After Rebirth, My Wife Turned Out to Be Myself - Chapter 26

Imperial Garden.

“You think she won’t dare to come?”

“What’s there to be afraid of? We’re just inviting her for tea, it’s not like we’re going to beat her up,” the leading man scoffed lightly.

He was none other than the master of Huayang Palace, Song Nanfeng, the youngest son of the Prince Zhenbei’s Manor.

“Exactly, we’re just calling her here to ask why she’s monopolizing Her Majesty!”

“That girl is only sixteen, I heard. If she goes to Her Majesty to complain afterwards, we…”

“Then let her complain. My father is the Prince Zhenbei, the Late Emperor’s sworn brother, and Her Majesty is my cousin. What do I have to fear?” Song Nanfeng said disdainfully.

The others exchanged glances upon hearing this, wanting to speak but not daring to.

Song Nanfeng wasn’t afraid of offending people, but what about them?

They would just have to wait and see.

Anyway, they weren’t the ones leading the charge.

Song Nanfeng glanced outside the pavilion from time to time. Half the tea was already drunk, so why hadn’t Youfu invited her over yet?

Could she really dare not to come?

Just then, an attendant called out, saying Lady Consort Wan had arrived.

Song Nanfeng and the others immediately turned to look.

The sixteen-year-old Lady Consort Wan had a slender and delicate figure. While wearing a dress didn’t make her look ‘plump and grand,’ it was certainly fair to say she was lively and adorable.

Anyu held her head high and puffed out her chest. To meet these people, she had at least let Qingcui tidy her up properly.

Although the accessories on her head felt cumbersome, Anyu still obediently let Qingcui insert several pearl flowers and hairpins into her hair.

“Greetings, Lady Consort Wan.” The young masters around Song Nanfeng all stood up.

Their ranks were lower, so they naturally had to bow to Xie Anyu.

Song Nanfeng, who was leading, was the only one who didn’t bow. Among this group, only his rank was the same as Xie Wan’s.

At this moment, Song Nanfeng also unhurriedly put down his teacup, stood up, and met Xie Anyu’s gaze, speaking with sarcasm: “Lady Consort Wan is truly difficult to invite. Half the tea is already drunk, and only now do we see Consort Wan’s shadow. We thought Lady Consort Wan wasn’t coming.”

Anyu frowned directly upon hearing this. “You invited this Consort for tea, and you’ve already drunk half of it yourselves?”

Was that the point?

Song Nanfeng: “…You yourself came late.”

Anyu was puzzled. “Are you blaming this Consort? This Consort is a young lady, shouldn’t I get dressed up before coming?”

Song Nanfeng looked her up and down, then smiled. “In this Consort’s opinion, Consort Wan’s looks don’t require too much elaborate dressing up.”

Was he saying she was ugly?

Anyu smiled. “Whether my looks are good or not is another matter, but courtesy must be sufficient. Although this invitation wasn’t sent to this Consort in advance, if this Consort came disheveled, wouldn’t that be slapping Lady Consort Song’s face?”

Song Nanfeng was dumbfounded. What did she say? What consort? Who was Lady Consort Song!

Everyone else also gasped.

Because Her Majesty was a female emperor, the male consorts who entered the palace were collectively referred to as Young Masters and addressed themselves as ‘This Consort’. Each Young Master used their own name as their title.

So Song Nanfeng was also Young Master Nan.

Being called ‘Consort Song’ was probably the first time.

“Oh, right, where is Consort Song?” Anyu tilted her head and looked around, searching for ‘Song Nanfeng’ in the crowd.

Song Nanfeng glared at her fiercely. He was certain that this Xie Anyu was doing it on purpose!

“This Consort is Song Nanfeng!”

Anyu blinked. “Oh, so you are Consort Song—my apologies, my apologies.”

Song Nanfeng gritted his teeth but still managed to maintain his composure. “In the palace, Consort Wan can call this Consort ‘Elder Brother’ or ‘Young Master Nan’.”

Anyu was surprised. “Is that so? Alright.”

She agreed very easily, but Song Nanfeng felt like his attempt to assert dominance had failed, like punching cotton – powerless, and with an indescribable anger.

“Then why did you drink half the tea when this Consort hadn’t even arrived yet?” Anyu retorted. “Is this the courtesy of you young masters? Starting the banquet before the guest arrives?”

