“Xie Bohuai!”
Zhao Yun Jun Zhu was so frightened she collapsed onto the ground, completely devoid of decorum.
But Xie Bohuai had already run far away, disappearing from view. As more onlookers gathered, the maids anxiously urged Zhao Yun Jun Zhu to return to her carriage.
With the street in chaos, Ye Wanning closed the window.
Yunzhi replaced the tea, exclaiming in surprise, “Miss, I never thought someone would actually like Commander Xie.” She thought to herself that Zhao Yun Jun Zhu must never have seen Commander Xie kill anyone, otherwise she would have fled long ago.
“Lord Xie has a handsome appearance, so it’s normal for someone to admire him.” Ye Wanning offered what she considered a fair assessment. When leaving, she used the back door to avoid encountering anyone else.
She had calculated that if business went well, the rouge shop could generate fifty taels of profit per month. Combined with the tailor shop, she could net over one hundred taels monthly. This was just the beginning – with a good reputation established, they could take on more orders.
Having lived without money for too long, now that she had some financial flexibility, Ye Wanning detoured to a restaurant. Her second sister loved good food, and Xuan Jie’er had been craving osmanthus pastries for a long time. Since she had free time today, she decided to buy some for everyone.
While waiting in the restaurant’s private room, Ye Wanning ordered several plates of pastries. She had just taken a couple of bites with Yunzhi when Xie Bohuai suddenly pushed the door open.
“Cough! Cough!”
Ye Wanning choked, taking a large gulp of tea before catching her breath.
“Why has Lord Xie come?” Ye Wanning stood up to ask.
“Routine inspection.” Xie Bohuai’s tall frame blocked the doorway, his thin lips pressing together before he asked, “Was the show enjoyable earlier?”
“What?” Ye Wanning didn’t comprehend immediately.
Xie Bohuai entered the private room. This time, Qingshan wisely didn’t follow his master, instead closing the door for him.
Facing Xie Bohuai, Ye Wanning felt more fear than anything else. She had no intention of currying favor with the powerful.
Xie Bohuai suddenly curved his thin lips. “‘Lord Xie has a handsome appearance, so it’s normal for someone to admire him.’ So in Miss Ye’s eyes, this Xie’s appearance counts as handsome?”
Ye Wanning’s eyes widened. How had Xie Bohuai overheard her conversation with Yunzhi?
Did this man have superhuman hearing?
Her heart pounded rapidly. Ye Wanning couldn’t gauge Xie Bohuai’s mood, but he didn’t seem pleased. Was he planning to take his anger out on her?
“Zhao Yun Jun Zhu comes from noble lineage. To gain her favor is actually… a good thing.” The more Ye Wanning spoke, the softer her voice became.
In her previous life, she hadn’t interacted much with Xie Bohuai and didn’t know he was such a difficult person. As soon as the words left her mouth, she heard Xie Bohuai suddenly snort coldly and thought to herself – it’s over, this man is truly displeased.
“A good thing?” Xie Bohuai retorted. “Your Second Brother hasn’t settled on a marriage yet. He’s quite handsome too – Zhao Yun would probably like him. If you’re willing to have Zhao Yun Jun Zhu as your sister-in-law, I’d be happy to make the introduction!”
“The Ye Family’s status is too low. The Wangye would never agree to his daughter marrying beneath her station. Thank you for your kind offer, Lord Xie. Since you’re occupied with official duties, I won’t detain you further.” Ye Wanning adopted a posture of seeing off a guest. She didn’t dare say more, afraid that Xie Bohuai might actually introduce Zhao Yun to her Second Brother.
Although it was impossible for Zhao Yun Jun Zhu to marry her Second Brother, being pestered by her would still be troublesome and might even offend the Wangye.
At that moment, Qingshan pushed the door open a crack to report that they had found the spy.
Xie Bohuai acknowledged this, then turned back to Ye Wanning. “The Emperor intends to select consorts for the imperial grandsons. All three young ladies of the Ye Family are on the list. Miss Ye possesses both talent and beauty – ordinary circumstances cannot conceal your radiance. If you don’t wish to marry into the imperial family, I advise you to make plans early.”
After listening to Xie Bohuai finish speaking in one breath, Ye Wanning finally remembered the imperial consort selection.
In her previous life, she was already married to Zhou Yu, so the consort selection had nothing to do with her. Her two younger sisters participated—the third sister was too timid. Though she had lovely features, she would tear up at the slightest sternness from the matrons and was eliminated in the initial screening.
