Yun Chu Ling

Chapter 81: Are You Worthy?

Yun Chu stepped inside.

She grabbed Xie Ping's wrist and pulled her out.

"Mother..."

Xie Ping's legs had gone weak from crying.

If they left like this, all her plans and schemes would be ruined. Her reputation would be destroyed, and the rest of her life would be over...

"Madam Xie, please wait."

The Anjing Prince called out angrily.

He had been punished and sent to Qing'an Temple, where his father the Emperor ordered him to reflect on his mistakes and copy Buddhist scriptures daily to calm his mind.

If news spread to the imperial court that he had done such things with a young lady from the Xie family within temple grounds, his father would not let him off easily. He might never return to the capital.

Yun Chu paused but didn't turn around. "Although my Xie family is only of the fifth rank—like an ant trying to shake a great tree—we will seek justice for our daughter at any cost!"

The Anjing Prince clenched his fists.

Although the Xie family was insignificant, Yun Chu's maiden family, the Yun clan, was one even his father treated with caution. He dared not act recklessly.

He took several deep breaths, expelling the frustration in his chest, then stepped over the threshold. Just as he was about to speak to Yun Chu, he noticed Du Ying standing at the foot of the steps out of the corner of his eye, her eyes red from crying.

If nothing unexpected had happened, his mother would have requested the Emperor to arrange his marriage to Du Ying.

But now, that was likely ruined.

Fortunately, there were countless noble daughters in the capital; he didn't necessarily have to marry a daughter of the Du family.

The most urgent matter now was to placate Madam Xie.

"Madam Xie, you exaggerate," the Anjing Prince said, ignoring Du Ying as he approached Yun Chu. "I never forced Miss Xie. She was the one who asked to meet me in this chamber. My feelings for her are sincere, and it was in a moment of passion that I acted inappropriately. That was indeed my fault. What must I do to appease your anger?"

"My Xie family's legitimate eldest daughter has not yet reached her hair-pinning ceremony. Even if Your Highness were to offer a formal apology with bared back and birch branches, this humble woman's anger would not be easily quelled." Yun Chu's expression remained stern. "There is no need for further words, Your Highness. We shall settle this matter at the Court of Judicial Review!"

The Anjing Prince's face darkened. Was she threatening to bring a lawsuit against him at the Court of Judicial Review?

He glanced sideways and saw the Du sisters. His intuition told him that Madam Ji, the eldest daughter of the Du family, would gladly serve as a witness.

If that happened, the charge of forcing himself on an underage girl would surely be pinned on him.

He had already angered his father. With this additional charge, he would likely be exiled to a distant fiefdom.

As he pondered this, Xie Ping's weeping intensified.

If this truly escalated to the Court of Judicial Review, everyone in the capital would know she had lost her virtue. Who would dare marry her then? It would be better to become a concubine in the Anjing Prince's household and plan slowly from there...

She tugged at Yun Chu's sleeve, sobbing, "Mother, I'm willing..."

"You have no say in this matter," Yun Chu said coldly. "Ting Shuang, take the young mistress to the adjacent chamber to freshen up."

Without another word, Ting Shuang led Xie Ping away.

Xie Ping had cried until no tears remained. Because she wasn't her mother's biological daughter, her mother didn't care whether she lived or died...

"Madam Xie, I am willing to offer Miss Xie the position of Side Princess Consort," the Anjing Prince said, lowering his head. "Please calm your anger."

The position of Side Princess Consort to a prince was not one just any woman could hold. Because it required registration in the Imperial Family Registry, it needed the Empress's approval to be finalized.

His promise of the Side Princess Consort position here was enough to demonstrate his sincerity.But then Yun Chu shook her head: "My Xie family's legitimate eldest daughter was raised to be the mistress of the household, strictly adhering to every rule and etiquette. If not for the Anjing Prince's coercion, my daughter would never have committed such a shameful act that brings disgrace to our family!"

The Anjing Prince's face was filled with disbelief.

This Madam Xie's tone was far too audacious—she actually dared to demand the position of Princess Consort.

The daughter of a mere fifth-rank official, seemingly born to a mistress outside the household and only registered under the main wife's name—a mere illegitimate daughter—wasn't even qualified to be a Side Princess Consort. How dare she covet the position of the main Princess Consort?

