“Well, well, Princess Consort Zhongshun, you actually dare to enter the palace!” Li Helan stopped in her tracks, arrogantly lifting her chin to look at Qin Yining with disdain.
She had been waiting to block her, doing nothing but eating and using the privy!
Knowing that Qin Yining was entering the palace to pay respects to the Empress Dowager and Empress, Li Helan didn’t dare cause trouble in the Empress Dowager’s palace, so she planned to wait on the necessary path outside the Empress’s palace. Then even if she kicked this wretch a few times, no one would care.
Who knew she waited at the Empress’s place for a long time without seeing anyone. A little eunuch even came to deliver a message, saying “Princess Consort Zhongshun is feeling unwell and has urgently left the palace.”
Feeling unwell?
If she was feeling unwell, what was she doing strolling around the palace? It wasn’t like they had invited her! She submitted her own visiting card requesting to enter the palace, then after coming only saw the Empress Dowager but not the Empress before wanting to leave—what kind of etiquette was this! Could it be that she, a mere minister’s wife, actually looked down on the mother of the nation? Just because she married Pang Zhixi, what did she have to be proud of!
Li Helan’s disgust toward Qin Yining increased another layer. She immediately called her servants and maids and rushed all the way to block Qin Yining.
Qin Yining narrowed her eyes and looked at Li Helan, suppressing the anxiety and irritation in her heart, curtsying: “Your Highness Princess Imperial, I hope you are well. This minister’s wife doesn’t understand Your Highness’s meaning.”
“What a ‘don’t understand!’ Tell me, when you saw this princess, why didn’t you kneel and bow? Could it be that seeing my imperial brother’s life and death uncertain, you’re hoping for the dynasty to change?”
Li Helan’s obvious harassment made both Bingtang and Ji Yun’s expressions change instantly.
Qin Yining was already eight months pregnant with twins, her belly comparable to an ordinary woman about to give birth. Even though her body had been well-conditioned under Bingtang’s care, she couldn’t withstand the torment of kneeling down and getting up. Li Helan was also a woman—how could she make things so difficult for a pregnant woman?
Qin Yining sighed inwardly. Li Helan’s willfulness—she had thought marriage would restrain her somewhat, but unexpectedly she had become even worse. Thinking of Li Helan’s usual behavior, then thinking of Ji Zeyu, Qin Yining felt sorry for Ji Zeyu. Combined with Li Helan’s obvious “treacherous intentions” toward Pang Xiao that anyone could see, her disgust toward Li Helan increased tenfold.
Her inner emotions inevitably showed on her face. Qin Yining sneered: “Your Highness Princess Imperial is truly joking. The Empress Dowager is compassionate and considerate of this minister’s wife’s inconvenient movement, so she exempted this minister’s wife from formal courtesies in the palace. Could it be that Your Highness thinks the Empress Dowager’s benevolence is wrong?”
“You! Sharp-tongued! When did this princess ever say that! Mother Empress is loving, but you shouldn’t be shameless when given face!”
Li Helan put her hands on her hips, pointing at Qin Yining, looking ready to battle Qin Yining until the end today.
She had long found Qin Yining displeasing to the eye. To be able to seduce a heroic figure like Pang Xiao into being devoted only to her—what great ability she had!
Having such an excellent man, she still didn’t know how to cherish her fortune, still daring to go out and show off, even daring to run to Tatar territory and come back with a big belly. Looking at this belly, it should be what a woman about to give birth would look like, right? Claiming it was twins, but who would believe it? Most likely Pang Xiao said this deliberately to save face, planning to randomly hold a child when the time came and raise it at his side, claiming Qin Yining gave birth to two—someone like Pang Xiao wasn’t incapable of such things.
The more Li Helan thought about it, the more possible it seemed. She simply regarded Qin Yining as a great calamity who brought ruin to the country and people, not only killing the Tatar female Khan and bringing war, but also making the war god Prince Pang Xiao completely smitten.
Li Helan’s emotions were undisguised, those venomous eyes wishing they could skin Qin Yining alive on the spot.
Seeing this, Ji Yun moved closer to Qin Yining, ready to be unceremonious with these people if Li Helan dared to order her attendants to act. She had long found Li Helan displeasing—with the Prince backing her, she feared nothing.
“Your Highness Princess Imperial.” Qin Yining said in a low voice, “Please mind your words and behavior. You are after all His Majesty’s own sister, the Empress Dowager’s own daughter. Acting so recklessly, aren’t you afraid others will see it as a joke?
“It doesn’t matter if you alone are laughed at, but if you implicate His Majesty’s and the Empress Dowager’s reputations, wouldn’t that be terrible? I advise Your Highness to spend more time at your mansion reading books and practicing calligraphy when you have nothing to do.
“People say ‘people become well-behaved through books,’ and also that writing can refine one’s temperament. Your Highness could try both.”
Li Helan was nearly infuriated to the point of rolling her eyes.
“You actually dare mock this princess for being uneducated! Just because you’re talented, just because you read many books! Everyone else is inferior to you! What are you anyway? If you really have ability, you might as well go north to sleep with the Tatars and tell them not to attack the city—now that would be your real skill! What’s with this act of being a scholarly noble lady and chaste virtuous woman now? Do you think we’re all blind and stupid regarding what you did in Tatar territory?”
Li Helan had grown up in the countryside as a child and had seen plenty of village women quarreling. In her anger and panic, she lost some emotional control and spoke without choosing her words.
Bingtang was so angry her eyes widened, about to retort, but was promptly grabbed by Qin Yining.
