Rebirth of the Female Antagonist: XUANRONG

11-13

11.All in vain

"XiaoJie, this servant has arrived."
"En. How was it?" When YuYing and Zou mama returned after selling the kitchen servants, it was already evening & XuanRong was currently eating dinner inside her courtyard. The kitchen servants were sold away but some of the servants inside the manor knew how to cook so, XuanRong appointed temporary kitchen helpers until they could find new ones.
Since the accounting records were still in Housekeeper Wang's hand, XuanRong couldn't just spend money without knowing the manor's financial status.
"The 11 servants were sold for a total of 35 silvers [1]. 9 servants were sold for 3 silvers each while 2 servants were sold for 4 silvers each. Although they were beaten & weren't in their peak condition, the slave trader decided not to deduct any silver since the servants know how to cook. That's why the 2 main cooks of our manor were sold higher than the rest."
"En. It's good then."
XuanRong nodded after hearing YuYing's report. Aside from lacking manpower, she also needed money for her own expenses and her plan for revenge. As the Di Daughter of the 1st Wife, her mother's dowry was enough to assist her for a lifetime but unfortunately, the dowry was in her stepmother's hand.
'I swear that I will forcefully make that bitch spit everything! Not a single coin less. But now is not the time to think about my mother's dowry. I need to find capable servants to serve by my side.'
"YuYing, send this letter to my maternal grandfather. Remember, you must not fail. Don't let others see you... even if it is YuLi. Do you understand?"
YuYing nodded. She could tell that her XiaoJie must have written something important inside the letter. No matter what, she must succeed.
"This servant understands. This servant will leave immediately."
"En. Hurry."
After YuYing left, YuLi arrived while carrying a bunch of books in her arms. She placed it on the table & curtsied towards XuanRong.
"This servant greets XiaoJie. This servant already brought the accounting records given by Housekeeper Wang."
XuanRong stood up and walked towards the pile of books on the table. She grabbed 1 & slowly read the content.
"En. Thank you, YuLi. You can retreat now. You don't have to serve me for tonight."
"But XiaoJie---"
"I insist. No need to serve me & sleep early."
YuLi hesitated a little before she curtsied & left the courtyard, not noticing the hidden sharpness in XuanRong's eyes as she walked away.
After YuLi left, XuanRong picked another book & read the whole content. Few minutes later, the whole courtyard was filled with her laugher. It was a mixture of ridicule and amusement.
*scoff*
"It looks like housekeeper Wang is treating me like an idiot. Heh..."
XuanRong inwardly praised him for being fearless & brave. Forging accounting records, bullying his master & stealing money were all treacherous deeds, enough to kill him & his descendants.
XuanRong closed the accounting records & placed it on top of the table. Although she needed money, she wasn't in a hurry to settle things with Housekeeper Wang. She had to get the original accounting records before she plays her move. It's better to pretend to avoid startling the snake [2].
XuanRong laid on the bed & closed her eyes. She was not sleeping early but was trying to recall everything that happened in her past life.
Half a year later, her 2nd Mother will pay a dozen of bandits to destroy her reputation. The Crown Prince was planning to marry her because he needed her maternal grandfather's power and influence.
Unfortunately, because of the rumors about her--- thanks to her dear sister & her 2nd Mother, the Crown Prince decided to abandon the sinking ship and swim ashore[3]. After she came back to the capital, the emperor planned to betroth her to the only living sibling he had--- Xu Wangye. The Emperor hated Xu Wangye because he was the favorite child of the previous Emperor before Xu Wangye became an idiot.
The current Emperor was the son of Rong GuiFei [4], while Xu Wangye was the son of Empress Shen. At a young age, Xu Wangye was a prodigy and almost everyone knew that he would be the next Emperor, beating the current Emperor who was 20 years older than him & was still the Eldest Prince at that time.
Sadly, everything changed when Empress Shen and Xu Wangye was ambushed during their visit at the temple near Lu Shan. The Empress was assassinated & burned to death while Xu Wangye knocked his head & became foolish, making him unsuitable to sit on the dragon throne. The war to the throne was very competitive, in the end, the current Emperor was hailed as the next owner of the dragon throne, & the only Prince who survived during the power struggle was Xu Wangye because he was no longer a threat.
Few years passed and the struggle to obtain the dragon throne had started once again.
Since her maternal grandfather doted on her, whoever marries XuanRong would definitely acquire Great General Chen's & the Chen family's support. The Emperor was afraid that once she marries a prince, his authority would be shaken. Even the Crown Prince was not spared from the Emperor's paranoia. Thus, the only thing he could do was to bestow her to his younger brother, Xu Wangye, which did not have the capability to usurp the throne, making him a 'safe person'.
The Emperor inwardly despised Xu Wangye but on the outside, he appeared as a doting older brother. He bestowed him the largest land in the entire Qian Zou and was given the highest rank of royalty, first rank 'Qinwang[5]' which was only 1 rank lower than the Emperor himself. Since the Emperor 'cherished' his younger brother dearly, he wanted to bestow Xu Wangye a woman that would be able to match his status. A woman 'befitting' to be his wife--- to be his Xu WangFei.
Thus, after XuanRong's reputation was restored, the Emperor immediately sent an imperial edict, betrothing the Eldest Di Daughter of XuanFu to Xu Wangye. In the eyes of the people, it was the Emperor's act of love towards his little brother. Unbeknownst to them, the Emperor only did that to cut off his future problems & secure his power.
And in the eyes of the government officials, the union between the mental impaired Wangye & the disgraced Xuan Family's Eldest Daughter of the 1st Wife were the greatest laughing stocks of the entire country.
After meeting the Crown Prince during her hairpin ceremony [6], XuanRong fell in love immediately and arrogantly declined the Emperor's imperial edict, even using her grandfather's power to suppress the Emperor. The Emperor could only grit his teeth since half of the military power was under her grandfather's control.
After the Crown Prince realized his mistake for abandoning his plan halfway, he immediately seduced XuanRong, making her fall in love with him. XuanRong was easily swayed by his sweet tongue & even agreed to hide their relationship so that the Crown Prince wouldn't be implicated. For him, she painstakingly hired masters to help her study the four arts[7], learn the palace etiquette from a well-known retired Palace Lady from the Empress' palace, and she even memorized the art of war, thinking that once she becomes his Empress, even if she can't fight, she can still help him manage the country behind him.
For years, she became his hidden dagger. Using her maternal family, she paved his way and finished all his enemies. The Crown Prince slowly build his own forces until he no longer needed her & discarded her like a dirty old rag. The Crown Prince, Xu Ji An, secretly colluded with her sister whom she dearly loved.
It was already too late before she realized that everything she did for the Crown Prince, the feeling she had for him was all for naught. She helped him in the shadows for 7 long years since she was 15 but in exchange for her dedication and love, she was raped and tortured to death.
She lost her status as the Eldest Di Daughter, she lost her maternal family, she lost her purity and... she lost her heart.
XuanRong opened her eyes. Deep anger and loathing, the only feelings she felt for the man whom she decided to give her love and support until the end. The word 'hate' was deeply carved inside her bones to the point that she no longer remembered and had forgotten the feeling of loving someone.
"5 years... We will see each other again in 5 years' time... Heh... Xu Ji An, I can't wait to destroy you and mutilate your corpse."