After Rebirth, My Wife Turned Out to Be Myself - Chapter 13

“Greetings, Your Majesty.”

“Xu Shengwen greets Your Majesty.”

Xie Wan: “Grand Consort, dispense with the formalities.”

This time, Xu Shengwen was smarter. He still knelt and completed the full bow before rising.

After rising, he didn’t speak but stood quietly behind the Grand Consort.

“I said I would stroll around the Imperial Garden, and unexpectedly saw Young Master Xu at the entrance, so I brought him along,” Grand Consort Qin said with a smile. “I hope I haven’t disturbed Your Majesty’s refined mood.”

Xie Wan coughed weakly a couple of times, “How could you. Someone, grant them seats.”

Seeing her cough, Grand Consort Qin couldn’t help but ask, “I heard Your Majesty dismissed the medicinal decoction from the Imperial Academy of Medicine? If Your Majesty is unwell, you should still drink the medicine.”

Xie Wan nodded, “I understand.”

Grand Consort Qin sighed and didn’t say more, instead turning to another matter, “The Imperial Garden is bright and harmonious in spring, but there are few consorts here to enjoy the flowers. The inner palace is quite empty. When does Your Majesty plan to hold the selection of consorts this year?”

Xie Wan poured her tea and said unhurriedly with a smile, “This year, General Xie’s daughter has already been summoned into the palace. My health is not very good, so the matter of the selection is not urgent.”

Grand Consort Qin raised her eyes and asked, “Consort Wan… it’s been more than ten days since she entered the palace, yet I haven’t seen her.”

There was some dissatisfaction in her words.

Everyone in the inner palace treated her like an Empress Dowager, and even the Emperor treated her like half a mother. She didn’t demand daily greetings in her palace, but this Consort Wan hadn’t come to pay respects even once.

Xu Shengwen, on the other hand, often came to pay his respects.

“Ah, Consort Wan… I’ve arranged for her to help me train the Imperial Guards at the Martial Arts Ground. When she rests, I will personally bring Consort Wan to pay respects at the Grand Consort’s palace,” Xie Wan said indifferently.

Grand Consort Qin frowned, “Consort Wan, training the Imperial Guards? The Imperial Guards are Your Majesty’s direct army, how can they be handed over to the Xie family? Your Majesty, the inner palace cannot interfere in government affairs.”

Xie Wan smiled at her, “This is my decision.”

Grand Consort Qin was startled, then gave a forced laugh, “Yes, the inner palace must not interfere in government affairs, I have overstepped.”

Grand Consort Qin, having survived in the inner palace until now and even given birth to His Highness the Prince safely, was certainly not a foolish person.

What she likely didn’t expect was that the usually gentle Emperor Ruiming would publicly reject her suggestion.

“Then the matter of the selection of consorts…”

“Let’s not arrange it for now,” Xie Wan refused.

Grand Consort Qin frowned again upon hearing this, “Then what about this Young Master Xu? Her Majesty summoned him to the palace and sent governesses to teach him. Is there nothing to be said about this now?”

Only then did Xie Wan look at Xu Shengwen behind her.

He had an outstanding appearance and was refined and courteous. The way he lowered his head and waited looked somewhat pitiful. If it were the original Emperor Ruiming, she would probably have wanted to pull him over and speak to him gently.

But…

Xie Wan didn’t like this kind of man.

Perhaps because she came from a military background, she had no fondness for men who couldn’t even truss a chicken. Although he looked good, his scheming was not simple.

He had only stayed in the palace for how long, and even Grand Consort Qin was speaking up for him.

“The Grand Consort has misunderstood. I heard that Young Master Xu is quite knowledgeable in pharmacology and full of learning. I like such talented people, which is why I invited Young Master Xu to stay in the palace for a few days. I have also truly learned that Young Master Xu is indeed talented. Such a talent should not be confined to my inner palace but should shine brightly in the imperial court.”

“As for why Young Master Xu is still in the palace…” Xie Wan rubbed her head, “It was my oversight. Being busy with myriad affairs, I actually forgot about Young Master Xu in Ningqing Palace.”

