Rebirth and Rewriting Fate

"Does the Empress Dowager want to find someone to help His Majesty?" Yun Chu asked with a smile.

The Empress Dowager took a sip of tea and smiled without saying a word.

"This humble woman finds General Lin Youxi to be very wise."

"Oh, what do you say?"

"To be able to resolutely resign from office at the height of one's career, allowing one's son to pursue a literary career and follow the path of a civil official, knowing how to avoid the limelight—how can that not be considered wise?"

The Empress Dowager looked at Yun Chu, her eyes flashing with intelligence.

"Throughout the history of the Jin Dynasty, there have always been more civil officials than military generals. He could have sought high office and generous salary because of his achievements, or he could have used his merits to seek rewards and become arrogant. But instead, he hid his shortcomings, concealed his sharpness, and acted with moderation. Isn't that wise?"

"Hahaha." The Empress Dowager laughed heartily.

She suddenly felt that the person in front of her was the best candidate for empress. He could see through everything from just a few words. Such a perceptive person. What a pity that her son was so disappointing and someone else beat her to it.

A young palace maid was peering out from outside the door. The old nanny hurried out and then came back in.

"Your Majesty, Eunuch Cao just sent someone to say that His Majesty changed into plain clothes and entered Yi Garden."

Yiyuan, isn't this it? Yun Chu thought, and then she saw Gu Chenglin walking around the male guests' area dressed as an ordinary young master from a prominent family. She smiled and shook her head.

"Empress Dowager, oh, oh, His Majesty?!" A sharp-eyed palace maid spotted him and quickly pointed.

"This child!" The Empress Dowager laughed in exasperation.

Suddenly, Yun Chu spotted a familiar figure. Ye Ruohuan. It seemed she hadn't given up on the royal family after all.

The Empress Dowager publicly stated that the banquet was an invitation for eligible men and women from various families to compete in talent, and that she would not participate but simply enjoy the spectacle. However, the high-ranking officials of the court were naturally aware of the situation. It's unclear how the Ye family learned of this, but the Ye family had certainly amassed some connections in the past.

However, Ye Ruohuan recognized Gu Cheng just as he entered the game.

Yun Chu couldn't help but ask, "May I ask Your Majesty, will the curtain be removed after the test?"

"Of course. We still need to meet everyone. When I'm choosing a daughter-in-law, I want others to be able to do the same," the Empress Dowager said with a smile.

"Your Majesty, some of the women here should have met His Majesty before," Yun Chu said.

The Empress Dowager looked at her and understood what she meant.

This banquet was originally intended for the Empress Dowager and the Emperor to assess the talents and appearances of these individuals and to select suitable candidates. Now that the Emperor has joined the gathering, anyone with knowledge of the place will immediately flock to him. This is not fair.

The Empress Dowager glanced at the nanny, who understood.

The booklet was quickly brought over. "Your Majesty, these young ladies have already met His Majesty."

"Then please invite these young ladies to have tea at Jingxin Courtyard later," the Empress Dowager instructed.

Yun Chu smiled knowingly.

"Dong qiang!" The gongs and drums sounded, and the gathering began.

"Your Majesty, may I go and spy for you?" Yun Chu winked mischievously.

"Go then," the Empress Dowager said with a smile.

Yun Chu lifted her skirt and went downstairs. She needed to find a corner where Ye Ruohuan couldn't see her, so she could observe the young ladies' actions more closely. Since she had been asked to come and observe and give her feedback, she had to fulfill this responsibility; otherwise, how could she be someone's aunt? Thinking of this, Yun Chu felt a little embarrassed. She wasn't even married yet, so how could she have taken on this role without asking?

As expected, Ye Ruohuan sat in the front row of the winding stream, her intentions obvious.

Lin Mulan's pavilion is in a good location, and there are two other young ladies sitting inside, so it wouldn't be out of place for me to sit there.

So Yun Chu sat down not far from her, while Lin Mulan was still fiddling with the wind chimes in her hand, seemingly uninterested in the Poetry Society at all.

The poetry gathering went quite smoothly; everyone was enjoying themselves, exchanging couplets and discussing chess. Ye Ruohuan quipped a few lines and won a lot of applause, and she was beaming with pride.

Yun Chu glanced at Lin Mulan, who hadn't tried to take it from her and was diligently doing her own thing. She had already taken down the original wind chime.

Next came the debate on the topic.

Yun Chu didn't notice that, for some reason, everyone started arguing about the idea that a woman's virtue lies in her lack of talent.

"A woman's virtue lies in her lack of talent; this has been passed down since ancient times. Do you think our ancestors were wrong?" A male voice rang out from behind the curtain.

Yun Chu couldn't help but shake her head. Had that person forgotten that the Empress Dowager was also a woman? His father must be furious.

“That’s your ignorance. Throughout history, there have been many talented women!” someone on the woman’s side retorted.

“It’s fine for women to be talented, but I think they should stay at home and be good wives and mothers!” someone said from the other side.

"That's right, the husband should be the head of the household, and her job is to stay at home, bear children, and carry on the family line!" the person opposite echoed.

“You’re talking nonsense. That’s because you have a very limited perspective. Many women are capable of standing on their own,” the woman retorted.

“That’s right, the business at Shili Shop on West Street is so good, it’s run by a woman!” The person next to the woman who had just spoken stood up to help her.

"Yes, she even led a convoy north to deliver goods herself, opening up new routes!"

Yun Chu hadn't expected to be so important to them. She couldn't help but glance at the women again. They had good taste. She would have to tell Nan Rao and the others to give them a good price if they came to Shili Pu.

“I don’t think a woman’s ability and marriage are mutually exclusive,” a clear voice rang out from the man’s end.

"That's because you're poor and need help from others," the man's voice rang out, followed by a burst of laughter from the other end of the line.

"I think women shouldn't show their faces in public anymore. It's better for the husband to be the head of the household," Ye Ruohuan's soft, sweet voice came out.

Yun Chu looked at her with a playful smile.

Most of the people on the woman's side looked at her with puzzled expressions. Why had she switched sides?

Someone on the other end shouted, "This young lady is right! She must be proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. This is the proper demeanor of a lady from a respectable family!"

The women on this side were all anxious and didn't know how to refute it; their faces turned red with urgency.

Only Ye Ruohuan smiled radiantly when praised.

“Who says that besides playing the zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting, one cannot be a lady of a respectable family?” Lin Mulan suddenly stood up to retort, startling Yun Chu.

Yun Chu looked at her; her fists were clenched tightly.

“She’s not from a respectable family, let’s see how you view her!” someone shouted from the other end.

Lin Mulan's face flushed slightly because she disliked music, chess, calligraphy, painting, embroidery, and needlework; several attempts to teach her had yielded no results. This time, she wouldn't have come if it weren't for her mother's tears and the strange bridge in the palace.

"That's right. I heard that the owner of Shili Pu started his own business because he didn't have a man! You see, without a man, a woman has to become a merchant."

Yun Chu suddenly found it amusing. That day, after Uncle Cheng delivered the first batch of betrothal gifts, Yun Chu stopped him.

"Are you really going to stop?" Gu Ruoxiao asked.

"Well, I'll keep this batch for now, and you can give it to me when the wedding is coming up. I'm afraid thieves might try to steal it if you do it this way."

"You don't trust the secret guards?"

"I think the Prince's mansion is safer."

Gu Ruoxiao initially disagreed, but after Yun Chu's persistent pleading, she finally gave in.

Therefore, not many people knew that Gu Ruoxiao had proposed marriage.

If I heard this now, wouldn't I be furious?