After Rebirth, My Wife Turned Out to Be Myself - Chapter 39

After the signal flare was sent up, the imperial troops charged up the mountain.

The people in the stronghold reacted, wanting to resist, but seeing the dense mass of imperial soldiers, they quickly ceased their efforts.

With swords pointed at their noses, they could only surrender.

Seeing this, the three siblings and the escort agency’s subordinates also understood Anyu’s identity. The eldest sister was the first to step forward: “Thank you, Your Excellency, for saving our lives.”

She had misjudged earlier. Although this young lady was not old, her skills were extraordinary.

Anyu smiled: “There’s no need to talk about saving lives. I should also thank you for starting that fire.”

Without the fire, it would have been difficult for her to break through the encirclement alone.

“My name is Nie Gulan, the head of the Silver Snake Escort Agency.” The woman saw Anyu’s bewildered expression and said helplessly, “Your Excellency probably hasn’t heard of it… It’s an escort agency in the martial arts world. But I was injured due to an enemy’s scheme and happened to faint within the territory of Qianlong Stronghold. When I woke up, I was captured and brought up the mountain.”

“My two younger brothers and subordinates came to rescue me. Thanks to Your Excellency’s assistance this time, we were able to escape danger. We will remember this life-saving kindness. This is the token of my Silver Snake Escort Agency. If our benefactor needs any help from the Silver Snake Escort Agency, my siblings and I will go through fire and water.”

“Don’t call me benefactor anymore, my name is Xie Anyu.” Anyu smiled and didn’t refuse, accepting the token. She could also tell that both the woman and her third brother were skilled in martial arts.

Father had said that making friends while traveling outside was always beneficial and harmless.

Xie Anyu… Hearing this name, Nie Gulan’s second brother seemed to pause for a moment, then bowed respectfully: “So it is Lady Consort Wan.”

His bow made Xie Anyu feel a bit flustered, “You know me?”

The second brother smiled: “This commoner has heard of you. The official Xie Yunliang who came to the North to provide disaster relief this time is surely Her Ladyship’s cousin, right?”

Xie Anyu nodded: “He is indeed my cousin.”

She could feel that the escort agency group’s respect for her seemed to deepen, and Anyu felt a bit proud.

But the few people didn’t linger. Nie Gulan still had injuries, and Anyu didn’t keep them, merely watching them leave.

Zhou Ning watched this scene and softly murmured, “Silver Snake Escort Agency.”

Anyu’s ears twitched, and she turned to ask, “Sister Zhou Ning knows them?”

“A very famous escort agency in the North. As far as I know, this agency is involved in a wide range of activities, not just transporting goods for people. It seems to be a covert intelligence organization as well.” Seeing her confusion, Zhou Ning explained, “However, their scope of activity seems to be limited to a few commanderies in the North. Ah Da’s merchant caravan has some cooperation with this Silver Snake Escort Agency.”

Including much of the information they obtained about the stronghold, it was also purchased from this escort agency.

It was truly surprising, though, to encounter them in this Qianlong Stronghold.

“In my opinion, the three siblings leading them are not simple. You should keep this token safe,” Zhou Ning said.

So they have such a background…?

In that case, they might not have necessarily needed her to save them.

Anyu instead rubbed her nose, “I seem to have conveniently picked up someone else’s favor.”

Zhou Ning smiled: “You can’t say that. Even if the Silver Snake Escort Agency has capable people, they are spread out everywhere. A strong dragon cannot suppress a local snake. Against the numerous Qianlong Stronghold, they could only rely on strategy.”

“Mm!” Anyu’s thoughts drifted. It wasn’t bad to have gained this favor. Her Majesty wanted to rectify the North, and if the Silver Snake Escort Agency could help, it might save a lot of detours.

Zhou Ning asked, “Speaking of which, wasn’t it said that there were three bosses in this Qianlong Stronghold?”

Anyu was startled, then waved her hand, “Not three bosses. There’s only one boss in this Qianlong Stronghold, but this boss has two left and right arms.”

Zhou Ning nodded, not dwelling on this point too much.

Having brushed off Zhou Ning, Anyu turned back: “Sister Zhou Ning, let’s arrange the matters in the stronghold first.”

“Okay.”

The two walked inside together, only Anyu quietly clutched the brocade pouch hidden in her sleeve.

She was certain that Her Majesty had written about three bosses.

Moreover, Her Majesty’s words indicated that Qianlong Stronghold was not easy to breach. That person wouldn’t joke with her about such a major matter as bandit suppression, so there was only one possibility.

Either the information that person received was wrong, or some changes had occurred in the stronghold later…

But Anyu had a strange, inexplicable feeling.

It wasn’t that the information was wrong.

Nor was it that changes had occurred.

Anyu couldn’t explain this discrepancy.

It was as if there was a layer of blurred paper separating them.

She could vaguely feel that the tone Her Majesty used when writing the brocade pouch notes didn’t sound like she was deceiving her. It was as if Qianlong Stronghold should indeed have three bosses, and it should indeed be very difficult to attack.

That tone was utterly certain.

And Anyu was startled to realize that she had experienced this situation more than once.

That person should clearly be an incompetent emperor, yet repeatedly surprised her.

That person should clearly be obsessed with calligraphy and painting, yet doted on her, who didn’t understand romance, and even changed the poetry gathering at the birthday banquet.

Every time Anyu felt she understood that person a little, she would always overturn her ‘clearly and should’.

