Xie Jingyu strode forward briskly.

The maids all curtsied and served him tea.

“Husband seems to be in a good mood.” Yun Chu looked at him. “Has something good happened?”

Xie Jingyu drank half his cup of tea, a smile appearing on his face. “Miss Ping’s dowry is almost all prepared.”

Yun Chu smiled as well. “I knew there would be no problem entrusting this matter to Husband. I’ll tell Miss Ping this good news in a bit.”

“There’s another piece of good news.” Xie Jingyu’s smile deepened. “His Majesty ordered a reinvestigation into the Crown Prince’s serious illness. Prince An’jing has cleared his name and can return to the capital tomorrow.”

Although not many people knew about Prince An’jing being punished by being sent to Qing’an Temple, it was still an unfavorable matter.

Previously, he had worried that His Majesty would revoke Prince An’jing’s title, but now it seemed he had overthought it.

Three months from now, after Miss Ping and Prince An’jing’s wedding, the Xie family would be genuine imperial in-laws.

If Marquis Xuanwu wanted to make things difficult for him again, it wouldn’t be possible.

The smile on his face was broad, but then he saw Yun Chu’s brows gradually furrow.

He knew Yun Chu was the capital’s foremost beauty, but he’d never known that even when worried, she could be this beautiful.

But now wasn’t the time to admire a beauty. He spoke up. “Wife, is there some problem?”

Yun Chu shook her head. “Prince An’jing clearing his name may be a good thing for him personally, but for our Xie family…”

Having said this much, she didn’t continue.

But Xie Jingyu was a clever man—how could he not understand?

The reason the Xie family had managed to scheme their way to the position of princess consort was entirely because Prince An’jing had made a mistake and been punished, not daring to make the matter public, allowing the Xie family to exploit the opening.

“Regardless, what’s done is done.” A trace of hidden worry also appeared between Xie Jingyu’s brows. “Moreover, His Majesty personally issued the imperial edict for the marriage. Consort De can’t very well go back on it.”

Yun Chu spoke. “Imperial commands are like mountains—Consort De naturally won’t renege, but I’m afraid Miss Ping…”

Xie Jingyu’s expression was indifferent. “This is the path she chose herself. Even if she has to crawl on her knees, she must walk it.”

Sure enough, just as Yun Chu had predicted, the next morning, Governess Tang from Consort De’s palace came to the Xie family to invite Xie Ping into the palace.

Xie Jingyu was once again thoroughly convinced by Yun Chu. This wife of his seemed to calculate every step accurately. With Yun Chu, how could the Xie family worry about rising to the clouds…

Xie Ping followed Governess Tang and Governess Fu together into the palace.

She carefully remembered the etiquette Governess Fu had taught, keeping her head slightly lowered, walking very carefully, trying her best to ensure her skirt hem didn’t sway in the slightest…

After half an hour, she finally reached Changqing Palace where Consort De resided.

She ascended the steps, followed them into the palace hall, and performed a standard court courtesy. “This subject’s daughter pays respects to Consort De.”

Not hearing Consort De’s voice telling her to rise, she could only maintain this posture standing. After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, she saw in her line of vision a pair of feet walking toward her, then stopping before her. Immediately after, her chin was gripped and lifted by fingers wearing golden nail guards.

The sharp golden guards pierced into her flesh, causing her to furrow her brow in pain.

She was forced to raise her head and met a gorgeous face. Even having never entered the palace before, she knew this was Consort De.

“Miss Xie, you have quite some audacity, scheming all the way to this palace!”

Consort De abruptly flung her away.

Caught off guard, she was thrown to the ground.

Not daring to get up, she changed from lying prone to kneeling on the ground and spoke. “Your Highness, this subject’s daughter knows she was wrong. This subject’s daughter and the prince are mutually in love, unable to restrain our feelings, so we…”

Hearing the four words “unable to restrain our feelings,” Consort De was so angry she nearly exploded. She raised her foot and gave Xie Ping a vicious kick.

The Xie family was too calculating—not a moment earlier, not a moment later, but choosing precisely when Fourth Prince was punished and sent to Qing’an Temple, forcing her to agree to this matter.

If she had hesitated just a few more days, Fourth Prince would have cleared his name. How could he possibly have been manipulated by the Xie family to this extent?

Xie Ping was kicked right over.

She was only a thirteen-year-old girl—how could she withstand such kicks? Immediately she had some difficulty breathing.

Consort De said coldly, “Miss Xie has offended this palace. Governess Fu, slap her mouth for this palace.”

Governess Fu stepped forward. Slap, slap, slap—using both hands, after over twenty slaps, Xie Ping’s face swelled up.

She was in such pain she nearly fainted, tears streaming down continuously.

“How inauspicious.” Consort De’s face was full of disgust. “Crying like this, do you think this palace has wronged you? Go stand outside. When you’ve thought things through, you can come back in.”

Xie Ping couldn’t stand steadily at all and was supported by palace maids who pushed her to the entrance of Changqing Palace’s main hall.

Here, everything was white jade stone with not a single tree. The sun shone down brightly, the heat making her see stars.

When she’d arrived it had been morning, but now it was nearly noon. Her belly was completely empty, and that blazing sun nearly roasted her.

Not knowing how long she had stood there, her head grew dizzy and her whole body toppled forward.

The palace maid guarding beside her coldly hauled her upright. “Miss Xie, stand properly. If you anger Consort De, it won’t be as simple as just standing as punishment.”

Xie Ping felt the palace maid’s fingernails practically digging into her flesh. She was in such pain she’d gone numb.

She wanted so badly to cry.

She didn’t understand why she, a future princess consort, had to suffer such torment and humiliation.

Why even a mere palace maid dared treat her this way.

If she had agreed early on to become Prince An’jing’s secondary consort, as a secondary consort, she would probably suffer even crueler torment.

Just as she was despairing, she saw a tall figure enter through the gates of Changqing Palace.

She looked and saw it was Prince An’jing.

Her eyes immediately burst with radiance as she stared intently at the approaching man.

Prince An’jing’s gaze only paused on her for the briefest instant. His steps didn’t even stop as he directly strode up the steps and entered Consort De’s palace hall.

He admitted he had some interest in Miss Xie, but it was merely physical interest. His willingness to take responsibility for her meant he could take her as a concubine.

But she, her heart knew no contentment. Even being offered the position of secondary consort she was unwilling, actually forcing his mother consort to agree to marry her as the principal consort.

Marrying the illegitimate daughter of a fifth-rank official as his principal consort—he would become the biggest laughingstock of the entire capital.

Watching Prince An’jing’s back coldly disappear into the main hall, despair gradually overflowed from Xie Ping’s face…

Once again she felt fortunate that she was the future princess consort. Even if the prince didn’t regard her well, he still had to bring her to palace banquets, still had to have a legitimate eldest son with her…

Xie Ping remained in the palace until evening before being released.

Everyone up and down in the Xie household, seeing her not return for so long, were all anxious. They sent people to guard the gate, and as soon as she entered, they brought her to Anshou Hall.

“Heavens, what happened to your face…” He Shi was the first to cry out in alarm. “Who—who hit your face? You’re the future Princess An’jing—this shows no respect for Prince An’jing!”

Xie Ping’s nose tingled. She nestled in He Shi’s embrace and burst into wailing sobs.

The old matriarch asked anxiously, “Miss Ping, you still haven’t said who laid hands on you?”

“Who else could it be?” Yun Chu’s voice was extremely flat. “Naturally it was Consort De.”