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Ye Xiaohan filled the doll version of Gu Bei with silver needles in her mind. It was this guy who had caused such troublesome romantic entanglements! The princess looked young, yet this person had become so deranged that he would even target girls?
Of course, this was merely Ye Xiaohan's inner complaint; she didn't truly believe that Gu Bei was out there flirting. However, she couldn't understand why, despite Gu Bei being as wooden as a block of wood and capable of suffocating anyone with his dullness, there were still countless girls flocking to him.
"Commoner Ye Xiaohan pays her respects to the Empress and the Shangyang Princess. Long live the Queen, long live the Princess."
Reluctantly, Ye Xiaohan performed a respectful bow. She truly despised the etiquette of this era, but when under someone's roof, one had to bow their head and endure.
"Oh?" The Queen seemed somewhat surprised. "How did you come to conclude that she is the Shangyang Princess?"
Ordinary people would naturally not have seen the princess. So, did she deduce it based on various rumors? That was quite clever.
Ye Xiaohan quickly flattered her: "I have heard that the Shangyang Princess is beautiful and lively, the apple of His Majesty the Queen's eye. Upon seeing her today, I knew at once that the rumors were true, which is why I recognized her immediately."
"Hmph!" The Shangyang Princess snorted heavily. "Stop with the flattery. Do you think a few compliments will make me let you off the hook?"
Dream on! You stole my General Gu; I must teach you a lesson!
The Queen soothed the agitated Shangyang Princess. Since Ye Xiaohan entered, she had been quietly observing her. Having sat in the position of Queen for many years, even without other skills, one must at least possess a discerning eye.
What kind of enchantress? In her eyes, one glance was enough to see through any facade.
The Queen looked at Ye Xiaohan; her appearance was unremarkable. Accustomed to seeing countless beauties in the palace, Ye Xiaohan was just average. However, she had a pair of lively big eyes that sparkled with youthful vigor.
This was something rarely seen within the palace, which felt as desolate as a dry well. Even if there was initial brightness, it would soon be worn away by the passage of time.
Regardless, the Queen's first impression of Ye Xiaohan was not particularly bad.
If this person were not a stumbling block for the princess, the Queen would not want to deliberately make things difficult for her. However, none of that mattered now, as Ye Xiaohan's presence had led Gu Bei to refuse the arranged marriage.
"Ye Xiaohan, do you know why I summoned you here today?" The Queen posed the question, and if Ye Xiaohan was unaware, she could play the fool, taking advantage of the situation while pretending innocence, and then be dragged out for a beating.
If Ye Xiaohan did know, then she would be shameless, engaging in inappropriate conduct with a man behind closed doors, damaging her reputation, and deserving of a beating.
In any case, words were traps; every sentence in the palace had to be carefully considered. One misstep could lead to disaster, bringing about one's own demise.
Even with constant vigilance, there were many times when one found themselves in a dilemma. When someone was intent on causing trouble, nothing one did would be right.
Upon hearing this, Ye Xiaohan realized that the Queen was merely looking for an excuse to torment her and vent her frustrations. After all, she had been following court dramas for many years and understood these intrigues all too well.
Although she had never experienced it firsthand, all those television dramas were not watched in vain. The writers put in great effort to make the plots rich and exciting; every trap was meticulously crafted, far more convoluted than real life.
"Your Majesty," she replied, "the commoner has been preoccupied with making ends meet and has worked tirelessly to support my family. To receive Your Majesty's favor today is a stroke of luck. May I ask what Your Majesty wishes of me? I will do my utmost to repay Your Majesty's kindness!"
Since answering any question seemed wrong, it was better to throw the question back and avoid answering altogether.
"What a clever tongue you have!" the Queen sneered. "You manage to absolve yourself of everything so neatly. You focus on providing for your family and chose the most convenient method, didn't you? By climbing up the social ladder, you can reap immense benefits and enjoy wealth and glory from now on!"
Ye Xiaohan lowered her head and said, "Your Majesty, please do not be angry. I am terrified and do not understand why Your Majesty speaks thus."
