Chapter 285: Chapter 285: I Advise Cousin to Watch His Tone When Speaking to Me
Ji Shimin simply couldn’t find any reason to argue back at Shen Hua and could only leave with a sullen face.
As soon as she left, Cui Yun and Xie Xun also had to enter the hunting ground.
Cui Yun glanced over at Shen Hua, who was humming a tune and reveling in self-satisfaction, and he coldly stood to one side: "Don’t stir up any more trouble."
Xie Xun: "It’s just some harmless words. I actually think it’s fine for a girl to be a bit mischievous."
Shen Hua took dainty steps, glanced at Xie Xun, and then looked back at Cui Yun. She stretched out a thumb and poked Cui Yun’s arm.
"Look at you."
"Compared to what’s been said, your words aren’t very pleasant."
Cui Yun twitched the corner of his mouth: "If you don’t restrain yourself, you might just fly up to the heavens."
"The Princely Heir Xie does have a sister, so he wishes for Lady Xie to be more courageous. If Lady Xie were like you, do you think he could still say such things?"
"What about me being like this?"
Shen Hua frowned: "I advise my cousin to speak to me more politely."
After all, she has a real brother!
Cui Yun’s expression turned cool, and after a moment, he scoffed softly.
When Ji Shimin entered the tent, she was so upset that she flipped over and smashed a vase inside.
"Princess, calm your anger."
Amidst the chaos on the ground, Ji Shimin tried to steady her rapid breathing, her cheeks twisted with emotion; yet, she felt far from placated.
How could she stand being toyed with by a girl of such lowly status?
"Go investigate her for me!"
"Yes."
The palace maid complied, but it wasn’t long before someone came inside.
"You’re outside now; try to cause less trouble."
Empress Zou was a paragon of grace. With every step she took, she exuded dignity and splendid elegance. As she approached, Ji Shimin’s expression turned to frustration.
"Mother!"
"Enough!"
Empress Zou: "You’ve been sick all these years, so I couldn’t take up the duty of education, leaving your thoughts rather shallow. No wonder your Father Emperor favored Ji Shiyue over you in the past."
Is now really the time to worry about Shen Hua?
Didn’t they see that Cui Yun and Xie Xun were both protecting her at that time?
If there’s really time to spare, getting along harmoniously with Xie Yinong is the right thing to do.
Upon hearing Empress Zou mention the Third Princess Ji Shiyue, Ji Shimin’s face looked increasingly ugly.
Back then, as long as Ji Shiyue was present, she could easily steal all the attention that lingered on Ji Shimin.
"She’s been married off far away, how could she still surpass me?"
Empress Zou closed her eyes: "Don’t ever say such things again. If we could go back, your Father Emperor would definitely have kept her and sent you off for marriage instead."
Year after year, every Mid-Autumn Festival, Emperor He would ask multiple times if there was any letter from Ji Shiyue.
"Last night, your Father Emperor again spent the night in Princess Consort Jing’s tent."
"Watching the Fourth Prince’s growing influence, yet your royal brother is still left out in the cold."
"This time, Ji Ge brought Le Jia with him, and your Father Emperor’s attitude towards her improved a lot; he personally allowed her to accompany him on this hunt. In the past, how many kind faces would your Father Emperor have shown him?"
But the more things are this way, the more agonizing their days become.
Everyone says that the late Consort Shao lost utterly and completely. But as the mother of a nation, how could she ever win?
Ji Shimin’s breathing hitched.
"Do you know why your Father Emperor, not having a proper reason, has been hesitant to issue the imperial decree for marriage?"
Empress Zou went to sit in the round chair, and soon, a palace maid quietly cleaned up the porcelain pieces on the ground, while someone else offered a hot cup of tea.
She didn’t take it and just looked at Ji Shimin.
Her eyes were empty and hollow.
She didn’t expect Ji Shimin to answer; in two breaths, she spoke.
"After the affair with Prince Zhou’s family, criticisms were already lingering. Afterwards, your brother admired Second Miss Wen, and your father, the Emperor, intended to suppress the Yongchang Marquis Mansion."
"At that time, it was an autumn fraught with incidents. The war in the Northwest hadn’t settled, and Hengzhou, the land of rice and water, suffered a severe drought, leaving countless victims."
Wen Yiran’s plea for death was denied, causing a great stir in Da Qi, and there were even those who said that Emperor He lacked the virtue to fit his position.
"Although your brother eventually broke off the engagement, the rumors continued to linger for a long time. How could your father, the Emperor, tolerate that?"
Emperor He intended to suppress the military generals, but how could there be peace in the world without them? If one did not want Da Qi to fall into chaos, could they do without the generals?
Years later, Emperor He’s power began to dissipate. There were even local magistrates bribed and corrupted acting like local tyrants.
That’s when the Marquis Yangling Mansion once again came into the public’s view.
Everyone said that Emperor He was unwilling to let the talents of the Cui Family lay hidden like pearls in the dust, and despite the opposition of senior officials, he handed over the position of Minister of the Ministry of Justice, a third-grade official post, just like that.
But, is it really so?
Emperor He clearly needed a dagger sharp enough.
And Cui Yun, with his special identity, was the most suitable candidate, plus, such favor for the promotion would make Cui Yun even more dedicated and grateful to Emperor He.
If not for this, why would he heavily rely on Cui Yun?
That’s how emperors are, all praises when they need you, but once they don’t, who knows what the consequences will be.
"Now, the powers within the court are intricately interconnected, and your father, the Emperor, has grown old. He cultivates his confidants, all for the sake of balance. The older a person gets, the more afraid they are of losing, hence, he suppresses your brother and does not allow the Fourth Prince Faction to become complacent."
"Later, due to various factors, Wen Yiran was once again granted marriage to Xuan Chen."
Did Emperor He realize his mistake?
No, it was all for his own desires and interests.
This act was indeed to save face, but coming from the Emperor, skillfully guided by him, it instead became a commendable move.
After such an event, how could Emperor He dare to casually grant marriages to the court officials again?
"You spend time sulking at home, but it would be better to take this opportunity to converse more with Miss Xie."
Empress Zou: "I know that letting you do this is beneath your status, but indeed, Xie Xun is a fine match. Even if he cannot enter the court as an official after becoming Prince Consort, he can still be a strong support to your brother."
"Your father has not yet assigned him an official post. Firstly, he doesn’t know what position to give, secondly, he’s still giving you a chance."
Leaning forward, she said: "My child, your glory is given by your father. He who gives can also take away. Only when your brother ascends to that position, can you hold an eternally unparalleled honor."
After sending away Empress Zou, Ji Shimin was utterly disordered.
She held a cup of hot tea, took a few sips, and only then a trace of warmth began to spread through her body.
At that moment, a palace maid rushed in from outside.
"Princess."
"I just instructed our people to keep an eye on that girl, and they found out something – last night at Half Moon Lake, Heir Xie took great care of her."
Ji Shimin suddenly stood up: "Really?"
"It should be true."
"What is she even worth?"
In no more than 15 minutes, a eunuch serving by Ji Shimin’s side, with his head bowed low and bulging sleeves, concealing something, walked briskly. Reaching Shen Hua’s tent, seeing that there was no one inside and nobody around, he quickly threw something inside.
Having done all this, he hurried away.
Yingwu, munching on a chicken leg, watched him leave.
She narrowed her eyes as she entered. On the ground, there was an added piece; a poisonous snake, still hibernating.
Its spots and speckles were vividly striking.
Ordinary girls would be frightened out of their wits upon seeing it. Wouldn’t Miss Shen, delicate as she was, be the same?
The look in Yingwu’s eyes turned sharp.