Some things seemed to slip away the moment she tried to recall them.
Zhou Wei felt a bit muddled. He responded in a lackluster, non-committal tone, then got out of bed to prepare for a bath.
Mammy Li was snubbed once again, and a surge of resentment welled up in her heart. However, she dared not offend the pair, given their status; she could only keep a mental note to whisper into the Empress Dowager’s ear once she returned to the palace.
The bed was a mess. After Mammy Li retrieved the bridal handkerchief and placed it into the box held by the palace maid behind her, she finally put on a polite smile again. "Then this servant shall wait outside for the Princess Consort and the Prince."
Yushi took a plump money pouch and handed it to Mammy Li, saying with a smile, "The Princess Consort has a sore throat and finds it difficult to speak. This is for some tea money—please don't think it too little, Mammy."
"Tea and refreshments have already been prepared for you in the room next door. I imagine you haven't eaten since you started your journey."
This was the treatment she deserved. Mammy Li felt pleased, and when she saw the solid gold inside the pouch, her smile became genuinely warm.
"Her Highness’s body is delicate, so she must take good care of herself. I shall wait in the next room; there is no rush, Your Highness."
Yushi exchanged a few more polite words and saw her out.
Upon returning, she lowered her voice and said, "I have tested them all. Neither Mammy Li nor the palace maids she brought from Dashang have been reborn."
Yao Yingying nodded languidly. "Keep a close watch once we enter the palace. I suspect the Empress Dowager and Emperor Zhou."
Jinyi and Yushi nodded immediately.
They dried her hair, styled it into the coiffure of a married woman, and donned the appropriate attire and hairpins for her status. Jinyi and Yushi were quick and nimble; by the time Zhou Wei emerged, they had nearly finished her preparations.
Zhou Wei cast a glance at her, feeling displeased. He said coldly, "Come here and serve me."
Yao Yingying felt that a verbal altercation today was unnecessary. With a flick of her eyes, Jinyi opened the door. The maids, accustomed to serving Zhou Wei, entered with heads bowed, performing their duties in an orderly fashion.
But Zhou Wei’s expression turned cold. "I told *you* to come over and serve me!"
Yao Yingying lazily raised her eyes to look at him, her phoenix-shaped eyes clearly conveying: *Are you barking?*
Zhou Wei’s expression darkened, and as the reprimands were about to spill from his lips, Jinyi spoke up first: "Your Highness, Mammy Li is waiting next door, and the Empress Dowager is still waiting in the palace."
If they were to truly start a row and Yao Yingying arrived late, there was no telling what methods the women in the palace might use to torment her.
Zhou Wei, however, let out a sneer. "Then you had better understand that serving me is the only correct path."
As the final hair ornament was set in place, Yao Yingying rose at the sound, splashing a cup of tea right into Zhou Wei’s face.
Yao Yingying’s voice was still slightly hoarse. "Are you sober now?"
Given their current relationship, it was only through sheer reason that they weren't already at each other's throats—yet he still had the gall to speak so brazenly?
Zhou Wei was stunned, and then rage surged to his head. "Yao Yingying! Do you believe that I won't go into the palace with you today? I want to see if you can manage to fare well in the palace without me!"
The Empress Dowager was the biological mother of him and his Imperial brother, Emperor Zhou. If he didn't follow her to pay his respects today, his mother would certainly understand that Yao Yingying had failed to please him. Once those methods were unleashed, he didn't believe Yao Yingying wouldn't be terrified!
He had heard of cases where officials didn't accompany their wives to serve tea to their mothers after marriage, leaving the women to suffer. Zhou Wei felt that such a tactic—one that could intimidate a woman and force her into submissive obedience—was perfectly suited for Yao Yingying.
She had already consummated the marriage with him, yet she lacked the slightest sense of duty as a wife, remaining as arrogant as before. Clearly, Anguo had not taught her well! If so, then they in Dashang would teach her properly!
Zhou Wei made up his mind: even if Yao Yingying served him by dressing him, he would absolutely not enter the palace with her! He would make sure everyone knew that Yao Yingying had failed to please him, so that she would realize that in this foreign land of Dashang, he was the only one she could rely on! Only by curbing her temper and showing him the utmost respect would she enjoy the honor of being a Princess Consort!
Zhou Wei was certain that Yao Yingying would weigh the pros and cons and eventually soften her stance. But he did not expect that, after hearing his words, she would look at him with mockery and utter two extremely crisp words:
"Idiot."
Zhou Wei’s fury erupted instantly, his eyes looking as fearsome as if he wanted to devour her. "Yao Yingying, I have indulged you far too much! Wang Yong..."
"The ones waiting in the palace are not just the Empress Dowager; your good Imperial brother is there too."
"Whether or not I go to pay my respects today has nothing to do with me. I can enter the palace as the Princess Consort of Prince Jing, or I can enter as a Princess of Anguo! It depends entirely on how your good Imperial brother chooses to regard you."
Yao Yingying’s beautiful, glamorous face was also cold; she looked at Zhou Wei without the slightest intention of backing down.
If a man of Zhou Wei’s temperament discovered he could suppress her, Yao Yingying would face endless subjugation in the future. In her past life, Yao Yingying had seen through Zhou Wei at a glance and knew her own nature would not allow such a thing. Thus, on the day of their marriage alliance, she had proposed a partnership. Even if there was no genuine affection, they had appeared to be a devoted couple in public, and in private, they had maintained a respectful distance while plotting to seize the throne together.
Back then, Zhou Wei was skilled at deception; he was nothing like he was now, after his rebirth, where he had torn off his mask and repeatedly tried to suppress her. If Yao Yingying could tolerate this, she wouldn't be herself.
As for suffering at his hands? He could keep dreaming.
Zhou Wei’s face turned livid. He had not expected that he would fail to suppress her and instead be dealt a counterblow. But at this moment, what Zhou Wei thought of was not how much longer his Imperial brother might tolerate him, but rather that he had already made his declaration. If he swallowed his pride and followed her now just because of Yao Yingying’s words, how would he be any different from his past life? Would she continue to order him around like she did back then?!
Furthermore... Yao Yingying was no longer indispensable. He was no longer under anyone's thumb!
Zhou Wei allowed the trembling young maid to dress him. "The Emperor is my own brother! Yet you dare to use the Emperor to pressure me when you are afraid yourself!"
"Today, I will not step foot outside this estate! I want to see if you can make it out of the palace in one piece under the guise of an Anguo Princess!"
With that, Zhou Wei flung his sleeves and turned to leave.
Yao Yingying watched Zhou Wei’s angry retreating figure, a lazy, meaningful smile resting on her world-shatteringly beautiful face.
Jinyi was somewhat indignant. "Your Highness, you are still smiling. Prince Jing poisoned you in your past life, and now he continues to suppress and offend you. You..."
Yao Yingying laughed. "Offend?"
"His shouting today is not an offense against me."
It was a knock on the door before the road to the underworld.
Ever since her rebirth, setting aside the hatred from her past life, Jinyi had had enough of Zhou Wei.
He was stupid and conceited. He claimed to know who was useful and who was not. Jinyi wanted to laugh out loud. What useful or useless? How could people be distinguished by being "useful" or "useless" in that way! Yet he was so confident and arrogant, expecting her Highness to wait on him, pamper him, and coax him with gentle words.
Jinyi truly wanted to bury him.