Chapter 22: The Foolish Emperor vs. the Enchantress Consort

The dishes were served in no time. Dugu Jin fed Yuan Peipei just as he usually did.

"Don't just focus on the duck; you need to eat the other dishes too," he said, his tone resembling that of a doting relative, brimming with care.

"Oh," Yuan Peipei replied, swallowing the food he offered before returning to mindlessly nibbling on her duck.

Yuan Jinjin was stunned. Everything before her eyes shattered her perception of reality. The Emperor was actually feeding a concubine like a common servant? And given his practiced ease, this clearly wasn't the first time. Even that fool, Peipei, had become accustomed to it. Was this the standard treatment for a favored concubine? No wonder her mother and brother mentioned that she often brought back fine gifts to the estate. It turned out she was truly that pampered.

"Sister, you should eat too; these dishes are delicious," Yuan Peipei said, her mouth never stopping.

Yuan Jinjin had lost her appetite entirely. She couldn't help but fantasize: if Prince Xuan ascended the throne and made her his Empress, would he treat her the same way? Could Prince Xuan even do such a thing? She doubted it, lacking the confidence.

After finishing the meal in a daze, Yuan Jinjin followed them toward the end of the street, watching like a masochist as the two held hands.

"Husband, have I grown fat?" Yuan Peipei asked, noting her rounded belly.

Dugu Jin pinched her cheek. "Even if you grow fat, my lady, you will be a beautiful fat woman."

Yuan Jinjin longed to rush over and pull them apart. She wanted to scream at this foolish emperor, "You are the Emperor! How can you indulge a concubine without any sense of propriety?" She also wanted to shout at the simpleton Yuan Peipei, "You are merely a concubine, and even if you are a noble consort, you are still a secondary wife! How can you act as if you were the mistress of the house?"

Yuan Peipei, meanwhile, was brimming with joy from Dugu Jin’s coaxing, the curve of her lips never fading.

"Oh? Sister, aren't you supposed to head that way to return to the estate?" Yuan Peipei asked, looking back.

Yuan Jinjin eventually calmed down, suppressing the demon within her. "Oh, I just intended to see the Emperor and you to your carriage before leaving."

"That won't be necessary. You may return to the estate," Dugu Jin said, his voice cold and laced with malice.

Yuan Jinjin bowed. "Yes." She turned and headed toward the Prime Minister's residence, walking deliberately slowly, hoping to see what they would do next. They boarded the carriage—the foolish emperor had carried the simpleton inside. He held her as if she were a rare treasure, terrified of her being bumped or bruised, his eyes filled with tenderness and care.

The flames of jealousy in Yuan Jinjin's heart burned ever brighter. Why did that fool deserve all this?

Upon returning to the estate, her maid noticed her sour expression and asked, "Eldest Miss, what is wrong?"

"None of your business! Get back to your work!" Yuan Jinjin snapped. It was the first time she had shown such irritability within the household. The maid, not daring to say another word, quickly retreated.

The more Yuan Jinjin thought about it, the more wrong it felt, so she went straight to the study to find the Prime Minister.

"Father, the current Emperor is truly not a wise ruler. You should make plans early," she said—clearly not the first time she had spoken to him on the matter.

The Prime Minister hesitated. "For Prince Xuan to succeed, he needs a legitimate reason. Otherwise, he will struggle to win the hearts of the people, the government will remain unstable, and he will fail to command respect."

Yuan Jinjin didn't find this difficult. "Father, guess who I met today?"

"Who?"

"The Emperor and Peipei," she said with disdain. "They were strolling through the market like a common married couple. Peipei called him 'husband,' and he called her 'my lady.' Furthermore, during lunch, the Emperor served her throughout the entire meal; every bite she took was fed to her by his own hand."

The Prime Minister grew increasingly alarmed and incredulous. "Jinjin, is this true?"

"Father, would I joke about such things?" Yuan Jinjin asked. "The Emperor is obsessed with women and neglects state affairs. He is a foolish ruler—how can he possibly uphold the Great Wei Dynasty?"

Hearing this, the Prime Minister could not help but feel a wave of disappointment toward the Emperor.

Yuan Jinjin seized the moment. "To be honest, Father, during the two days I spent in the palace accompanying Peipei, I saw things even more absurd. The Emperor actually sat her on his lap and fed her bite by bite. They were acting so intimate in broad daylight! If this gets out, what will happen? Such a demonic concubine coming from our Prime Minister's residence—what will happen to our family's reputation?"

The Prime Minister cared most about the reputation of his house. If the court officials were to denounce Peipei, wouldn't his residence become the target of universal condemnation?

He took a deep breath. "After court tomorrow, I will go see Peipei myself. If this is true, we must sever ties with her early, or we will surely be implicated."

Yuan Jinjin had no objections; in fact, she was eager. That fool never deserved to be her sister.

"However, Father, if Peipei is close to the foolish emperor, she might be able to help us—or help Prince Xuan. Perhaps it is best not to make things too tense for now."

The Prime Minister, harboring his own plans, stared ahead in deep thought, contemplating his next move.

***

Back in the palace, Yuan Peipei was in a wonderful mood as she looked at the various trinkets she had bought. She personally placed them in the side hall.

"Huh?" Yuan Peipei stopped.

Cuizhi stepped forward. "What is it, Your Ladyship?"

Yuan Peipei pointed at the stacked items. "Something is wrong. Someone has touched my things."

Lanxin questioned all the servants, but no one had entered the side hall over the past two days. Yet, Yuan Peipei was certain. "Someone definitely moved them. This pink box was on top, but now it's on the bottom. This blue box was here, but now it's over there."

Both Cuizhi and Lanxin knew that their mistress had an excellent memory. If she had been willing to study seriously, her fame would have surpassed even the Eldest Miss. She simply chose not to. Thus, if she said these items had been moved, they certainly had.

"Your Ladyship, don't worry. Cuizhi and I will take inventory to see if anything is missing," Lanxin said.

"Alright," Yuan Peipei replied. She set down what she was holding and returned to the main hall, full of confusion.

"Oh! I almost forgot the important thing!" She suddenly stood up, called two servants, and headed toward the Hall of Diligent Governance. Along the way, everyone bowed to her. Upon arrival, Du Heng let her in immediately; the guards and servants at the door were already used to her presence.

At his desk, Dugu Jin was diligently reviewing memorials. Yuan Peipei walked over on tiptoe, intending to startle him, but was suddenly pulled into his arms.

"How did the Emperor know I was behind you?"

Dugu Jin feigned a stern expression. "You dare to play tricks on me? Does my beloved concubine know she is at fault?"

*The big villain is starting to scare baby Peipei on purpose again!*
*Don't be afraid, baby Peipei, he couldn't bear to do anything to you.*
*Cry, only tears can save you now.*

Yuan Peipei’s eyes turned red, and tears welled up instantly. Her aggrieved little face was enough to make anyone feel like they were the one in the wrong.

Dugu Jin couldn't help himself; he cupped her face and kissed her all over, drinking away her tears. "You, you know I have no choice when it comes to you, using this tactic against me every time." He gently pinched her nose, his eyes filled with indulgence and helplessness.