Chapter 117
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She glanced at the Empress and expressed her sympathy internally again. The Noble Consort was flirting with the Emperor the entire time and the Emperor actually completely ignored the Empress. Perhaps it was only because her son was so talented that she was able to keep her position until now. She looked away and started searching for Xi Qi's contestants and found them conversing with other officials, trying to make connections for themselves. Just like Jing Qie, most of the participants from Xi Qi were also noble children. The banquet soon ended without any further trouble and everyone went back to their own places of residence on their own carriage. The envoy from Xi Qi will be staying at a few palaces in the Imperial City, one courtyard assigned to two people each. They didn't want the guests to feel like they are being imprisoned and unable to talk to their companions, that would only heighten their sense of danger and that wasn't what the Tournament was supposed to be about. Besides, having two in one courtyard, they could protect each other. This arrangement by the Emperor was truly a good one. It just goes to show a good and wise Emperor might not be a kind and loving husband.
In Lavender Palace's plain carriage, both of the riders were silent, until Rong Jian started a conversation. "...Wifey, are you... worried about the Empress?"
"Not necessarily worry, only sympathize with her." Shen Tianyu answered as she gazed at the curtain covering the window next to her, chin in hand.
"...Why so?" Rong Jian asked softly, as if he was fully aware this was a touchy subject, but he just wanted to know what she thinks.
"Isn't it pitiful? The most powerful woman is actually not powerful at all. All she has is given by her husband, she can not do as she wishes on a whim and has to watch her husband flirt with other women, not socially allowed to say anything lest her family and reputation suffer. The most powerful woman in the kingdom is nothing more than a bird in a gilded cage, even common women have more freedom than her, able to choose who to marry, some even able to divorce their husbands and keep their property. Yet, what does the hailed and envied Empress have? She has nothing. If she ever dares to deny or obstruct the Emperor, everything she has can be taken away by a single word, a single snap of the fingers and she would be abandoned in a corner of the vast Imperial City with no one and nowhere to turn to. It really makes one wonder why people are so desperate for that position. Perhaps it is because women have no other choice, they can only climb up the social ladder by marrying, and rarely is there ever a second chance for that." Shen Tianyu replied to him without hiding anything, speaking her honest opinion.
"So, wifey does not covet the Empress position?" Though Rong Jian knows she has no need for it, being a higher-up in Lavender Palace gives her much more power than some Empress.
"Why would I? Unlike other people, I enjoy my freedom the most. I don't want to waste time and oppress myself for other people to praise me. As someone once said, 'pleasing everyone is impossible' so I won't try. Besides, that position has no value to me." Shen Tianyu still hasn't turned around to look at her conversation partner.
"Wifey is wise." Rong Jian threw out that simple compliment because he doesn't really know what else to say. His parents were nothing like this pair of Emperor and Empress of Jing Qie but he had already known long ago, from the couples around his family and others who were envoys, that his parents relationship were abnormal. A rarity to put it nicely, an anomaly to put it negatively. Seeing these kinds of things even now, he had to agree with his wife, it was better not to have that position at all than to lose sight of yourself because of it.
Shen Tianyu finally turned her head around, a teasing smile on her lips. "Are you calling me unwise before this? Unless I've gone crazy, I remember I have always been quite insightful and wise."
Rong Jian coughed. "Of course, Wifey has always been wise, I am merely marveling at your great wisdom again."
"I would imagine men do not like women who seem to be too intelligent?"
Rong Jian humphed and put hi hands on his hips in a gesture of pride. "I am not like those shallow men who do not know how to treasure talents and women. Men who can not even treasure their own wives, how can they possibly manage a country and care for it's people? Really, it's just ludicrous."
Shen Tianyu giggled into her sleeve, fully turning around to face him. "I see Jian-lang is also wise and insightful, truly cares for the people."
Rong Jian's ear blushed, but it was barely visible through the dim lighting in the carriage. Good thing they were both high-leveled cultivators and could see in the dark. Shen Tianyu smiled a little more seeing it. 'How cute.'
Rong Jian looked at Shen Tianyu's figure, bathed in the dim moonlight and blushed even more, thinking how beautiful she was. "O-Of course, I have to be this good at the very least to ask for your hand." He stammered a little, still awed by his wife's beauty.
Shen Tianyu lowered her head upon hearing this, a melancholic light flashing in her eyes before she looked up again. They didn't speak any further, Shen Tianyu turning back to stare at the landscape through the hazy film of the curtain and Rong Jian watching her profile, trying to imprint her beautiful visage in his brain. They stopped at Lavender Palace, Rong Jian coming down first in order to assist Shen Tianyu. She let his hand go as soon as her feet touched the ground and walked ahead of him into the Palace. Rong Jian looked down at his hand that she had held and clenched it into a fist, trying to savor her brief warmth.He looked at her retreating back and thought to himself. 'I know wife has many things she is hiding but I will not give up, I will continue to woe you until you can trust me with your secrets. Shen Tianyu, I love you.' He brought his fist to his lips and kissed it before he let it fall back down to his side as he chased after her, calling her in his usual cheery tone as he waved his hand. "Wait for me, wifey!"
