Dual Queens GL - Chapter 3
Just then, snow started falling again.
“Miss, it’s snowing again, let’s go back,” said Liu Yan.
“Mm.” So the two, master and servant of the Liu family, returned to the Changqing Hall that Yang Zhao had specially prepared for them.
At this time, Yang Zhao, who had finished the court session, was reported by a palace servant that Liu Hening had arrived a day early. He was extremely happy, and without even changing out of his court attire, he rushed to Changqing Hall, but his haste meant he arrived to an empty hall.
The servants wanted to go out and search for her, but Yang Zhao stopped them, wanting the master and servant to enjoy their stroll outside to the fullest. He patiently waited in Changqing Hall. This clearly showed the depth of the Emperor’s favor for this Miss Liu he had brought back.
“My Bodhisattva Guanyin, you’ve finally returned! The Emperor has been waiting for a long time,” the chief eunuch, Zhang Ling, stretched his neck to look outside the hall. Upon seeing Liu Hening and her maid return, he quickly greeted them.
Upon hearing this, Liu Hening just smiled and stepped into the palace hall.
Yang Zhao looked at her, seeing that after many years apart, she had shed the naivety of a young girl and gained the unique charm of a grown woman. Especially the red mole on her forehead was even more vibrant. She possessed an ethereal clarity, a gentleness, and beauty. Yang Zhao was exceptionally delighted and fond of her upon seeing her.
Yu Zheng and Liu Yan quickly knelt upon seeing Yang Zhao, but Liu Hening did not kneel, only offering Yang Zhao a gracious smile.
Seeing Liu Hening smile at him, Yang Zhao also smiled back, looking at her. He had finally brought her into the imperial palace.
“I have finally brought you to my side. I promised I would marry you,” Yang Zhao was very satisfied with this. He had the country, and now he had the beautiful woman he desired.
“Jun Shen, have you forgotten that you already have an Empress?” Liu Hening reminded him. She thought of the beautiful woman she had encountered in the plum grove earlier and couldn’t understand how Jun Shen could bear to depose such a flower-like beauty and cause her such sadness.
“You and I had an engagement first. She has always been virtuous and sensible, she understands my wishes, and she voluntarily offered to yield the Empress position to you.” Although Yang Zhao felt some guilt towards Ye Guichen, he was pleased that she didn’t care about the empty title of Empress. This lack of contention highly pleased Yang Zhao.
Liu Hening thought to herself that Ye Guichen giving up the Empress position was probably an act of necessity, meant to preserve some dignity for herself, avoid excessive embarrassment, and gain a good reputation. Ye Guichen was a beauty with a delicate mind and graceful demeanor, who knew when to advance and retreat. How could Jun Shen bear to cause such a person sadness?
“Which ordinary woman would be willing to go from being a wife to a concubine? She has committed no fault. To depose her from the Empress position would be too cruel to her,” Liu Hening said. She felt pity for the Ye family’s daughter, forced to compromise and suffer such a grievance. Liu Hening thought that if she were Jun Shen, she wouldn’t bear to make that beauty suffer.
“I will certainly compensate her in other ways. Besides, you and I were engaged first; you were originally my wife. How could I bear to let you go from wife to concubine? I made a promise to you first. Even if you don’t care about these things, I will not let you be wronged,” Yang Zhao said firmly. Marrying Ye Guichen was not his original intention; he was forced to marry her by Emperor Wen and Empress Wenxian. Although he had some affection for Ye Guichen over the years, she could still not compare to Liu Hening in his heart.
“She is virtuous and talented, and has committed no fault. To depose her without cause would be bad for Jun Shen’s reputation, and the ministers will surely oppose it. Jun Shen, please don’t go through all this trouble just to establish me as the Empress,” Liu Hening advised again.
Currently, the court officials were indeed vehemently opposing his decision to depose the Empress and establish another, but as the Son of Heaven now, what he wanted to do could not be controlled by his subjects.
“It would not be difficult to find some fault with her,” Yang Zhao said. He originally didn’t want to treat Ye Guichen this way, but there truly was no other option. He believed she could understand him, and he would cherish her more afterward, compensating her well.
Liu Hening thought to herself, she voluntarily gave up the Empress position just to save face, and Yang Zhao still intends to find fault with her—isn’t this just a case of “to condemn one, one needs no warrant”? Although Yang Zhao was clearly biased towards her, Liu Hening still felt that Yang Zhao was too heartless towards Ye Guichen.
“Could you establish two Empresses?” Liu Hening asked. Although there was no precedent, it wasn’t impossible. Rules are dead, but people are alive. She truly did not want her existence to hurt another person.
“Ning’er’s suggestion is brilliant!” The more Yang Zhao thought about it, the more feasible it seemed. If he truly deposed Ye Guichen and established Liu Hening as Empress, it would indeed damage his reputation. This way, neither Liu Hening nor Ye Guichen would be wronged. It was truly a solution that served both parties.
