Chapter 58.1 Burning Hot

The Old Madam still had her authority, so Aunt Yun could only do as she said.

She indeed had a way, as not long after, Ye Bing Shang gracefully appeared ¹ 袅袅婷婷 (niǎoniǎotíngtíng) – (of a woman) elegant and supple at the door of the Ye residence.

The Great Xia official soldiers didn’t dare to let the people of the Ye family out, but none of them dared to stop Ye Bing Shang.

In a white silk mourning dress, Ye Bing Shang walked in and curtseyed to Old Madam Ye.

Her sharp jawline was similar to the frail beauty of Xizi ² 西子 (Xīzǐ) – name of a famous beauty of the late Spring and Autumn Period; another name for Xishi (Xīshī) [西施] , and it inexplicably added a stroke of unique allure to her overall look. The traditional saying, ‘women dressed all in white are the most appealing’ really wasn’t wrong.

The Old Madam looked at her coldly, without the least bit of warmth in her eyes.

“All out! Xi Wu and Bing Shang stay.”

Aunt Yun worriedly glanced at her daughter, but Ye Bing Shang nodded, so she went out carrying the Fourth Young Master.

The Old Madam closed her eyes, “Eldest girl, I don’t know when you got involved with His Majesty Tantai. These past few years, I’ve asked myself honestly ³ 扪心自问 (ménxīn-zìwèn) – an idiom; examine one’s conscience; to search in one’s heart and believe I’ve never mistreated you. You’re a capable person. I don’t expect you to take care of your brother and sister after you’ve risen up ⁴ 飞黄腾达 (fēihuáng-téngdá) – lit. the divine steed Feihuang gallops (idiom); fig. to achieve meteoric success in one’s career; have a meteoric rise , I just want to ask you a favor.”

Ye Bing Shang pursed her lips and straightened her back, “Grandmother exaggerates.”

“You’ll surely take care of Aunt Yun and Little Four yourself, that this old woman doesn’t need to say more about. Third Girl was young and ignorant, she used to offend His Majesty Tantai. Liuzhou is a cold and bitter place, the Third Girl isn’t eighteen yet, her life will be ruined if she goes there. This old woman brazenly asks for you to ask the Emperor of Zhou to spare Third Girl,” the Old Madam sadly said. “Whether she marries a commoner, or stays in the capital as an ordinary person, just don’t let her go to Liuzhou.”

What kind of place was Liuzhou? It was full of famine victims.

There wasn’t enough food and cloth, and worst of all, no one could predict how much a young and beautiful little lady would suffer after going to such a place.

Su Su had never thought that right now, Old Madam Ye was still hoping to preserve her life.

The rims of her eyes turned sour, and the hand that gripped her own was like a dried up orange peel. Grandmother was old, but she was also once a brave young woman of a general’s family. She should never have bowed her head to beg anyone in her life, but now, she bowed her head and begged her concubine-born granddaughter.

Ye Bing Shang glanced at the Old Madam, then at Su Su, and indifferently said, “Bing Shang will try my best.”

The Old Madam nodded, and actually wanted to get up and bow to her.

Su Su pulled the Old Madam back.

“Xi Wu?”

Su Su said, “No need, I’ll accompany grandmother to Liuzhou. Eldest Sister, I wish you a bright future ⁵ 前程似锦 (qiánchéng-sìjǐn) – an idiom; splendid prospects; glorious future in soon becoming the empress.”

Su Su’s eyes were clear and bright as she gently glanced at Ye Bing Shang, who suddenly felt a bit offended and displeased at having been seen through.

“Third Sister, grandmother is doing this for your own good, why are you still so insensible……”

“I’ve always been this insensible. If you really have the heart and ability to do so, beg him to let grandmother go. Grandmother can’t hold a sword, so she cannot shake his country.”

Ye Bing Shang didn’t speak.

Su Su stopped looking at her and smiled, “Let’s go, grandmother. Xi Wu assures you that this will be the last time I’ll be wilful in this life.”

As they walked away, Ye Bing Shang tightly clenched her handkerchief.

*****

At the end of the first month, Ye Bing Shang was bestowed the title ‘Commandery Princess Zhaohua’ and left for Zhou Kingdom for her political marriage.

A few days later, the Ye family was exiled.

Both men and women walked separately and were sent to Liuzhou.

The day Su Su left, many people came to see them off. All the people of Great Xia knew what kind of heroes the Ye family had produced.

However, they could only look at them with sad eyes.

The fall of the Ye family stopped the flames of war from spreading to the capital. Since then, Xia Empire became a vassal state of Zhou Kingdom. The legend of General Ye existed no more.

Everyone in the Ye family had shackles on both their hands and feet.

Aunt Lian looked haggard. The moment her son died on the battlefield, it was as if all of her energy had been drained, and she had become a walking corpse.

