The carriage stopped at the entrance of the Xie residence.
Xie Ping had cried until she nearly fainted. Supported by two maids as she got off the carriage, she had just entered the Xie residence when He Shi walked out from the side.
Throughout the morning, He Shi could be said to have been restless, waiting and waiting. Finally, Xie Ping had returned, but seeing Xie Ping crying like this, she secretly thought things had gone terribly wrong and hurriedly asked: “Madam, what happened to the eldest miss? What occurred?”
“Concubine He has come at just the right time.” Yun Chu spoke coldly. “Please go invite the Old Madam and Madam to the ancestral hall. If the master is also present, invite him as well.”
After speaking, she led Tingshuang directly to the ancestral hall in the back courtyard. Xie Ping was thrown inside, kneeling before the memorial tablets of the Xie family ancestors with a deathly pale face.
Before long, footsteps sounded. The members of the Xie family walked in one by one.
“Chu’er, why have you mobilized everyone to come to the ancestral hall?” As soon as the Old Madam entered and saw Xie Ping kneeling on the ground, her brows couldn’t help but furrow. “What wrong has Sister Ping committed?”
Yuan Shi spoke up: “Why is Sister Ping crying like this? What on earth happened?”
Xie Jingyu had also come, his eyes filled with incomprehension.
Yun Chu spoke: “Xie Ping, tell us yourself what happened. Speak clearly before the ancestors of the Xie family.”
“I… I followed Mother to Qing’an Temple to worship Buddha. When I heard that the Fourth Prince, Prince An’jing, was staying at Qing’an Temple, I found a way to arrange a meeting with Prince An’jing…” Xie Ping knelt prostrate on the ground, her voice hoarse as she said, “Prince An’jing and I were mutually attracted, so in the side chamber…”
She reached this point and couldn’t continue.
But everyone present understood.
“You… you have such audacity.” The Old Madam was so shocked she nearly couldn’t stand steady. “You haven’t even reached the hairpin ceremony yet. How dare you do such a thing!”
Yuan Shi only felt dizzy: “Then did you and Prince An’jing actually…”
Xie Jingyu raised his hand and viciously slapped Xie Ping across the face: “How could I have given birth to such a shameless thing like you!”
Xie Ping was struck dizzy and lay prone on the ground, unable to get up for a long time.
“Master, things have come to this. Even if you beat the eldest miss to death, it won’t change anything.” He Shi spoke anxiously. “The eldest miss is at fault, but doesn’t Prince An’jing also bear fault?”
The Old Madam was reminded: “Sister Ping isn’t even fifteen yet, and Prince An’jing dared to do such a thing. No matter how you look at it, it’s Prince An’jing’s fault. Our Xie family cannot swallow this injustice.”
Yuan Shi paced anxiously in circles: “Our Xie family has such a low status. What can we use to contend with Prince An’jing? What should we do? What can we possibly do?”
Xie Jingyu turned to look at Yun Chu: “Madam, what is Prince An’jing’s intention?”
“Prince An’jing is willing to take Sister Ping as a concubine.” Yun Chu spoke. “What does husband think?”
The Old Madam breathed a sigh of relief. As long as Prince An’jing was willing to take responsibility, that was good. Otherwise, if Sister Ping lost her virtue and no one wanted her, that would also be a thorny matter.
Xie Jingyu’s expression wasn’t very good. A concubine was even lower than an ordinary household’s concubine—it was equivalent to being a bed-warming maid. After all, she was an official’s daughter. To be reduced to warming a man’s bed—both the Xie family’s face and dignity would be trampled on the ground. It truly disgraced the Xie family’s reputation.
Yun Chu continued: “However, after I proposed reporting to the Court of Judicial Review, Prince An’jing relented and promised Sister Ping the position of secondary consort.”
“What, secondary consort?” The Old Madam’s eyes showed disbelief. “I heard that the Second Prince’s secondary consort is the legitimate second daughter of the third-rank Court of Imperial Sacrifices Minister’s household. For Sister Ping to become the secondary consort of Prince An’jing’s residence—this is our Xie family’s ancestors blessing us from beyond.”
“But Mother refused!” Xie Ping cried loudly. “Mother did not agree to let me become Prince An’jing’s secondary consort. She fell out with Prince An’jing. Prince An’jing is angry. My whole life is ruined…”
She had calculated everything, except she never calculated that Mother would actually not agree.
Her life was going to be destroyed in Mother’s hands.
