“Suffering?”
Ruan Mianmian flinched, raising her eyes timidly. “I… I don’t know, what kind of suffering do you mean?”
Damn it! There’s no way this era still practices foot-binding, right? If that’s what they’re planning, I swear I’ll risk my life and drag them all down with me!
“Of course, I mean the kind of hardship required to refine your posture and bearing,” Wan Gugu replied calmly. “The young lady’s foundation is lacking, so she’ll need to work harder than most. These things take delicate, time-consuming effort—I only fear you might grow impatient with the process.”
Ruan Mianmian let out a silent breath of relief. On the other side, Madam Chang laughed and said, “Only through hardship can one rise above others. Don’t worry, Gugu. This child may be beautiful, but she isn’t spoiled. You can train her as you see fit.”
Train your ass—easy for you to say, she’s not your daughter!And the emperor—how old is that man anyway? If he’s seventy or eighty, that might be tolerable. He wouldn’t live long, and I could spend my days in quiet widowhood. But if he’s some fifty-year-old lecher who needs medicine to keep up… no way. I’d better start planning my escape route as soon as possible.
While the others chatted idly, Ruan Mianmian sat quietly, lost in her own thoughts. She barely paid attention to Madam Chang and the old matriarch’s polite conversation.
After what felt like ages, Wan Gugu and Fang Gugu finally took their leave, and only a few people remained in the room.
Suddenly, Yun Niang fell to her knees before the old matriarch, weeping bitterly.“Old Madam, thirteen years ago when we were sent away, I accepted it as my fate. I never once spoke ill of the family. But Mianmian has a wild temper—if she enters the palace, she’ll get herself killed within three days, and when that happens, she’ll drag the whole house down with her!”
“What nonsense are you talking about? Who said Mianmian is entering the palace?”
Everyone was stunned by Yun Niang’s sudden outburst. A moment later, Madam Chang recovered her composure and scolded her unhappily.
Ruan Mianmian and Ruan Jian quickly helped Yun Niang up. Hearing those words, Ruan Mianmian looked up anxiously and said, “Madam, my mother has been uneasy ever since we returned. We don’t understand why the family suddenly brought us back. If it isn’t for me to enter the palace, could you at least tell us the truth? It’s better than letting our imaginations run wild.”
“You silly child.”
Madam Chang softened her expression, her tone turning gentle. “Your mother worries too much. But fine, since you asked, I’ll tell you the reason.”
As she spoke, several of the other women rose to excuse themselves. Soon only the old matriarch, Madam Chang, Yun Niang’s family, and two trusted maids remained in the room.
“It’s not about you entering the palace,” Madam Chang said with a smile. “Her Majesty the Empress wishes to arrange a marriage between one of our family’s girls and Prince Xiang. Your two elder sisters aren’t suitable, so your father thought of you.”
Ruan Mianmian’s eyes nearly popped out of her head. “Marry Prince Xiang? You mean… as his concubine—or, no, his secondary consort?”
Madam Chang’s smile widened proudly. “Silly child. How could a daughter of our family be anyone’s concubine? Of course, you’d be his primary consort.”
Ruan Mianmian almost coughed up blood. Her grades in history might’ve been average, but she’d read plenty of transmigration novels. Letting a concubine’s daughter marry a prince as his main wife? That wasn’t a marriage alliance—that was a death sentence! Whose idiotic idea was this?
“I… I’m not worthy of Prince Xiang,” she stammered. “Madam, this must not be done. If His Highness takes offense, it could bring disaster upon the entire family.” She had to make it sound serious enough that even the Duke’s mansion would share the fallout.
“Silly girl, there’s no need to be afraid,” Madam Chang said smoothly. “Alone, of course, you wouldn’t be a match for him. But behind you stand the Duke’s mansion and Her Majesty the Empress. With such powerful backing, there’s no one you can’t marry.”
“But Madam, I’m just a countryside girl…”
Ruan Mianmian’s heart sank. Before she could finish, Madam Chang’s expression hardened. “What countryside girl? You’ve always been the Duke’s fourth daughter. You were only sent to the estate because your brother’s health was poor, so the three of you were sent to recuperate. Now that he’s well, it’s only right to bring you back.”
Ruan Mianmian glanced at the old matriarch, who was smiling kindly at her. “No matter,” the old lady said softly. “Our Mianmian is a good child. A few days of training with the tutors, and she’ll be as poised and elegant as any lady.”
The final word had been spoken.
For a transmigrated woman without any “golden finger” cheat, running away from the Duke’s mansion was basically suicide. So Ruan Mianmian decided to wait and see what kind of man this Prince Xiang was. If there was even the slightest chance to avoid doom, she wouldn’t take the road of certain death.
That night, after returning to her room, Ruan Mianmian waited until Fangcao had finished tidying up. She removed her jewelry and hairpins, then beckoned the maid closer.
“Did you need something, Miss?” Fangcao asked. Seeing Ruan Mianmian pat the edge of the bed, she hesitated before perching lightly on the side.
“Fangcao,” Ruan Mianmian said quietly, “I don’t understand. Prince Xiang is a royal. Our family already has two unmarried legitimate daughters. Wouldn’t it make more sense to arrange the marriage with one of them? Why go through all the trouble of bringing us back?”
Fangcao’s face showed a trace of discomfort—proof that she knew the truth.
“So you do know,” Ruan Mianmian said, smiling faintly. “And if even you know, then most of the household probably does too. I’ll find out eventually, so why not tell me now? After all, when I marry into the Prince’s mansion, you’ll be coming with me as my maid, won’t you?”
“Yes.” Fangcao smiled again. “There’s nothing much to hide, really. I shouldn’t have let you worry.”
Leaning in close, she whispered, “They say Her Majesty the Empress had a dream. In the dream, she saw that one of the girls from our family had an auspicious birth hour—one that perfectly matched Prince Xiang’s destiny. So she commanded the Duke’s household to find that girl. But neither of the other young ladies’ birth charts matched. Then the Old Madam remembered—over ten years ago, your birthday and hour happened to be exactly the same as what the Empress described. That’s why they rushed to bring you back.”
“What?”
Ruan Mianmian’s eyes widened so much they nearly popped out of her head. Could it be the transmigration god gave the Empress a dream? So I don’t have a cheat system, but I’ve got divine backdoor assistance instead?
“Yes,” Fangcao nodded. “It sounds strange, I know. But think about it—why else would they hurry so much? In half a month, it’ll be the Empress’s birthday. Madam will take you to the palace to offer congratulations, and Prince Xiang will be there too. That’s probably when the Empress will bring up the proposal.”
“Good girl,” Ruan Mianmian said with a smile. “Keep talking. I don’t have much money now, but if what you say turns out true, you’ll have nothing to worry about in the future.”
Though it was an empty promise, Fangcao could see her mistress had the potential to make it real. And if she could become the personal maid of the future princess consort, that would be a great advantage. Besides, this story wasn’t exactly a secret in the capital.
So Fangcao went on, smiling, “There isn’t much more to say. I only know that Prince Xiang is the son of Concubine Li. She used to be a palace maid and has no family background. She’s grown older now and fallen out of favor, though the Empress has always taken care of her. But Prince Xiang himself—people say he’s both scholarly and skilled in martial arts, handsome and elegant, a truly exceptional man. So, Miss, you needn’t worry. Becoming his princess will not be a hardship at all.”
(End of Chapter)