Chapter 323 – Accuse You of Conspiring to Commit Treason
Feng Jin Yuan repeated himself “It’s ok. It was A-Heng that took action today. Fortunately, his Highness Prince Yu was not present, otherwise, how could Ru Jia still be alive!”
Feng Jin Yuan was not the only one to consider this a blessing. Even Fen Dai had a pale face, as she said: “If that demon was here, today’s celebration would have become a funeral.”
The matriarch had also come over. Seeing this scene, she sighed and stomped her feet in anger.
Seeing the matriarch come over, Kang Yi thought that she had found some support. Hugging the matriarch’s thigh, she cried: “Mother, Ru Jia is so pitiful!”
She originally hoped that the matriarch would show some sympathy, but how could the matriarch show any sympathy to the mother and daughter. At this time, she hated that she could not strangle Kang Yi to death. “Evil! So evil!” She said this while pointing at Ru Jia and asking Kang Yi: “Do you know what sort of disaster your daughter is inviting to my Feng manor? Do you know what sort of consequences come with insulting his Highness the ninth prince of Da Shun?”
Fen Dai subconsciously felt her own arm, as she still remembered how Xuan Tian Ming had whipped it. She also remembered how Xuan Tian Ming had allowed her to fall into a lake in Tong Sheng pavilion. The feeling of drowning in that lake was something she could not forget.
She muttered as though she were talking to herself, but it was also as though she were reminding Kang Yi: “In Da Shun, insulting the ninth prince has much more terrifying consequences than insulting the Emperor.”
In an instant, Kang Yi’s body froze over. It was as though she had suddenly remembered something. At this time, Feng Jin Yuan stepped forward and placed his hands on her shoulders. With a very helpless and slightly fearful voice, he said to her: “Think about it carefully. Is his Highness the ninth prince someone that can be offended so casually?”
Earlier, Kang Yi had been dazed by Feng Yu Heng’s attack, and she had completely forgotten to think. Now that she had been reminded by everyone, she recalled the secret report that she had received on the ninth prince prior to coming to Da Shun.
The secret report said that this person was the child of the Emperor’s most beloved imperial concubine Yun. Ever since a young age, he was favored by the Emperor. He was brave and battle-wise, but he had absolutely no regard for human feelings. His temper was unstable, and he was willful. There was absolutely no way of reasoning with him, and he would do whatever he wanted to do. In fact, he dared to thrash a whip around in front of the Emperor and kill a favored imperial concubine, yet the Emperor actually did not blame him for it.
She also remembered something from the first day of the year. Although she had not personally seen it, she had heard that while the Empress was speaking, the ninth prince had, for some reason, broke the table in front of the third prince. The third prince immediately became furious, but the Emperor and the Empress spoke up for the ninth prince. In the end, the third prince was called unreasonable by the Empress. After that, someone said that the ninth prince acting out was to help relieve county princess Ji An’s frustration because the third prince had argued with her before the banquet.
Today, Ru Jia had insulted that sort of person, and she had done it in front of Feng Yu Heng. No wonder, no wonder Feng Jin Yuan said it was fortunate. If that ninth prince was present today...
Kang Yi truly did not dare continue to think along that path. On this cold day, she was actually covered in a cold sweat.
“It’s a day of great celebration, so what are you doing?” The third prince, Xuan Tian Ye, suddenly raised his voice, “Prime minister Feng, why have you not had someone bring princess Ru Jia back to her courtyard. Then have someone invite an imperial physician. The Feng manor is hosting a celebration today. It must not be disrupted.” He said this while saying to the guests: “It’s an argument between young girls. Let’s not get involved. Come, drink.”
Xuan Tian Ye was coming to relieve the situation, and Feng Jin Yuan appreciated this gesture, as he quickly ordered the servants to carry Ru Jia out.
However, Feng Yu Heng raised an eyebrow and said in a voice louder than Xuan Tian Ye’s: “Eldest brother! The foreign princess insulted our Da Shun’s prince. What sort of crime is it?”