“Madam, is what Sister Ping said true?” Seeing Yun Chu nod, Xie Jingyu pressed his lips together. “Does Madam truly want to file a complaint at the Court of Judicial Review?”
“No, no, we can’t file a complaint.” Yuan Shi shook her head like a rattle drum. “If this matter gets blown up, Sister Ping’s reputation will be ruined, and our Xie family will become the biggest joke in the capital. Chu’er, we cannot go to the Court of Judicial Review!”
The Old Madam thumped her cane and said sternly: “Chu’er, you are the mistress of our Xie family. No matter what you do, you should put the Xie family’s reputation first. Go see Prince An’jing now and say you agree to let Sister Ping become the secondary consort. Jingyu, accompany Chu’er!”
“Then let me speak plainly first.” Yun Chu said lightly. “Sister Ping schemed against Prince An’jing. Prince An’jing might not understand it for a while, but could Consort De, who has been immersed in the inner palace for so many years, not be clear about it? Once Sister Ping becomes the secondary consort, she’ll become fish on a chopping block. Prince An’jing’s coldness, Consort De’s difficulties, the future princess consort’s torment—she’ll have to endure it all. She’s only thirteen years old. Will the rest of her life be spent withering away in Prince An’jing’s residence?”
Xie Ping couldn’t help but tremble.
Yes, even Mother could see through her scheme. How could Consort De not see through it?
If she dared to scheme against Prince An’jing, Consort De would probably skin her alive.
And moreover, when the future Princess Consort An’jing entered the household, she would definitely find ways to make her follow the rules…
“You all only think about taking advantage of the opportunity to climb up to Prince An’jing’s residence, but you don’t think about how Sister Ping will manage in the future.” Yun Chu shook her head. “The Xie family’s reputation is certainly important, but in my view, what kind of life Sister Ping can live is more important.”
Hot tears involuntarily surfaced in Xie Ping’s eyes again.
So Mother refused to let her become the secondary consort because she was afraid she would suffer grievances at Prince An’jing’s residence. She truly treated her as a daughter and considered these things for her.
Everyone in the ancestral hall fell silent. They indeed hadn’t considered Sister Ping’s future.
The Old Madam was even thinking that this was something Sister Ping had schemed for herself. Whatever kind of life she lived in the future was her own doing.
Of course, these words she only thought once or twice in her heart, because once spoken aloud, it would mean she had become distant from Sister Ping…
“Eldest Sister now has only one path to take.” At the entrance to the ancestral hall, Xie Shi’an walked in. “Since she has already schemed against Prince An’jing, she can only walk this dark path to the end—make Prince An’jing’s residence take the initiative to request to marry Eldest Sister as the principal consort.”
Having schemed so much only to become a secondary consort, subject to others’ manipulation—the Xie family would also suffer misfortune from being affected by Prince An’jing’s fury.
But becoming the princess consort would be different. A princess consort must be granted marriage by the Emperor. She would be a proper member of the imperial family. Even an imperial prince couldn’t deliberately disgrace the princess consort. Even if Prince An’jing detested Eldest Sister, at any imperial banquet, he would still have to bring Eldest Sister to attend together. The major and minor affairs of Prince An’jing’s residence would all be handled by Eldest Sister.
As long as Eldest Sister then found a way to bear Prince An’jing’s legitimate eldest son, her whole life would be secure.
Yun Chu looked at Xie Shi’an: “Brother An still understands my meaning.”
Only now did Xie Ping understand why at Qing’an Temple, Mother had proposed making her the mistress of the prince’s residence. It turned out this was her only path.
Xie Jingyu spoke: “I’ll make a trip to the Censorate right now.”
Going to the Censorate wasn’t to file a complaint, but just to let Consort De know that the Xie family could have the Censor impeach them at any time…
Yun Chu nodded: “Brother An, you take the Xie family carriage and sit at the entrance of the Court of Judicial Review for a night. I’ll make a trip to the Yun family.”
The Old Madam was extremely worried: “Will this work?”
Just making simple threats—would Consort De believe it?
She was afraid of thoroughly angering Prince An’jing and Consort De, and then the Xie family’s good days would be over.
Xie Jingyu replied: “Whether it works or not, we can only proceed this way first.”
His Xie family daughter was only thirteen. Even if this matter got blown up, the Xie family would lose face, but in reality, the one more affected would still be Prince An’jing.
He suddenly felt somewhat fortunate—fortunately, Sister Ping had not yet reached the hairpin ceremony…