, she might have encountered some misfortune.
What if she had been…
At this thought, some were pleased while others were troubled.
Take Princess Caiwei, for example. Her feud with Wen Qitian was no short-lived matter.
Princess Caiwei was the daughter of Prince Jia. After Nan Leli ascended the throne, he purged the remnants of the Former Emperor’s faction. However, the court’s power structure was deeply intertwined, and some had yet to be dealt with—Prince Jia was one of them.
During the Former Emperor’s reign, there were several princes. Apart from Prince Jia, the others had long since departed for their fiefdoms and were forbidden to return to the capital without summons.
Prince Jia was an exception. He and the Former Emperor were born of the same mother, and it could be said that the Former Emperor’s ability to secure the throne back then owed much to his support.
The wife of Yongwen Hou and the Princess Consort of Prince Jia were close friends since childhood, which led to Wen Qitian and the Prince’s heir being betrothed from the womb.
Since childhood, Princess Caiwei had disliked Wen Qitian, because if Wen Qitian hadn’t been born first, the betrothal would have fallen upon her and Wen Yongsī.
Instead, it ended up being Wen Qitian and her brother—how could she not be furious?
The two young girls had been at odds since childhood, neither willing to concede defeat. Upon hearing that Wen Qitian had been missing for a month, Princess Caiwei’s pride soared to the heavens, and she even found Wen Jiyue somewhat more agreeable.
She sneered, “A young lady missing for over a month, and you still haven’t found her. Who knows if she’s already been defiled by someone? It seems the betrothal to my brother should be annulled.”
A flicker of something passed through Wen Jiyue’s eyes. She raised her head, about to defend her sister, when unexpectedly, at that moment, someone exclaimed in surprise, “Huh? Wasn’t it said that Miss Wen was missing? Then who is that?”
This exclamation drew everyone’s attention, including Wen Qitian, who had just entered.
[Author’s Note]
Princess Caiwei gloated, “Missing for so long, who knows who might have defiled her.”
The Tyrant Emperor replied coldly, “Do you have a problem with me??”
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