Who Dares to Bully This Prince's Wife?
Xuan Tian Ming had returned!
After Imperial Concubine Yun tried to chase her away with a secretive look on her face, Feng Yu Heng was finally able to realize that Imperial Concubine Yun was giving her a message that was very joyous. For someone like Imperial Concubine Yun, the only thing that could make her rejoice like this would be the return of her son from the South!
Feng Yu Heng happily walked out of the bedchamber and brought Wang Chuan to Winter Moon Palace's front yard. Although she was anxious to meet with Xuan Tian Ming, there were some things that she was worried about and needed to provide some advice. Thus she called Su Yu, the head palace maid that was escorting her, and said to her: "Arrange for some more people to stay around the outside of Winter Moon Palace. Keep an eye out and keep watch over a larger distance. They need to keep an eye out on everything within 50 paces."
Su Yu was startled and did not understand what Feng Yu Heng intended with these arrangements, but she also knew that she would not say something like this at random, thus she quickly asked: "Did Princess notice something outside the palace? Was there someone suspicious?"
Feng Yu Heng though for a bit but did not reply directly. Instead, she said: "It would be best to send some hidden guards into Jing Si Palace to take a look. I recall that during the Winter Hunt, Imperial Concubine Li was demoted to noble lady, and she has been locked inside Jing Si Palace. She is residing in a side hall. Send some people over there to keep an eye out.
Su Yu was puzzled, "This servant also heard about it, but His Majesty gave the order to not allow her half a step outside of Jing Si Palace?"
This was what Feng Yu Heng was truly worried about. Since the Emperor had handed down an imperial decree, it would be impossible that there would be no guards outside of Jing Si Palace, but Noble Lady Li was still able to get out of the palace. This left her with no choice but to feel worried. Not to mention what exactly she was doing standing outside of Winter Moon Palace, but just her being able to escape from a place that was heavily guarded was worthy of being investigated.
"Either way, send some people to keep an eye on her. She is still able to get out of Jing Si Palace. I have seen it. Right before I entered, she was standing alone on the small path that leads to Winter Moon Palace. I don't know what she did, but I have already examined the outside, and there were no strange items. Thinking about it, she did not have much of a chance to take action. Just keep an eye out."
Su Yu also realized the severity of the situation, thus she solemnly nodded and thanked Feng Yu Heng. Only then did she escort her out of the palace. Feng Yu Heng left the imperial palace and directly entered her imperial carriage. Before she could give an order, Ban Zou, who was dressed as the driver, lifted the curtain with a criminal smile and said to her: "Let's go out of the city, is that alright?"
Feng Yu Heng asked: "Has His Highness the ninth prince returned?"
Ban Zou nodded, "If you rush toward the city's southern gate, you should be able to arrive just in time for His Highness entering the city."
"Then what are you waiting for? Quickly, let's go to the southern gate!" Following Ban Zou's order, the carriage quickly began to move. It was early in the evening, and the sky was already dark. There were not many people out on the streets during Winter, and there was a thin layer of snow on the ground. The air was very fresh. Feng Yu Heng began to complain about Xuan Tian Ming, "He didn't even say anything before coming back."
Wang Chuan laughed at her while also consoling her: "Perhaps His Highness wanted to give Young Miss a pleasant surprise."
"Hmph!" Feng Yu Heng pouted, "Then this imperial daughter might as well forgive him." While saying this, the corners of her lips began to curl up without her noticing. This smile could not be held back no matter what.
Ban Zou moved at the highest speed possible to rush toward the southern gate and stopped in front of the gate. Feng Yu Heng was confused and lifted the curtain to ask him: "What are you stopping for? Let's go out of the city to welcome him."
Ban Zou pointed forward and said: "There's no need to receive him. His Highness has entered the city." While he said this, he reached into the carriage to help Feng Yu Heng out.
Feng Yu Heng stood outside the carriage and looked forward. She saw that there was a group coming in from outside the city's gate. There were not many people, and it looked to be around ten attendants. In the middle, there was a carriage that could not be considered resplendent, but it was not lacking in dignity. Three horses pulled it together, and it was clear that it could move quite quickly.
The group headed toward her imperial carriage, and those attendants had been wanting to go ahead to have people get out of the way, but once they got a little closer, they found that it was Imperial Daughter Ji An, thus they happily retreated back. Someone said something into the carriage, and a man in purple robes leaped out. Standing outside the carriage, his arms were folded over his chest as he squinted in her direction.
A light snow fell on this winter evening, as the snowflakes landed on her long eyelashes and red marten-fur cloak. Looking from a distance, she looked like a porcelain doll standing in the snow. The beauty of it made people want to hold it in their hands. Xuan Tian Ming also extended his arms as if to receive a certain person diving into his embrace. A faint expectation and lots of love could be seen in his eyes.
A certain little girl was very lacking in restraint. Upon seeing her sweetheart express himself so eagerly, how could she hold back. Thus she quickly gave Ban Zou a few kicks and spoke without moving her lips: "Quickly, take me and fly over."
Ban Zou disdained this greatly and did not give his master any face, saying: "If you have the ability, fly on your own!"
"If I could fly, would I still need you?"
"You've practiced qinggong for over two years. Why is it that you haven't improved at all? Aren't you usually quite skilled?"
"Stop wasting time. Move quickly. His group is about to come over here, and the atmosphere will be lacking. At this sort of time, flying over would be best. Quickly, quickly, quickly."
Ban Zou was rushed and could do nothing about it. He could only use his qinggong to "throw" the girl into Xuan Tian Ming's embrace. Right before throwing her, he did not forget to mutter; "Idiot." When he threw her, the light snow filled the sky, and it was a very beautiful scene.
Feng Yu Heng did not have time to concern herself with him, as she soared forward. Without being off-target in the slightest, she landed in Xuan Tian Ming's embrace. Xuan Tian Ming spread his arms and tightly caught the young girl. He then held her to his chest and held her tightly.
"Xuan Tian Ming." Her nose burned a little, and her voice was a bit hoarse. Her eyes were moist, but she stubbornly believed that it was from the snowflakes. Looking up, she said to her man in a spoiled voice: "You finally came back. If you came back any later, you wouldn't be able to see me."
Xuan Tian Ming looked at her little appearance and wanted to laugh, but he felt that he should hold it in. At a time like this, he could not laugh at her. As a result, he held it in for a long time but could not hold back. In the end, he still laughed and prodded her little nose with his hand: "Why could I not see you? Could it be that my wife would run away? This prince really must ask and see, where are you planning to run to?"
Feng Yu Heng glared at him: "It's not running, it's from being bullied."
Once these words came out, Bai Ze, who was driving the carriage, could not bear to continue listening and mumbled: "Who would believe it! It's already good enough if you don't bully others."
Feng Yu Heng furrowed her brow and kicked Bai Ze: "Shut your mouth, shut your mouth! If you say another word, I won't let you see Fu Rong."
