Chapter 4

“It's my turn to ask! First...What's your name? This time your real one!” Ri Yûe said.

“Didn't I tell you that already?” She raised her head and looked at Ri Yûe.

“It's not possible that your name is Xia Yaxie... It's a royal surname...” He said.

“Huh? Xia? I think you have mistaken...my name is Shāng Yaxie...” Yaxie explained (I didn't think I could finally use my surname...)

“Shang? From the prime minister's manor or the Duke's?” «prime minister \= Sháng, Duke \= Shāng» Ri Yûe crossed his arms and tried to look intimidating.

Yaxie laughed softly (I don't have the time to be sad nor cry...I HAVE to take revenge...) “I'm from both...” Ri Yûe scratches his head out of confusion. “You really don't know?!” Ri Yûe shakes his head saying no. “Eh? Really?...Okay so it's like this...My father, Duke Shāng Xiu Ying married my mother, Sháng Yawei who is the prime minister's third sister...You understand?” (My memories are getting more vivid...)

“I get it now...” As he said those words the carriage/cart stopped making him fall “Bingwen-ge! What was that?!” Ri Yûe tried to stand up and walked towards the carriage.

“I'm sorry... It's just that we're in the entrance of the capital.” Bingwen clarified.

(The Capital.....I have to pay this two for saving me since I don't want to be in debt, it will definitely tarnish my family name...but I don't have anything valuable with me, and obviously I can't give them this jade...I just hope I would come across my brothers Ling Shi and Xia Cheng...) She thought and looked at the gate of the capital just to see someone familiar, she immediately turned around and hide her face. (What is Song Lao doing here?! Guarding an capital entrance?! Our family holds supreme power!...WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED TO THAT?!)

⟨That's right...Our family holds unimaginable power in this Xia Empire that can surpass the imperial family even all of them together...I just knew this when I was about to get married and my mom told me about it...

Shāng Feng Li, my biological oldest brother holds the title of Grand Commandant at a young age of twenty-eight...

Xia Nîng Li, The favored imperial consort eight years ago, who holds one-third of the power in the imperial harem is my aunt from the prime minister's manor...

Liao Zì Ping, my third uncle is the Grand Herald...

We also have control over The Minister of Finance, The Director of the imperial clan, and The commandant of Justice.

Liūng Che, an illegitimate child but proven himself useful for the family because at the age of thirty he became a scholar official...

My second Shu brother, known as general Shāng Je Lïá, won five out of eight wars...

Marquis Jing Lião Yi is my father's cousin and has acquaintances and allies in the enemy country...

I, Crown Princess, Xia Yaxie has the Emperor, Empress, and the Empress Dowager's favor...I have alot of achievement and titles...

Our family also has the prime minister's support making us have about half of the government powers...

My father Duke Shang Xiu Ying, is known for controlling the province of Han but the truth is that he controls three-fourth of land in the whole country...He also controls one-fourth of the shops in the capital...I can go on and go on but it might take too long...

Now...you may be wondering...if we really are that powerful...then why didn't I use that to protect myself and my son from Concubine Shu? I also have four more brothers who's achievement are not worth-mentioning or they're just utterly useless...I have four sisters but they'll play some important part...so stay tuned...⟩

(He's just a Shu son, I can't let him see me, A daughter of the zhengshi looking like this! I'll disgrace my mom...) She crawls toward Ri Yûe and pulls his clothes, “Do you have a veil?” Yaxie whispered.

“A veil? Just wait...” Ri Yûe said and went to get a veil in the carriage, after a few minutes he came back “Here...” He gave her a piece of clothing and Yaxie straight away pull it and covered her face. “Are you hiding from someone?” He sat and slowly put his face closer but Yaxie pushed his face away.

As they entered the entrance, they were greeted by a guard and started to inspect the cart. “Could you please take off your veil...” Song Liao said with no manner and respect making Yaxie a bit annoyed.

«Yaxie is the type of person who hates her family name getting stained or tarnished because she also did alot of things to make the Shāng manor have a good image...»

She clenched her fist and is about to stand up but was stopped by Ri Yûe “I'm sorry...but I'm afraid I can't do that...She has a skin disease, so the veil is helping her not to spread it...”

Song Lao just stared at Yaxie “Alright...” He walked away to go to Bingwen. “Token?” He said.

“Here...” Bingwen gave him the token of their shop. Song Lao didn't bother to look at it though.

“You can go now...” He says and shakes his hand telling him to hurry up. and so the carriage/cart started moving.

“Did you see that?!” Yaxie said while holding Ri Yûe's collar and shaking him.

“I didn't I'm really sorry...” Ri Yûe said in a tone of sarcasm while looking at Yaxie with ridicule in his eyes.

She loosen her hold and went back to sitting 'calmly' while bitting her nails (I have to pay a visit in the Shāng manor...I think the strictness is getting more and more sloppy... He even dared to treat me like that?! Me! The legal wife's daughter! And a crown princess on the side!)

Meanwhile...

(That man...with the veil...) Song Lao ran after them “Wait! The one with the veil!”

Xia Yaxie and Ri Yûe gulped.

To be continued~

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