Reborn of the Rightful

Ren Yaoqi thought and was about to reach out to open the box, but Xiao Jingxi stopped her.

Xiao Jingxi removed the mechanical lock and gently lifted the lid of the box.

It was just an ordinary sandalwood box, with no hidden mechanisms inside. However, the contents of the box left Ren Yaoqi momentarily stunned.

Inside seemed to be a piece of clothing, and what surprised Ren Yaoqi was that its color was bright yellow.

In the Great Zhou dynasty, only one person could wear bright yellow as clothing—the emperor in the south.

Ren Yaoqi glanced at Xiao Jingxi in astonishment.

Xiao Jingxi, however, showed no surprise. He reached in and took out the robe from the box. It was indeed a dragon robe embroidered with a nine-clawed Golden Dragon.

After a brief look, Xiao Jingxi set the dragon robe aside and picked up another square object wrapped in bright yellow silk at the bottom of the box.

Curious, Ren Yaoqi leaned closer. "What is this?"

Xiao Jingxi smiled helplessly. "I suspect it might be something everyone wants... but also a trouble."

Ren Yaoqi was taken aback.

Xiao Jingxi placed the silk-wrapped object on the altar table but was in no hurry to open it. Instead, he turned to Ren Yaoqi with a smile and asked, "Do you still remember the two imperial edicts left by the late emperor that Consort Wan held?"

Ren Yaoqi nodded. "Of course, I remember."

Consort Wan held two imperial edicts—one that exiled Prince Xian and his family to Yanbei for over a decade, and another that transformed Prince Xian into the Prince of Hezhong.

"Guess whether those two edicts were real or fake?" Xiao Jingxi blinked, his tone as casual as if he were asking Ren Yaoqi to guess which hand he hid a chess piece in.

Ren Yaoqi thought for a moment and replied, "Fake."

Xiao Jingxi couldn’t help but laugh. "Oh? Why fake?"

Instead of answering his question, Ren Yaoqi turned her gaze to the bright yellow silk-wrapped object on the altar table and mused, "Is this the imperial seal? And the real one at that."

Xiao Jingxi couldn’t resist reaching out to tap Ren Yaoqi’s nose lightly. Then, he unwrapped the bright yellow silk, revealing the square object beneath—a jade seal with a warm, smooth texture, a dragon-shaped knob, and six sides. It was indeed the imperial seal.

"Do you know why even the Pei family acknowledged the two secret edicts in Consort Wan’s possession?" Xiao Jingxi held the seal in his hand, examining it with a smile.

Back when Prince Xian produced the late emperor’s secret edict to become the Prince of Hezhong, if even the Pei family hadn’t recognized the edict as genuine, things wouldn’t have gone so smoothly.

"Even Empress Dowager Yan and the emperor suspected that the Pei family was colluding with Consort Wan, but that wasn’t the case. In the entire Great Zhou dynasty, no one was more loyal to the Li imperial family than the Pei family." Xiao Jingxi smiled meaningfully. "Pei Zhiyan might have had some personal ties with Consort Wan, but that was all. The Pei family wouldn’t form any political alliance with her over such connections. Even Pei Zhiyan himself, if the emperor ordered his death, would calmly thank His Majesty for the grace and dash his head against the golden throne without batting an eye."

Hearing this, Ren Yaoqi fell into a daze. She knew Xiao Jingxi’s words were true. Although Mr. Pei appeared carefree and indifferent to worldly affairs, deep down, he believed in the principle: "If the ruler demands the subject’s death, the subject has no choice but to die."

Ren Yaoqi sighed. "So, the Pei family acknowledged those two edicts because of the imperial seal?"Xiao Jingxi nodded, "Actually, the true imperial seal went missing as early as after Xia Weiming's death. This seal has been passed down through four dynasties, and it is said that only the one who obtains the true seal is the true Son of Heaven ordained by destiny. So after the seal disappeared, Emperor Gaozu secretly sent people to search for it while also having a counterfeit seal made. The one the emperor uses now is fake. Those who know about this today are likely only the Yanbei Prince's Mansion, the Xianwang Residence, and the head of the Pei family. Even the current emperor is kept in the dark, believing the seal in his hands is genuine."

The current emperor was not personally appointed as crown prince by the previous emperor, so it is understandable that he is unaware of this royal secret.

