Chapter 430: Everyone admires, envies, and hates

If the Duke of Qin’s estate is poor, that means the Duke of Qin is poor, too!

Was it really alright to say that to the man’s face?

How much silver had His Highness Duke of Qin donated for the relief efforts? How many gold cards without spending limits did he possess? How many mountain villas and parks? His Highness Duke of Qin never even had a government-issued salary or used the imperial treasury, but how many men were under his command?

Who else could claim that the Duke of Qin was poor besides that wretched Han Yunxi?!

Long Feiye’s mouth twitched, but he disregarded Han Yunxi’s words. Meanwhile, everyone else was in silent uproar over the words. Empress Dowager Li was among them. All of them were staring at the jade crystal bracelet on Han Yunxi’s wrist. Amazement wasn’t enough to describe the expressions on their faces. Earthshaking was more like it!

The jade crystal bracelet was bright and limpid like water without a hint of impurities. A faint violent-white light s.h.i.+mmered from its depths, as beautiful as an illusory dream. All of the women with a right to sit in the empress dowager’s palace had scintillating tastes. They could tell the quality of Han Yunxi’s bracelet with just one look.

That was jade crystal! Cloud Realm Continent’s rarest stone, more precious than gold, jade, and luminous-night pearls! Moreover, the violet-white strain in Han Yunxi’s bracelet is the rarest type, easily worth the value of several cities!

Even now, the largest jade crystal stone found was only the size of a thumb and currently resided in the ring of Northern Li’s emperor. The discovery of the raw, uncut stone had led to a hubbub across the continent. But one could well imagine the original size of the stone used to make Han Yunxi’s jade crystal bracelet.

A bracelet! Compared to other forms of jewelry, it needed the most raw materials. Naturally, a jade crystal bracelet had to be made from a chunk of jade crystal bigger than the bracelet itself. Moreover, the material had to be flawless without blemish like the finished product. When they imagined the sheer size of the jade crystal used to make this bracelet, they lost track of just how valuable the jewelry was!

And yet, something so unfathomable was resting on Han Yunxi’s wrist, its s.h.i.+mmering light an unmistakable proof of its quality. Nothing could counterfeit that particular type of sparkle.

So in that case…how in the world is the Duke of Qin’s estate poor? How is it poor? HOW IS IT POOR?!

Han Yunxi was simply flaunting her wealth!

Chu Qingge was almost ready to burst into tears. You can’t bully someone like that! How was she supposed to reply to Han Yunxi’s remarks?! While wearing a bracelet worth the value of several cities, she’d given her a hairpin worth two to three silver taels. Why did she have to expose the jade crystal bracelet in the first place?!

Just then, everyone had seen her give Han Yunxi her so-called artisan purple-gold bracelet, but Han Yunxi’s actions now were clearly telling everyone else that she didn’t think much of the gift! Nor would she ever wear it! The ever proud and arrogant Chu Qingge had to admit for the first time that she’d been thoroughly defeated. Furthermore, everything that woman owned had been given to her by the man tying up her hair! She would have no more chances beyond vying for favors in the deep recesses of the imperial palace.

Chu Qingge looked at Long Feiye, who was standing behind Han Yunxi. Despite the fact that they were in the same room and less than ten steps apart, she would never be able to approach him in this lifetime. As she lost herself in thought, the corners of her eyes began to grow wet…

n.o.ble Consort Xue had wanted to use the difference between Chu Qingge’s purple-gold bracelet and Han Yunxi’s white jade hairpin to sneer at the latter and make the Duke of Qin’s estate seem shabby to relieve some of her temper. As things stood now, she silently rejoiced over the fact that she’d kept quiet. Otherwise, she’d be slapping herself in the face instead.