“Miss, good news…” Ye Meng quickly returned to tell her Miss after hearing that the Emperor would not depose the Empress but planned to establish two Empresses. In private, Ye Meng always referred to her as “Miss”; she would only call her “Empress” in front of others.
“Good news?” Ye Guichen asked listlessly. Since she saw Liu Hening yesterday, the gloom in her heart had grown thicker. Originally, she was unwilling, but after seeing her, she knew there was nothing to compare. She was her, and I am me. It’s like one is the moon and the other is a flower; neither is necessarily better, but Yang Zhao simply prefers to appreciate the moon.
“I heard that the Emperor is not planning to depose the Empress, but is preparing to establish two Empresses, and he has already discussed it with the ministers in the front hall today,” Ye Meng told Ye Guichen the news she had just inquired about.
Ye Guichen was slightly stunned upon hearing this. She felt a little relieved, thinking that he probably still had some affection for her, willing to let her keep some dignity. Although it was far less than his affection for Liu Hening, Ye Guichen felt she should be content.
“Establishing two Empresses has no precedent. The court officials will definitely strongly oppose it,” Ye Guichen said faintly. The resistance would likely be similar to that of deposing the Empress and establishing another.
“That depends on the Emperor’s will. After all, the Emperor has been quite powerful since his ascension. Most of the former Emperor’s old officials are gone. If his mind is set, who would dare to truly defy him?” Ye Meng said. She felt it depended on how determined the Emperor was.
“Don’t talk nonsense!” Ye Guichen quickly stopped her, afraid Ye Meng would say more inappropriate things. The veteran officials left by her uncle (the former Emperor) were indeed few now. Over the years, Yang Zhao had promoted and heavily relied on his own trusted people. After all, it’s a new Emperor, a new court of officials. Ye Guichen had long known that no matter how glorious her past was, she now had no power base to rely on, otherwise, Yang Zhao wouldn’t have been able to say he would depose her so easily.
“I’ve been with Miss for so long, these are things I only secretly say to you in private,” Ye Meng certainly knew these words couldn’t be spread. After staying in the palace with Miss for more than a decade, she still had some sense of propriety.
“By the way, Miss, I heard that the suggestion to establish two Empresses was actually proposed by the new Empress. Do you think she’s really that kind-hearted?” Ye Meng suddenly remembered another matter and quickly told her Miss.
“She proposed it?” Ye Guichen was clearly very surprised by this.
“An Ji told me. He was recently transferred to Changqing Hall to serve, so it should be true.” An Ji and she entered the palace together when they were young. After staying in the palace for more than ten years, although many of the palace staff had been replaced, they still had many old acquaintances.
“A-Meng, remember not to inquire about news at Changqing Hall in the future,” Ye Guichen instructed with a slight frown. If Yang Zhao found out, it would definitely cause trouble.
“Sigh, having to be cautious all day long! I knew it, it would have been better for the Empress (Wenxian) to find a good marriage for you and marry you out of the palace. Being the Empress isn’t enjoyable at all,” Ye Meng truly felt wronged for her Miss. Her Miss was top-notch in looks, temperament, and talent, and she definitely could have found a good marriage.
“Auntie (Empress Wenxian) did it for my own good, hoping I could also be the mother of the nation and inherit the glory she received. It is my incompetence that I couldn’t make my husband fall in love with me. Besides, what’s done is done. Don’t mention it again in the future,” Ye Guichen said.
“There are too few men as devoted as the former Emperor. The Emperor is not a man like the former Emperor. Besides you, hasn’t he favored many other women and taken many consorts over the years? It doesn’t seem like he is all that devoted to Miss Liu either,” Ye Meng said dismissively.
“It is too difficult for a man to favor only one person. Even my father couldn’t do it, so how dare I hope for it?” Ye Guichen said indifferently. Any lingering hope should be extinguished.
“But the Master at least placed the Madam first!” Ye Meng argued. Even if Miss couldn’t be solely favored, the favor she received should at least be the highest in the six palaces.
“He also places that Miss Liu first in his heart,” Ye Guichen said with a hint of sadness.
“Miss…” Ye Meng called out worriedly.
“I’m fine,” Ye Guichen said faintly. Since he doesn’t place her in his heart, she doesn’t need to place him in hers anymore. Only this way can she feel better. She is not someone he can casually fool, throw away, and then pick up again whenever he likes.
“Did he stay overnight at Changqing Hall last night?” Ye Guichen asked.
“No, he left late at night. I heard the Emperor plans to hold a grand wedding ceremony for her, treating it with the rites of an Empress,” Ye Meng said.
“He cherishes her, treats her with solemnity, and is unwilling to let her be wronged in the slightest. That Miss Liu is indeed the person he truly loves,” Ye Guichen said again.