After Rebirth, My Wife Turned Out to Be Myself - Chapter 6

In the blink of an eye, it was noon. The sun was high, and the heat began to feel stifling.

A thin layer of sweat beaded on Xie Wan’s forehead, while Xie Anyu, dressed in even thicker layers beside her, remained energetic and refreshed.

It’s good to have a healthy body, Xie Wan sighed inwardly.

“Your Majesty should also come to the Martial Arts Ground and run a few laps when you have time,” Anyu suddenly said.

Xie Wan: ?

“Those who practice martial arts don’t easily fall ill.”

‘Her other self’ was actually concerned about her. This made Xie Wan feel a little flattered.

Xie Wan smiled, “I understand.”

Xie Anyu awkwardly said, “It’s time for lunch. These people are just for show, there’s nothing much to see.”

“Then let’s return to the palace. I will have the Imperial Kitchen prepare dishes Consort Wan likes.”

Xie Anyu’s face lit up with a smile, “Thank you, Your Majesty!”

She loved eating the most!

The two left hand in hand.

“Respectfully seeing off Your Majesty!”

The five thousand Imperial Guards watched them leave.

In reality… they were all quite displeased.

Just now, they had clearly heard Xie Anyu’s words, ‘just for show, nothing much to see’. Due to Emperor Ruiming’s presence, no one dared to react.

But as soon as the people left, many guards started shouting—

“What does she think she is!”

“What is Your Majesty trying to do? Did you summon us here today just to humiliate us?”

“Commander Sun, what exactly is going on?” One of the officers with a not-insignificant rank couldn’t help but nudge Commander Sun’s arm, “What is Your Majesty up to?”

Commander Sun glared at them fiercely, “What does she think she is? That’s Xie Chengdong’s daughter, the legitimate eldest daughter of the Xie family of generals! That little girl won the top prize in the Royal Hunt three times at the age of sixteen! Now that she’s entered the palace and become Lady Consort Wan, she’s not someone you can even look at too much! If I had known she was coming with Her Majesty, how would I have dared to arrange for you to go and show off your spear skills! I would have just said you were all sick and dying at home!”

Commander Sun’s scolding was like a torrent, leaving the guards unable to lift their heads.

“I’m telling you, starting today, the Imperial Guards are going to change. If you don’t stay alert, you’ll be kicked out of the palace gates sooner or later! And that’s the light punishment. If you don’t listen to orders and train from now on, don’t blame me, your commander, for not warning you when you lose your heads!”

“Commander, is it really that serious?” The officer’s face also turned pale. The Imperial Guards in the capital were a position that even sons of noble families wanted to get into to gain some prestige.

Firstly, because the Imperial Guards were directly under Her Majesty, and secondly, if one could gain the Emperor’s favor, it would truly be a rapid ascent. Furthermore, since Her Majesty didn’t practice martial arts and couldn’t really inspect the troops properly, as long as one had a good relationship with Commander Sun, serving a few years of leisure here was the best possible outcome.

“Just you wait and see…” Commander Sun said gloomily.

But he could only hint at this much.

Compared to warning these people, he should be more worried about himself. He had only managed to keep his commander position today by chance.

However, why would Her Majesty suddenly start interfering with the affairs of the Imperial Guards?

Commander Sun couldn’t figure it out, but he had a bad feeling.

“Tell the Imperial Guards to disperse and return to their duties.”

Commander Sun waved his hand, then left with a belly full of doubts.

But halfway there, he suddenly remembered, how could he just sit here and wait for death? He had to quickly inform Marquis Muqing, the Capital Prefect, and the Minister.

He had to quickly coordinate their stories, otherwise, if Her Majesty found out that those three young masters hadn’t come because they didn’t ask for leave, those three young masters would at most lose their Imperial Guard positions, but he would lose his commander position!

Thinking of this, Commander Sun’s feet seemed to sprout wings, and he quickly left the Martial Arts Ground.

…

Meanwhile, let’s talk about that Young Master Xu in Ningqing Palace.