This shout nearly caused Kang Yi to faint. She nearly wanted to kneel in front of Feng Yu Heng. Originally, the third prince interjecting could be considered as having put this matter in the past, but why was she so unrelenting?
Feng Yu Heng was not the only one to not relent, as the eldest prince, Xuan Tian Qi, also felt that this matter should not be considered as having been resolved. Hearing what Feng Yu Heng asked him, he took a few steps forward and stood in front of the Feng family. Looking at Ru Jia and Kang Yi, in the end, he said to Feng Jin Yuan: “The foreign princess insulting a prince of Da Shun should be considered conspiracy to commit treason.”
Feng Jin Yuan felt his neck immediately become soaked in a cold sweat, and Kang Yi’s legs gave out. No longer able to remain steady, she swayed and was about to fall to the ground. Fortunately, a palace maid supported her and quietly reminded her: “Eldest princess, do not panic. You must save the princess!”
Normally, Kang Yi was a very tolerant person, and it was very difficult for anything to cause her to break. But she was still a mother, and there was not a single mother under the heavens that could remain calm after seeing their daughter become severely injured. But this palace maid was right. She could not panic, and she had to save Ru Jia.
Thus she gathered her thoughts and took the initiative to say: “Your Highness, the crime of treason is one that I truly cannot assume! Whether it is Kang Yi or Ru Jia, we are simply women. In the manor’s inner courtyard, there will occasionally be some arguments, and they would be considered normal. I hope that your Highness is willing to forgive.”
She tried to make it a matter of battles taking place within the inner courtyard of a manor to have the men shut up. But Xuan Tian Qi shook his head and said: “I have never heard of any arguing between girls that led to a prince being insulted. I am father Emperor’s son. If there were any mistakes, I will naturally accept punishment from father Emperor and mother Empress. Even if it’s imperial concubine mother, she needs to account for a prince’s face and cannot bear too much responsibility. But I never thought that father Emperor’s most beloved ninth brother would actually be insulted in such a fashion by a foreign princess. It truly is infuriating.”
While Xuan Tian Qi spoke, his gaze became cold. It was so cold that it caused Kang Yi’s body to also feel cold.
The third prince, Xuan Tian Ye, frowned and said: “Eldest brother, today is Prime minister Feng’s wedding. Just forget about it!” Saying this, he turned to the guests and asked; “What do you say? Do you agree?”
It had to be said that if this was asked before, he definitely would have been supported without a doubt. But ever since the Emperor began favoring the eldest prince more and more, the situation in the court had already changed. People no longer followed Xuan Tian Ye. Once this was asked, not a single person spoke up, leaving an awkward atmosphere.
Feng Yu Heng looked at Xuan Tian Ye coldly, and stared daggers at him.
Kang Yi changed her strategy once more and changed her tone, saying: “Ru Jia has not had a father since she was young, and her uncle emperor doted on her. She has been spoiled while growing up, so it’s unavoidable that her personality is a bit spoiled. This is also her first time coming to Da Shun, and she does not understand its rules. I hope that your Highness will give her another chance. Kang Yi will definitely have a granny come and teach her properly.”
“So it was like that?” Xuan Tian Qi spoke thoughtfully: “Speaking like that, princess Ru Jia was quite a pitiful person.”
Upon hearing that there was a chance, Kang Yi quickly said: “Your Highness, please do not worry. Ru Jia will definitely learn properly about Da Shun’s manners. After she has learned properly, Kang Yi will personally bring her to the Yu Palace to beg for forgiveness.”
Once this was said, everyone in the Feng family trembled, and Feng Jin Yuan quietly said: “There’s no need to beg for forgiveness.”
Kang Yi looked at him in confusion then heard the matriarch said: “You still want to look for trouble with the Yu Palace?”
