I Became The Stepmother of My Ex-husband

Gu Hui Yan stood up and following his actions, the whole room quietened. The Emperor’s goal for this trip was obviously Gu Hui Yan. He took two steps, seemed to think of something and halted before turning to Lin Wei Xi and said, “I’m going to welcome His Majesty. Wait here for now.”

Many people were waiting outside for Prince Yan, and it was at that moment he stopped in his footsteps and specifically explained it to the Princess Consort. No one around them dared to speak. Only Lin Wei Xi’s voice could be heard, “I understand my Prince.”

Perhaps because he saw how tense she was, Gu Hui Yan covered her hand with his. His warm steady palms gave her an indescribable sense of comfort, “I’ll just be outside. Don’t be afraid.”

Lin Wei Xi instantly calmed down. She squeezed out a smile for him and nodded, “Okay. I’ll wait, my Prince.”

Gu Hui Yan quickly left. The others who were waiting by the door saw him exit the room and silently followed after him. In the blink of an eye, the group of people disappeared from the inner courtyard decorated in red.

The Emperor had personally come to the Prince Yan Residence on a day like the New Years, which was a day for reunions. It showed how important Prince Yan was to His Majesty. All the servants felt honoured to be associated with Prince Yan and revelled in receiving His Majesty. Wan Xing was from the countryside. Before meeting Lin Wei Xi, she never thought that one day, she’d actually meet the Emperor. Wan Xing couldn’t contain the joy on her face. When she saw Lin Wei Xi’s indifferent expression, she couldn’t help saying, “Princess Consort, His Majesty is here. Perhaps he will even stay for dinner.”

“I know.” Lin Wei Xi replied softly. When the Emperor arrived, she had to pretend to be happy and grateful. She had a smile on her face, but her heart sank. Why had The Emperor abandoned the Empress Dowager and everyone in the palace, and went through the trouble to come to the Prince Yan Residence? It was impossible to hide this from everyone. What was he planning?

Gu Hui Yan left to receive the Emperor but Gu Cheng Yao stayed behind. Not everyone had the right to meet His Majesty. The Emperor was currently travelling incognito. If he asked to meet Prince Yan’s family, it was, of course, not an issue. But if he didn’t ask, then it was best to stay put.

Everyone in the room was smiling, but Gu Cheng Yao could tell with a glance that Lin Wei Xi wasn’t truly smiling. He glanced back at her again and couldn’t help saying to her, “Since the Emperor is travelling incognito and didn’t give advance notice, he won’t be too fussy about the reception. Mother… there’s no need to be nervous.”

Gao Ran looked at Gu Cheng Yao in surprise. Why had Gu Cheng Yao specifically said this to Lin Wei Xi? Was he trying to comfort her? Lin Wei Xi didn’t even bother to respond and merely nodded vaguely with an “um”.

Before long, hurried footsteps sounded from outside. The maids and the palace eunuchs hurried into the inner courtyard. Lin Wei Xi stood when she heard the footsteps. After hearing the message from the palace attendant, she immediately took everyone to wait respectfully by the door. Following the family hierarchy, Gu Cheng Yao and Gao Ran were Lin Wei Xi’s son and daughter-in-law, so she stood facing the wind in front while Gu Cheng Yao stood one step behind her. Gu Cheng Yao couldn’t help feeling upset as he gazed at the flaming red and delicate back in front of him.

Soon after, the Emperor appeared surrounded by everyone. The Emperor, who was still a child, walked in the middle. Next to him was Gu Hui Yan and behind the two of them were many eunuchs wearing the palace uniform.

Lin Wei Xi bowed deeply the moment she saw the Emperor. The beautiful lady’s folded skirts piled against the floor, her head tilted slightly, and her neck was especially slender and graceful. Gu Hui Yan instantly recognized Lin Wei Xi in the crowd. After he approached, the Emperor smiled as he spread his hands, “Princess Consort, please rise. Today, Zhen arrived uninvited and not only disturbed Uncle,  but rudely troubled Aunt. Zhen has gone too far.”

Lin Wei Xi lowered her head and said she didn’t dare. Although the Emperor had allowed her to get up, she still properly paid her respects to him before slowly standing up with the help of the maids.

Gu Hui Yan said, “The wind is strong at night. We shouldn’t let Your Majesty stand outside for too long. If we have anything to talk about, we can do it inside.”

The little Emperor consented to it, and the group noisily walked into the building. Before the Emperor arrived, Lin Wei Xi and Gu Hui Yan were sitting on elevated seats at the head of the table. Now that the Emperor had suddenly visited, Lin Wei Xi definitely couldn’t let him sit in the second seat. She gave up her seat and a quick witted maid brought over a lightweight armchair for her. She ended up next to Gu Hui Yan.

