I Became The Stepmother of My Ex-husband

On the fifth day of the fifth month, the servants of the Prince Yan Residence started working at the first light of dawn. That day, the emperor would arrange for a dragon boat in Xiyuan, and the Prince Yan Residence was the most important of the attendees. Afterwards there would be the Dragon Boat Festival, also known as the Festival of the Five Poisonous Insects, and other activities. Prince Yan would need to head out early otherwise they’d be late.

Seeing as they would have no time to rest the entire day, the servants of the Residence were taut with anxiety since the early morning. The sweet sedge, folding screens and other items in the residence had been arranged the day before, and the women’s carriage was parked at the second gate first thing that morning. Nowadays, high-ranking officials and nobles in the capital travelled with pride, but Prince Yan had been in the army for many years and had long since cultivated iron-clad rules, so how could he ride a sedan chair like an emperor? It wasn’t just Gu Hui Yan, but even Gu Cheng Yao, who had grown up in the capital, wasn’t allowed to ride a sedan chair. No matter how far they travelled, they would all take the horses without exception.

Gu Ming Da held onto Zhaoxue while standing beside the Weeping Flower Gate like a statue, Zhaoxue puffing its nose. Gu Hui Yan stood in front of him, wearing an imperial dragon garment with a belt indicating his rank tied around his waist. Gu Cheng Yao also wore the corresponding imperial clothing, but his rank was one rank lower than Gu Hui Yan. She didn’t know if it was because of the reduction in the decorative patterns, but once he stood next to Gu Hui Yan, he was overshadowed until he couldn’t compare even though they both wore the same colour and Gu Cheng Yao wore the ceremonial garb of a first-rank Prince Shizi, clearly an elegant noble son. Everyone who passed through the Weeping Flower Gate would see Prince Yan first, and only Prince Yan. They held their breath and bowed their heads, not daring to breathe too loudly.

Gu Hui Yan waited by the Weeping Flower Gate, the carriage behind him ready, and they were just waiting for the women inside to get ready. Normally, Gu Hui Yan wouldn’t wait more than five minutes from when he issued the order to the departure of the whole army. He ruled the army strictly and there had never been a situation where someone didn’t show up on time. None of his generals and soldiers dared to let him wait. But the capital was different from his fief, and the person he was waiting for was also different from strictly obedient soldiers.

All the men and horses stood quietly for a long time. No one knew who spoke first, but it was like a stone had been cast into the middle of the lake. The quiet and solemn passageway immediately came to life, “Miss Lin has arrived.”

Lin Wei Xi, escorted by Wan Xing and Wan Yue, arrived at the second gate. Seeing the situation on the other side of the gate, she was startled and immediately quickened her pace, “Your Highness Prince Yan, you’re already here? Since you’ve arrived, why didn’t you call for me? It’s my fault for making you wait.”

The first rays of the morning sun streaked across her as she walked, the vermilion building and the white morning light framing the backdrop; Gu Hui Yan has seen this image many times before. Today, she wore a white damask blouse and a red Mamian pleated skirt with large jewel-like flowers embroidered in silver thread at knee level. Her hair was coiled in a bun, held together with a simple hairpin covered in fine crystals that faintly refracted the light as she walked. Her beauty was ethereal. When she was still in her mourning period, she used to dress plainly and didn’t wear make up, and even then she was already stunning enough. Now that she wore a magnificent dress, she looked like she was glowing, and it naturally attracted attention.

No matter who passed by, they would always double back when they walked past her. Everyone had their own opinions about beauty, but for Lin Wei Xi’s ultimate blooming beauty, even if they didn’t say anything, their eyes still revealed their innermost thoughts. Some beauties were like green tea, weak but demanding. Some beauties were like a peony, majestic and  gorgeous. And Lin Wei Xi was probably a ruby ​​polished to its full potential. You could dislike her, but you couldn’t say that she wasn’t good-looking.

From the moment Lin Wei Xi showed up, everyone’s attention was drawn to her. When she walked, their gaze followed her furtively. Only when she stood in front of Gu Hui Yan did they look away nonchalantly.