Xie Ping, who had been taken to the side chamber, was utterly stunned.

Was her mother actually trying to secure the position of Princess Anjing for her? Had she gone mad?

Being a Side Princess Consort was truly enough. If they overstepped and provoked the Anjing Prince's anger, causing the negotiations to collapse, then she would truly be ruined...

"Madam Xie, let me tell you something: greed knows no bounds, like a snake trying to swallow an elephant." The Anjing Prince once again referred to himself as 'this prince,' lifting his head with an overbearing demeanor. "Some things that shouldn't be yours—don't harbor delusions about them!"

Yun Chu bowed slightly: "Then this humble woman will take her daughter and withdraw first."

She walked to the chamber door, took Xie Ping with her, and directly exited the rear courtyard of Qing'an Temple.

The two from the Du family also had no heart to stay any longer. The group left the temple and walked down the mountain in silence, taking a long time before finally reaching the foot of Dayan Mountain.

Ting Shuang helped Xie Ping into the carriage, while Du Ying, assisted by her maid, boarded the Du family carriage first.

Du Ling looked at Yun Chu with a complicated expression.

Standing outside the side chamber earlier, she hadn't spoken a single word because she sensed that today's incident seemed to involve Yun Chu's scheming.

But in her memory, Yun Chu was a simple and passionate woman who disdained such calculations. This Yun Chu was different from the one she knew.

However, no matter what, today's events had severed her younger sister's hopes. Regardless of what Miss Xie might ultimately obtain, their Du family would absolutely not have any further connection with the Anjing Prince.

"Chuchu, if you decide to file a complaint at the Court of Judicial Review, I will testify for you," Du Ling said softly. "I hope you achieve what you wish for."

Yun Chu grasped her friend's hand: "Lingling, today's matter was not my intention, but since things have come to this, I can only ask you to apologize to Xiaoying on my behalf."

Du Ling shook her head: "Xiaoying won't blame you. Alright, it's getting late—let's return to the city."

She turned and boarded the carriage.

Yun Chu pressed her lips together.

Du Ling was an intelligent person—she must have realized that today's incident was not simple.

Although the Du family didn't covet the position of Princess Consort, there was a difference between not wanting it themselves and losing it due to someone else's schemes.

Moreover, she had used Du Ling as a witness to force the Anjing Prince into a disadvantageous position...

It seemed that in this lifetime, her relationship with Du Ling would only go this far.

But it didn't matter. As long as Du Ying gave up on the Anjing Prince, she wouldn't foolishly sacrifice her life for love again.

Even if life started over, not everything could go as wished, right?

Yun Chu boarded the carriage.

Before the carriage even started moving, Xie Ping, sitting beside her, knelt on the floor and grabbed the hem of Yun Chu's dress.

"Mother, I beg you to save me..." Xie Ping's voice was hoarse from crying. "My status isn't sufficient to become Princess Consort. The Anjing Prince won't agree, Consort De won't agree, the imperial family certainly won't agree... I'm willing to be a Side Princess Consort. I beg you, Mother, don't file a complaint at the Court of Judicial Review..."

Yun Chu kicked her away: "You schemed so much, just for the mere position of a Side Princess Consort?"Xie Ping's pupils constricted violently. The moment she met Yun Chu's gaze, she understood—her mother knew everything she had done.

"You should be grateful Madam Ji and I arrived early. Otherwise, after the deed was done, once the Anjing Prince grew tired of you, he could have charged you with seduction. Do you know what the consequences would have been?" Yun Chu enunciated each word clearly, "At best, you'd be granted a cup of poisoned wine. At worst, the entire Xie family would suffer because of you. Could you bear that responsibility?"

Xie Ping trembled from head to toe.

She actually hadn't considered this possibility.

Her fingers closed around the medicine packet hidden in her sleeve, grateful she hadn't used it. Otherwise, the charge of seducing a prince would have been confirmed.

Though the Anjing Prince hadn't accused her of seduction, her current situation remained precarious. Weeping, she pleaded, "Mother, what should I do..."

"What should you do?" Yun Chu sneered coldly, "First, return home and kneel in the ancestral hall for three days and three nights!"