"Prime Minister Chu, you sent word that day, saying you could help this humble woman solve her problems. Was that merely a jest?"
Ye Meng asked, suppressing a wave of nausea.
Chu Chen nodded, a faint smile on his face. "Indeed. Your problem, if I'm not mistaken, is that you possess a little talent in various areas, yet none that allows you to truly excel and make a name for yourself, correct?"
"Prime Minister Chu actually knows!"
Ye Meng exclaimed in surprise, then quickly felt she had been too forward. "Ah, Prime Minister Chu, I didn't mean it like that."
"Haha, it's fine," Chu Chen waved his hand, unbothered by her doubt. "But aren't you curious as to how I know your situation, and why I would want to help you without any prior connection?"
"This... this humble woman does not know."
Ye Meng was also perplexed. Even if Prime Minister Chu were lecherous and fancied her, he hadn't seen her face, and altering one's aptitude would surely come at a significant cost. For someone unrelated, it was rather peculiar.
"Do you know Princess Xin Yue?"
"Yes."
Chu Chen spoke slowly. "Princess Xin Yue was present that day. She witnessed your first and second round assessments and, seeing your poor talent, felt a pang of sympathy. She then inquired if I had any solutions."
He paused for a moment.
Seeing Ye Meng's surprised expression, he continued, "As a subject, I naturally would not lie to Princess Xin Yue. Even though the solution might come at a considerable price, I stated that a method existed. Thus, Princess Xin Yue requested that I defy fate for you and alter your aptitude."
"But!"
Just as Ye Meng was listening with deep emotion, a sudden "but" left her utterly bewildered.
When speaking with others, especially when seeking a favor, the word "but" was the most dreaded. Ye Meng's emotions were now in a state of extreme flux.
"But what?"
Seeing Chu Chen looking at her with a half-smile but remaining silent, Ye Meng couldn't help but ask.
"But, you see~" Chu Chen deliberately drew out his words before continuing, "But I felt that we are not related in any way. Even if Princess Xin Yue requested it, I was rather unwilling to pay a significant price to alter your aptitude, and thus intended to refuse."
"But then, Princess Xin Yue said that if you were to marry me as a concubine, wouldn't we then be related?"
"So, what are your thoughts, Miss Ye Meng?"
Chu Chen finished speaking and looked at her with keen interest, eager to know her decision.
Ye Meng was stunned. She had never imagined things would turn out this way.
Only by marrying Prime Minister Chu as a concubine would he help her change her aptitude? Wasn't that akin to selling herself? It was practically the same as a courtesan selling her body!
How could she possibly agree to this?
Ye Meng's expression immediately soured, and she said coldly, "I ask that Prime Minister Chu respect yourself. Before my dreams are realized, Ye Meng has no intention of marrying anyone else!"
"Oh? Is that so? Is that your decision? But if your aptitude remains unchanged, you will always be in this state, unable to achieve much in anything you do. Are you content with this?"
Chu Chen inquired curiously.
"That is my own affair, and Prime Minister Chu need not worry about it!"
Ye Meng retorted with a displeased tone.
"Is that so? That is truly a pity."
Chu Chen feigned regret.
"If that is all, then this humble woman will take her leave."
With that, she turned to depart.
Chu Chen watched her retreating, elegant back and said with a smile, "Since Princess Xin Yue asked me this way, don't you want to know how I replied?"
Instantly, Ye Meng stopped, but without turning, she asked, "Then how did Prime Minister Chu reply?"
In her heart, she scoffed. How else could he have replied? Men were all lustful pigs. Would a wife not be happy to help recruit a beautiful concubine?
Chu Chen chuckled. "I replied that I had never seen your face. One wearing a veil might be a peerless beauty, or she might be incredibly hideous. Therefore, I rejected the Princess's suggestion. However, the Princess insisted on giving you a chance to choose for yourself. Unable to resist the Princess's plea, I sent someone to deliver a token to you."
"..."
Ye Meng clenched the hem of her skirt, gritting her teeth.
I am an ugly monster? Incredibly hideous? Someone wearing a veil is either a peerless beauty or extremely ugly? What kind of bizarre notion is that?
Unsure of her own thoughts, Ye Meng abruptly turned, tore off her veil, and sneered, "Prime Minister, do you see clearly now? Do you see if I am a peerless beauty or extremely ugly?"
Gazing at the face beneath the veil – a delicate oval face, skin white and smooth, appearing dewy, with willow-like eyebrows, large beautiful eyes, a high nose bridge, and lips that were neither too large nor too small, but tender and pink.
Chu Chen was astonished.
"Damn, she really is a peerless beauty! Although, compared to Xin Yue, she's still a bit lacking in temperament, but to be this beautiful is already remarkable."
After a moment's thought, Chu Chen smiled faintly. "You are beautiful, indeed. But I never said that if you were beautiful, I would take you as a concubine."
"You!"
Ye Meng was furious. She was so beautiful, yet Prime Minister Chu looked down on her?
"What? Am I wrong?"
Chu Chen's expression suddenly turned serious. "I am the Prime Minister of the Yun Yue Kingdom, enjoying the greatest power a subject can wield in this world. If I desired beauties, I could have as many as I wished. If I wanted beauties to throw themselves at me, they could form a queue stretching beyond Shuang Yue City, and each would be no less beautiful than you."
"Not to mention, my fiancée, Princess Xin Yue, is even more beautiful than you, and her figure is better."
"So, do you think I am right, Miss Ye Meng?"
Ye Meng was stunned. Though she hated to admit it, what Chu Chen said was indeed true.
Ye Meng bit her thin lips, her nose twitching, wanting to cry.
"Hey, uh, Miss Ye Meng, please don't cry!"
Chu Chen was flustered. Wasn't this girl supposed to be strong? Why was she about to cry after just a few words? This would reflect poorly on him.
She had been holding back, but with Chu Chen's words, tears began to stream down her face as she cried silently.
"Oh no, she's actually crying!"
Now Chu Chen was truly flustered. He quickly got up and stepped forward, saying, "Well, Miss Ye Meng, don't cry, it's not a good look."
Unexpectedly, Ye Meng cried even harder, sobbing uncontrollably.
"Ahem, in that case, I shall reluctantly take you as a concubine, how about it?"
Chu Chen cleared his throat twice and said with a serious expression.
Ye Meng, who had been crying, suddenly smiled, but then realized something was amiss and lowered her head, still crying, though her tears had lessened.
Chu Chen sighed and sat back down, propping his chin on his hand, watching her.
Ye Meng was unhappy. What kind of person was he? How could he comfort someone like this? Truly.
As she cried, Ye Meng eventually stopped. She glared fiercely at him, wiped her face and eyes, put her veil back on, and left without looking back.