Nonsense! She’s Not a Bad Woman! - Chapter 104

“Good! Minister Qiao, you truly raised a fine daughter. Even I can’t help but envy you.”

Minister Qiao’s face brimmed with pride, though his words remained modestly deferential.

Qiao Yihuan traced the rim of her wine cup with a finger. The emperor’s words, though seemingly praise, were in fact diminishing his own daughter.

The Tenth Princess was right there in the palace, present at the banquet tonight. For the emperor to openly lavish such praise on another’s daughter—how could the princess possibly take it well?

Thinking of this, Qiao Yihuan glanced toward He Baozhu, only to see her gazing foolishly at the young woman standing in the center of the hall—Qiao Wanyan. Instantly, Qiao Yihuan tightened her grip around the wine cup.

“You may ask for any gift you desire. Speak freely. Whatever it is, tonight I will grant it!”

The emperor, beaming with joy, spoke words that made every noblewoman in attendance burn with envy.

He Zhiyu’s expression remained calm, yet his gaze never strayed from her.

All eyes were fixed on the young woman in the center of the hall, though many also stole glances at the Crown Prince and Prince Jing.

The emperor had spoken with such generosity. If Qiao Wanyan were to ask for marriage to the Crown Prince, it was unlikely he would refuse her in his current good mood. Such an opportunity was unparalleled.

Even Minister Qiao and Lady Jin silently prayed. How could they not know their own daughter’s heart? Of all her wishes, the only one they could not arrange for her was to wed the Crown Prince. If His Majesty granted it tonight, their lifelong worry would vanish.

He Yanli no longer looked at her, instead fiddling idly with the jade pendant in his hand, though his thoughts remained locked on her.

Qiao Yihuan grew tense. She knew Qiao Wanyan’s nature well—if there was even a sliver of chance, Wanyan would seize it, heedless of others’ opinions or positions. So long as it pleased her, she would do it.

And now, with such an opportunity before her, she would no doubt try to snatch away the position of Crown Princess.

The Crown Prince… the Tenth Princess…

Why must she always take everything away from me?

“Your Majesty, this humble daughter does indeed have a gift she very much desires.”

The emperor’s face carried a gentle smile—so unlike his usual imperial majesty, it was the warm smile of a kind elder.

“Speak, let me hear it.”

Qiao Wanyan’s lips curved in a radiant smile. “This daughter wishes to ask His Majesty to bestow upon me a person.”

A murmur rippled through the crowd. Was the Qiao family’s second daughter so elated that she lost all sense of propriety? To request the emperor bestow the Crown Prince to her—how could she phrase it like that?

Even Minister Qiao was briefly stunned. Anxiety gnawed at him, yet he dared not speak up, frantically winking at her in warning. But alas—she paid him no mind.

He Yanli let out a cold laugh. Fool.

“And who is it you desire?” the emperor asked.

Qiao Wanyan smiled sweetly. “This daughter wishes for His Majesty to bestow upon me Sun Tian from the imperial kitchens. She once worked at Mingyue Tower in the capital, and her osmanthus cakes are truly unrivaled. They are my absolute favorite!”

The entire hall froze.

What? With such an opportunity, she asked only for a cook?

Even He Zhiyu looked at her in surprise, clearly taken aback by such an unexpected request.

He Yanli sipped his wine. Sweet.

“You are certain this is all you want? I will give you but one chance. Whatever you ask for, I can grant it.”

Qiao Wanyan’s smile did not waver. “At this moment, that is the gift I desire most. I beg His Majesty to grant it.”

The emperor fell silent for a beat, then suddenly burst into hearty laughter. “Very well, I shall grant it! You little lass, truly amusing. No wonder… Ah, enough. A seat for her!”

Qiao Wanyan bowed with a smile, thanking him. A palace maid stepped forward and carefully retrieved the luminous pearl from her hand.

