The princes who had been closely watching Yu Jin soon learned of the outcome.
“What? Only confined for seven days?” Prince Lu slammed his fist on the table, breaking the fine huali wood piece.
When he made mistakes, he was confined for several months. Yet when the Seventh Prince made a mistake, he was only confined for seven days. In comparison, wasn’t he the one who seemed like a wild child raised outside the palace?
Prince Lu was furious, pacing in circles. “It’s infuriating! He caused me to be punished by Father Emperor several times and even snatched the woman I had my eye on. How could he receive such a light punishment?”
A foot stepped over the threshold.
“Why is Your Highness so angry?” Princess Lu walked in with light steps.
Prince Lu choked suddenly and started coughing.
Princess Lu gently patted his back. When Prince Lu calmed down, she asked leisurely, “Did I just hear Your Highness mention something about a woman you had your eye on?”
“Cough cough cough cough!” Prince Lu coughed even more violently.
Princess Lu looked at Prince Lu with a smile. “Is Your Highness feeling guilty?”
“Cough—” Prince Lu’s coughing suddenly stopped. He wiped the corner of his eye. “Princess, you must have misheard. I haven’t been out much lately. Besides you, what other woman could there be?”
Princess Lu examined Prince Lu for a while, then smiled. “Your Highness truly makes me feel honored.”
“As it should be, as it should be.” Prince Lu wiped his forehead, forcing a dry laugh.
This tigress, if she caught him in a lie, would cause a big scene again.
He was a man, and although he wouldn’t suffer much if she made a fuss if word got to Father Emperor, he’d be finished.
What Father Emperor despised most was marital discord and an unsettled household. His birth mother had pointed this out to him.
Prince Lu’s mind flashed to Emperor Jingming’s stern expression, and he shuddered inwardly.
One day, when Father Emperor could no longer control him, he would divorce this vicious woman!
The Crown Prince was even more disappointed when he learned of the outcome. He had originally planned to patiently visit the Crown Princess, but feeling irritated, he simply took a young palace maid to relax instead.
Prince Qi didn’t say much about this, but he instructed Princess Qi: “Go to the palace and keep Mother company. Advise her not to take it to heart. It’s not worth damaging her health over this.”
Princess Qi replied softly, “Don’t worry, Your Highness. I will comfort Mother well.”
A mother knows her child best. At this moment, Noble Consort Xian was so angry she couldn’t even eat.
A mother sending gifts to her son, only to have them rejected, shouldn’t have been a big deal. But with those censors making a fuss, everyone who could know about it now knew, and she had lost face.
How could she have given birth to such an unfilial son? If she had known, she would have smothered him with a pillow when he was born, rather than being angered to death by him now.
“Your Highness, Princess Qi has arrived.”
Noble Consort Xian took a breath and ordered her to be brought in.
“Daughter-in-law has obtained a thousand-year snow lotus and brought it to nourish Mother’s health.”
“You’re so thoughtful.”
Princess Qi observed Noble Consort Xian and asked with concern, “Mother doesn’t look well. Are you feeling unwell?”
Noble Consort Xian laughed coldly, “It’s good enough to be alive!”
When it came to Yu Jin, Noble Consort Xian’s feelings could almost be described as hatred.
A fleeting smile passed through Princess Qi’s eyes, but her words remained gentle and comforting. “Seventh Brother is still young and grew up outside the palace. Mother shouldn’t take it to heart. Moreover, if you damage your health because of anger, Seventh Brother might not understand, but our Prince would be very concerned. I originally didn’t know about this matter in the inner court, but the Prince reminded me…”
Noble Consort Xian sighed deeply, “If it weren’t for the Fourth Prince, life would truly be unbearable—”
“Mother, please don’t say that. If you’re not well, our Prince can’t even sleep properly.”
After listening to Princess Qi’s consolation for a while, Noble Consort Xian’s mood improved slightly. She ordered her maids to gather many fine items for Princess Qi to take back, saying they were gifts for her granddaughter.
