The Princess Wei Yang

95.1.No Mercy

Wu Xian Fei is technically not her real mother-in-law because Tuoba Zhen is her adopted son.

Imperial Palace, Imperial Garden

Beautiful flowers in full bloom lined the path andleft a faint, enchanting fragrance in the air.

Li Wei Yang passed through the fields of flowers andsaw a noble, honored consort sitting in the gazebo. A guarded smile appeared onher face.

Wu Xian Fei came from a prestigious household and wasextraordinarily beautiful, but in the palace, what mattered most was neitherone's beauty nor background but whether they had an heir or not. Typically, awoman without an heir would struggle to survive in the palace, much lesssurvive for many years. In contrast, Wu Xian Fei stood very firmly and couldeven adopt a son, raise him, and assist the Empress with matters in the innerpalace for a decade. Not everyone had this ability.

The first time she met her mother-in-law, albeit onlyin name, her knees trembled.After a lifetime, Li Wei Yang believed she would be confident and calm enoughto face "someone from her past."

More than ten palace maids and eunuchs stood aroundthe gazebo, all bowing, their eyes downcast. They seemed to be holding theirbreaths as not even a cough was heard. In the center of the gazebo was abeautiful, older woman, sitting upright. Her sleek, black hair was piled up ina trending style, shaped like clouds on the horizon. Her skin was smooth anddelicate, even more radiant under the sun like beautiful jade. While her eyeswere black, they were bright and lovely yet captivating. The red lips that hadcurved up into a small smile seemed to have a touch of nectar. She was smilingat Li Wei Yang. Her smile was warm and gentle, she seemed nothing like ascheming individual.

Li Wei Yang was not surprised to see Wu Xian Fei'syouthfulness and beauty. She knew precisely how much effort this consortdevoted to maintaining her beauty. Every day, she had the palace maids collectmorning dew and carefully filter it before using it for tea; pollen from ahundred flowers was gathered to make the most valuable type of fragrant facepowder; the reddest and most lively flower petals and nectar were combined anddistilled for seven days, then sundried for another seven days, followingancient techniques to remove the essence and make rouge. These priceless,extravagant items were stored in gold boxes and jade pots and used as part ofher daily routine. By looking after her beauty in this manner, she could retainher lively youthfulness and the Emperor's favor for so long.

In this world, nothing lasts without reason, nor isthere anything that can be effortlessly obtained. This was the first lesson WuXian Fei taught Li Wei Yang.

Back then, Li Wei Yang had only entered the palace anddid not know many people. She did not know how to help her husband whilegaining others' favor and approval. It was Wu Xian Fei who sternly yet gentlytaught her these things. Xian Fei seemed like a compassionate elder lookingafter her, so Li Wei Yang considered her to be close family. Unfortunately, shewould later discover Wu Xian Fei had taught her so many things, not because shewas her daughter-in-law, but so she would be the ideal stepping stone for TuobaZhen.

When she was met with misfortune, it was this gentleand noble "mother-in-law" that stood up and accused her of being wicked andselfish, and not virtuous nor talented enough to be Empress. It was then thatLi Wei Yang realized others had treated her well, not because they cared forher, but because she was of some use to them. Once she was no longer useful,there was no need for her to exist anymore.

Li Wei Yang smiled and approached her beforeceremonially greeting her.

As Li Wei Yang greeted her, Xian Fei was alreadyevaluating her. At first glance, she felt that her fair-skinned, livelyappearance, while it could not be considered beautiful, was charmingnonetheless. Under her scrutinizing stare, Li Wei Yang could stand up straightand smile softly. If she was unaware of the latter's schemes, she would havemistaken her for a shy xiao guniang. Wu Xian Fei was not a fool though. Li WeiYang could quickly establish herself in the Li family and defeat her dimu andDajie, whose beauty could make empires and cities to fall. She was not anordinary person. These were just conflicts within the Li family, unrelated toWu Xian Fei, until it involved Tuoba Zhen, which infuriated her. Not that sheloved and cared for this son, this affected the endgame, so she could not idlystand by.