She was certain that with the Queen's composure, she would never directly say something like "You stole my daughter's fiancé," especially since Gu Bei had never agreed to it in the first place; it was merely a one-sided wish of the royal family.
Indeed, the Queen let out a cold laugh, ultimately not mentioning Gu Bei at all. Instead, she said, "As a woman, you expose yourself and lose the dignity of your gender. Are you not doing this simply to rely on your looks and try to climb up to a wealthy patron, so that you no longer have to struggle through life?"
Ye Xiaohan was deliberately belittled and mocked, yet she maintained a composed demeanor. If she were to lose her temper and confront the Queen publicly, it would undoubtedly lead to dire consequences.
"I am but a humble woman," Ye Xiaohan replied. "In my household, there is no one to provide for us, yet our daily needs must be met. If I do not expose myself, how can I support my family? I believe that those who work hard and do not steal or rob deserve respect."
Ye Xiaohan tried her best to remain polite, careful not to speak too sharply. After all, times had changed; although women here were not explicitly forbidden from going out, if the Queen wished to suppress her, it would be easy for her to fabricate a reason from a societal perspective to condemn her. The mere accusation of being unvirtuous would be enough to bring her down.
The Queen could not allow a woman to earn money and support her family while others starved. As the mother of the nation, ensuring the well-being of her subjects was one of her responsibilities.
Fortunately, the Emperor was a diligent and benevolent ruler. Had they encountered a tyrant in power who created chaos in the court while the nobles acted recklessly, Ye Xiaohan would not have dared to speak so freely before the Queen.
If the Queen were displeased, it was entirely possible that she could order Ye Xiaohan's execution. In turbulent times, life was cheap.
Fortunately, luck was on their side; this era was relatively peaceful, and the Emperor was indeed a good ruler.
Ye Xiaohan's calm demeanor earned her some favor from the Queen. Most people who entered the palace would be overwhelmed by the oppressive atmosphere and behave with trepidation.
Yet here was an ordinary citizen who remained composed and could respond eloquently.
It seemed Gu Bei had good taste in choosing a wife; he did not only focus on appearances.
The Queen looked at Ye Xiaohan and felt a twinge of regret; if this person were not a rival of Shangyang Princess, she might have quite liked her.
While the Queen and Ye Xiaohan engaged in their subtle verbal sparring, Shangyang Princess waited anxiously on the sidelines.
She had originally hoped that Queen would display her might, and after Ye Xiaohan appeared, she would give her a harsh lesson, making her retreat and stop having designs on Gu Bei.
However, after such a long time, they were just chatting away, and Queen even seemed a bit calmer than yesterday. Just yesterday, when Ye Xiaohan had confronted Queen, she had angrily scolded her!
Princess Shangyang was somewhat displeased and unwilling to wait any longer. Seeing the two of them not getting to the point at all was frustrating!
"Ye Xiaohan!" Princess Shangyang interrupted their conversation and said to Ye Xiaohan, "I know you intend to cling to General Gu and won't let go. I can understand; he is so outstanding that many women would naturally be attracted to him."
Ye Xiaohan rolled her eyes inwardly. How could she not see that Gu Bei was such a desirable man? Were they really talking about the same Gu Bei?
Princess Shangyang continued, "But the one General Gu will ultimately marry is definitely me!"
Her expression was resolute, as if stating an undeniable fact: "I have investigated; you met him not long ago. I'm different; I have known him for a long time. We share secrets that you don't know about!"
Ever since Gu Bei saved her, her heart had been entwined with his, and it had never changed over the years. Now that she had finally seen Gu Bei again, she would not easily give up.
Ye Xiaohan was somewhat surprised. Previously, from Gu Bei's words, she thought the emperor's arranged marriage was random. But now, from Princess Shangyang's implication, it seemed otherwise?
If Gu Bei were here, he would definitely feel wronged. To him, saving the princess was merely a casual act; it had nothing to do with who he saved. Even if it weren't the princess, he would still lend a helping hand.
In fact, Gu Bei didn't have much impression of Princess Shangyang at all.
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