With just one pointing gesture from him, the Queen of Shang couldn’t help but shiver, and her feet that were prepared to step up the stairs back to her seat could barely move.
Jing Hengbo also stared at her with a smiling expression, calling out: “Your Majesty the Queen.”
The Queen of Shang instinctively looked up, and Jing Hengbo immediately threw the ceremonial dress from her elbow crook right at her.
The deep red heavy brocade palace gown struck the Queen of Shang full in the face. She was wrapped in those layers upon layers of brocade and gauze, struggling futilely while letting out piercing shrieks.
The King of Shang quickly helped her remove the dress, throwing it aside. The queen threw herself into his arms, trembling all over.
The King of Shang took a deep breath, his face ashen, turning toward Jing Hengbo above and angrily saying: “Although Her Majesty the Queen has the protection of her master, it seems she should not be so discourteous in this king’s palace!”
“Courtesy is only for those who understand courtesy,” Jing Hengbo chuckled. “For those shameless and despicable, treating her like a dog would be too respectful.”
“Will the Master not control your female disciple?” The King of Shang trembled with rage. “To openly insult my queen in my palace of Shang – where does this place our kingdom of Shang?”
Gong Yin remained unmoved, saying indifferently: “If she wants to curse someone, she has her reasons. You just listen.”
Everyone was stunned speechless.
So this was an extremely protective master.
“Master…”
“Stop calling for this person and that person.” Jing Hengbo cut off the King of Shang’s words. “What I do has its explanation. Why don’t you ask me why I threw the dress at your wife’s face?”
The King of Shang looked up at her, suddenly realizing that such a conversational posture made his side appear weak, so he quickly walked back to his position. But finding he was still a head lower, he could only swallow his saliva and say resentfully: “Even if there were ten thousand reasons, such discourtesy is still inappropriate! My kingdom of Shang has treated Your Majesty the Queen with no small generosity. When Your Majesty entered the palace and stole such an important ceremonial dress, we never blamed or pursued the matter. The queen even urged Your Majesty to quickly remove the poisoned garment, her concern for Your Majesty evident in her words. Why should she suffer Your Majesty’s insults? Could it be that Your Majesty brought this upon yourself by contracting deadly poison, yet wants to take your anger out on us?”
“So much nonsense, yet you don’t use your eyes.” Jing Hengbo sneered coldly. “I threw the dress over because I wanted to invite the Great King and Queen to take a good look at this garment.”
The King of Shang looked down at the dress, then raised his head and said seriously: “The dress is naturally the queen’s coronation gown from when she became queen. This king has deep memories of that scene from years past, the pain still fresh in my heart. I absolutely could not be mistaken!”
“Who said you were mistaken? Would your wife possibly get it wrong when trying to frame someone?” Jing Hengbo wore a mocking expression, pointing at the dress. “What I’m saying is, didn’t you notice that this palace gown is slightly wrinkled?”
The King of Shang looked more carefully and finally noticed that the brocade all over showed slight wrinkles. It was just that there had been too much decorative embroidery on it before, concealing this characteristic.
He didn’t think much of it, saying: “The dress has been stored for many years, some wrinkling is normal.”
“No matter how it’s stored, whether hung up or folded and boxed for preservation, there might be distinct fold marks, but there would never be such overall, barely noticeable fine wrinkles. High-quality brocade properly stored will not fade or wrinkle no matter how many years pass – this is common knowledge.” Jing Hengbo mocked. “Unless your royal palace cuts corners even making ceremonial dresses, using inferior materials to make up the numbers.”
Everyone knew this principle and nodded frequently. A queen’s ceremonial dress could not possibly use poor materials. Large-scale wrinkling definitely indicated a problem.
The King of Shang and Queen also showed puzzled expressions. She didn’t remember doing anything to create wrinkles on the dress, and besides, what did this have to do with the truth?
“Even if there are wrinkles, so what?” The King of Shang said impatiently. “That only shows a material problem. What connection does it have to this matter? What connection to your humiliation of the queen? Please don’t avoid the important issues!”
“Of course there’s a connection.” Jing Hengbo pointed at her own nose. “Because these wrinkles were made by me, because I boiled this dress!”
Everyone was stunned. The King of Shang said in amazement: “Boiled? Why would you boil this dress for no reason?”
The queen seemed to think of something, her face turning deathly pale. She instinctively stepped backward, and Gong Yin, who had been sitting above seemingly half-listening, suddenly looked at her.