Upon hearing this, Xu Shengwen’s body stiffened.

“Young Master Xu, please return to your manor tomorrow. Minister Xu must be missing you very much,” Xie Wan said with a smile.

Xu Shengwen’s face turned pale, and his fingers in his sleeves clenched tightly.

Let him return to the manor?

This was different from what he had imagined.

If Her Majesty didn’t like him, why summon him to the palace for a short stay? Everyone in Ningqing Palace treated him as a master. Was there no hint of Her Majesty’s instruction in this?

Xu Shengwen cast a glance at Grand Consort Qin, unable to hide his grievance and hurt.

Grand Consort Qin sighed.

Her Majesty didn’t mention the matter of sending governesses to teach Xu Shengwen at all, likely because she didn’t want to trace the cause and effect of this matter—Xu Shengwen had offended Consort Wan in the Imperial Garden that day.

Between Consort Wan and Young Master Xu, it was already very clear whom Her Majesty favored.

“Your Majesty, the inner palace still needs to produce heirs. Even if Consort Wan is favored by Your Majesty, she is still a daughter. To leave descendants for the royal family, there must still be males,” Grand Consort Qin advised.

Xie Wan nodded, “I understand.”

After saying this, Grand Consort Qin didn’t say anything more.

Now that the Xu family was powerful, she didn’t want to offend them. If she succeeded in helping, it would also earn her son some favor. But now it seemed that Her Majesty was determined not to keep Xu Shengwen. It didn’t matter if she couldn’t help the Xu family; the important thing was not to incur Her Majesty’s displeasure.

Grand Consort Qin took her leave after only a few words.

Xu Shengwen stood rooted to the spot, feeling a humiliation he had never experienced before.

He was a young master of the capital, and moreover, the legitimate son of the Prime Minister. Since childhood, he had been the center of attention, like stars surrounding the moon. Who in the entire capital didn’t know the name Xu Shengwen?

Initially, when his father told him to enter the palace to become a consort, Xu Shengwen was a hundred percent unwilling.

He was a man, how could he go into the palace to be someone else’s concubine?!

But everything was for the Xu family.

He was more refined than his elder brother, and he had more poetry and literature in his belly. His father had said that the female emperor was incompetent. If he could gain a firm foothold in the palace and firmly grasp the female emperor in his hands, then who was whose concubine would be uncertain.

After all, if the inner palace was full of men, no one relied on getting pregnant; they all relied on who could win Her Majesty’s favor.

Thus, he endured the humiliation and entered the palace.

Putting on a facade of aloofness, he wanted to keep this female emperor hanging, all for the sake of making her care more about him. He had already made all his future plans.

But now…

The one who was unwilling was actually Emperor Ruiming?

Why was he the one being discarded!

He was Xu Shengwen of the Xu family. Since he was a child, no one had dared to hurt his self-esteem like this! Now the Emperor was openly telling him that Consort Wan was better than him?

That Xie Anyu?

“Your Majesty, Xu Shengwen… doesn’t understand.” Xu Shengwen raised his eyes, but the fire in his heart was completely hidden. He said incredulously and cautiously, “Where did Xu Shengwen fail to please Your Majesty…”

“I don’t want to be an official, I just want to stay by Your Majesty’s side and serve you. Is that not possible either?”

Grand Consort Qin had already walked far away, so Xie Wan didn’t bother to pretend anymore.

She walked up to Xu Shengwen and looked at him with a smile, “Serve me? You want to be my consort that much?”

There was no pity in her eyes, only scrutiny and appraisal, seemingly sharp enough to… pierce straight into one’s heart.

Xu Shengwen was frozen in place by Xie Wan’s gaze.

Xu Shengwen’s mind was in a daze. Emperor Ruiming, shouldn’t she be gentle and refined, even weak and easily bullied?

How could she have such eyes?

“You like me?”

“Yes…”

“Incorrect.” Xie Wan smiled, “In Young Master Xu’s eyes, there isn’t a shred of affection for me. A young master like jade, with a great future ahead, isn’t that better than staying in this palace and scheming against others?”