The second sister made it all the way to the final palace selection. Consort Cheng prayed to the gods and Buddhas every day at home, hoping her daughter would marry into the imperial family. But Consort Cheng failed to see clearly: given the Ye Family’s status, whether it was the Crown Prince’s grandson or any other imperial grandson, her second daughter could never become the principal wife. Fortunately, the second sister herself had no desire to climb the social ladder by marrying into royalty. She deliberately darkened her complexion slightly and successfully failed the selection.
Ye Wanning didn’t know the details of her sisters’ participation in the consort selection, but the outcomes were good—exactly what her sisters wanted.
But she had forgotten that currently, she was unmarried and also on the candidate list.
Wait, why was Xie Bohuai telling her this?
When she went to look for him again, Xie Bohuai had already left.
Only a stunned Yunzhi remained. “Miss, you… you’re also going to participate in the consort selection?”
“Let’s go home first.” Taking the packaged food, Ye Wanning hurried home.
She gathered everyone in her grandmother’s courtyard, dismissing all the maids and servants, before revealing the news about the consort selection.
Old Madam Ye frowned deeply upon hearing this. Gazing at her three beautiful granddaughters, she didn’t know what to think.
If a granddaughter could catch the imperial family’s eye, it might help the Ye Family prosper again. But what use was being a secondary consort to an ordinary imperial grandson?
As for the Crown Prince’s grandson—who could guarantee winning his favor?
As the eldest sister-in-law, Lin Shi wanted to hear the younger sisters’ thoughts first.
Ye Wanhua was the first to shake her head. “Eldest sister-in-law knows I’m timid and lack talent. I’m not suited to marry into the imperial family.”
But Ye Wanyu’s focus strayed elsewhere. “Eldest sister, when did you and Commander Xie become so close? He actually told you about this matter?”
The consort selection hadn’t been officially announced yet, and many people were still unaware. Xie Bohuai served closely by the Emperor’s side, yet he was willing to take the risk to inform Ye Wanning.
Ye Wanning was momentarily stumped by the question but quickly recovered. “I just happened to run into him. Recently he’s been getting along well with Second Brother, so he probably told us as a favor to Second Brother, to let our family prepare in advance. I don’t want to enter the palace. What about you, Wanyu?”
Having lived twice, she saw more clearly than anyone.
All those lofty titles and imperial honors—they were all empty illusions.
Living happily and freely was what truly mattered.
Before Ye Wanyu could answer, Consort Cheng smiled and cut in, “Second Young Lady has both talent and beauty. I’ve been worrying about her marriage prospects—this is such a good opportunity, of course we should try.” If her daughter married into the imperial family, her own status in the household would rise, and her son might have better prospects in the future.
Before the consort selection had even begun, Consort Cheng was already building castles in the air, until Ye Wanyu delivered a crushing blow: “I’m not entering the palace either. I’d rather marry someone of equal status as the principal wife than be someone’s secondary consort. Is living under the principal wife’s thumb ever easy?”
When the former mistress was alive, she had been good-tempered, and concubines didn’t need to pay daily respects or serve her constantly. But as a concubine, besides serving the husband, one still had to carefully curry favor with the principal wife. Ye Wanyu had witnessed Consort Cheng’s life all along—she had no desire to become a concubine herself.
Unexpectedly, these words struck Consort Cheng’s sore spot. Tears instantly fell. “Is Second Young Lady looking down on me now?”
“I… I didn’t mean that.” Ye Wanyu pressed her lips together, unsure how to comfort her.
Ye Wanning guided Consort Cheng to sit down. “Second Sister doesn’t mean it that way, please don’t overthink it. Our family background isn’t high-ranking. Even if one marries into the imperial family and receives the husband’s favor, how could we possibly handle the intricacies of the royal court? Competing for favor, bearing children, comparing family backgrounds… When a group of women all backed by their maternal families gather together, how could life ever be peaceful?”
Consort Cheng still wanted her daughter to marry into a prominent family. “But being noticed by the Crown Prince’s heir would lead to an unlimited future.”
“Can you guarantee it’s the Crown Prince’s heir who would take notice?” Ye Wanning countered.
Consort Cheng fell silent, but after returning, she went to Ye Wanyu’s room. The mother and daughter ended up arguing and parted on bad terms.
When Ye Wanning heard about it, she sighed helplessly. With no parents in the household, their grandmother frail and ill, and marriages unsettled from Second Brother down, it was no wonder Consort Cheng was tempted.
However, the matter of the imperial consort selection truly gave her a headache.
Xie Bohuai had advised making plans early, but how could she hastily arrange a marriage for herself within a day or two?