Transmigration: The Fate of the Villainess

192 What is your heart made out of? Part I

Bai Yu sat in the palanquin, leading the consorts to the palace she was well acquainted with. From Miss Bai to Rui Wang Fei to Empress, her title changed with each visit in the last few days, as did her feelings.

“Empress Dowager feels ill and wishes to rest. Her Majesty said that there is no need for Empress to visit for the morning greetings for now.”

Bai Yu felt blood rush to her face. If it were before, the empress dowager would never refuse her audience. However, she now intentionally refused to meet her, while at the same time sending her personal maid out to relay the message to Bai Yu in front of other consorts. It was impossible to understand…

The Empress Dowager did not favor the Empress!

Bai Yu smiled at the senior maid, whom she had met countless times. She nodded in acknowledgement before giving a curtsy to the palace’s mistress from outside the door. Then, she said some nonsensical words that expressed her care and left, as if she felt nothing about being turned away by the Empress Dowager.

She had to accept that Empress Dowager was more experienced with life in the inner court than she was. In Bai Yu’s mind, it was a much easier task to deal with the consorts than the Empress Dowager. Thus, she calmly left, all while knowing that the consorts would laugh at her behind her back. She did not care what they thought since they would never dare say it out loud anyway.

Bai Yu ordered everyone to disperse after she got on her palanquin. The women below her politely bowed to farewell her. When she arrived at her palace, she then ordered servants to bring a few rolls of exquisite silk fabric to each consort as a sign of goodwill after their first meeting. But what should she do with the Empress Dowager?

“Your Majesty, Bai Furen has requested an audience.”

She had yet to sit on her phoenix throne for long before her mother came. Bai Yu nodded assent, and shortly after, Yue Mei walked into curtsy in front of her, as tradition dictated.

.....

A strange feeling bloomed in her heart. Was she truly in a world where status was more important than seniority? Was she truly the most powerful woman? She had not been here for more than one year, and yet so many things had happened…

“Mother, there’s no need for such formality.” Bai Yu went to help her mother stand before bringing her to the seat, uncaring of her status that made even her own mother an inferior.

“Gratitude to Empress.” Yue Mei knew that her daughter was not drunk with power. Still, the manners she had been taught since she was young made her feel obligated to act respectfully toward her child, who was now the mother of the nation.

“Coming here so early, is something the matter?” She remembered that she had not called her mother here. Yue Mei’s sudden and early visit must mean that there was urgent business.

“During the morning meeting, His Majesty gave Empress a mandate to handle matters regarding Qin Wang’s marriage. I rushed here as soon as I heard the news for fear that Empress might misunderstand His Majesty.”

Ouyang Feilong’s mandate?

Bai Yu glanced at her two maids. How could major news such as this not reach her, who was within the same royal palace? They seemed to have had the same thought as Yue Mei and purposefully hid it from her when she returned to the palace.

“Whether it’s a good or bad thing, it is still undeniable that Your Majesty once loved Qin Wang. With such an order, I fear that a disagreement might occur between Your Majesties.”

Bai Yu smiled at her mother. She lightly patted the back of Yue Mei’s hand. “Mother, please don’t worry. There’s nothing left in my heart for Qin Wang.”

Yue Mei was still frowning. As someone so devoted to loving, she was naturally worried about Bai Yu, who had to not only witness the marriage of the man she once loved but also arrange it for him with her sister as a bride. Overthinking was truly a woman’s habit.

“How can I let third sister marry Qin Wang if I still have feelings for him? Rest assured, mother.”

Convinced by her words, Yue Mei finally showed a sign of relief. Bai Yu took this opportunity to let her mother handle the marriage arrangement. One, because she did not know the tradition here. And two, because she was not a saint. She could not organize a wedding for someone who had driven her to her death in a former life.

Ouyang Feilong must have wished the same as well. He let the Bai family’s power support Ouyang Mingxian to advance his future goal. Still, it would be too much if Bai Yu was a major supporter of his marriage as well. Delegating the task to Yue Mei was an appropriate choice.

Furthermore, this would limit the power of the Bai family that Ouyang Mingxian held. If Bai Hua had a family backing that exceeded Chu Jiaoxin, who was first consort, it might have resulted in a conflict with Da Chu. Though Ouyang Feilong did not let her say it out loud, she still knew the freedom-loving Dragon was planning to make his nephew Ouyang Mingxian the heir.

Other than his obsession with an exacting vengeance for his mother, Ouyang Mingxian was a great and talented man. At least in this life, he was better than in the last… Still, in order to let this plan progress smoothly, Ouyang Feilong must not have offspring, lest he divided the courtiers into two. For now, Bai Yu could rest assured since he had never spent a night with any consort other than her…

Oh no! She completely forgot… Since morning, Ouyang Feilong had yet to order a contraceptive medicine for her!

“Is something the matter? Your Majesty seems quite pale.” Bai Yu fell silent when she realized that she had not drunk a single drop of medicine to prevent pregnancy after a passionate night with Ouyang Feilong. This world did not have condoms, and so there was no shred of doubt as to their closeness that night. However, it would be too embarrassing for a topic to discuss with her mother… She would have to ask Xiao Xi and Xiao Chang about it later.

“Empress Dowager is ill. Her majesty said to cancel the morning greetings for the time being…” Bai Yu chose to talk about another problem that was worrying her. “…But I know the real reason is that her majesty’s still angry at me for marrying the emperor. What should I do?”

After listening to her daughter’s trouble, Yue Mei sighed. “Yu-er, you poor thing.”

Being an empress that was not favored by an emperor was already difficult. Animosity from Empress Dowager was another nail in the coffin. Yue Mei was so overcome with pity for her daughter that she unconsciously called her by name and reached out to stroke her head.

“It’s all because of me.” She was the one who had entrusted her daughter to Empress Dowager in the hopes that she would be Qin Wang Fei. Now the situation was turned on its head. She herself did not have to live under the same roof as Empress Dowager Wei, and so she was not as troubled as Bai Yu.

“With mother’s guidance, I can get through anything.” Bai Yu held her mother’s hand against her cheek, taking in its warmth. It had been quite some time since she last acted spoiled with her mother like this.

“The Empress Dowager is headstrong and capable of hatred as fierce as her love. If her majesty doesn’t wish to see you, then you might not have a chance…” Yue Mei recalled the woman’s habit and tried to think. “…You should send a skilled doctor there. Her majesty might or might not let him in, but at least you can show that you care about her majesty’s wellbeing.”

Bai Yu nodded. “I also don’t think that Her Majesty will be so cold to the point of cutting all ties with me.”

“Then you must regularly send gifts and nourishment to Her Majesty. At the very least, you won’t look like a cold-hearted empress.” It was true that Empress Dowager had once helped support Bai Yu. And when her favor finally ceased, both Bai Yu and Yue Mei could not help but feel dejected.

Bai Yu let Yue Mei come to visit her every other day. Since she was not used to the palace’s traditions, which were more complicated than when she was a young lady, it was better to have Yue Mei be her teacher instead of a senior royal maid who might gossip about her behind her back and make Bai Yu a clown among the palace servants. Furthermore, it would be more convenient for them to discuss the royal marriage between Ouyang Mingxian and Bai Hua, which would be held on the same day as Chu Jiaoxin, according to Ouyang Feilong’s mandate.

If Bai Yu was already cruel, then her husband was even more so. This was the reason why Bai Hua came to the palace with Yue Mei in the morning and did not wait longer than one incense to burn before requesting an audience after Yue Mei had left.

“Blessings from Bai Hua to the Empress.”