“You…”

Someone quickly smoothed things over. “Why aren’t you serving Lady Consort Wan new tea!”

“The tea is already prepared for Lady Consort Wan.”

The maidservant quickly nodded and went.

Seeing the maidservant quickly bring a new teapot, Xie Anyu nodded. “Good! Then let’s sit down and drink. Everyone, sit, sit.”

Song Nanfeng: “…”

How dare she act like the host!

This damned crude and wild woman!

Next, everyone actually sat down and tasted the tea as if nothing had happened.

They chatted in twos and threes. Anyu sat beside Song Nanfeng, listening listlessly.

Most of the conversation was about the poetry gathering to be held for Her Majesty’s birthday.

“You’ve all prepared calligraphy and paintings?” Anyu couldn’t help but ask as she listened.

Song Nanfeng glanced at her. “Her Majesty loves these things the most. Consort Wan couldn’t have not prepared anything, could she?”

Every year at the birthday poetry gathering, the poems, calligraphy, and paintings mostly came from the imperial harem, because the young masters who could enter the palace were mostly favored by Her Majesty for their appearance or literary talent.

There was also an unwritten rule in the palace: those with outstanding literary talent at the annual poetry gathering would be promoted in rank by imperial decree.

Therefore, this birthday poetry gathering was extremely important to these young masters in the imperial harem.

There was no other way; Her Majesty’s health was poor, and the imperial physicians absolutely forbade sexual intercourse.

But those with good literary talent could always gain Her Majesty’s favor. Once their rank went up, not only did they receive more monthly allowance, but their power also increased.

It was considered their goal.

“Didn’t prepare anything.” Anyu thought, she might be curious enough to watch that poetry gathering, but asking her to prepare poems and essays for others to appreciate? Forget it.

“Why didn’t Your Ladyship prepare anything? We rely on this ability to get promoted,” one of them said in surprise.

Another chimed in, “Perhaps Your Ladyship, being from a general’s manor, doesn’t like these scholarly methods?”

Song Nanfeng smiled. “But once you come to the palace, you have to understand the palace rules. These poems and essays still need to be prepared. Even the street vendors in our Da Yue Empire can recite a few doggerel lines. How can it be difficult for Your Ladyship, the legitimate daughter of a First Rank Great General, to write poems and essays?”

“Writing poems and essays is not difficult, but if you really want to say it’s difficult, it can indeed stump some people.” Suddenly, someone spoke. “Just like the woman my Marquis Pingyang cousin’s second son was originally arranged to marry, she was a military officer.” He said disdainfully, “She barely knows a few characters. Yet she wanted to arrange a marriage with my cousin!”

After speaking, that person lightly coughed, glanced at the bewildered Xie Anyu, and then said, “Such a woman, not only is she not virtuous and capable, but she might also have habits like drinking and hitting people!”

As soon as these words came out, almost everyone’s eyes turned towards Xie Anyu.

Anyu remained calm. Didn’t she know? This was pointing at the mulberry and cursing the locust.

“Isn’t Marquis Pingyang’s wife the niece of the Late Emperor’s Grand Tutor? How could such a scholarly family arrange a marriage with a military officer?” Anyu thought for a moment and asked.

That young master didn’t expect Anyu to ask a question and was momentarily stunned. “That military officer’s family… has high status. They took a liking to my cousin and insisted on arranging the marriage.”

Xie Anyu pouted. “Insisted on arranging the marriage? Didn’t they force him to marry into their family?”

What kind of question was this? That young master was stumped by the question and could only reply, “This… no, they didn’t.”

“Then did the marriage finally happen?”

“Also… no.”

Xie Anyu was amused. “Since they didn’t rely on their high status to bully others and demand your cousin marry into their family, nor did they defile his body, it was just a marriage arrangement, and the woman was marrying down. In this Consort’s opinion, the Marquis Pingyang’s ancestors truly accumulated virtue. How can it be your turn to criticize her behind her back here? Just opening and closing your mouth, you claim she drinks and hits people and isn’t virtuous and capable?”

“In the end, the marriage didn’t happen, and they went their separate ways. What is there to criticize others about? This Consort is truly enlightened by your upbringing, Young Master.”

That young master was left speechless by Anyu’s two sentences. Finally, his face flushed red as he looked at Song Nanfeng.

