The Sinful Woman's Golden Branch: The Jade-Faced Yama is Actually Me (Part 4)...
Ye Xiqing was brooding in the small courtyard, growing increasingly gloomy, and every day she wanted to ignite the earth.
The system was initially taken aback by her boastful words, but after a month, Ye Xiqing hadn't accomplished anything, so it was relieved.
Once there's nothing wrong, it gets all worked up again, that kind of forgetful attitude.
He cheekily tried to get Ye Xiqing's attention: "Host, you said you want the male lead to die a horrible death, so what's the first step?"
"In this feudal society where women have no say in anything, what can you do without the male protagonist?"
Ye Xiqing sneered: "The male lead usurped the throne and became emperor, so arrogant?"
The system snorted coldly.
Although he didn't become emperor, it was almost the same as being emperor, as the male protagonist eventually helped the new emperor ascend the throne.
In feudal society, a man's success wasn't limited to becoming an emperor.
They could become officials and ministers, reaching the highest ranks of the court.
They can also fight on the battlefield and achieve great things.
They can have the world in their hearts and leave a lasting legacy.
They can also be greedy and cruel, leaving a lasting stain on their reputation.
In any case, this is an era for men, who are free to do all sorts of good and bad things, and history will crown them.
The women living in this world are, at best, just decorative scraps. No matter how resentful Ye Xiqing is, what can she do? Can she reverse this male-dominated era?
Ye Xiqing listened quietly to the system's words, savoring the smugness in them.
"You mean, this world includes a plot about vying for the throne, and the male protagonist's rise to the pinnacle of life is due to his merit in supporting the emperor, but which prince wins the throne?"
system:……
"Which one is it? Why aren't you saying anything?"
system:……
The system, which had just been laughing and joking, suddenly felt a sense of foreboding—
"Host, why do you want to know this?"
Ye Xiqing sneered.
"Isn't it about the merit of following the dragon? Before the dragon rises, what difference does it make who follows?"
"If the male lead can do it, why can't I?"
The system stared at Ye Xiqing in disbelief. Was she going to steal the opportunity from the male lead again?
With the previous worlds as a foundation, the system almost developed PTSD just from hearing Ye Xiqing say that she wanted to follow the male protagonist's path.
But this world is different; this world is an ancient world where male dominance reigns supreme!
Even if you wanted to, would Dragon even listen to you?
The male protagonist of this world is a cold-blooded, ruthless, and decisive killer who emerged from the power struggles and battles of a feudal court.
His life was still wonderful even without the female lead; in fact, it could be said that the female lead was the only flaw in his life.
In such a chaotic struggle, what could Ye Xiqing, a woman most deeply bound by feudal society, do as the ultimate victor?
The system wished the male protagonist would just use his own strength to crush Ye Xiqing, but Ye Xiqing didn't want to pay any attention to this stupid thing.
She stood up to greet Granny Zhao and Granny Qian, who chattered excitedly, each trying to tell her something.
After listening to their reports, Ye Xiqing calmly took off the last and most valuable bracelet from her wrist and handed it to them.
"Help me prepare for another matter."
Granny Zhao and Granny Qian secretly competed, using all their strength to fight for the bracelet.
They all fawned over Ye Xiqing, saying, "Yes, Miss! We will definitely do it!"
...
In May, the world is filled with the beauty of spring, and all kinds of flowers are in full bloom.
History is a gentle river, which appears as a great storm to later generations, but those who are in it live a very peaceful life most of the time.
Especially in the capital city, a place of luxury and pleasure, where singing and dancing filled the air and a peaceful atmosphere prevailed.
After the Flower Goddess ushered in spring, the high-ranking officials and nobles of Luoyang began to feast and drink, play horseback riding and polo, and enjoy flowers and gardens, having endless fun.
As the most prominent new official, Pei Yu naturally had no shortage of banquets and social gatherings. The Pei family had been preparing for this flower-viewing banquet for a long time.
The servants in the garden were constantly pruning the flowerbeds and carrying banquet utensils, making sure that every distinguished guest who came to admire the flowers left satisfied.
At such a grand event, even Pei's mother, who had always been a vegetarian and chanted Buddhist prayers, came out of the Buddhist hall.
Looking at her son, she asked weakly, "How is that Miss Guan?"
