Showing all my talents isn’t always the best strategy. Just as losing a battle can lead to winning a war, succeeding in every task isn’t always the answer.
So, how should I act? Should I succeed or fail in this given task? Should I display all my capabilities or hide them?
Regardless of success or failure, I must at least pretend to be trying. But what means should I choose?
I kept pondering until sleep overpowered my young body.
Ironically, despite all my pondering, the means presented itself to me directly in the form of an invitation.
“Teaparty?”
I tried to pronounce without slurring. Thula nodded.
“Yes. It’s to commemorate the arrival of all the peace envoys. The Empress has decided to open the greenhouse.”
Ah, a venue for the insects to fight, or alternatively, a warning to behave – a useful approach either way.
And for me, it was good news.
“If you’re still recovering from the journey…”
“I’ll go (Gandago dapae).”
For me, captivating people was never a difficult task.
Having commanded a court of civil and military officials, each harboring their own cunning, manipulating a few young and naive royals seemed trivial.
What I needed was just an opportunity to meet the other three, which was challenging due to our segregated quarters.
But now, conveniently, an opportunity was arranged for me. Not only could I easily charm the envoys, but it was also a chance to meet the seemingly formidable Empress up close. Even if it broke me, I had to attend.
“Yes, I will go.”
Thula looked at me with eyes filled with pity, but I pretended not to notice. All of this was to protect you, my child.
Reading the invitation, I noted the event was absurdly soon – it was today.
Even though we all lived within the palace, making travel times short, the same day felt too rushed. However, I had no reason to complain. Standing out negatively would only make my life more difficult.
So, leaving the adults to question the logic, I simply asked Thula to find a suitable outfit for the tea party. Being 3 years old has its perks.
Left alone after Thula went to fetch clothes, I pondered over the party’s purpose.
“First and foremost, it’s about gathering information.”
The biggest issue wasn’t my status but being only 3 years old.
If I were 18… no, even 13, I could have sent invitations to other royals, organized meetings, read various books in the library, and extracted information through conversations.
But as a 3-year-old, no one would readily meet at my request, nor would they discuss international affairs with someone whose speech was barely intelligible.
Consequently, I lacked crucial information. I hadn’t even grasped the number of kingdoms that had sent hostages.
Information that would have taken me no more than two hours to gather if I were just 13.
“So, I can’t miss this opportunity.”
To me, an opportunity to join a gathering where I could listen to others’ conversations was invaluable. Even if I just kept quiet and observed, it would be greatly beneficial.
While it might be challenging to arrange meetings with other royals in the Emerald Palace now, making an impression would pave the way for future opportunities.
So, my goal today wasn’t to sway the royals residing in the Emerald Palace. That could be done later at leisure.
“Focus on gathering information, primarily about the royals.”
I clenched my fist, feeling a surge of determination. Having held power for so long, starting from the bottom again felt strangely invigorating.
Not particularly enjoyable, but it sparked my motivation.
Ex-husband Wants Reconciliation
One-line summary: Chasing the wife to the crematorium (making an effort to attract someone who has become indifferent), the female lead doesn’t look back, the second male lead takes the position.
Intro:
To repay the kindness of the older generation, Su Mu crossed into a female-dominated world and became a live-in daughter-in-law of the Yan family, single-handedly saving the Yan family from fire and water.
But her husband, Yan Jiyue, the eldest son of the Yan family, treated her with sarcasm and never showed her a good face.
It wasn’t until after Su Mu’s death that this pampered and arrogant young master shed a few fake tears and pretended to want to die for love.
This life’s kindness was enough. If there was a next life, she would definitely kick Yan Jiyue away.
Who knew that the heavens would be so kind as to allow her to be reborn, returning to the time when she had just married into the Yan family.
Su Mu glanced at the Yan eldest son, who still spoke coldly to her, and threw a divorce letter in front of him.
“Let’s divorce!”
***
Yan Jiyue never imagined that he would be reborn. He happily went to find Su Mu, wanting to make up for the mistakes he had made in his ignorant youth.
Wasn’t the reason the heavens allowed him to be reborn to let him reconcile with Su Mu?
But when he pushed open the door to Su Mu’s room, the person lying on the bed was another man.
Su Mu’s personal attendant, Xie Yi.
Yan Jiyue hated him so much that his teeth itched. In front of Su Mu, Xie Yi was a gentle and considerate whisperer of sweet nothings, but in reality, he was vicious-hearted and deliberately sabotaged their husband and wife relationship.
In the previous life, it was he who secretly hid in Su Mu’s coffin and committed suicide, stealing a step ahead of him to be buried with Su Mu.
Yan Jiyue’s eyes were filled with hatred as he cursed, “What kind of thing are you? Your background is lowly, what right do you have to occupy Su Mu?”
Xie Yi looked at the sleeping Su Mu and no longer pretended to be a whisperer of sweet nothings.
He proudly stuck out his belly, “I have the right because my belly is capable of giving the Wife-master a daughter.”
***
Yan Jiyue was consumed with jealousy. He spread rumors that Xie Yi had once been branded with the mark of a “harlot” on his chest.
But on the night Xie Yi cut off the flesh bearing that mark, Su Mu suddenly realized something was amiss.
“How did you know the exact moment I was poisoned? And why did you show up a month early?”
Xie Yi remained silent, blood from his wound soaking through his robes. His sapphire eyes brimmed with anguish – or was it just a flawless act?
Between a once-arrogant husband now seeking redemption, and a gentle soul willing to die for her – who truly held the darkest secrets? And could it be that Su Mu and Yan Jiyue weren’t the only ones given a second chance at life…?
[Reading Guide]
1. True divorce, chasing the wife to the crematorium, the female lead doesn’t look back, the male lead is Xie Yi.
2. The ex-husband did not cheat, he just realized too late and didn’t realize that he liked the female lead.
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