If the Duke of Qinās estate is poor, that means the Duke of Qin is poor, too!
Was it really alright to say that to the manās face?
How much silver had His Highness Duke of Qin donated for the relief efforts? How many gold cards without spending limits did he possess? How many mountain villas and parks? His Highness Duke of Qin never even had a government-issued salary or used the imperial treasury, but how many men were under his command?
Who else could claim that the Duke of Qin was poor besides that wretched Han Yunxi?!
Long Feiyeās mouth twitched, but he disregarded Han Yunxiās words. Meanwhile, everyone else was in silent uproar over the words. Empress Dowager Li was among them. All of them were staring at the jade crystal bracelet on Han Yunxiās wrist. Amazement wasnāt enough to describe the expressions on their faces. Earthshaking was more like it!
The jade crystal bracelet was bright and limpid like water without a hint of impurities. A faint violent-white light shimmered from its depths, as beautiful as an illusory dream. All of the women with a right to sit in the empress dowagerās palace had scintillating tastes. They could tell the quality of Han Yunxiās bracelet with just one look.
That was jade crystal! Cloud Realm Continentās rarest stone, more precious than gold, jade, and luminous-night pearls! Moreover, the violet-white strain in Han Yunxiās bracelet is the rarest type, easily worth the value of several cities!
Even now, the largest jade crystal stone found was only the size of a thumb and currently resided in the ring of Northern Liās emperor. The discovery of the raw, uncut stone had led to a hubbub across the continent. But one could well imagine the original size of the stone used to make Han Yunxiās jade crystal bracelet.\nA bracelet! Compared to other forms of jewelry, it needed the most raw materials. Naturally, a jade crystal bracelet had to be made from a chunk of jade crystal bigger than the bracelet itself. Moreover, the material had to be flawless without blemish like the finished product. When they imagined the sheer size of the jade crystal used to make this bracelet, they lost track of just how valuable the jewelry was!
And yet, something so unfathomable was resting on Han Yunxiās wrist, its shimmering light an unmistakable proof of its quality. Nothing could counterfeit that particular type of sparkle.
So in that caseā¦how in the world is the Duke of Qinās estate poor? How is it poor? HOW IS IT POOR?!
Han Yunxi was simply flaunting her wealth!
Chu Qingge was almost ready to burst into tears. You canāt bully someone like that! How was she supposed to reply to Han Yunxiās remarks?! While wearing a bracelet worth the value of several cities, sheād given her a hairpin worth two to three silver taels. Why did she have to expose the jade crystal bracelet in the first place?!
Just then, everyone had seen her give Han Yunxi her so-called artisan purple-gold bracelet, but Han Yunxiās actions now were clearly telling everyone else that she didnāt think much of the gift! Nor would she ever wear it! The ever proud and arrogant Chu Qingge had to admit for the first time that sheād been thoroughly defeated. Furthermore, everything that woman owned had been given to her by the man tying up her hair! She would have no more chances beyond vying for favors in the deep recesses of the imperial palace.
Chu Qingge looked at Long Feiye, who was standing behind Han Yunxi. Despite the fact that they were in the same room and less than ten steps apart, she would never be able to approach him in this lifetime. As she lost herself in thought, the corners of her eyes began to grow wetā¦\nNoble Consort Xue had wanted to use the difference between Chu Qinggeās purple-gold bracelet and Han Yunxiās white jade hairpin to sneer at the latter and make the Duke of Qinās estate seem shabby to relieve some of her temper. As things stood now, she silently rejoiced over the fact that sheād kept quiet. Otherwise, sheād be slapping herself in the face instead.
Mu Liuyue was the most shaken one of all. She was the one whoād been looking down on Han Yunxi the entire time, but everything here proved that she was both ignorant and shallow! Actually, when it came to being poor, Mu Liuyue was the poorest one of them all. The crown prince was honest and upright and had helped to relieve the disaster victims, leaving the finances of the Eastern Palace in a critical state. As a crown princeās consort, she even had a monthly budget for expenses. If admiration, envy, and hate had physical form, then they would be filling the hall to stuffing by now!
Even Empress Dowager Li was feeling jealous. Han Yunxi was a woman of commoner birth, but she was wearing such rare and priceless jewelry. She too, wanted a jade crystal bracelet of her own. Of course, Empress Dowager Li was thinking of more beyond that. Today, Han Yunxi might have shown off her wealth as a display of strength against the other harem members, but those riches and power still belonged to His Highness Duke of Qin. The Duke of Qin had a knack for making money and various industries under his command. This was an open secret of the imperial court. Moreover, his donations for the disaster victims further exposed the extent of his wealth.
However, the appearance of this jade crystal bracelet wasnāt a simple question of money anymore. It was a symbol of power strong enough to rival the imperial clan and its courtāa fortune great enough to equate an entire country! The more Empress Dowager Li thought, the more worried she grew. The Duke of Qinās power far exceeded her and Emperor Tianhuiās expectations.\nWhen Han Yunxi saw that Chu Qingge didnāt reply, she simply shrugged and said, āEsteemed Empress Dowager, may Yunxi leave now?ā
She might have been the one speaking, but it was also a question for Long Feiyeās benefit. With him standing behind her, what other tricks could the empress dowager pull? In truth, Empress Dowager Li would rather a venerable deity like him get out of her sight as soon as possible. She put on a false smile and said, āSince your body isnāt well, go back and rest up.ā
Long Feiye and Han Yunxi paid their respects before withdrawing. Before the eyes of everyone present, he took her by the hand and led her out of the palace, the movement practiced enough to resemble habit. In the silent hall, the women left behind looked after the retreating pair. How many of them entertained flights of fancy towards the young Duke of Qin! Unfortunately, Emperor Tianhui was already too busy to bother with most of them.