Why was the ‘Emperor Ruiming’ she knew so different from the ‘sickly emperor’ who appeared before her eyes?

Was it because she had deliberately hidden her true nature before?

But in Anyu’s view, apart from being in poor health, that person… didn’t seem to be the type to hide their capabilities.

“Have I been overlooking something all along?” Anyu murmured softly.

“Anyu?” Zhou Ning turned back.

“It’s nothing, Sister Zhou Ning, I was just thinking. Let’s quickly handle the matters in the stronghold. There are still a few strongholds left. The sooner we finish suppressing them, the sooner we can return to the palace!” Xie Anyu raised the corner of her mouth resolutely.

She had one good quality: she wasn’t afraid of difficulties.

When she returned to the palace, she would ask!

If that person didn’t tell her…

Then she would throw a tantrum and roll around.

Anyway, in front of that person, she was just a child!

Xie Wan, who was currently reviewing memorials, suddenly felt her eyelid twitch.

Her sudden pause made Zhaoxia, who was attending nearby, cautiously ask, “Your Majesty? What’s wrong?”

Xie Wan touched her eyelid with her left hand, “I suddenly feel a bit unwell.”

Zhaoxia: !

“Are you feeling unwell? This servant will call the Imperial Physician!”

“No.” Xie Wan waved her hand to stop her, smiling, “Perhaps I was just overthinking.”

The bandit suppression would surely go smoothly.

Her eyelid was probably just twitching from fatigue.

Xie Wan put down her brush, “I’ll go out for a walk.”

“Yes.”

But just as she stepped out of the Imperial Study, Xie Wan heard a shout from outside—

“Your Majesty!”

Hearing this sound, Xie Wan looked at the foot she had already stepped out with, thinking why she had decided to come out for a walk.

For no other reason than the person standing not far away, waiting hesitantly for Xie Wan, was none other than ‘Lady Consort Song’.

Ever since Anyu left the palace, the gentlemen in the inner palace seemed to have become active again, finding ways to appear before her every day.

Song Nanfeng wasn’t the first.

However, this Song Nanfeng was quite a headache in the inner palace. After all, his status was different. In name, he was considered Emperor Ruiming’s adopted cousin, and Prince Zhenbei was also a rare court official who stood on her side.

In her previous life, Song Nanfeng died at Xu Shengwen’s hands, and Emperor Ruiming completely lost the support of Prince Zhenbei.

“This subject greets Your Majesty!”

Song Nanfeng showed none of his arrogant demeanor in front of Xie Wan. He said softly, “This subject heard that Your Majesty caught a cold a few days ago and ordered some soup to be made.”

Xie Wan was quite surprised that Song Nanfeng was like this in front of Emperor Ruiming.

One must know, this Song Nanfeng, to her, was an ‘old acquaintance’.

Xie Wan remembered when she first entered the palace as Consort Wan, this Song Nanfeng had not been shy about ridiculing her with others.

However, perhaps upon discovering that although she was the daughter of the General’s Manor, she was not favored by Her Majesty at all, he would still ridicule her a few times before, but later, upon seeing her, he couldn’t even be bothered to acknowledge her.

To say there was a great enmity, there wasn’t.

She just knew that he later fought fiercely with Xu Shengwen.

And remembering it clearly now…

Naturally, it was still because he was the ‘Lady Consort Song’ in little Anyu’s words.

Thinking this, a hint of a smile appeared in Xie Wan’s eyes.

However…

“Young Master Nan is thoughtful, but there’s no need to send these things to me in the future. I don’t like drinking soup.”

Song Nanfeng’s hand trembled, “Yes.”

“Speaking of which, you are still my cousin. Young Master Nan, how long have you been in the palace?” Xie Wan suddenly asked.

Song Nanfeng lowered his head and replied, “Reporting to Your Majesty, it has been one year.”

“How does this palace compare to the Prince Zhenbei’s Manor?”

Song Nanfeng didn’t understand why she was asking this, but he answered seriously, “The Imperial Palace is naturally magnificent. The Prince Zhenbei’s Manor cannot be compared.”

“I wasn’t asking you that.” Xie Wan looked at him, “Before entering the palace, you were also the second son of the Prince Zhenbei’s Manor. Although you wouldn’t inherit the title, your learning was decent. Have you ever thought about becoming an official in court?”

Song Nanfeng was stunned: Huh?

“No…” Seeing Xie Wan staring at him intently, he lowered his head in a panic, “…Yes.”

“With your arrogant and overbearing nature, I would be worried if you went into officialdom.”

Song Nanfeng: Huh?

Song Nanfeng’s first reaction was that Xie Anyu must have mentioned the tea banquet last time and complained to Her Majesty. But upon reflection, he was puzzled… Why would Her Majesty ask this?

“I have other matters to attend to. Young Master Nan, you may return first.”

Song Nanfeng only dared to nod, “Yes.”

It wasn’t until Song Nanfeng walked away step by step that Xie Wan withdrew her gaze.

There were many in the inner palace similar to Song Nanfeng. Their entry into the palace was not voluntary; most were summoned by Emperor Ruiming because she favored their appearance or talent. Regardless of Emperor Ruiming, she certainly had no fortune to enjoy this multitude of male consorts.

She would find a good opportunity to send them all away.

As for those whose families held power… Emperor Ruiming did it to balance the court and win over powerful officials.

But she…

Didn’t need to.