Transmigrated into an Ancient M-Preg Novel as the Scumbag Alpha (GL) - Chapter 24
“You can trust me,” Yun Chenghuai said earnestly.
The sincerity in her eyes made Shen Liunian pause, and a hint of trust actually rose in her heart.
What a joke. Dog Yun has only been putting on an act for a day. What trust is there to speak of?
Yun Chenghuai knew that mere words were useless. She snatched the cloak Xiao Bei had hung nearby and ran outside.
Shen Liunian watched her retreating figure, unable to turn away for a long time.
The youthful vigor, joy, and unrestrained spirit seemed to cast a beam of light on her back, brightening the desolate winter day and bringing a touch of warmth.
Looking at Yun Chenghuai like this, a strange longing emerged in Shen Liunian’s heart.
Then, Shen Liunian’s eyes hardened. Dog Yun is unforgivable. Southern Qin and Northern Qi had jointly sought marriage with the Shen family’s Kun Ze, precisely because this generation’s Shen family head had only two Kun Ze daughters.
Shen Liunian’s elder sister became a concubine to the Crown Princess in Northern Qi, and she herself married Princess Chuxiang as her Princess Consort.
If they refused both countries’ marriage proposals, they would face the iron cavalry of both nations.
If they married, the two Shen family daughters—one journeying to Northern Qi, the other coming to Southern Qin—would leave the Shen family head with no successor.
The Shen family had many adopted daughters, but they were not bl00d relatives. The imperial families of the two nations did this to covet the eighteen mines.
If the eighteen mines were so easily acquired, the Shen family would not have existed until now.
The imperial families of Southern Qin and Northern Qi relentlessly coveted the Shen family. Shen Liunian didn’t know how her elder sister fared in Northern Qi, but her own days in Southern Qin were a personal experience.
The imperial nobles in the Southern Qin capital categorized her as a merchant, using this to elevate their own status, demonstrating their superiority by mocking and suppressing her.
Dog Yun, unable to resist the Emperor, took her frustrations out on Shen Liunian.
Whether it was the Southern Qin imperial family or Yun Chenghuai, Shen Liunian detested them from the bottom of her heart.
Especially Dog Yun. Originally, they were both people under powerful authority, unable to control their own fates. But Dog Yun did not resist the higher power. Instead, she vented her dissatisfaction by bullying her Princess Consort, whose family was far away.
In Shen Liunian’s eyes, Yun Chenghuai was extremely selfish and narrow-minded, full of ambition but lacking brains.
The Yun Chenghuai who just ran in the rain was a vitality she had never seen before—unrestrained, like a teenager.
Fortunately, the rain had lessened. Yun Chenghuai braved the rain and ran to the front courtyard study. She opened a hidden compartment, took out a box, and then ran back to the inner courtyard, still in the rain.
Along the way, servants watched her running back and forth, disregarding decorum, but dared not approach due to her usual intimidating presence.
The original owner’s behavior had reached such a point that it was unparalleled. After reviewing the original owner’s memories, Yun Chenghuai felt that the original owner was someone who could not correctly perceive herself. The original owner’s fate was inherently a consequence of her excessive arrogance.
The original owner often expressed her superiority by oppressing the weak, especially servants. Their lives were at the Princess’s whim. The original owner had always been arrogant and harsh towards servants, so it was normal for servants to fear her.
Therefore, as Yun Chenghuai ran in the rain, no one dared to offer an umbrella.
She didn’t care, and ran back to the main courtyard, hugging the box.
Xiao Bei had already returned with the gift list. Seeing Yun Chenghuai drenched, she quickly grabbed an umbrella and went to meet her.
“Your Highness, why did you go out in the rain without even a maid or page to hold an umbrella?”
Xiao Bei helped her take off her cloak. It was warm enough inside, and she was wearing a long fur coat lined with cotton. Plus, the original owner had a decent physique, so she didn’t feel cold.
Yun Chenghuai waved her hand and sat down opposite Shen Liunian. The platters on the table had already been cleared. She opened the box as if presenting a treasure, then took out the items one by one.
“This is the token for the manor guards. With this, both the left and right guards of the manor will be at Madam’s disposal.”
The manor’s two guards each numbered six hundred, led by two fifth-rank Deputy Commanders, who managed the two guards.
Southern Qin, like Northern Qi, had a simple military system. Only at the fourth rank did one enter the ranks of generals.
With the two guards balancing each other, the original owner hadn’t paid much attention to the manor guards and wasn’t very familiar with their situation.
