Chapter 5: Is It That Her Majesty Is Unwilling?

Many concubines covered their mouths to stifle laughter, while Consort Mei’s anger twisted her mouth into a grimace.

“You…”

Before she could finish, Yun Zhaozhao interrupted.

“Ah, that’s not right. As a consort, the Empress can’t casually leave the palace or linger outside. Does this mean the Empress has been secretly sending people to guard the Sheng family all along?”

The moment these words were spoken, the atmosphere in the grand hall froze instantly.

For a consort in the harem to privately assign guards to watch over a noble family—at best, it suggested ill intent; at worst, it implied a sinister plot!

“I did not! Stop slandering me!” Consort Mei’s complexion changed drastically, and her gaze involuntarily flicked toward Consort Shu at the head of the hall.

Consort Shu cursed the fool silently but smiled softly.

“Madam Sheng is wronging Consort Mei here. I have actually heard some whispers myself. My unworthy nephew, knowing I have been troubled lately, specially sent someone to amuse me by recounting how this rumor has spread throughout the capital.”

“Seems your nephew truly is a disgrace,” Yun Zhaozhao sneered with contempt. “A grown man behaving like a gossiping woman.”

Consort Shu’s smile briefly faltered, her eyes sharp as knives as they swept over Yun Zhaozhao, but her tone remained gentle and soft.

“That boy only means well. But Madam Sheng herself just admitted that on her wedding night she kicked Master Sheng Li out of the bridal chamber. Could it be… she is displeased with this marriage?”

“Impossible,” Yun Zhaozhao said with an expression that said, ‘I’m not stupid.’ “With my reputation in the capital, if it weren’t for the Emperor’s arranged marriage, I’d probably be alone for life.”

“Besides, my husband may be a little frail, but he’s handsome—a feast for the eyes at a glance.”

“This marriage suits me perfectly, couldn’t be happier!”

“Thanks to the Emperor’s wisdom, I was not paired with some ugly runt.”

Consort Shu: …felt a little stung.

She had originally been planning this marriage for her nephew, but the Sheng family had beaten her to it—how could she not be annoyed?

“Madam Sheng, stop making excuses. No matter how you spin it, it doesn’t change the fact that you kicked Master Sheng Li out of the bridal chamber and refused to consummate the marriage.”

With Consort Shu stepping in, Consort Mei, like a grasshopper, jumped up again.

“May I ask Consort Mei, did you sleep with the Emperor last night?”

“What business is that of yours!” Consort Mei’s face darkened.

“Seems not. How about the night before? Or the night before that? And the one before that?”

Seeing Consort Mei’s murderous glare, Yun Zhaozhao smiled knowingly. “Looks like not then.”

“So, does that mean the Empress is unwilling to fulfill her duties?”

A soul-searching interrogation—a fatal blow.

No one else dared to make a move, and Yun Zhaozhao happily finished the ceremony without further trouble.

After leaving the palace gates, she glanced back at the towering palace walls and silently felt relieved.

Thankfully, she had married into a noble family rather than entering the palace as a consort.

Otherwise, she might have had a better chance surviving by outright killing the Emperor and rebelling than by trying to outwit the scheming women of the harem.

“Why is that woman Yun Zhaozhao dawdling at the palace gate? Why isn’t she coming along after all this time?” Sheng Xingye, already some distance away on horseback, grew impatient.

“Go, make that woman hurry up!”

Chang Sheng shuddered and mournfully replied, “Your servant dares not.”

“You good-for-nothing!”

After a light kick, Chang Sheng scrambled up quickly and stood aside with relief.

Sheng Xingye was so angry he wished he could kick him twice more.

By the time Yun Zhaozhao returned to the Duke’s mansion by carriage, Sheng Xingye had been waiting for her nearly half an hour.

“Yun Zhaozhao, are you some kind of turtle? Dawdling for so long!”

Yun Zhaozhao rolled her eyes and said nothing.

Sheng Xingye was instantly fired up.

“What’s wrong with you? Did you get scolded in the palace?”

Seeing the gleeful look in his eyes, Yun Zhaozhao smiled wryly.

“No, nothing like that. It’s just that the consorts inside were all concerned about us not consummating the marriage last night, so I had to tell them—‘You’re just not up to it!’”

“Yun… Zhaozhao!”

Just as Sheng Xingye was about to explode, the butler came to urge them.

“Master Li and Madam Li, the family is waiting in the main courtyard to receive your tea.”

Upon entering, the house was once again filled with people.

Yun Zhaozhao felt herself on the verge of social anxiety.

Unlike the General’s household, which was sparsely staffed, the Duke’s family was thriving.

Even though the second and third branches of the Sheng family had split off after the Duke inherited the title, the main branch still had plenty of members.

At the head of the room was the Dowager Lady Sheng.

The old lady was the Duke’s stepmother, close in age to the current Duke, with only one daughter who was already married.

The seats of honor naturally belonged to the Duke and his wife.

The Duke had six sons and three daughters in total; the eldest and the youngest sons were born to the official wife, the others were concubine-born.

The first five sons were married with legitimate heirs, and the three daughters were all wed.

Following protocol, Yun Zhaozhao presented tea to the Dowager Lady.

The Dowager Lady praised her repeatedly and gifted her a fine jade bracelet.

Sheng Xingye’s gift was even more practical—a hefty red envelope.

“Master Li is stubborn but kind-hearted. Once you live together longer, you’ll understand, Madam Li.”

Yun Zhaozhao had a good impression of the Dowager Lady.

It was clear she was fond of her favored grandson.

Next was the Duke himself.

He had a pair of goatee mustaches and a stern face.

He was fairly cordial to Yun Zhaozhao but less so to Sheng Xingye.

“Now that you’re married, you must shoulder the responsibilities of head of the family, plan for the future. Even if you’re not granted privileges for your wife and children, you should at least find a respectable position…”

Impatient, Sheng Xingye cut him off.

“Father, you’ll have plenty of chances to lecture me. Today, let’s just present the tea; everyone’s waiting.”

“You scoundrel!”

The Duke was so angry he wanted to strike him, but considering Yun Zhaozhao was the new daughter-in-law, he held back.

When it was the Marchioness’s turn, Yun Zhaozhao clearly sensed her displeasure.

Taking the luxurious hairpin she offered, Yun Zhaozhao thought she might be imagining things.

But then the Marchioness presented a book of women’s precepts.

“A woman should be chaste, gentle, and skilled in managing her household and educating her children. Since you grew up on the frontier, Madam Li, you must learn the rules of the capital. This book of women’s precepts…”

Yun Zhaozhao did not take it, replying obediently, “Mother, you are right. Unfortunately, I only know how to wield swords and guns and can barely read. Such a precious book would be wasted on me—better to leave it to someone who needs it more.”

The Marchioness did not expect Yun Zhaozhao to be so tactless and, all eyes on her, was openly disrespected.

Her face darkened immediately, ready to lose her temper.

The Duke felt oddly satisfied and stopped her in time.

“Enough. It’s a day of celebration; why bring this up now? You’ll have plenty of time to teach your daughter-in-law later.”

Next came the greetings between peers, followed by gifts to the younger generation.

Just as Yun Zhaozhao thought the event was finally nearing its end, an abrupt electronic beep sounded in her mind.

[ Ding — Mission issued: The host must obtain the Yun Duo scented sachet from Yun Shi’s waist within three days. Completion reward: 1 cubic meter of storage space. Failure penalty: Three electric shocks.]