Just this one look made her feel that sensation of blood freezing and stiffening throughout her body return, and her feet could no longer move.
“Because unsolicited kindness is either treacherous or thievery.” Jing Hengbo curved her lips in a smile. “Suppose you go shopping, all the shopkeepers on the street won’t sell to you and even chase you out. Then suddenly a good person jumps out, saying those shopkeepers are terrible, she can’t stand watching it, and gives you what she bought to share. Would you be moved and accept it?”
The King of Shang’s lips moved, wanting to say “yes,” but he really couldn’t say it out loud. As someone who had succeeded through royal family scheming, his first reaction to such a situation would actually be suspicion.
Only ordinary people would be moved by such kindness, while they had seen all kinds of deceit and cunning hidden behind benevolent facades.
Gong Yin frowned. He had hurried over and although he could see there were problems with the atmosphere in the hall, he hadn’t expected Jing Hengbo to have had such experiences before.
He looked at the queen again.
The queen found breathing even more difficult.
“You might be moved, but you definitely wouldn’t easily use those things, right?” Jing Hengbo smiled. “The former me would have definitely been foolishly moved and put it on, but now I know that those who smile at you don’t necessarily mean you well, and those who help you aren’t necessarily protecting you. Before being moved, protect yourself first – of course, this is actually a very sad thing, because I have lost my trust and expectation in kindness and beauty. Unfortunately, you are the same way, and even more unfortunately, you are so sad yet don’t even know it.”
Her hand was suddenly squeezed. Jing Hengbo quietly turned her head and saw her fake master sitting upright and proper, eyes looking straight ahead, but under his wide sleeves, his hand was holding her fingers.
He always seemed unmoved like this, yet was always at the most appropriate times, most subtly considerate of her mood, giving her the most timely warmth and comfort.
Jing Hengbo smiled. Because of his understanding of how to cherish her, the faint desolation that had just risen from those feelings immediately dissipated – as long as he knew how to feel sorry for her, what did it matter how many traps and conspiracies there were?
She wasn’t afraid of bitter winds and harsh frosts, only afraid of walking through them and seeing cold, distant shores.
She also squeezed his fingers hard, and when she tried to let go, he wouldn’t let her, so she didn’t struggle and let him hold on.
The warmth of each other’s palms was the most comforting.
Half the people in the hall listening to her words showed thoughtful and melancholy expressions, but the King of Shang said impatiently: “So what then?”
“I naturally had to ask people to examine this dress.” Jing Hengbo glanced at Pei Shu and Yélu Qi, thinking the queen was really too overconfident. She didn’t consider what kind of people Yélu Qi and Pei Shu were – those two had suspicions as soon as they saw the dress.
“The dress has smallpox poison. The gift-giver had malicious intentions.” She said. “I wanted to know what this person who sent the poisoned dress was planning, so I played along. Smallpox poison becomes harmless after boiling in hot water several times. I boiled the dress, added an inner layer, and wore it to attend the palace banquet, because I knew that person who sent me the poisoned dress would definitely make an issue of it at the palace banquet.”
Hearing the words “boiled in hot water,” the queen’s eyes flashed, and her back straightened a bit.
The King of Shang suddenly turned his head, staring at the queen. The queen stood calmly, saying mournfully: “Great King, these are one-sided words – how can they be trusted? Couldn’t it be that she herself stole the dress, discovered the smallpox poison, and now for the sake of face, is trying to frame this palace?”
Before the King of Shang could show doubt again, Jing Hengbo clapped her hands. “Well said. That makes sense.” She sighed leisurely. “Too bad there’s an old saying: the most poisonous heart belongs to a woman. If you weren’t so vicious, I truly would have no way to refute your words.”
She said to the King of Shang: “Could you please ask Great King to summon one of your court physicians?”
The King of Shang looked at the queen. The queen breathed rapidly but still maintained a calm expression, saying composedly: “Great King, although this woman has Master’s backing and is the Jade Queen, today in the hall she has been arrogant and overbearing, humiliating this palace. If you continue to indulge her every whim, where is Shang’s dignity? Where is our face?”
“Mother Queen, those words are wrong.” Shang Lue immediately said from the side. “The Queen doesn’t admit to stealing the dress and publicly accuses Mother Queen of framing her. This is the greatest insult to our Shang kingdom. If we don’t clear this up in court, restore Mother Queen’s good name, and deflate this Queen’s arrogant spirit, when word spreads tomorrow, our Shang kingdom and Mother Queen will truly suffer damage to our reputation.”
