Chapter 6

Ye Suijin woke up early in the morning to find Zhao Jingwen already washed and dressed, with maidservants doing her hair.She looked different today, unusually opting for a slightly more elaborate hairdo. She had always hated wasting time on this sort of thing before, often wishing she could just tie her hair up like a man to make it easy to ride horses, box and shoot arrows.

Hearing the sounds, Ye Suijin turned to look at him. "You're awake?"

Sure enough, when a woman dresses up, even a simple updo makes her face look more mature and dignified, better suiting her status as the mistress of the Ye Family Fort.

It really struck Zhao Jingwen in his heart.

He put on a robe and went behind her, clasping her shoulders to massage them as he laughed, "Why up so early?"

Ye Suijin glanced at Zhao Jingwen from the bronze mirror. He looked even more handsome in the daylight.

If someone was born with good looks, it really gave them quite an advantage.

Ye Suijin pulled at the corners of her mouth in the mirror. "Tiring work."

What was tiring was something only the husband and wife understood.

When Ye Suijin was younger, she took it all for granted.

But after becoming Zhao Jingwen's empress and seeing how he bestowed favors on the women of his harem, she understood. Of course, Zhao Jingwen didn't dare put on airs like that in the imperial palace, or the empress would have kicked him out of bed.

A proper wife was different from concubines after all.

This was also the main reason Pei Lian hated her.

When someone desperately sought something that another person took for granted, how could there not be hatred?

But now the young Ye Suijin saw Zhao Jingwen again and realized he was trying so hard to please her in every little detail.

There was an inexplicable feeling of absurd amusement.

She wanted to grab Emperor Zhao Jingwen by the scruff of his neck and make him take a look at himself, at how careful and fawning he was acting.

Zhao Jingwen smiled very contentedly. A youthful couple's harmonious marital relations naturally made him happy.

Ye Suijin pushed him away. "Go wash up. We'll be meeting everyone in the hall soon."

Zhao Jingwen obediently responded "Alright" and briskly went off.

After breakfast they waited a little longer before heading to the main hall together.

The main hall was used for discussing affairs, spacious and lofty.

In the center was a seat covered with a tiger skin, hunted by Ye Suijin's own father, laid atop the fortress master's chair to add imposing flair.

But because of the summer heat, a soft and breathable woven mat was placed over the tiger skin for coolness. On either side of the main hall were two rows of chairs, mostly unfilled since meetings like today's didn't require that many people, though some still opted to sit in the back rows despite empty chairs up front.

Seeing Ye Suijin and her husband stride in, everyone swiftly rose and bowed in greeting.

On the left-hand front row, someone called, "Sixth sister."

These were her relatives. Ye Suijin was sixth among her generation of female cousins in the clan.

Those on the right called her "Young Mistress."

Some of them were dressed as warriors, some as scholars—they were retainers.

Those sitting in the back rows addressed her as "Mistress."

These were stewards and managers—servants.

Although Ye Suijin was sixth among her sisters in the clan, she actually had no biological aunts or cousins. The other girls numbered along with her were daughters of her father's cousins, merely adopted sisters to her.

Since Ye Suijin's father had no brothers, she had no siblings or parallel cousins. To help her bond with the rest of the clan, she was numbered along with her adopted sisters.

So within the family she was Sixth Sister, but to outsiders she was the Eldest Young Mistress of the Ye Family Fort.

At a glance Ye Suijin spotted Duan Jin. The brat was also seated in the back row.

On regular days when there were more people, he wouldn't have been able to grab a seat due to his young age, forced to stand in the empty space behind the second row. Since today had fewer people, he'd shamelessly taken a seat at the very back.

Everyone in the fortress had watched him grow up, so they didn't mind him.

Just seeing Duan Jin alive and well invigorated Ye Suijin, filling her with energy.

She concealed her smiling eyes and nodded. "No need for courtesy. Sit."

The atmosphere in the hall was slightly strange, as everyone more or less sensed the change in Ye Suijin's aura.

As one nurtures their spirit, so their vital essence transforms. After acting as the mother of the nation for so long, she was clearly different from the young Ye Suijin they knew.

But of course they couldn't imagine this Ye Suijin was not the one from the past few days—they simply thought her more formal attire today lent her greater poise and dignity, especially in her eyes that seemed particularly spirited. Her gaze imposed an invisible pressure, making people feel awed.

Once seated, the man in the leftmost senior position spoke first. "Feeling better now? Granny Yan said you were possessed. What happened, did you provoke some unclean thing?"

