“What a venomous woman! After harming the Princess, she still dares to come!” Prince Ning snarled through gritted teeth.
Qin Yining’s face turned deathly pale as she gripped the back of a nearby round-backed chair, as if frightened by the Empress’s sudden appearance.
Only then did everyone remember that the grudge between Qin Yining and the Empress had long been established. Previously, both imperial consorts in the palace had been tortured to death by the Empress in various ways, and supposedly the Empress had originally intended to devour the very Miss Qin standing before them.
Seeing such a delicate young lady frightened like this, everyone couldn’t help but feel pity.
Princess Jialan took Qin Yining’s hand and said: “Miss Qin, are you alright?”
Qin Yining shook her head with a ghastly pale face: “I’m, I’m fine. Perhaps it’s too hot outside and I’ve caught some summer heat. Should I perhaps go rest for a while first?”
Qin Yining looked inquiringly at Prince Ning.
If she stayed here and let the Empress see her liaising with Prince Ning, it would certainly accelerate the conflict between Prince Ning and the Empress.
However, though Prince Ning was a debauched scoundrel, he wasn’t stupid. Right now he was too angry to think clearly, but once he calmed down later, he would easily discover that she could have avoided the Empress today but deliberately stayed.
So she left this decision to Prince Ning.
Prince Ning thought for a moment and said: “Jialan, help Miss Qin to your room to rest. It’s perfect timing for you young ladies to chat.” His words actually showed tacit approval of the intimate friendship between Qin Yining and Princess Jialan.
“I was just wanting to talk with Sister Qin,” Princess Jialan said with a smile, supporting Qin Yining’s arm. “Sister, you caught summer heat rushing here to save my mother-consort. I don’t know how to thank you.”
“Princess Sister, please don’t be so courteous,” Qin Yining smiled and declined.
Since they didn’t know each other’s exact ages, they both addressed each other as “sister.”
The two left together arm in arm, with Ji Yun walking alongside Princess Jialan’s maids and nannies.
The Crown Prince said: “Your Highness, we should go greet the Empress first. We mustn’t keep Her Majesty waiting.”
Prince Ning knew the Crown Prince was right, but he was so angry his mind was muddled. He truly wished he could slaughter the demonic empress—how could he want to receive her?
“She harmed this Prince’s consort and still expects this Prince to receive her?!”
At this moment, Qin Yining, who had just descended the steps with Princess Jialan, saw a graceful figure in bright red surrounded by a crowd approaching from the main gate.
Looking up, who else could it be but the Empress!
Qin Yining secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
This wasn’t her staying behind refusing to leave, but the demonic empress arriving uninvited and happening to enter the courtyard and encounter them. If Prince Ning wanted to blame anyone, he would blame the demonic empress for being too presumptuous, walking freely through the prince’s mansion.
Seeing the Empress, Princess Jialan’s expression changed, then she quietly released Qin Yining’s arm and stepped forward to pay respects first.
“Ten thousand years to Her Majesty the Empress.”
Qin Yining seemed stunned with fright, pausing before kneeling to pay respects: “This subject’s daughter greets Her Majesty the Empress.”
As the Empress walked, her bright red pomegranate skirt swayed elegantly, and the golden step-shake ornaments in her peony-styled hair swayed with her steps, making her entire person appear noble and proud, brilliant and luxurious.
Glancing disdainfully at Qin Yining and Princess Jialan kneeling on the ground, the Empress said in a lazy, coquettish voice: “Oh my, who would have thought Miss Qin has such wide social connections, being intimate friends with Princess Jialan? How is it that this Palace never knew you two were so close!”
Princess Jialan lowered her head, her hand hidden under her embroidered handkerchief clenched tightly into a fist.
It was her mother-consort who had been harmed, and this arrogant woman before her was the culprit! How could she not hate in her heart?
No matter how composed Princess Jialan usually was, she couldn’t help but feel angry now, coldly retorting: “Her Majesty the Empress manages the affairs of the inner palace and could be said to handle myriad affairs daily. How could you know everything? If you could know everything, wouldn’t that make you an immortal?”
The implication was: don’t really think you’re an immortal. Continue being so arrogant and you’ll “become immortal” sooner or later!
Hearing this, the Empress sneered coldly: “Who would have thought that after just a few days, the Princess’s tongue has become much sharper. It seems that those who associate with pitch become black—befriending the little fox from the old fox’s family, be careful you don’t get schemed against!”
Princess Jialan trembled with rage.
Qin Yining lowered her head, hesitating whether to speak, when she heard Prince Ning’s voice: “Whether old fox or little fox, this Prince finds them all adorable—always better than thousand-year fox spirits who bring disaster to the country and people!”
Prince Ning arrived at the covered walkway with the Crown Prince, Second Master, and Third Master, and paid respects to the Empress.
Though the etiquette was complete, that phrase “thousand-year fox spirit” was clearly an insult to the Empress!
According to legend, Emperor Xin of the Shang Dynasty offended Nüwa due to his lustful nature, which led to a thousand-year fox spirit descending to the mortal realm to bewitch the ruler and bring chaos to the Yin-Shang dynasty.
The current situation of the Great Yan Dynasty seemed to match the legend in several places.
Originally, when the Emperor visited the Immortal Maiden Temple, after bowing to the statue of Doumu Yuanjun and descending the mountain, he encountered the future Empress who was out for leisure.
The Emperor was struck by the Empress’s heavenly beauty and from then on brought her into the palace, doting on her endlessly. He never avoided mentioning their romantic meeting before Doumu Yuanjun’s statue at the Immortal Maiden Temple, even spreading it as a beautiful tale.
