Capital City, Prince Yu's Mansion.
Early in the twelfth lunar month, snowflakes drifted sparsely from the sky.
Cui Lingyao pushed open the window casement, a gust of cold air greeting her as she gazed out at the sprawling, snowy vista.
The faint sound of festive music drifted from the front courtyard, suggesting a lively celebration.
Today was the day Xie Jinbai welcomed a new concubine into his home. The Prince Mansion and its surroundings had been bustling with preparations for months, adorned with lanterns, colorful banners, and countless crimson silk ribbons.
On any other day, it might have been fine, but today, set against the vast, white expanse of heaven and earth, Cui Lingyao found the crimson ribbons exceptionally jarring.
She pursed her lips and, out of habit, called out to the system in her mind a few times.
A year ago, her conquest mission was complete. She had decided, without a moment's hesitation, to cash in her reward and return home. But the system informed her that Xie Jinbai's Love Value had reached its maximum, triggering a mandatory one-year cool-down period.
If she wanted to leave, she would have to wait a year.
With that, before she could even protest, the system had declared it needed to gather the energy to send her back and promptly entered hibernation.
This past year, Cui Lingyao had been counting down the days.
The one-year mark was tomorrow, yet there was still no word from the system.
She couldn't help but feel anxious.
Even when she and Xie Jinbai had been a loving, affectionate couple, lost in their romance, Cui Lingyao's resolve to return home had never wavered.
Now that he was even marrying a concubine, her desire to leave was more urgent than ever.
With her mind preoccupied with the system, Cui Lingyao had been listless and unable to muster any enthusiasm lately.
In Xia Zhi's eyes, this meant her lady's heart had been shattered by the Prince, leaving her in a daze.
Seeing her mistress moving like a walking corpse, Xia Zhi's eyes reddened as she tried to console her. "The Prince still has you in his heart. Marrying a concubine is just a matter of expediency. Please don't be sad."
After all, the pressure of being childless after three years of marriage was immense.
In everyone's eyes, Xie Jinbai wasn't in the wrong.
Cui Lingyao offered a small smile and shook her head gently. "I'm not sad at all."
'After all, I'm about to leave.'
'With a new beauty in his arms, I don't need to feel the slightest bit of guilt.'
'Right now, nothing is more important than the system.'
As they were speaking, the sound of hurried footsteps suddenly came from the courtyard.
"Greetings, Princess Consort!"
The mistress and maid turned to see a young servant from the front courtyard enter. "The Prince and Consort Li invite you to the banquet hall for a celebratory drink."
Hearing this, Xia Zhi's expression changed drastically. "What did you say?"
According to the customs of this dynasty, when a concubine entered the household, the primary wife simply needed to wait for the concubine to come and serve her tea.
Even a concubine with a formal title in a Prince's Mansion was still a concubine.
There was no precedent for a primary wife to go and drink to a concubine's wedding celebration.
Wasn't this a slap in the face to her mistress?
The young servant repeated himself, his eyes lowered. "Please, Princess Consort, don't make things difficult for this lowly one."
This was Prince Yu's Mansion, and the one who called the shots was, of course, Prince Yu.
Since he had given the order and sent someone to fetch her, she had no choice but to go.
Over the past few months, Cui Lingyao had experienced his unpredictable temperament firsthand. With her departure so close, she was even more reluctant to cause any trouble.
She stopped Xia Zhi, Dongzhi, and the others who were about to argue, and said lightly, "Then let's make the trip."
...
The Front Courtyard.
The hall was filled with guests, toasting one another and conversing cheerfully. The atmosphere was incredibly festive.
Normally, according to the customs of the Great Yue Royal Family, welcoming a concubine was not such a grand affair.
However, Xie Jinbai felt that Li Wanrong, the legitimate daughter of a Marquis Mansion, had been wronged by having to marry him as a mere concubine. He had therefore given special orders to elevate the ceremony's specifications, a clear display of his favor.
That was why today's spectacle was particularly grand.
It was hardly less magnificent than the wedding of a primary wife in some other prominent households.
