Part 2
“So it’s his family.” Linchuan twisted the beads in her hand and said indifferently.
The wind was silent all around. Cui Nianhan hardened her heart and boldly said, “Is that Zhao Duanduan any good? How can she compare to the Princess’s heavenly beauty? Speaking of which, she isn’t even fit to carry shoes for the Princess.”
Linchuan felt a little more comfortable in her heart, glancing at Cui Nianhan again, and asked indifferently, “Since you say so, then who instructed you on this matter?”
The reason she played well with Cui Nianhan was because Cui Nianhan could talk and make people happy. Just like between He Xunfang and He Xunling, she was also willing to play with He Xunling.
Cui Nianhan shook her head slightly and replied softly, “Princess, no one instructed me. It’s just that I privately felt the Princess and my brother were a good match, and wanted the Princess to be my sister-in-law. Moreover…” She looked around and lowered her voice, “How could the Princess not know that the look in my eldest brother’s eyes when looking at the Princess is not without affection.”
Seeing she wanted to say more, Linchuan rubbed her brow, stopping her, then said indifferently, “Enough, let me think about it.” She straightened her expression again, glancing coldly at Cui Nianhan, “You remember firmly for me, if there’s another scheme next time, I won’t let you off so easily!”
Cui Nianhan felt granted amnesty, weeping and repeatedly agreeing, not daring to say another word.
When this outing dispersed, everyone left by carriage or horse.
Cui Nianhan pulled Linchuan, asking her to stay for a moment.
Sure enough, today it was the heir of the Marquis of Hejian, Cui Siyuan, who came to pick her up personally. But when Cui Siyuan approached and saw the situation in the curtain clearly, his face changed slightly.
“Greetings, Princess.” He held the horse whip and bowed.
Linchuan held her head high and nodded slightly, her brows filled with coldness, then turned and left supported by the palace maid.
“Brother, you finally came, made me wait so long!” Cui Nianhan had already washed her face and reapplied delicate makeup, getting up and running towards her brother, reaching out to pull his sleeve.
Cui Siyuan’s face was livid, asking in a deep voice, “You insisted on telling Mother to have me pick you up today, was it for this?”
Cui Nianhan looked up at him with a smile, saying softly, “Brother, isn’t this good?”
“Princess Linchuan is His Majesty’s own sister. If Brother can really marry the Princess, it would be a fortunate thing for our family. Mother is also very happy about this matter.”
Cui Siyuan said angrily, “How can a person be so fickle? Moreover, you said the Princess is His Majesty’s own sister, Zhao… Second Miss Zhao is also Her Majesty the Empress’s own sister. You are really bold!”
Cui Nianhan widened her eyes slightly. “How can that be the same? What is the Zhao family’s situation now? Brother, you don’t know. Although she is the Empress’s own sister, how is she fit to be mentioned in the same breath as the Grand Princess?”
Cui Siyuan clenched his fist in anger, shouting sternly, “Don’t mention this matter again in the future!” After speaking, he ignored his sister, flicked his sleeves and left, mounting his horse and raising his whip. In a moment, he galloped away from this place.
“Really don’t know what’s good for you!” Cui Nianhan’s eyes turned red with anger. After stomping her feet, she also mounted the horse supported by the attendant.
The sky was late, the sunset slanted. She didn’t dare to stay here too long and hurriedly chased after him.
In a few days, it would be the time for the Imperial Academy (Guozijian) to recruit students in spring.
For the matter of her younger brother entering the Imperial Academy (Guozixue), Zhao Yiyi had planned for a long time. Seeing the time approaching, she prepared a set of stationery and books to be used in the Imperial Academy.
She even prepared the bundle of dried meat (shuxiu – tuition gift).
The tuition gift for the Imperial Academy was simple, just a pot of wine, a basket of silk, and bringing one’s own desk. This requirement was set just to show the disciple’s respect for the teacher, and the specific items were not demanding.
However, given the current situation of the Marquis’s residence, to avoid her younger brother being criticized, Zhao Yiyi prepared all the tuition gifts according to the best standards.