Ye Suijin's father had been an only son. The speaker was his cousin, fourth senior in the clan. He was Ye Suijin's fourth uncle, an elder to her. Within three degrees of mourning, they were the closest living relatives Ye Suijin had.

Ye Suijin's gaze turned to look deeply at him.

When she was young her world was small, confined only to the Ye Family Fort. She saw her relatives as people to be guarded against.

It wasn't until later when she ventured out into the wider world that she realized how vast the heavens and earth were, full of potential for great things. Their tiny Ye Family Fort was nothing in comparison. Faced with greater external forces, the clan had to unite and forge ahead together.

This Fourth Uncle of hers had pressured her greatly within the fortress, but outside he had been one of her staunchest supporters.

Later he was too gravely injured to be saved.

On his deathbed he clutched Ye Suijin's hand, using his final breath to gasp, "Zhao...Jingwen...no good..."

She already understood then what kind of person Zhao Jingwen was.

But she had already embarked on Zhao Jingwen's ship. By not decisively abandoning it at the start, she then had to keep investing more and more into it to avoid losing out.

Otherwise, everything she had poured in earlier would have just been wasted.

How could she accept that?

Fourth Uncle recognized the Ye Family Fort's future and died in anxiety, unable to close his eyes. It was Ye Suijin who closed them for him.

Right after Fourth Uncle's funeral, word came from the frontlines that Ye Suijin's two adopted brothers, Third Son Ye and Fifth Son Ye, had also fallen in battle.

In public, Ye Suijin only heavily acknowledged, "I see."

But where others couldn't see, deep inside the military tent, she lay facedown on the campaign bed, biting hard into the bedding to muffle any sounds as she shook with sobs.

Kindred by blood, sharing the same great grandfather and grandfather—the severing of each branch felt like cutting away flesh.

This was what it meant to be "clan."

"Fourth Uncle," Ye Suijin addressed him. Her eyes were murky. "I didn't provoke any filthy things. Actually, Father and Grandfather appeared to me in a dream and scolded me severely."

The hall quieted for a moment. Fourth Uncle was even more wary.

When it came to supernatural things, whether to believe or disbelieve depended on the situation and whether it seemed beneficial or harmful.

The hot-blooded young Ye Suijin never believed in such things. Her recent possession had Fourth Uncle mocking his own sons, "It must be heavenly punishment since she always showed no respect to the gods and Buddha."

His eldest son chided, "Watch your offensive conjectures, Father."

His youngest son urged, "I advise you drink more soup and make less trouble, Father."

Having a junior niece lead the fortress instead of him, an elder, still rankled. But the younger generation seemed to accept her leadership quite well.

Nothing could be done about it. Even his own sons, who Ye Suijin had pummeled into submission since they were children, always listened to her.

After all, they could never beat her in a fight.

When Ye Suijin wanted to get married into the fortress and have children who took the Ye surname, they elders had disagreed at first too.

Fourth Uncle directly confronted Ye Suijin. "What if the groom's family demands continuation of their ancestral line after three generations? Will the Ye Family Fort have to change surnames?"

But Ye Suijin could be ruthless too. She drank a bowl of potent medicine that made her infertile.

The medicine was said to be strong enough to prevent almost certain recovery.

Forcing his niece to such extremes left a bitter taste in his mouth as an elder. Ultimately both sides compromised—they allowed Ye Suijin to be Fort Master, and Ye Suijin agreed not to have children, so the Ye Family Fort would continue passing to the Ye bloodline.

Just this issue caused long strife between him and his sons.

They felt ashamed to face the Suijin they grew up with together, after their own father pushed her so far.

But Fourth Uncle believed he had done right for the sake of the Ye Family Fort.

The rift between uncle and nephews caused by this knife-edge conflict was never mended.

Fourth Uncle planned to continue supporting Ye Suijin for a few more years, then retire from interfering once she fully matured, removing himself from her displeasure.

But today Ye Suijin suddenly mentioned a "dream visitation." What was she plotting?

Fourth Uncle watched her warily.

"Oh?" someone on the right, in the front row, picked up this thread of conversation. "What instructions did the old Fort Master have? Young Mistress, tell us about it."

All eyes turned to her.

The speaker was a middle-aged scholar with a goatee, scraggly and already sporting some white hairs that lent him a somewhat unsavory look.

This was Mr. Yang, counselor to Ye Suijin's late father. Ye Suijin disliked him ever since she was small.

Mainly because he had an horsey face and huge alcoholic's nose, too ugly.

Ye Suijin liked good-looking people.