Pei Yu hadn't expected his mother to ask about this, and respectfully replied, "She has always been kept in a secluded courtyard, and I have never touched her."
Buddhism is now prevalent in Luojing. Pei's mother, fiddling with her prayer beads, said wearily, "Our family has suffered a calamity all because of the traitor Guan. When he saw that things were not going well, he actually sold his daughter for personal gain. He is truly a shameless scoundrel."
"Her father made a mistake, which has nothing to do with her. Right and wrong should be clearly distinguished. Don't make things too difficult for her."
Pei Yu felt a strange sensation in her heart as she listened to her mother's words.
At first, he welcomed his enemy's daughter into his mansion with boundless hatred, but he never expected that when he saw her in person, he would be unable to remove her image from his mind.
Enraged, he roughly pulled her to the ground.
But ever since then, every time he dreams of her, he recalls the woman's panicked face.
Pei Yu was extremely ashamed. He never imagined that he, who never got close to women, would be constantly thinking about the daughter of his enemy.
The deeper these ulterior motives ran, the deeper his hatred for that woman became.
So when faced with the servants' clumsy tricks, he didn't expose them, but just watched her being tortured indifferently, as if this could wipe away all the distracting thoughts in his heart.
But once the thought takes hold, it's not so easy to get rid of it.
Seeing her frail, willow-like body collapse tragically to the ground, Pei Yu still clenched his fingers.
The blood of the Pei family is still fresh in his mind, yet he is moved by a few glances from the daughter of his enemy. How can he not be hateful!
Caught between two conflicting emotions, Pei Yu nearly broke her fingers in frustration. She turned and left, coldly saying, "Send her back."
He was unwilling to show her any tenderness, yet he also didn't want to see her suffer.
If the servants are unsure of his decision, they will stop making things difficult for her.
It wasn't until his mother mentioned this person today that Pei Yu realized he hadn't heard from her for over a month.
How is she now? Is her injury better? Are the tears in her eyes still the same as before?
"Yu'er, Yu'er, what are you thinking about?"
Hearing her mother calling, Pei Yu realized that she had been lost in thought.
Coming to his senses, he quickly apologized to his mother, then suddenly asked, "Mother, you suffered so much in the palace for imprisoning the traitor. Would you still feel pity for the daughter of your enemy?"
Pei's mother chanted a Buddhist prayer and apologized.
Her fingers bore the marks of years of hard work, yet her expression remained calm: "I have no intention of getting entangled in the troubles of this world anymore; I only hope that you and Yue'er can be safe and happy."
"The fewer sins you commit, the better. To be honest, your current official position is making your mother a little scared."
Pei Yu: ...
He understood his mother's meaning. His current official position was exactly the same as that of his father back then, and the things he had to do were naturally the same as those of his father back then.
The Pei family has a long-standing reputation for integrity, yet they have produced such a "vicious dog of the emperor." If this were to be reported to our ancestors, it would likely bring shame upon our forefathers.
But he didn't want to see his mother suffer anymore, nor did he want to see his eldest sister bullied by her husband's family. He wanted to restore the Pei family's honor, no matter what means he had to use!
Even if he is despised and rejected by the world, it doesn't matter. He doesn't seek fame, but only to have a clear conscience!
Seeing the determination in her son's eyes, Pei's mother knew the bitterness in his heart and could only sigh: "Then who will you host a banquet for in three days?"
Pei Yu said solemnly, "It is the heir apparent of the Prince of Nankang."
Pei's mother paused, then said, "At this time of year, it is not appropriate for someone of your status."
Pei Yu said without changing his expression, "Back when I was at my uncle's house in Nankang, my uncle was the chief secretary and had many dealings with the Prince of Nankang."
"Now that the Prince of Nankang has been summoned back to the capital, if my son acts as if he has no relation to the Prince of Nankang, it will only make him seem hypocritical, and His Majesty will probably become even more suspicious. It would be better to bring everything out into the open."
After pondering for a long time, Madam Pei said, "Let's invite them in my name. I will make a list to invite distinguished guests. It would be too conspicuous for you to do it."
Pei Yu was moved to tears: "Mother, you have worried so much about your son!"
Mother Pei sighed: "We're all family, why say such things? If you really care, then get married soon. Once there's a lady in the household, Mother can finally relax a bit."