It wasn’t a big deal originally. Zhao Chen had these things usually, and the Marquis’s residence would naturally prepare them. But Zhao Yiyi knew Zhao Weimin’s nature, worrying that the residence would slight her younger brother and prepare incomplete or poor-quality things for him, so she took the time to prepare them.
“You go to the Marquis’s residence today.” Zhao Yiyi counted the books and instructed Yunzhu warmly, “Wait a few days, send A-Chen into the Imperial Academy smoothly before returning to the palace. Otherwise, I always feel uneasy.”
Yunzhu knew the situation of the Empress’s natal family, and knew that the Marquis of Huai’an favored his second wife, only loving Xu’s children and not caring about other children.
Although worried that the Empress’s illness hadn’t fully recovered, she still replied, “This slave understands. I will definitely watch Young Master A-Chen enter the Imperial Academy smoothly before returning to the palace.”
Mancao lay on the desk rolling a brush, pouting, saying somewhat unhappily, “Your Highness, why not send me?” Although Sister Yunzhu was steadier, she came from the Marquis’s residence and was more familiar with it; it should be reasonable to send her.
Looking at her unhappy appearance, Zhao Yiyi smiled helplessly, explaining softly, “It’s not that I don’t trust you, but you are from the Marquis’s residence originally, while Yunzhu has always been in the palace. The people in the residence will probably fear her more.”
Mancao wasn’t insensible, just sometimes childish. Hearing her explanation, she suddenly understood.
She was a servant born in the Marquis’s residence. Although she had shed her slave status and become a ranked female official, there would inevitably be people in the residence who looked down on her and wouldn’t listen to her orders.
“Your Highness, I was wrong.” Mancao’s cheeks were red, admitting her mistake.
Zhao Yiyi smiled helplessly and rubbed her head. “It’s nothing. Go quickly to help Yunzhu pack and go early.”
When Gu Zhen led Lin Nanjun over, he saw the scene of the Empress sitting by the window, holding a flower and smiling. With cloud-like hair and a beautiful face, a hibiscus face without any powder, yet dignified, clear, and soft, like a fairy concubine.
He was stunned for a moment.
His Adam’s apple rolled slightly. He strode in and said softly, “The Empress is in good spirits today.”
Zhao Yiyi pursed her lips, stood up and curtsied to him, “Greetings, Your Majesty.”
The soft and graceful voice like a warbler was exactly the same as before. Pouring into his ears, it made Gu Zhen stunned for a moment, subconsciously looking at her face.
But he vaguely realized that there was no longer the brilliance of the past in her eyes.
He didn’t know what that brilliance was, but looking at her clear but lightless almond eyes, his heart suddenly stung.
“Why did Your Majesty come?” Zhao Yiyi ordered people to clear the things on the table, then asked softly.
Gu Zhen said, “It happened that Lin Nanjun came to Zichen Palace for a pulse check, so I brought him over to check on your illness again.”
He subconsciously concealed the fact that Lin Nanjun went to Zichen Palace not for a pulse check, but specifically to report the Empress’s condition. He just felt a bit awkward in his heart and didn’t want to tell her.
“Many thanks, Your Majesty.” Zhao Yiyi lowered her head and agreed, then gently pulled her sleeve, placing her hand on the table.
Mancao also immediately put a silk handkerchief on it.
Her appearance today was obedient.
Obedient, too obedient.
As if the person who argued with him with a trembling voice that day, desperately saying she didn’t like him anymore, was not the same person as the one in front of him.
Looking at her being as obedient as usual, he should have been relieved, but Gu Zhen became more and more uneasy, feeling that something was leaving him, getting harder and harder to grasp.
He vaguely felt that the Empress’s obedience should be her disguise.
📖 Advance Access: Complete Novel
- Option 1: Note your email on PayPal/Ko-fi.
- Option 2: Email proof to beezzzreads@gmail.com.
- Option 3: Comment below.
Recommended Reads
![Enemies on a Narrow Road [Esports]](https://beereads.space/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/enemies-on-a-narrow-road-214x300.jpg)