Dual Queens GL - Chapter 5

Ye Guichen returned to Changle Hall (Hall of Lasting Joy). The hall was deserted, and combined with the bitter cold of deep winter, it felt exceptionally isolated and chilling.

“A-Meng, tell the servants to add more charcoal to the fires in the hall, and then go heat up some wine for me,” Ye Guichen instructed. Tonight would probably not be a peaceful night for sleep; drinking some wine might help.

“Yes.” A-Meng immediately ordered the servants to add charcoal and heated up a small pot of red wine. She knew her Miss would surely be feeling unwell tonight.

A-Meng brought the warmed fine wine in and saw her Miss standing by the window. She had not yet taken off her temple-visiting robes or removed her makeup, looking noble, beautiful, and virtually unapproachable.

“Miss, let me help you take off your temple-visiting robes.” Ye Meng knew the Empress’s temple-visiting robes were always heavy and cumbersome.

“Mm.” Ye Guichen stood up, allowing Ye Meng to help her take off the robes. She changed into casual clothes and simultaneously used warm water to wash away the makeup on her face, revealing a fresh yet still beautiful countenance.

Just then, a servant brought in a few plates of small dishes to accompany the wine.

“Drinking wine straight makes it easy to get drunk, and eating some food makes it less monotonous,” Ye Meng said thoughtfully.

“You know I won’t get drunk, cannot get drunk, and dare not get drunk,” Ye Guichen said with a smile. Having been in the palace for over a decade, her self-control and self-discipline were almost ingrained in her bones. She could not make mistakes or lose her composure.

“Miss.” Ye Meng felt sad upon hearing Ye Guichen say this. How wonderful it would have been if Miss had never entered the palace; perhaps she wouldn’t have to live so restrictively.

“There are no outsiders; sit down and drink a little with me.” Ye Guichen reached out and pulled A-Meng. In this palace, the only person she could speak her heart to was A-Meng, who grew up with her.

Ye Meng sat down as well, pouring a small cup of wine for Ye Guichen and one for herself.

“The new person is like jade, one only hears the new person’s laughter, who cares about the old person’s tears,” Ye Meng couldn’t help but feel a chest full of grievances and resentment for her Miss. When she thought about Yang Zhao and Liu Hening having their happy union, while her Miss was forced to drink alone with her.

“A-Meng, don’t say things like that in the future. I don’t like to hear it.” Ye Guichen had already accepted reality, and her mindset was no longer as mournful as before. But Ye Meng brought up the painful subject, and her words seemed to shatter the composure Ye Guichen had just built up. She had her own pride; was she really going to let herself become a bitter, resentful woman confined to the deep palace? If all else failed, she could still be like the plum blossom, blooming alone in the cold.

Ye Meng saw Ye Guichen frown slightly, clearly unhappy, and quickly shut her mouth.

“Not saying it is best. Lest you get used to saying it and accidentally let it slip outside, that would be trouble. We live in the palace, unlike ordinary homes. It is never wrong to be cautious in how we conduct ourselves.” Ye Guichen instructed her. She knew A-Meng was speaking up for her. However much grievance she felt, she could only keep it hidden in her heart. There were far more people wronged in this palace than them. Since Yang Zhao’s love wasn’t with her, all she could rely on was herself and her good reputation. If Yang Zhao knew she harbored resentment towards him, in time, it would only make him weary of her.

“A-Meng understands. I won’t say those words again.” Ye Meng nodded. Miss was cautious in every aspect, and she certainly shouldn’t be a liability to her.

“You’ve been by my side since childhood. I trust your conduct, and I know you feel wronged on my behalf. I understand all of this, and I am comforted by it. Once this matter passes, we will let it pass.” Ye Guichen said, gently patting Ye Meng’s hand again.

Ye Meng looked at her Miss, who should have been the saddest but was instead comforting her own feelings. She felt that her own mind was truly far inferior to her Miss’s. She believed that Yang Zhao, having treated Miss this way and broken her heart, would regret it someday. Her Miss was a dazzling pearl; Yang Zhao was simply blind.

“Miss, now you and the other lady are both Empresses. In the future, who will listen to whom? Who will manage the Inner Palace?” Ye Meng asked.

“I think we will know tomorrow,” Ye Guichen said faintly. Yang Zhao had even considered deposing her to establish the new Empress, so naturally, he would honor Liu Hening more. She estimated that an imperial edict would be issued tomorrow to determine the hierarchy between her and Liu Hening.

“I don’t think she could do a better job than Miss,” Ye Meng said dismissively.

“If I can keep the title of Empress and not have to deal with those trivial matters, that would be a fortunate thing,” Ye Guichen thought to herself. To enjoy the honor of Empress without fulfilling the obligations of Empress—if that truly happened, it would be a case of ‘a loss for a blessing’ (a blessing in disguise). She wasn’t someone who didn’t covet the power of the Empress.