Later, the Emperor became increasingly foolish and tyrannical, obeying the Empress’s every word, bewitched to the point of persecuting loyal ministers and good people. The Empress was even more vicious, having done things like eating human flesh and drinking human blood. The situation was almost identical to that of King Zhou and Daji.
Such legends were numerous outside, but few actually reached the Empress’s ears. Only someone as bold as Prince Ning dared say such things to the Empress’s face.
The Empress turned pale with rage and said coldly: “It seems this Palace came at the wrong time today? Originally, hearing that the Princess was old and in poor health, falling ill just from entering the palace to pay respects to this Palace, this Palace thought that since we’re all sisters-in-law, I would spare some time to visit. I didn’t expect Prince Ning’s mansion to treat this Palace like this?”
“No need for the Empress to trouble herself,” Prince Ning said, seeing the Empress acting so domineering. Where was this a sick visit? Clearly she had come to watch the spectacle after administering poison. Calling the Princess old wasn’t that mocking him for being old too?
Prince Ning never took losses lying down and immediately retorted: “But time spares no one—who can stay young forever? The Empress is also getting on in years. It would be better to cultivate moral character and maintain a peaceful mind to keep the imperial brother’s favor. Best not to reach too far, lest someone chops off your hand!”
“You!” The Empress’s beautiful eyes widened with rage as she glared fiercely at Prince Ning.
Prince Ning was equally unyielding, neither inviting the Empress to sit nor showing the slightest submission.
The Empress felt a belly full of anger and grievance welling up, tears nearly falling.
After entering and seeing Qin Yining, the Empress had already begun suspecting whether Prince Ning was colluding with Qin Huaiyuan’s family. Now with Prince Ning speaking to her so sarcastically, showing no respect for her status, the Empress became even more certain.
What angered her most was that phrase “thousand-year fox spirit.”
She had met Tianji Zi by chance. When they first met, Tianji Zi didn’t know her identity and upon seeing her, he read her fortune, saying she was a “fairy descending to the mortal realm, treasure of the true dragon’s heart.” He also said she would have glory and wealth, with purple qi surrounding her, controlling the world, with incomparable nobility.
At the time she thought Tianji Zi was indeed as miraculous as the legends claimed, calculating very accurately.
But as days passed, she herself felt something was increasingly wrong. At least when she occasionally calmed down, she also felt her life’s trajectory was too much like Daji’s.
However, she had seriously cultivated her relationship with Tianji Zi, thinking perhaps it was just coincidence since all of Tianji Zi’s predictions for her were favorable.
Who would have thought that such rumors existed not only outside, but now even a brute like Prince Ning dared say such things to her face!
“I never thought Prince Ning would treat this Palace like this! Prince Ning showing such disrespect to this Palace is disrespect to His Majesty! Do you harbor treasonous intentions!”
“The Empress is the Empress—a mere woman should stick to managing the inner palace. What gives you such face to speak for my imperial brother? Who do you think you are!”
“You! You’re simply vulgar!”
“This master has been vulgar for more than a day or two! I didn’t invite the Empress to see! The Empress comes to this Prince’s mansion to show off and lord over people—did you think this Yuchi Jinming is a soft persimmon for anyone to squeeze and knead? If not, let’s go argue before my imperial brother! This Prince wants to see whether my imperial brother still protects this Prince, his blood brother!”
The Empress was so angry that tears swirled in her eyes, but ultimately she didn’t continue raging and shouting. Having followed the Emperor for many years, she knew the Emperor’s feelings for Prince Ning were very good. If she went before the Emperor to speak against him and have the Emperor punish Prince Ning, she might not necessarily succeed.
After all, their Cao family was also at a critical juncture now. It wasn’t appropriate to stir up more trouble.
The Empress gritted her teeth and finally stormed off in a huff, thinking in her heart that someday she would deal with Prince Ning.
Watching the Empress leave in anger, the Crown Prince said worriedly: “Your Highness, this might not be appropriate. The Empress’s words carry considerable weight with His Majesty. Won’t this completely tear off all pretenses?”
“Fck his mother, this master fears that slt! She’s already bullying this master—you want me to endure it?”
Prince Ning came from a military background, and when he cursed, his voice boomed like a great bell. Not caring whether the Empress had walked far enough outside to hear or not, he kicked over a potted kumquat plant placed in the walkway. The ceramic flowerpot crashed to the ground with a loud noise, scattering soil everywhere.
Qin Yining and Princess Jialan supported each other as they stood up.
Ji Yun carefully protected Qin Yining’s side.
Qin Yining thought for a moment and said: “Your Highness, this humble woman should take her leave first. Bingtang will remain temporarily at your noble mansion to treat the Princess. When the Princess improves somewhat, this humble woman will come again to pay respects.”
Prince Ning nodded: “Today we troubled Miss Qin. Someone come, escort Miss Qin out.”
“I wouldn’t dare.”
…
After exchanging pleasantries, Qin Yining left with Ji Yun.
Watching Qin Yining’s departing figure, the Crown Prince said quietly to Prince Ning: “Your Highness, do you think there might be something suspicious about today’s events? After all, the conflict between the Qin family and Cao family hasn’t been just a day or two. How could it be such a coincidence…”
Prince Ning glanced at the Crown Prince and slightly narrowed his eyes as he watched Qin Yining’s figure disappearing in the distance.
“If it really is a scheme, I wonder whether this is the old fox’s trap or the little fox’s trap.”
Here, Qin Yining left the prince’s mansion with Ji Yun and rode back to the Qin residence.
At the same time, someone in Prince Ning’s mansion reported: “Your Highness, Marquis Anping requests an audience.”
Prince Ning raised his eyebrows and said with interest: “How coincidental—this father and daughter coming one after another. Did they arrange this? Quickly invite him in!”