After Rebirth, My Wife Turned Out to Be Myself - Chapter 9

Since Xie Wan wasn’t beaten, Anyu felt a little more at ease.

She took her notebook of copied texts to her eldest cousin’s place to show off her treasure, leaving Xie Wan alone in her courtyard to rest.

That’s right, Her Majesty was tired.

Xie Wan took a sip of tea and only then felt slightly better.

This body really wasn’t up to par.

Looking around, her courtyard was exactly the same as it had been. Even the weapon rack placed in the courtyard was identical to the one in her memory.

“That’s my sister’s weapon rack.” A sudden voice made Xie Wan turn her head.

“Ah, it’s Young Master Xie San.”

Xie Yuntao, the only son of the third branch, was Xie Wan’s younger cousin.

Xie Yuntao was only fourteen or fifteen at this time. The young man’s expression was tense as he walked straight to the weapon rack and casually took a bow from it.

He nocked an arrow.

Drew the bow.

The target… pointed directly at a bird in the sky.

Xie Wan raised an eyebrow.

Xie Yuntao narrowed his eyes. With a whoosh, the arrow shot out, and the bird fell in response.

It happened to… fall right in front of Xie Wan.

Xie Wan glanced at the bird on the ground, pierced through the heart, and lightly clapped her hands, “Good shot.”

Xie Yuntao placed the bow and arrow on the stone table and responded to her praise without being humble or arrogant: “My sister’s archery is even more accurate than mine.”

“Oh?”

“My sister was the champion of the imperial hunt,” Xie Yuntao emphasized.

“Yes, We know.”

This Emperor, how could she…

Xie Wan’s calm demeanor made the young man a little unable to hold back, “My sister was supposed to become a general! In the future, she would only surpass Second Uncle!”

Xie Wan: “Indeed.”

“Forcing my sister to marry into the palace, preventing her from becoming a general, is a loss for Your Majesty, and a loss for Da Yue!”

The more Xie Wan listened, the less she understood. Had this boy come specifically to praise her?

“Young Master Xie San… what exactly do you want to say?”

Xie Yuntao gritted his teeth, “Your Majesty fears the Xie family plotting rebellion, so you married my sister to use as leverage. Second Uncle, to protect the entire Xie family, sent my sister into the palace.”

Xie Wan raised an eyebrow.

“What’s done is done, and I have nothing more to say. But Xie Yuntao only has this one sister, and the Xie family only has this one daughter. If my sister doesn’t fare well in the palace… Your Majesty, remember this: the eldest, second, and third young masters of the Xie family will be the pillars of the Xie family from now on. We are not to be trifled with!” The young man said fiercely, displaying a fearless assertiveness like a newborn calf, even when facing the Emperor.

Xie Wan raised an eyebrow, “We understand. We promise you.”

“…” Pro-promised?

He had come having mustered all his courage, even saying treasonous words, yet the Emperor not only didn’t punish him but even agreed?

Xie Yuntao’s temper deflated somewhat, and he stood rooted to the spot, unsure what to say.

“Anything else?”

“No… no.”

When Xie Yuntao left, utterly bewildered, he was still thinking, how is this different from what Eldest Brother said? This Emperor seems to have a very good temper.

Xie Wan watched him leave, unsurprised by this scene.

These words were not something a fourteen or fifteen-year-old Yuntao could come up with.

Nine times out of ten, it was a strategy suggested by the person in the Xie family who saw the situation most clearly. And the one sent to say these words was the teenage Xiao Yuntao; no matter how foolish the Emperor was, she wouldn’t punish a young boy.

“Eldest Brother truly protects ‘me’,” Xie Wan shook her head lightly.

Soon, Xie Wan put the matter out of her mind, her gaze falling on the bow and arrow on the table before her—

She, too, hadn’t touched a bow and arrow in many years.

Once, a bow and arrow had won her the championship three times in the hunting grounds; countless men felt inferior when facing her. Later, during the Lingbei uprising, from a hundred meters away, she had used a bow and arrow like this to take the head of the second-in-command of Lingbei.

Even on the battlefield, it was with this bow and arrow that she struck fear into the enemy.

Xie Wan couldn’t help but pick up the bow.

She was familiar with this bow; when she was younger, she often shot birds in this courtyard with it.

It wasn’t made of precious material, but it had accompanied her for many years.

Feeling the tangible weight in her hand, she doubted she could even draw the bow fully. However, Xie Wan didn’t hesitate much, stood up, and took an arrow from the quiver.

She nocked the arrow onto the bow.

She straightened her body and drew the bow with an extremely standard posture.

If someone were present to witness this scene, they would surely be astonished that the sickly Emperor could hold the bow in such a beautiful posture, even… as naturally as breathing.

Only the sound of an arrow cutting through the air was heard—

The arrow flew straight through the air and sharply embedded itself in a tree trunk over ten meters away. What was astonishing was that the arrowhead precisely pinned a falling leaf to the trunk. The arrowhead entered the trunk by exactly a short inch.