Yun Chenghuai continued, “These are the manor’s properties. The estates and shops are all in here. From now on, Madam, you will manage them.”
The manor’s guards, properties, and stewardship—she handed everything over to Shen Liunian.
Now, the entire Princess Chuxiang Manor’s power was under Shen Liunian’s control. Apart from Yun Chenghuai, no one dared to provoke Shen Liunian.
As the master, reclaiming stewardship and family properties was merely a matter of a word. Only military power was difficult to reclaim.
Once military power was handed over, it would be difficult to reclaim.
This was precisely why successive emperors never easily surrendered military tallies, fearing that the nation’s army would become a private army.
A manor’s guards numbered just over a thousand, not a large quantity, but they were responsible for the manor’s security.
Yun Chenghuai had essentially handed over half her life to Shen Liunian. Once the other party fully controlled the manor guards, everything in the manor would be at her command.
As long as Shen Liunian replaced all the Deputy Commanders and Centurions of the manor guards with her own people, coupled with the Shen family’s money, the manor guards could disregard her as the Princess.
The safety of the manor was entrusted to Shen Liunian, which meant her own safety was also entrusted to Shen Liunian.
At this moment, a drop of water dripped from Yun Chenghuai’s hair onto the paper in her hand. The ink, which had been dry for a long time, slightly blurred.
She quickly wiped the water stain with her sleeve. “It’s fine, it’ll dry right away.”
Her actions were like those of a child, completely devoid of imperial formality.
Royal etiquette was strict; members of the imperial family were taught etiquette from a young age.
Neither running in the rain just now nor carelessly wiping ink-stained water with her sleeve were actions someone who had received years of etiquette training would make.
In the past, Dog Yun loved to put on airs as a Princess, usually looking down on others and never condescending to the humble, let alone showing deference to court officials.
How could such a person, who always emphasized her noble status, perform such actions?
Xiao Bei, however, secretly chuckled, a thin mist clouding her eyes. “Your Highness hasn’t been this childlike in a long time.”
Yun Chenghuai paused, then suddenly recalled that when the former Empress was alive, the original owner was still very young. In front of others, she was a small, well-behaved child, full of etiquette. But when she returned to the former Empress’s side, she was a mischievous little brat.
After the former Empress passed away, given her status, no concubine in the palace dared to discipline her. Later, when the new Empress ascended, various malicious rumors spread in the palace.
Things like: “With the new Empress enthroned, the Crown Princess might be replaced,” or “Princess Chuxiang might not live to adulthood.”
The eunuchs and maids in the imperial palace, with nothing to do, loved to spread rumors, exacerbated by those with ulterior motives.
A child who had just lost her mother—the original owner was only eight at the time—her personality changed drastically in a very short period.
Of course, no matter how outstanding the original owner was in her childhood, the drastic change in her personality later and the many bad deeds she committed were all facts.
One cannot excuse current wrongdoings just because a person was once good.
Yun Chenghuai felt no sympathy for the original owner. People should not vent their misfortunes on innocent individuals.
“Xiao Bei, give me the gift list.”
The gift list was from Li Zhaoxian, not the Shen family. It might hide something, perhaps evidence that could incriminate them.
“The gift list has been shown to the Princess Consort, Your Highness. Perhaps you should change your clothes first.”
Thanks to the light rain outside, and Yun Chenghuai using her cloak for cover, she wasn’t that wet.
Seeing Xiao Bei’s worried gaze, she hesitated.
Shen Liunian picked up the gift list nearby and said, “The gift list is fine, but these items are not from the Shen family and are not suitable to remain in the princess manor.”
“Yes, Madam can decide.”
Since Shen Liunian had seen the gift list, Yun Chenghuai didn’t plan to look at it.
She stood up, letting Xiao Bei help her change her outer garment, and wiped her hair. “Oh, and Xiao Bei.”
“Your Highness.”
“Go tell An Yuan to return. From now on, the manor guards are under the Princess Consort’s command.”
With Shen Liunian taking over, An Yuan wouldn’t be needed to reorganize the manor guards.
An Yuan was her personal guard, handpicked by the old Duke Zhenguo, loyal to the person, not the command. Even if given to Shen Liunian, it would be useless.
Shen Liunian looked up. She hadn’t known Yun Chenghuai had sent An Yuan to the front courtyard barracks.
Yun Chenghuai adjusted her clothes herself and poured herself some tea. “Li Zhaoxian’s gifts cannot remain in the manor, nor can they be disposed of casually. How about we send them out?”