Bai Ze lost the will to continue and obediently shut his mouth to continue driving.
Xuan Tian Ming also asked: "Who could bully you?"
Feng Yu Heng's little hand fiddled with the buttons on his clothes and unhappily said: "Either way, there are lots of people bullying me. Xuan Tian Ming, I missed you. I no longer have any family, and there's only you. In the future, you can't bully me, understand? If you also bully me, I really will be left without any friends, and there won't be any point in living."
"What nonsense are you spouting!" Xuan Tian Ming glared at her, "You aren't allowed to speak nonsense." But in his heart, he understood that although he was in the South, the things in the capital could not be hidden from his information network. He was even clear on Feng Jin Yuan's group heading South. Pulling the girl in his embrace in tighter, he gently patted her back, "What is this about being completely without friends. You still have me, Father Emperor and Imperial Concubine Mother. Isn't this set of parents much better than the one from before? You should be happy."
She happily raised her head, and her eyes were still sparkling; however, she happily said to him: "That's right, it's much better than before. Now that you've come back, the days will be even better. Xuan Tian Ming, it's almost the new year. I was worried that you might not make it back in time, and I thought that if you could not make it back to the capital for the new year, I would go South to look for you, and we would meet up along the way. We would then celebrate the new year together. That would also be quite good."
He lovingly patted the girl's head and dotingly said: "I promised you that I would rush back before the new year. I definitely would not lie. Let's go." He let go of the embrace and dragged the girl into the carriage, "Accompany this prince into the palace."
Entering the palace again? She had just come out!
Sure enough, Feng Yu Heng was not the only one with these thoughts. The people in the palace also thought this way! The two directly entered the palace and arrived at Heavenly Hall. When they were still quite far away, a report was sent inside. Zhang Yuan was already standing outside and waiting for them.
Because the Emperor's hip was no good, he did not move. He had been preparing to rest inside Heavenly Hall for the night. Now that he heard that Xuan Tian Ming had returned, he was extremely happy and began to arrange for the imperial kitchen to prepare dinner. No matter what, he wanted to have the two eat dinner in the palace before leaving. It was such that the things that Xuan Tian Ming wished to report about the South had to be reported while eating.
Xuan Tian Ming had not returned for many months and naturally needed to speak with the Emperor for a while. Feng Yu Heng was understanding and retreated to the side. Zhang Yuan tugged at her sleeve and asked: "Imperial daughter only left for an hour, yet you returned so quickly?"
Feng Yu Heng facepalmed, "That's right. If I knew beforehand, it would have been better if I didn't go out."
That night's dinner, the two accompanied the Emperor and ate in the palace. In Feng Yu Heng's eyes, the feast was on par with celebrating the new year. In the entire feast, not a single trace of green could be seen, as it was all meat. She felt uncomfortable and could not continue eating. Casting a look at Zhang Yuan for support, Zhang Yuan spread his hands and quietly said to her: "The imperial kitchen said it. This was all decided on by the Emperor himself. If this was in the past when the Empress Dowager was still alive, this sort of thing would never be brought up, no matter what was said. This servant also advised him numerous times, but the Emperor is getting older, and he is getting more and more stubborn. It seems that this servant can no longer control him. Hah!"
Zhang Yuan sighed, and Feng Yu Heng also sighed. She could only go along with it and eat a bit. At the same time, she thought about how to advise the Emperor to not eat so much meat. Who knew that before she could speak up, a eunuch led a palace maid in from the outside. The palace maid stood in front of the Emperor and saluted then said: "This servant is a servant in Winter Moon Palace and came to deliver a message from Imperial Concubine Yun to Your Majesty. Imperial Concubine said that the thing she hates most is a man that smells of meat. Hearing that Your Majesty has recently been eating nothing but meat and no vegetables, Imperial Concubine feels that the smell of the meat has drifted all the way to Winter Moon Palace. She feels nauseous from smelling it. If Your Majesty continues to insist on eating like this, she will move out of the palace and never want to return!"
The Fox Spirit Raised by the Old Man
With the message coming from Imperial Concubine Yun's side, Zhang Yuan began laughing loudly and quickly called for the table of meat to be taken away. He then had someone call for the imperial kitchen to make some dishes of vegetables. With a smile, he looked at the Emperor and said: "How is that, this servant can't do anything about you, but someone can!"
The Emperor had drank a bit of wine earlier, and the alcohol was taking a bit of effect. He became bolder and immediately slapped the table: "How could she know what We are eating? What is it, do the imperial concubines of the inner palace feel braver and even dare to secretly place people here to observe Us? Go and call all of Heavenly Hall's servants for Us. We must solve this case today and see who the spy is!"
With him having drank too much and exploding like this, Zhang Yuan did not move in the slightest. He just stood in place without saying a word, as the palace maid from Winter Moon Palace bowed to the Emperor and calmly said: "Your Majesty, please calm down. Imperial Concubine smelled the fragrance of the meat that came from this side and sent this servant to take a look. Imperial concubine also said that Your Majesty would definitely say that she had placed a spy here, but even if someone was installed here in secret, what of it? This is imperial concubine's way of showing concern. If Your Majesty does not like it, we will pull them back."
The Emperor immediately stopped playing around and repeatedly waved his hand: "Don't pull them back, showing concern is good. Showing concern is good. How about you send a few more people over? How about this, this Heavenly Hall you see, aside from little Yuan, switch out everyone else. Change them all for people from Winter Moon Palace. How about it? When you go back, ask your imperial concubine if this is alright. If it is, just take care of this matter today."
Zhang Yuan stood to the side and rolled his eyes, "You might as well swap out this servant too. This servant wants to go and take care of Imperial Concubine Yun and does not want to stay in this Heavenly Hall."
"Shut your mouth." The Emperor did not spare his emotions at all, "Even if you die, you will die in Heavenly Hall for Us. Stop wasting your breath." He then looked at the palace maid with a look of hope.
As a result, the palace maid shook her head, "No good, we don't have the people to take care of this side. Moreover, they're all palace maids. Could it be that Your Majesty intends to have some more young girls come here and take care of you?"
The Emperor nearly bit off his tongue. How did it end up being no good no matter what was said? Looking toward Feng Yu Heng for help, Feng Yu Heng helplessly spoke up for him: "Father Emperor's meaning is that he's very happy that Imperial Concubine Mother is thinking about it and is willing to send people to take care of him. Would Miss tell Imperial Concubine Mother that the meat here has already been taken away and been swapped out for vegetables. In a while, His Highness and I will be going to pay respects to Imperial Concubine Mother."
The palace maid smiled and nodded, "Imperial Concubine is waiting for His Highness and Imperial Daughter." After saying this, she saluted to the Emperor and left.