Upon hearing this, Pei Yu looked ashamed, but his mind wandered far away.
For some reason, when his mother brought up the topic, he actually thought of the woman in the side courtyard.
Perhaps he should go see her once he's finished with his work...
...
The three-day deadline arrived quickly, and the Pei family was overjoyed, eagerly welcoming their distinguished guest.
This flower-viewing banquet was organized in the name of Pei's mother, and most of the attendees were women from the inner quarters of the household.
Since the Princess Consort of Nankang returned to the capital, countless people have wanted to befriend her. As soon as they heard that she was coming, many more ladies came.
Princess Nankang was surrounded by everyone and sat on the main seat. She smiled broadly, pushed her son off, and said, "Go and have fun!"
The Crown Prince of Nankang bid farewell to his mother with a grin and put his arm around Pei Yu's shoulder: "Well, shouldn't I call you Pei Shaoqing now?"
Pei Yu took a step back and said respectfully, "Your humble servant dares not presume. I am deeply grateful for Your Highness's favor and will certainly enjoy myself to the fullest today."
The Crown Prince of Nankang laughed heartily: "That's the bad thing about the capital; even you're speaking in official jargon."
Pei Yu smiled respectfully, but when he looked up again, he had regained some of his former appearance.
It was not a formal occasion; the group enjoyed flowers, recited poems, and drank wine, and soon became unrestrained and dissolute.
Back in Nankang, Pei Yu and the Crown Prince of Nankang were old friends who rode horses and hunted together. Now that they have met again in the capital, they quickly rekindled their old friendship.
When the banquet was in full swing, there would be singing and dancing to add to the merriment. A group of women in colorful clothes would enter with light steps, but one of them was particularly different.
Her gorgeous and unique attire naturally set her apart from the group of dancers in uniform.
And her appearance was truly stunning, with clouds forming her hair and flowers adorning her face.
Upon seeing the woman's appearance, everyone present gasped in astonishment: how could there be such a beautiful woman in the world!
Attracted by her beauty, his attention fell on her hands.
She was holding a wine pot and a wine cup in her hands, indicating that there was a wine offering ceremony before the performance.
But if there's only one cup, to whom should it be offered?
Who wouldn't want a beautiful woman's wine? The atmosphere instantly became lively.
The woman smiled shyly, took a few light steps, and came to Pei Yu.
Caught off guard, Pei Yu knocked over the cup in front of him. This is...this is...Guan Xianzhi!
His heart was shaken; the person he had been thinking about not long ago had actually appeared right in front of him!
At this moment, Guan Xianzhi was different from any other time. Gone was her usual elegant appearance. Her hair was adorned with flowers, and her makeup was exquisite. She was like a blooming peony, dazzling and radiant.
Pei Yu was almost mesmerized by her unique charm, but the woman simply smiled at him and turned to stand before the Prince of Nankang.
The Crown Prince of Nankang was stunned, and his hands stopped moving.
He had always been fond of beautiful women, so how could he not be moved by such a beauty? His eyes gradually showed a look of infatuation, and before he knew it, he reached out his hand.
Pei Yu caught a glimpse of the prince's expression, and alarm bells rang in his mind.
Before her anger could rise, "Guan Xianzhi" smiled slightly again, parted from the crowd, and came to the Princess of Nankang.
Everyone: ...
Indeed, if there is only one cup, it would be most reasonable to give it to the Princess of Nankang.
Princess Nankang glanced around at the four seats, smiled with satisfaction, and was about to reach out to take it—
The woman delivering the drinks tripped over her own feet and immediately gave everyone a demonstration: "Oops! I fell down!"
The overturned wine glass and the woman who had fallen overboard simultaneously elicited gasps of surprise.
The wine glass and tray flew to the ground and shattered, but the woman landed steadily in someone's arms.
Princess Yongning, Ji Siyin, the emperor's only daughter, seems somewhat inconspicuous amidst the glamour of the Princess of Nankang.
She sat alone at the second-highest seat, watching the merriment below with a half-smile, lost in thought.
Unexpectedly, just when she was at peace with the world, a flying man appeared out of nowhere and plunged into her arms.
She caught it instinctively.
But once her reason returned, looking at this person who could hardly be said to have done it intentionally, Princess Yongning turned her head away—
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