Chapter 3: Bound to the Child-Bearing System, Becoming a Winner in Life Chapter 3: Cannon Fodder Little Consort (3)

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Protagonist:

Shen Yao

"Eldest Young Lady, you've arrived."

Shen Yao had just arrived at the main courtyard where her cheap grandmother was when she heard a pleasant female voice coming from ahead.

Looking up, she saw the approaching woman dressed in maid's clothing, and she knew this was a maid by her cheap grandmother's side, apparently named Chunxue.

Well, she and her maid Chunhua had entered together as maids.

It was just that these two people had different luck: one served the Shen family's old ancestor who had the final say, while the other could only attend to the unfavored eldest legitimate daughter.

Over these years, Chunhua had behaved herself, not causing trouble or sticking her head out, yet she couldn't help but be swayed by the emotions of previous loss—after all, who doesn't have a competitive heart and an enterprising spirit?

Shen Yao didn't care; she nodded at Chunxue, who came over to pay respects and inquire after her health, saying, "Is Grandmother well?"

Chunxue smiled and replied, "Thank you, Eldest Young Lady, for your concern; Old Madam has always been well."

"It's just that recently, because of Eldest Young Lady entering the palace, Old Madam feels somewhat displeased in her heart."

After saying this, Chunxue smiled brightly, appearing to curry favor with Shen Yao, but in fact it was merely her cheap grandmother using her mouth to issue a warning to herself.

Tsk, one could only say that in terms of speaking tactfully, she had quite the style of a declining aristocratic family.

Shen Yao's cheap grandmother was surnamed Ji; she had been of high birth in her youth, a young lady of the Guogong Fu, and though she was born of a concubine, she had once received several years of orthodox upbringing by her birth mother's side.

As for why she was married to Shen Yao's grandfather, it was because Shen Yao's grandfather had been very talented back then; though from a humble family, he could rely on the imperial examinations to rise, and someone snatched him as a son-in-law right off the examination ranking list, marrying this Ji Shi, a young lady of the Duke's Mansion.

After marriage, they had a quite decent marital daily life for a period.

But unfortunately, the Guogong Fu had backed the wrong side back then, leading to the Emperor ordering Ji Shi's entire clan to be exiled to Lingnan, never to return to the capital for life.

And Shen Yao's grandmother, having lost the protection of her natal family, soon reached a state of mutual disgust with Shen Yao's grandfather, the reason being that Shen Yao's grandfather, for his official career, took a concubine who was considered a legitimate wife.

As for why she wasn't a legitimate wife, one must speak of the great extent of Ji Shi's capabilities; even with the entire Guogong Fu exiled, the marriage alliance connections at court remained enormous.

The Emperor couldn't offend all these people, and the natal family of that concubine Shen Yao's grandfather married happened to make a living under their hands.

Thus, Shen Yao's grandfather and Shen Yao's grandmother, along with that concubine's natal family, each took a step back; the other party entered the mansion as a concubine to live, and provided Shen Yao's grandfather with help to advance upward.

The concubine entering the mansion had a great influence on Shen Yao's grandmother; even at that time, although Shen Yao's grandmother had already borne a son and a daughter, she still needed to avoid her sharp edge.

After all, Shen Yao's grandfather, for his official career, had always stood on the concubine's side.

Shen Yao's grandfather's doing this directly allowed the concubine to suppress Shen Yao's grandmother for a full ten years.

And during those ten years, Shen Yao's grandmother gave birth to two sons and three daughters, but in the end only one son and two daughters survived.

As for that concubine, she bore three sons, each of whom lived quite well.

But unfortunately, Shen Yao's grandfather met with an accident on the way while accompanying the Emperor out of the palace.

In order to protect the then Emperor, he was shot in the chest by an arrow, and when he was sent back to the Shen Mansion, he had only one breath left.

Although the Emperor arranged for an Imperial Physician to come and treat Shen Yao's grandfather, in the end they still couldn't save Shen Yao's grandfather's life; he clung to life for three days and then died.

