With the newly established Prince of Yan’s mansion, a full staff was naturally appointed. Considering that the Prince of Yan had grown up outside the palace and lacked knowledge of etiquette and rules, Emperor Jingming specifically chose an experienced and steady official as the Chief Steward of the Prince’s mansion.
The Chief Steward was not young and placed great importance on propriety. He meticulously groomed his beard every day, only to have it splattered with tea leaves.
“Cough, cough, cough! Your Highness, how can you behave like this? This is most improper!” The Chief Steward’s face turned red with anger as tea leaves fell from his quivering beard.
Yu Jin quickly put down his teacup and apologized, “I’m truly sorry. I couldn’t control myself for a moment…”
The Chief Steward’s chest heaved violently. If he could commit treason, he might have grabbed Yu Jin’s shoulders and shaken him vigorously. “This old servant has said it many times, you are a prince of the realm. Every action must be dignified. How could you… how could you spit tea on this old servant’s face?”
Could this be the Prince of Yan’s long-planned revenge?
The Chief Steward had a sudden realization and looked at Yu Jin with increasing indignation.
If this were his son, he would have beaten him to death at least eight times by now.
Yu Jin covered his mouth with his hand, coughed lightly, and said seriously, “Chief Steward, please go clean up. I’m truly sorry.”
For the Chief Steward, he indeed couldn’t be seen in this state.
He cupped his hands and said, “This old servant will take his leave first.”
Yu Jin’s phoenix eyes swept across the room, and he said coldly, “Why are you two still standing here? Go and assist the Chief Steward in cleaning up!”
The two instructing palace maids looked at each other in confusion.
Was the Prince of Yan sending them to serve an old man?
Heavens, if that’s the case, they might as well bash their heads against a wall and die. If they had to serve an old man, they’d rather serve the Emperor!
Palace maids were typically trained for at least three years. During this time, their task was to teach the young princes about bedroom matters, to prevent them from going astray.
So in these maids’ minds, their first time would surely be given to a young, noble prince. Even if they couldn’t secure a position as a concubine afterward, they would accept it.
But what was the situation with this old man with tea leaves in his beard?
The Chief Steward, upon hearing this, also became anxious and shouted, “Your Highness, these are the instructing palace maids bestowed by His Majesty, specifically to teach you—”
Yu Jin had just picked up his teacup to moisten his throat. Upon hearing this, he choked.
The Chief Steward, terrified, ran away at a speed that left everyone dumbfounded.
Yu Jin looked rather disappointed. “It seems the Chief Steward doesn’t need your assistance. Long Dan—”
Long Dan entered. “What are your orders, Master?”
Just now, the Master had ordered these two beautiful sisters to serve the Chief Steward. Now that the Chief Steward had run away, could it be that he would benefit from this?
Ahem, he had long needed the service of beautiful flower-like sisters.
Yu Jin saw right through Long Dan’s thoughts and said coolly, “Take these two palace maids to the back and hand them over to the internal affairs manager. Let her arrange some duties for them.”
“Yes.” Long Dan thought it was a pity but said formally, “Ladies, please come with me.”
The two palace maids exchanged glances, and one of them boldly said, “Your Highness, we were sent by His Majesty to instruct you—”
The rest of her words died on her lips due to the young prince’s suddenly icy expression.
“I don’t want to hear such words from your mouths a second time. In the future, whoever doesn’t learn their lesson, Long Dan will cut out their tongue.” Yu Jin said expressionlessly, his lips curving into a cruel smile. “I don’t have the leisure to cherish fragrant beauty, nor do I need anyone’s instruction. Take them away!”
Long Dan hurriedly led the two instructing palace maids away. He returned shortly after, hesitating before saying, “Master, those two were sent by His Majesty. Most of the people in the prince’s mansion were assigned from above, and many eyes were watching. If this reaches His Majesty’s ears…”
Yu Jin smiled nonchalantly. “So what? At most, I’ll be scolded a bit. I’m not the Crown Prince. Surely the ruler of a nation won’t spend every day obsessing over whether I sleep with palace maids or not.”
Some things could be compromised, but others absolutely could not. He wasn’t a breeding boar; it wasn’t up to anyone else to arrange which woman he slept with.
Talk of enduring for the future was all nonsense, merely a fig leaf for the weak, incompetent, or insatiably greedy.
This matter had offended the Emperor, and the Emperor would surely be displeased when he heard about it. But so what if he was unhappy? At most, he would look at Yu Jin unfavorably in the future. Could he take away his princely title?
The reason why that string of brothers didn’t dare to breathe loudly in front of the Emperor was that they wanted too much. But what he wanted most was only Si’er. Now that his dream had finally come true, why should the Emperor interfere?
Instructing palace maids?
Hmph, did they think he was some fool who knew nothing? Since the betrothal, he had worn out a stack of small books that Long Dan had bought for him. There was no position he didn’t know.
Long Dan scratched his head in confusion.
What was with the Master’s subtle pride?
Before Long Dan could withdraw, another guard came to report: “Your Highness, Jade Spring Palace has sent two palace maids.”
Jade Spring Palace was Noble Consort Xian’s residence.
Yu Jin laughed angrily when he heard this.
Was there no end to this?
First from the Emperor, then from Noble Consort Xian. Were the Empress and Empress Dowager going to send people next?
“Tell the gatekeepers to throw them out. Don’t let just any trash into the prince’s mansion.”
The guard was originally Yu Jin’s guard from the south, so he carried out the order without hesitation.
The Chief Steward rushed over when he heard the news, stamping his feet and sighing deeply: “Your Highness, you can’t throw them out, you can’t!”
Yu Jin’s face darkened. “What do you mean I can’t?”
The Chief Steward was exasperated: “Your Highness, those are palace maids sent by your birth mother. If you throw them out like this, once it spreads, it will lead to censors impeaching you for being unfilial.”
Yu Jin rolled his eyes: “Let them impeach then. Alright, Chief Steward, the people have already been thrown out, so don’t be sad about it.”
Chief Steward: “…” He wasn’t sad at all, he was about to have a heart attack from the Prince of Yan’s lawlessness!
As the saying goes, good news doesn’t leave the door, but bad news travels a thousand miles. Soon, the news that the Prince of Yan had thrown out the palace maids sent by Noble Consort Xian spread like wildfire.
In the Prince of Lu’s mansion, which was opposite the Prince of Yan’s, Prince Lu laughed so hard he nearly fell: “Haha, that fool Seventh Brother, let’s see how you die this time! Hmph, you caused me to be scolded by Father Emperor for no reason and snatched the woman I had my eye on. Now it’s your turn to suffer misfortune.”
The Eastern Palace heard the news a bit later, but the Crown Prince was equally delighted, gritting his teeth: “That bastard Seventh Brother, he caused me to be scolded by Father Emperor for no reason and married the supposedly most beautiful woman in the capital. Now it’s his turn to suffer misfortune.”
All the princes were thinking the same thing: Yes, it’s about time for Seventh Brother to suffer some misfortune.
Emperor Jingming listened expressionlessly as several censors vehemently criticized the Prince of Yan, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper.
Although that turtle egg Seventh Son deserved a beating, there had been no progress on the situation with the foreign assassin who had attempted to kill the Top Scholar yesterday. Were these officials overfed and bored, focusing on such trivial matters instead of important affairs?
“If that’s the case, then throw the Prince of Yan into the Sky Prison.”