The Emperor let out a long sigh then looked at the table full of green vegetables. He no longer had an appetite. Xuan Tian Ming became excited and told Zhang Yuan to give the Emperor a bit of everything. Watching the Emperor eat it all, he nodded, "It's good that you ate it. Otherwise, when Imperial Concubine Mother asks about it later, I wouldn't have any way of explaining. It's no wonder you got so much fatter in the few months that I was away. It turns out that you've been eating like this every day. Are you not afraid..." He asked Feng Yu Heng: "What was that disease called again?"
Feng Yu Heng said: "The three highs! High blood pressure, high blood sugar and high cholesterol."
"Right!" Xuan Tian Ming nodded, "It's an incurable disease, so you do as you see fit!" After saying this, he did not wait for the Emperor to respond, as he changed the topic and suddenly said to Zhang Yuan: "Call someone and have that... She's Noble Lady Yuan now, right? Have Noble Lady Yuan invited here. Just say that His Highness the eighth prince entrusted this prince with giving her something."
Zhang Yuan received the order and left. The Emperor frowned and expressed his dissatisfaction: "Just have a servant deliver it. Why call her over?"
"Imperial Concubine Shu was demoted to noble lady, and she can be considered a newcomer. We should meet and take a look." Xuan Tian Ming shrugged and coldly said: "I heard that in the short time I was away from the capital, they used some underhanded methods against Heng Heng."
The Emperor laughed, "Don't worry. Your wife won't be bullied. We are supporting her." After saying this, he looked at Feng Yu Heng, "Isn't that right?"
Feng Yu Heng nodded, "Right, Father Emperor supported me very well."
The Emperor drank another two cups in happiness. Not long later, Noble Lady Yuan arrived. Upon arriving, she was a bit panicked. Upon seeing the Emperor, she quickly kneeled and emotionally said: "This concubine greets Your Majesty. Your Majesty called in such an urgent manner that this concubine did not have a chance to put on makeup. Would Your Majesty please not mind."
The Emperor did not even look at her and very cunningly picked out some of the meat from the vegetables and said: "You can wear whatever you want. We don't have any desire to look at you. The person that called you today was not Us. It was Old Eighth that had something and asked Old Ninth to bring it back for you. You can just speak to him."
Noble Lady Yuan had an embarrassed expression on her face; however, she could not act up. She could only look at Xuan Tian Ming and politely say: "Did Ming'er have a smooth trip to the South?"
How could Xuan Tian Ming be in the mood to chat with her? He just stared at her for a while then asked in confusion: "What did noble lady call this prince? Ming'er?" He then asked Zhang Yuan: "When did Da Shun change its rules? Even a noble lady in the court can call a prince by his name?"
Da Shun had a rule that when a prince met an imperial concubine of the court, they had to call them imperial concubine mother, but this only applied to imperial concubines and concubines. This did not include lower ranked people of the noble lady rank. Conversely, when a noble lady met a prince, they had to politely say "Your Highness." Noble Lady Yuan stood there and had called Xuan Tian Ming "Ming'er," and everyone knew that she had grown accustomed to being an imperial concubine over the course of 20 years and had not yet changed the way she spoke, but making a mistake was making a mistake. Nobody would consider why she had made it. Now that Xuan Tian Ming had questioned it, Noble Lady Yuan stood in place and was dazed. Her legs trembled, and she immediately kneeled: "Your Majesty, this concubine misspoke."
The Emperor did not intend to speak up and just silently poured himself some wine. Noble Lady Yuan saw that this path was a dead end and quickly said to Xuan Tian Ming: "Would Your Highness the ninth prince forgive this crime."
Xuan Tian Ming nodded and just said: "Knowing the mistake is good." However, he did not call for her to stand up, as he continued to speak: "This prince met with eighth brother a few times on this trip to the South. Eighth brother is very satisfied with the marriage arranged by Noble Lady Yuan, and he asked this prince to pass along a message to Noble Lady. He said that he will definitely treat Young Miss Lu very well and will definitely show filial piety to Noble Lady Yuan. Also, eighth prince obtained quite a few things from the South, and he asked this prince to bring them back. One portion is for noble lady and another is for the Lu family's young miss. The things have already been placed outside the hall. When noble lady heads back, there will be servants that will bring them back to your palace. Alright, this prince has brought them here for eighth brother. It's not convenient for noble lady to stay too much longer. You may go back."
Finishing what he had to say with ease, he had poked at her heart and caused her vexation. After he finished speaking, he immediately chased her out. Noble Lady Yuan felt as if she was on the verge of coughing up blood, and she desperately held it down. At the same time, she thought about Feng Jin Yuan's "family of three" and what sort of thing would happen once they reached the South. Only then could she manage to relieve the strain on her heart. But no matter how much relief she felt, she still felt flustered. After looking at Xuan Tian Ming's appearance and Feng Yu Heng's appearance and the Emperor, who only focused on eating and drinking wine, Noble Lady Yuan suddenly felt that her continuing to kneel was excessive! That group of three really worked well together. With her kneeling here, why was it like a fox spirit being raised by an old man?*
Just as she realized that she was a fox spirit, on the other side, the Emperor spoke up and said to Xuan Tian Ming: "This dish is quite good. Let's have the imperial kitchen make more later. When you go over, you can bring some for your imperial concubine mother. She will definitely like it. We remember that your imperial concubine mother liked eating these sorts of things made using vegetables grown in the wild while we were living in the mountains. In the coming year, once Spring comes around, if you two have a chance, just go into the mountains and take a stroll to bring some vegetables back."
Xuan Tian Ming nodded and did not say anything. It was Feng Yu Heng that spoke up: "Father Emperor need not worry. Once Spring comes around, and the fourth month is upon us, the vegetables in the mountains will begin to appear. At that time, even if His Highness does not have time, A-Heng will bring people to get some. Imperial Concubine Mother will also be told that this was given by Father Emperor. Imperial Concubine Mother will definitely be happy."
The Emperor was so happy that he could not stop smiling, as he wholeheartedly praised Feng Yu Heng for being understanding and being likable. The three sat in a circle and enjoyed a warm atmosphere. Zhang Yuan glanced at Noble Lady Yuan and moved to her side, asking her: "Noble Lady, you're still here. What are you waiting for that you're still kneeling here?"
Noble Lady Yuan recovered and fiercely glared at Zhang Yuan. She then kowtowed toward the Emperor. Without a word, she stood up and quickly left the hall.
Outside Heavenly Hall, the servants that Xuan Tian Ming had brought into the palace were holding gifts while waiting there. Seeing Noble Lady Yuan come out, they saluted then quietly followed along behind her. In truth, Noble Lady Yuan really wanted to have all of these things thrown away, but after some thought, they were given to her by her own son. She could not bring herself to throw them away and could only submit to the humiliation and accept them. But when she returned to her own palace and sat down, no matter how she thought about it, it all felt off. Looking at the things that were brought back from the South, she did not throw them away, but leaving them there would be an eyesore. Even if the thought of Fu Ya rushing to the South was in her mind, she still felt that it was difficult to swallow this anger.
Yue Xiu advised her: "Master, a person should remain calm. Either way, it will be the new year in just over ten days. His Highness the eighth prince is also on his way back to the capital. When His Highness returns, everything will be fine."