Xiao Jingxi paused before continuing, "Actually, when Emperor Gaozu had the counterfeit seals made, there were two, both crafted from the same piece of jade. However, one had a slight flaw, so Emperor Gaozu ordered it destroyed. Unexpectedly, the person tasked with the job, for reasons unknown, secretly kept that seal. Eventually, it somehow ended up in Consort Wan's hands."

Xiao Jingxi recounted these events as casually as if telling a story, but Ren Yaoqi broke out in a cold sweat as she listened.

"So the Pei family didn't acknowledge the edict because they were colluding with Consort Wan, but because the head of the Pei family recognized the seal on it as the counterfeit one. They feared that exposing the fake seal would tarnish the royal family's reputation, which is why..."

Xiao Jingxi smiled, "Apart from the difference in the dragon-shaped knob and the slight flaw in the one Consort Wan possessed, the two counterfeit seals are indistinguishable when stamped on paper. So the Pei family might not have been able to tell whether the two edicts were genuine or fake, yet they couldn't reveal the truth. They were truly wronged."

At this point, Xiao Jingxi couldn't help but sigh, "Your great-grandmother, Consort Wan, was truly a remarkable woman. If she had been born into a family like Empress Dowager Yan's, the world would surely have taken a different shape."

Ren Yaoqi couldn't help but imagine the alternative scenario Xiao Jingxi described.

If Consort Wan had the family influence of Empress Dowager Yan, Prince Xian's ascension to the throne would have been a foregone conclusion. Then, there wouldn't have been the political strife among the powerful families behind the regents vying for power. The court would have had enough energy to deal with the Yanbei Prince's Mansion. In that case, would the Yanbei Prince's Mansion still hold the power it does today?

So, from Xiao Jingxi's perspective, he should be grateful that Consort Wan came from a humble background. The infighting in the southern court over the years gave the Yanbei Prince's Mansion a golden opportunity to rise rapidly.

However, Ren Yaoqi didn't bring up this sensitive topic again. Instead, she asked curiously, "What about the other counterfeit seal... where is it?"

Xiao Jingxi blinked, "Guess?"

Ren Yaoqi: "..."

Xiao Jingxi placed the seal back in the box, took Ren Yaoqi's hand, and said with a smile, "Actually, you should be able to guess, right? The other seal is now in your maternal grandfather's hands."

Ren Yaoqi: "..."

"Does the owner of this box have something to do with Xia Weiming?" Ren Yaoqi finally found her voice and asked.Xiao Jingxi nodded: "Legend has it that Xia Weiming had a female subordinate with whom he shared a close relationship, and she even bore him a daughter. Before Xia Weiming was killed, sensing something amiss, he entrusted the genuine imperial seal to this female subordinate and had her take it out of the palace. Perhaps the Zhai Family has some connection to Xia Weiming's daughter."

Ren Yaoqi frowned: "So it's related to the Xia Family, no wonder the entire mansion's feng shui layout is so peculiar."

Presumably, that female subordinate or her daughter still harbored some ambition to revive their cause under Xia Weiming's banner.

Thinking this, Ren Yaoqi couldn't help but glance at Xiao Jingxi with a strange expression, muttering: "It seems a useful method for men in positions of power to preserve their bloodline is to utilize mistresses and cast a wide net." Weren't the Lei Family and the Wu Family both like this?

Xiao Jingxi looked at Ren Yaoqi with a half-smile: "Madam? What are you muttering about? Surely you're not speaking ill of your husband, are you?"

Ren Yaoqi coughed lightly, changing the subject: "Did you guess this chest was related to General Xia before opening it?"

Hearing this, Xiao Jingxi didn't press further about what she had just muttered, merely pinching her cheek lightly as a warning: "Didn't we examine those dozen or so chests earlier? The famille-rose general's zun in the first chest was bestowed upon General Xia by Emperor Taizu back then. The pair of luminous cups in the second chest were presented to the palace by the Western Qiang people. As for the calligraphy and paintings in the fifth chest, I took out one scroll and glanced at it—it bore General Xia's collection seal. That's how I confirmed these items were related to him. As for the combination lock's password, I guessed three times and finally deduced it was 'Great Shun Red Tiger Army.' Great Shun was the era name established by Xia Weiming, and Red Tiger Army was the name of his most famous army."