The queen stared at him coldly. Shang Lue met her gaze without avoiding it, his face full of righteousness.
The King of Shang’s gaze moved between the two. Both seemed to have something to rely on, glaring at each other like fighting cocks, making him feel irritated watching them.
He suddenly sighed and said: “The matter has already been brought up in the hall. Even wanting to retreat is not possible. No matter what the truth is, what’s been done must be borne by oneself.” After speaking, he waved his hand, ordering someone to summon a court physician.
The queen’s face was white as snow, her lips trembling as she couldn’t speak. Shang Lue smiled with satisfaction. The queen glanced at him, slightly turned to the side, and gave a meaningful look to her own female official in the hall. The female official, when no one was paying attention, hurriedly left the hall.
Soon a court physician arrived. Jing Hengbo said: “Please trouble this lord to examine whether there are any problems with the embroidered overlay of this palace gown.”
The physician, with the King of Shang’s approval, repeatedly agreed and examined it carefully.
Queen’s ceremonial robes would have matching embroidered overlays, similar to shawls, that could be worn or removed. The physician gently turned it over, suddenly said “Eh?” and quickly had his assistant bring a face mask to cover his nose and mouth. He then took out scissors and tore open a corner, his expression grave.
This action made everyone immediately step back three paces.
After a moment, the physician stood up, bowing and saying: “Reporting to Great King, this embroidered overlay has the poison of ‘Coagulation Grass.'”
Many people from Shang obviously knew of this medicinal herb. Some cried out in alarm, their faces changing color. It must be an extremely powerful poison.
“Didn’t you already boil the garment several times?” The King of Shang asked Jing Hengbo in surprise. “How can there still be poison?”
“Great King seems to have forgotten the most important thing.” Jing Hengbo shook her finger. “Please tell me, how many kinds of poison were originally on this ceremonial dress before it was stored away?”
The King of Shang was reminded and his face changed. After a long while he reluctantly said: “Smallpox, and another extremely powerful unnamed poison.”
He already had an ominous premonition in his heart and very much wanted not to answer, but above them the “Purple Micro Master,” though not saying a word, had eyes cold as snow blades. Under such intimidating gaze, he could neither retreat nor be vague.
“It wasn’t Coagulation Grass, was it?” Jing Hengbo chuckled.
The King of Shang knew this was bad, but could only steel himself and say: “It wasn’t.”
Jing Hengbo laughed melodiously, her slightly hoarse lazy laughter carrying several parts contempt and mockery.
“Then that’s strange,” she said. “If this king stole the dress, would this king bother to add another layer of poison for herself?”
The King of Shang’s face changed dramatically, unable to answer.
“Court physician.” Gong Yin suddenly spoke coldly. “This Coagulation Grass poison – new poison? Old poison?”
His question hit the nail on the head. If it was old poison, the queen could still deny it, claiming she remembered wrong from years ago. But if it was newly applied poison, then it would be absolutely impossible for Jing Hengbo to have stolen the dress.
No one in the world could lie composedly under his gaze. The physician glanced at the King of Shang’s expression and knew this question couldn’t be answered, but didn’t dare lie either. He could only wipe his sweat and bow his head saying: “This minister is poorly learned and inadequate in medical knowledge, unable to distinguish…”
In his anxiety, he let out several more BIUBIUBIU sounds. People in the Shang court would take medicine to temporarily control flatulence for the sake of face, only having episodes when emotionally unstable. When the physician made several BIUBIU sounds, everyone understood – this person was nervous and lying.
It wasn’t that he couldn’t distinguish, but that he didn’t dare say.
Gong Yin glanced at the steps below, then suddenly made a gesture to his guards outside the hall. The guards quickly walked away.
“Hearing that my dress was boiled, you felt relieved, thinking there was no evidence, so you dared to keep denying it, right?” Jing Hengbo said mockingly to the queen. “Fool! Poisonous woman! You were afraid the smallpox poison was expired and wouldn’t kill me, so you added Coagulation Grass to the embroidered overlay. But you didn’t think that if I could recognize smallpox, I could naturally also recognize Coagulation Grass. I boiled the dress with smallpox poison, but removed the embroidered overlay with Coagulation Grass poison, gathering that Coagulation Grass poison at the corners of the overlay and sealing it with needle and thread. The poison couldn’t disperse at all. How’s that? Do you know what intellectual crushing means? Are you enjoying being crushed?”
