Chapter 66: Having No Schemes is the Greatest Scheme of All

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Chapter 66: Having No Schemes is the Greatest Scheme of All

On the day of the departure, Zhao Yi allowed Ye Wanwan to share his carriage. Jiang Feixue closely followed right behind Ye Wanwan, calling out, "Your Majesty, this concubine also wishes to travel with Your Majesty and my elder cousin."

Jiang Feixue’s youthful and innocent countenance made it remarkably easy for people to soften their hearts. With just a single pitiful expression, she managed to project an image of pure, pitiful innocence that evoked deep sympathy.

Consequently, she successfully squeezed her way into the carriage. Not only did she seat herself on the other side of Zhao Yi, but she also clung tightly to his arm. The intimate sight of this made Ye Wanwan raise an eyebrow. Who on earth said Jiang Feixue lacked scheming ambitions?

Ah, what appeared to be simple, naive, and completely artless behavior turned out to be the most profound scheme of all.

A considerable number of officials were attending the autumn sacrificial ceremony, given that it was a grand celebration commemorating the annual harvest. Fifty to sixty officials were present, and this did not even include the young scions of noble and aristocratic families who participated in the hunt.

The imperial estate was not far from the capital; under fast conditions, a round trip could be completed within six hours, ensuring ample time to return and handle any urgent court affairs should they arise.

Upon arriving at the imperial estate, Ye Wanwan followed the administrative officials to her quarters. She changed into simple yet luxurious attire, as she was required to accompany Zhao Yi to the fields to observe the harvest, while the formal rituals were scheduled for the auspicious hour the next day.

Since Ye Wanwan was going, could Jiang Feixue possibly be left behind? Consort Shen and Lady Ji naturally refused to fall behind either. When the four of them appeared together, Jiang Feixue and the other two seemed to be engaged in a beauty contest. They dressed in the most stunning and resplendent attire imaginable—looking less like women heading out to the fields and more like candidates for a imperial concubine selection—and as a result, they were promptly abandoned by Zhao Yi.

As the emperor, he was here to conduct an inspection. Bringing one noble consort could still be considered justifiable, but bringing four imperial concubines—three of whom were dressed in such flashy and gaudy attire—what would the common people think? What would the civil and military officials think?

Zhao Yi had no desire to earn a reputation as a lustful and muddle-headed ruler, so he naturally had no choice but to leave them behind.

"They are everywhere! Such wretched bitches!"

Jiang Feixue stamped her feet in fury, grinding her teeth in hatred. Turning around and noticing that Ye Wanwan wore a completely expressionless face, she grew displeased. "Elder cousin, are you just going to do nothing about them?"

Ye Wanwan raised an eyebrow, finding the situation rather amusing. "How would you have me manage them?"

As imperial concubines striving for favor, what could possibly stop them?

"This palace is going for a stroll in the fields. Go wherever you wish by yourself." The unspoken implication was: do not follow me.

The fragrance of rice paddies, the leaping of frogs, and the swimming of fish felt truly novel to Ye Wanwan—at least in her past life, she had almost never been exposed to such places.

Thinking back to her previous existence, from birth until death, she had scarcely ever left the capital, imprisoned for her entire lifetime within that supreme seat of power.
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A place that others desperately fought and squeezed themselves to enter was, to some, a lifelong cage from birth to death, living out a tragedy akin to a puppet.

She picked a cluster of rice grains, plucked a wild flower, and chased a frog that had hopped onto the bank.

Ye Wanwan was so happy she lost herself in the moment. Although she did not go skipping and jumping about, her brisk footsteps and cheerful mood were visible to the naked eye.

Ye Wanwan was accompanied only by Dongyu and Qingsha. Although Qingsha felt that it was a good thing for Ye Wanwan to be in high spirits, she also felt anxious. With so many officials stationed just across the way, if a sharp-eyed censor were to report this behavior in a memorial, it would spell disaster.

Dongyu, on the other hand, remained unbothered. Firstly, she had not been by Ye Wanwan’s side for very long, and secondly, in her eyes, this scene was entirely ordinary.