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She glanced at the Empress and expressed her sympathy internally again. The Noble Consort was flirting with the Emperor the entire time and the Emperor actually completely ignored the Empress. Perhaps it was only because her son was so talented that she was able to keep her position until now. She looked away and started searching for Xi Qi's contestants and found them conversing with other officials, trying to make connections for themselves. Just like Jing Qie, most of the participants from Xi Qi were also noble children. The banquet soon ended without any further trouble and everyone went back to their own places of residence on their own carriage. The envoy from Xi Qi will be staying at a few palaces in the Imperial City, one courtyard assigned to two people each. They didn't want the guests to feel like they are being imprisoned and unable to talk to their companions, that would only heighten their sense of danger and that wasn't what the Tournament was supposed to be about. Besides, having two in one courtyard, they could protect each other. This arrangement by the Emperor was truly a good one. It just goes to show a good and wise Emperor might not be a kind and loving husband.
In Lavender Palace's plain carriage, both of the riders were silent, until Rong Jian started a conversation. "...Wifey, are you... worried about the Empress?"
"Not necessarily worry, only sympathize with her." Shen Tianyu answered as she gazed at the curtain covering the window next to her, chin in hand.
"...Why so?" Rong Jian asked softly, as if he was fully aware this was a touchy subject, but he just wanted to know what she thinks.
"Isn't it pitiful? The most powerful woman is actually not powerful at all. All she has is given by her husband, she can not do as she wishes on a whim and has to watch her husband flirt with other women, not socially allowed to say anything lest her family and reputation suffer. The most powerful woman in the kingdom is nothing more than a bird in a gilded cage, even common women have more freedom than her, able to choose who to marry, some even able to divorce their husbands and keep their property. Yet, what does the hailed and envied Empress have? She has nothing. If she ever dares to deny or obstruct the Emperor, everything she has can be taken away by a single word, a single snap of the fingers and she would be abandoned in a corner of the vast Imperial City with no one and nowhere to turn to. It really makes one wonder why people are so desperate for that position. Perhaps it is because women have no other choice, they can only climb up the social ladder by marrying, and rarely is there ever a second chance for that." Shen Tianyu replied to him without hiding anything, speaking her honest opinion.
"So, wifey does not covet the Empress position?" Though Rong Jian knows she has no need for it, being a higher-up in Lavender Palace gives her much more power than some Empress.
"Why would I? Unlike other people, I enjoy my freedom the most. I don't want to waste time and oppress myself for other people to praise me. As someone once said, 'pleasing everyone is impossible' so I won't try. Besides, that position has no value to me." Shen Tianyu still hasn't turned around to look at her conversation partner.
"Wifey is wise." Rong Jian threw out that simple compliment because he doesn't really know what else to say. His parents were nothing like this pair of Emperor and Empress of Jing Qie but he had already known long ago, from the couples around his family and others who were envoys, that his parents relationship were abnormal. A rarity to put it nicely, an anomaly to put it negatively. Seeing these kinds of things even now, he had to agree with his wife, it was better not to have that position at all than to lose sight of yourself because of it.
Shen Tianyu finally turned her head around, a teasing smile on her lips. "Are you calling me unwise before this? Unless I've gone crazy, I remember I have always been quite insightful and wise."
Rong Jian coughed. "Of course, Wifey has always been wise, I am merely marveling at your great wisdom again."
"I would imagine men do not like women who seem to be too intelligent?"
Rong Jian humphed and put hi hands on his hips in a gesture of pride. "I am not like those shallow men who do not know how to treasure talents and women. Men who can not even treasure their own wives, how can they possibly manage a country and care for it's people? Really, it's just ludicrous."
Shen Tianyu giggled into her sleeve, fully turning around to face him. "I see Jian-lang is also wise and insightful, truly cares for the people."
Rong Jian's ear blushed, but it was barely visible through the dim lighting in the carriage. Good thing they were both high-leveled cultivators and could see in the dark. Shen Tianyu smiled a little more seeing it. 'How cute.'
Rong Jian looked at Shen Tianyu's figure, bathed in the dim moonlight and blushed even more, thinking how beautiful she was. "O-Of course, I have to be this good at the very least to ask for your hand." He stammered a little, still awed by his wife's beauty.
Shen Tianyu lowered her head upon hearing this, a melancholic light flashing in her eyes before she looked up again. They didn't speak any further, Shen Tianyu turning back to stare at the landscape through the hazy film of the curtain and Rong Jian watching her profile, trying to imprint her beautiful visage in his brain. They stopped at Lavender Palace, Rong Jian coming down first in order to assist Shen Tianyu. She let his hand go as soon as her feet touched the ground and walked ahead of him into the Palace. Rong Jian looked down at his hand that she had held and clenched it into a fist, trying to savor her brief warmth.He looked at her retreating back and thought to himself. 'I know wife has many things she is hiding but I will not give up, I will continue to woe you until you can trust me with your secrets. Shen Tianyu, I love you.' He brought his fist to his lips and kissed it before he let it fall back down to his side as he chased after her, calling her in his usual cheery tone as he waved his hand. "Wait for me, wifey!"