Su Su looked around and saw several little girls that she didn’t even know. The youngest was only five or six years old, and she was crying in her mother’s arms.

Even the collateral branch of the family was implicated.

In the crowd, there was no Aunt Yun. She was picked up by Ye Bing Shang and taken together with her to the Zhou Kingdom. She didn’t know whether Ye Bing Shang had tried or not, or was rejected, but Old Madam Ye wasn’t exempted from punishment.

After leaving the capital, the official soldiers roughly pushed the women in the family, “Move, what are you dawdling about for!”

Some people were so used to tyrannically abusing their power ⁶ 作威作福 (zuòwēi-zuòfú) – an idiom; ride roughshod over others; act like a tyrant that they wanted to take out their whips to whip people.

An official soldier next to him advised, “How many people did General Ye protect, think of your old mother!”

The man froze, and didn’t urge them anymore.

The Old Madam wasn’t in good health. She soon collapsed after walking for a short while. Su Su caught her and carried her on her back without saying a word.

She was carrying a sword, and an official soldier wanted to confiscate it, but someone said, “Forget it. She’s the only direct line of the Ye family, and who knows how long she can live in Liuzhou.”

Su Su looked up at the gloomy sky, hearing the clanking of shackles in her ears, and for the first time, she felt the bleakness of dynasty changes in the mortal realm.

Curved Jade looked at her worriedly, will there really be a turn for the better when things have advanced so terribly?

*****

The document of surrender was sent to the Zhou Kingdom along with Ye Bing Shang.

The day Ye Bing Shang arrived at Zhou Kingdom, she was splendidly dressed up. The accompanying momos ingratiatingly said, “Young Lady really looks wealthy in this ensemble. Everyone knows that there’s no one in the emperor of Zhou’s harem. Young Lady will surely receive immeasurable imperial favor when you go over.”

Ye Bing Shang softly said, “Don’t say that.”

“It’s just that Young Lady mustn’t wear these unlucky clothes anymore. It would be bad if His Majesty saw it.” After all, Ye Bing Shang was married before, and her former husband was the world-renowned King Xuan, so it was inauspicious to wear this outfit. His Majesty Tantai’s temper was already unpredictable, so it was best for her to hide her past.

Ye Bing Shang nodded, “I got it.”

She looked melancholy, which made people pity her. It occurred to the momo that she was also a pitiful person.

Ye Bing Shang went to the Zhou Kingdom along with more than a hundred dans ⁷ 石 (dàn) – a traditional unit of volume, esp. for grain, equal to 100 sheng (市升), and equivalent to 100 liters or 176 pints of jewelry and jadewares, claiming that they were given to her as dowry, but actually, everyone knew that it was the money and goods sent for surrender.

The day she arrived at the Zhou Palace, Ye Bing Shang lifted the carriage curtain and saw the black-clad youth on the imperial carriage.

He wore a golden jade crown on his head, and a black imperial robe outlined with silver threads, which created a touch of insolence.

Tantai Jin was looking at her, and Ye Bing Shang bowed to him along with the crowd.

Ye Bing Shang was a little nervous inside. The seed of kindness that she had planted when she was young had taken root and sprouted, bearing fruit ⁸ 开花结果 (kāihuā-jiēguǒ) – blossom and bear fruit (idiom) meaning to yield positive results . Tantai Jin wasn’t her first choice, but he ended up being the winner, standing at the top.

She didn’t know if this emperor, who didn’t have a very good reputation, would cherish and protect her like Xiao Lin had.

Tantai Jin stepped out of the carriage and personally helped her up. Ye Bing Shang raised her eyes, as if overwhelmed by the unexpected favor, and saw a face so handsome that it could be called stunning. Only then did she realize that this young and ruthless emperor was born this good-looking.

Feeling his cold palm, Ye Bing Shang’s heart thumped, “Your Majesty, this concubine boldly begs Your Majesty to pardon mother.”

Tantai Jin helped her up, then smiled and said, “As long as Shang’er is happy.”

Ye Bing Shang didn’t expect him to be so straightforward and persuadable, and for a moment, she was a little surprised.

She was about to try and figure out his attitude, but Tantai Jin had already retracted his hand and gently said, “Lead the commandery princess into Yufu Palace.”

As soon as these words were spoken, Yang Ji immediately lifted a brow and winked, signaling to Nian Baiyu.

Nian Baiyu’s expression remained unchanged.

Before Ye Bing Shang had arrived, they’d made a bet whether His Majesty would favor the “commandery princess who came for political marriage”. Yang Ji bet ‘yes’ while Nian Baiyu said he wouldn’t.

Yufu Palace was where the noble consorts used to live, which implied immeasurable imperial favor. The fact that Tantai Jin had personally come to pick her up and arranged for her to live there was enough to show how much he valued Ye Bing Shang.

Yang Ji happily thought, after tonight, there’ll be an imperial concubine added to the palace.

Edited by: Gaze