The fact that her younger sister had already entered the palace as an Imperial Consort was a valid enough reason for her not to follow suit, but the Emperor refused to accept it. He raised his hand and wiped the tears from her face with his thumb, his touch unexpectedly tender.
“There was something wrong with the wine that night.”
Yu Yihe, who had remained still while he wiped her tears, turned her head in a daze. A moment later, she lowered her eyelashes and gave a bitter smile.
“She wanted you to enter the palace; you should have sensed it.”
Wei Jingheng pierced through the shallow sisterly affection between the two. He didn’t expect this move to cause mist to rise in the woman’s eyes once more. He thought she was going to cry out her grievances or try to cover up the discord between sisters—prestigious families were always reluctant to let scandals of sibling rivalry spread.
However, she merely held back her tears and complained with a hint of aggrieved resentment, “And yet you still blamed me for being in a hurry to marry out, even though you knew everything.”
He clearly knew she wasn’t favored by the Yu family, and he knew she had been unknowingly set up to entice him. Thus, he should have realized that this marriage meeting was also an arrangement by the Yu family.
Understanding the meaning behind her words, Wei Jingheng’s heart skipped a beat. No one had ever spoken to him like this before. Others were always exceedingly respectful; no one had ever dared to complain to his face so directly.
This strange sensation felt somewhat wondrous to him. Whether it was a second or two later, the Emperor actually did the unthinkable and admitted his mistake.
“It is my fault.”
He took her hand and shook it slightly.
Yu Yihe did not reject his touch, but this small gesture startled her nonetheless, giving rise to a sense of helplessness or perhaps something else.
She was very familiar with this gesture. Every time Ningning acted spoiled and begged her for something, Ningning would pull her hand and do exactly this. But who was the person before her? He was a grown man, the Son of Heaven—he was anything but a child.
Reading the surprise in her misty eyes, Wei Jingheng assumed she was startled by his apology and by him taking her hand. He curled his lips slightly, and the heavy pressure radiating from him dissipated with his smile, leaving him looking more peaceful than ever.
“Are you still unwilling now?”
Not counting their previous ambiguous encounters, this was the second time he had asked her outright. Wei Jingheng felt that this time, surely, nothing would go wrong. Yet, under his smiling gaze, she still slowly shook her head.
The curve of Wei Jingheng’s lips flattened. He felt a surge of anger, but seeing the crimson at the corners of her eyes, the flames of his rage were extinguished as if doused with water.
He released her hand, thought for a moment, and couldn’t help but ask, “Why?”
“If it is still because of her, that will not convince me.”
Seeing Yu Yihe remain silent, Wei Jingheng thought of Yang Qing, whom she had just met, and a sudden wave of discomfort washed over his heart. “Or is it that you have truly taken a fancy to Yang Qing?”
Hearing this, Yu Yihe immediately denied it. “I have not.”
It was only a fifteen-minute meeting; how could one speak of taking a fancy to someone or not? Perhaps Yang Qing was decent in general, but upon closer inspection, he might not be as he appeared on the surface.
After speaking, she lowered her eyes and fell silent again.
This silent, wordless state made the Emperor feel a flicker of irritation. He wanted to leave, yet he couldn’t help but glance back at her. There was a faint look of disappointment in his eyes. After a moment, the Emperor let out a deep sigh and finally turned around.
No matter how patient a person was, being rejected repeatedly like this would lead to impatience and a sense of losing face—let alone the Son of Heaven, who possessed everything.
Wei Jingheng did not intend to scold or punish her. He was not such a narrow-minded man, nor did he need to care whether a single woman rejected him. He would always have other women. He simply found the situation somewhat absurd.
But the moment he turned, she grabbed him. Her plump hand was soft and radiated a gentle warmth.
The Emperor did not look back, nor did he take another step. He stood still, seemingly giving her a chance.
Yu Yihe’s voice trembled slightly, yet it was firm. “Emperor, I hope you do not overthink it. It is… it is… for some reasons of my own.”
She spoke for a long while without revealing the true reason, and he no longer had the patience to investigate exactly what it was.
Despite that thought, the Emperor’s body still turned back. This voice and action ultimately softened his heart.
Human nature was like this; one would not easily give up on something they had invested effort into.
Wei Jingheng looked at the submissive woman before him. He didn’t ask her for the reason again, only gazed at her and said seriously, “Before you leave Qiqing Garden, you may come to find me at any time.”
This was his promise to her. As long as she thought it through, she could change her mind whenever she wished.
With that, he didn’t wait for her answer, turning and departing without further hesitation.
At some point, the rain outside had stopped. After the Emperor’s figure disappeared behind the rockery, Yu Yihe clutched her chest and slowly sat back down on the stone bench, letting out a long sigh of relief.
