Chapter 215

Upon hearing that Wang Min’er had returned to the Tang family estate with Tang Xiuping, Wang Yuan’er felt a mix of exasperation and helplessness. Yet, she wasn’t entirely surprised. With Wang Min’er’s character, how could she ever resign herself to a life of mediocrity?

Unfortunately, her timing was terrible. She returned just as the Wang family severed ties with the Tang family and while the Tang family’s Old Madam had suffered a stroke and become bedridden. Given the Tang family’s usual ways, it was inevitable that they would shift the blame onto Wang Min’er. For her, returning to the estate at this time could hardly promise any good days.

Madam Zhang wept bitterly, pleading with Wang Yuan’er to think of a solution. But what could Wang Yuan’er do?

Having shared the same table yet led separate lives, Wang Yuan’er had offered Wang Min’er countless pieces of advice—both good and bad—repeating herself like the endlessly long bindings of old women’s footwraps. Yet, Wang Min’er had always followed her own inclinations.

Wang Yuan’er could do no more. She truly had no power to help Wang Min’er anymore because, as the saying goes: you can never wake someone pretending to sleep. All she could do was wish her well.

Watching Wang Yuan’er sigh helplessly, Madam Zhang collapsed to the ground in tears and sobs. She eventually made her way to the Tang family estate to demand a meeting with Wang Min’er, but the Tang family flatly refused her entry. They only stopped short of chasing her away with a broomstick.

“The Wang family and dogs are forbidden from approaching.” This was the cutting remark made by the Tang family.

Just as Wang Yuan’er had predicted, Wang Min’er indeed did not have a good time after returning. Ever since she came back from the estate, she had been forced to kneel for hours in Songhe Hall, leaving her knees swollen and raw, before being sent to the most remote courtyard of the Tang family’s old residence. The reason? The Old Madam Tang family had fallen ill and been paralyzed by anger caused by the Wang family.

The courtyard where she was placed was overgrown with weeds and desolate, having not been cleaned for years. The house was coated with thick layers of dust. When Wang Min’er was sent there, all she had with her was a single maid to assist her and Little Zhilian—no one else. She had to clean the courtyard herself.

Even after tidying up, her struggles didn’t end. The food provided to them was either cold, spoiled, or insufficient. While Wang Min’er could barely manage, Little Zhilian, being a young child, suffered even more. Aside from her milk, she couldn’t get proper supplementary food. She remained frail and underweight for her age, making her plight particularly pitiable.

Before returning, Wang Min’er had naively thought that Tang Xiuping had remembered her and her daughter and had come to bring them back from the estate to enjoy a better life. But to her shock, the reality was far from what she had imagined.

All of this stemmed from the Old Madam’s stroke, for which everyone blamed Wang Min’er and her family, laying all the guilt on her shoulders.

Wang Min’er eventually offered two gold rings to some servants to learn the reason for her family’s confrontation with the Tang family. Upon hearing the full story, she felt as though she had fallen into an icy abyss. If the rumors were true, could it be that the Tang family’s eldest master had orchestrated her father’s downfall? The revelation left her reeling with fear and confusion.

Wang Min’er dared not dig deeper, nor did she dare challenge Madam Rong’s authority. She was terrified—terrified of Madam Rong’s gaze, which looked at her as if she were already dead.

Madam Rong, even as a child, had once killed a maid over a mere cat.

Wang Yuan’er’s repeated warnings echoed in Wang Min’er’s mind, making her all the more cautious, terrified to take any action that might cross the line.

Wang Min’er had no choice but to quiet down, waiting for the Tang family’s anger to subside and hoping for Tang Xiuping’s pity.

Days passed swiftly. By early May, Wang Yuan’er, accompanied by Cui Yuan and his two servants, arrived in the capital. She wanted to inspect two potential shop locations herself to decide which one to lease.

It was early summer, and the city buzzed with vibrant energy. Within just two days, Wang Yuan’er stood before the gates of the capital.