Moving forward along the path, a group of officials were forced to roll up their sleeves and hold sickles as they reluctantly joined in the harvesting. There was no help for it; this too was part of the autumn sacrifice. The sovereign himself harvested rice grains to honor the agricultural deities, and since the emperor had personally taken action, could these officials merely stand around idly?

The patch of farmland right before them was their assigned task for the day.

Ye Wanwan did not cross over. She stopped at a slightly distant vantage point and remained still. However, a young official with his head bowed, continuously cutting down the rice stalks, inadvertently cut his way right up to Ye Wanwan’s presence. When he finally raised his head, he abruptly realized someone was standing there.

"Could this be the Noble Consort?"

"This humble official, Shangguan Xun, a departmental secretary of the Ministry of Rites, pays his respects to the Noble Consort."

"This humble official had no intention of offending Your Ladyship; I beg the Noble Consort to forgive my transgression."

He possessed a refined and delicate visage, clear eyebrows, and bright eyes, exuding a clean aura. He looked entirely like a weak scholar, yet he wielded his tools without the slightest hesitation. Judging by the speed he had just displayed, he was clearly someone accustomed to agricultural labor.

His voice was as clear and crisp as striking bamboo—neat, decisive, and sincere in attitude.

Ye Wanwan had always assumed she detested scholars. Now, however, she understood: it was not scholars she loathed, but rather the scholars of the Leng family.

"Shangguan Xun—Xun, the surname of the sages. This official presumably hails from a renowned scholarly lineage. This palace vaguely recalls the Shangguan clan of Xizhou Prefecture. I wonder..."

Shangguan Xun’s eyes lit up with extraordinary delight. "Your Ladyship is truly perceptive; this humble subject indeed belongs to the Shangguan clan of Xizhou Prefecture."

He then sighed softly, "Thanks to Your Ladyship’s remembrance, it is a pity that the Shangguan clan has already fallen into decline. Over these past ten years, this humble official is the only one to have entered official service. Alas..."

The man spoke with utter frankness, causing the corners of Ye Wanwan’s lips to curve upward. "There are tens of thousands of mayflies trying to shake a tree, but a descending fierce tiger requires only one."
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With those words, she offered Shangguan Xun a slight bow before turning to leave.

Shangguan Xun remained rooted to the spot, gazing at Ye Wanwan’s departing figure, unable to recover his wits for a long time.

Ye Wanwan wore a veil during her outing; aside from her forehead and brows, her features were completely concealed. Yet even those brows and eyes alone were exquisitely beautiful, prompting one to wonder what breathtaking perfection her true countenance must possess.

Her retreating back was equally graceful—slender and lithe, yet devoid of the deliberately seductive swaying common among other women. She walked with unhurried poise, dignified and elegant.

Not only was she supremely beautiful, but her voice was equally enchanting.

Shangguan Xun lowered his gaze to the rice stalks before him, his heart hammering violently, unable to distinguish whether the pounding was caused by Ye Wanwan’s beauty or her words.

*'There are tens of thousands of mayflies trying to shake a tree, but a descending fierce tiger requires only one.'*

This Noble Consort was truly a most unexpected woman.

The distant officials further down the path seemed to have noticed as well. A few of them hurriedly gathered around, asking with burning curiosity, "Who was that just now? She looked like one of the imperial concubines. Brother, what did you say to her?"

Shangguan Xun lowered his head to tend to the rice stalks. "I merely paid my respects."

"Is that so? Was she pretty? The Noble Consort is here today as well, you know. Word has it that the Noble Consort possesses an otherworldly beauty akin to a bright pearl and fine jade—a face that could topple cities, a peerless national treasure. It's a pity she wears a veil and is surrounded by so many guards. If one could catch a glimpse of her true face just once, that truly would be..."

"It truly would be courting death!"

The man’s look of excitement instantly froze. Ah yes, it truly would be courting death.

To actually dare harbor fantasies about the Noble Consort’s appearance—was that not the exact definition of wanting to die?

(End of this chapter)
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