Mu Liuyue was the most shaken one of all. She was the one who’d been looking down on Han Yunxi the entire time, but everything here proved that she was both ignorant and shallow! Actually, when it came to being poor, Mu Liuyue was the poorest one of them all. The crown prince was honest and upright and had helped to relieve the disaster victims, leaving the finances of the Eastern Palace in a critical state. As a crown prince’s consort, she even had a monthly budget for expenses. If admiration, envy, and hate had physical form, then they would be filling the hall to stuffing by now!

Even Empress Dowager Li was feeling jealous. Han Yunxi was a woman of commoner birth, but she was wearing such rare and priceless jewelry. She too, wanted a jade crystal bracelet of her own. Of course, Empress Dowager Li was thinking of more beyond that. Today, Han Yunxi might have shown off her wealth as a display of strength against the other harem members, but those riches and power still belonged to His Highness Duke of Qin. The Duke of Qin had a knack for making money and various industries under his command. This was an open secret of the imperial court. Moreover, his donations for the disaster victims further exposed the extent of his wealth.

However, the appearance of this jade crystal bracelet wasn’t a simple question of money anymore. It was a symbol of power strong enough to rival the imperial clan and its court—a fortune great enough to equate an entire country! The more Empress Dowager Li thought, the more worried she grew. The Duke of Qin’s power far exceeded her and Emperor Tianhui’s expectations.

When Han Yunxi saw that Chu Qingge didn’t reply, she simply shrugged and said, “Esteemed Empress Dowager, may Yunxi leave now?”

She might have been the one speaking, but it was also a question for Long Feiye’s benefit. With him standing behind her, what other tricks could the empress dowager pull? In truth, Empress Dowager Li would rather a venerable deity like him get out of her sight as soon as possible. She put on a false smile and said, “Since your body isn’t well, go back and rest up.”

Long Feiye and Han Yunxi paid their respects before withdrawing. Before the eyes of everyone present, he took her by the hand and led her out of the palace, the movement practiced enough to resemble habit. In the silent hall, the women left behind looked after the retreating pair. How many of them entertained flights of fancy towards the young Duke of Qin! Unfortunately, Emperor Tianhui was already too busy to bother with most of them.

Right now, the emperor was busy slamming the table over the news of Northern Li’s horse farm plagues. The first time he was looking forward to war breaking out had utterly failed. Now he had no more excuses to call back the Baili Navy from Fishery Island! If he knew this was going to happen, he wouldn’t have paid any attention to the overtures from the Three-Way Battlefield. Instead, he would’ve punished Baili Yuanlong for moving his troops without authorization and claim the navy for himself!

In the end, Emperor Tianhui hadn’t seized a single advantage since the famine disaster relief efforts. Blunder after blunder made him lose one golden opportunity after another. How could he be anything but infuriated? Most likely, news of Han Yunxi’s jade crystal bracelet would reach his ears very soon as well. Then he wouldn’t just be burning with rage, but with anxiety as well!

The Duke of Qin’s power was enough to overwhelm the imperial court, and now his wealth was on par with an entire country too? Just how long would he be able to hold onto his throne?

—

After Han Yunxi and Long Feiye left, the Heaven and Earth Palace devolved into a series of hushed whispers. But even Empress Dowager Li and Chu Qingge were too preoccupied to stop them. Empress Dowager Li’s plan had been to leave Han Yunxi and Chu Qingge both for a dinner feast, but there was no need for that now. After a few false shows of affection, the dowager dismissed everyone in the hall.

As soon as Chu Qingge left the Heaven and Earth Palace, she was approached by Mu Liuyue.

“n.o.ble Consort Chu, please wait a moment.”

Chu Qingge didn’t stop, but significantly slowed her steps until Mu Liuyue was walking by her side. In a low voice, Mu Liuyue said, “n.o.ble Consort Chu, may I speak to you for a bit?”

Chu Qingge remained silent for a long while before she replied, “Alright!”

Behind them both. Empress Dowager Li and n.o.ble Consort Ning stood leaning on the railing to stare at their retreating forms.

“Imperial Mother is truly wise and brilliant. It’s just as you predicted,” n.o.ble Consort Xue flattered.

