webnovel Chapter 1216 - 1205: The Wealthy Merchant
Chapter 1216 - 1205: The Wealthy Merchant
Ye Lu never thought she would return to the capital again, but she was still unwilling to give up, so she came.
After Zhao Xiong took her away, they went to a remote little mountain village. The news was closed off there, and it had not been affected by the war. However, similarly, it was extremely poor, and everything required her labor in exchange.
Before Ye Lu crossed over, she was born into a moderately well-off family and had barely done any chores. After she crossed over, the Ye Family was a family of wealthy merchants, and she had more than ten maids to serve her, living a life untouched by hard labor.
Later, she escaped the Ye Family and married Prince Linsan. To please him, she did spend quite some time in the kitchen, but all the preparations had been made by maids and servants. She would either command or only do easy tasks that weren’t tiring. Having lived a comfortable life for half her life, how could she bear to endure hardships and do her own laundry, cooking, or farming?
At first, she relied on her status to demand Zhao Xiong do everything, but gradually, after learning of Prince Linsan’s defeat and Prince Ye’s ascension to the throne, Zhao Xiong knew they could not return, so he demanded Ye Lu submit to him.
How could Ye Lu agree?
Zhao Xiong looked like a bear, and he wasn’t clean either. She couldn’t see any future with him, and she despised sharing a room with him.
However, though she despised him, there were people in the village who didn’t. Zhao Xiong was tall and strong, a good worker, and people in the village liked such a person the most.
After fighting battles for half his life, though Zhao Xiong didn’t want to give up riches, this kind of ending was perhaps the best for him. He married a young woman in the village, not very delicate but beautiful, then drove Ye Lu out of the village.
Ye Lu had nowhere to go. Fortunately, under Ye Qiu’s governance, An Country was peaceful now, so she, a woman with her child, didn’t encounter any danger.
Then she wandered around and came to the capital. She wanted to take one last gamble. Perhaps she could still regain her status as the Third Miss of the Ye Family.
"Quick, over there they’re giving out money!"
"Oh, who is giving out money?"
"Did you forget? Today is the day the Princess is getting married. The bridal sedan has already reached Sinan Street."
"I was so busy I forgot. Business has been getting better recently, after all."
"That’s all thanks to our Emperor. Who would have thought during the wartime that we would have such good days now!"
"Indeed, the Emperor is a good Emperor. He would rather forgo resting in the palace than impose taxes on us. He’s truly the best Emperor in the world."
"Back then, when the Little Emperor was in power, the Empress Dowager would burden the people just for a meal."
"And that Prince Donghe too, he never cared about people’s lives, even conscripting ten-year-olds into the army after he became regent."
"But under our Emperor, serving in the army is a family’s honor. The army not only provides food and drink but also gives out silver coins every year!"
"Indeed, and the soldiers who died in the war were all honored as martyrs and given grand burials. It’s a glory for the ancestors."
"I urge my mischievous son to exercise every day, hoping that when he grows up, he will catch the eye of an officer."
"I sent mine off to study. The adults say the Imperial Examination System was set up for the children of poor families. Our children can become officials if they work hard!"
"Stop talking, if we go late we won’t catch the aura of joy. This time His Highness is officiating the wedding himself, who knows if we’ll be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the Emperor."
Ye Lu listened with a blank expression. She didn’t know Ye Qiu was so loved by the people, so beloved, and that the Princess, was she the illegitimate younger sister she once looked down upon?
She had no talent, no virtue, just by safely staying in the Ye Family did she receive such honors?
Why? She was the legitimate daughter of the Ye Family! The title of Princess should have been hers!
Ye Lu followed the crowd to Sinan Street, where a long procession stretched from one end of the street to the other. Soldiers were carrying the bridal dowry, looking heavy, with a total of one hundred and eight pieces.
The tall and handsome groom rode a white horse, smiling and accepting the people’s congratulations. Behind him was a bridal sedan carried by twelve people, carved with dragons and phoenixes, exuding imperial grandeur.
As the bridal sedan arrived at the groom’s Marquis Mansion, his father had achieved great merit with Ye Qiu, and he himself had military honors, making the mansion grand and magnificent.
The bridal sedan entered the mansion, but the groom did not go in as if waiting for someone. Soon, two columns of troops separated the crowd, and the Emperor’s carriage arrived under Prince Cheng’s escort.
Ye Lu held her breath, as envy and regret grew in her bones.
"Mother, is that our Emperor? He looks so majestic! But my father was equally majestic!" Chen Min naively said, not understanding what had happened, thinking his father was just away and would return one day. His childhood memories were hazy.
"Father? Child, you’re mistaken. Our An Country only has one Prince Cheng. His son was long since taken to the palace by our Emperor to be raised as the Crown Prince!" a nearby citizen laughed upon hearing this.
Ye Lu was shocked. Ye Qiu actually didn’t take any concubines?
What was he thinking? As someone who had crossed over, he didn’t desire a harem?
Not only did he make his brother’s son the Crown Prince, but that meant Minmin, his nephew, also had a chance?
Ye Lu couldn’t help but start fantasizing wildly. Just as she was about to call out, she watched Ye Qiu and Ye Cheng walk into the Marquis Mansion.
The crowd gradually dispersed, but Ye Lu remained, waiting for Ye Qiu.
"Mother, I’m hungry. What are we going to eat?" Chen Min said, tugging at her sleeve.
"Wait a bit, soon we’ll have anything we want to eat," she said with a glint in her eyes.
After dinner, Ye Qiu finally came out of the Marquis Mansion. Afraid of missing him again, Ye Lu hurriedly called: "Big Brother, Second Brother!"
Seeing no response, she released her son’s hand and rushed forward: "Big Brother, Second Brother, it’s me, your sister Ye Lu!"
This time Ye Cheng heard her, glanced at her from afar but didn’t stop: "Ignore her, she’s just another madwoman. Drive her far away."
In fact, Ye Cheng had recognized her, but why should he acknowledge her?
Since she chose to run away, since she chose Prince Linsan, and secretly contacted Ye Wen, from that moment she was no longer part of the Ye Family.
Ye Cheng sneered, if Prince Linsan were in power today, would Ye Lu treat them well?
The answer is certainly not, after all, Ye Lu didn’t even care for her own mother, let alone brothers she had no feelings for. He would always remember how, back in Jing’an City, she looked down on him for being a bastard.