Unlike the resplendent Xianfu Palace, which was like the sun at high noon, the desolate Fengshai Palace was more like a giant beast in its twilight. The fallen leaves and parasol trees in the courtyard that covered the sun could vaguely make one imagine its glory in its early years. Unfortunately, the glory was gone, and only the parasol leaves fell to the ground.
Creak—
The door of the hall that had been in disrepair for many years was pushed open by the eunuch. The ear-piercing friction shocked Li’er, who was behind Yu Wan, who could not help but cover her ears.
Yu Wan glanced at her indifferently. Li’er knew her mistake and quickly put down her hand. She lowered her head and walked.
Yu Wan had never been to the Cold Palace, but compared to the Xianfu Palace, the Fengshai Palace was not much different from the Cold Palace.
An old eunuch with white hair walked forward and bowed to Yu Wan. “Greetings, Mrs. Yan.”
“Eunuch, there’s no need for formalities.” Yu Wan raised her hand and gave Li’er a look. Li’er took out a purse from her wide sleeve and stuffed it into the old eunuch’s hand.
“Thank you for bringing me to see the Empress,” Yu Wan said.
The old eunuch accepted the silver and led Yu Wan to the main hall of the Fengshai Palace.
In the empty main hall, Yu Wan saw the Empress sitting on a phoenix chair.
The Empress was wearing a wide yellow court dress and had a thick and grand bun. She had a phoenix crown on her head and a nine-tailed phoenix hairpin. She had exquisite makeup on. She was only a few years older than Worthy Consort Xu, but she looked like Worthy Consort Xu’s elder. On the one hand, she retained the aura of the Empress of the Central Palace. On the other hand, she was really old. No matter how thick the rouge and makeup was, they could not hide the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes.
However, she still tried her best to straighten her back, as if she was maintaining the last dignity of the Empress.
Of course, Yu Wan did not dare to keep staring at the Empress. Before entering the palace, Uncle Wan had taught her to bow. She walked to the bottom of the steps and bowed without looking sideways.
“Lift your head,” said the Empress.
Yu Wan looked up.
“Look at me,” the Empress said again.
Li’er, who was kneeling down with her, was already dumbfounded. She was calmer than Tao’er, but that was only relative. If she really met the Empress of a country, it was already considered strong in her heart that she did not collapse on the spot.
Yu Wan calmly met the Empress’s gaze.
The Empress’s eyes carried the inherent sharpness of a ruler. She smiled faintly. “What an exquisite little beauty. No wonder you could catch that child’s eye. I heard that you’re a country girl. Did your father snatch Marquis Yan’s military achievements?”
The Empress was the Empress. Even if she was not favored, she knew the news of the Capital.
Yu Wan said neither servile nor overbearing, “Your Majesty, I’m from Lotus Flower Village. My father is the centurion of the Northwest Army Camp, Yu Shaoqing.” She did not admit that he had snatched the military achievements, nor did she argue with the Empress.
The Empress smiled again. “I heard that Worthy Consort Xu once invited you to the palace and gave you a lesson?”
This was not news that could be “heard” casually. It seemed that this Empress had not resigned herself to her fate after so many years. She still had her methods.
Yu Wan avoided the main point and replied, “Worthy Consort wants to try my cooking.”
The Empress’s gaze landed on her face. After a while, she smiled gently. “Get up and talk. Give her a seat.”
Yu Wan bowed. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”
Li’er helped Yu Wan up and walked to a chair at the side. Yu Wan sat down and Li’er stood behind her obediently.
A palace maid served hot tea.
Yu Wan waited for the Empress to take a sip before picking up her teacup.
The Empress smiled and said, “The Fengshai Palace doesn’t have the new tea from the New Year. I’m sorry that you had to drink this, Mrs. Yan.”
Yu Wan said, “Your Majesty, you’re being too serious. I grew up in the countryside and the tea I drink is made from fishwort. There’s a fishy smell, so some people call it fishy grass. The tea leaves in Your Majesty’s palace are much better than fishy grass.”
Some of the palace servants burst into laughter. Did this young madam really not see the world? She actually used the wild grass from the countryside to compare with the tea leaves from the Fengshai Palace? No matter how inferior the tea leaves from the Fengshai Palace were to Xianfu Palace, they were definitely not something that commoners could afford.
However, the Empress did not say anything else after Yu Wan’s teasing.
The Empress waved her hand, indicating for the palace servants to leave. Li’er did not move.
Yu Wan said softly, “Wait for me outside.”