Ren Yaoqi had long known Xiao Jingxi was meticulous, but she hadn't expected him to deduce the chest's owner from these clues and guess the lock's password. She couldn't help but admire him inwardly.

"Alright, we've seen the rare treasures. It's time to go up. Staying here too long isn't good for you." Xiao Jingxi placed the dragon robe back into the chest, locked it, then took Ren Yaoqi's hand to leave.

Ren Yaoqi couldn't help but glance back at the chest, hesitating as she asked: "That... aren't you taking it?"

She was referring to the imperial seal. According to Xiao Jingxi, the significance of the imperial seal was extraordinary. Could it be that Xiao Jingxi didn't want it?

Hearing this, Xiao Jingxi turned to look at Ren Yaoqi, his eyes smiling yet carrying a hint of seriousness: "Do you want it? If you do, I'll take it."

Ren Yaoqi was momentarily stunned. She understood that Xiao Jingxi wasn't merely asking about the imperial seal itself but what it symbolized...

Meeting Xiao Jingxi's gaze, Ren Yaoqi fell silent for a moment before replying earnestly: "If you want it, then I want you to take it."

Xiao Jingxi chuckled softly, embraced Ren Yaoqi, and pressed a solemn kiss to her forehead. Yet he said nothing more, simply taking Ren Yaoqi's hand and leaving the secret chamber without looking back.

Only when they were halfway up the stairs did Xiao Jingxi laugh and say: "One hand must hold yours, the other must hold the firestarter to light the way. I have no spare hand to carry other irrelevant things. Let Xiao Hua come down to fetch it later."Upon hearing this, Ren Yaoqi inexplicably felt her eyes grow hot, and she tightly grasped Xiao Jingxi's hand.

Xiao Jingxi suddenly chuckled softly, "Well, if it were a mistress following along, I would have made her hold the fire starter in one hand and carry the chest in the other to lead the way. Your husband really miscalculated today."

Ren Yaoqi couldn't help but laugh, using her other hand to pinch Xiao Jingxi fiercely.

After emerging from the secret chamber, Xiao Hua was indeed still dutifully guarding beside the rockery. Xiao Jingxi instructed him to go down and bring up the locked chest along with another chest filled with calligraphy and paintings. Second Young Master Xiao never forgot to curry favor with his father-in-law.

Once the two of them boarded the carriage, Ren Yaoqi asked, "Did anyone from the Han Family enter the secret chamber?"

Xiao Jingxi held Ren Yaoqi close against the carriage wall, thought for a moment, and said, "Other members of the Han Family likely didn't go down, but Han Yunqian... I suspect he did visit the secret chamber. He probably guessed that the Zhai Family was connected to the Xia Family, but he didn't open that locked chest. Otherwise, regardless of whether he wanted that item or not, he wouldn't have left it behind. Moreover, when I opened the lock just now, I could tell from the sound of the mechanism that it hadn't been opened for many years."

Hearing this, Ren Yaoqi couldn't help but smile. "No wonder he gifted all the items from the secret chamber to the Yanbei Prince's Mansion as a favor. He is quite clever."

Xiao Jingxi glanced at Ren Yaoqi with a smile and asked, "Oh? How so?"

Ren Yaoqi analyzed methodically, "Although those items are priceless, they are also hot potatoes. A single misstep could bring disaster upon oneself. No wonder the Zhai Family didn't take them when they fled south. The Xia Family has always been a taboo for the imperial court. Nowadays, aside from the imperial court, only the Yanbei Prince's Mansion and the Xianwang Residence dare to take possession of such things. Secondly, by doing this, Han Yunqian essentially handed over his own fatal weakness to you, allowing you to trust and use him without worry. He exchanged a pile of items, which were as worthless as scrap metal to him, for the trust and support of the Yanbei Prince's Mansion. Isn't that a worthwhile deal? Moreover, as soon as he guessed the connection between the Zhai Family and Xia Weiming, he didn't open the locked chest out of curiosity. Those who can restrain their curiosity at critical moments often live longer than ordinary people." Otherwise, if Han Yunqian had truly opened that chest, his life would likely have been forfeited due to the imperial jade seal.

