After Rebirth, My Wife Turned Out to Be Myself - Chapter 32

This year’s birthday banquet seemed highly purposeful. After the martial arts competition, the matter of bandit suppression was settled, and then came the meal.

The sky gradually darkened, but the palace was still brightly lit.

Palace servants lined up neatly, carrying trays, and the aroma of food drifted out beyond the palace gates.

Unlike the martial arts competition earlier, this banquet wasn’t attended by Consort Wan alone among the consorts; several other palace consorts of considerable status were also present.

Of course, the only one seated beside Her Majesty was still Xie Anyu.

Consort Song naturally felt like his back teeth were about to shatter from grinding, but even so, there was nothing he could do.

No one understood why Her Majesty was so fond of that little girl.

But the facts were laid bare, leaving him no room to ponder why.

The few consorts sat on one side, silent. None were foolish enough to vie for favor at this juncture.

Naturally, with the consorts present, His Highness the Prince, who usually kept to himself in the palace, would also not be absent.

“Your subject wishes Your Majesty a happy birthday.” Chu Tang still had the appearance of a naive young man, his eyes revealing a hint of shyness and simplicity.

Grand Consort Qin stood behind him and also bowed. “This consort also wishes Your Majesty a happy birthday. This consort originally intended to present Your Majesty with a robe embroidered by hand, but knowing that the north suffered disaster this year, this consort changed her mind and offers this jade Buddha instead, hoping it can bless the people to safely pass through this drought. The gift is not grand, but it is this consort’s heartfelt intention.”

Xie Wan accepted it with a smile. “This gift from Grand Consort Qin is much to my liking. It wishes me a happy birthday and also blesses the nation with peace and prosperity.”

After Grand Consort Qin and her son were seated, Zhaoxia also received the list of gifts presented by the officials this year. Upon receiving Xie Wan’s instruction, she began to read it out carefully.

Xie Wan listened. None of the gifts were particularly valuable; there were many paintings and calligraphy pieces. It seemed the case of corruption and beheadings had truly served as a warning, making everyone act with extreme caution.

Zhaoxia was still reading out what each official had presented, but Anyu’s stomach was already rumbling with hunger.

Noticing this, Xie Wan raised her hand to stop. “Let’s eat first. I will look at the officials’ gifts after I return.”

Hearing this, Anyu’s eyes brightened slightly.

“My lords, please don’t be restrained. Eat what you should eat, drink what you should drink.”

“Yes!”

Although she said this, everyone lowered their heads and found that this year’s dishes were more than just a little ‘plain’ compared to previous years.

Just as they were thinking this, Xie Wan said, “This year, my birthday coincides with the disaster in the north. I cannot bear to see the northern people suffering while the capital remains as luxurious as before, so everything this year is simplified.”

The assembled officials: “…”

Her Majesty had clearly just confiscated the wealth of so many corrupt officials!

“Speaking of this, it reminds me that although I previously confiscated the assets of many corrupt officials, it is merely a drop in the bucket for the disaster relief in the north. As the saying goes, when one side is in trouble, all sides come to support. Minister Xie…”

“Your subject is here.” Xie Yunyu stood up.

“Starting tomorrow, set up a donation point at the palace gate. All officials coming and going for court sessions should donate some silver for disaster relief.” Xie Wan’s gaze swept over the officials present. “What do you lords think?”

The officials’ hearts turned cold upon hearing this. Why did they have to donate for disaster relief too!

“Your Majesty is wise!” The first to speak was Zhou Ning.

Immediately after, everyone else also followed suit, shouting, “Your Majesty is wise.”

There was no other way; they had to donate.

Xie Anyu quietly gave her a thumbs-up.

Although these officials at the banquet hadn’t revealed any flaws in the disaster relief case, each and every one of them had substantial family wealth.

The sickly Emperor is truly formidable.

“The Xie family must also donate,” Xie Wan said to her in a very low voice. What are you so happy about?

Anyu chuckled, “My elbow is bending outwards.”

Xie Wan couldn’t help but laugh. She picked up her chopsticks and placed a piece of meat for Anyu.

In a few more days, they would be heading to Lingbei, and life wouldn’t be so easy there. Going there for two or three months, little Anyu would probably lose a circle of weight.

Having eaten her fill, Anyu felt a bit bored.