“It wasn’t me! It wasn’t me! I didn’t send you any dress!” The queen staggered backward, her expression terrified. “Even if your dress is poisoned and you didn’t steal it, that still can’t prove the person who sent you the dress was me! Tell me! Whose instructions did you receive? From whose hands did you get this dress? For what purpose are you trying to frame me!”
The King of Shang was slightly stunned, his suspicious gaze immediately turning toward Shang Lue.
Jing Hengbo, seeing his expression, silently praised that the queen was indeed a formidable person. In such circumstances she appeared panicked but was actually calm, turning the focus with just a few words and directing the problem toward another possibility.
For a ruler, accustomed to seeing all kinds of power struggle tactics, the first reaction to any incident was: is there a conspiracy in this matter? Does it relate to power struggles? Would it benefit oneself?
Because of the queen’s outcry, the King of Shang would naturally think: could it be that the Crown Prince, to defend his position, asked someone to help frame the queen?
Recalling that he’d heard the Crown Prince was close to the Jade Queen, this suspicion grew stronger.
Gong Yin suddenly said: “This matter is simple. Just ask those shopkeepers who refused to sell clothes to the Queen who gave them instructions, and it will be clear.”
The queen’s face changed, then returned to normal. She had already thought of this and sent her female official to Brocade Street to tell those shopkeepers to keep quiet. She wasn’t afraid of anyone talking.
But before she could breathe a sigh of relief, she suddenly heard a mournful cry: “Your Majesty!”
She whirled around and saw her own female official being pressed down at the base of the steps by several strange men.
She was shocked, her pupils contracting – discovered! She hadn’t been able to get out!
A guard threw out a token, slamming it on the ground. Gong Yin above said indifferently: “Great King, this is a palace exit token, correct? The Queen’s personal female official, at such a time, instead of staying to serve her mistress, hurriedly leaves the palace – what might she be planning?”
Jing Hengbo continued with a smile: “Of course to silence witnesses or coordinate testimony.”
She swung her foot back and forth, her shoe tip kicking her skirt hem, her instep tracing a snow-white arc.
Gong Yin glanced at her, reached out to pull her skirt down to cover that patch of instep, thinking these shoes still weren’t good – too much exposed flesh.
“Pervert,” Jing Hengbo quietly cursed. Her voice was barely audible, eyes flowing with joy brimming in every glance.
Originally she hadn’t liked men’s possessiveness and conservatism, but now she felt his possessiveness was because he loved her, and his conservatism was because he cared about her. Only now did she understand that once there was love, everything became less unbearable. Everything could be given the sweetest interpretation, submitting to the direction of the heart.
It turned out what determined one’s attitude wasn’t facts, but hormonal secretion.
After arranging her skirt properly, Gong Yin looked toward the hall below, saying: “No need to waste effort explaining anything.”
The others still didn’t understand what he meant. Gong Yin beckoned, and suddenly several figures shot over like lightning, followed by a large crowd of people. Someone shouted: “Assassins! Assassins!”
“Great King.” Gong Yin said to the King of Shang: “Those in front are people I sent to gather evidence. If you don’t want to cause misunderstandings and injuries, please have your palace experts refrain from acting rashly.”
The King of Shang hurriedly said: “They are guests! No need to attack!” The large crowd pursuing behind finally stopped, quickly dispersing.
Jing Hengbo looked at the considerable number of people, thinking those who could discover Gong Yin’s guards in the first instant were indeed all experts. That night when Pei Shu seized the key in front of the King of Shang, the danger and difficulty could be imagined.
She couldn’t help but glance at Pei Shu with guilt. Before that look could reach its target, the vinegar jar beside her had already said softly: “After a brief separation and reunion, where are you looking with those eyes?”
Jing Hengbo burst out laughing, both amused and annoyed. Her gaze fell heavily downward, saying: “Fine, I was thinking of looking at you too, but why don’t you lie down and let me look?”
Her gaze was quite forceful, landing right on the important area. Gong Yin sat motionless, looking straight ahead, saying: “How about tonight?”
Jing Hengbo choked on her own saliva.
Someone who had thickened his skin was really becoming impossible to handle.
Why was it that some people could use a cold attitude to say the most lecherous things, yet not make people feel like a rogue at all?