Princess Qi declined for a while before finally accepting and leaving.
The Prince kept many retainers, which was quite expensive. These good items from her mother-in-law would help cover expenses for a while.
Seeing Princess Qi return, Prince Qi looked touched. “Thank you for your hard work.”
Princess Qi smiled, “It wasn’t hard at all. Being able to help Your Highness is my blessing.”
Prince Qi held Princess Qi’s hand. “Then you go ahead with your tasks. I have some matters to attend to in the study.”
“Please go ahead, Your Highness.”
As Prince Qi reached the door, he inadvertently looked back and saw Princess Qi excitedly counting the gifts she had brought back. Suddenly, he felt a wave of disgust.
Princess Qi seemed to sense something and looked up.
“Does Your Highness have something else?”
“No, nothing.” Prince Qi smiled and walked out.
The news of Prince Yan’s confinement reached the Dong Ping Earl’s Manor.
Old Madam Feng immediately summoned Jiang Si and instructed, “Si’er, the fact that the Prince invited you to watch the top scholar’s parade together shows that he cares for you. After you marry into the royal family, remember to advise the Prince more often. Don’t let him always act on his whims.”
Jiang Si smiled, “Granddaughter admires the Prince’s true nature.”
Sending instructing palace maids?
It’s a pity she wasn’t married to him yet. Otherwise, even if Yu Qi didn’t throw them out, she would have.
If being virtuous and gentle meant causing trouble for oneself, it wasn’t worth it.
Perhaps because in her previous life, she had seen Princess Lu chase Prince Lu down the street and beat him severely without consequence, Jiang Si had some understanding of that high and mighty emperor.
The Emperor wasn’t the type to get angry over such matters.
“Admire?” Old Madam Feng raised her voice, “Fourth girl, you mustn’t be confused. Now everyone in the capital knows that Prince Yan favors you mainly for your beauty. If rumors of his exclusive favor spread after you marry him, it will only confirm this notion, and the gossip will become even more unpleasant.”
Jiang Si was surprised, “Does this need confirmation?”
Old Madam Feng was exasperated.
Jiang Si stood up, “Grandmother, don’t worry about it. I don’t live in other people’s gossip. My marriage to Prince Yan was decreed by the Emperor. Let others gossip behind our backs if they must, but if anyone dares to speak nonsense to my face, I’ll teach them a lesson!”
Seeing that Jiang Si wouldn’t listen to advice at all and instead displayed a domineering attitude, Old Madam Feng felt a wave of fear.
This stubborn girl, born with the face of a femme fatale, didn’t understand the first thing about being virtuous and gentle. Wouldn’t she cause a great disaster after marrying into the royal family?
“Granddaughter takes her leave.”
“Fourth girl, fourth girl—” Old Madam Feng called out several times, but Jiang Si didn’t look back, leaving the old lady trembling with anger.
Ah Fu lowered her head, trying her best to minimize her presence.
No wonder people strive for higher positions. Once Fourth Miss became a princess, even the old madam couldn’t do anything about it. How enviable!
The commotion gradually died down with Prince Yan’s confinement, and the sudden death of the foreign assassin who had attempted to kill the top scholar left several government offices’ investigations at a standstill.
Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, early summer arrived. The crabapple trees in Haitang Residence were ablaze with flowers, and the atmosphere of wedding preparations in the Earl’s Manor grew increasingly intense.
Before long, Fourth Miss would be marrying into the Prince’s Manor.
Thinking of this, even the servants who had nothing to do with Haitang Residence couldn’t help but stand taller, feeling an indescribable sense of pride.
This subtle atmosphere didn’t affect Jiang Si.
As the wedding date approached, she rarely went out. She usually stayed in her room, passing time by drinking tea and reading books, occasionally listening to the gossip A-Man brought back from outside.
On this day, as she listened to A-Man talk about news from the Anguo Duke’s Manor, Jiang Si suddenly remembered something.
In her previous life, at this time, Ji Chongyi had already passed away…