Chapter 469 – Extra: Mayne

Chapter 469 - Extra: Mayne

Mayne was born into nobility.

Although her mother had fled to Yuanzheng from Dajin during a time of turmoil, she caught the eye of the young Khan of Yuanzheng then.

Initially, she was unwilling. But the Khan was young and handsome, always coaxing her.

Eventually, she gave in.

Mayne was their youngest child, cherished by both her father and mother since birth. Her elder siblings doted on her too.

However, when she grew up and it was time for Yuanzheng to form an alliance through marriage with Dajin, they still chose her.

Of course, Yuanzheng had long before submitted to Dajin, only to later declare independence again.

The relationship between the two families had always been amicable.

Wars had ceased decades ago.

Therefore, this marriage alliance was not a burdensome task.

Back then, Father Khan also mentioned that if Meinian truly didn't wish to go, they could send another princess from the royal family instead.

That was because at that time, she was the only eligible princess.

But despite being a naive girl, Meinian understood that Yuanzheng was not as prosperous or militarily strong as Jinchuan.

Even if it gained independence, it would remain weak.

Thus, using a princess from the royal family to hastily settle the marriage alliance would not be appropriate.

So, she resolutely declared her willingness to go. After all, the current emperor of Jinchuan had just ascended the throne a few years ago, and the previous emperor had passed away only a few years prior.

Rumors had it that this young man named He Jinli was quite handsome.

She was curious to see for herself what this Jinchuan's pretty boy looked like; she had only heard about him but never seen him in person.

Thus, she followed her elder brother from Yuanzheng to Dajin.

She didn't feel much sorrow or regret; everything she saw was novel and intriguing. Dajin wasn't a bad place at all; it was quite fascinating.

Due to her noble birth, she was bestowed the title of Mei Fei, which didn't surprise her in the slightest.

The emperor was indeed as refined as she had imagined, far more so than those on the grasslands.

He was also undeniably handsome.

And he treated her well, spending a time where he would only visit her.

But after her brother left, things changed.

The emperor still treated her kindly, but no longer came every day.

It was then that Mei Yin understood the concept of the emperor's heart, as her mother had once described it.

How could she not be saddened? At sixteen, Mei Yin had only ever been close to this one man. He was perfect in every way...

His feelings for her were too shallow.

Mei Yin was a simple-minded girl who knew when to let go of what she couldn't have.

She never allowed anyone to witness her sorrow.

Fortunately, her sadness didn't last long before it was overcome by the allure of Jinchuan's cuisine and landscapes.

She then realized how charming this palace was, with its compact size and exquisite scenery.

Flowers bloomed in every season, an endless display of beauty.

With her high status, no one dared to bully her, and she didn't need to read anyone's moods.

Suddenly, she found her days incredibly comfortable.

Then there was Yun Li.

From the beginning, she had never disliked Yun Li, even when she gained favor. The reason was simple: Yun Li was an incredibly entertaining person.

She speaks frankly and ingeniously.

The crucial point is that she's unlike any of the women in the harem.

She's daring too, deceiving the emperor, even daring to defy him.

And the empress...

Hmm, she's genuinely intriguing.

Not to mention her beauty, how can she be so captivating?

Mayne often whispers to her maid, wondering why she isn't as attractive as Yun Li.

In truth, Mayne has her own unique charm, but she can't help but feel that Yun Li surpasses her in beauty.

Yun Li also appreciates her eldest sister-in-law; oh, what a true kindred spirit.

Mayne had always sensed that her eldest sister-in-law was distinct, yet couldn't quite pinpoint how. But with Yun Li's perspective, everything falls into place.

Anyway, after Mein's brief bout of sorrow passed, only joy remained.

With the birth of the second princess, happiness multiplied significantly.

The second princess was anything but an obedient child; she was a true troublemaker.

As a toddler, she cried with all her might, wailing loudly.

Seeing this, Mein couldn't help but think that it was fortunate this girl was a princess, or else who would want her in the future?

As she grew older, she became even more of a handful, constantly arguing with Mein to the point of causing her heartache. Yet, she would then come and hug her, apologizing, "Mother, I was wrong. I love you the most, Mother..."

Mein often found herself speechless, wishing she wouldn't call her 'Mother.' She didn't want to be this child's mother.

But Mein never anticipated that the girl's troubles hadn't reached their peak yet.

Even when she was married, Mein thought things would settle down—yet they didn't.

On a northern expedition, Mein took her along, leaving the child in Yun Li's care without any objections.

Could Yun Li still be distrustful? She had never harmed a child in her life; how could she possibly harm her own grandchild?

As it turned out, Yun Li... entrusted the child to her daughter-in-law.

That was quite acceptable too, as the Crown Princess was known for her maturity.

However, what nobody expected was that after the Second Princess returned to the capital, she forgot about the child.

It wasn't that she completely forgot about the child's existence; she was just too eager to return home and inadvertently left without picking the child up.

The next day, she had to rush to pay her respects to her in-laws, which further delayed the matter.

It wasn't until the third day, when the Prince Consort asked with a helpless tone, "Do you not want your daughter anymore?" that the Second Princess finally remembered to fetch the child. But by then, it was already dusk...

Thus, it took until the fourth day after returning to the capital for the child to be brought back.

Her granddaughter is no less troublesome...

Of course, that's a topic for later.

Princess Yi's vexing nature manifests in countless ways.

We'll discuss that later as well.

Mayen has been a concubine for many years, and she no longer attaches much importance to her status. After all, nobody bothers her. The most exhausting period of her life was when she took charge of affairs after Empress Xie fell ill. She worried day and night...

When Yun Li had encountered trouble, she had been so frightened that she couldn't sleep the whole night. Fortunately, Yun Li was unharmed.

Little did anyone know the bitter medicine she had secretly made the Empress Xie swallow.

But after Yun Li became the Empress, life had become genuinely effortless for her; she didn't need to worry about anything.

Whatever Yun Li said, she wouldn't interfere. After all, she wasn't as capable as Yun Li.

Yet, even though she didn't intervene, she listened to everything Yun Li accomplished. The more she heard, the more admiration she felt. Yun Li was truly remarkable.

After the rebellion in the Southern Garden, May Yin knew that the emperor's health had taken a turn for the worse.

Since Yun Li became Empress, His Majesty's condition deteriorated even more significantly.

Eventually, he could no longer bear the strain.

On the day of his passing, Yun Li was by his side, while the concubine stood outside.

She wasn't overly grief-stricken; rather, she felt a sense of melancholy, reflecting on how she had arrived here in her youth and was now in the middle of her life, watching the man she knew prepare to leave.

That man didn't need her, nor did he need the weeping women outside. At the end of his life, all he desired was Yun Li.

May Yin's heart ached, not just for the loss of a person, but also... for her own worthlessness.

She had long stopped caring whether He Jinli treated her kindly or not. But the truth remained that, in this palace, her existence was insignificant to him throughout her life.

She took a deep breath and smiled, trying to maintain composure.

The autumn breeze was cool as it brushed against her skin.

It didn't matter; she still had her children, her friends.

Her presence had aided Huan Yun and Yuan Zheng as well.

Everything else was insignificant.

Thus, when she knelt in the hall, shedding tears, it was momentarily unclear whether those tears were for herself or for the person lying on the bed.

Upon the emperor's passing, she became the most honored Empress Dowager.

She moved to the Cihuan Palace.

Why Cihuan Palace? Because Yun Li didn't wish to reside there...

She continued to dwell in her Yuzhu Palace, which, despite its proximity to the Zhengyang Palace, was situated in a somewhat secluded area.