After Shen Yao's grandfather died, that concubine's health also declined; within just two days she breathed her last. Shen Yao's grandmother explained that the two had deep affection, and the concubine was excessively grief-stricken, so she followed Shen Yao's grandfather in death.

For this, Shen Yao's grandmother requested the palace to grant permission, elevating the concubine to the status of legitimate wife, to be buried together with Shen Yao's grandfather, so the two could keep each other company and not be lonely.

The imperial family was moved by the concubine's deep affection and righteousness, agreeing to Shen Yao's grandmother's request; and to soothe the Shen family, they not only bestowed many gold, silver, and jewels, but also arranged a Fifth Rank Assistant Official position for Shen Yao's grandmother's legitimate youngest son, namely Shen Kang, the father of this body Shen Yao inhabits.

The meaning was put plainly: regardless of whether Shen Yao's father could pass the imperial examinations, in the future he would be at least a Fifth Rank official.

Although these couldn't compare to the Zheng Third Rank Lower official post Shen Yao's grandfather had climbed to, who let Shen Yao's grandfather have thin fortune and die?

Shen Yao's grandmother happily gave thanks, and at the same time held sufficiently grand funeral rites for Shen Yao's grandfather and the concubine, such that anyone who saw it would praise Shen Yao's grandmother for giving face.

Of course, Shen Yao's grandmother, who gave face, also did not let Shen Yao's grandfather and the concubine be lonely underground.

Not even a year passed before the three children born to the concubine all died in various accidents, yet the concubine's natal family could find no evidence of deliberate intent.

When Shen Yao's father came of age, his attribute of being a poor student exploded; knowing that even risking his life he couldn't pass the imperial examinations, he honestly inherited the Fifth Rank Assistant Official post.

And during this period, the concubine's natal family followed suit in misfortune; the whole family was exiled and would never again affect the Shen family.

After that came Shen Yao's father's various misadventures—so ordinary as to arouse no interest at all.

Shen Yao followed the Chunxue leading the way ahead into the main courtyard room, honestly entering.

The room was dim; even with candles lit, they still couldn't block the encroaching darkness.

Shen Yao respectfully paid respects and inquired after her cheap grandmother sitting on the bedchamber couch; after receiving a response, she rose, holding a handkerchief, and sat on a round stool brought over by a maid.

Ji Shi was not young, with a round and smooth appearance, a figure that looked prosperous, dressed in dark green clothing; every movement bore the aura of a superior.

Shen Yao knew Ji Shi was the person in the Shen family who had the final say.

Even Shen Yao's father Shen Kang, when facing Ji Shi, dared not say much.

"Yao Niang, this time entering the palace, do you have dissatisfaction in your heart?"

Ji Shi wore a string of beautiful jade bracelets on her hand, exquisite and pretty.

She stretched out her hand, playing with them while casually asking the approaching Shen Yao.

Shen Yao lowered her eyes and head: "Yao Niang dares not."

Ji Shi, hearing this, suddenly laughed lightly: "You, ah, dare not, but haven't said you don't resent; it seems you still have some dissatisfaction in your heart."

Shaking her head, Ji Shi didn't think this was a problem.

After all, having always lived in a suburban estate, even though she had nannies and maids arranged by her, she was ultimately different from the other grandchildren living in the Shen Mansion.

Between them, apart from blood ties, there was no family affection.

Shen Yao's father's generation had altogether borne seven daughters and three sons.

Among them, there were three legitimate daughters, each born of different principal wives.

Shen Yao was the Shen family's eldest legitimate daughter, and also the one least important in Ji Shi's heart.

But unfortunately, through a twist of fate, Shen Yao was selected for the Imperial Selection and caught the Holy Emperor's eye, entering the palace to serve; even so, the most likely outcome of entering the palace was to grow old alone.

"Grandmother knows you're dissatisfied in your heart, but things have already happened."

"Yao Niang, everything must move forward."

