Unparalleled Beauty

Chapter C001

The night grew deeper as heavy dew fell.

The imperial palace, which should have long since sunk into the quiet of night, was now illuminated by two rows of glass hundred-flower palace lamps.

These glass palace lamps were tributes from a foreign land, their bodies translucent and sparkling, the most precious of treasures. Filled with the finest wax, they burned like bright moons and shooting stars in the night, their light overflowing and dazzling.

In the palace, whenever one saw this stream of light, they knew Lady Fengtian was arriving.

This Lady Fengtian was originally His Majesty's sister-in-law, but she was deeply favored by him. It was inconvenient for her to enter and leave the palace at night, so His Majesty bestowed upon her all twenty of his precious glass hundred-flower palace lamps.

Before the glass palace lamps were four eunuchs holding red silk palace lanterns to guide the way, followed by a magnificent and exquisite phoenix palanquin. Surrounding the palanquin were countless palace maids and eunuchs.

Those who didn't know better might have thought it was the Empress making her rounds!

It was deep in the night, and the accompanying palace servants maintained absolute silence. The phoenix palanquin moved with only the slightest sound, ensuring that the occupant within felt no discomfort.

Mei Wushuang leaned back against the soft fur, her whole body aching, not wanting to move a muscle.

Ji Yang, busy with affairs of state during the day, was still full of energy at night. Every time he summoned her, he wouldn't let her go until she was exhausted for days. Even when she left, she couldn't even take a bath, she was so uncomfortable.

"Madam, is your back aching?"

The palace maid, with lowered eyes and submissive demeanor, half-knelt beneath the palanquin. Seeing the beauty on the couch merely furrow her brow at her words, she understood. Straightening her body, she remained kneeling and began to massage her back.

Though she was also a woman, she was still amazed by the smooth, cool jade-like flesh she touched. The exquisite texture, even through the thick layers of clothing, could be felt.

Seeing the frown on her face, the palace maid couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy. "Madam, if you truly feel unwell, when we return to the mansion, let's go to Yuquan Palace for a few days to rest and recuperate before returning."

"We'll see."

Wushuang was thinking about what her eldest sister had said to her that day.

"His Majesty's affection for you fills this Majesty with joy. But my own body is weak, and since that time, there has been no movement. His Majesty feels for me, and also remembers the Mei family's unwavering loyalty and great contributions. He said that if you can bear a child, he will crown him Crown Prince."

Emperor Qianwu was in the prime of his life, yet his offspring were few. Among all the concubines in the palace, there was only one prince and one princess.

It was also because Emperor Qianwu was busy with affairs of state during the day and rarely visited the inner palace. The palace concubines were in a hurry, but to no avail. Hadn't even the Empress yet produced an heir?

Wushuang was not foolish. Even if she was slow, these years of marriage had taught her many things. It wasn't that she didn't understand, but she didn't know how to say many things.

The sharp edge in her eldest sister's eyes was becoming increasingly difficult to conceal.

But who could she blame?

Her fate was too cruel. Even though she was already a wife, Ji Yang still wouldn't let her go.

Zhao Jianzhi resented her for the scheme that had led to their marriage. After their wedding, he was cold towards her, and his cousin, who had been taken in as a noble concubine, was always by his side. So for all these years, she had been alone in her empty chamber.

After the previous Emperor's death, Prince Wei, the third prince, Ji Yang, ascended the throne. Her husband's family, previously aligned with the Prince Jin's faction, had escaped the new Emperor's purge thanks to their founding merits, but their influence had waned, and the entire household was filled with fear and anxiety. So she became the sacrifice.

Blame her?

In truth, it was she who was originally betrothed to Ji Yang. But Prince Wei had a bad reputation. Even before he ascended the throne, he was known for his cruelty and the murder of his wives. His temperament was violent and unpredictable, and she was truly afraid of him.

Seeing her fear of Prince Wei's reputation, and knowing her secret admiration for Zhao Jianzhi, her eldest sister had made many arrangements to ensure she married into the Duke Zhao's mansion.