She sat properly beside Xie Wan, looking at her, then at the officials, feeling utterly bored.

“If you’re tired, go out and get some fresh air,” Xie Wan said.

“Okay.”

Anyu didn’t refuse. After all, she wasn’t the Empress, so there was no need for her to sit here until the birthday banquet ended.

Silently, she exited the main hall.

Many people noticed this scene, but they only glanced before looking away.

Outside the hall, the surrounding noise of the crowd was gone, leaving only the quiet, bright moonlight as company. The stars and moon were brilliant, and Xie Anyu couldn’t help but take a deep breath.

It’s truly quiet.

But this tranquility didn’t last long.

“Sister Anyu.” Someone called her from behind.

Anyu turned around. Seeing the person, she nodded in greeting. “So it’s His Highness the Prince.”

The young man walked towards her. “Sister, what are you doing? Looking at the moon?”

“It was stuffy in the hall, so I came out for a walk.” Anyu remained calm, but inwardly she was already guessing what Chu Tang wanted with her.

“Sister, you said last time you’d bring me some small toys from outside the palace, but you forgot.” The young man lowered his head slightly, the moonlight casting shadows on his face, making him look a little pitiful.

Coupled with the fact that he was clearly a prince but referred to himself as ‘I’, if one didn’t know his true nature, they might really be deceived by his appearance.

Anyu rubbed her nose. “Before, when I went out of the palace, it was always for official business, and I wasn’t allowed to wander around, so… definitely next time.”

“Mm.” Chu Tang’s eyes curved as he smiled, as if he truly believed her explanation.

Seeing him smile, Anyu felt a little dazed.

In terms of appearance, Chu Tang bore some resemblance to the sickly Emperor. But if that kind of smiling face appeared on Her Majesty’s face… er, Anyu shivered, startled by her own imagination.

Anyu lightly coughed. “You little rascal, you didn’t just come looking for me for toys, did you?”

Chu Tang shook his head. “Of course not.”

Chu Tang sighed. “According to the rules of Da Yue, next month I will turn thirteen and can attend court sessions to observe governance.”

“Isn’t that good?” Anyu remembered Her Majesty saying that this younger brother of hers enjoyed handling political affairs.

Chu Tang came to her side, leaning against the stone pillar and smiling. “I feel a bit lost.”

Anyu didn’t understand.

Her lack of understanding seemed written on her face. Seeing this, Chu Tang smiled. “It’s nothing.”

Anyu: “Lost? If you don’t understand the court sessions, you can ask Her Majesty, right?”

Chu Tang paused, not denying it, but just smiling. “Sister is right. It’s just that my relationship with Her Majesty is probably not as good as Sister thinks.”

“But you are still close siblings. She wouldn’t lead you down the wrong path,” Anyu thought for a moment and said.

Based on her understanding of Her Majesty, that person was actually very protective of her own. Perhaps she didn’t like this younger brother Chu Tang that much, but he was still family.

Chu Tang nodded.

He didn’t continue speaking.

He wasn’t worried about his shallow knowledge or not understanding political affairs.

Having grown up in the palace, Her Majesty’s Grand Tutor was also his teacher. He prided himself on not being inferior to his imperial sister… That’s what he used to think.

Growing up to his teens, even without formally engaging in political affairs, he had heard quite a bit.

Her Majesty’s handling of affairs sometimes even made Chu Tang feel indignant. From the perspective of someone in a high position, he even felt that Her Majesty was an emperor incapable of benefiting the people.

But very suddenly, she rooted out corrupt officials, decisively executed Minister Qian, ordered disaster relief, and even sent people to suppress bandits.

The timely disaster relief prevented a famine, saving millions of lives.

Suppressing the bandits and then building several official roads would connect the north and south, making the future of Da Yue promising.

These consecutive decrees left him stunned.

Was this his imperial sister? Chu Tang could hardly believe it.

The reason he wasn’t close to Her Majesty had always been himself.

Because he didn’t like that imperial sister.

Chu Tang was deep-minded, but he also had the responsibility of someone in a high position. He was born into the imperial family and knew from a young age that with greater power came greater responsibility.

His point of confusion was—

Her Majesty, she seemed to be developing towards becoming a ‘good emperor’.

This confusion dispersed the excitement he originally felt about starting to observe governance.

Anyu actually didn’t understand what this young man Chu Tang was trying to say.