In truth, she didn’t know how to achieve her goal. She had been submissive for over twenty years and was not one to fathom the hearts of others. Even if she had conceived the idea of plotting for her own future, she wouldn’t become an expert strategist in just a few days.
No one had taught her; she was merely feeling the stones to cross the river based on things she had seen and heard in the past.
Only by thwarting one’s desires can one truly stir their heart.
Yu Yihe knew well that in this world, things easily obtained would not be cherished or cared for. Only through waves and ripples could a heart be made to surge. That which remains out of reach is always what lingers most in the mind.
She intended to prolong the process of the Emperor obtaining her, but the degree to which she should do so was something she had to gauge for herself. She wasn’t entirely sure of the balance.
Fortunately, it had worked for now. She had secured a retreat.
After running these thoughts through her mind, a moment later, this woman over twenty-five years old finally let out a faint, slightly cunning, yet light and relieved smile.
She had finally resisted the Yu family. She had finally taken a crucial step.
When the Emperor stepped out of Qiangwei Shan, Yang Qing had already left early under the persuasion of the Grand Steward. Seeing only his Neishi outside, a flash of mockery crossed Wei Jingheng’s eyes. He turned his head and ordered, “Send her back later.”
The “her” went without saying. Thus, one young Neishi remained behind while the other three followed the Emperor.
Qingshuang had been waiting impatiently for a long time. Regardless of the Neishi standing nearby, she rushed into the rockery, charging into the pavilion. Only after seeing that Yu Yihe was unharmed did she let out a heavy breath.
“Miss, you and the Emperor…”
Qingshuang wanted to ask but bit her tongue just in time. Sensing her anxiety, Yu Yihe shook her head gently to indicate she was fine. Before her plan was fully successful, she did not want to tell Qingshuang yet.
This maid, who had grown up with Yu Yihe, blinked and sensibly refrained from asking further. She simply squatted on the ground, taking out a handkerchief to wipe the dirt from Yu Yihe’s hem, but Yu Yihe stopped her.
Then, under Qingshuang’s puzzled gaze, Yu Yihe walked to the stone path outside the pavilion, feigned a trip, and fell to the ground, thoroughly dirtying her skirt.
Qingshuang scrambled over to help her lady up, while simultaneously understanding her intention.
“Just say I fell. It will make things easier to explain when we get back.”
The young Neishi outside did not make things difficult for Yu Yihe. He specifically chose a secluded path to escort the mistress and maid to the vicinity of the Yu family’s small courtyard. He stopped there without revealing himself, watched the two enter the courtyard, and then hurried back to report his mission without lingering for a second.
At the same time, the Emperor’s group was still on the way back to Rende Hall. Rende Hall was in the center of Qiqing Garden, naturally further from Qiangwei Shan than the Yu family’s residence on the outskirts.
Wei Jingheng walked with a powerful stride, ignoring the Grand Steward’s occasional sighs behind him. As soon as he returned to Rende Hall, he began reviewing memorials, his aura so cold that Li Fuhai didn’t dare make a sound.
Li Fuhai could only worry for the Emperor in his heart. What happened with those two? After several attempts, nothing has come of it. Even I’m getting anxious.
Upon her return, Yu Yihe was naturally questioned by Madam Yu. However, she hadn’t expected her mother’s first words to be about how the meeting went; the traces of the fall she had specifically staged as an excuse were completely ignored.
She followed suit and didn’t mention it, instead sticking to her prepared excuse. She lowered her eyes submissively and said, “That Yang Daren seems like a good man, but I heard that his household still has a younger sister of his late wife… I would ask Mother to look into it for me again.”
In the capital, it was not uncommon for men of prestigious families to marry their late wife’s sister after her passing. Her suspicion was reasonable.
Yu Yihe was, after all, her biological daughter and had always been well-behaved and never defiant. Since she had rarely asked for anything, Madam Yu would not refuse her.
Moreover, although this new Hanlin’s family background was currently a bit low, it might not remain so in the future. Helping her second daughter establish a firm footing would be beneficial to the Yu family and to her son, Cang’er, later on.
Madam Yu’s gaze became a bit more affectionate as she took Yu Yihe’s hand and patted it. “Mother will naturally help you. I won’t let you be bullied.”
Yu Yihe curled her lips into a smile and said, “Thank you, Mother.” However, she slowly withdrew her hand from Madam Yu’s grasp.
Right at that moment, a young girl’s tender voice rang out from behind her. “Mom~”
She turned to see the little girl peeking halfway through the doorway. Her heart suddenly throbbed with emotion, then settled into a steady rhythm as she answered.
“I’m here!”
Her mother’s words might not be true, but her own words certainly were.
This was the reason for Yu Yihe’s push and pull; the more that man wanted her, the more likely her daughter would be able to accompany her into the palace.
She would raise her daughter with her own hands, giving her everything she could possibly give. She would never allow her daughter to suffer the same grievances she had.