Transmigration: The Fate of the Villainess

“Bai Yu awaits her highness’ decree.”

Both she and others in the Bai family kneeled down to show their respects to the golden fabric in the hands of the guest who came early in the morning. Their actions were captured by the curious eyes of the crowd who had gathered outside their mansion so often it had become a common sight.

“May her majesty live and reign for a thousand years, thousand years, thousands of thousands of years,” Bai Yu said. The object represented the sender. The royal decree demanded respect at the same level as that of the Empress Dowager herself.

“Here states heaven’s decree: The Empress Dowager sees the first daughter of the Bai family, Bai Yu, as the beautiful, talented, and reserved young lady that she is and fully suitable for the royal marriage. Her Majesty appointed her the first royal consort to Qin Wang Ouyang Mingxian, naming her Qin Wang Fei. The auspicious event will occur within three days. That is all.”

Exclamations from those gathered in a crowd pulled Bai Yu back from her reverie. She sat still, not uttering a word. She turned her eyes to her parents, who were expressionless. When she looked at her half-sister, whose eyes were opened wide, she found Bai Hua tightening a grip on her own clasped hands before turning her gaze up to meet Bai Yu’s, as if realizing the weight of the eyes upon her.

Her peach blossom eyes, brimmed with tears, stared into hers. The soon-to-be Qin Wang Fei looked away from Bai Hua at a total loss. Bai Yu saw a drop of tears fall to the ground. Undoubtedly, it was from the eyes of the woman who was thrown into another world, just like her.

She held up her hands, palms up, to receive the royal decree and said the expected words of tradition out loud. Her grip was so tight that it hurt her own hands.

“…Gratitude to the Empress Dowager. May her majesty live and reign for a thousand years, thousand years, thousands of thousands of years.”

.....

As soon as her words ended, the eunuch who had brought the royal order said to Bai Yu with a tone full of respect.

“Congratulations, Wang Fei.” Now that the empress dowager’s personal eunuch extended such courtesy to her, it became further proof to all witnesses here that Miss Bai Yu was surely the favored consort, even though the marriage had yet to take place.

“Many thanks to you.” Bai Yu stood up and slightly bowed to the eunuch. Her face carried a light smile that revealed the renowned beauty that all in Da Yang knew of. With such an appearance and status, it could be said that Qin Wang was a lucky man.

While seeing the messenger off, Bai Yu cast her gaze downward to avoid the looks of praise and joy from those around her. Obviously, those were not the only looks she received. She could also sense both Bai Yue’s envy and Bai Hua’s hurt. She could sense them, and she knew. She knew that soon, people would flood Bai Mansion to congratulate her. But she was not in a happy mood, nor did she want to be congratulated!

And so the actress busted out her acting skills immediately…

“Yu-er!” The shock came from her father, and mother in unison. At the same time, Bai Han rushed forward to support his daughter, who staggered and collapsed. On her beautiful face, there was a trace of weariness as her eyes closed.

“Miss has fainted!” Well done, Xiao Chang.

Soon, she was carried back to the main hall by her father. Bai Yu closed her eyes and pretended to be unconscious while Bai Hua was checking her pulse in an unoccupied bedroom. Bai Han and Yue Mei were waiting not too far off.

“Sister…” Bai Hua muttered when she discovered from her pulse that she was fine. It seemed she understood what Bai Yu wanted. “…It’s only a lack of sleep that made Sister faint. She will need more rest and not be disturbed…”

“Xiao Xi.”

“Yes, master.”

“Spread the word: Miss Bai Yu needs rest. For now, Bai Mansion will close its doors to guests.”

“Yes, master.”

After Bai Han’s order, Bai Yu heard Xiao Xi’s footsteps hurrying away. She slowly opened her eyes, acting like a person waking up from unconsciousness. What she first saw were Bai Hua’s reddened eyes from trying to hold back tears.

“Thank you,” Bai Yu whispered for only the two of them to hear.

“Yes.” Bai Hua’s voice was as low as hers. She knew what Bai Yu was thanking her for. She then moved away, making space for Yue Mei to replace her.

“Yu-er.” A trembling voice came together with a warm touch on her cheek. Yue Mei looked at her daughter with a tender gaze. And when their eyes met, the tears of a mother could no longer be suppressed.

“What a cruel fate you have, my dear.” Bai Yu moved to embrace her mother in silence. Bai Han sat down on the bed and stroked his wife’s back to console her. Bai Hua slowly retreated, closing the door neatly behind her.

“I’m sorry. That royal decree… It’s my fault from the start.” Now Bai Yu was sure that her mother was not too pleased with her new title as Qin Wang Fei.

“Mother, please don’t blame yourself. This is a good thing.” Bai Yu did not know how to comfort her. She could only gently wipe the tears from her mother’s face.

“But you’re going to marry a man you don’t love…” Yue Mei studied her daughter’s face, her heart full of pain. How could she not know how this felt?

“You know…” She never uttered a word about her beloved person to Yue Mei. She never had the courage to tell her mother…

“Your brother told me everything before he left for the border. My child, I already know everything.”

“Otherwise, why would I let you go to Da Chu?”

“Father knows this as well?” Bai Yu blinked, staring at her father. The answer she received was a nod from both of her parents.

“And pretended to be sick to drive away the guests…”

“Your mother has used this trick before…”

“Dear!”

“Hahaha.” Bai Han laughed, unbothered by his furen’s slap on his arm. Bai Yu looked at her mother’s tearful face that was bright red from her father’s teasing and laughed.

“Let’s give it to her already, dear. We should hurry.”

Yue Mei changed the subject before she would be teased by her husband and child even more. Bai Han waggled his eyebrow at Bai Yu. A father and daughter exchanged smiles, ignoring Yue Mei’s glare. The senior chancellor let out a chuckle before turning around to walk toward a corner of the room. He took something from a hidden compartment beneath an unassuming vase containing Meihua flowers.

It was then that Bai Yu realized this room was her parents’ bedroom.

“There is something the emperor gave me after you left for the border.”

An old wooden box of a size slightly larger than a palm was handed to her. Bai Yu took the seemingly worthless box and held it carefully in her hands. Though its appearance was plain, anything that was said to be the son of heaven’s possession was priceless and must always be held above one’s head.

As soon as her father gave her the nod of permission, her hand moved to open the box. It was as she had expected: the box was only a deceiving surface, while inside it contained a small jade container delicately carved with the pattern of a dragon. Bai Yu could guess the object inside even before opening it.

In this era, there were a few requirements in order for a prince to legitimately ascend the throne. Other than receiving the emperor’s direct appointment or succeeding the throne through blood, there was ‘something’ that was the symbol of the son of heaven, the true heir to the dragon throne.

Ouyang Yongxian could not find that ‘something,’ so he chose to kill his own father.

Now, after successfully suppressing the coup, the royal court had yet to be able to find ‘it,’ and so they could not appoint anyone as the heir. The fight for the throne was swiftly sparked again, despite still being in the mourning period.

However, ‘it’ was unexpectedly in Bai Yu’s palm right now. A Heshibi jade carved into a square royal seal. The text 受命于即寿永昌 was clear on its cold surface.

When this sentence appeared on any piece of paper, its meaning was always acknowledged: Heaven’s mandate has been received. May eternal long life be with the emperor.

‘It’ was…the royal seal!

The seal owned by the emperor himself!