Chapter 942: Not Allowing Benefits Created by Her Own Work to Accrue to Others

Translator: Atlas Studios    Editor: Atlas Studios

Since ancient times, there had been a saying that the girl with the phoenix fate would obtain the world. The Empress and the Fourth Prince had obtained the initiative in the competition for the position of heir. Soon, with the support of the royalists, the Fourth Prince would be adopted as their heir. The word “orthodox” would allow him to suppress the Second and Third Princes, becoming the most popular prince.

What about the adult Yao Yao?

In her initial nightmare, she had married into the Zhenguo Marquis Residence within a hundred days of her grandmother’s death.

At that time, she only thought that the Zhenguo Marquis Residence was worried that her offspring would be delayed as she was mourning for her grandmother.

However, that was not the case.

After Yu Shuangbai accepted the “phoenix fate”, the ugly matter of Yu Zongshen falling in love with his eldest sister-in-law and having an affair with her was exposed by Madam Yang and her daughter. In the past, Yu Zongshen’s kindness to the adult Yao Yao and his attention to her had all become evidence of her “unbearable” background.

In order to cover up the scandal, the Yu Residence had taken on the responsibility of affecting Yu Zongshen’s reputation and Yu Shuangbai’s

“future.” They had hit it off with the Marquis of Zhenguo’s wife and married Yao Yao into the Zhenguo Marquis Residence early on.

Of course, the Zhenguo Marquis Residence did not want Song Mingzhao to marry the adult Yao Yao.

However, first of all, the marriage was set by the elders of the two families and could not be easily annulled.

Second, the Song and Yu families were connected. Yu Zongshen was already a little worried. If there was a “scandal” because of Yao Yao, it would be a huge blow to the royalists.

For the sake of the overall situation, the Zhenguo Marquis Residence could only pinch their noses and admit it.

Moreover, a married daughter was like water that had been splashed out.

The adult Yao Yao did not even have a chance to observe mourning for her grandmother for a year.

Yu Yao woke up from her nightmare. She lay upright on the bed and looked up blankly. She did not know if Yu Shuangbai was really born with a phoenix fate, or if all of this was just a scheme by the Empress to fight for the throne.

But no matter what, the Empress had used the Fourth Prince’s marriage to achieve her goal.

The Fourth Prince would become the winner of the battle for the throne and ascend the throne with the support of the Zhenguo Marquis Residence.

After Yu Shuangbai became the empress, the Yu Clan would be even more beautiful than the Weining Marquis Residence back then.

Not only had the Zhenguo Marquis Residence contributed greatly, but they had also stepped on the corpses of the entire Xie family and become the number one noble of the Great Zhou.

Although Yu Jianjia had taken her mother’s old path and become a second wife, she had also fulfilled her wish to become the Marquis’s wife. There was no greater glory than this.

In this strange scheme, Yu Youyao and the Xie family had paid a painful price.

The blood and tears of her and the Xie family had fulfilled their path to glory.

Even though she already knew very well that this was just a “heartfelt” dream,

Yu Youyao still felt a lingering chill in her heart.

Yu Youyao had an inexplicable feeling.

In the nightmare, the person who was really “born with a phoenix fate” was the adult Yao Yao herself.

Yu Shuangbai had replaced the adult Yao Yao and become the “girl with the phoenix fate.” This was definitely not a coincidence. Then, what role did Madam Yao play?

All of the adult Yao Yao’s tragedies had started with the Flower Festival at Duke Rongs Residence. Then, was Madam Yao involved in what happened at the Flower Festival?

She was not afraid to speculate about others with the greatest malice.

Looking at the situation that the older Yao Yao was in while she was at the Yu Residence in the nightmare, Yu Youyao definitely did not believe that Madam Yao was innocent.

Madam Yao was born into a noble family and did not lack character and upbringing. However, noble families were a little more noble than ordinary scholarly families. There was often a coldness and selfishness in their bones. In circumstances where their interests were not affected, they displayed their self-restraint and bearing. However, once their own interests were involved, the saying that a gentleman shouldn’t stand under a dangerous wall would become a benchmark for their actions.

Yu Youyao took a deep breath. Since she had already left the capital, there was no need to think too much about the people in the capital.

However, in the nightmare, the so-called “girl with the phoenix fate” was the same as in reality. In a sense, she, “Eldest Princess Shaoyi”, was comparable to the “girl with the phoenix fate”.

In the nightmare, the adult Yao Yao was trapped in the inner residence and had not received any warning. Naturally, the Empress had no way of scheming against her and chose to start with Yu Shuangbai.

In reality, if the Empress’s plan failed, would she change her plan and start with Yu Shuangbai to achieve her goal like in her nightmare?

At this moment, Yu Youyao’s jade plate was kept in the Imperial Temple.

The Empress Dowager could no longer cover up the matter of Yu Youyao being conferred the title of “Eldest Princess Shaoyi.” It caused a huge commotion in the royal court, but none of the court officials had any objections.

The matter of conferring an additional title was logical.

When the news reached the harem, the Empress listened to Auntie Dan Hongs report with no expression on her face.

Auntie Dan Hong said, “This morning, the Empress Dowager summoned the Fourth Prince to the Longevity Palace and said that she liked the Fourth Prince’s calligraphy. She praised the Fourth Prince for being upright, causing his calligraphy to be naturally proper. He had already obtained some of the essence of Liu Gongquan’s calligraphy style, The Fourth Prince immediately expressed that he had recently obtained a scripture and planned to copy it with the Empress Dowager.”

The Empress Dowager was praising her openly but secretly warning her.

Everyone in the world knew that the Empress Dowager paid respects to Buddha. Coincidentally, her constitution was unwell, and she had even expressed her liking for the Fourth Prince’s calligraphy. Anyone with a brain should know how to “respect” the Empress Dowager.

Getting the Fourth Prince to copy Buddhist scriptures was just a pretext.

In fact, she wanted the Fourth Prince to stay in the residence to copy scriptures and pray for good fortune. She didn’t want him to get involved in the matters of the court. The Fourth Prince would be busy “doing his best” for the Empress Dowager, so he couldn’t divert his attention to deal with the court affairs. When the court officials found out about this, they wouldn’t dare to disturb him rashly.

Anyone with brains would not disobey the Empress Dowager at this time.

After Auntie Dan Hong finished reporting, the room gradually fell silent.

The Empress was holding a pair of golden scissors and trimming a peony. April and May was the blooming season of peony flowers. The bowl-sized peony bloomed purple and red, proud of its branches. It was beautiful.

This was the result of the Empress’s meticulous arrangements.

After a while, the Empress put down the golden scissors and said, “The older, the wiser. After this, my future plans can’t go forward.”

From the looks of it, the Empress Dowager had already made arrangements for Eldest Princess Shaoyi.

She did not allow benefits created by her own work to accrue to others. Since ancient times, among the daughters of foreign ministers, most of the women who had been conferred titles had married into the imperial family, let alone those who had been conferred the title of “Eldest”.

However, there were very few disciples in the imperial family who had really gained power and were about the same age as Eldest Princess Shaoyi.

The Empress Dowager gave out this honor and dignity. Her marriage could not bring disgrace to this honor and dignity, and wrong Eldest Princess Shaoyi.

It was obvious who the Empress Dowager had taken a fancy to.

Auntie Dan Hong felt that it was a pity. “In that case, it’s a pity that those priceless treasures in the Empress’s private vault were given.”

It wasn’t that she was petty, but that the things that the Empress had rewarded Princess Shaoyi were all rare treasures that the Ning Residence had accumulated over the years.