Young Master Nan, I didn’t hear that Lady Consort Wan’s mouth was this sharp!

Song Nanfeng lightly coughed. “Consort Wan, your words are too serious. Young Master Yu was just telling a story for everyone’s amusement. Why is Consort Wan taking it so seriously? And Young Master Yu wasn’t wrong. One’s temperament is refined by reading poetry and books. A woman who only knows how to act fiercely and aggressively is always unlikable.”

After saying that, he even smiled. “Her Majesty loves people with a poetic temperament the most, presumably for this reason.”

Anyu stopped pretending and let out a laugh. “But why does it seem like this young lady from a military general’s manor, this Consort, is more favored by Her Majesty?”

Song Nanfeng’s face darkened.

“Oh… this Consort understands now. Young Master Nan’s words mean that I am more knowledgeable in poetry and literature than everyone present, right? That’s why Her Majesty likes this Consort the most? That’s really flattering this Consort. This Consort actually doesn’t understand those profound things either, but this Consort’s martial arts skills are quite good. Would you gentlemen like to see?”

As soon as she said this, Qingcui behind her quickly pulled a bamboo stick from her sleeve and handed it to her.

Song Nanfeng was incredulous. She even brought a bamboo stick!

“Just consider it, this Consort is adding to the fun for everyone,” Anyu smiled brightly, and the thin bamboo stick quickly spun in her palm.

Immediately after, with a ‘crack,’ the thin bamboo stick in Xie Anyu’s hand struck the stone table in front of everyone.

In that instant, everyone present felt their hearts tremble with that sound.

What cracked in response to the striking sound was the stone tabletop in the pavilion.

Cracked, it cracked?!

A bamboo stick could split open a stone table…!?

And the bamboo stick in her hand was still completely intact, merely trembling slightly in the air.

The young masters: “…”

Qingcui: Oh no! I should have brought a bamboo strip!

“Since it’s for entertainment, how about this Consort picks one person to spar with this Consort?” Anyu weighed the bamboo stick in her palm, her gaze sweeping over the several young masters in the pavilion.

The young masters: “…”

“Lady Consort Wan, Young Master Nan, I suddenly remembered I have some matters in the palace…”

“The painting for Her Majesty’s birthday isn’t finished yet…”

“Me too…”

In an instant, they all fled in panic.

Only Song Nanfeng remained, clutching his teacup, looking at the cracked tabletop, disheveled in the wind: “…”

“Young Master Nan, want to spar?” Anyu tilted her head and smiled.

Song Nanfeng swallowed, his hands trembling slightly with fear. “…No.”

He was a scholar. How could he be as sturdy as the stone table in the Imperial Garden pavilion!

“I think you seem quite eager to spar with me,” Anyu’s voice suddenly turned cold.

“Xie Anyu, my father is the Prince Zhenbei, you… you…” How dare she point this bamboo stick that could split open a stone table at him!

At this moment, Song Nanfeng regretted it.

Why did he provoke this jinx!

Anyu looked at Song Nanfeng, seeing him stiffen his back, not daring to say a word. She clicked her tongue lightly, threw away the bamboo stick, turned around, and left.

Qingcui saw her leave and hurriedly followed. “Your Ladyship!”

“To the Imperial Study! I’m going to see Her Majesty!”

“Yes!”

Song Nanfeng heard this and stood up abruptly. “Xie Anyu, you want to go to Her Majesty and complain about this Consort?! This Consort… this Consort didn’t do anything to you!”

Anyu turned back. “Did I say I was going to complain?”

She was going to be angry!

She didn’t understand what the Emperor saw in them!

Summoning these people into the palace and supporting this group of men, was it because the national treasury was too full and there was too much silver with nowhere to spend it?

They were full of knowledge but only knew how to show off at the birthday poetry gathering, fawning and flattering, and even looking down on the officers and soldiers who fought to the death to defend Da Yue outside!

These men in the imperial harem only needed to write a poem or paint a picture, gain imperial favor, and they could inexplicably raise their rank.

While the officers and soldiers in the army had to die on the battlefield with their heads separated from their bodies to earn a merit. Why was this!

No wonder Father said Da Yue was hopeless!

The imperial court was full of corrupt officials, and the imperial harem was full of useless people!