“After I enter the palace, I will conceive a child in a legitimate manner.”
“By then, this child will naturally be legitimate. Who could doubt his origins and bloodline?”
“I enter the palace to bear a child for revenge.”
Zhou Mingyi never concealed her motives.
“But my child is innocent.”
“I cannot let my child bear any stain on his origins.”
Even though Emperor Qianwu struggled to have heirs and was nearly obsessed with the matter of offspring.
Even if she were pregnant outside the palace, he would not suspect her.
Moreover, the man who could stand out among dozens of princes and reign for decades was naturally deep-minded and no pushover. He would certainly uncover the truth.
But gossip is fearsome.
She could endure grievances, but her elder brother and her child could not.
The System fell silent.
After a while, it spoke again: “Cen Shaoyuan tried to climb over the wall.”
“But he was knocked down by that man’s Imperial Shadow Guard.”
Zhou Mingyi’s expression remained unchanged.
She merely nodded faintly.
Based on her understanding of Cen Shaoyuan, that young man was impulsive and unruly, never giving up until he achieved his goal.
In her previous life, with his youthful sincerity, she could clearly feel the intense passion in his gaze when he looked at her.
That fervent youthful emotion was enough to melt everything.
Thus, it was unexpected to her that he would agree to the Cen family’s proposal to send her into the Eastern Palace.
Yet precisely because of this, it was unforgivable.
…
“Second Young Master, how did you fall again? Are there thorns on the Zhou family’s wall?”
Qingshu felt both distressed and helpless.
At the same time, he found it somewhat amusing.
But he dared not laugh.
If the Second Young Master noticed, he would surely break his legs.
Cen Shaoyuan’s handsome face was filled with ferocity, but he didn’t bother explaining to his own page.
“I refuse to believe it! A mere broken wall, and I can’t climb over it!”
He absolutely would not tell his page that the Zhou family seemed to have some expert guarding it. Every time he was about to successfully climb the wall, he would be kicked down by that person.
Only, that person’s movements were too fast, so fast that he could hardly see their face or figure.
This filled Cen Shaoyuan with deep frustration.
“You, go find a ladder for me.”
Qingshu was stunned.
Cen Shaoyuan immediately roared: “Hurry up!”
Qingshu scrambled away, “Yes!”
Not long after, Qingshu brought a ladder over. Cen Shaoyuan, his mind now solely focused on climbing into the courtyard, momentarily forgot about the stunning beauty inside.
Just as he was about to reach the top, the ladder collapsed without warning.
Naturally, Cen Shaoyuan fell from the ladder.
Another “thud” echoed.
Inside Zhou Mingyi’s room.
The System: “Aren’t you going out to look?”
Zhou Mingyi: “Should I go out?”
The System fell silent.
It had to admit that Zhou Mingyi was definitely a qualified bound partner.
Because her heart was hard enough.
All of Ming Yi’s softness had been exhausted in her previous life.
In this life, only her elder brother and the child who would come from her womb in the future deserved her tenderness.
Her eyes were filled with coldness.
“Once he falls and hurts enough, he’ll naturally leave.”
…
In the end, Cen Shaoyuan was carried back to the Cen residence by people summoned by Qingshu.
Madam Jin and Zhao Xiuyun had already left long ago.
When Madam Cen still couldn’t get Cen Shaoyuan to return, the mother and daughter’s patience ran out.
Zhao Xiuyun had a gentle temperament, and with the childhood affection between them, coupled with Cen Shaoyuan’s handsome appearance, she had unconsciously begun to defend her cousin.
“Perhaps he truly meant it, just like when we were children, wanting me to see the bird’s nest in the tree…”
Madam Jin mercilessly shattered the young girl’s fantasy.
“That still doesn’t excuse him leaving a young lady like you alone up in a tree.”
“Besides, do you really think your aunt wants to betroth you to your cousin because she genuinely likes you?”
Zhao Xiuyun widened her eyes, her face filled with confusion.
Madam Jin sighed.
Only children see the world through the lens of love, while adults weigh the pros and cons.
Her husband currently served as the Chief Supervising Secretary of the Six Offices.
A seventh-rank official, the same level as a county magistrate.
Though his rank was low, his authority was immense. He was responsible for overseeing the affairs of the Six Ministries, with the power to reject imperial edicts and impeach officials.
A classic case of “low rank, high authority.”
One more promotion, and he might be appointed as an Assistant Surveillance Commissioner, a fourth-rank official position.
Truly—a future full of promise.
Although her brother-in-law was currently just a minor official in the Household Administration of the Heir Apparent, as a member of the “pure faction,” he could enter the Hanlin Academy in the future, and even the Grand Secretariat, with an equally bright future ahead.
At first, Madam Jin didn’t understand these matters.
She simply thought her sister-in-law doted on her daughter and that raising a daughter ultimately meant marrying her off.
Wouldn’t it be better to marry her to her own nephew rather than to a stranger?
Moreover, her brother-in-law held a higher official position than her husband.
Thus, in her words, she often flattered her sister-in-law.
But after her husband explained the intricacies to her, she realized that the marriage her sister-in-law was so keen on pushing was not something they were reaching for beyond their station.
Marriage was about uniting two families, with the shared goal of climbing higher.
If not for her husband’s promising future, would her sister-in-law, with her picky nature, ever consider the daughter of a mere seventh-rank civil official?
Even if that official was her own younger brother.
Once she understood this, Madam Jin felt more assured.
“Parents who love their children must plan for their long-term future.”
“Although marrying your cousin would benefit both your father and your uncle’s careers, your mother always believes that your lifelong happiness is of utmost importance.”
“How can I, as your mother, feel at ease marrying you off to that scoundrel when he shows you such little care and respect?”
“Don’t make excuses for that scoundrel, and before things are completely settled, don’t keep thinking about him.”
Zhao Xiuyun fell silent for a moment before obediently nodding.
A girl in her early teens, just beginning to understand love, with the fond memories of childhood play—yet she was far from being deeply in love.
Zhao Xiuyun had been truly frightened that day.
That night, she returned home and developed a high fever.
In her heart, Madam Jin blamed her sister-in-law, Madam Cen, once again.
…
Meanwhile, Madam Cen searched everywhere for her wayward son but couldn’t find him.
When she finally managed to retrieve the scoundrel, she found him bruised and battered, carried back by the servants.
She was immediately horrified.
“What happened?”
“My son! Who beat you like this?”
Cen Shaoyuan lay on the bed, howling in pain.
The household physician busied himself applying medicine to his wounds.
Madam Cen, too preoccupied with other matters, turned to Qingshu for answers when her son refused to speak. She subjected him to harsh interrogation. Having grown up following Cen Shaoyuan, Qingshu was no stranger to such situations.
He revealed some truths mixed with half-truths.
Madam Cen was furious.
“How dare you! How dare you slander the young master!”
Qingshu cried out, “Madam! I am wronged!”
“The second young master’s injuries truly were not inflicted by others; he fell from the wall and hurt himself!”
Madam Cen laughed in extreme anger, “Are you saying my son is a fool who can’t even climb a city wall?”
She knew her youngest son best. The boy had been restless since childhood, chasing chickens and dogs, and had long honed his martial skills. There was nothing he wouldn’t dare or couldn’t do when it came to climbing walls or trees.
How could he possibly fall from a city wall?
“Madam, it’s true! Every word I speak is the truth! Please see the truth, Madam!”
Madam Cen couldn’t bear to strike her son, but she had no such reservations when dealing with servants.
“You haven’t spoken a single truthful word! Beat him! Beat him until he tells the truth!”