At that time, she was grateful and full of guilt towards her eldest sister.

She thought her eldest sister was too kind to her. Prince Wei was such a terrifying person, yet her eldest sister didn't seem to care at all.

Only when she saw her eldest sister marry Prince Wei in her place did she suddenly realize that perhaps it was all her eldest sister's intention, because her eldest sister knew that Prince Wei was the most likely to ascend the throne.

The bitterness in Wushuang's heart was known to no one. She had grown accustomed to silence over the years, and she lowered her head without speaking.

The Empress sat above, her gaze fixed on the face below.

Her face held a smile, but her palm slowly tightened.

At this moment, Mei Wushuang had blossomed into her most radiant form.

The Empress could tell that the clothes Wushuang wore were all palace-made, chosen by Emperor Qianwu himself. If it were according to Wushuang's nature, she wouldn't have liked these vibrant colors. She preferred the more subdued and deep hues of ink and indigo.

Who would have thought that Emperor Qianwu would be the type to pick out clothes and accessories for a woman?

To the outside world, he was decisive, self-willed, and prone to cruelty. His ministers feared his authority and were all obsequious in his presence. Within the palace, his temperament was unpredictable, cold, and tyrannical. Even she, his Empress, had to tread carefully before him.

Only one person was an exception, and that was Mei Wushuang.

He had spent a long time, and undoubtedly a great deal of effort, to cultivate the once bland and uninteresting Mei Wushuang into what she was now, like a delicate flower, becoming more vibrant with each passing day.

The Empress unconsciously touched the corner of her eye.

Lately, she had felt a growing sense of age, perhaps due to the weariness of both body and mind, or perhaps because there were too many delicate flowers blooming in the palace. The Empress had always believed that intelligence and wisdom were more important than beauty. She considered beauty fleeting, while intelligence was eternal. She had always prided herself on her intelligence, for everything she had achieved was a testament to her wisdom.

Now, she was the Empress, sitting high above, a revered and virtuous ruler.

And she—Mei Wushuang—possessed only beauty, despised by others and her reputation ruined. No matter how much others feared to speak ill of her, who didn't know that Mei Wushuang was a seductress who had disrupted the palace, climbed into her brother-in-law's bed, and disregarded her husband?

Thinking about it this way, the Empress felt a sense of satisfaction.

"Even if you find it difficult, you must think of the Mei family, think of mother and father. Father has always hoped to revitalize the Mei family. If the Mei family could produce a crown prince, father would be overjoyed. Our parents raised you for over a decade, treating you as their own. Even I had to step aside. Don't disappoint them."

Wushuang's lips tightened slightly, and she lowered her head.

***

This grand procession traversed the entire imperial palace. Perhaps some might have watched from the shadows, but who dared to say a word?

The palace gates, which had long been locked, creaked open silently.

In the darkness, two ranks of Imperial Guards stood by the palace gates, watching as the group passed through.

The palace gates closed behind them, leaving the ceremonial guards and most of the palace servants behind. Dozens of light cavalry surrounded Wushuang, escorting her back to her residence.

The residence was not the Duke Zhao's mansion, but Lady Fengtian's mansion.

It was built adjacent to the Duke Zhao's mansion, but it was even more grand, luxurious, and opulent.

Ji Yang had always been a man of whims. After Wushuang had become his, he rebuilt the mansion next to the Duke Zhao's and gave it to Wushuang, bestowing upon it the name Lady Fengtian's Mansion.

A connecting door existed between the two mansions. While Wushuang seemed to enter and leave the Duke Zhao's mansion daily, she actually resided separately in Lady Fengtian's mansion.

In truth, according to Ji Yang's personality, there was no need for Wushuang to go through all this trouble. With such a grand plaque hanging outside Lady Fengtian's Mansion, everyone in the capital knew that Zhao Jianzhi, the second son of the Duke Zhao, had been cuckolded.