Chen Yu repeatedly advised her: “If the matters are in the past, leave them be. Mother, you absolutely must not remind Prince Yu.”
Feng Yu Heng glanced at Kang Yi then muttered: “Ru Jia does not understand the rules of Da Shun and is lacking in discipline...”
Xuan Tian Qi immediately understood what Feng Yu Heng meant and said: “Since that is the case, after today’s wedding, this prince will personally send Princess Ru Jia into the palace. I will have the palace’s grannies take care of personally instructing her.” After saying this, he waved his hand, “It will be done like this! Today is Prime minister Feng’s wedding. We absolutely must not allow it to be disrupted.”
With his conclusion, the guests all nodded in agreement. The difference in support received when compared to Xuan Tian Ye was the difference between heaven and earth.
Kang Yi’s expression became quite unsightly. She had been born in the imperial family and was raised in the imperial family. She naturally understood what it meant to send her daughter into the palace to be taught. Even if she did not die, she would lose a layer of skin!
She wanted to ask Feng Jin Yuan for help, but Feng Jin Yuan slightly shook his head to her, expressing that he was powerless.
Her heart gradually began to cool.
Xuan Tian Qi had spoken, and the matriarch was the first to react, quickly telling the servants: “Quickly bring Princess Ru Jia back to Jin Fu courtyard, and have someone invite an imperial physician. Then change her into a clean set of clothes. When the wedding has concluded, bring her with his Highness the eldest prince into the palace.”
The Feng family’s servants rushed about and quickly carried Ru Jia off.
Kang Yi no longer had any desire to remain in the front yard, as she had a palace maid support her back.
She really wanted to go visit Ru Jia, but one of Tian Xiang courtyard’s servants said: “Princess is a newly-wedded wife today. After visiting the guests, you must return to be enthroned. You must not go to any other courtyard. This is a rule.”
Kang Yi raised her head to take a look and found that it was a servant around 17 or 18 years old. She remembered that she had seen this servant in the matriarch’s courtyard before. Thinking about it, it was the matriarch that had put this person at her side.
She understood this rule, thus she did not say anything. With the help of someone supporting her, she sat down on her bed.
The servant took the initiative to introduce herself: “This servant is Xia Chan. I previously worked in Shu Ya courtyard, but the elder madam said that once eldest princess has entered the manor, you should have someone who has been with the manor for a long time, thus she assigned this servant to come over. From this day forward, this servant will be with eldest princess. If I make any mistakes, would eldest princess please tell me and hand down punishment.”
Xia Chan was very bright, as she had a smile that made it impossible for people to refuse her. Even if Kang Yi was still unhappy, she found it hard to express it in the face of this bright smile. Moreover, she had just married today. Ru Jia’s situation was already a foregone conclusion, and she could not, under any circumstances, make any more mistakes.
Thus she smiled and said: “Xia Chan, what a beautiful name. I have allowed you to see something ridiculous in the front yard. It was all This one... it was all me failing to provide adequate instruction. When Ru Jia returns from the palace, we will need you to give us reminders.” She said this while removing a jade bracelet and placing it on Xia Chan’s wrist.
Although Xia Chan was joyful, she had become accustomed to taking care of the matriarch. Just a single jade bracelet would not be enough to cause her to forget her manners, thus she gave her thanks and said: “Madam, do not worry. Young miss will be able to leave the palace very quickly.” While she spoke, she had already begun to address Kang Yi as madam, and Ru Jia had become young miss. This had helped ease Kang Yi’s heart a great deal. “Madam, please sit for a while. You still cannot eat anything. In a while, elder madam will definitely be coming, and the concubine mothers and young misses should be coming with her. This servant will go prepare some tea.”
Tian Xiang courtyard was busy, and the Feng manor’s front yard once again became lively. Ru Jia’s matter did not seem to affect the atmosphere, but the third prince, Xuan Tian Ye, held a cup of wine and stomped over to Feng Yu Heng.