Chapter 237: Chapter 237: Her Precious! Rare! Mink!
The Crown Prince Faction and the Fourth Prince Faction have been openly and secretly antagonizing each other for years. Ji Wang was not willing to have Duke Fu’s Mansion form marital ties with the Eastern Palace.
And Ji Cong was the breakthrough point.
Xie Xun: "The secrets on Ji Cong’s person are indeed plentiful."
Amidst the noisy chattering around them, Cui Yun lifted the hem of her sleeve to pour tea.
"The Princely Heir is also a man who has fought and bled on the battlefield for many years, yet his actions are not ruthless enough."
Upon hearing this, Xie Xun chuckled lightly.
"What would you do if you were in my place?"
What would he do?
Cui Yun raised her eyes, her gaze falling upon the individuals on the cuju field.
He would let Ji Shimin get injured by accident, be it a leg injury or a ruined face; only then can he remove future troubles.
Whoever calculates against him, he would calculate back a thousandfold, a hundredfold.
People always say to repay grievances with virtue. But how to repay virtue?
Those who are generous and kind are the easiest to suffer losses.
So, one could only resort to being wicked.
Moreover, Cui Yun never thought that scheming against the Imperial Family’s princesses and ruining their lives was a matter of moral degeneration.
Just like in the past, when he plotted against the Third Princess, causing her to marry far away.
The imperial family may be dishonest and have profound schemes, but he values reputation the most. Just as it was for the Marquis Yangling Mansion in the past, so it is for Duke Fu’s Mansion now.
How would Emperor He bestow the hand of a maimed princess in marriage to a general of merit?
Xie Xun followed Cui Yun’s gaze.
Ji Shimin...
Her, Xie Xun had never even considered.
Because of Shen Hua, he was always particularly indulgent with girls.
In the women’s area, there were continuous shrieks of alarm.
The palace maids and eunuch guards caught up and attempted to surround Ji Cong, but since the Fifth Princess had given orders to treat Ji Cong with utmost respect, who would dare to act rashly?
"Second Prince! I ask you to please return."
Ji Cong walked forward, and all the lowly servants blocking his way retreated. Ji Cong was Princess Consort Jing’s precious child, and they, being lowly, dared not to touch him, right?
Ji Cong: "Out of the way!"
"This Prince is right here!"
"Second Prince! This is the women’s seating area!" Lady Tang scowled tightly.
Ji Cong didn’t care for that.
"What’s wrong with the women’s area?"
"Move aside, your seat is quite good, and this Prince will take it!"
"What gives you the right! My aunt is the Empress!"
Ji Cong gave her a baffling glance, playing with clay in his hand, rolling it into large and small pills: "My father is the Emperor. Outranks you by a head."
Ji Huo came up laughing merrily. His laughter was unstoppable, clearly enjoying the drama without fearing the trouble it might bring, showing no intention of taking anyone away.
Ji Cong: "Are you moving or not?"
Miss Tang clenched her teeth, but seeing everyone’s gaze fall on her, how could she admit defeat: "I will not move."
Ji Cong was not pleased.
But in the next instant, his eyebrows tightened. The rolled medicine pills he held in his hand fell to the ground.
Ji Huo was alarmed: "What’s wrong with you?"
"I feel unwell."
Ji Cong: "It must be because I’ve taken too many medicine pills, I’m about to ascend to immortality."
Shen Hua blended into the crowd, enjoying the spectacle.
Ji Cong began to clutch his stomach again.
"What now?"
"Before ascending, this Prince must relieve himself."
Ji Cong was in such a hurry he could barely contain himself. He looked left and right, but there was no privy around. Unable to bear the discomfort, he was about to undo his trousers.
"Ah!"
The girls fled in terror. Among the fleeing crowd, Shen Hua was not included. To watch the drama, she could hold out till the very end.
Lady Tang also wanted to flee, but she found that a desperate Ji Cong was blocking her way.
"Get out of the way." This time her voice teemed with sobs.
Ji Cong, so anxious, was just short of jumping up, but the more nervous he got, the tighter he tied his drawstring into a knot. He was losing control of himself. So he just grabbed Miss Tang’s hand and pulled her towards that place.
"Quick, help me."
"Ahh ahh ahh ahh, go to hell!"
Just then, Ji Shimin rushed over.
"Second brother, have you gone mad!"
"A bunch of dog servants, why don’t you stop him!"
And the gentlemen from the men’s side also came over one after another. Some were astonished, some barely holding back their laughter, and there were angry young masters who had brought their family’s daughters over.
Cui Yun’s expression was blank as he hastily covered Shen Hua’s sparkling eyes.