“Huh?” Li’er was stunned at first, then she saw all the palace servants looking at her as if she was a fool. She blushed and hurriedly left. When she left the hall, she even tripped on the threshold because she was too nervous. Fortunately, the Empress did not take issue with her, but her face turned pale from fright.
]The already cold hall became even quieter.
The Empress said, “There are no outsiders here, so I’ll speak frankly with Mrs. Yan. You’re here to take the golden seal. Logically speaking, I should give it to you without reservation, but unfortunately, I don’t want to do that.”
As expected of the Empress, she was so confident after losing favor.
“Has the Empress used the golden seal to threaten others in the past?” Yu Wan said quietly. The panic of being made difficult did not flash across her face.
The Empress saw her reaction and dusted her wide sleeves embroidered with a golden phoenix. “Of course not. You’re the first.”
Yu Wan thought for a while and understood. In the past, most of the noble ladies of the imperial family were arranged with the Emperor’s approval. If the Empress did not give the golden seal, it was equivalent to making things difficult for the Emperor. However, her marriage with Yan Jiuchao went against the Emperor’s wishes. Although Yan Jiuchao did not say it, she knew very well that no matter how much the Emperor doted on him, he would think that she was not worthy of him. Therefore, if the Empress refused to give her the golden seal, the Emperor would only be happy.
“Have you thought it through?” The Empress asked indifferently.
Yu Wan nodded. “I think I’ve thought it through. I wonder what the Empress wants to do. Are you going to suppress my golden seal to please His Majesty, or is there some condition for me to obtain the golden seal?”
The Empress smiled. “You’re very smart. No wonder you could defeat so many women and marry into the Young Master Manor.”
Yu Wan thought to herself, There aren’t many women, only Yan Ruyu.
The Empress looked at the gloomy hall and said, “I’ve been waiting in the Fengshai Palace for ten years for His Majesty to pardon me. Now, I won’t wait anymore.”
Before entering the palace, Uncle Wan had mentioned the Empress to her. The Empress was the Emperor’s wife. She was the main wife when the Emperor was the crown prince. After the Emperor inherited the throne, he naturally conferred her as the Empress. However, the good times did not last long.
First, there was Consort Li, and then there was Consort Xu. The Emperor never seemed to lack beauties by his side. In order to strengthen her favor, the Empress schemed to frame Worthy Consort Xu. However, by a freak combination of factors, she caused the pregnant Noble Lady Liu to suffer. Two lives were lost. The Emperor was furious and punished the Empress. However, in the end, he cared about the dignity of the Imperial Family and the relationship between husband and wife. The Emperor did not depose the Empress. He only let the Empress stay in the Fengshai Palace to recuperate in peace. In reality, he imprisoned her here.
No matter how they looked at it, this matter looked like Worthy Consort Xu was beating her at her own game, killing three birds with one stone. However, it was useless even if they suspected it. The Emperor trusted Worthy Consort Xu.
The Empress touched her stomach that had long become flabby. “That slut harmed my child! She still wants to use this damn place to trap me for the rest of my life. Dream on!”
Uncle Wan said that when the Empress was punished, she was pregnant with a child. It was a princess, but she had a miscarriage. Although Worthy Consort Xu was detestable, the Empress was not innocent in framing her. The winner was the king, and the loser was the bandit.
“Does Your Majesty want us to deal with Worthy Consort Xu?” Yu Wan asked.
The Empress sneered. “I know that you and Worthy Consort and her son are incompatible. However, this slut belongs to me. I will naturally deal with her. You just have to let me out of this Fengshai Palace.”
Easy to say.
The Empress smiled faintly. “I know that this is not an easy task, but think about it. If I give you the golden seal, I will offend His Majesty. It’s not easy for me either. Since it’s not easy, why don’t we make a fair deal?”
Yu Wan did not say anything.
The Empress looked at Yu Wan and said, “Alright, I’ll tell you something else about Yan Jiuchao.”
In the imperial study.
Yan Jiuchao sat in a wheelchair and saw the Emperor with an unhappy expression.
The Emperor and Eunuch Wang both thought that he was lying and did not think that he was really crippled. The Emperor could not be bothered to expose him and said bluntly, “You came at the right time. I happen to have something to say.”
“I also have something to say to His Majesty,” Yan Jiuchao said.
If there was anything, he would call him Uncle, otherwise, he would only call him His Majesty. After so many years, the Emperor was used to it.
The Emperor glared at him and said, “What do you have to say? You want to marry a civilian woman, and I turned a blind eye to it. What else are you dissatisfied with?”
“I’m extremely satisfied,” Yan Jiuchao said.