While she was spacing out, thinking whether she should adjust her strategy for dealing with this coldly lecherous great god in the future, her thoughts drifted to those words just now: tonight… lie down… look…
Such titillating words!
Could it be that the thing she had been longing for finally had hope?
She vaguely heard the King of Shang angrily saying below: “What’s going on!”
Only then did her wandering soul return, discovering that at some point several more guards had appeared in the hall below, with several men prostrate at the guards’ feet. Looking closely, they seemed familiar – by their dress they appeared to be shopkeepers from Brocade Street. At this moment, that group of people was trembling at the base of the hall, BIUBIUBIU sounds forming a chorus.
So the witnesses had arrived. She didn’t know when Gong Yin had arranged this, but Jing Hengbo had always given up thinking once Gong Yin arrived – even if the sky fell, he was taller anyway.
The King of Shang stared at those shopkeepers, his expression troubled. Actually, ever since the queen’s female official was captured and brought before the hall, he had known what the truth really was. Connecting the entire incident together in hindsight, the queen’s true intentions were as clear as day. He was shocked, but more than that, he was furious – furious that his pillow companion had such deep and meticulous thoughts, yet he had never suspected; furious that his wedded wife was so cold and ruthless, actually using his guilt and pain to achieve her goal of changing the crown prince; furious that the queen, as the nation’s empress, completely disregarded the bigger picture and even dared to use and frame a foreign queen! For personal desires, she didn’t hesitate to plunge the country into warfare!
His fury was so intense that his BIUBIUBIU sounds were particularly crisp and loud, sounding at first like a string of firecrackers going off.
But at this moment he dared not ask. He feared that once he asked and the shopkeepers told the truth, confirming the queen’s crimes, the Kingdom of Shang would lose face before the noble guests of various nations and would be unable to provide an explanation.
Such behavior was too bold and vile – using the opportunity of the Zhieying Grand Assembly to frame foreign noble guests for personal desires. If such a thing spread, how could the Kingdom of Shang maintain its standing among the Six Nations and Eight Tribes in the future? How could they have the face to host the Zhieying Grand Assembly again?
One must know that while such grand assemblies gave the Six Nations and Eight Tribes an opportunity to compete for premium medicinal herb resources, they also had immeasurable impact on the Kingdom of Shang’s own diplomacy and economy. It was precisely because of this that the Kingdom of Shang had always maintained a transcendent status among the Six Nations and Eight Tribes, with abundant wealth. The formation of any order required years of accumulated effort. The Kingdom of Shang had also spent countless energy and resources organizing the Zhieying Grand Assembly. If it declined because of this, the Kingdom of Shang would face complete disaster.
The matter was of great importance. The King of Shang dared not ask, but couldn’t play dumb either. He could only cast a somewhat pleading gaze toward Jing Hengbo.
Unfortunately, Her Majesty the Queen was currently lost in thought, contemplating certain matters concerning lying down, sleeping, and looking at this and that, with no time to pay attention to such trivial affairs.
The King of Shang had no choice but to look pleadingly at Gong Yin. Gong Yin caught sight of Jing Hengbo from the corner of his eye – that fellow was muttering while counting on her fingers, calculating how many hours remained until evening.
Unable to count on the lust-addled Her Majesty the Queen, Gong Yin could only raise his hand slightly, saying: “Coagulation Grass powder can be toxic when dispersed. This hall has wide-open doors and windows with wind flowing through. If the poisonous powder falls into food…”
“Exactly! Exactly!” The King of Shang was overjoyed, hurriedly saying: “For the safety of all the distinguished guests, today’s palace banquet shall be suspended. Later this king will personally prepare modest wine to apologize to the noble guests of various nations.”
“Actually, it’s nothing much,” Gong Yin said indifferently. “This old man has antidotes here…”
“We dare not trouble Master!” The King of Shang was greatly alarmed, quickly saying: “Master is our Kingdom of Shang’s most honored guest. How could we let you exert yourself? Later this humble king will inevitably have to prepare some modest gifts to apologize to Master and Her Majesty the Queen.”
“I shall pass.” Gong Yin glanced at Jing Hengbo. “As for this unworthy disciple of mine, perhaps she will have some needs. In that case, many thanks for Great King’s generosity.”
The King of Shang smiled bitterly. “As it should be, as it should be.”