Right now, the emperor was busy slamming the table over the news of Northern Liās horse farm plagues. The first time he was looking forward to war breaking out had utterly failed. Now he had no more excuses to call back the Baili Navy from Fishery Island! If he knew this was going to happen, he wouldnāt have paid any attention to the overtures from the Three-Way Battlefield. Instead, he wouldāve punished Baili Yuanlong for moving his troops without authorization and claim the navy for himself!
In the end, Emperor Tianhui hadnāt seized a single advantage since the famine disaster relief efforts. Blunder after blunder made him lose one golden opportunity after another. How could he be anything but infuriated? Most likely, news of Han Yunxiās jade crystal bracelet would reach his ears very soon as well. Then he wouldnāt just be burning with rage, but with anxiety as well!\nThe Duke of Qinās power was enough to overwhelm the imperial court, and now his wealth was on par with an entire country too? Just how long would he be able to hold onto his throne?
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After Han Yunxi and Long Feiye left, the Heaven and Earth Palace devolved into a series of hushed whispers. But even Empress Dowager Li and Chu Qingge were too preoccupied to stop them. Empress Dowager Liās plan had been to leave Han Yunxi and Chu Qingge both for a dinner feast, but there was no need for that now. After a few false shows of affection, the dowager dismissed everyone in the hall.
As soon as Chu Qingge left the Heaven and Earth Palace, she was approached by Mu Liuyue.
āNoble Consort Chu, please wait a moment.ā
Chu Qingge didnāt stop, but significantly slowed her steps until Mu Liuyue was walking by her side. In a low voice, Mu Liuyue said, āNoble Consort Chu, may I speak to you for a bit?ā
Chu Qingge remained silent for a long while before she replied, āAlright!ā
Behind them both. Empress Dowager Li and Noble Consort Ning stood leaning on the railing to stare at their retreating forms.
āImperial Mother is truly wise and brilliant. Itās just as you predicted,ā Noble Consort Xue flattered.
After her meeting with Mu Liuyue failed to secure an alliance, she went back to report the news to Empress Dowager Li. But instead of raging over Mu Liuyueās stupidity, the dowager was very happy.
āHeheh, as long as Chu Qingge doesnāt reject that Liuyue girl, weāll have a chance!ā Empress Dowager Liās eyes were sinister and ruthless. Both Chu Qingge and Mu Liuyue bore grudges against Han Yunxi. As long as Mu Liuyue could gain Chu Qinggeās trust and become her ally, then she and Noble Consort Xue would save themselves a lot of trouble. When the time came, they could use Mu Liuyue to force Chu Qingge to stumble!\nCompared to fighting their rival outright, using an idiotic girl like Mu Liuyue was much better.
āImperial Mother, suppose Chu Qingge has the same ideaā¦?ā Noble Consort Xue trailed off. After all, a grudge with Han Yunxi and vying for the empressās seat were two completely separate matters. If Chu Qingge ended up using Mu Liuyue to deal with them, then the situation would slip out of their control.
Empress Dowager Li laughed coldly. āJudging from that Chu Qingge girlās heart, hehe, she wonāt be interested in the throne for a year and a half at least.ā She had lived in the imperial harem for half her life now, so she was fully qualified to see through any and every young court lady and concubine.
Chu Qinggeās personality and her previous behavior both showed that her short-term goals were to face off against Han Yunxi, not fight for the empress position. Of course, in order to make the girl loathe Han Yunxi completely, sheād have to do some work on Mu Liuyue as well.
āImperial Mother is wise and brilliant!ā Noble Consort Xue rejoiced.
Empress Dowager Li looked at her but didnāt say a word. In the end, she was still thinking about the empress. If the empress was here, she wouldnāt need to expend so much effort now. After Noble Consort Xue departed, Empress Dowager Li found one of her trusted subordinates and asked, āAny news from Medical City?ā
Although no less than ten famous doctors to diagnose the empressās insanity as incurable, neither Empress Dowager Li nor the crown prince had ever given up looking for a cure. They had been in touch with Medical City constantly, hoping to invite out the head elder or even the head of the Cloud Realm Medical Academy.
āTheyāre still pushing. Itās possible thatā¦.ā the subordinate sounded a little helpless.\nEmpress Dowager Li knit her brows in thought. A long time later, she murmured, āKeep pushing, then. And donāt let Noble Consort Xue know of this, no matter what!ā
Relationships between the members of the imperial harem were vast and complex. Even Empress Dowager Li and Noble Consort Xue had their own differences. The latter stood on the same side as Chu Qingge when it came to the ailing empress. If that woman returned, Noble Consort Xue would have even fewer chances of gaining favor!
In truth, Empress Dowager Li should trust Mu Liuyue the most. As the crown princeās consort, this granddaughter-in-law of hers was also the empressās daughter-in-law. Unfortunately, Mu Liuyue wasnāt strong enough to hold down the fort.
ā
By now, Long Feiye had already brought Han Yunxi out of the palace. She had no idea that news of him tearing his sleeve to tie her head had already spread throughout the palace. Soon enough, it would spread across the entire Tianning capital and create a sensation. Long strips of white brocade ribbons would then become a sold-out product!
Moreover, the term ātearing oneās sleeve to coil up the hairā1 became an expression for a love confession, and a new way for men to propose to their prospective wives. Countless males vied to imitate the Duke of Qinās actions.
But before all that, the main couple headed home. Sitting inside the carriage, Han Yunxi stole a peak at Long Feiyeās torn up sleeveā¦
1. tearing oneās sleeve to coil up the hair (ęč¢ē»¾å) ā sixiu wanfa, long story short, HYX and LFYās anecdote became so famous that it turned into an idiom in the Chinese language. At least in this universe. xD\n