The Emperor was angry, but at least he remembered the serious matter. He suppressed his anger and said to him, “I’ve already chosen it for you. She’s the daughter of the Governor Manor. She has a beautiful appearance but an intelligent mind. She’s talented and beautiful. She’s compatible with you.”
Yan Jiuchao was not surprised. He only raised his eyebrows and said, “Isn’t it unfair to marry someone of such a high status to be a concubine?”
“Who asked her to be a concubine?” The Emperor said. “When you inherit the throne in the future, she will be Princess Consort Yan. As for the woman you marry, I will grant her the position of a secondary consort.” It was already a feat for her to become Prince Yan’s secondary consort.
Yan Jiuchao said, “That woman is the number one chef in the world bestowed by His Majesty.”
The Emperor said seriously, “These are two different things. You’re marrying a wife, not hiring a chef!”
“She’s not a chef.” Yan Jiuchao’s face darkened. “She’s my wife.”
The Emperor said coldly, “I don’t agree! The three matchmakers and six betrothal gifts have already given her enough face. She can forget about becoming Princess Consort Yan!”
Yan Jiuchao threw Prince Yan’s golden seal onto the Emperor’s desk. “Whoever wants to sit on Prince Yan’s seat, they can!”
The Emperor slammed the table and stood up. “Yan Jiuchao!”
The Emperor was furious. This brat actually abandoned the position of Prince Yan for a woman. Did he know what he was doing? Was he only abandoning the prince position? What he’s abandoning is the entire Yan Manor, the entire Yan City!
“Your Majesty! Your Majesty, calm down. Your Majesty, calm down…” When Eunuch Wang saw that the situation was bad, he risked his head and walked in. He calmed down for the Emperor and said earnestly to Yan Jiuchao, “Young Master, Your Majesty is doing this for your own good.”
Yan Jiuchao snorted coldly and pushed the wheelchair out without looking back.
The Emperor fell back in anger. “Look, look! This is the good nephew I’ve spoiled! He even dares to pull a long face at me in public! Do you really think I can’t bear to kill him!”
“Your Majesty, why bother?” Eunuch Wang thought to himself, If you’re willing to kill, you’ve already killed him countless times. Even if you don’t kill him, this child doesn’t have two years to live.
When Eunuch Wang saw that the Emperor was not impatient, he quickly advised, “Young Master is rebellious. He’s amenable to persuasion but not coercion. In my opinion, Your Majesty, you don’t have to be anxious. Young Master has never had a woman before, so it’s inevitable that he’s feeling a fresh feeling. When this momentum passes, his feelings for that woman will also fade. At that time, you can put the daughters of the various families in front of him. He will choose them himself without you urging him.”
The Emperor said, “I understand the logic. I just can’t take this lying down. He’s the same as his father!”
Prince Yan’s marriage to Shangguan Yan was also opposed. There was no other reason. Shangguan Yan’s status was too noble. The late Emperor did not want a “bastard” to have such a powerful backer. The late Emperor had chosen a marriage that was neither low nor high for the young Prince Yan. The young Prince Yan had caused a commotion by breaking off the engagement, but no matter what, Shangguan Yan and Prince Yan were considered a match made in heaven. Therefore, the Emperor did not object to the two of them being together back then.
“I’m doing this for his own good.”
Eunuch Wang sighed again. “His Majesty is naturally doing this for Young Master’s own good. Young Master is young and insensible. If His Majesty really lets him marry a lowly woman to be his Princess Consort, Prince Yan will find it difficult to rest in peace underground.”
The Emperor’s gaze faltered, but he said nothing else.
After Yan Jiuchao left the imperial study, he went to the Fengshai Palace. Coincidentally, Yu Wan came out of the Fengshai Palace and the two of them bumped into each other.
Yan Jiuchao saw that she was empty-handed and asked, “You didn’t get the golden seal? What does the Empress want?”
Yu Wan was not surprised that he could guess it. After all, he did not live until now just by luck. She whispered, “She wants us to help her walk out of the Fengshai Palace.”
Yan Jiuchao said casually, “This isn’t difficult. Go tell the Empress that within three days, it will be as she wishes.”
“Oh.” Yu Wan turned to go to the Fengshai Palace, but Yan Jiuchao grabbed her wrist. “Not you.”
Yu Wan was stunned when she saw Uncle Wan walk past her awkwardly.
Yu Wan looked at the hand on her wrist. Other than the few times he saved her, this seemed to be the first time Yan Jiuchao took the initiative to touch her. Although there was a layer of sleeve between them, but—
Sensing Yu Wan’s peripheral vision, Yan Jiuchao put down his hand and said coldly, “What are you waiting for? Push the wheelchair!”