Her Majesty the Queen heard nothing at all. She was wondering whether her lace bra was in that chest at the bottom, and also where exactly would be quiet enough to sleep tonight, convenient for… looking?
Thinking about it, she couldn’t help but rub her hands together with glowing eyes. Gong Yin looked at her and completely gave up paying attention to her.
Seeing such behavior too often, one might think what he liked was a female sex wolf.
Over there, the King of Shang began having people respectfully escort the guests out. Everyone present were shrewd people – how could they not understand the King of Shang’s meaning? This was because he saw the conspiracy was exposed and feared it would be too embarrassing to reveal everything in front of the guests from various nations, so he wanted to send people away first. Of course, Her Majesty the Queen’s willingness to let the matter rest was because the King of Shang had already yielded and proposed reconciliation. From the looks of it, the Great King of Shang would have to pay dearly, and Her Majesty the Queen would definitely demand an exorbitant price. Looking at Her Majesty the Queen sitting above with an absent-minded expression, rubbing her hands together and trembling with excitement, she must be thinking about the huge gains she was about to receive and was excited.
The distinguished guests left with some regret – not regret at missing the palace banquet, but regret at not being able to watch the drama to the end and take advantage of the chaos.
Only the royal family of the Kingdom of Shang remained in the hall, along with some noble ladies of the nation, whom Gong Yin had requested to stay as witnesses.
Yélu Qi and Pei Shu also didn’t leave. For those who simply refused to go, the King of Shang had no solution.
When most people had left, Gong Yin’s guards kicked and stepped on those shopkeepers, shouting: “Speak clearly about what happened that day!”
That group of unsophisticated merchants were so frightened their pants were soaked, competing to say: “That day someone instructed us that if a red-clothed young lady with a small maid came to buy clothes and jewelry, we absolutely must not sell to her…”
“The person who came was from the palace. We often deliver clothes to the palace and recognized that chief lady attendant. We didn’t dare disobey…”
“Yes, yes, someone from beside Her Majesty the Queen. We small merchants with modest businesses, common people, don’t dare oppose the royal family…”
“Ah, that lady attendant is the one tied up below in the hall…”
The King of Shang gritted his teeth and looked at the queen’s female official controlled below the steps. The female official trembled all over, saying in a quavering voice: “When did I ever instruct you in such things? Injustice, injustice…”
“Drag her out!” The King of Shang gave a furious roar, cutting off her cries of innocence.
The violent sound startled the queen so much her whole body trembled, watching helplessly as her trusted aide was dragged away.
That woman reached out to her pitifully all the way, silently pleading for help. The queen stepped back and lowered her head.
Jing Hengbo came back to her senses and chuckled, thinking that after this incident, probably no one would risk their life for her again.
After the female official was dragged away, the King of Shang turned around, glaring fiercely at the queen. The queen put her hands behind her back, supporting herself against a pillar, looking up at him with tears glistening in her eyes, choking as she said: “If you want to pin a crime on someone, you can always find a pretext. If you want to frame someone, naturally you can weave it seamlessly… Great King, would you rather believe outsiders’ accusations than trust your bedside companion? Are you willing to hurt your queen because of others’ aggressive accusations and fabricated charges? If this can make your royal position secure and bring peace to all under heaven…” She raised her head and closed her eyes. “This subject-consort has no regrets even in death!”
The King of Shang stared at her, somewhat moved. A trace of hesitation flashed in his eyes.
Jing Hengbo chuckled. This was exactly how women used softness to overcome strength – refusing to admit guilt to the death, moving people with emotion. Decades of marital affection and a ruler’s natural suspiciousness would be the strongest shield in the face of crisis.
Now the only thing that could truly make the King of Shang steel his heart was a threat to his royal power. Otherwise, his wife harming others wouldn’t arouse his vigilance and personal pain.
Suddenly Pei Shu rapped on the table, grinning wickedly: “Old Shang, those who should leave have left. Stop protecting that woman of yours. Let me tell you the truth – your woman is quite something. She wanted to give me a princess and trick me into bringing troops to defect. Hey, such a big matter – did she tell you about it or not? If she didn’t tell you, tell me, after our army arrives, whose command should it be incorporated under?”
The King of Shang was greatly shocked, suddenly turning to stare at the queen. The queen had originally thought she might possibly muddle through this crisis, but didn’t expect Pei Shu to actually speak so bluntly about it. Now with her husband’s gaze boring into her, she couldn’t help but shudder.