Upon receiving the news that Her Majesty had given Consort Wan a palace pass, Young Master Xu’s book fell directly to the ground.

“Young Master…” The attendant watched him bend down to pick up the book cautiously, unsure of his mood.

Xu Shengwen picked up the book and gently patted it, his face still amiable, “It seems Her Majesty truly dotes on Lady Consort Wan.”

The attendant dared not speak now.

Xu Shengwen: “Has the letter to my father been delivered? What did my father say?”

The attendant quickly replied, “Young Master, the Old Master said nothing happened in court, Her Majesty is still the same as usual.”

“Nothing happened?” Xu Shengwen frowned.

If nothing had happened, why would Her Majesty’s attitude towards him suddenly change… and towards Xie Wan as well? Her Majesty had always been wary of the Xie family, so how could Her Majesty even give Xie Wan a palace pass?

It was truly baffling.

“Send a message to my father, recently… pay more attention to Her Majesty,” Xu Shengwen felt there was something fishy about this.

Attendant: “Yes.”

“No… I’ll return to the Xu Manor myself.”

He had to personally ask his father what exactly happened during the court session that day.

Just as Xu Shengwen was about to leave, stepping out of his bedchamber, he was stopped by a hand.

He looked up and saw it was the training governess sent by Her Majesty.

Seeing this old woman, anger surged in Xu Shengwen’s heart. What did Her Majesty mean by sending a training governess to Ningqing Palace? He had originally thought Her Majesty understood his feelings and had found a governess to teach him palace etiquette so that he wouldn’t make a fool of himself when he truly became Her Majesty’s male consort.

But what was the result? This governess had tormented him quite a bit these past two days.

Whether it was kneeling or bowing, if he didn’t do it well, he had to keep kneeling and bowing. Thanks to this, his knees were bruised and purple.

Xu Shengwen also secretly swore in his heart that once he gained a position, the first person he would get rid of would be this governess.

Of course, that was for later. What did this governess mean by stopping him now?

Xu Shengwen smiled, “Governess, is there something?”

Logically, Xu Shengwen’s temperament and appearance should have been likable, but the governess’s eyes were sharp. Having received Her Majesty’s command, she put on a stern face to deal with Xu Shengwen.

“Young Master Xu, are you leaving Ningqing Palace?”

Xu Shengwen: “Yes.”

The governess smiled and said, “Young Master Xu, Her Majesty has ordered that Young Master Xu is not to leave Ningqing Palace until all palace rules have been learned.”

Xu Shengwen was taken aback, “I haven’t heard Her Majesty mention this…”

The governess said lightly, “Young Master Xu naturally wouldn’t know, but Young Master Xu doesn’t understand palace rules. If you offend a noble in the palace again next time, it will be Her Majesty’s face that is lost. Or perhaps, Young Master Xu doesn’t wish to stay in this palace? If you don’t wish to stay, this old servant will report back to Her Majesty immediately.”

“You mean, because I offended a noble in the palace, Her Majesty sent the governess to Ningqing Palace to teach me?” Xu Shengwen clenched his teeth, his jawline tightening. It was clear how angry he was.

Offended a noble in the palace? Which noble? No one in the inner palace dared to disrespect him, except for Xie Wan, whom he had met once that day.

So, Her Majesty brought in such a governess not because she planned to give him a position, but because he had offended a ‘noble’ that day.

Xu Shengwen’s heart trembled.

How could this be?!

Your Majesty, how could you treat that Xie Wan like this?!

The Xie family should be rebels. By summoning her into the palace, wasn’t she just trying to hold Xie Wan hostage to control Xie Chengdong?

“Naturally. So, Young Master Xu, you should first learn the rules here in the palace,” the governess finished, then looked at the guards behind her.

The guards understood and stepped forward, blocking Xu Shengwen’s path.

Although Xu Shengwen was a man, he was just a frail scholar.

Seeing this scene, he understood that he wouldn’t be able to return to the Xu Manor today.