Xiao Jingxi narrowed his eyes slightly, then suddenly pulled Ren Yaoqi into his arms. Ren Yaoqi was startled by his abrupt action.

Xiao Jingxi gently brushed his nose against Ren Yaoqi's and planted a light kiss on her lips, murmuring in a coquettish tone, "Don't analyze others so thoroughly. It makes me uncomfortable too."

Hearing this, Ren Yaoqi's face flushed red. She pushed him but couldn't break free. Instead, Xiao Jingxi captured her lips, and the gentle pecks soon turned into a deep, lingering kiss.

Before the carriage entered the Yanbei Prince's Mansion, Ren Yaoqi had already tidied herself up with Xiao Jingxi's help. Apart from the lingering blush on her cheeks, no one could guess what had just happened inside the carriage.

By the time the two returned, the sun had already set in the west, marking the hour of dusk.Xiao Jingxi had matters to attend to and alighted from the carriage alone at the front hall, while Ren Yaoqi returned to the inner quarters by herself. As soon as she stepped down from the carriage, she saw a group of people approaching from ahead.

Ren Yaoqi looked up and realized it was Zhao Yingqiu.

Zhao Yingqiu still visited the Old Princess Consort and the Princess Consort every few days to pay her respects. Sometimes she would stay for a meal at Shou'an Hall, but most of the time, she would leave after paying her respects. Although Ren Yaoqi was not close to her, they often saw each other.

Zhao Yingqiu came forward to greet Ren Yaoqi and glanced at the carriage Ren Yaoqi had just stepped down from, smiling as she said, "Did the young madam just return from an outing with the Second Young Master?"

Ren Yaoqi smiled and changed the subject, saying, "I really enjoyed the tea you sent me last time, Miss Zhao. Thank you."

Zhao Yingqiu replied with a smile, "That was brought by my mother from the capital. It’s nothing particularly precious. If you like it, I still have plenty. I’ll bring you some more next time."

Ren Yaoqi politely expressed her thanks.

At this point, after their exchange of pleasantries, they should have gone their separate ways. However, Zhao Yingqiu showed no intention of leaving immediately. Instead, she smiled and said, "By the way, in two months, Ningshuang will be arriving. The Yanbei Prince's Mansion will have another joyous occasion."

Upon hearing this, Ren Yaoqi remembered that Yan Ningshuang had been betrothed by the Empress Dowager to the Xiao Family’s Third Young Master, Xiao Jingyue. Ren Yaoqi had previously heard Nanny Xin mention once that the wedding date was approaching, but she hadn’t paid much attention at the time. Now it seemed the wedding would take place in two months.

Ren Yaoqi nodded and smiled, saying, "It is indeed a joyous occasion. The Old Princess Consort and the Princess Consort have been quite pleased lately."

Ren Yaoqi was speaking with her eyes wide open, telling a blatant lie. Not only did she rarely see the Old Princess Consort, but she also had no way of knowing whether the Old Princess Consort was happy or not. The Old Princess Consort, seeing her closeness with Consort Dowager Yun, treated her like something dirty every time they met, so Ren Yaoqi had no intention of seeking her favor. Even the Princess Consort’s opinion of this joyous occasion could hardly be described as delighted.

Yet Zhao Yingqiu continued, "Yes, the Old Princess Consort even inquired about it today."

The two exchanged a few more casual remarks before Zhao Yingqiu politely took her leave.

Truth be told, Zhao Yingqiu was a gentle-natured young lady who seemed eager to befriend Ren Yaoqi. However, for some reason, Ren Yaoqi could never feel close to her. Every time they met, they only exchanged trivial pleasantries.

As Ren Yaoqi passed by Zhao Yingqiu, she inadvertently noticed a small locust flower in her hair. She raised an eyebrow slightly but said nothing and left.

After returning to Zhaoning Hall, Ren Yaoqi asked Pingguo to find out where Zhao Yingqiu had gone after arriving at the Yanbei Prince's Mansion that day.

Pingguo returned and reported, "Miss Zhao paid her respects to the Old Princess Consort and the Princess Consort separately. She stayed at the Old Princess Consort’s Shou'an Hall for about half an hour and did not go anywhere else."

"Did the princess happen to meet her?" Ren Yaoqi asked.