"Hmph." Noble Lady Yuan coldly snorted, "What sort of situation is it right now? I don't even dare send a letter for fear of something happening to it along the way. When the new year comes around, the Emperor will sanction the marriage between Mo'er and the Lu family's girl. When that time comes, the imperial order will come, and how can things be changed?"
"Master." Yue Xiu took a step forward and quietly said: "In the end, this marriage requires both people to be present for the Emperor to sanction it. It would not be good for you to make an appearance for His Highness and for Prime Minister Lu to make an appearance for the Lu family. If that was not the case, this matter would have been handled on that day at the hunting ground. That's why if this marriage is to be canceled or delayed, it needs to be handled from the top."
"How should it be handled?" Noble Lady Yuan frowned and said: "Mo'er is already on the way back. Could it be that we can tell him to go back? Moreover, it's not safe for us to be sending letters. Last time, the contents of the letter were changed. Now, who knows how many people are waiting to intercept it along the way?"
"Master." Yue Xiu gently tugged at her, "We don't necessarily need to set our sights on His Highness the eighth prince's side! Isn't there still the Lu family's young miss. How about we..."
*TN: No clue what this is a reference to or what it means. The term fox spirit usually describes a seductive or beautiful woman. In "Investiture of the Gods" a fox spirit is sent to bring ruin to a king and his dynasty by seducing him.
Threats From Noble Lady Yuan
Yue Xiu gave Noble Lady Yuan an idea. It would be better to think of a way to prevent the Lu family's young miss from entering the palace during the new year, or simply make it so she could not leave her home. If the Emperor could not see her, this marriage would naturally not be easy to sanction. Either way, each day that it could delay was good.
Noble Lady Yuan felt that this was a very good idea. She thought about it and came up with some additional ideas: "It would be best if the Lu family's young miss falls ill and does not come. With a severe illness to hold her back that can't be treated. This sort of sick person is naturally not suited to being with a prince. Either way, after the new year, Mo'er will be heading back to the South within one month, at the latest. This marriage will also be forgotten about by that time." As she spoke, the corners of her lips curled up, finally revealing a smile. This smile was dark and sinister, and even the corners of her eyes perked up. "Let's go!" Noble Lady Yuan stood up once more, "Let's go and see Her Highness the Empress. While the day is still not too late, let's go and chat with Her Highness the Empress for a while."
Noble Lady Yuan brought palace servant Yue Xiu over toward Jing Ci Palace. While walking, Yue Xiu sighed, "It's good that the Emperor only demoted master's status and did not constrict your movements like with Noble Lady Li. This is already some great fortune that can be found in the misfortune; otherwise, even our movements would be restricted, and our days would be even more unfortunate."
She just had to mention Noble Lady Li, and Noble Lady Yuan snorted coldly, "Who could be as stupid as her? For over a decade, she doesn't harm anyone. She did it once and ended up getting caught. Even when she was caught, she did not know how to try and absolve herself of guilt. Instead, she just kept on piling up the crimes on her own head. Being demoted and confined really was being let off lightly."
"I heard that Imperial Daughter Ji An had asked for her forgiveness."
"Then it's even more dangerous." Feng Yu Heng's shadow appeared in front of Noble Lady Yuan's eyes once more, and this caused her teeth to itch with anger. "That Imperial Daughter Ji An has never had a good heart. To plead for her forgiveness once, who knows when she will try to get something back for it. Don't assume that that girl's goodwill is that easy to repay."
The two walked straight to Jing Ci Palace. When they arrived, the sky was darker, and night was coming. Fang Yi was presently standing in the entrance to the bedchamber and had just received an edible bird nest from a palace servant. Looking up, she saw Noble Lady Yuan walking in her direction, and a feeling of irritation immediately sprung forth. But in the end, she was a servant, and the other side was a master. She still needed to be thorough with her manners, thus she saluted to Noble Lady Yuan and said: "Does Noble Lady Yuan have a matter for coming to Jing Ci Palace at this time? Her Highness is not feeling too well and has already gone to rest. She informed this servant that she would not be seeing guests. If noble lady does not have any pressing matters, please come and pay respects tomorrow."
Yue Xiu glanced at Noble Lady Yuan and saw that she had no intention of leaving. She knew that they would definitely need to see the Empress, thus she quickly spoke up: "May we trouble Aunty Fang Yi with passing along a message. Our master really has a matter and wishes to meet with Her Highness the Empress. I fear that waiting until tomorrow would be too late!"
Fang Yi was puzzled, "What matter could be so urgent?"
Yue Xiu did not say, only saying: "Could we trouble aunty with passing along this message. As for whether or not she will see us, we trust that Her Highness will be decisive." The meaning of these words was whether or not they would be seen would all depend on the Empress. Fang Yi, you're just responsible for delivering this message, but if you can't even do something like reporting this message, you have lost your worth.
How could Fang Yi be unable to understand that. Without saying anything, she slightly shook her head then entered the bedchamber. There were many imperial concubines in the palace, and because the Emperor did not enter the inner palace over the years, it was inevitable that these imperial concubines would feel grief in their hearts. There were even some that could no longer be described using the word grief. Instead, the word twisted should be used. Once the master became twisted, the maidservants at her side would also become less normal. The palace servant of a lowly noble lady dared to speak like this to the head palace maid of the Empress. She really was lacking in discipline.
Fang Yi held in her anger but still went to report to the Empress. The Empress, however, did not mind Noble Lady Yuan's matter and asked Fang Yi: "Who was it that caused you to be in this foul mood?"
Fang Yi repeated what Yue Xiu had said and saw the Empress' expression sink, as she angrily said: "They really are becoming more and more outrageous. If this inner palace isn't tidied up soon, those people will all be dying!" After saying this, she waved her hand, "Call Noble Lady Yuan in. This One wants to hear what sort of unbelievable thing had to be brought over at this time. If it is not as urgent as she says, this One will definitely cause a fuss over it with her."
With the Empress having spoken, Fang Yi could only invite the two inside the bedchamber. Noble Lady Yuan led Yue Xiu in kowtowing and saluting; however, they did not hear the Empress call for them to rise for a long time. The two kneeled until their feet began to feel numb. Finally, Yue Xiu could no longer endure and raised her head to take a glance, but she ended up seeing the Empress leaning back in bed with her eyes closed. It looked as if she was sleeping. She could not help but gently clear her throat as a reminder.
But this gentle clearing of the throat nearly cost her half of her life!
The Empress opened her eyes upon hearing this and furrowed her brows, a furious expression appearing on her face. Fang Yi angrily scolded Yue Xiu: "You scoundrel, Her Highness the Empress was lightly sleeping, and even His Majesty has said that Her Highness is not feeling very well and must not be disturbed by anyone. You, a lowly noble lady's servant, actually dares to deliberately wake the Empress?"
