Finally, Empress Shangzi was incited by her own sister and found an opportunity to plead with their father, saying that her sister wanted to marry a foreigner and she wished to beco her brother’s wife.
Her father was greatly shocked and called her sister to ask about it, only for her sister to suddenly change her mind and say she was willing to marry her brother.
Back then, the innocent Shangzi was furious and pointed at her sister, shouting: "You begged , but now you’re saying this. Are you deliberately trying to harm ? We are sisters from the sa mother. What have I ever done wrong to you for you to treat like this?"
The Empress of those days simply said calmly: "Sister, you must have misunderstood. I never said I wouldn’t marry my brother."
Shangzi couldn’t believe it; how could anyone blatantly lie with their eyes wide open? And that person was her own sister!
The forr Emperor was very angry, thinking that Shangzi, so young, already had such sches. He imdiately ordered her to be sent to the Buddhist temple to cultivate, saying he hoped the temple could cleanse her soul.
Later, Shangzi stayed in the temple for three years, and during that ti, besides the current Emperor, no one ca to see her; especially not her sister who had caused her plight.
Fortunately, the Emperor believed in her, and after he ascended to the throne, he took her back and married her as an Empress.
Unfortunately, by then, her sister was weak after childbirth. When she went to visit, the doctor said there might be no hope. Shangzi couldn’t help but ask why her sister treated her that way three years ago?
Whether the Empress didn’t want to speak or was too ill to hear, Shangzi Empress never heard the answer until she passed away.
The maid by her side had accompanied her since childhood, even during the harshest tis in the temple, so she was very clear about these past events.
She truly didn’t resent the Crown Prince because of this matter, nor did she harbor much hatred toward her sister. Even the bracelet her sister had given her was carried with her for over twenty years, only recently given to Bai Ruozhu as a eting gift.
At that ti, she had so other thoughts, feeling that once the bracelet was given away, the grudges between her and her sister should end, and she should forget.
"Actually, things have long passed. I can’t possibly rember them for a lifeti. I just never understood why she acted that way? Back then, when she talked to about her beloved, her eyes were clearly shining like stars. I had never seen such a radiant sister. Could that expression have been fake too? But why then did she say that to Father?" Shangzi Empress’s voice choked slightly; she was just unwilling, wanting to know why.
"My lady, don’t think about it. Matters have been over for so long; you’re just torturing yourself!" the maid said sowhat angrily. "Perhaps what the Empress said was true, but later so changes happened, and she couldn’t marry that person; thus, she wanted to beco the Empress again. Think about it, according to the royal family’s rules, if the younger sister becos the Empress, the older sister cannot marry the Emperor no matter what. Could she be made a concubine? She might not have found anyone to marry back then."
Empress Shangzi wiped the corner of her eyes with a handkerchief. "I have thought about it; I just haven’t heard her admit it in person, so I feel reconciled. Enough, I won’t think about it anymore in the future."
The maid smiled cheerfully, "That’s right, my lady, your days are so carefree now; why dwell on unhappy things?"
"I really love that child Sheng De; after all, he’s been by my side since he was so small, watching him grow little by little. Since I can’t have my own children, how could I not treat him as my own son? But he doesn’t have the destiny to beco the Emperor; such things can’t be forced. His Majesty is kind-hearted but has his own ideas on important matters; no one can interfere." Empress Shangzi continued.
The maid nodded, "My lady certainly sees things clearly, while I only see power."
She spoke in a teasing tone, and both of them laughed.
Not far outside, the Crown Prince Sheng De silently listened to everything, then left without saying a word.
...
Bai Ruozhu received her rewards and only took the gift list handed over by Otani. Her intention was not to let the rewards enter the yard. Later, Otani explained the Emperor’s considerations, and Bai Ruozhu imdiately agreed, admitting that the Emperor was much more thoughtful in this matter.
After the items were taken away, Bai Ruozhu took the gift list to show everyone, saying with a grin: "Seems there are quite a few good things. Everyone gets a share, and we’ll divide them later."
Gao Zhou and Tang Feng were not very interested, while Qiu Zhi’s eyes sparkled as he asked: "Really? I get a share too?"
Bai Ruozhu glared at him and said: "You think you’ll get an equal share? It’ll surely be distributed based on contributions. If you don’t cause trouble, you’re lucky; getting one or two items is already a lot."
Qiu Zhi instantly deflated, "I wanted to send more money to the Sect, so next year my master won’t worry about the Sect having no money to eat."
"Dragon Tiger Gate has managed to survive like this; it is really not easy." Fo Lanying couldn’t help but sarcastically say.
"They make a living by catching ghosts and subduing demons, but there are not so many demons and ghosts on ordinary days, so money is hard to make." Bai Ruozhu thought of Qiu Zhi’s master, who hated Master Pudeng, perhaps partly out of jealousy. Seeing Xinchan Temple flourishing at least ensured the monks in the temple would not go hungry.
"Then Ruozhu, can I get a bigger share?" Fo Lanying’s eyes were almost turning into stars as she looked at Bai Ruozhu. She hadn’t learned much from Bai Ruozhu but beca a Money Freak.
Bai Ruozhu looked at Yuan Licheng and said: "Depends on the size of the contributions; you don’t have much, but Xiaoyuan has the most."
Yuan Licheng imdiately professed loyalty, gently looking at Fo Lanying and said: "Lan Ying, mine is yours; I’ll give you everything I get!"
Fo Lanying nodded contentedly, appreciating Yuan Licheng even more for his attitude.
Bai Ruozhu secretly laughed; did this count as quietly helping Yuan Licheng?
Unexpectedly, two days later, Xinye suddenly returned from outside the palace with a stack of papers and handed them to Bai Ruozhu: "These are the people you wanted to find; I don’t know if they’re among them."
Bai Ruozhu was taken aback, accepting them and flipping through them page by page, discovering each page contained a person’s information with a large portrait at the top.
One person ca from the sea to Fusang Country twenty-four years ago but did not acknowledge coming from Danliang Country, instead claiming to be an islander from sowhere on the ocean. He spoke Chinese well and understood poetry, now holding a minor official post in the court.
Another was also from the sea to Fusang Country twenty-six years ago; he was similarly skilled in Chinese and had so political acun, likewise appointed to an official post.
Bai Ruozhu quickly flipped through the papers; there were five people in total, all with low-ranking official positions. It seed Fusang Country wouldn’t give foreigners too important positions.
"These five people hold insignificant positions, so you generally wouldn’t notice them. If the portraits don’t reveal much, you can find a chance to see them in person," Xinye said earnestly.
Bai Ruozhu said boldly: "Okay, thank you very much. I’m not familiar with the person, so I’ll have to take a look first."
She was just casually speaking; who would’ve thought Xinye would be so diligent to find them all? It truly made her feel a bit embarrassed.
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