Perhaps because the Prince of Yanbei had been rarely in the mansion lately, the Liao princess had also seldom appeared in public. It was said she spent her days reading and practicing calligraphy in her study, as she had heard the Prince favored well-educated and talented women.

Pingguo replied, "Today, the princess happened to run into Miss Zhao on her way to the library after leaving the Old Princess Consort’s quarters. They merely exchanged greetings and did not speak further."

Upon hearing this, Ren Yaoqi fell into thoughtful silence.The reason she had Pingguo investigate Zhao Yingqiu and the Liao princess's whereabouts was because only the Cold Fragrance Courtyard, where Yelü Sage resided in the entire Yanbei Prince's Mansion, had locust trees in front of it.

Ren Yaoqi had merely asked on a whim, not necessarily concluding that Yelü Sage and Zhao Yingqiu were connected. The locust flower in Zhao Yingqiu's hair might have been brought in from outside.

After asking, Ren Yaoqi temporarily set the matter aside.

Lately, the Yanbei Prince's Mansion appeared quite peaceful. Yelü Sage was only slightly more active when the Prince of Yanbei was at home; usually, she kept a low profile and rarely went out.

At the end of May, the Han Family and the Yun Family welcomed a long-awaited joyous event: the eldest son of the Han Family, Han Yunqian, married the second daughter of the Yun Family, Yun Qiuping.

It was said that, at the Han Family's request, the wedding date for the Han Family's eldest son and the Yun Family's second daughter had been moved up. The Yun Family, being very satisfied with this son-in-law, agreed. Many knew that the Han Family was now largely managed by this eldest son. Old Master Han, due to recent health issues, had handed over most of the family affairs to Han Yunqian. Some even said Old Master Han was nearing his end, and the Han and Yun Families hurried the wedding date for fear that Han Yunqian would have to observe mourning if Old Master Han passed away.

Han Yunqian had purchased a three-courtyard residence in Yunyang City a year earlier. His wedding was held there, not back in White Crane Town. His grandfather, due to poor health, could not attend the wedding, and his grandmother stayed behind to care for Old Master Han. However, his stepmother, Madam Jiang, had arrived in Yunyang City a few days earlier with Miss Han to help prepare for the wedding, working diligently inside and out. Soon, Madam Jiang's reputation for virtue and capability spread.

On this day, both the Yun and Han Families were decorated with lanterns and banners, creating a lively and festive atmosphere.

The Han Family's eldest son rode a tall horse to the Yun Family to fetch his bride. His handsome and composed demeanor made many young women and married ladies in Yunyang City blush and even envy.

Ren Yaoqi naturally knew about Han Yunqian's wedding that day. Out of gratitude toward him, she sent a modest yet respectable gift in her and Xiao Jingxi's names, showing considerable respect to the Han Family.

That day, Han Yunqian's new residence welcomed so many guests for the first time.

After entertaining the guests, he walked steadily back to his courtyard and found his younger sister, Han You, sitting alone on the railing of the winding corridor leading to the main room.

Seeing Han Yunqian enter the courtyard, Han You quickly stood up and walked over to him, calling out hesitantly, "Brother."

While Han Yunqian appeared aloof to outsiders, his gaze was gentle when facing his only blood sister. "It's so late, why aren't you asleep yet? Be careful not to catch a chill."

For some reason, Han You's nose tingled with emotion. She slowly stepped forward, took Han Yunqian's hand as she did in childhood, and looked up at him. "Brother."

Han Yunqian did not pull away, letting her hold his hand childishly, his voice growing even softer. "What's wrong? Did someone upset you?"

Han You shook her head unhappily, not speaking, just holding onto her brother's hand tightly.

Han Yunqian was patient and did not rush her, standing with her in the corridor.

After a long while, Han You mustered the courage to ask, "Brother, why did you move the wedding date forward?"Han Yunqian couldn't help but smile at her words, patting her head. "Because this timing is more suitable. Why ask that? Are you afraid your brother will stop caring for you after getting married?"

Han You shook her head. "I'm not worried about that. I just... I just feel that you, brother..." She stole a glance at Han Yunqian, then continued in a voice barely audible, "You don't like Second Miss Yun."

Han Yunqian lowered his gaze slightly, then gently patted Han You's shoulder: "That's not the case. You should go back to sleep soon."