Conversely, Xie Wan’s forehead was again covered in a thin layer of sweat, and her fair, callus-free palms and fingers throbbed with pain.

What made Xie Wan most sigh was—

She couldn’t draw the bow fully.

Her young cousin, at fourteen or fifteen, could draw this bow fully with ease.

And she, knowing her strength was insufficient, still felt the thrill of the hunt and insisted on trying to draw it.

Looking at the leaf pinned to the tree, she could only sigh and think, at least her accuracy was still decent.

In fact, ever since she became Regent King, she had rarely used a bow and arrow.

Now that she was Emperor, she probably wouldn’t have the chance to go to the battlefield either.

Xie Wan shook her head, about to put down the bow.

Just then, the courtyard gate was pushed open abruptly, and Xie Anyu’s lively figure appeared, “Your Majesty, I’m back!”

Xie Wan, who hadn’t put down the bow yet: “…”

How sharp were Xie Anyu’s eyes? They were sharp enough to spot large eagles flying in the sky, so naturally, she saw the bow and arrow in Xie Wan’s hand at a glance.

Hmm? The Emperor was playing with her bow and arrow?

The young girl lifted her skirt and ran over, “Your Majesty knows archery too?”

Xie Wan smiled, “No.”

She knew well the temperament of her younger self; if she said yes, she would likely be challenged to a spar.

As expected, a hint of disappointment flashed in Xie Anyu’s eyes.

Of course, the Emperor was sickly, how could she know archery?

Xie Wan: “We were just curious. This is the weapon Consort Wan used when she won the hunting championship, so We picked it up to look.”

Xie Anyu looked up upon hearing this, “This is just the bow and arrow I use for daily practice. I don’t use this for the hunting grounds.” Xie Anyu drew an arrow and said to her, “The arrowhead on this is duller than the arrows used for hunting.”

“So that’s how it is.”

Xie Anyu casually picked up the bow, nocked an arrow, released the string, and the arrow flew out.

‘Whoosh—Thud!’

With a dull sound, the arrow embedded itself in the tree trunk.

Xie Anyu frowned upon seeing this, “Has someone been here?”

She saw the arrowhead still stuck in the tree trunk that hadn’t fallen off yet.

Xie Wan replied, “Young Master Xie San came by.”

“What did he come for?”

“Nothing, just passing by and said a few words.” Xie Wan didn’t mention the origin of the arrow in the tree trunk at all.

Only then did Xie Anyu stop asking. But she was still puzzled, Yuntao? Passing by? His courtyard and hers weren’t on the same path at all?

What puzzled Anyu the most was that arrow.

A part of the arrowhead was still exposed, clearly indicating the bow wasn’t drawn fully. She knew her cousin’s ability, so it wasn’t strange for him to hold back on this shot, but the leaf pinned to the tree…

It didn’t seem like Yuntao’s accuracy.

“Did you give the notebook of copied texts to your eldest brother?”

Xie Wan’s voice interrupted Anyu’s thoughts, and she nodded obediently, “Yes, I did.”

Suddenly, she thought of something and said abruptly, “Your Majesty, do you feel hot?”

“?”

“Is the weather hotter than in previous years?” Xie Anyu said casually, looking up at the clear sky.

It was only early spring.

The weather was indeed much hotter than in previous years.

If there was a severe drought in the north and the people’s harvest was poor… there would be a famine.

“Will there be a spring drought in the north? If the spring drought is severe, will it cause a famine?”

Xie Anyu secretly glanced at Xie Wan a few times. It was as if she wanted her to pay attention to this matter.

The sixteen-year-old Xie Anyu couldn’t have thought of this layer of meaning.

Moreover, the weather, no matter how hot, couldn’t indicate a drought at this time…

This was likely also at the suggestion of her eldest cousin. Xie Wan smiled inwardly with a sigh, but showed no emotion on her face. She even remained silent for a moment before softly saying, “Yes, it seems there will be a drought this year.”

“If there’s a severe drought, will the court send people to provide disaster relief?”

“Don’t worry, We have already sent an imperial envoy with funds and grain for disaster relief.”

“A lot?” Xie Anyu looked at her.

“Yes, a lot,” Xie Wan smiled lightly.

Xie Anyu smiled upon hearing this, “That’s good.”

Xie Wan reached out and stroked Xiao Anyu’s head.

Xie Anyu: !

“I’m not a little girl, Your Majesty, can you stop stroking my head? Even my father doesn’t stroke my head like this anymore…” Xie Anyu grumbled discontentedly.

“In Our eyes, you are a little girl.”

Xie Anyu glared at her, “This consort is Your Majesty’s concubine.”

Xie Wan chuckled, “Yes, a concubine who doesn’t serve in bed.”

“You…”

Xie Wan put her hands behind her back.

She was a reborn person, which was why she knew a great drought was coming. And her eldest cousin… was indeed exceptionally talented.

At this point, Xie Wan made up her mind.

She had to find a way to trick her eldest cousin into becoming an official in the court.