Yet, no one in the capital dared to mention it, for the one who had cuckolded Zhao Jianzhi was none other than the current Emperor Qianwu.

Fengtian, meaning to serve the Son of Heaven.

The Zhao family had taken the wrong side in the struggle for the throne. The fact that they still held the title of Duke Zhao was known by everyone in the capital to be thanks to Lady Fengtian.

So, while no one dared to speak of it, everyone knew. And so, Mei Wushuang's insistence on entering the Duke Zhao's mansion before returning to her own was nothing more than a charade.

Yet she insisted, and Ji Yang, too weary to argue, acquiesced.

***

The palanquin came to a halt before the Duke's mansion.

In the darkness, the western gate stood wide open, a clear indication that the gatekeeper knew of Wushuang's return. Yet, upon entering, she found herself alone, only sensing the faintest flicker of eyes from within the gatehouse.

Wushuang knew all too well how the Zhao family viewed her, a wry smile playing on her lips.

She walked slowly, her mind replaying the encounter with the Empress that day, each scene, each word etched vividly in her memory.

The mention of bearing children stirred a silent hand to her abdomen, her brow furrowing in a subtle frown.

As she neared the gate separating the two mansions, an unexpected visitor emerged.

It was Zhao Jianzhi.

In the soft glow of the lanterns, Zhao Jianzhi stood tall and elegant, his hands clasped behind his back, gazing at the moon above. His steps were hesitant, a clear sign that he sought her out.

Such a scene could only mean he had something to discuss.

But what could Zhao Jianzhi possibly want with her?

Their marriage, from the very beginning, had been a mistake, a chasm separating them. Zhao Jianzhi, for his part, had always treated her with indifference, unwilling to exchange even a single superfluous word. Why would he seek her out now?

And besides—

Wushuang glanced at the palace attendants flanking her.

If word of this reached Ji Yang's ears, he would surely be enraged, and she would have to spend days carefully appeasing him. It was best to avoid any contact with Zhao Jianzhi.

It was for his sake, and for her own.

As if sensing her hesitation, Zhao Jianzhi offered a faint, wry smile. After a moment's contemplation, he spoke, "I have something I need to tell you."

With that, Wushuang could hardly refuse.

Yet, the question remained: how, and where, to speak?

Zhao Jianzhi seemed to share her concern, casting a glance at the palace maids and eunuchs. "Let's talk in your chambers," he suggested.

With that, Wushuang could say no more. She nodded and continued forward.

Unseen by Wushuang, Zhao Jianzhi watched her retreating figure, his expression a complex blend of emotions.

***

Wushuang felt a deep, unsettling discomfort, though she couldn't pinpoint its source.

She attributed it to Ji Yang's insatiable demands, believing she was simply exhausted. She forced herself to ignore the physical discomfort and settled into a chair.

A palace maid thoughtfully placed a soft cushion behind her back, and with that, Wushuang felt a slight easing of her discomfort.

Silently observing, Zhao Jianzhi took in the opulent surroundings, the lavish furnishings, the meticulously trained maids and eunuchs, their movements both discreet and attentive, ministering to her every need... He couldn't help but recall Wushuang's life at the Duke's mansion.

At the Duke's mansion, Wushuang had been an invisible presence, a ghost in the halls. Though physically present, she was treated as if she didn't exist, her presence ignored, her needs unmet. All she received was coldness and disdain.

And he, of course, was no exception.

He understood his family's feelings, the mixture of fear and shame, humiliation and suppressed disgust. To treat her as if she were nonexistent was the only way to preserve the Zhao family's dwindling pride, as if she had never been a part of their lives.

Yet, day after day, year after year, she had faithfully visited his mother, paying her respects at dawn and dusk. Even if it was merely a formality, she had never failed to fulfill her duty.

His sister said she was hypocritical and vile, Yunshang said she was being deliberate, even his own mother, whom she dutifully visited every morning and evening, said she was deliberately trying to disgust the Zhao family, deliberately trying to humiliate her.