“That’s true, but the new Empress would have to be a good person for that to work! If the new Empress is not good, won’t we become like ants that she can crush at will?” Ye Meng was not so optimistic.

Ye Guichen was reminded by Ye Meng’s words. Yes, she thought. Liu Hening seemed like a good person, but the more someone looked like a good person, the more unsettling it was.

Ye Meng saw that Miss remained silent, clearly agreeing with her that Miss was not completely at ease about Liu Hening. If Miss wasn’t at ease, Ye Meng would only worry more.

“Then what should we do?” Ye Meng asked worriedly.

“We’ll take it one step at a time. It’s never wrong for us to be cautious.” Ye Guichen’s motto had always been “I will not offend others unless I am offended.” If Liu Hening truly harbored ill intentions, she wouldn’t sit and wait for death. After all, having grown up in the palace, she was not a simple person either. A hint of cold ruthlessness flashed across Ye Guichen’s beautiful, bright eyes.

After Ye Guichen and Ye Meng finished the small pot of wine, they stopped drinking and went to sleep to gather their energy. Tomorrow would likely not be a peaceful day.

Just as Ye Guichen expected, the day after the wedding, Yang Zhao’s imperial decree arrived at her Changle Hall, proclaiming her the East Palace Empress, with all treatments and benefits remaining the same.

“Miss, East Palace Empress—then the new Empress must be the West Palace Empress, right?” Ye Meng whispered to Ye Guichen after she accepted the decree.

Ye Guichen shook her head. Since ancient times, the Empress has resided in the Central Palace.

Of course, Ye Guichen was not surprised by this result and was mentally prepared for it. The Changle Hall where she lived was already within the East Palace, and she had been living there since she entered the palace. When she was first crowned Empress, Yang Zhao used the excuse that she was accustomed to Changle Hall, so he didn’t have her move into the Central Palace. Looking at it now, the Central Palace in Yang Zhao’s heart had long been reserved for Liu Hening. Ye Guichen merely gave a faint, cold smile at the thought.

“Help me dress and apply makeup. We are going to Changqing Hall to pay respects to the new Empress, and bring the Empress Seal with us,” Ye Guichen ordered Ye Meng with an expressionless face.

Ye Meng didn’t understand. They were both Empresses, so why should her Miss pay respects to the new Empress? And why bring the Empress Seal? Ye Meng thought her Miss wasn’t planning to give the Empress Seal to the new Empress, was she? Handing over the Empress Seal meant handing over all the power of the Empress. Then her Miss’s title of Empress would truly be empty.

“Empress, do you really have to bring the Empress Seal?” Ye Meng asked, looking at the box containing the Seal that a palace servant respectfully held with both hands.

“Mm. Since ancient times, the Central Palace is the most honorable. The Empress Seal should rightly be kept by the Central Palace. If we forcefully keep it, our position is neither right nor justified. It’s better to make a gesture and send it to her; we can also leave a good impression on the Central Palace Empress,” Ye Guichen said faintly.

After Ye Guichen finished dressing and applying her makeup, she went to Changqing Hall.

Having worked hard for a month and endured a wedding night the night before, Liu Hening was inevitably exhausted by Yang Zhao. Yang Zhao had gone to court early, but Liu Hening was still asleep.

When Ye Guichen arrived at the hall, the time was neither too early nor too late, but she was informed that the new Empress was still sleeping.

Ye Guichen thought to herself, Indeed, those who are favored are fearless. She would never have dared to wake up so late back then, for fear of leaving a bad impression on her husband.

“I should probably go wake up my Miss,” Liu Yan said, watching Ye Guichen sitting upright, waiting for her Miss to wake up. She was dignified and beautiful. Simply sitting there, she exuded the aura of an Empress. This was what an Empress, the mother of the nation, should look like, unlike her Miss, who was still enjoying a lie-in. Since the waiting party was also an Empress, Liu Yan felt it was truly inappropriate to keep the Empress waiting, so she decided to wake up her Miss, who sometimes had a bad temper when woken up.

“It’s fine; I’ll just wait,” Ye Guichen said, smiling slightly at Liu Yan, her tone gentle.

Liu Yan saw that she showed no impatience despite waiting for a long time and thought, What a good temperament, what a good disposition. The rumors that this Empress was respectful, gentle, and virtuous were clearly true. Coupled with her looks, this was truly how an Empress should be. Liu Yan had only glimpsed her in passing before and just thought she was pretty, but hadn’t paid much attention. Now, seeing her up close, she realized Ye Guichen was a truly peerless beauty. With such looks and such a temperament, there was probably no second person like her in the world. Although Liu Yan was amazed by Ye Guichen’s beauty and temperament, she didn’t think she overshadowed her own Miss; she simply felt that the woman before her and her Miss were different types of peerless women.