To be honest, Ji Shi hadn't wanted Shen Yao to enter the palace, but the other two legitimate daughters were too young; among the remaining four concubine-born daughters, some were about the same age as Shen Yao. Pity that a concubine-born daughter of a Fifth-Rank Official wasn't qualified to participate in the Imperial Selection, and as for those four concubine-born daughters, Ji Shi had already made arrangements for them. If it weren't for something going wrong with Shen Yao in this selection, Shen Yao's future marriage wouldn't have anything to do with the Imperial Family.

Sigh, it's all just a matter of luck.

Shen Yao smiled, her gaze toward Ji Shi full of calm. "Grandmother, Yao Niang is just unwilling to accept it. Are the daughters of the Li Bu Shang Lang's family so precious that our Shen Family's daughters can be disposed of and arranged at will?"

Just one rhetorical question, and it made Ji Shi open her eyes; the gaze sweeping over her was sharp.

"Yao Niang, the Li Bu Shang Lang is only Fourth Rank, but that family's legitimate daughter has a Second-Rank grandfather," so this loss, our Shen Family could only swallow it down.

Shen Yao raised her eyebrows upon hearing this. "The current Holy Emperor is only twenty-five."

"Even though the Empress already has a legitimate son under her knees, that legitimate son is young and weak, and no one knows if he can grow up."

"Yao Niang doesn't know why the Li Bu Shang Lang is unwilling to send his daughter into the palace."

The topic had been led here, and Shen Yao began to investigate more news for herself.

There was no helping it; this body of hers had lived in a suburban estate all year round.

Returning to the mansion for a short stay this time was only because of the Imperial Selection held once every three years.

Originally it was just going through the motions, but on the day of the selection, she was framed by the Li Bu Shang Lang's daughter, resulting in Shen Yao having no choice but to enter the palace.

Shen Yao naturally knew everything was already a settled matter and the result couldn't be changed.

But that didn't stop her from inquiring about the general situation in the palace; otherwise, entering the palace knowing nothing and completely in the dark would be the real disaster.

Ji Shi listened to Shen Yao's confusion and wasn't surprised, because Shen Yao's background and surroundings meant she indeed didn't know some of the twists and turns inside the palace.

Sighing, Ji Shi's expression was complex. "Throughout history, women entering the palace have faced a situation of nine deaths and one life."

"And the current emperor of the Great Jing Dynasty is not the Grand Emperor's most favored prince."

"An emperor whose throne is very likely unstable—whose family would willingly send their good daughter into the Imperial Palace?"

That was purely like a steamed bun hitting a dog—gone and never returning.

Everyone wasn't a fool; if it were a normal emperor, they would surely swarm to send their daughters into the palace to gain favor and add chips and fortune to their own families, but things were different now. Indeed, the current emperor's ascension to the throne was all a twist of fate.

Seeing Shen Yao's curious expression, Ji Shi helplessly shook her head in her heart.

After all, she was her own granddaughter; since she was entering the palace, some news should be told.

"Yao Niang, you should know that the current emperor of the Great Jing Dynasty ascended the throne because the Grand Emperor fell into a coma back then, and the Imperial Court needed an emperor who could make decisions and handle affairs, so they had no choice but to push this current emperor, the Yuanhe Emperor, to the throne."

The Yuanhe Emperor's ascension was different from other emperors in that his biological father was still alive; he belonged to the type who sat on the throne in a daze.

Shen Yao nodded after listening. She knew this matter. "Grandmother, the Grand Emperor now lives at Yichang Garden outside the palace, with several young Imperial Noble Consorts attending him."

"Usually, except during holidays and festivals, he rarely returns to the palace. Are the conflicts between the Emperor and the Grand Emperor really that many?"

That shouldn't be. In her memory, since the Grand Emperor abdicated seven years ago, he hadn't stayed in the Imperial Palace much at all, but had always spent his time in the garden built earlier.

She could understand the power struggles between the Grand Emperor and the Emperor, but to say the Grand Emperor wanted to pull the Emperor down and push a prince back onto the throne—well, relying on those little princes by the Grand Emperor's side, the oldest of whom was not yet eight years old, seemed somewhat difficult.