Gu Hui Yan also silently complimented her. Before, he knew Lin Wei Xi was good-looking, but he got used to it after seeing the same face every day, and paid more attention to her troublemaking personality. Now that she was dressed grandly, her aura delicate, she immediately showed her powerful lethality.

But Gu Hui Yan thought this to himself and that was it. Every woman was different, and each had her own appeal. As a general, he had already experienced many scenarios. Even if Lin Wei Xi was beautiful beyond normal convention, aside from the initial momentary feeling of amazement, it was difficult to shake his heart from then on. He didn’t say anything and indicated to the carriage behind her, “It’s alright, get in the carriage.”

Lin Wei Xi didn’t pay attention to her surroundings at all and sincerely felt apologetic, “It’s very rude of me to make you wait for so long. Did you wait for long? Why didn’t you send someone to call me, I thought everyone else wasn’t ready… “

“It’s okay.” who could get angry when faced with Lin Wei Xi’s guilty and astonishingly beautiful eyes that sucked people in. Besides, Gu Hui Yan would never blame her. When he finished speaking and saw that Lin Wei Xi still couldn’t let it go, he smiled and said, “Don’t worry, waiting for you is something that they should do. Get in the carriage first.”

Lin Wei Xi initially felt ashamed, but she couldn’t help chuckling when she heard this. This smile was like a gem reflecting rainbow-coloured light under the sun, dazzling enough to make one dizzy. Since Gu Hui Yan said this, she felt relieved. She looked away from him, stepped back slightly, and saluted to Gu Cheng Yao and Gu Ming Da. After greeting the both of them, she entered the carriage together with her maid.

Gu Cheng Yao couldn’t help feeling somewhat impatient at first, but after seeing Lin Wei Xi, her beauty immediately caused what little impatience he had to disappear without a trace. And then when she ran directly towards Prince Yan, he felt strange for some reason. Only after Lin Wei Xi and his father emerged from their own little world once they finished speaking did she finally turn around to look at him, hastily greet him, and then walk away. Gu Cheng Yao had a nagging feeling. There were so many of them waiting outside, so why did she only see Prince Yan?

After Lin Wei Xi got in the carriage, she saw Gao Ran already seated just as she’d expected. Seeing her getting in, Gao Ran pursed her lips and smiled lightly, “Why did Miss Lin only arrive now? Did you waste too much time dressing up?”

Lin Wei Xi hated Gao Ran’s fake attitude and deliberately telling her the wrong time, and felt embarrassed for her. She chuckled softly before arranging her clothes and sitting. Then she carefully smoothed out the pleats of her skirt one by one, “I didn’t know that Shizi Fei can actually predict the future and arrive five minutes early. I’m really thankful to you.”

Gao Ran laughed and said, “Miss Lin is polite. What my father dislikes the most is people who are late, so Miss Lin shouldn’t do this again.”

Lin Wei Xi snorted softly, too lazy to pay attention to her. The carriage shook for a moment and rumbled as it moved forward. No one spoke for a while. Gao Ran was secretly pleased with herself that she’d lowered Lin Wei Xi’s impression in front of everyone, but she didn’t know that it was her actions which allowed Lin Wei Xi to have a grand entrance.

Everyone would lose their reason when facing a beautiful woman.

The carriage of the Prince Yan Residence set off, and everyone along the way, be it officials or pedestrians, gave way when they saw it. After arriving at the palace gate, a eunuch dressed in yellow saw the familiar figure and waited at the door from a distance. Even Lin Wei Xi’s carriage also received great deferential treatment.

Gao Ran alighted the carriage first, followed by Lin Wei Xi. When the eunuch who was guiding them saw Lin Wei Xi, he glanced back in wonder, then lowered his gaze, his polite and respectful attitude just right, “Paying my respect to Shizi Fei, paying my respect to this noble person. May the two of you please follow me this way.”