“Send?” Shen Liunian’s brow slightly twitched. Li Zhaoxian’s things would be a curse to whoever received them.
“To the Imperial Palace, the Eastern Palace, all the Princess Manors, and the established Princess Manors and County Princess Manors—send two sheep to each, and divide the rest equally among them.”
“She who accepts gifts is indebted. If we share all the gifts we received this time, it will sufficiently prove our innocence. If every household receives a share, then if someone claims our items are problematic, exactly when did the problem occur? Can they clearly state that?”
Yun Chenghuai spoke earnestly. By then, the mutton would have been eaten. If they then claimed the items were problematic…
In winter, mutton from the northwest was very popular in the capital. The journey from the northwest to the capital was long, so only noble families could enjoy a pot of northwestern mutton stew in the dead of winter.
The gifts would be consumed. She wondered what trouble Li Zhaoxian could possibly stir up then.
Speaking of which, Yun Chenghuai’s eyes brightened, looking somewhat excited.
Shen Liunian’s lips curved into a smile, amused by her childlike excitement, but she quickly reined it in.
“Princess Consort, someone from the Eastern Palace has arrived.” Nan Ling, who had apparently left and re-entered, knelt and bowed.
Hearing “Eastern Palace,” Shen Liunian frowned. “Let them in.”
The Eastern Palace knows Li Zhaoxian is in the capital. Did they also find out about her contact with Li Zhaoxian?
Crown Princess Yun Chengji was not as easy to deal with as Yun Chenghuai.
Yun Chenghuai also sat up straight, curious, waiting for the Eastern Palace people to enter.
Soon, a group of people, carrying items, walked in. Leading them was a female official from the Eastern Palace.
In the palace, Qian Yuans who had lost their glands were eunuchs, while Kun Zes and He Yuans were generally called female officials.
One could distinguish Qian Yuans and Kun Zes by their hairstyles, while He Yuans were unrestrained and could choose their own. In the palace, Kun Zes and He Yuans often had the same hairstyle.
“Princess Chuxiang, this servant, acting on the command of Her Highness the Crown Princess, brings humble gifts to congratulate the Princess Consort on her pregnancy.” The female official finished respectfully, then instructed those behind her to present the Eastern Palace’s gifts.
It wasn’t the first time the original owner had received gifts from the Eastern Palace. Yun Chenghuai stood up as soon as the female official mentioned the Crown Princess.
Not only that, she took a step to the side and helped Shen Liunian up.
She bowed slightly and said, “Many thanks for Her Highness the Crown Princess’s gracious gifts.”
The Eastern Palace saying “humble gifts” was a courtesy. Even between sisters, it had to be called “gracious gifts.”
The female official waved her hand, signaling those behind her to leave, then put on a smile. “Your Highness, Her Highness the Crown Princess has a few private words to convey.”
“Auntie, please speak,” she said. Addressing an elder, high-ranking female official as “Auntie” was common in the palace.
Even the Emperor addressed her close female officials as “Auntie.”
The female official’s eyelids drooped. “Her Highness the Crown Princess said that she shouldn’t meddle in your household affairs, but since the former Empress passed away, she, as an elder sister, must intervene. Now that the Princess Consort is pregnant and unable to serve Your Highness, Her Highness has entrusted the Crown Princess Consort to select a few excellent palace maids to send to Your Highness. We ask the Princess Consort to arrange them appropriately.”
Yun Chenghuai: “???” What does this mean? Sending concubines to her?
No, I was raised with the idea of one spouse for life. How can a marriage accommodate others, and they sent several at once?
She looked at Shen Liunian helplessly, but Shen Liunian completely ignored her.
The other party clearly didn’t want to meddle in these affairs. Whether she took on secondary wives or concubines, it didn’t matter how many women were around her.
Her plea for help failed, and her brain quickly spun.
She had just dismissed her personal maids. If she now took on several concubines, how much more trouble would that be? How could she live her life happily?
And they were sent by the Crown Princess, making them hard to dismiss. Keeping them in the manor would just be a burden.
In her haste, Yun Chenghuai suddenly put her arm around Shen Liunian’s shoulder and said, “Her Highness the Crown Princess and Imperial Sister-in-Law have been too kind. This Princess and Princess Consort have a very good relationship; in this life, there will only be the Princess Consort. As for the palace maids, Auntie, please take them back.”
“Your Highness…” The female official tried to object.
Yun Chenghuai swiftly turned her head and kissed Shen Liunian on the tip of her nose.
Hmm… she’s afraid if she kissed her on the mouth, she’d be beaten to death after the female official left.