Chapter 87: Consort De Vents Her Fury
Xie Jingyu strode in.
The maids promptly bowed and served him clear tea.
"Husband, you seem to be in good spirits," Yun Chu looked at him. "Has something good happened?"
Xie Jingyu drank half a cup of tea, a smile spreading across his face. "Ping Jie'er's dowry is almost fully prepared."
Yun Chu also smiled. "I knew entrusting this matter to you was the right choice. I'll tell Ping Jie'er the good news later."
"There's another piece of good news." Xie Jingyu's smile deepened. "His Majesty has ordered a reinvestigation of the Crown Prince's serious illness. The Anjing Prince has been cleared of the false accusations and will return to the capital tomorrow."
Although not many knew about the Anjing Prince being punished and sent to Qing'an Temple, it was still an unfavorable incident.
He had initially worried that the Emperor might strip the Anjing Prince of his title, but now it seemed he had overthought.
Three months from now, after Ping Jie'er's grand wedding with the Anjing Prince, their Xie family would officially become imperial relatives by marriage.
The Marquis Xuanwu would no longer have the means to humiliate him.
His face beamed with joy, but he noticed Yun Chu's brows slowly furrowing.
He had always known Yun Chu was the capital's number one beauty, but he never realized she could look so captivating even when worried.
Now wasn't the time to admire beauty, however. He spoke up, "Madam, is there a problem?"
Yun Chu shook her head. "The Anjing Prince clearing his name might be good for him, but for our Xie family..."
She trailed off without finishing.
But Xie Jingyu was clever—how could he not understand?
The only reason their Xie family could scheme for the Princess Consort position was because the Anjing Prince had made a mistake and been punished, not daring to make the matter public, allowing the Xie family to exploit the situation.
"Regardless, what's done is done." A trace of concealed worry also appeared between Xie Jingyu's brows. "Moreover, it was the Emperor himself who decreed the marriage. Would Consort De dare go back on her word?"
Yun Chu said, "The imperial decree is unshakable. Consort De naturally won't renege, but I'm afraid Ping Jie'er might..."
Xie Jingyu's expression remained neutral. "She chose this path herself. Even if she has to crawl on her knees, she must see it through."
Just as Yun Chu predicted, the next morning, Granny Tang from Consort De's palace came to the Xie residence, summoning Xie Ping to the palace.
Xie Jingyu was once again filled with admiration for Yun Chu. His wife seemed to have calculated every step perfectly. With Yun Chu in the Xie family, why worry about scaling great heights...
Xie Ping followed Granny Tang and Granny Fu into the palace.
She carefully remembered Granny Fu's teachings on etiquette, keeping her head slightly lowered, walking cautiously, ensuring her skirt didn't sway in the slightest...
After nearly an hour, they finally arrived at Changqing Palace, where Consort De resided.
She ascended the steps, entered the hall, and performed a standard court salute: "Your humble subject pays respects to Consort De."
Hearing no command to rise from Consort De, she remained in that position. After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, she saw a pair of feet in her line of sight approach and stop before her. Then, her chin was lifted by fingers adorned with golden nail guards.
The sharp golden tips dug into her flesh, making her wince in pain.
Forced to look up, she met a stunningly beautiful face. Even without ever having entered the palace, she knew this was Consort De.
"Miss Xie, you have quite the nerve, scheming against this consort!"
Consort De violently shoved her away.Caught off guard, she was thrown to the ground.
Not daring to rise, she shifted from lying prone to kneeling on the floor and pleaded, "Your Highness, I know I was wrong. The Prince and I are deeply in love, and we couldn't control our feelings, which is why..."
Hearing the words "couldn't control our feelings," Consort De nearly exploded with rage. She lifted her foot and delivered a harsh kick to Xie Ping.
The Xie family truly knew how to scheme—not a moment too early or too late, but precisely when the Fourth Prince was punished and sent to Qing'an Temple, forcing her to agree to this matter.
Had she hesitated for just a few more days, the Fourth Prince would have cleared his name. How could she have been cornered by the Xie family like this?
Xie Ping was directly kicked over.
She was only a thirteen-year-old girl—how could she withstand such a kick? Instantly, she struggled to catch her breath.
Consort De said coldly, "The eldest daughter of the Xie family has offended me. Granny Fu, slap her on my behalf."
Granny Fu stepped forward and, with both hands, delivered over twenty slaps in rapid succession until Xie Ping's face swelled up.
The pain was so intense she nearly fainted, tears streaming down her face uncontrollably.
"What wretchedness," Consort De said with utter disgust. "Crying like this—do you think I've wronged you? Go stand outside. Come back in only when you've understood your mistake."
Xie Ping could barely stand steady. Supported by a palace maid, she was pushed to the entrance of the main hall of Changqing Palace.
The area was paved entirely with white jade stones, without a single tree in sight. The sun beat down brightly, its heat making her dizzy and seeing stars.
She had arrived in the morning, and now it was nearly noon. Not only was her stomach empty, but the intense sun felt as though it would melt her.
After standing for who knows how long, her head spun, and she collapsed forward.
A palace maid standing guard nearby coldly hauled her up. "Miss Xie, stand properly. If you anger Consort De further, the punishment won't be as simple as just standing."
Xie Ping felt as though the maid's nails were digging into her flesh, but the pain had already numbed her.
She desperately wanted to cry.
She couldn't understand why she, a future Princess Consort, had to endure such torment and humiliation.
Why did even a lowly palace maid dare treat her this way?
If she had agreed earlier to become the Anjing Prince's Side Princess Consort, she would likely have faced even crueler treatment.
Just as despair overwhelmed her, she saw a tall figure enter the gates of Changqing Palace.
She looked up—it was the Anjing Prince.
Her eyes instantly lit up with hope, fixed intently on the approaching man.
The Anjing Prince's gaze lingered on her for only a brief moment. Without pausing in his steps, he ascended the stairs and entered Consort De's palace.
He admitted to himself that he had some interest in the eldest Miss Xie—but it was purely physical. His willingness to take responsibility meant he could take her as a Concubine.
Yet, she was insatiable. Unwilling to accept even the position of Side Princess Consort, she had forced his mother to agree to make her the Princess Consort.
To marry the illegitimate daughter of a fifth-rank official as his Princess Consort—he would become the biggest laughingstock of the entire capital.
Watching the Anjing Prince's cold back as he entered the main hall, despair slowly seeped across Xie Ping's face...
Once again, she found solace in the thought that she was the future Princess Consort. Even if the Prince disliked her, he would have to take her to palace banquets and father a legitimate heir with her...
Xie Ping remained in the palace until evening before she was released.
The entire Xie household had grown increasingly anxious as she failed to return. They stationed people at the gate, and the moment she stepped inside, she was taken to Anshou Hall."Heavens, what happened to your face..." He Shi was the first to exclaim in shock, "Who—who struck your face? You are the future Princess Anjing! This is an insult to His Highness the Anjing Prince!"
Xie Ping's nose tingled with emotion as she nestled into He Shi's embrace, bursting into loud sobs.
Old Madam anxiously asked, "Ping Jie'er, you still haven't told us who laid hands on you?"
"Who else could it be?" Yun Chu's voice was exceedingly calm. "Naturally, it was Consort De."
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