She glanced at the Empress and expressed her sympathy internally again. The Noble Consort was flirting with the Emperor the entire time and the Emperor actually completely ignored the Empress. Perhaps it was only because her son was so talented that she was able to keep her position until now. She looked away and started searching for Xi Qi's contestants and found them conversing with other officials, trying to make connections for themselves. Just like Jing Qie, most of the participants from Xi Qi were also noble children. The banquet soon ended without any further trouble and everyone went back to their own places of residence on their own carriage. The envoy from Xi Qi will be staying at a few palaces in the Imperial City, one courtyard assigned to two people each. They didn't want the guests to feel like they are being imprisoned and unable to talk to their companions, that would only heighten their sense of danger and that wasn't what the Tournament was supposed to be about. Besides, having two in one courtyard, they could protect each other. This arrangement by the Emperor was truly a good one. It just goes to show a good and wise Emperor might not be a kind and loving husband.In Lavender Palace's plain carriage, both of the riders were silent, until Rong Jian started a conversation. "...Wifey, are you... worried about the Empress?""Not necessarily worry, only sympathize with her." Shen Tianyu answered as she gazed at the curtain covering the window next to her, chin in hand."...Why so?" Rong Jian asked softly, as if he was fully aware this was a touchy subject, but he just wanted to know what she thinks."Isn't it pitiful? The most powerful woman is actually not powerful at all. All she has is given by her husband, she can not do as she wishes on a whim and has to watch her husband flirt with other women, not socially allowed to say anything lest her family and reputation suffer. The most powerful woman in the kingdom is nothing more than a bird in a gilded cage, even common women have more freedom than her, able to choose who to marry, some even able to divorce their husbands and keep their property. Yet, what does the hailed and envied Empress have? She has nothing. If she ever dares to deny or obstruct the Emperor, everything she has can be taken away by a single word, a single snap of the fingers and she would be abandoned in a corner of the vast Imperial City with no one and nowhere to turn to. It really makes one wonder why people are so desperate for that position. Perhaps it is because women have no other choice, they can only climb up the social ladder by marrying, and rarely is there ever a second chance for that." Shen Tianyu replied to him without hiding anything, speaking her honest opinion."So, wifey does not covet the Empress position?" Though Rong Jian knows she has no need for it, being a higher-up in Lavender Palace gives her much more power than some Empress."Why would I? Unlike other people, I enjoy my freedom the most. I don't want to waste time and oppress myself for other people to praise me. As someone once said, 'pleasing everyone is impossible' so I won't try. Besides, that position has no value to me." Shen Tianyu still hasn't turned around to look at her conversation partner."Wifey is wise." Rong Jian threw out that simple compliment because he doesn't really know what else to say. His parents were nothing like this pair of Emperor and Empress of Jing Qie but he had already known long ago, from the couples around his family and others who were envoys, that his parents relationship were abnormal. A rarity to put it nicely, an anomaly to put it negatively. Seeing these kinds of things even now, he had to agree with his wife, it was better not to have that position at all than to lose sight of yourself because of it.Shen Tianyu finally turned her head around, a teasing smile on her lips. "Are you calling me unwise before this? Unless I've gone crazy, I remember I have always been quite insightful and wise."Rong Jian coughed. "Of course, Wifey has always been wise, I am merely marveling at your great wisdom again.""I would imagine men do not like women who seem to be too intelligent?"Rong Jian humphed and put hi hands on his hips in a gesture of pride. "I am not like those shallow men who do not know how to treasure talents and women. Men who can not even treasure their own wives, how can they possibly manage a country and care for it's people? Really, it's just ludicrous."Shen Tianyu giggled into her sleeve, fully turning around to face him. "I see Jian-lang is also wise and insightful, truly cares for the people."Rong Jian's ear blushed, but it was barely visible through the dim lighting in the carriage. Good thing they were both high-leveled cultivators and could see in the dark. Shen Tianyu smiled a little more seeing it. 'How cute.'Rong Jian looked at Shen Tianyu's figure, bathed in the dim moonlight and blushed even more, thinking how beautiful she was. "O-Of course, I have to be this good at the very least to ask for your hand." He stammered a little, still awed by his wife's beauty.Shen Tianyu lowered her head upon hearing this, a melancholic light flashing in her eyes before she looked up again. They didn't speak any further, Shen Tianyu turning back to stare at the landscape through the hazy film of the curtain and Rong Jian watching her profile, trying to imprint her beautiful visage in his brain. They stopped at Lavender Palace, Rong Jian coming down first in order to assist Shen Tianyu. She let his hand go as soon as her feet touched the ground and walked ahead of him into the Palace. Rong Jian looked down at his hand that she had held and clenched it into a fist, trying to savor her brief warmth.He looked at her retreating back and thought to himself. 'I know wife has many things she is hiding but I will not give up, I will continue to woe you until you can trust me with your secrets. Shen Tianyu, I love you.' He brought his fist to his lips and kissed it before he let it fall back down to his side as he chased after her, calling her in his usual cheery tone as he waved his hand. "Wait for me, wifey!"