With their vastly different statuses, if Bingtang spoke up, she would just be waiting to be bullied by Li Helan.
Qin Yining said: “Your Highness Princess Imperial truly has good upbringing, able to say all manner of filthy and foul things here in the imperial palace. Has no one taught Your Highness what politeness means? Some matters based on hearsay wouldn’t even be believed by the shrewish women most skilled at street cursing, yet Your Highness takes them as truth to chew over, truly…”
Shaking her head as if unable to find words to describe the Princess Imperial’s vulgarity, Qin Yining said: “This minister’s wife cannot think of any common language she might have with Your Highness, so I’ll take my leave now. Your Highness, please do as you wish.”
After a slight curtsy, Qin Yining pulled the two maids and walked away. She still needed to return and discuss matters with Pang Xiao, having no mood or time to waste here bickering with Li Helan.
Qin Yining’s words were contemptuous, her expression even more disdainful. Combined with Li Helan’s longstanding jealousy of Qin Yining, seeing her still radiant even when about to give birth, the jealousy in her heart churned even more. Thinking of how Ji Zeyu had personally escorted her back to the mansion yesterday and even changed clothes at the prince’s mansion, while she herself was repeatedly refused when wanting to see Ji Zeyu, she became even more furious.
“You little hussy who specializes in seducing people!” The Princess Imperial chased after her, trying to grab Qin Yining. “First you seduced Brother Xiao, then you seduced this princess’s Prince Consort—you’re shameless!”
Qin Yining was shocked by her unreasonable shrewish behavior. This was the imperial palace, yet Li Helan dared act this way—truly unafraid of breaking the rules!
Ji Yun blocked in front of Qin Yining with lightning speed, deflecting Li Helan’s reaching hand. Though Ji Yun was angry, she acted with restraint, knowing that the princess had a precious body and injuring her would bring trouble to her master. So despite bottling up her rage, she didn’t strike Li Helan, just stood there with lowered head, using her body to keep the two separated.
Li Helan, unable to grab Qin Yining, was already full of anger. Seeing this blind servant standing like a wooden post in front of her made her even more intolerable. Gritting her teeth, she quickened her pace trying to get around.
But when she went left, Ji Yun went left; when she went right, Ji Yun went right, stubbornly blocking her completely. In fury, Li Helan raised her hand and slapped Ji Yun. Ji Yun took the blow but remained unmoved.
Seeing Ji Yun actually get hit, Qin Yining became even more angry and resentful. At such a critical moment, she was anxious to return and discuss strategies with Pang Xiao, yet Li Helan was causing such unnecessary trouble!
“Your Highness Princess Imperial, have you made enough trouble?” Qin Yining pulled Ji Yun behind her, her protruding belly positioned between them, forcing Li Helan to retreat several steps.
Li Helan steadied herself, only then realizing she had actually retreated and shown weakness before Qin Yining. Her face immediately turned iron gray, pointing at Qin Yining’s nose: “You…”
“You shut up!” Qin Yining said coldly, “Your Highness is after all imperial blood. In such troubled times, when His Majesty’s situation is still unknown, you’re eager to bully external court ladies—aren’t you afraid word will spread and chill the ministers’ hearts? Acting so recklessly truly brings shame to the Empress Dowager!”
“You’re outrageous!” Li Helan’s expression changed dramatically. “You dare insult the Empress Dowager!”
“When did this minister’s wife insult the Empress Dowager? This minister’s wife feels wronged and sorry for the Empress Dowager! Your Highness’s lack of filial piety implicates the Empress Dowager, making her suffer grievances for nothing—even the servants can’t stand it! You should be more proper. If this disturbance spreads, considering the current court situation, see whether it benefits the imperial family!”
A woman’s virtue was entirely taught by her mother. Li Helan’s lack of propriety was completely the result of the Empress Dowager’s indulgence.
Li Helan keeping male favorites had long caused people to gossip behind her back. Now being openly rebuked by Qin Yining, never mind others, she already felt humiliated.
Seeing Li Helan’s flushed face and ears, looking like she was about to cry and make a scene, Qin Yining raised a finger and made a “shh” sound: “Your Highness better not make a commotion, lest you lose face.”
Having said this, she called Ji Yun and Bingtang and turned to leave.
Li Helan stood there aggrieved, tears falling pitter-patter, chasing after Qin Yining with choked sobs: “You shameless woman, seducing Brother Xiao and seducing the Prince Consort—so restless, you deserve to be widowed!”
Qin Yining angrily halted her steps, turning back with furious glare, her icy gaze intimidating like a wild beast whose cubs had been stolen.
Though Pang Xiao had safely emerged from the underground palace, the road ahead would be arduous with frequent battlefield campaigns. Days of worry and fear stretched long ahead. What Qin Yining most feared was exactly this.
Li Helan’s words truly hit her bottom line.
“The Prince and His Majesty are trapped in the underground palace, yet you curse me to widowhood—isn’t that cursing His Majesty?”
Li Helan was immediately speechless, also fearing Qin Yining would relay these words to the Empress Dowager’s ears, and began crying loudly in grievance.
Qin Yining, Bingtang, and Ji Yun continued forward.
The palace attendants who had been standing on both sides of the palace path with lowered heads, pretending to be quails, couldn’t help but look at Qin Yining with admiring gazes.
She truly was Prince Zhongshun’s woman, able to subdue the always domineering Princess Imperial until she could only stand there crying—simply formidable!
The news that Li Helan had cursed His Majesty and Prince Zhongshun to die and was scolded to tears by Princess Consort Zhongshun on the palace path quickly spread throughout the court.