Chapter 514 - 423: A Hundred Years of Harmony
Chapter 514: Chapter 423: A Hundred Years of Harmony
Early morning.
Qin Siyao awoke early in the Qin Kingdom’s Envoy’s Mansion.
Just like any other day.
After washing up with the help of her maid, Qin Siyao sat in the courtyard, meditating for an hour, before reading for another half-hour.
For Qin Siyao, the two things she used to hate most—cultivation and reading—had now become daily habits. She even used any spare moment to practice her cultivation.
Just past the Hour of the Serpent, Qin Siyao put down her book and said to her maid, Ming Yue, "Let’s go. We’re going out for a walk."
"Is Your Majesty going to the Imperial Palace?"
Ming Yue asked.
Ever since arriving in the Zhou Imperial City, her mistress had gone to the Zhou Royal Palace whenever she had free time.
Now, the wedding ceremony was less than half a month away.
Her Majesty had finished learning the required Zhou Kingdom etiquette yesterday, so her time was now her own.
Therefore, in Ming Yue’s eyes, Her Majesty should be visiting the Zhou Royal Palace frequently these days.
"No." Qin Siyao shook her head with a smile. "Compared to the Zhou Royal Palace, there’s another place I’d much rather visit today."
With that, Qin Siyao stood up and walked toward the exit of the Envoy’s Mansion.
Ming Yue scurried to keep up.
Half an hour later...
The carriage Qin Siyao was riding in came to a stop before a small courtyard house.
Ming Yue helped Her Majesty out of the carriage.
Ming Yue surveyed the small, ordinary courtyard in its remote location. ’This place is so remote and plain... Who could possibly live here to warrant a personal visit from Her Majesty?’
Qin Siyao stepped forward and knocked on the door—one light tap followed by two heavier ones.
"Coming! Please wait a moment."
Only after Qin Siyao had knocked three times did Ming Yue hear a woman’s voice from within the courtyard.
Soon, the door opened, and a woman who looked to be in her early twenties stood before Qin Siyao and Ming Yue.
"Hello, does Young Master Jin Yuan live here?" Qin Siyao asked with a smile.
"Yes, he does. I am his wife, Ji Yue. And you are, miss?"
Ji Yue stared blankly at Qin Siyao.
Ji Yue had never seen such a beautiful woman. Her skin was as fair as paper made from pure white snow, and in the morning sun, it looked so delicate it might break at a touch.
Moreover, the woman’s features were exquisite, and her figure was also quite lovely.
Her every move exuded the grace of a highborn lady.
To Ji Yue, the woman before her seemed to have stepped right out of a painting.
She had never seen a woman so beautiful.
"A pleasure to meet you, Madam. You see, my father is an admirer of Young Master Jin Yuan’s calligraphy and has sent me to request two pieces from him. I was wondering if Young Master Jin is available?" Qin Siyao said with a smile.
"I see. Of course, that’s no problem at all. Please, both of you, come in."
Ji Yue quickly ushered Qin Siyao into the courtyard.
Qin Siyao sat on a stone stool while Ming Yue stood in attendance at her side.
Ji Yue brought out some tea leaves from the house and brewed a pot for them.
"I’m afraid we don’t have any fine tea in the house. I hope you two ladies don’t mind," Ji Yue said, passing them the cups.
"Not at all, Madam." Qin Siyao accepted the teacup with both hands. "This tea is wonderful."
Ji Yue smiled faintly, knowing the other was just being polite. "Please wait just a little longer, miss. My husband should be back from the private school soon. I hope you don’t mind the wait."
"We are the ones who have disturbed you without notice; we should be the ones apologizing." Qin Siyao took a sip of tea. "Your brewing skills are truly excellent, Madam."
"You’re too kind, miss. I’m just glad you find it to your liking." Ji Yue poured Qin Siyao another cup. "By the way, how did your esteemed father come to know of my husband?"
"It was like this. My father was passing by the White Elephant Private School and took a curious peek inside. He happened to see Young Master Jin writing, and he wanted to ask for a piece of his calligraphy right then and there.
But Young Master Jin was teaching at the time, and my father didn’t want to disturb him, nor did he have time to wait for his class to end.
So today, he had me come visit instead..."
Qin Siyao explained, reciting the story she had prepared in advance.
"Oh, I see." Ji Yue nodded, believing Qin Siyao’s explanation.
After that, the two of them fell into conversation, chatting back and forth.
Ming Yue, meanwhile, stood in attendance, observing the courtyard.
The courtyard was very simple, one might even say a bit dilapidated.
But the woman speaking with Her Majesty did not seem like a commoner. Judging by her speech and demeanor, she was at least an educated lady from a good family, and she was very beautiful as well.
In Ming Yue’s opinion, Ji Yue’s beauty was only slightly inferior to her own mistress’s.
’For someone to possess even seventy percent of Her Majesty’s beauty is an extremely rare thing!’
Beyond the woman’s demeanor and appearance, what made Ming Yue most curious was Her Majesty’s attitude toward this woman.
How to describe it? It felt as if Her Majesty had known the other woman for a very, very long time.
Her Majesty was acting as if she were chatting with a relative she hadn’t seen in years, with a natural sense of intimacy.
Later, listening to Her Majesty’s conversation with the woman, Ming Yue came to understand—they weren’t natives of the Zhou Imperial City, but from Jiangnan.
Ji Yue was indeed a highborn lady of considerable status, born not into a common merchant family, but into a family of scholar-officials.
However, by a twist of fate, Ji Yue had fallen in love with a poor scholar—the man who was now her husband, Jin Yuan.
Ji Yue had her heart set on marrying this poor scholar.
But her parents did not approve.
And though Ji Yue seemed gentle, she was in fact a woman of passionate character.
She had taken her private savings and jewelry box and eloped with the man named Jin Yuan.