In any country, military power was of utmost importance – a forbidden zone that couldn’t be touched in the slightest.
For a queen who had no right to interfere even in government affairs to harbor thoughts about military power – the deep implications made one feel cold all over just thinking about it.
This strike from Pei Shu came at exactly the right time. The King of Shang’s pity and wavering immediately transformed into towering fury.
He could forgive the queen’s various conspiracies, all the calculated schemes to fight for their son’s position as crown prince, but he absolutely could not tolerate that she actually wanted to bring troops into the Kingdom of Shang – especially Pei Shu’s kind of wolf-like army!
“This subject-consort only admired the Young Marshal’s literary talent and martial prowess, wanting to hire the Young Marshal as a teacher for the princes and princesses.” Knowing things were bad, the queen still forced herself to continue tremblingly: “Yueyue’s fondness for the Young Marshal is also a young girl’s romantic feelings. This subject-consort… this subject-consort was unaware. As for bringing troops to defect, that must have been an agreement between Yueyue and the Young Marshal. This subject-consort truly didn’t know. Yueyue is young and doesn’t understand the gravity of her actions. Please, Great King, don’t blame her…”
Jing Hengbo made a contemptuous sound, glancing at Shang Yueyue who was full of shock with tears dotting her face. Her heart was filled with utter contempt for the King and Queen of Shang’s character.
As a mother, to use her daughter and treat her marriage as a chip for political exchange, and when trouble came, to push the responsibility onto her daughter – once these words were spoken, how would Shang Yueyue marry in the future? How could she gain her father king’s favor?
Both were her own children, yet for her son she didn’t hesitate to offend a foreign queen, while pushing her daughter out as a scapegoat. Jing Hengbo most hated this kind of despicable person who, being a woman herself, still bullied and looked down on women!
She began rolling up her sleeves – for such a person, scolding wasn’t right. She wanted to hit someone!
Someone moved faster than her. A figure flashed, and Pei Shu had already appeared before the Queen of Shang, grabbing her hair and slamming her hard to the ground.
“Is this what royal upbringing teaches you – to lie through your teeth? Is this what being a nation’s queen makes you – black-hearted and thick-skinned?” He stepped on the queen’s abdomen, ignoring the woman’s shrill screams below. “Could Shang Yueyue show favor to me without your instructions? Would she, an inexperienced princess, dare to harbor designs on my military power? You arranged the dress, you did the framing, and now you have the face to blame it on your daughter? Utterly conscienceless and heartless thing – whoever was unlucky enough for eight lifetimes to be your child!”
The queen desperately propped herself up on her elbows under his foot, trying to struggle and escape, while pitifully calling to the King of Shang: “Great King, save me!”
The King of Shang snorted angrily and swept his sleeves as he turned away.
Pei Shu kicked the queen hard in the face, leaving a deep purple footprint. “This Young Marshal doesn’t like hitting women, but doesn’t mind hitting despicable people!”
“Well done!” Jing Hengbo was fired up. “Pei Pei, give her a matching one!”
Suddenly the person beside her said coolly: “Pei Pei?”
“How’s that, sounds good?” Jing Hengbo caught a whiff of sour jealousy and turned to smile at him.
“Not bad,” Gong Yin said. “Sounds a lot like ‘pei pei’ (spitting sounds).”
Jing Hengbo burst out laughing, thinking the apricot sauce had fermented another jar!
Pei Shu looked up and smiled at her. “Whatever you want, I’ll comply!” He stretched out his foot and left another big footprint on the other side of the queen’s face.
The queen screamed and wept. The King of Shang roared: “Enough!” Only then did Pei Shu stop, and when turning around, he deliberately rubbed his boots on the carpet again and again.
In the hall, the queen’s youngest son wanted to rush down but was held tightly by Shang Yueyue. The young lady looked at Pei Shu with tearful eyes, not knowing whether to be grateful that he spoke up for her or to hate him for so trampling and hurting her mother.
But what difference did gratitude or hatred make? Who would care? She smiled sadly. In the Young Marshal’s eyes, there was only that woman. Even though someone else was already by her side, it couldn’t stop his unwavering steps forward for her.
For every person who pursued love, there was another whose heart was left scattered.
…
Once Pei Shu took action and the King of Shang showed that attitude, the noble ladies of Shang present immediately knew the queen was finished. Without waiting to be questioned, they all chattered away: “It was Her Majesty who ordered us to ostracize the Queen!”
