Free Web NovelChapter 1264: Chapter 1253: Illegitimate Son
"These, all must be memorized."
Ye Jing held the book her brother gave her, filled with countless doubts. For instance, how had her brother suddenly become so knowledgeable about medical subjects, and why was he so familiar with the affairs of a woman’s inner house? She wanted to ask, but the words lingered at her lips for a long time, yet she didn’t voice them.
"Apart from you, don’t let anyone know about this book, understand?" Ye Qiu cautioned her, "If you ever need anything in the future, just send someone to let me know. If I’m not in the capital, I’ll leave a housekeeper for you."
"Why would Brother be out of the capital?" Ye Jing keenly sensed a hint of unusual atmosphere.
"Do you know why Brother’s health has never been good all these years? Do you know why I stopped participating in the imperial examinations since becoming a Scholar two years ago?"
Ye Jing spoke softly and with restraint: "It’s Mother."
"Yes, Mother would not permit me to surpass the second brother. If I continued with the imperial examinations, Mother would not let me off."
"But we still have Father, can’t we speak to him? Father would certainly protect you, Brother," Ye Jing said anxiously for Ye Qiu’s prospects.
Ye Qiu sighed helplessly: "Father can protect me, but what about the concubine?"
Ye Jing was taken aback and then fell silent, because their legitimate mother had countless ways to torment their mother, and they had no means against it.
"So I can’t continue with the imperial examinations. If I want to achieve success, to have the power to protect you and the concubine, I can only take the military path."
"But Brother, your health... No, I can’t let you take such risks. It’s okay, with this Medical Poison Holy Scripture you’ve given us, the concubine and I will be fine. Don’t take the risk, Brother." Ye Jing urgently persuaded.
"This isn’t called taking a risk; I have my own ways to protect myself," Ye Qiu reassured her.
But Ye Jing wouldn’t listen, her eyes almost reddened with urgency: "No, I absolutely refuse to let you do something so foolish, Brother. Do you think I don’t know how perilous the battlefield is? The book says a general’s success is built on thousands of bones. I don’t want you risking your life, especially since your body can’t handle it, and you weren’t trained in martial arts from a young age. How can you compete with those enemies?"
"Precisely because I wasn’t trained in martial arts from childhood, the legitimate mother might allow me to join the military," Ye Qiu patiently explained to Ye Jing. "You must trust me, since I’ve found this Medical Poison Holy Scripture for you, naturally, I have a way to protect myself."
"Brother, don’t deceive me," Ye Jing still doubted.
"I’m certainly not deceiving you. It’s not just for you and the concubine. I also don’t want to be controlled by the legitimate mother for the rest of my life, or to marry someone I don’t love and live a meek life."
"Then promise me, Brother, no matter what happens in the future, always prioritize your own life and don’t take risks lightly."
"Rest assured, I don’t want to die either."
After making mutual agreements, the siblings earnestly began studying the knowledge in the book. Each page Ye Qiu explained left Ye Jing in disbelief. Before this, she never knew so many things were antagonistic to each other, or that some inconspicuous weeds could save lives. Nor did she know that more expensive medicinal materials weren’t necessarily better.
"The people serving around us are all arranged by the legitimate mother. If you’re not confident in controlling them, don’t easily expose yourself. Keep this in mind. Also, the knowledge in this book doesn’t encompass all methods, so don’t be complacent."
"I understand, Brother. Without protection, we must be careful if we want to continue living in this capital," Ye Jing said calmly.
Yet, Ye Qiu felt deeply pained, seeing how a mere fifteen-year-old child had to worry about her own survival, just because they lacked a good family background and a father who wholeheartedly protected her.
Ye Qiu couldn’t judge their father in this life because men of this era naturally held more power than women. Especially since Ye Sheng had grown up in a prosperous family, but as the dukedom passed to his generation, its glory waned, so he is unwilling to accept it and is determined to lead the Ye Family back to prominence.
But how easy is it to achieve that? As the saying goes, tea cools as people leave, and even he lacks his ancestors’ capabilities. In earlier years, Ye Sheng still harbored ambitions to achieve great things on his own, but gradually, various matters wore down his morale, so his focus shifted to the next generation.
Initially, Ye Qiu was his favorite, but the more he valued Ye Qiu, the more he incurred the legitimate mother’s suspicion, and eventually, for various reasons, his health declined.
Later, Ye Siqi was spoiled and unproductive, and the twins born from the Fourth Aunt were too young. Seeing his two outstanding daughters, Ye Sheng made a comparison in his heart.
So, forget about Ye Jing, the concubine daughter. Even Ye Sihui, the legitimate daughter, didn’t have much autonomy. Their marriages had already become bargaining chips in Ye Sheng’s bid for power and authority.
Because the Ye Family ancestors earned their dukedom by supporting the orthodox, Ye Sheng held Kang strongly in esteem. To establish a connection with Kang, he expended great effort, hoping to marry the legitimate daughter off as Kang’s concubine, but who knew, after regaining consciousness from a high fever, the legitimate daughter was utterly unwilling.
He feared that sending a disobedient legitimate daughter wouldn’t ingratiate Kang but might instead create enmity. In the end, he had no choice but to send a concubine daughter as a concubine.
A concubine’s rank isn’t as high as a concubine’s, but he had no choice left.
So, for the sake of the official wife, Ye Sheng could take a step back, but Ye Jing, as a concubine daughter, had no right to resist. If she didn’t comply, the concubine’s fate awaited only death.
In this feudal era, Ye Qiu and Ye Jing were helpless and could only do their best to preserve themselves until they had enough power.
"She’s being willful—first, she didn’t want to marry Prince Kang, and now she says she admires Prince An. Does she think all the princes and imperial grandsons of the world can be hers to choose?" In the main courtyard, Ye Sheng slammed the table, glaring sternly at Li Family.
Even after many years of marriage, Li Family was still somewhat intimidated by her husband, mainly because she knew deep down that her husband had no heart. For power, he would do anything.
Li Family swallowed hard and said quietly, "Prince An is the Holy Emperor’s most cherished prince. Wouldn’t our chance of success increase if we married Hui to him?"
"How can you equate Prince Kang as the legitimate one and say that Min holds the greatest power? What do you think love has to do with anything?" Ye Sheng disdainfully said, thinking that Li Family only had a woman’s limited vision.
Li Family also got upset and loudly retorted, "But after all, this world belongs to the Holy Emperor!"