Yue Xiu trembled and knew that she had indeed overstepped her bounds, thus she quickly kowtowed and begged for forgiveness. Who knew that the usually kind Empress did not want to forgive her and immediately gave the order: "Take her away and punish her by caning her ten times."
Being caned ten times did not sound like much, but it would still result in the flesh being split open. Noble Lady Yuan was extremely shocked to hear these words and wanted to open her mouth to plead for forgiveness; however, she saw that two sturdy eunuchs had already appeared from nowhere and dragged Yue Xiu out of the bedchamber. Allowing Yue Xiu to cry as she pleased, the doors were closed, and the main master inside was quite indifferent.
Very quickly, the "whacking" sounds began to fill the air, and Noble Lady Yuan's heart was tugged with each strike. The look that she shot toward the Empress now contained a bit of resentment.
The Empress finally sat up straight and asked her: "What did you come to see this One for? Apparently, it was a matter that was so urgent that it had to be brought up today. Then this One must hear what is so urgent. If you can't say it clearly, this One will not let you off easy."
Noble Lady Yuan's teeth itched with hatred; however, the other side was the Empress, and she was currently no more than a lowly noble lady. The disparity in status was too great, and it had already created a feeling of powerlessness. Finally managing to calm herself down, Yue Xiu's punishment by cane outside had come to an end, as a palace servant entered to report that she had already fainted, but she was still full of life. The Empress had someone carry her back, and Noble Lady Yuan finally let out a sigh of relief.
When the palace servant left, she opened her mouth and said: "Your Highness the Empress, this concubine truly had no other choice today but to be shameless and come beg Your Highness."
"Oh?" The Empress was puzzled, "Beg this One? Then do speak, what is the matter?"
Noble Lady Yuan glanced at Fang Yi and saw that she did not have any intention of leaving, thus she did not press that issue, only saying: "It's almost about to be the new year, and His Majesty had spoken about sanctioning a marriage for His Highness the eighth prince and the Lu family's young miss. This concubine ventures to beg Your Highness, is it possible to get rid of this engagement?"
"What?" The Empress was puzzled, "The Emperor's imperial direction for the marriage was voiced in front of so many people. How can it be canceled? Noble Lady Yuan, this One thinks you must be muddled, right?"
Noble Lady Yuan looked at her but shook her head, "No, this concubine is not muddled. This concubine just hopes that this marriage can be canceled. Also, this concubine also knows that as long as Your Highness is willing to help, this matter can definitely happen."
"Why would this One help you?" The Empress became furious, "Noble Lady Yuan, each person has their own life. You have already given birth to a prince, but this One has nothing. Whoever wants to fight for the throne can fight for the throne. This One can do nothing about it and wants to do nothing about it."
"Although Your Highness is without a child, as the one in the central palace, all of the princes venerate you as the first wife. In the future, regardless of which prince ascends the throne, you would be the undisputed Empress Dowager, yet you say that this is all unrelated to you?" Noble Lady Yuan stared closely at the Empress and did not relent in the slightest, "You clearly know that this marriage between His Highness the eighth prince and the Lu family was the result of some secret meddling. This concubine has come to you to plead, yet you really don't plan to do anything about it?"
The Empress became furious once more: "What do you mean by this One knows? What does this One know? This One only knows that the Emperor has agreed to this marriage. This One only knows that this is like a nail hammered into wood. It cannot be changed. Noble Lady Yuan, this One has no intention of following up on you disturbing me. Please go back."
"This concubine cannot leave." Noble Lady Yuan's attitude was very resolute, "This concubine came today with the thought that this goal must be accomplished. My personal servant has already been beaten by Jing Ci Palace. Why is Your Highness sending this concubine back so rashly?" While she spoke, she shook her head, "No, this concubine cannot leave like this. Leaving would mean having come for nothing, and Your Highness will definitely regret it."
"What?" The Empress did not understand and practically thought that Noble Lady Yuan had gone crazy, "This One would regret it? What is there for this One to regret?"
"Your Highness!" Noble Lady Yuan suddenly raised her voice and leaned her body forward, "Your Highness must not speak so resolutely, nor should you refuse this concubine too frankly. You need to think hard and think carefully. Think about all of those things that other people do not know about from beginning to end. After you finish thinking about it, consider whether or not you will help this concubine. Or perhaps, simply have this concubine killed to silence the witness?"
"You..." Suddenly, the Empress was rendered speechless by Noble Lady Yuan. She stared at Noble Lady Yuan with her eyes slightly squinted, trying to get some sort of information from Noble Lady Yuan's eyes. Unfortunately, Noble Lady Yuan slyly looked back at her, and neither was willing to cede. In the end, the Empress could not determine anything and could only take the initiative to say: "This One does not understand what you're saying."
"Does Your Highness really not understand?" Noble Lady Yuan suddenly smiled. It was as if she had heard the funniest joke in the world, as she reminded the Empress once more: "Your Highness has already said that you have no children; however, this concubine's son is stationed at the border as a general. Say, does this concubine have a better information network or does Your Highness? Your Highness, there are some things that you have kept inside your heart for many years, unwilling to tell anyone, but this concubine does not believe that it is not uncomfortable for you to hold it in. Of course, this sort of thing is also something that cannot be talked about. As long as you still want to steadily remain in this position, it would need to remain a secret forever. You are able to keep it a secret, but what about others? For example, for this concubine, His Highness the eighth prince's marriage is a depressing matter, and it has already become a problem. If you still aren't willing to help, it's hard to say if this concubine will accidentally let it out when His Majesty sanctions in the marriage out of shock. Your Highness, if everyone found out about this matter, the outcome..."
"Enough!" The Empress suddenly waved her arm, as the bowl of bird nest that was on the little table next to the bed was flicked onto the ground. The bowl shattered into numerous pieces, and the excellent supplement was scattered on the cold ground. The sight of this caused people's heart to tremble. Who knew how long had passed, as Noble Lady Yuan wondered, the Empress should not be preparing to engage in a life-and-death struggle, right? At this time, however, she heard the Empress say: "Go back for now. Allow this One to think about this matter for a while."
Return Life to "Him"
Noble Lady Yuan left with a smile on her face. Ever since she had been demoted to the position of Noble Lady, this was the first time that she had smiled so pleasantly.
Yue Xiu walked at Noble Lady Yuan's side and quietly asked: "Master, will Her Highness the Empress really help us?" She was a bit worried. The Empress just had a very angry appearance, and she did not know what her master had done to anger the Empress. Although the Empress ended up agreeing, it was done unwillingly and reluctantly. No matter what, it looked unsettling.
Noble Lady Yuan heard her question and coldly snorted. She then said with a tone that was full of readiness: "She will. How can she not help. As long as I have that handle, no matter how angry she is, she will help."
In the end, Yue Xiu did not know what this handle was, but she did not dare ask because anything that Noble Lady Yuan wanted to tell her about, she would take the initiative to speak about. That this sort of thing was not told to her meant that Noble Lady Yuan did not wish to reveal it. It was related to the Empress, thus Yue Xiu thought that it would be better to not know. But in the end, she was still a bit worried, "Will the Empress..."