Seeing this, Xie Xun hurried to protect Xie Yinong.
The guards quickly apprehended Ji Cong. But they didn’t exert any force, and Ji Cong’s arm was as easily broken as fragile porcelain. A crisp snap was heard.
Dislocated.
Ji Cong, in pain, rolled his eyes back and fainted.
From below his hem came the sound of trickling, something was spilling out.
Ji Shimin felt a ringing in her ears.
It was over.
Indeed, what she awaited was not the marriage edict but Emperor He himself, leading Cui Rong.
Accompanying him were Empress Zou, the Crown Prince, Princess Consort Jing, and the Fourth Prince.
All were present.
Little Baozi ran towards Cui Yun pitter-patter.
Emperor He: "What happened!"
As the Emperor arrived, everyone present knelt down, a sea of heads bowed. Shen Hua had never seen such a scene, and she was a beat slower to respond; her left arm was pulled by Cui Yun, her right arm yanked by Xie Xun.
She was pulled down from both sides.
The girl was forced to kneel.
She was dressed warmly, so it didn’t hurt a bit.
Shen Hua couldn’t believe it.
Her precious! Rare! mink jacket, she couldn’t bear the thought of it being scratched even when it got stuck in rockery before. Now, its soft fur touched the ground with zero distance.
There was also the mud Ji Cong had been rolling in on that ground.
Shen Hua nearly failed to catch her breath.
The Imperial Physician stepped forward to set the bones.
Empress Zou’s eyelids twitched. She saw the girls with disheveled hair and faces marked by fear.
Princess Consort Jing rushed forward with reddened eyes.
"Fifth Princess!"
"You sprinkled dirt into Cong’s medicine when you were young, and I took it as child’s ignorance. You left the palace for treatment, and I felt pity for your frail health. But he is still your brother! Why would you mistreat him so?"
Ji Shimin: "It wasn’t me!"
"You still argue!"
"Princess Consort Jing." Empress Zou spoke out.
"This matter is still——"
Princess Consort Jing clearly didn’t want to listen and interrupted vehemently.
"This is a Cuju Conference held in the palace, with invitations sent from the Jiao Palace itself, and with palace maids and guards all around. What does your Ladyship want to say? That he should not have come to the women’s seating area?"
"How many times has this happened! Why do you harm him with such malicious intent? Has he not suffered enough?"
Empress Zou’s voice was gentle: "If this really was Xiao Wu’s fault, I will give you an explanation."
"What do you mean ’if it really was’? My Cong is the one who fainted, and he’s the one hurt. If your Ladyship intends to shield him, there is no need for such righteous words."
This was a scandal of the Imperial Family. Emperor He erupted in great anger. The eunuch who came to report stuttered, and he, with his heart hanging by a thread, never expected it would turn out like this!
Utterly shameful!
Where is the majesty of the Imperial Family!
"Look at this mess you’ve made!"
He left with a sweep of his sleeve.
Ji Wang held back his fury, especially after learning before coming over that Emperor He intended to betroth Ji Shimin to Xie Xun.
Ridiculous! His imperial sister married far away, living a life worse than death—why should Ji Zhui’s sister enter the door of Duke Fu’s Mansion?
He would not agree.
"Mother."
He suppressed his anger and said to Princess Consort Jing.
"Take Second Brother back first."
His words, of course, were heeded by Princess Consort Jing. But before she left, she dropped a statement.
"Fifth Princess better provide an explanation for today’s events."
Watching them leave, Empress Zou knew there was still a tough fight ahead.
The Emperor’s side, Princess Consort Jing’s side...
She could no longer bother with the disappointing Ji Shimin.
"About today’s incident, I do not wish to hear any rumors disparaging the Imperial Family outside the palace."
Fact turned into mere rumors as they left her lips, floating lightly away.
This was said to the guests at the banquet.
Once the Empress left, the commotion ended.
People got up sparsely.
Shen Hua remained immobile, as if she were rooted to the spot. Cui Yun pulled her, but the girl shook him off.
The man, surprised, bent down: "Are you throwing a tantrum at me?"
Little did he expect Shen Hua’s eyes to be red-rimmed.
The girl rarely cried, but this time she was truly aggrieved.
She pouted, "My mink jacket."
It should have remained white, free of any speck of dust.
Xie Xun had a headache.
He knew that this kind of Shen Hua wasn’t someone you could reason with. She could even stubbornly argue with you until the end of time. Xie Xun fell silent and took a step back, leaving the stage to Cui Yun.
Cui Yun: "Just wash it, and it’ll be clean."
The girl gave the impression that she couldn’t hear, and with a touch of spoiled whining, said: "And you manhandled me!"