In the small room sat the few most honourable and respected people in the world surrounded by gold and jade, the lingering fragrance billowing slowly. The maids and palace eunuchs stood with their heads bowed in respect, the servants like clouds. Everything was noble, magnificent and colourful. The young Emperor dressed in crimson plainclothes sat facing Gu Hui Yan. Although Lin Wei Xi sat on a smaller chair, she leaned closely against Gu Hui Yan, so it was obvious who she was. Gu Cheng Yao, Gao Ran, and the others were left to stand, and behind them stood many more maids and servants.

After the host and guest sat down, the maids entered one after another and served hot tea and pastries, before bowing their heads, holding their breaths and withdrawing, moving soundlessly. After everyone left, the Emperor was the first to smile and say, “Uncle, Aunt and Shizi were having a reunion. Zhen disturbed Uncle’s reunion with the entire family. Zhen is truly sorry.”

“Your Majesty, that’s incorrect. It is an honour that Your Majesty has graced the Prince Yan Residence with your presence.” Gu Hui Yan said.

The Emperor was now thirteen years old and transitioning from child to teenager. With a slender neck and fair skin, he looked young and full of life. He smiled at Gu Hui Yan’s words and replied, “Uncle, you’re being too formal. According to the family hierarchy, Zhen and Shizi are brothers. We’re all a family. All is well as long as Uncle doesn’t dislike Zhen for coming uninvited and disturbing your family conversation. How can Zhen use royal etiquette to trouble Uncle and the Princess Consort.”

The Emperor’s smile seemed clean and kind. This was a privilege every child and teenager had. No matter what they did, it was very difficult for anyone to loathe them. Gu Hui Yan nodded and smiled when he heard this, “of course. Luckily, Gu Cheng Yao is a few years older than Your Majesty. Thank you for considering him family and calling him brother. Both of you are in the same generation and will have more common topics to talk about. Be it studying or martial arts, if he and Your Majesty can learn from each other on a regular basis, it will serve him well.”

The Emperor’s smile became more sincere when he heard this. Although Lin Wei Xi sat close to the Emperor, Gu Hui Yan covered for her and she felt more safe. She didn’t need to pick up on any hidden intentions that the Emperor had. She slowly pondered over the Emperor and Gu Hui Yan’s conversation earlier. They appeared to be making small talk, but if one wasn’t listening carefully, it would be hard to discern the subtle implications in their words.  The Emperor visiting the Prince Yan Residence on New Year’s Eve was already very significant and had even purposely said that they were of the same family earlier. And after that, Gu Hui Yan affirmed the Emperor and brought Gu Cheng Yao up. Gu Cheng Yao was from the younger generation. Letting the younger generation socialise was much better than Prince Yan promising good relations.

The Emperor couldn’t truly travel from afar just to exchange pointers with Gu Cheng Yao. What he wanted was Prince Yan’s political position. Right now there were many factions in the imperial court, and Grand Secretary Zhang’s followers were everywhere. Prince Yan was a titled prince and at the same time commanded a troop of 100,000 soldiers. Just whose side exactly was he on? This was the implication behind the “same family” that the Emperor mentioned.

By the time Lin Wei Xi picked up the subtle implication of these two sentences, the conversation between Gu Hui Yan and the Emperor had already moved on. She couldn’t help sighing to herself. No wonder they said that becoming a close minister to the Son of Heaven wasn’t appealing. This was the most powerful, and at the same time, the most dangerous place to be. If it were her, she’d most likely still be trying to understand the meaning behind the Emperor’s words, and the conversation would have ended. There was no way she’d be able to be like Gu Hui Yan, answering without hesitating, dealing with the Emperor in a composed manner, and communicating with hidden meaning in his words.

The Emperor got a satisfactory answer, and obviously became very high-spirited. Lin Wei Xi looked at the time and took the opportunity to ask, “Your Majesty, the Residence’s New Year’s banquet is ready. May I be so bold to ask if Your Majesty would like to attend?”

“Of course. For a long time, Zhen has looked forward to meeting the Prince Yan Consort, who is said to have a pure heart and as elegant as an orchid. Even The Empress Dowager, who stays in the inner palace, has heard about you. Zhen never expected to see you today.” The Emperor stood as he spoke, and everyone around him stood up as well. However, he took his time and said to Lin Wei Xi, “Although Queen Mother lives comfortably in the palace, it’s inevitable that she will be lonely, without anyone to talk to. Prince Yan Consort, if you have the time, there’s no harm in visiting the palace more.”

Lin Wei Xi responded with a smile, “I will.”

His Majesty took his seat and the Residence’s reunion dinner was immediately elevated to a higher level. Fortunately, Lin Wei Xi standardised the management of the inner courtyard. Now that she had a high enough status, she didn’t need to be wary of the servants under her, nor were there people like Granny Bu to criticise her. Lin Wei Xi’s arrangements were all the more ironclad and strict. The servants all had their own responsibilities, and Lin Wei Xi’s directions were understandable, so in an exceptional situation like His Majesty’s sudden visit, no mistakes were made.