Yu Wan smiled and walked behind the wheelchair. She bent down and whispered into his ear, “Yan Jiuchao, do you realize that I’m very good now?”
Yan Jiuchao felt that familiar and hot aura again. His Adam’s apple moved and he said coldly, “Behave yourself in broad daylight.”
Yu Wan could not suppress the smile on her lips. She looked at his ear that was inches away and nodded before standing up obediently.
The hot breath finally left. Yan Jiuchao’s body relaxed. In the next second, Yu Wan bent down again and whispered, “You’re blushing, honey.”
It was unknown if it was her aura or the way she called him honey, but Yan Jiuchao’s breathing became chaotic and his handsome face turned red all the way to his neck.
… .
They originally wanted to stay in the palace for dinner, but Yan Jiuchao and the Emperor fell out, so the couple returned home.
The three little munchkins obediently sat on the threshold of the Young Master Manor. The little snow fox and the little wild cat that Yu Wan had saved were lying on the limestone floor at the side. The three of them and the two beasts looked pitiful, looking funny and sad.
The young couple alighted from the carriage and led the little munchkins back to the Qingfeng Courtyard.
Uncle Wan guessed that they would not eat in the palace and had instructed the chef before they set off.
Since the Young Master could not taste it, Uncle Wan asked the kitchen to make a few home-cooked dishes according to Yu Wan and the little masters’ tastes. There were stir-fried white cabbage, sautéed shiitake mushrooms, braised mutton, braised pork belly with radish, crucian carp tofu soup, and a bowl of cold pea seedlings.
The little fellows did not like to eat rice recently. Yu Wan asked the kitchen to make liangpi, and there was cucumber shreds and coriander, with white braised mutton slices. It was mixed with peanuts, gluten, and a spoonful of sesame oil. The little fellows could not stop eating.
Yan Jiuchao also asked for a bowl of Liangpi. Yu Wan saw him pour the old vinegar into it.
How sour was this?
“Oh…” Yan Jiuchao ate very contentedly.
Yu Wan recalled the way he ate sour cherries in the morning. She had just slept with him, and he had become so proficient in eating sour.
Men-men wouldn’t get pregnant, right…
When he went to bed at night, Yan Jiuchao realized that Yu Wan had been staring at his stomach.
“…”
The little munchkins fell asleep on the bed. Yu Wan placed her sons between the two of them and talked business with Yan Jiuchao. “Yan Jiuchao, have you heard of the Nanzhao Royal Family?”
“Yes, what’s wrong?” Yan Jiuchao lay on the innermost side.
Yu Wan said, “The Empress told me today that the poison in your body is related to the Nanzhao Royal Family. I was thinking, didn’t the late Emperor misunderstand that Father isn’t his flesh and blood? Could it be that the late Empress’s man is actually a member of the Nanzhao Royal Family? The Nanzhao Royal Family also misunderstood Father like the late Emperor and thought that he was their prince, so someone attacked Father and you?”
Although that bastard was actually His Majesty, in that case, His Majesty was the prince of Nanzhao. Prince Yan had only taken the blame for His Majesty.
She had heard the secret of the royal family from Xiao Zhenting. This matter was not hidden from Yan Jiuchao, nor could it be hidden. At that time, Yan Jiuchao was half-awake and had heard many things. There was no need for her to pretend that she did not know.
“No,” Yan Jiuchao said.
“Why not?” Yu Wan asked.
“There are no princes in the Nanzhao Nation,” Yan Jiuchao said.
“Huh?” Yu Wan turned around and looked at him in confusion.
Yan Jiuchao looked at the top of the bed. His side profile was so handsome that it was suffocating. He said, “The sorcerer once asserted that the Emperor of Nanzhao will not have princes in his life, so he only had two princesses.”
“Princess?” Yu Wan was puzzled.
“Yes, princess,” Yan Jiuchao said. “However, even though they’re both princesses, they have different lives.”
“Why do you say that?” Yu Wan was interested.
It was rare for Yan Jiuchao to see her acting like a curious baby. He patiently said to her, “One is a jinx, and the other is a blessing for the common people. As the jinx, the eldest princess was sent out of the Nanzhao Nation when she was still an infant. Her sister, on the other hand, enjoys all the love of the Emperor. I heard that she even inherited the position of the Queen not long ago.”
“Where was the eldest princess sent to?” Yu Wan was not interested in the queen, but she was very curious about the eldest princess.
Yan Jiuchao shook his head. “I don’t know. Some say she went to the South Sea, while others say she went to the Ghost Clan.”
“She never went back?”
“No.”