Lifting the curtain of her carriage, she looked up at the towering, solid city walls. Soldiers, armed with spears, stood guard atop the walls. The deep red, sturdy city gates stood wide open as carriages and people streamed in and out.

Having lived two lifetimes, this was Wang Yuan’er’s first visit to the capital. Observing the flow of people entering and exiting the city, she noticed they all had to line up and present their documents for inspection by the soldiers before they could pass.

“This city wall is so tall, and there are so many people,” Wang Yuan’er said, her eyes sparkling with amazement.

Cui Yuan sat opposite Wang Yuan’er, reading a scroll. Upon hearing her comment, he followed her gaze and said, “The capital is the royal city, the heartland of the Northern Dynasty. Naturally, its city walls are unlike those of other checkpoints.”

Wang Yuan’er rested her chin on her hand, watching the soldiers’ inspections with fascination. Soon, it was their turn, and they were quickly granted passage.

“Is this your first visit?” Cui Yuan asked.

Wang Yuan’er nodded.

Cui Yuan put down his scroll and began introducing her to the royal city.

The capital was divided into inner and outer cities. The inner city boasted nine gates, four corner towers, and three water gates, while the outer city had seven gates. The inner city was split into eastern and western zones by a river. The eastern city was home to nobles and the royal palace, filled with opulent residences, gardens, and mansions occupying vast areas. The western city, on the other hand, was predominantly inhabited by commoners. Yet, even the simplest lives here were far better than those in small towns elsewhere, thanks to its proximity to the emperor.

In the eastern city, being the hub of aristocracy, shops catered to the wealthy, and prices were considerably high. In contrast, the western city offered more affordable options, with annual rents for shops ranging from two to three hundred taels.

Cui Yuan’s servant, Chen Shu, had found potential shop locations for her in the western city.

As the carriage wheels clattered along, Wang Yuan’er listened to Cui Yuan’s explanation while keeping her eyes fixed on the scenery outside.

“That is the Arrow Tower,” Cui Yuan remarked, referring to a brick fortress with a gate at its center, uniquely designed for the emperor’s dragon carriage.

This captivated Wang Yuan’er, who exclaimed eagerly, “So the emperor’s carriage passes through here?”

Cui Yuan smiled faintly. “You could say that.”

The Arrow Tower is thirty-six feet tall and constructed like a brick fortress. Its arched gates, designed in a unique five-layer style, are located at the tower’s center. This gate is the only one among the nine gates of the inner city specifically built for the emperor’s dragon carriage and phoenix sedan.

Upon hearing this, Wang Yuan’er eagerly looked again, hoping to catch a glimpse of the emperor himself.

Cui Yuan burst into laughter, leaning closer to say, “The emperor rarely leaves the palace, and when he does, it’s always a grand affair. You won’t see him here.”

Caught red-handed in her thoughts, Wang Yuan’er blurted, “You think I’ve never seen the emperor? I have!”

Cui Yuan raised an eyebrow.

Wang Yuan’er froze for a moment before awkwardly turning her head away and adding, “Uh… in my dreams!”

Cui Yuan laughed heartily, teasingly saying, “You really have seen him.”

Meanwhile, Wang Yuan’er felt regretful about her impulsive comment. After all, she was just a simple farm girl—how could she have ever seen the emperor? Back then, she had encountered someone she believed to be him but had already forgotten his face.

Hence, she didn’t clearly hear what Cui Yuan had said and asked, “What did you say?”

Cui Yuan smiled, shook his head, and changed the subject, pointing out the scenic spots outside one by one.

In the bright early summer sunshine, it was now just past noon. Wang Yuan’er’s eyes were suddenly dazzled by a golden flash of light, extremely blinding.

“What is that…” Wang Yuan’er narrowed her eyes slightly and looked in the direction the golden light came from.