After she took over the fortress, her thinking diverged from Mr. Yang's, and they didn't get along.

She actually hoped all along that he would take the hint and resign, but he clung stubbornly to his old age pension at the Ye Family Fort. Out of respect for her father, she could only tolerate him.

The two of them had the biggest disagreement twice. Once was when he advised her not to be confined by Ye Manor, as the chaotic times, despite being dangerous, also offered countless opportunities.

But Ye Suijin had just wrested Ye Manor from her clan with great difficulty. Her vision was not far-reaching enough and her mindset not open enough. All she could see was Ye Manor.

Although unwilling to give up opportunities outside, after weighing everything, she gave this chance to Zhao Jingwen.

She gave him rations, soldiers and horses, letting him explore the outside world on her behalf.

As husband and wife were one entity, she believed Zhao Jingwen's going was the same as her going personally.

And she herself would remain stationed at Ye Manor, both guarding the foundations of the manor and preventing her clan from fighting over power.

Short-sighted and laughable.

With Zhao Jingwen's departure, he was like a flood dragon entering the sea.

Her second major disagreement with Mr. Yang was when she learned of Pei Lian's existence.

She had never suffered such humiliation in her life and trembled with rage.

Mr. Yang advised her to break ties with Zhao Jingwen.

Looking back now, Mr. Yang's advice was so right.

But she was unwilling.

After all, she was a woman, unwilling to hand her husband over to another woman, unwilling to lose to Pei Lian.

She wanted Zhao Jingwen to turn back, to realize she was the most important woman to him.

Foolish.

Mr. Yang was so disappointed, but even so, he did not resign and leave. He continued following her.

Until Fourth Uncle Ye died in battle, Mr. Yang finally became disheartened. He came before her and said, "I am just a bag of old bones, unable to keep up with the Manor Lord's troops. I shall not drag you down anymore."

He wanted to retire and live out his remaining years.

By then, Ye Suijin no longer looked down on him. She only felt sad, "Teacher, you want to abandon me too?"

Mr. Yang looked up at her and gently advised, "Fine birds choose the best woods to roost. We are all but human. Do not resent them."

Then who should she resent?

Ye Manor's former subordinates began recognizing Zhao Jingwen as their lord, one by one.

Who should she resent?

When Duan Jin questioned their former comrades, they still spoke righteously, "He is the Manor Lord's husband!"

Who should she resent?

Mr. Yang had advised her long ago. Zhao Jingwen was ambitious and ungrateful. He should not be trusted.

She could only resent herself.

Back then, she was determined to become Empress.

Only by becoming Empress would all her sacrifices be worthwhile.

Only then would she not become a joke.

Her victory in that battle came at a terrible price.

She held a spear on the battlefield, blankly looking all around. Everywhere she saw were hills of corpses and seas of blood from the Ye army. sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ NøvᴇlFirᴇ(.)nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of nøvels early and in the highest quality.

She must become Empress!

If Zhao Jingwen dared not make her Empress, she would take him down with her!

If Zhao Jingwen dared make Pei Lian Empress, she would kill Pei Lian, then take Zhao Jingwen down with her!

Fortunately, Zhao Jingwen did make her Empress.

One day, Duan Jin said, "Guess who I saw - it's Mr. Yang!"

With the realm more peaceful, Mr. Yang came out of seclusion to visit old friends in the capital. Duan Jin ran into him.

Ye Suijin summoned Mr. Yang into the palace to see her.

"I became Empress," she said. "I discuss state affairs with the Emperor in the same hall."

She wanted Mr. Yang to admit she had not lost out, Ye Manor had not lost out. Everything was worth it.

By then, Mr. Yang had aged much, his beard all white, his body hunched.

He looked up at her with triangular eyes, and his words were still as annoying as before.

"Perhaps it is precisely because," he said, "Her Majesty is barren."

Ye Suijin froze.

The old man continued, "Without the Ye army, how long can Her Majesty sit in the hall?"

Ye Suijin's body stiffened.

The old man probably knew he was being vexing. He had never pleased Ye Suijin in his life.

He respectfully knelt and bowed to Ye Suijin, "Your Majesty, take care."

Then he left.

Pei Lian always felt that having the Crown Prince made her the winner over Ye Suijin, even if she didn't become Empress.

And Ye Suijin always felt she only lost to Pei Lian in this matter.

Until Mr. Yang's words awakened her.

Looking at Pei Lian now, she felt only ridiculousness and absurdity.

Recalling Mr. Yang's words made her want to grind her silver teeth to dust and bite her lips until they bled!