“Governess, by opposing my Xu family like this, have you considered your future?” Xu Shengwen’s eyes darkened as he stared intently at the training governess.

The governess seemed to not have heard the threat at all. She smiled, “This old servant is already nearing the age of entering the earth. Even if Young Master Xu becomes a consort in this palace, can you possibly surpass Her Majesty?”

Threaten her? The governess was completely immune to that.

She was old and had seen all sorts of people in the palace.

The governess was unyielding, and Xu Shengwen could only curse inwardly, flick his sleeve, and return to his bedchamber.

…

Xie Wan and Xie Anyu were having lunch. Someone reported everything that happened in Ningqing Palace to her.

Xie Anyu was present, but Xie Wan did not avoid her.

After listening to the messenger, Xie Wan remained noncommittal and continued eating.

It was Xie Anyu who couldn’t help but remind her, “Xu Shengwen is the second son of Prime Minister Xu.”

He was the second son of Prime Minister Xu, so why was the Emperor treating him like this? Not letting him leave Ningqing Palace, how was that different from house arrest?

If the Emperor’s actions were to reach Prime Minister Xu’s ears…

“Mm,” Xie Wan simply responded lightly.

Xie Anyu: “Even if you dislike him, doesn’t the court still need balance?”

Moreover, according to her father, Her Majesty was incompetent and loved nothing more than mediating disputes, primarily offending no one. Even for the sake of Prime Minister Xu behind Xu Shengwen, she shouldn’t treat Xu Shengwen like this.

“Would Consort Wan, for the sake of this so-called balance, try to please someone she dislikes?” Xie Wan countered.

Xie Anyu: “…No.”

“Then neither would I .”

Xie Anyu tilted her head. Father said Her Majesty favored the Xu family, but it didn’t seem like it.

“Balance cannot be maintained. The so-called balance will only make the Xu family more and more reckless. No matter how much power I give him, the Xu family will swallow it all, and even want more. To truly achieve balance, it would be better to support the Xie family. If the Xie family gains power, perhaps they can share the spoils equally with the Xu family,” Xie Wan smiled, “That, perhaps, is what you call balance.”

Xie Anyu was startled.

Support the Xie family.

Is that why she’s trying to win me over?

Looking at the plates of her favorite dishes before her, Xie Anyu couldn’t help but think. In this instant, those rare books, the words she said on their wedding night, everything had an explanation.

Your Majesty wants to support the Xie family to deal with the Xu family.

“Has the Xu family become so powerful that Your Majesty must be wary?” Xie Anyu asked.

“Not wary,” Xie Wan smiled, “It’s preventing trouble before it happens.”

Xie Anyu nodded.

She understood, but…

“The inner palace is not to interfere with politics. If you wanted to discuss these matters, Your Majesty should have spoken to my father,” Xie Anyu’s eyes were sharp, her gaze burning, “But Your Majesty is not avoiding me at all regarding this matter… This subject doesn’t understand.”

Hearing this, Xie Wan chuckled lightly and said as a matter of course, “Perhaps it’s because, rather than trusting the Xie family, I trust Consort Wan more.”

Xie Anyu’s pupils contracted.

Her mind raced, considering countless possibilities, but she hadn’t expected such a sentence.

She looked towards Emperor Ruiming, trying to confirm if her eyes were sincere.

But those peach blossom eyes met hers without flinching, as if saying, ‘I mean every word I say’.

Xie Anyu thought to herself.

Those eyes are extremely deceptive.

She couldn’t believe it.

Absolutely not.

“I merely spoke in jest, Consort Wan wouldn’t take it seriously, would you?” the Emperor suddenly said.

Xie Anyu: “…”

Xie Wan rubbed her chin, “I feel that if I want the Xie family’s assistance, I must start with Consort Wan. After all, Consort Wan is General Xie’s precious daughter. When you return home tomorrow, I hope Consort Wan will speak well of me to General Xie.”

Xie Anyu sneered, “Your Majesty can rest assured, this subject will definitely not add fuel to the fire.”

Xie Wan: ?