After her meeting with Mu Liuyue failed to secure an alliance, she went back to report the news to Empress Dowager Li. But instead of raging over Mu Liuyue’s stupidity, the dowager was very happy.

“Heheh, as long as Chu Qingge doesn’t reject that Liuyue girl, we’ll have a chance!” Empress Dowager Li’s eyes were sinister and ruthless. Both Chu Qingge and Mu Liuyue bore grudges against Han Yunxi. As long as Mu Liuyue could gain Chu Qingge’s trust and become her ally, then she and n.o.ble Consort Xue would save themselves a lot of trouble. When the time came, they could use Mu Liuyue to force Chu Qingge to stumble!

Compared to fighting their rival outright, using an idiotic girl like Mu Liuyue was much better.

“Imperial Mother, suppose Chu Qingge has the same idea…?” n.o.ble Consort Xue trailed off. After all, a grudge with Han Yunxi and vying for the empress’s seat were two completely separate matters. If Chu Qingge ended up using Mu Liuyue to deal with them, then the situation would slip out of their control.

Empress Dowager Li laughed coldly. “Judging from that Chu Qingge girl’s heart, hehe, she won’t be interested in the throne for a year and a half at least.” She had lived in the imperial harem for half her life now, so she was fully qualified to see through any and every young court lady and concubine.

Chu Qingge’s personality and her previous behavior both showed that her short-term goals were to face off against Han Yunxi, not fight for the empress position. Of course, in order to make the girl loathe Han Yunxi completely, she’d have to do some work on Mu Liuyue as well.

“Imperial Mother is wise and brilliant!” n.o.ble Consort Xue rejoiced.

Empress Dowager Li looked at her but didn’t say a word. In the end, she was still thinking about the empress. If the empress was here, she wouldn’t need to expend so much effort now. After n.o.ble Consort Xue departed, Empress Dowager Li found one of her trusted subordinates and asked, “Any news from Medical City?”

Although no less than ten famous doctors to diagnose the empress’s insanity as incurable, neither Empress Dowager Li nor the crown prince had ever given up looking for a cure. They had been in touch with Medical City constantly, hoping to invite out the head elder or even the head of the Cloud Realm Medical Academy.

“They’re still pus.h.i.+ng. It’s possible that….” the subordinate sounded a little helpless.

Empress Dowager Li knit her brows in thought. A long time later, she murmured, “Keep pus.h.i.+ng, then. And don’t let n.o.ble Consort Xue know of this, no matter what!”

Relations.h.i.+ps between the members of the imperial harem were vast and complex. Even Empress Dowager Li and n.o.ble Consort Xue had their own differences. The latter stood on the same side as Chu Qingge when it came to the ailing empress. If that woman returned, n.o.ble Consort Xue would have even fewer chances of gaining favor!

In truth, Empress Dowager Li should trust Mu Liuyue the most. As the crown prince’s consort, this granddaughter-in-law of hers was also the empress’s daughter-in-law. Unfortunately, Mu Liuyue wasn’t strong enough to hold down the fort.

—

By now, Long Feiye had already brought Han Yunxi out of the palace. She had no idea that news of him tearing his sleeve to tie her head had already spread throughout the palace. Soon enough, it would spread across the entire Tianning capital and create a sensation. Long strips of white brocade ribbons would then become a sold-out product!

Moreover, the term ‘tearing one’s sleeve to coil up the hair’1 became an expression for a love confession, and a new way for men to propose to their prospective wives. Countless males vied to imitate the Duke of Qin’s actions.

But before all that, the main couple headed home. Sitting inside the carriage, Han Yunxi stole a peak at Long Feiye’s torn up sleeve…

1. tearing one’s sleeve to coil up the hair (撕袖綰髮) – sixiu wanfa, long story short, HYX and LFY’s anecdote became so famous that it turned into an idiom in the Chinese language. At least in this universe. xD