"Kill us to silence us?" Noble Lady Yuan giggled, "She doesn't dare because she doesn't know how many people I've told; however, she's also very clear that it was Mo'er that told this One. It's easy for her to kill me, but she will suffer from retaliation from Mo'er. She has not prepared herself to fight to the death."
Noble Lady Yuan left feeling very pleased with herself. Inside Jing Ci Palace, the Empress' anger had not dissipated, as her hands were still clenched. Fang Yi had someone come in to clean up the shattered bowl and bird nest. She then closed the door and turned to quietly ask the Empress: "What she is speaking of, is it really that matter?"
The Empress' fists were clenched tightly, and her voice had changed when she spoke, "Aside from that matter, what else would allow her to feel so secure and come in here to threaten this One?"
"But how did Noble Lady Yuan find out?" Fang Yi was completely puzzled, "How could that matter have spread? Inside the palace, aside from Your Highness and this servant, even the Cheng family's young misses don't know about it?" Just as she said this, she suddenly stopped the dropped to her knees in front of the Empress, "Your Highness, it was not this servant that spread it. This servant swears on her life that I have never said it to anyone. Your Highness must believe this servant!"
The Empress looked at Fang Yi and was stunned then quickly said: "What are you doing? Quickly get up. No matter whom this One suspects, it would not be you! Get up!" She gently raised her hand and slightly helped Fang Yi up. When Fang Yi stood up, she continued: "This matter is said to be a secret, but in truth, there isn't a single wall that doesn't leak. This One's family is also not a snug fit. As long as there is someone that wishes to know, there is nothing that can't be found out."
Fang Yi calmed down and thought carefully but still furrowed her brow: "If it really was leaked from that side, this matter would not be easy to handle. If it's just Noble Lady Yuan, it's fine, but if it gets spread to someone else's ears, the palace will not be peaceful!"
"Hmph!" The Empress snorted coldly, "When has this palace ever been peaceful. Noble Lady Yuan finding out must have been from the eighth prince. Now that they have this information, them coming to threaten us once has reminded this One. If they will do it once, there will be a second and third time. Who knows what they will come to ask for in the future."
"Then imperial concubine should simply not help them. Just Noble Lady Yuan, we don't even care about her." Fang Yi's expression revealed some hatred. It was clear that she already intended to refuse.
The Empress shook her head, "Forget it, it's just a marriage. It's not something big. If this One wants to help her out, it will not be particularly difficult. As for the future... we can't just tolerate her doing this repeatedly. If she wants to use this to coerce this One, she will not be able to. In the worst-case scenario, we will just fight to the death. This One has been seated on this boat for long enough. In the first half of my life, there wasn't much movement from that side, and we had a peaceful time, but now, I fear that if Noble Lady Yuan does not use this matter to cause a stir, he will come searching in the palace. This One does not want to be one of his chess pieces. I did not want to in the past, and I want to even less now. But there's nothing that can be done. This is this One's fate. From the day of my birth, it was already determined, and it could not be avoided nor hidden from. Unless this life is forfeited and given back to him. Fang Yi, say, if there is a day when we can no longer hold on, just give this life back to him. How about it?"
The Empress' words caused Fang Yi to feel emotional. In an instant, the head palace maid seemed to have aged by over ten years, immediately losing her strength. She even dropped to the side of the bed that the Empress was seated on. Sighing bitterly, she only spoke after a long time: "Alright, when the day comes that we can no longer hold on, life will be given back to him."
Feng Yu Heng and Xuan Tian Ming remained in Winter Moon Palace until the palace's main gates were about to close. Xuan Tian Ming had not returned for a few months and naturally could not send Feng Yu Heng back to the imperial daughter's manor, thus the young girl was successfully led back to the Yu Palace. Upon setting foot inside, a warm welcome could be felt from Lady Zhou.
Xuan Tian Ming returned to the palace, and the entirety of the Yu Palace was even happier than if they were celebrating the new year. While Lady Zhou led them inside, she said to them: "We were worried that Your Highness would not be able to return before the new year. This old one was thinking that if Your Highness really was delayed along the way, this old one would bring the chef and guards toward the South to meet up. Wherever we met up, it would be fine, and we would celebrate the new year in that location."
Xuan Tian Ming helplessly said: "How could it be that exaggerated. This prince said that I would definitely be back before the end of the year. When have my words ever been empty."
Feng Yu Heng, however, was fully in agreement with what Lady Zhou said and told Xuan Tian Ming: "In truth, I was also thinking this way. If you could not get back before the end of the year, I would not remain in the capital and would have gone with Lady Zhou toward the South to look for you."
Bai Ze was following in the back and said: "What is this? Traveling a thousand li to find your husband?"
Feng Yu Heng rolled her eyes at him and did not speak; however, this could also be considered a tacit approval. This caused Xuan Tian Ming to cover his mouth and laugh, feeling that this girl was becoming more and more interesting. He liked teasing her more and more. Unfortunately, the days that the two could spend together were always short. Running into the Emperor's current age and running into Da Shun's current situation, even if he wanted to stop and spend time with her, the burden on his shoulders was so heavy that he could not catch a breath.
The two had eaten their meal in the imperial palace, thus the servants of the palace only prepared a bath for when they returned. Xuan Tian Ming saw that a large screen divided two different baths and helplessly said to Feng Yu Heng: "Let's go get washed up in the space. This prince truly has been missing that place greatly over the past few months."
Feng Yu Heng smiled and thought to herself that this was what it meant when people said that it was easy to go from frugality to extravagance but difficult to go from extravagance to frugality! Becoming accustomed to the bathing implements of the 21st century, to then have Xuan Tian Ming go back to using these inconvenient wooden buckets for water, it was natural that he would think it was no good. Thus she grabbed his hand and moved her right hand to the phoenix-shaped birthmark on her left wrist. Their bodies disappeared, and they instantly entered the pharmacy's space.
Inside the space, they washed up and bathed then found some snacks to eat. Xuan Tian Ming felt that the things that Feng Yu Heng had here were all delicious; however, Feng Yu Heng had already gotten sick of eating them. When the two exited, it was later in the night. The two lay in bed and were unable to sleep for a while. Xuan Tian Ming said to Feng Yu Heng: "After the new year, I will need to go South once more. Sending the princess of Gu Shu back to the South, Gu Shu's attitude was quite entertaining. They don't acknowledge our Da Shun's court; however, they do acknowledge the little court that old eighth has established. They even feel that the new policies enacted by old eighth are truly great for the development of the desert countries. They want to help put old eighth on Da Shun's throne, and it can no longer be stopped."
Feng Yu Heng was confused and asked him: "Are the eighth prince's policies actually good?"