She seemed to be mocking his private attempt to win over Grand Consort Qin. Xu Shengwen’s face turned pale, “This… is this why Your Majesty is unwilling to keep me? Is Lady Consort Wan better in that way?”

Xie Wan looked at him deeply. She couldn’t understand how Xu Shengwen could say such a thing.

Compare himself to Xie Anyu? Was he even worthy?

Sixteen-year-old Xie Anyu was at an age that even she herself found most adorable.

“Young Master Xu, isn’t it better to be my subject?” Xie Wan looked at him, a hint of regret in her eyes.

Xu Shengwen lowered his head, “…Yes.”

He knew that nothing he said would matter now.

Her Majesty didn’t like his deep scheming.

He was the son of Minister Xu, so she was even more afraid of his deep scheming.

What his father said was wrong. Her Majesty was not incompetent. The sharp glint in her eyes was not something an incompetent person should have. Even if she was slightly different from ordinary people, it was only that her health was not as good as others.

“Young Master Xu is greatly talented and should enter the imperial court. I await the day of your palace examination,” Xie Wan sighed.

“…Yes.” Xu Shengwen bowed his head and withdrew, his peripheral vision catching a glimpse of the corner of the imperial robe. A strange feeling arose in his heart.

But that palpitation, he himself couldn’t explain.

“Your Majesty…”

“Hmm?”

Did she think it was better for him to be her subject than to become a male consort?

He ultimately didn’t ask that question, nor did he know how to ask it.

“…Xu Shengwen takes his leave.”

After he left, Zhaoxia, who had witnessed this entanglement, couldn’t help but feel a sense of ‘cherishing the fair s3x’. How did she feel that Young Master Xu genuinely liked Her Majesty?

She had initially thought that Her Majesty didn’t like Young Master Xu, but after hearing Her Majesty’s words, she felt that perhaps Her Majesty just didn’t want Young Master Xu to be confined to the inner palace?

“Does Your Majesty think that Young Master Xu can surpass his father?” Zhaoxia couldn’t help but ask. If Young Master Xu truly had great talent, then in the future, he would take over Minister Xu’s position…

Xie Wan yawned, “If he truly surpasses his father, then I should be in a terrible fix.”

Zhaoxia: ?

Xu Shengwen was not material for an official.

Or rather, not material for a good official.

He didn’t love the people, nor did he love Da Yue.

Xu Ping could turn a blind eye to his subordinates embezzling disaster relief funds and watch as the common people were plunged into famine and suffering.

How much better could Xu Shengwen be than his father?

If he were truly good… then later, Da Yue wouldn’t have experienced the chaos caused by relatives of the empress/consorts interfering in politics and favored consorts forcing the emperor’s hand.

Therefore, how could she possibly let him enter the imperial court?

As for those words about Young Master Xu’s great talent and how he should enter the imperial court… they were just words, why take them seriously.

Xie Wan lowered her eyes.

Xiao Anyu was right, she was skilled at tricking people.

There was no other way, her wings weren’t hard enough yet.

“Zhaoxia.”

“This servant is here.” Zhaoxia immediately snapped back to attention.

“Prepare the imperial carriage for Wanyi Palace.”

Zhaoxia: “Your Majesty, Lady Consort Wan is not in Wanyi Palace. She is at the Martial Arts Ground…”

“I will go there and wait for her to return.”

Zhaoxia: ?

Your Majesty, are you that idle?

Xie Wan stroked her chin and smiled, “Dealing with these people all the time, I’m tired too. Bring dinner, I’ll have dinner at Wanyi Palace today and relax. Consort Wan is simple and innocent, easy to deal with.”

It’s more like easy to bully, isn’t it?

Zhaoxia paused, then smiled, “Your Majesty, if you say that in front of Lady Consort Wan, she will be angry.”

Xie Wan looked surprised, “I was clearly praising her.”

“…Yes.” Zhaoxia sighed inwardly. Whether Her Majesty liked Young Master Xu or not was unknown, but that Her Majesty liked Lady Consort Wan was absolutely true.