novelraw Chapter 743 - 732: Stand-In Younger Sister
Chapter 743 - 732: Stand-In Younger Sister
Ye Qiu sighed, "I don’t know what will become of her in the end, whether she’ll be kept in the harem or granted to a Vassal King? Neither path is favorable."
"Why bother so much about her? As long as she doesn’t act recklessly and implicate the family, let her handle it however she wants? Wasn’t this her own choice originally? And she even fancifully thought of bearing a Prince and listening to politics behind a curtain? Where did she find the courage?" Wang Yanran scoffed relentlessly.
"But after all, she is my twin sister! And I haven’t even explained to her that our parents have always favored her over the years, I’ve just occupied a reputed position; I didn’t want her to be so disgruntled."
"Does she even deserve to be disgruntled?" Wang Yanran sneered, "Doesn’t she know her own situation in the mansion compared to yours? Even I, an outsider, can see – everything you sisters wear or use is catered to her liking. If uncle and aunt truly favored you, it wouldn’t be like this. What is she jealous about? After so many years, didn’t she feel it herself?"
Ye Qiu sighed deeply, "Maybe she misunderstood. With my frail body, I shouldn’t have lived this long in this world. If I weren’t here, she would be the only Eldest Lady of the Ye Family, and our parents would surely love her wholeheartedly."
"Why should you feel guilty? Is she the only one with a sister in this world? Should all families have only one child? What a joke!" Wang Yanran grew increasingly irritated, even the fish on the hook got scared away.
"Forget it, let’s not talk about this. Cousin has been in Jiangnan for a few months now, did uncle and aunt say when they will let him come back for the exam?"
"Dad said that the situation in the capital is unstable right now, it’s better to let him stay in Jiangnan, establishing a strong foundation, taking the exam in two years’ time is not too late."
"Uncle and aunt consider that, but if I had known earlier that my sister was going to enter the palace, cousin wouldn’t need to go so far, not even making it back for your wedding," Ye Qiu regretted.
"It’s nothing serious. Originally, we didn’t know Ye Xia was going to enter the palace to seek a career. Besides, what if my brother didn’t leave, and Ye Xia set her sights on him? Should he marry her? Although she’s also my cousin, I totally don’t want her as my sister-in-law. I’ve never seen someone so power-hungry. Since my brother could not marry her, even the Old Lady who usually dotes on her stopped visiting her, totally ungrateful."
The more she spoke, the more agitated Wang Yanran became, her criticisms of Ye Xia lasted an entire afternoon while Ye Qiu waited for a certain Prince Li who was hiding in the reeds behind them all afternoon.
After a long time, after Ye Qiu and others left, this Prince Li came out with a dark expression: "Go check who they are? And also check if this Ye Xia they mentioned is really the selected Concubine, whether them being here today was a coincidence or something else? Investigate it thoroughly for me."
"As you command, my Lord!"
On the way back to the mansion, Ye Qiu internally apologized to Wang Yanran, feeling guilty for exploiting her genuinely caring cousin. In the limited time to come, she would do her best to protect her.
"My Lord, everything has been investigated clear." At night, a man in black entered the study of Prince Li Mansion.
"Speak." Prince Duan Huaijin continued looking at other pieces of intelligence while speaking.
"Today at Wangyue Lake, the two women were Wang Yanran, newly married daughter-in-law of the Minister of Revenue and legitimate daughter to the Vice Minister of Ministry of Revenue, and the other is Ye Qiu, the second legitimate daughter of the Imperial Merchant Ye Family, reportedly frail since childhood. The two are cousins. The Imperial Merchant Ye Family indeed has an elder sister in the palace, a recently selected Concubine. According to our investigation, their trip there today was spontaneous, likely no secretive motives."
"Hmm, I know now. You may leave!" Since the investigation clarified connections that bore him no consequence, Duan Huaijin lost interest immediately.
However, he didn’t foresee that in less than ten days, he would be connected again with Ye Xia, whom he just had investigated. The Holy Emperor had decreed a marriage, and the future Princess Consort he was to welcome was Ye Xia, the legitimate eldest daughter of the Imperial Merchant Ye Family.
"Heh, he isn’t even trying to keep up appearances anymore? Assigning an Imperial Merchant’s daughter to this Prince? Whom is he trying to humiliate?" Duan Huaijin’s eyes glinted fiercely.
"My Lord, should we handle the future Princess Consort like the previous ones..." The subordinate made a throat-slitting gesture.
"No, not in the Northwest. This time, do not act rashly. Since he has granted me such a Princess Consort, it all the more signifies his disdain towards me. Why not use this Princess Consort to bluff him first? Go and investigate whether all my other brothers have also been granted marriages? And whether the ladies granted to them have higher status than the one destined to be my Princess Consort?"
"Your subordinate will go at once."
Later, the subordinate’s report indeed confirmed Prince Li’s suspicions. His three other brothers all had Princess Consorts, thus concubines and lesser concubines were granted to them as well, even including the older sons of Prince Zhao and Prince Liang.
"My lord, your guess was correct, all the other princes granted had the Holy Emperor’s spies among them, only the Lady Ye given to you is not."
"Did she do something foolish in the palace?"
"Your Highness is wise. According to what your subordinate has found, the future Princess Consort attempted to seduce Your Majesty but failed."
"This is a deliberate insult to me! Forget it, what I want is exactly his disdain and neglect, which conveniently facilitates my actions."
"But how is the Ye Family’s daughter worthy?" This subordinate was unwilling to accept.
"She is just a puppet, once I hold great power, it won’t be too late to dispose of her."
"Yes, your subordinate was overthinking it."
Ha! A woman who unsuccessfully seduced her own cousin and then sought advancement in the palace, this Princess Consort is indeed ambitious!
Duan Huaijin sneered, thinking if Ye Xia could stay compliant for the next few years, he wouldn’t mind giving her a few good years. If she couldn’t stay compliant, then she couldn’t blame him for taking actions earlier.
Suddenly, the Ye Family received the imperial decree for marriage. Both Ye Borong and Ye Wangshi were stunned, and along with it, the to-be-married Ye Xia was sent back as well.
Ye Xia’s face didn’t look good, and as soon as the person announcing the decree left, she immediately burst into tears in Ye Wangshi’s arms.
"What’s wrong? What exactly is this? Why was there a sudden decree of marriage?" Ye Wangshi helplessly embraced her daughter.
"You two go back to your own courtyards first." Ye Borong said to Ye Qiu and Ye Zhixing.
Ye Qiu lowered her eyes and retreated, it seemed that it would not be long before Ye Xia convinces her dear parents to let her take part in the marriage swap.
"Why was it suddenly decreed to Prince Li? Xiaxia, don’t cry!" Ye Wangshi comforted her by asking.
"It’s not only me, many other Concubines were also granted marriages, His Majesty didn’t keep any of them for himself," Ye Xia sobbed, "Mother, what should I do? Once I’m married to Prince Li, I have to go to the Northwest, I don’t want to go to that harsh and cold place, and Prince Li is also known to outlive his wives, I might die there."
"Oh dear, what sin have we created! If only I had never been tempted to let you enter the palace to be chosen, going to the Northwest means possibly never seeing you again in this life!" As she spoke, Ye Wangshi’s eyes also filled with tears, clearly in a state of urgency.