Xuan Tian Ming shrugged and laughed, "Those were policies specifically created for Gu Shu, and they made countless things easier for Gu Shu. It's natural that they would say it's good. But to Da Shun, they are extremely harmful and without any benefits. I know old eighth's intentions. He is placating Gu Shu's army and people to have them place him on Da Shun's throne, but once he has taken the position, those policies will be the first to go. Gu Shu will not be able to get even the slightest bit of benefit. In the end, he is using Gu Shu and the other small countries in the desert to compete for the throne, and he is putting on a good show to make them believe him."
"Based on what I know, there are many small countries in the desert. Could it be that all of the small countries are supporting the eighth prince? Gu Shu's view is no different?"
Xuan Tian Ming nodded, "This is where small countries are different from us. Over there, an imperial daughter is an existence that has no superior. With just a few words from the imperial daughter, there will definitely be no arguments from below. It's unlike Da Shun, where there is at least a court, and there are at least two sides to each argument. As for reports to the Emperor, there will at least be some discussion from the court. On my trip to the South, there was a clear feeling of them preparing to make a move. In the contents of a report from spies, there are already ten small countries that have teamed up, Gu Shu included. Being urged by old eighth, they have decided to launch a test offensive against Da Shun after the new year. Old eighth also promised that as long as he can successfully ascend the throne, Lan Zhou and Shu Province will both be given to Gu Shu as repayment."
Feng Yu Heng frowned from listening to this. Was this not selling the country for help? Selling Da Shun's territory to obtain the throne, was the eighth prince not afraid that his position would not be stable? "Test offensive, what are they testing?" She asked Xuan Tian Ming, "Is it how fierce Da Shun's attack will be? Using this, they will decide whether or not they will support the eighth prince?"
"That's right." Xuan Tian Ming snorted coldly, "For the sake of allowing them to successfully launch their offensive, old eighth will definitely mingle in the group and collaborate with them to make their offensive even more successful and make suppressing them even harder for me."
"And once Da Shun has been suppressed, the eighth prince will make an appearance at that time and use his strength to strike at the ten desert countries and steal this contribution." Feng Yu Heng faintly stated. At the same time, she was extremely puzzled by these actions, "Could it be that they all believe that as long as he assumes the throne, they will have reached the pinnacle for this era? After that, they will no longer need to be governed, no longer need to make decisions on reports to the Emperor and no longer need to attend court in the mornings? That being an emperor is just about eating, drinking and playing around? Why does everyone want to be the emperor? As I see it, the most difficult job is that of emperor. Not only must they bear the burden of the world, but they are also tied up by the country for half of their life. Not only are they tied up, but their children will also be tied up. Then, when they reach their waning years, their sons will continue the struggle and kill each other for the throne. To watch their own children fight to the death, does the person on the throne not feel hurt?" Feng Yu Heng held Xuan Tian Ming's forearm and said in a serious tone: "I don't want to be tied down by the country. Xuan Tian Ming, if your brothers were a bit more competent, and the country would not fall to ruin in their hands, I really want to advise you to give up on all of this. Unfortunately, I can't. With them shouldering this country, not to mention you, but even I am uneasy..."
Love the Country, Love Freedom More
The young girl slept in Xuan Tian Ming's embrace; however, the person that lay awake had his sleepiness chased away by what she had just said. Holding the little person in his embrace, he pondered over her words; however, a bitter smile appeared on his face in the end.
Was this country good? Was the throne good? Did he want it? He had never wanted it! He, Xuan Tian Ming, from a young age had never wanted to become an emperor. Ever since he became conscious of his actions, ever since he had realized that he was a prince, he had never thought of receiving the heavy responsibility of the country from his Father Emperor. His aspirations lay in the world; however, it did not lie with assuming the throne and overlooking the world and governing it. Instead, it was to bring this girl around the world and give her absolute freedom.
In the end, he was Imperial Concubine Yun's child, and he also had that love for freedom that Imperial Concubine Yun had many years ago. But at the same time, he was also the Emperor's son, and he also had the innate feelings of a ruler. Over the years, he had suppressed his desire for freedom and put forth all of his might to help the Emperor take care of this country. Loving all of the citizens in the country, and everyone knew that of the Emperor's many children, the ninth prince was the one that the Emperor favored the most. In the future, the one that was most likely to assume the throne would also be the ninth prince; however, there were no people that knew that none of this was what the ninth prince truly desired...
The next day at dawn, Xuan Tian Ming got up early to attend court. After the 23rd day of the 12th month, Da Shun's court would be closed. All matters from before the end of the year would be taken care of during this time. Even for Xuan Tian Ming, who had just returned to the capital, he would not get a single day's rest.
There was nothing for Feng Yu Heng to do, as she continued to sleep for a while after Xuan Tian Ming left. When she woke up, Lady Zhou told her that Xuan Tian Ming had left a message that told her to wait in the palace. When court was dismissed, the two would go to the Lu manor together and deliver the gift that the eighth prince had entrusted him to Lu Yan.
Feng Yu Heng felt that it was entertaining, as the eighth prince had taken it seriously and listened to Noble Lady Yuan's words, telling him to marry Lu Yan. He had even prepared some gifts for the new year. This sort of child that listened to his mother also had the ambition to usurp the throne. Who knew exactly where he landed between childish and mature. Or perhaps, in the eighth prince's mind, Noble Lady Yuan had a very good understanding of the situation in court, such that he felt that marrying the Lu family's young miss was the right decision. After all, Lu Song was still the left prime minister. He, the eighth prince, was famous in the South; however, he had a great shortcoming when it came to knowledge to the court and the power of government officials.
She peacefully sat in the palace for the entire morning until Xuan Tian Ming finally returned from court at noon. The two ate lunch then brought the new year's gift that the eighth prince had prepared over to the Lu family. There did not look to be many gifts, and Xuan Tian Ming said to have them placed in a chest to make it easier to move around. That way, they would not need a large number of servants and make it a rowdy procession. As a result, they ended up filling two chests, which caused Feng Yu Heng to sigh over the eighth prince's sincerity.
Xuan Tian Ming, however, laughed and told her: "This prince also bought quite a few nice things from the South for you. Later on, I'll carry them to the imperial daughter's manor for you."
The two chatted and laughed as they arrived at the Lu family's residence. Lu Song had also just returned from court not too long earlier. Upon seeing that Xuan Tian Ming and Feng Yu Heng had personally come to visit, he was quite frightened. He thought that something had happened, as the entire family kneeled in horror to salute. Lu Song truly could not endure and asked: "Your Highness, Imperial Daughter, suddenly coming to visit, is something the matter?"
Xuan Tian Ming nodded and waved his hand. The servants carried in two chests, and he finally said to Lu Song: "Coming back from the South this time, this prince left first. Coming back to the capital first, His Highness the eighth prince asked this prince to bring some things back to be sent to Young Miss Lu." After saying this, he pointed at the two chests and continued: "The majority are some accessories and clothes. In the South, they are considered good things. Prime Minister Lu, have the young miss accept them!"