When the Emperor suddenly arrived, much of the kitchen preparations had to be done over again. In such a situation where time was tight and the pressure was high, it was easiest for problems to arise. Gao Ran initially worried, but when she saw the annual banquet being served without a single detail being overlooked, without a single disagreeable aspect, Gao Ran’s feelings became complicated.

Gao Ran glanced at Gu Cheng Yao to find that he was also obviously relieved, a hint of admiration present between his brows. She pursed her lips and looked away. After this incident, Lin Wei Xi’s position in the inner courtyard would most likely become even more untouchable. She could even arrange a banquet with the Emperor in a moment. Was there anyone left who’d doubt her. Even a mistress who’d managed a household for twenty, thirty years probably wouldn’t dare brag about such a thing.

The Emperor said that he wanted to have New Year’s Eve dinner with the Prince Yan Residence, but in reality he only sat down for a few rounds of drinks with Gu Hui Yan before leaving. Now, the news that the Emperor had left the palace had most likely spread to every household. Even if the Emperor didn’t want to, he still had to visit Grand Secretary Zhang’s house.

After the Emperor left, everyone in the residence silently heaved a sigh of relief.

Gu Hui Yan still looked calm, but Lin Wei Xi spent so much time together with him day and night and could  immediately tell that although he looked calm, the subtle change in his expression hinted that he had a lot on his mind. Only the young Emperor who just left could cause Gu Hui Yan to have that kind of expression.

“My Prince.” Lin Wei Xi whispered softly. Gu Hui Yan returned to his senses, glanced at her, and held her hand under the table, “It’s alright. His Majesty has already left for the Zhang Residence. We don’t need to worry about entering the palace. Continue eating.”

Lin Wei Xi nodded in response, and Gu Cheng Yao and Gao Ran sat down in an orderly fashion. However, after this episode, none of them could taste the food, and no one could relax and focus on the meal.

Lin Wei Xi saw several people put down their chopsticks, as if they didn’t want to continue anymore, and beckoned the maids to clear the New Year’s Eve banquet. The maids removed the dishes quietly, while the masters made their move to the next room and took their seats.

This was the first time in her two lives that Lin Wei Xi had spent New Years together with her in-laws. There was a huge difference between an unmarried daughter and a daughter-in-law. She usually did her best to find a quiet place with her sisters and maids so they could talk, but now she definitely couldn’t do that. Luckily, Lin Wei Xi didn’t have a mother-in-law and the only person older than her in the Residence was Prince Yan. However, accompanying one’s husband versus accompanying one’s in-laws to welcome the New Year were clearly two different things. Lin Wei Xi didn’t feel that accompanying Gu Hui Yan was unbearable at all.

Despite being in the same situation, Gao Ran’s state of mind was on the other end of the spectrum, as she had to constantly follow Lin Wei Xi. Lin Wei Xi sat down and felt sleepy, her eyes heavy with sleep. But she considered herself an elder who had to remain dignified in front of the juniors, so she forced her eyelids open. After a while, her eyes grew misty, her gaze bleary and unfocused.

A sleepy Lin Wei Xi was slow to react. Compared to her usual eloquence, her eyes were now misty and she looked harmless and innocent. To the people who were often scolded by her, she now looked undoubtedly much cuter.

This was what Gu Cheng Yao thought. Of course he knew it was inappropriate. She was his stepmother and he had to keep this to himself no matter how he felt. Not only was it disrespectful to his young stepmother, it was also disrespectful to his father. But even though he looked away, he couldn’t stop the scene he saw earlier from replaying in his mind. So that was how Lin Wei Xi looked when she was sleepy; her reaction was slow and she looked weak and delicate.

Gu Hui Yan solemnly sat upright for a while but couldn’t hold back anymore. He sighed and reached out to support Lin Wei Xi, who was swaying back and forth, and said, “Since you’re sleepy, just go back and take a rest.”

Lin Wei Xi’s head wasn’t very clear at the moment. Sleepy people were similar to drunk people in that they hated it the most when others called them sleepy. She slapped Gu Hui Yan’s hand away, “I’m not sleepy.”

The whole room went silent. The Princess Consort had actually slapped away Prince Yan’s hand? Wan Xing felt utterly suffocated. She wanted to step forward and shake Lin Wei Xi awake to remind her of where she was, but found that Prince Yan merely sighed, supported her shoulder, and laid her head on his lap.

Lin Wei Xi followed along and laid down. After a while, she fell into a muddled slumber. Gu Hui Yan straightened the hair that was spread out on the back of her neck, and immediately returned to minding his own business without the slightest hint of being offended. Wan Xing watched this happen, dumbfounded. Only after someone tugged her sleeves did she silently return to her senses. Just like the many people in the room who were gasping, she pretended not to see anything.

Lin Wei Xi didn’t know what was going on, only that she slept warmly and comfortably. After an unknown period of time, someone gently shook her awake, “Wake up. The New Year is here.”