If the first time he befriended her in Jiahua Palace was Chu Tang deliberately probing and approaching, then what was this second time for?

He spoke halfway, making it impossible to understand.

Anyu wondered, could it be that her own thoughts were too shallow, which was why she didn’t understand what the young man was thinking?

“If you can’t figure it out, don’t think about it.” Xie Wan yawned. The banquet was over, the officials had dispersed, and they were on their way back to the palace. But little Anyu was still thinking about Chu Tang.

“Isn’t Your Majesty curious?”

Xie Wan chuckled. “Curious about what? He just said a few words to you. If you ask me, it looks more like he wanted to remind me through Consort Wan that it’s time for him to attend court sessions.”

Xie Anyu: “But I did see that he seemed quite lost.”

“Perhaps.”

Xie Wan wasn’t concerned about what the twelve-year-old Chu Tang was thinking. Seeing Anyu so focused, she couldn’t help but divert her. “Where is my birthday gift?”

Xiao Anyu was startled. “Your Majesty has already used the pillow, why… do you still need a birthday gift…”

Xie Wan: “Oh right, you already gave it. It’s the first time I’ve seen someone give a gift and then take it back.”

Anyu: “…”

Knowing she was in the wrong, Anyu thought for a moment, then pointed at the bright moon in the sky and said, “The moon is so round today. Your Majesty, make a birthday wish? Maybe it will come true next year!”

Xie Wan slowly raised her head to look.

It was truly bright.

She smiled and said, “Then I will make one wish: for peace under heaven.”

Anyu blinked. After realizing, she felt a bit conflicted. “Your Majesty… don’t you have any other smaller wishes?”

Peace under heaven? How could she possibly help her achieve that wish!

Moreover, there didn’t seem to be any wars between the various states right now. Was it considered not peaceful?

“Smaller ones?”

At this point, Xie Wan finally understood Anyu’s meaning.

She smiled and said, “No.”

Anyu pouted.

Xie Wan stroked her head. “I only have this wish. It cannot be small. If it doesn’t come true this year, I will wish for it again next year.”

Her persistence made Anyu unable to resist asking, “Is the world not peaceful?”

Xie Wan: “It’s about to become unpeaceful. Between the various states, undercurrents are surging.”

At most, it would be another two or three years. When Emperor Ruiming’s health deteriorated further, those other states that were eyeing them covetously would reveal their ambitions.

Anyu was silent for a moment, then asked, “Will they fight their way to Da Yue?”

“Perhaps.”

Anyu grabbed Xie Wan’s hand. “I will protect you.”

Xie Wan smiled faintly. “Okay.”

Anyu pursed her lips and also smiled.

The excitement in her heart was about to overflow. Bandit suppression, she couldn’t wait.

Will I become an excellent general in the future? I definitely will! Because I want to protect Da Yue! That’s right, it’s for the sake of protecting Da Yue!

Meanwhile, Xu Shengwen also used the excuse of going to the latrine and did not leave the palace with the main group.

He was familiar with the palace. Holding the painting, he prepared to go find Her Majesty.

She cherished talent and loved literature and art. She wouldn’t dislike the phoenix painting he had drawn.

Xu Shengwen thought this, but he didn’t expect that he wouldn’t need to search deliberately. As he turned a corner at the end of the palace corridor, he ran into the person he was looking for.

His surge of enthusiasm was thoroughly doused with cold water. The two shadows under the moon were too clear, preventing Xu Shengwen from taking that step forward.

Xu Shengwen turned and left, the madness in his eyes completely hidden in the shadows.

This time, during the bandit suppression, he wanted Xie Wan to go and never return.

When Xie Wan returned to her palace, she showed little expression upon hearing the report from the hidden guards.

“He left the palace without doing anything?”

“Young Master Xu tore the painting to shreds at the palace gate,” the hidden guard reported. “It was a phoenix painting with a congratulatory inscription, likely intended as a gift for Your Majesty.”

Xie Wan remarked with a faint hint of mockery, “Young Master Xu is quite thoughtful.”

“Send two people to keep an eye on Xu Shengming and Xu Shengwen. Report their every move to me in the coming days. Xu Ping is an old fox and acts cautiously, so don’t alert him.”

The hidden guard replied, “Yes.”

Xie Wan narrowed her eyes. She wanted to see who would dare to interfere with this bandit suppression.