Returning to her seat, Lady Jin clutched her daughter’s hand with regret. “Yanyan, with such a golden opportunity, how could you…”

Qiao Wanyan said nothing more. Since His Majesty had spoken, if she truly wished to become the Crown Princess, there was a high chance the Emperor would grant her that position.

But…

She didn’t want to beg for the title of Crown Princess. That seat must be given to her personally by the Crown Prince himself.

Only then would she not be the lowly one in this relationship.

In love, the side who grovels is destined to have no good ending.

The Empress’s expression darkened, her gaze at Qiao Wanyan carrying faint displeasure.

Useless thing!

So young, yet her head is already filled with schemes.

When Qiao Wanyan walked past Qiao Yihuan, she deliberately paused. “Elder Sister, I heard you also prepared a birthday gift for His Majesty. I’m quite eager to see what kind of present you’ve chosen.”

Qiao Yihuan smiled, still the picture of gentleness and grace. “Little Sister will soon find out.”

That dance earlier had indeed dazzled everyone, but if Qiao Wanyan thought she was the brightest star of tonight’s banquet, she was sorely mistaken.

At this grand celebration, the noble ladies of the capital presented their gifts one after another. But these offerings were no longer just tokens of congratulations for the Emperor’s birthday—they had become a disguised selection process for the future ladies of the Eastern Palace.

The seat of Crown Princess aside, even positions like Liangdi or Liangyuan had to be carefully chosen.

What’s more, King Jing—who held military power—still lacked a consort.

Qiao Yihuan’s name had been placed last. Whether by coincidence or deliberate arrangement, it suited her just fine.

The best always deserved the finale.

“Your Majesty, this humble daughter, Qiao Yihuan, eldest of the Minister of Revenue’s household, greets the Emperor.”

Back at the Princess’s residence, she had spent a long time learning palace etiquette. Though her heart trembled now, she forced herself to appear calm and dignified, carrying the bearing of a proper noble lady.

Two palace servants carried forward a massive barrel draped with red cloth. On closer look, their faces seemed strained, as if suppressing something.

The crowd buzzed with curiosity. What on earth could be so large?

The Emperor himself leaned forward with interest. “And what has the Qiao family’s eldest daughter prepared?”

Suppressing her rising excitement, Qiao Yihuan bowed gracefully. “This humble daughter presents His Majesty with a barrel of ginger.”

A barrel of… ginger?

The Empress snapped coldly, “Presumptuous! How dare you make a mockery of His Majesty’s grand birthday feast? Guards, drag her out!”

He Zhiyu rose quickly. “Mother Empress, perhaps it’s better to hear her out first. On such an important occasion, she surely would not dare make sport of us.”

A warm tide surged in Qiao Yihuan’s heart. Already, she could imagine the praise and recognition that would soon follow her words.

This was the turning point of her fate.

“This humble daughter has prepared a barrel of ginger. Hundreds of catties of ginger piled up like a mountain—forming a ‘ginger mountain.’”

The Emperor paused slightly. “A ginger mountain?”

Qiao Yihuan answered, her voice clear. “Yes. By this offering, I congratulate His Majesty with wishes for eternal life and to unify the empire.”

Only then did the court realize—the words “ginger mountain” (jiang shan) were a homophone for “rivers and mountains,” the empire itself. A clever pun to bless the Emperor with unification of the realm. Truly ingenious, far surpassing the earlier gifts.

The Emperor burst into hearty laughter. “A barrel of ginger, a mountain of ginger—unifying the empire! Excellent! Excellent indeed! I like this gift very much. Uncover it and let Us see this so-called ginger mountain.”

Qiao Yihuan responded eagerly and stepped toward the barrel. But the moment she neared, a sharp, pungent odor struck her nose.

Her hand lifted the red cloth—

And in that instant, as her eyes fell on the contents of the barrel, her expression froze. She hastily flung the cloth back over it.

How… how could this be?!