As Cui Lingyao entered, her gaze immediately fell upon the new couple standing side by side.
Xie Jinbai was dressed in a dark red robe, his hair held up by a jade coronet. His handsome face was as cool as jade, and his tall, slender figure was leaned slightly, appearing to listen patiently to the young woman beside him.
And beside him stood Li Wanrong, also clad in a bright red wedding gown.
What a familiar scene.
Three years ago, when they were married, most of the guests present had also attended their wedding banquet.
Back then, she had been the one in a wedding dress, standing by Xie Jinbai's side as husband and wife hosted their guests together.
But today, a new person stood by his side.
Li Wanrong, who should have been waiting in the bridal chamber, was instead standing beside him as if she were the primary wife.
When the system went into hibernation, it had said that a full Love Value signified an unwavering, profound love.
While Cui Lingyao had never believed in any such thing as unwavering love, she hadn't expected this so-called "profound love" to shift so completely in less than half a year, not even waiting for her to grow old and lose her beauty.
'This is for the best.'
'This is for the best…'
The guests inside quickly noticed her arrival, and the boisterous hall fell suddenly silent.
As if she were an uninvited guest.
Cui Lingyao suppressed the dull ache in her chest and walked toward the new couple.
All eyes fell upon the mistress of the Prince's Mansion.
She wore a thick, magnificent fox-fur cloak, the hood pulled up. All that was visible of her was a palm-sized face with arched brows, almond eyes, and lips that were a little pale.
She was a stunning beauty.
She just didn't seem to be in good health.
"Greetings, my Prince."
Cui Lingyao stopped three paces away, her hands folded at her waist. She performed a proper curtsy and, without waiting for Xie Jinbai to bid her rise, straightened up on her own and turned her gaze to Li Wanrong.
She recalled the way the graceful and noble ladies of the Capital treated concubines, and a smile touched her lips before she even spoke.
"You must be Miss Li. Congratulations. I hope that after entering the mansion, you and the Prince will be a loving couple, give birth to an heir soon, and grow old..."
Her string of auspicious words was cut short by a soft CRASH. In the end, Cui Lingyao never got to say the "together" part of "grow old together."
The culprit's voice was low and heavy. "You talk too much!"
The blunt reprimand made her eyelashes tremble. She lifted her gaze to the man before her.
Xie Jinbai's expression was impassive, his demeanor as unhurried as ever, as if he weren't the one who had just knocked over his cup of wine.
Seeing her look his way, a mocking curve formed on his lips. "This Prince will, of course, love Rong for a lifetime."
'That was too cruel.'
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, these four words surfaced in the minds of countless guests.
The principal wife was, after all, the principal wife. The bond of a first marriage was something no one else could compare with. Even if he had taken a new favorite and no longer doted on her as before, he should still show his principal wife a measure of respect.
Otherwise, how could the principal wife manage the household, discipline the servants, and...?
Disregarding the proper rites and hierarchy would only encourage a concubine's greed and throw the inner household into turmoil.
Even the onlookers felt that the principal wife was being treated with disrespect, yet Cui Lingyao, the person at the center of it all, remained unfazed.
She gave a slight nod in agreement. "I spoke out of turn. Given the bond between you and my younger sister, I'm sure you will treat each other with mutual respect and become a fine couple in the years to come."
A beautiful smile curved Li Wanrong's eyes. "Do you truly mean that, Elder Sister?"
Cui Lingyao nodded again. "Naturally."
"Excellent!" Li Wanrong clapped her hands and praised her with a smile. "Elder Sister is truly virtuous. Since that's the case, would you be willing to drink a cup of your younger sister's wedding wine?"
Before Cui Lingyao could answer, Li Wanrong, dressed all in red, looked around at the assembled guests and smiled graciously.
"All the guests are here. Everyone, please bear witness. I ask Elder Sister to do me the honor of drinking my wedding wine. That way, it will signify that you accept your younger sister as part of the family."
The implication was clear: she wanted to dispense with the customary tea ceremony for a concubine altogether.