A year later, after proceeding through the rituals of Nacai, Asking the Na, Naji, Nai Zheng, and Qingqi, it finally ca to the last stage, Qin Ying. Xiao He, having passed the nurous challenges prepared by Ye Qiu, eventually managed to escort Xiutong onto the bridal sedan.
Wedding for the first ti in two lifetis, Xiao He was excited, holding a greater significance to the marriage than most people. It was precisely because of his sincerity that Ye Qiu later refrained from putting up too many obstacles.
"From now on, it’ll just be the two of us left at ho." Ye Qiu stroked Xiuying’s head, filled with emotion. Yet, he was unaware that so things always co unexpectedly.
Two years later, when the Emperor and Empress Dowager Liu summoned him to the palace and told him they were preparing to crown Xiuying as the Empress, Ye Qiu was completely stunned.
"Did you and the Emperor know each other from before?" Ye Qiu, who sensed the implication in Empress Dowager Liu’s words when entering the palace, deflatedly asked Xiuying when they got ho.
"At first, I didn’t know he was the Emperor." Xiuying whispered while clutching a handkerchief, as if afraid of Ye Qiu’s anger, "It was only later that I found out."
"Then why didn’t you tell at the beginning? Did you already know they would take you into the palace?" Ye Qiu was so anxious that his brows furrowed deeply, "Do you even understand what it ans to enter the palace?"
"Big brother, don’t be angry." Xiuying carefully poured a cup of tea for Ye Qiu, "Xia Yu asked for my opinion before he announced your summons to the palace."
"Do you like him?" Ye Qiu asked through clenched teeth.
"Mmm." Xiuying nodded, "It’s interesting to be with him."
"What’s the use of that? Which Emperor hasn’t had multiple palaces and courts? He likes you now, but will he like you in the future? ’Emotion’ is such a hurtful word, especially within the Imperial Family where it’s the least valuable." Ye Qiu earnestly admonished his sister.
"I know." Xiuying said calmly, "I can’t even assure myself that I will like him for a lifeti, let alone guarantee that he will always treat well."
"Then why still...?"
"Big brother, won’t ordinary families have multiple wives and concubines too?" Xiuying retorted.
"But in an ordinary family, your big brother can make decisions for you, but if that person is the Emperor, your big brother can’t help you for the rest of your life."
"But I would not be content, why should I settle for less when I clearly have a better choice? Besides, Xia Yu and I have known each other for several years and our affection is deeper than that of ordinary people. Marrying him and becoming the Empress is the best choice. Even if love fades in the future, at least I will still have the status of an Empress. As long as I don’t make any major mistakes, he can’t do anything to ."
"When a man no longer likes you, he has plenty of ways to depose you." Ye Qiu still viewed his sister’s position as Empress with skepticism.
"Then are you and your brother-in-law just going to sit back and do nothing? I may not guarantee a lifeti, but I am confident to secure his heart for eight or nine years. That ti is sufficient for you to make a move," Xiuying spoke with conviction, "And besides, we have no other choice now."
It was the first ti Ye Qiu realized how determined his little sister was. Just as Xiuying said, they had no other options left. Empress Dowager Liu and the Emperor’s summoning him to the palace was not to discuss with him but to announce the news that Xiuying was to beco the Empress.
"Big brother will work hard in the future." Ye Qiu promised, because as long as he could ascend to a high position, even if the Emperor grew tired of his sister in the future, the decision to depose her would require careful consideration.
However, Xiuying achieved much more than he had imagined. Less than two years after becoming the Empress, she gave birth to the Heir, and six years later, her son was successfully appointed as the Crown Prince, never facing in her lifeti a rival in the harem who posed a threat to her.
Twenty years later, Ye Qiu had risen to the position of Pri Minister, yet he remained a solitary man. Initially pestered successively by his three sisters to get married, eventually, everyone ca to understand his lifestyle. Not everyone is fond of marriage, nor is everyone suited for it. Rather than spending his days with another person, Ye Qiu preferred the freedom of being alone.
The three sisters often lanted that, had it not been for them, perhaps their elder brother wouldn’t have even taken the Imperial Examination and would have lived a carefree life as a vagrant hermit.
The three sisters completely escaped the fate of their previous life. Xiuya married Wang Zhaoxing, the childhood sweethearts sharing a lifeti of profound love and a house full of children and grandchildren. Xiutong married Xiao He; valuing even more the relationship in their second incarnation as human beings, Xiao He, adoring Xiutong’s love for flowers, created the biggest garden in Shangjing for her, spoiling her to the core throughout her life.
As for Xiuying, despite there being other concubines in the harem besides her, she is the Empress, her son is the Crown Prince, her elder brother is the Pri Minister, her elder brother-in-law is the Minister of Revenue, and her second brother-in-law is Marquis Weiyuan. Furthermore, with the Emperor’s love and respect, no one dares disparage her. She truly lives the carefree life she wished for as a child, sampling the finest foods.
Moreover, even after becoming the Empress, she did not give up her restaurant business, which with the support of the Imperial Chef, later expanded throughout Tianlin Country.
"Master, people from Ye Village are here again," Ye Qiu heard the butler report as he returned ho from duty.
"I’ve said it before, from now on, whether they are people from Ye Village or impersonators of my clan, just leave them be."
"But they said they can’t even afford the journey back. If you don’t help them, they plan to file a complaint with the Jingzhao Yin, and they want to make it known to everyone in the World that once the Empress beca successful, she stopped recognizing her kin," the old butler said, troubled.
"Let them complain if they wish to; it’ll be a good chance to show them who really is in charge of Shangjing," Ye Qiu said disdainfully.
Since becoming the top scorer over twenty years ago, countless people from Ye Village have sought to rely on him, but no matter how much he ignored them, there was always a steady stream of those wishing to gain without effort, and even so who, upon learning that he had not married or sired children, were eager to adopt out their own children to him.
Ha! What makes those people think he would want to help them? Simply because they share the surna Ye? How ridiculous! Just because he has no children does he need to adopt those hypocrites’ children? If he wanted to procreate, he would have done so already, why should he help others raise their children?
They talk about needing soone to worship and mourn after death, what a joke. No one understands better than him that when a person dies, it’s like a fla going out. These words might sound nice, but they are only after his power and wealth.
In their previous life, had they shown the slightest compassion after "his" death, his three sisters would not have experienced that fate. Why in the world should he feel compassion for them now? Did he ask for their help? Whose fault is it that they don’t have the fare to return?
"Have so tea and calm down," Liu Miao said with a light laugh.
Liu Miao was one of Ye Qiu’s few good friends in Shangjing. Ever since Ye Qiu cleared Liu Miao’s parents’ wrongful death, their relationship had beco much closer. But for this reason, many speculated that there was an improper relationship between the two of them.
After all, Ye Qiu possesses great power and influence, and besides, he is a handso man. Why would there be no reason for him not to marry? Other than being a cut sleeve, there was no other guess that the people of Shangjing had.
So even felt injustice for Ye Qiu, wondering why Liu Miao was allowed to marry and have children while Ye Qiu, who remained unmarried and pure all his life, could not?
But only those in the know understood that between them, there really was nothing. They were just close friends who t to drink tea and chat when there was nothing to do.
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