Lu Song was startled. He never thought that Xuan Tian Ming had come to help the eighth prince deliver a gift, and he was even more surprised that the eighth prince had really prepared some gifts from the South for Lu Yan. He originally thought that Xuan Tian Ming and Feng Yu Heng had come looking to stir up some trouble. For it to suddenly become a good thing, he was a little unable to recover.
It was his wife, Ge shi, who gave him a tug then spoke up, saying with a smile: "Many thanks Your Highness the ninth prince and Imperial Daughter for specially coming." She then turned around and pulled Lu Yan forward, saying: "This is the one that was allowed to become engaged to His Highness the eighth prince thanks to His Majesty and the noble lady. Her name is Lu Yan. Yan'er, quickly greet His Highness and Imperial Daughter!"
Lu Yan quickly bowed and respectfully saluted to Xuan Tian Ming and Feng Yu Heng. While saluting, her gaze drifted unconsciously over to the two chests. The chests still had not been opened, but she had just seen that the servants carrying them in had used quite a bit of strength. Thinking about it, there were definitely quite a few heavy objects inside, and she could not help but smile. Her mood had improved once more, "Yan'er thanks Your Highness for bringing these things back from so far away. Yan'er will definitely keep this grace in mind."
Xuan Tian Ming waved his hand: "It just happened to be on the way. It can't be considered a grace. Young Miss Lu must not speak like this. Quickly go and take a look at the gifts." After saying this, he pulled Feng Yu Heng to the side and said to Lu Song: "This prince has already delivered the items and will not stay any longer. Prime Minister Lu's opinion in court on the subject of the situation in the South really was unique. This prince wishes to ask for some advice about it at a later time."
Once these words came out, Lu Song shuddered. Today in court, the matter relating to the South that he spoke of had all been in line with what the eighth prince had said. Now, the ninth prince had come and said this sort of thing. What exactly did this mean? He raised his hand and wiped away some sweat, repeatedly saying: "I don't dare, I don't dare. This lowly official had a misconception."
However, Feng Yu Heng giggled from the side, "Misconception? Lord left prime minister really knows how to joke. Do you know what misconception means? A misconception is an absurd and mistaken opinion. But in court, a place that is solemn and dignified, every word that an official says is an analysis of the country. To be responsible to the Emperor and the country, not to mention every word being accurate and unassailable, but it must only be said after some deep thought. And for the words of lord left prime minister himself to be misconceptions, your conduct is... deceiving the ruler?"
Lu Song trembled, and his legs gave out. With a "thunk" sound, he kneeled. With him kneeling, everyone in the Lu manor also kneeled. Lu Song then said: "Imperial Daughter, please understand, this official did not mean it in that way. It really is not the intended meaning!" He then looked toward Xuan Tian Ming and said: "This official suddenly became panicked about Your Highness wanting to ask this official for advice, thus... did not pay attention to my words and allowed Your Highness and Imperial Daughter to misunderstand."
Xuan Tian Ming looked at him coldly but did not say anything further. He just said: "Prime Minister Lu, there's no need to explain too much. Imperial Daughter was just telling a joke."
Lu Song's heart trembled, a joke? She had said that he had deceived the ruler! Was this something that could be joked about? But he did not dare argue with Feng Yu Heng. First, he understood himself and knew that he could not argue with her. Second, he had indeed made a bad choice in his wording. How did he end up using the word misconception? It was no wonder so many people in court said that the ninth prince would give off a kind of pressure. Often, in just a few words, people would be completely thrown off. Today, he had ended up saying "misconception." It seems that what was said was not fake!
Lu Song awkwardly and nervously stood in place. It was the madam, Ge shi, that was the first to recover and say: "Your Highness, Imperial Daughter, please come inside for some tea."
With her speaking up, Lu Song also invited them inside; however, Xuan Tian Ming shook his head, "This prince and Imperial Daughter have another matter to attend to and will not be staying. We will be taking our leave."
Put plainly, Xuan Tian Ming taking his leave allowed everyone in the Lu family to let out a sigh of relief. Only after they were sent out of the manor and had gone far away in their imperial carriage did Lu Song wipe away the sweat that had come out on this cold winter day. Bringing his madam and daughter back into the manor, he turned around and ordered for the manor's gates to be closed. Only then did he feel at ease.
Ge shi sighed and helped Lu Song while shouting: "Husband really has been troubled."
Lu Song waved his hand and helplessly said: "It's exactly as they say, being near the ruler is like being near a tiger. For the officials in court, which day is not spent on edge."
Ge shi then continued: "As I see it, His Highness the ninth prince is considered polite. The cunning one is Imperial Daughter Ji An. As long as she speaks up, even a bone could be picked from an egg. Husband saying misconception earlier was nothing more than some words of courtesy, but she ended up hearing that sort of thing from her own logic. To deal with this sort of person is really more frightening than being near a tiger!" As she spoke, she became curious, "It must be said that Imperial Daughter Ji An's personality really is hard to figure out. During the Winter Hunt, it looked as if she was helping our Lu family, but why was it that today..."
Lu Song sighed and said: "How could we figure out that girl's intentions. As I see it, during the Winter Hunt, she might not have been doing it to help us. The marriage between Yan'er and His Highness the eighth prince was already strange. What exactly is going on with it, we still do not know."
Lu Yan listened to her parents' conversation but was very disapproving: "Who cares what she's thinking. Who cares what exactly is going on. Either way, the marriage between daughter and His Highness the eighth prince was personally agreed to by His Majesty. Could there be a lie that comes from His Majesty's mouth? Was this not the outcome that father had been hoping for from the beginning?"
Ge shi also said: "Yan'er is right. Getting her engaged to His Highness the eighth prince was originally what we had planned. This marriage was personally sanctioned by His Majesty. We are also a prime minister's manor, and Yan'er is the daughter of the first wife. The position of official princess cannot be avoided. At present, regardless of the situation, our goal has been accomplished. What follows now is to see if His Highness the eighth prince is competent or not. Husband also needs to do everything possible to support him. Only by allowing His Highness the eighth prince to assume the throne can our Lu family truly feel proud and elated."
Lu Song nodded, "Wife is right. Since we have already come this far, we can only grit our teeth and continue down this path. Right or wrong, success or failure, it will be decided in these few years. Even if His Highness the eighth prince's momentum is not as great as His Highness the ninth prince's, we need to think of a way to help him turn things around."
Hearing Lu Song say this, Lu Yan's heart was filled with joy, as she happily went to look at the two chests filled with gifts; however, Lu Song saw the joyous expression on his daughter's face and felt a slight unease. Was this matter not going too smoothly? It was so smooth that he felt it was not realistic!
Just as he was thinking about it, the sound of someone knocking at the gates came. The housekeeper went to take a look and spoke with the person that had come. After a while, a look of shock quickly appeared on his face, as he quickly ran over and urgently said: "Master, Her Highness the Empress sent someone to deliver something to the third young miss..."