In the distance, there was the edge of a roof, with bronze bells hanging on the corners. The golden roof tiles extended in a row, and the golden light shot from there. She had heard that the palace roofs were all made of gold. Was that the imperial palace?

Wang Yuan’er leaned on the window of the carriage, gazing longingly at the golden sight.

“That’s the imperial palace where the Emperor resides,” Cui Yuan said with a smile, suppressing his amusement.

Wang Yuan’er gasped in amazement and exclaimed, “I heard the palace roofs are made entirely of gold. If you could knock off just one piece, you wouldn’t have to worry about food or drink for a lifetime.”

Cui Yuan couldn’t help but laugh out loud. She was just too funny!

Wang Yuan’er blushed and said, “I-I’m just a clueless village girl.”

Cui Yuan covered his mouth with a fist, chuckling softly, and said, “You’ve been misled. The roofs of the imperial palace are made of yellow glazed tiles, and sometimes copper is used. As for gold, there might be some, but certainly not all. If the roofs were really made entirely of gold, as you said, just knocking off a piece would be enough to live comfortably for a lifetime—wouldn’t that invite thieves to steal?”

Although no foolish thief would dare steal from the imperial palace, there definitely aren’t any roofs made entirely of gold.

Wang Yuan’er gave an awkward laugh, dropped the curtain, and changed the subject: “This capital city is really big. We’ve been traveling for such a long time since entering.”

Cui Yuan glanced outside and said, “Another quarter of an hour, and we should arrive.”

Another quarter of an hour!

Wang Yuan’er clicked her tongue in amazement—it had already been nearly an hour. She simply closed her eyes to rest, but little did she know, as soon as her eyes shut, she fell asleep amidst the swaying of the carriage.

Cui Yuan noticed the sudden silence and turned to look, only to see that she had fallen asleep. He couldn’t help but chuckle. He was sitting right next to her, and as he turned his head to look, he happened to catch a view of her graceful profile.

Having grown up in the capital, he had seen countless beauties with striking appearances. Later, while accompanying the emperor in battles, he encountered many women of various beauties from different regions. Wang Yuan’er wasn’t a stunning beauty by those standards; she could only be described as charmingly delicate, with a refined and pleasant appearance.

After spending more time together, he found her to be intelligent and resilient, knowing when to advance or retreat. Perhaps one might even say she was adept at maneuvering through situations, but it was not unbecoming. As the eldest daughter of a widow with a string of younger siblings beneath her, how could she survive without being resourceful and calculating?

Cui Yuan had visited the Wang family multiple times. She treated her younger siblings with strict yet loving care, and in turn, her siblings respected and adored her. This demonstrated the deep bond they shared as a family. Without parents or significant support, she still managed to make a life for herself. Such a person earned his admiration. When they interacted privately, her occasional moments of playful annoyance or bashful embarrassment revealed a side of her as a delicate young woman, which surprised him. Her displays of wonder, joy, and even naivety on this journey to the capital made him feel comfortable and at ease.

Wang Yuan’er was genuine. Compared to those pretentious and affected young ladies, she seemed far more real, which made him feel even more at ease.

Cui Yuan was surprised by his feelings.

Suddenly, the carriage gave a light jolt, causing Wang Yuan’er, who was leaning against the carriage, to tumble toward Cui Yuan.

Cui Yuan quickly reached out to steady her. Her head and neck landed right in his hands as if they had found a cozy spot, and she even nuzzled slightly, like a little kitten.

Cui Yuan’s face flushed red. The fine strands of her hair brushed against his palm, tickling him deeply as it had reached his heart.

“Young master, is everything all right? We just hit a small stone,” came Chen Shu’s voice from outside the carriage.

“It’s fine,” Cui Yuan replied. After a moment of thought, he added, “Drive the carriage a bit slower. There’s no need to rush.”

“Oh!” Chen Shu found it strange. Why suddenly ask to slow down? It was already close to noon—wouldn’t it be better to arrive quickly and eat lunch? His stomach was already growling.