“He’s not just half a father! His Majesty is Yaoyao’s real daddy!” Rongyao’s little face flushed with anxiety. She bounced in front of everyone, waving her hands as she tried to explain.
Cui Yeping crouched down, rubbed his granddaughter’s head, and asked gently, “Yaoyao is still young. I’m afraid she doesn’t understand what a real daddy means.”
Cui Huaihao said, “That’s right. Your mother had never even met His Majesty before. How could she have had you with him?”
Cui Huaiyi added, “The Immortal must have been right. After your mother enters the palace, His Majesty will count as your father too.”
Rongyao: “…”
Rongyao stared blankly at the people trying to placate her. Dejected, she lowered her head, walked over to her mother, and tugged at her clothes.
“Everything Yaoyao said is true.”
Seeing how disappointed her daughter looked, Cui Huaiyin felt bewildered as well. Her daughter’s predictions had come true many times before, whether it was Concubine Liu poisoning them or the snow that had fallen a few days ago.
Could it be that what her daughter said was true?
Whether it was true or not, His Majesty was in the palace while she was outside it, so there was no way to verify it at the moment. There would be plenty of time to investigate after she entered the palace.
Cui Huaiyin took her daughter’s hand and nodded. In a gentle voice, she said, “Mother believes you, Yaoyao. Once I enter the palace, I’ll find out whether what you said is true.”
Rongyao lifted her head, her eyes shining as she looked at her mother.
She knew Mother would believe her!
Once Mother became a palace lady, she would be able to meet Noble Consort Chen. If Noble Consort Chen really was Chen Yunxiang, then everything would finally come to light!
Looking at her mother, Rongyao could not help smiling.
The Cui family, however, assumed that Cui Huaiyin was only trying to cheer her daughter up.
How could the world hold such a coincidence?
They did not dare hope for anything so far-fetched.
Cui Huaiyi suddenly spoke up. “The Emperor is clearly forcing Little Sister to marry him! He’s nothing but a foolish ruler! I really want to—”
“Shut your mouth, you wretch!” Before Cui Huaiyi could finish, Cui Yeping cut him off with a furious shout. “You wretch! Have you grown tired of living? If you want to die, go find some deserted place outside and do it there. Don’t drag the entire family down with you!”
Cui Huaiyi swallowed the rest of his words, clenching his fists tightly.
Cui Yeping sighed and glanced at the imperial gifts that still sat in the main hall. His heart was in turmoil. He sat down in a chair and looked calmly at his only daughter.
“Huaiyin, are you willing to enter the palace?”
Cui Huaiyin patted her daughter’s back and rose to her feet. With determination, she said, “I’m willing to enter the palace! There’s nothing wrong with it, really. I’m already a divorced woman, yet His Majesty doesn’t mind and has conferred upon me the position of a Third-Rank Jieyu. Once I enter the palace, I’ll be able to protect the Cui family as well. That’s far better than staying at home every day, constantly fearing that someone may try to harm our family.”
Seeing that her parents and several brothers still did not seem convinced, Cui Huaiyin let out a light laugh.
“What’s more, I met His Majesty a few days ago. Our current Emperor is in the prime of his life and as handsome as Pan An. He’s only two years older than me, and whether in height, looks, talent, or refinement, he surpasses Zhu Wangbei by far. You all know that I like handsome men, so why are you still worried?”
Zhang Yingmei moved closer and patted her daughter’s hand. “Huaiyin, are you truly not feeling wronged?”
Cui Huaiyin smiled. “What is there to feel wronged about? Mother thinks too little of me. I’m already of a higher rank than Father now.”
Her teasing remark brightened everyone’s expressions considerably.
Cui Yeping coughed and put on a stern face. “Tell us, then. When and where did you save His Majesty?”
Cui Huaiyin’s expression turned strange as she recounted everything that had happened that day in detail.
“…Clearly, he was the one who saved me, yet somehow he twisted the story and made it sound as though I had saved him.”
After hearing her account, everyone was left somewhat incredulous.
But when they thought about it carefully, they realized that the matter would bring no harm to the family and might even benefit them. Thus, no one dwelled on it any further.
After they finished chatting, the wives of the Cui brothers all came to congratulate Cui Huaiyin on being made a Jieyu by His Majesty.
Madam Wang came first, followed by Madam Yang and Madam Li.
After congratulating their sister-in-law, all three wore delighted expressions. If Cui Huaiyin entered the palace and became a lady of the imperial harem, the Cui family would have the Emperor’s support, and they would benefit from it as well. Such an opportunity was something most families could never hope to obtain.
Madam Wang said, “Little Sister truly is blessed. His Majesty is in the prime of his life, and there are only a few women in the imperial harem. To have won His Majesty’s favor is such good fortune.”
Madam Yang added, “Exactly. Our little sister has been beautiful since she was young. In all of Huangzhou, you couldn’t find another beauty to compare with her. From now on, I’ll be the sister-in-law of an imperial lady. Just imagine how impressive that will sound!”
Madam Li said, “It’s a good thing for Little Sister to enter the palace, but poor Yaoyao will have to be separated from her mother. Once a woman enters the palace and becomes an imperial consort, she may never be able to leave for the rest of her life.”
Cui Huaiyi’s brows drew together at her words, and he told Madam Li to stop talking.
Madam Li realized that she had said the wrong thing and quickly fell silent.
Cui Huaiji cast a worried glance at his younger sister and said, “Little Sister, don’t worry. From now on, Yaoyao will be the legitimate young lady of the Cui family. No one will be allowed to bully her. Second Brother, Third Brother, and I will all protect her.”
Cui Huaihao said, “That’s right. We absolutely won’t let Yaoyao suffer any grievances here.”
Cui Huaiyi also nodded vigorously in agreement.
Cui Huaiyin pulled her daughter into her arms. Her brows knitted slightly as she shook her head.
“I intend to watch Yaoyao grow up with my own eyes.”
Even if Yaoyao’s dream was false, she would still fight with everything she had to secure a future for her daughter.
The room fell silent for a moment.
Cui Yeping asked, “Huaiyin, are you thinking of…”
Cui Huaiyin lowered her head and looked at her daughter before nodding.
“As Yaoyao’s mother, I ought to do everything I can for her.”
She had heard that Empress Ma of the previous dynasty had also been a woman who remarried. Before entering the palace, she had already had a daughter. After Empress Ma became empress, she bestowed the title of princess upon that daughter, allowing her to remain by her side every day.
Cui Huaiyin had no intention of fighting for the position of empress. She only wanted His Majesty to issue an edict allowing her daughter to accompany her. Even if Yaoyao could not become a princess, perhaps she could at least be granted the title of a commandery lady.
As long as her daughter was well, Yaoyao would be well too. Her Yaoyao had always been a child blessed by fortune.
