Chapter 079: Female Supremacy 20

Le Yixian sat in her wheelchair, leisurely making her way around the treasury.
She unexpectedly came across an exquisite jade ruyi scepter. After admiring it for a moment, she handed it to the attendant behind her. “Send this to the Prime Minister’s residence later.”
“Yes, Your Highness,” the attendant replied respectfully.
The attendant in charge of the treasury grew anxious. “Your Highness, this jade ruyi was a tribute from the neighboring Kingdom of Feng. His Majesty was particularly fond of it in years past.”
“Oh,” Le Yixian nodded, indicating she understood, and continued strolling through the treasury.
Perhaps the Empress suspected her own treasury had truly been emptied by her, for someone soon came to summon her.
“Greetings, Mother. Please forgive me—I cannot give you a proper salute as my legs have yet to recover,” Le Yixian said as she entered, seeing the Empress frowning over state documents.
The Empress grunted in acknowledgment, not even looking up as she continued working through the memorials.
Le Yixian didn’t mind. Spotting the refreshments on the table, she reached out, brought the entire plate to her lap, and began eating contentedly.
After rummaging through the treasury for most of the day, she was hungry.
The lady-in-waiting beside the Empress was at a loss for words, her mouth opening and closing in silence. The Crown Princess had been behaving more… at ease lately, even daring to eat Her Majesty’s snacks.
With a glance, the lady-in-waiting silently signaled the other attendants, who nodded in understanding and slipped out of the study, making for the kitchens.
When the Empress finished the last of her documents, she set down her vermillion brush and habitually reached for the plate of pastries beside her. Her hand found only emptiness. Looking up, she saw the spot was now bare.
She looked again—Le Yixian was holding a half-eaten pastry, the plate on her lap reduced to a scattering of crumbs.
The Empress quietly withdrew her hand. “I hear you’ve been frequenting the treasury lately?”
“Yes. You instructed me not to neglect Qingyun, and to choose some gifts for him from the treasury.”
“Some?” the Empress pressed. “I heard you’ve been sending gifts every day?”
Le Yixian did not deny it. “To show how much I value the wedding, of course I must send gifts daily.”
“Enough,” the Empress said. “If you keep this up, you’ll empty out all the valuables and curiosities in my treasury.”
“Alright,” Le Yixian agreed readily.
The Empress was surprised at how quickly she acquiesced. Given her recent temperament, shouldn’t she have pleaded or bargained for some benefit?
“If there’s nothing else, Mother, I’ll take my leave. The Master of Ceremonies is waiting for me to try on the wedding robes.”

After Le Yixian left, an attendant entered carrying a food box.
The lady-in-waiting stepped forward, tested the contents with a silver needle for poison, and placed the dishes by the Empress’s right hand for convenience.
“Tell me, don’t you think the Crown Princess’s temperament has changed a great deal lately?” the Empress asked, staring at the pastries.
The lady-in-waiting replied, “Perhaps it’s because she’s about to be married. Women usually mature as they prepare to enter a household.”
“Is that so…” A thoughtful look flickered in the Empress’s eyes. “If the third child cannot be found, the eldest is not a bad choice either.”
The lady-in-waiting’s brow furrowed and she quickly lowered her head, saying nothing further. Such words were not for her to comment on.
Le Yixian returned to the Eastern Palace, only to find, besides the Master of Ceremonies, an unexpected visitor.
Yueluo’s face was dark as he strode up. “Xiaoyou, go to your mother and ask for a dissolution of the engagement. Let’s get married right away. Whatever support you need, I can provide.”
“No,” Le Yixian refused flatly.
“Why not? With my position and abilities, I could help you far more than that sickly fellow.”
“I lack for nothing in terms of status,” Le Yixian replied.
Yueluo sneered. “You lack nothing? Even I, in distant Yue, know that Her Majesty the Empress’s choice of heir lies elsewhere.”
“And so?” Le Yixian looked at him, thinking Yueluo was truly insufferable for always trying to sabotage her marriage to her beloved.
“I am the legitimate Crown Princess of Hongxing, the direct heir. As long as I make no mistakes, who can remove me from this position?”
Yueluo fell silent—her words were not without reason.
“You truly mean to marry that wretched invalid?” Yueluo’s eyes reddened as he recalled his experience at the Prime Minister’s residence. Only after leaving did he realize that all the arrangements had been deliberately staged by that sickly youth—to spite him.
“I do. There is no one else for me,” Le Yixian nodded.
Yueluo glared at her for a long moment before spitting out, “You’ll regret this,” and stormed away.
Le Yixian shrugged. She truly couldn’t fathom why her beloved had arranged for such a character. Was it just for show?

—

On the day of the Crown Princess’s wedding to the second son of the Liu family, the streets bustled with excitement.
The Liu family provided an extravagant dowry; the line of carriages stretched on and on.
That day, Situ Liuqing and Lengqing shielded her from much of the drinking.

“I never imagined Her Highness would be married off just like that,” Situ Liuqing hiccuped, sounding rather dejected. “I’d hoped to take her to the pleasure quarters for a stroll, but she was always so prim and proper, never willing to go. Now it’s too late—she’s married, how can we ever go now?”
Lengqing, expressionless, removed her hand from his shoulder without a word.
“Where is Her Highness?” Situ Liuqing looked around and realized the person of the hour was missing.
“Her Highness has already returned to the Eastern Palace,” Lengqing replied.
“What? She slipped away?” Situ Liuqing’s eyes widened, then gleamed with excitement as she leaned in close, lowering her voice, “Should we go and crash the bridal chamber?”
Lengqing pushed away her wine-scented face. “Go if you wish. I won’t.”
Without anyone to accompany her, Situ Liuqing didn’t dare go alone. Her Highness had been smiling a lot lately, but she seemed much more intimidating than before.

—

The main hall of the Eastern Palace was quiet.
Liu Qingyun clutched the hem of his robe tightly, visibly nervous.
He recalled what his elder brother had told him before he left home.
The skills he had learned from books—tonight he would finally have a chance to employ them.
He… he was about to share a wedding night with Sister You.
The thought made him tremble with excitement.
“Greetings, Your Highness!”
“All of you may withdraw.”
With the red bridal veil over his head, Liu Qingyun’s hearing was especially keen. He listened as the attendants filed out and the doors closed, then heard footsteps approaching him.
Suddenly, light filled his vision as the veil was lifted away.
He squinted, his eyes adjusting.
“Qingyun, are you hungry? I brought you some pastries,” Le Yixian said, smiling at the youth in his wedding finery.
“I… I’m not hungry,” Liu Qingyun shook his head, pulling a small packet from his sleeve. His gaze was clear as he said, “Father packed me plenty of snacks before I left home, so I could eat if I got hungry.”
“Not hungry? That’s good.” Le Yixian leaned closer. “Then do you know what comes next for us?”