Xiyuan was located to the west of Miyagi and next to the Imperial Palace. It was surrounded by water and could be regarded as a private imperial garden. Today’s dragon boat race was located in Xiyuan. The family members of the Prince Yan Residence immediately caused a big sensation as soon as they arrived. Princess Royal Shou Kang had arrived early that morning, and upon hearing the announcement from the servant, her gaze immediately turned to the direction of the noise.

As the Prince Yan Shizi Fei, Gao Ran was crowded by people as soon as she appeared. It was said that the new Shizi Fei was doted on by the Shizi as soon as she entered the household. But there was more. With her important status as Shizi Fei, Gao Ran’s previous identity as a shu daughter couldn’t compare. Relying on the strong support of the Duke Ying Residence and the Prince Yan Residence, Gao Ran’s status increased many-fold in a short period of time. The noble Ladies who had treated Gao Ran indifferently in the past changed their attitudes and were now incredibly affectionate towards her. Gao Ran felt pleased. She smiled reservedly and greeted all the Ladies one by one with the imposing manner of a high ranking lady.

The Ladies enthusiastically approached Gao Ran to establish connections with her. Lin Wei Xi didn’t like getting too close to others, so she stepped back. She was avoiding the crowd when a voice suddenly said next to her, “the Duke Ying Residence has arrived.”

The world around Lin Wei Xi seemed to stop for an instant and she froze on the spot. A moment passed before the clamour around her eventually resumed. She slowly turned around, and saw the edge of an elegant skirt and heard the jingling of jewellery. The women of the Duke Ying Residence were holding the hands of women they were familiar with, amiably catching up with each other. A maid next to the Duke Ying Lady saw Gao Ran and quickly smiled, saying, “Shizi Fei is also here.”

“Grandaunt.” Everyone in the Gao family smiled and greeted Gao Ran. The Duke Ying Lady held Gao Ran’s hand and pulled her to talk to the people around her. Gao Ran responded in kind and made the Duke Ying Lady laugh, the wrinkles at the corner of her eyes crinkling. The grandparent was compassionate, the grandchild was filial; who wouldn’t praise such a harmonious and prosperous picture of the family.

Even Lin Wei Xi smiled at this act. What a loving example of the Twenty Four Paragons of Filial Piety^◇. Gao Ran had married above her station and her younger brother was the only son of the Duke Ying Shizi. With her children having such prospective futures, Han Shi’s status rose in the Duke Ying Residence. It was rumoured that she was already helping to manage the Shizi’s household affairs. Without a main wife and with her husband’s intention to make her son the heir, Han Shi was a concubine in name, but she was treated no differently from the main wife.

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With the ways things were now, who would remember Wei Shi and Gao Xi? Although Wei Shi was from a noble household, it was an indisputable fact that Princess Royal  Shou Kang’s Residence was in decline. Who would be foolish enough to provoke Gao Ran by bringing it up?

Human relationships were superficial and money made the word go round. This was something that Lin Wei Xi already knew, but she still felt sad.

The familiar voices behind her continued talking and laughing. She left without looking back.

The Duke Ying Lady was surrounded by her daughter-in-laws and granddaughters, and she held the hand of her most successful granddaughter. It was reasonable to say that she was extremely blessed. But at that moment, her heart jumped suddenly. She happened to look up and see a woman wearing a silver and red dress walk away from them. From the back, she obviously looked slender and distinguished, but also revealed a sense of resoluteness. The Duke Ying Lady’s heart mysteriously started to beat faster. It was as if at that moment, something important was walking away from her, and the family, children, wealth, and the glorious future she was so proud of was actually due to her rose tinted lenses, and her future was unclear.

“Grandmother?”

The Duke Ying Lady returned to her senses to find Gao Ran looking at her worriedly. She smiled, secretly scolding herself for being too old. Why worry about personal gains and losses? Her granddaughter had climbed up to the Prince Yan Residence and was dearly loved by the Prince Yan Shizi. Her precious son was increasingly looking after the family, so she turned a blind eye to Han Shi. Everything was going in the right direction. The Duke Ying Residence was powerful on the outside and harmonious inside, and it’s bright future was obvious to everyone. How could she think of such baseless speculations.

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