“It was Her Majesty who said the Queen was dissolute and shameless, a disgrace to womankind, telling us not to associate with her lest it lower our status as proper ladies.”
“That day on Brocade Street buying clothes, I saw Her Majesty’s usual palace carriage stopped by the roadside. When the Queen entered a shop, the chief lady attendant from the carriage followed in and told the shopkeeper not to sell anything to the Queen!”
The shopkeepers nearby nodded like bobblehead dolls: “Yes, yes, yes, exactly right.”
…
When the wall falls, everyone pushes. Those who had been hesitant before were now extremely forthright, revealing the queen’s entire scheme in the blink of an eye.
The King of Shang trembled all over, his face ashen, staring at the queen on the ground. Whether the queen had been knocked unconscious by Pei Shu or was completely out of options and playing dead, she lay motionless on the ground.
“Coveting royal power, framing distinguished guests. How can you be worthy of being a nation’s queen? If this king doesn’t kill you, how can I answer to the various nations!” The King of Shang roared and with a “clang” suddenly drew his sword. The blade gleamed like water, pointing directly at the queen’s throat.
The cold, piercing sword tip made the skin on the queen’s throat break out in goosebumps. Whether she had extraordinary composure or was truly unconscious, she still didn’t move.
Shang Lue’s eyes showed joy, and he somewhat forgot himself as he stepped forward.
“Don’t kill my mother!” Suddenly came a loud shout. The young prince rushed down from the platform, throwing himself over the queen and looking up at the King of Shang’s sword tip. “Don’t kill her! I beg you!”
The queen seemed finally awakened, her eyes flying open as she embraced her son. Before she could speak, tears were already rolling down.
The youth was also covered in tears, holding her tightly in his arms.
Mother and son cried bitterly in each other’s arms under the King of Shang’s sword. Their voices were heartbreaking, and the King of Shang’s sword tip gradually lowered.
Shang Lue’s teeth ground together audibly. He suddenly stepped forward to pull his brother away. The youth broke free violently, his eyes red as he glared fiercely at him.
The youth’s gaze was like that of a wounded, starving wolf, bloodshot and full of hatred and killing intent.
Meeting such a gaze, even Shang Lue couldn’t help but be stunned, then his eyes narrowed with a flash of fierce light.
In the golden hall, the two brothers stared at each other fiercely, neither yielding.
Watching from above, Jing Hengbo sighed leisurely.
If her expectations were correct, perhaps it wouldn’t be long before another drama of fraternal conflict would be staged in the Kingdom of Shang.
She suddenly felt infinitely weary of this endless power struggle.
Traveling through Dahuang, she had seen many countries and tribes. In almost every country and tribe she encountered, all the incidents and disputes she witnessed were filled with the words “royal power” and “competition.”
She couldn’t imagine what it would feel like to live a lifetime in such an environment.
She secretly swore that in the future, whether she became the Jade Queen or the Queen of Dahuang, none of her little cubs would be allowed to fight over such nonsense!
She must instill in them from childhood that being emperor was the most bitter and difficult thing in the world – it would make you lose hair, become impotent, disfigured, unable to perform… anyway, however tragic it could be, she must make them view royal power as a flood or fierce beast from childhood, desperately pushing it away!
Her expression was probably too determined and fierce, because Gong Yin beside her asked: “What’s wrong?”
“Three little cubs,” she said through gritted teeth. “Not one of them is allowed to covet the throne!”
Beside her, it was quiet for a moment, then that voice asked even more quietly: “Why three?”
“Don’t ask your sister, it’s intuition.” She clenched her fist. “Anyway, they’re not allowed!”
“What will their surname be?” that voice seemed to ask casually.
“Jing!”
“Hmm?”
Jing Hengbo lowered her fist, her eyes glancing over sideways. “Oh, want the sons to have the surname Gong? Fine, eight-sedan-chair formal wedding with bridal chamber and lying down obediently to get all the proper business done, then I might consider letting one have the surname Gong.”
“One?” The voice sounded even more dissatisfied.
“You can you up,” Jing Hengbo looked at him sideways. “No can no daodao.”
“What does that mean?”
Jing Hengbo thought this phrase couldn’t be explained – the positions didn’t match her dreams.
Gong Yin didn’t continue asking. He suddenly grasped her hand and said clearly in her ear: “Then let’s sleep here tonight.”