Only Zhao Jianzhi knew that she wasn't like that.

Perhaps it was because he had grown to loathe her over time, or perhaps this loathing had slowly transformed amidst the complexities of their relationship, Zhao Jianzhi didn't know when he began to pay attention to Mei Wushuang.

It might have been because she always held the title of his wife, or perhaps because of his own 'selling his wife for personal gain,' he couldn't help but focus on her.

At first, it was loathing, annoyance, anger, shame, and humiliation, but as he watched her, he gradually began to understand that she might not be the woman he had imagined her to be all those years ago.

But at the time, he had been tricked into marrying her, and he was inherently proud, priding himself on his uprightness and purity, despising such petty and sordid affairs. He had prejudged her, developed a dislike for her, and kept his distance.

And then, so many things happened later, so even if he had realized it, it was too late.

Too late, time could not be reversed, and everything could not return to the beginning.

***

"…Yunshang is pregnant, I want to give the child a proper status after he is born, so we should divorce."

Mei Wushuang blinked in surprise.

She was genuinely surprised.

When she was forcibly summoned into the palace by Ji Yang, she had not hesitated to mention divorce, but Zhao Jianzhi had avoided the topic. Later, she understood that it wasn't that he didn't want to divorce, but that his family, the others in the Duke Zhao's mansion, didn't want them to divorce.

It made sense, the Zhao family was struggling to survive after siding with the wrong faction, how could they allow them to divorce at that time? Later, she stopped thinking about it, never expecting Zhao Jianzhi to bring it up now.

But why divorce now? Perhaps the situation had stabilized, and the Duke Zhao's mansion no longer needed her, the Lady Fengtian who brought shame to their family?

Regardless, it was good news.

Wushuang thought silently.

"Since you've decided, then let it be so."

Zhao Jianzhi looked at her, hoping to find some signs of resentment, grievance, or mockery on her face, but there was nothing.

She was calm.

So calm that she didn't seem to care whether she would divorce him, so calm that she even seemed relieved.

These things made him feel uncomfortable, a tight, suffocating pain constricted in his chest, making him restless.

He suddenly remembered their wedding day, when she had looked at him with blushing cheeks, yet unable to hide her joy, and what had he given her in return?

Disdain, disgust, a sense of violated dignity, and knowing that his mother had deliberately arranged for him to take his cousin as a noble concubine, he had agreed out of spite.

At that time, he had no feelings for his cousin, but he deliberately acted affectionate in front of her, just to show her that he only wanted what he wanted, and he disdained anything forced upon him.

What was her expression then?

Pale, heartbroken, dejected, trying to please him, trying to please everyone in the family, but because of his aversion, all her efforts were in vain.

Until—

Zhao Jianzhi's breathing suddenly became uneven.

And because of his sudden silence, not only Mei Wushuang was surprised, but the palace maid beside her was also surprised.

Out of concern for the Lady, the palace maid, who clearly wasn't an ordinary servant, whispered, "Madam, you should go to rest."

This was a deliberate reminder to Zhao Jianzhi that, having said what he needed to say, he should leave.

Zhao Jianzhi rose to his feet, somewhat awkwardly.

He took a few steps, then turned back to look at her, wanting to say something more, but a chamberlain approached, gesturing to escort him out.

He offered a bitter smile, bowed his head, and left.

***

Inside the room, Mei Wushuang was also lost in memories.

She recalled her youth, her every step along the way.

Leaning back, she slowly contemplated her life, as if she had thought of much, yet nothing at all.

After a long silence, she sighed softly.

"Perhaps this is for the best. After all, I owe him."

She stood up, and Linglong came to help her.

They had only taken a couple of steps when Linglong looked down at the ground in alarm. Mei Wushuang followed her gaze and saw that her skirt was stained with blood.

She froze, a surge of something rising within her chest.

But this time, the surge was impossible to suppress. She instinctively vomited, and saw Linglong open her mouth as if to speak, but she couldn't hear a sound.