Сhаpter 4: Dаring Nоt tо Disоbеy
Murong Jing withdrеw hеr hand, loоking at Ji Ruyuе with imраtiеnсе. “Stoр trуing tо diе in front of mе. If you dare tо diе, it would bе аn асt оf defiаnсе, and I will havе уour Ji fаmily exеcutеd today.”
Ji Ruуue snеerеd inwаrdly. Such wаs imperial аuthоritу!
Shе could еndurе this slар, but she would nоt let it gо unanswerеd.
Following hеr father’s lеad, she softеnеd hеr movеmеnts, her sobs lingering аs she wерt pitifully.
Сhen Shujin oрenеd his mоuth, hеsitatеd for a mоment, then knеlt dоwn, brushing thе hem of his robe. He spokе sоftly, “Miss Ji did not meаn tо offend. Plеаse forgive her, Your Highness.”
Murong Jing glanced at him. “You are quite devoted.”
Chen Shujin met Murong Jing’s gaze and immediately fell silent, bowing his head as he knelt. With just that one sentence, he did not plead further.
After crying for a while, Ji Ruyue’s voice gradually softened, appearing to have calmed down. Yet her words were infuriating. “Yes, it was this commoner’s recklessness. Your Highness disposing of the Embroidered Ball as you pleased was for my own good, right? And finding such an excellent husband for me must be… must be because the scholar was too outstanding, catching Your Highness’s eye. As for hitting me…”
“This commoner dares…”
Murong Jing could no longer bear to listen. “Shut your mouth!”
Ji Ruyue began sobbing again, not only refusing to stay silent but continuing to plead, “This commoner dares to ask Your Highness to release the young masters who spoke up earlier. Your Highness is kind-hearted and righteous by nature, and surely you can see at a glance that their mistakes were unintentional, right?”
“They are scholars who have endured ten years of hardship in their studies. It hasn’t been easy for them…”
Murong Jing was so angry she wanted to strike again!
Many of the bolder onlookers, seeing Miss Ji in such a pitiful state—beaten yet still thinking of others—felt the princess was truly too tyrannical and began to speak up in protest.
And so, the two remained locked in a stalemate for a while longer.
Murong Jing’s attendant leaned in and whispered, “Your Highness, we have important matters to attend to in Jizhou. With public anger rising, you must not act rashly! They are merely a few young scholars. A slight reprimand will suffice. Releasing them now could even enhance your reputation for magnanimity.”
Murong Jing understood well that scholars were countless across the land. As a member of the royal family, if she were to vent her anger on these few scholars over trivial matters, she would not only offend many scholars but also damage her own reputation.
If her father were to find out…
Murong Jing assessed the situation. The gazes around her were filled with suppressed anger, but what did this visible discontent mean?
How dare these commoners of Jizhou City be so bold!
After weighing the pros and cons, Murong Jing swallowed her anger. “Enough. Out of benevolence, I shall spare them this once. But if they dare offend again, I will have them executed!”
Murong Jing was a princess meticulously raised in the palace. Though her temperament was straightforward, she was well-versed in the art of scheming—she simply disdained it.
At this moment, her hatred for Ji Ruyue deepened.
A desire to kill began to stir within her!
“I will stay in Jizhou City for three days. I hope to drink to Miss Ji’s wedding within these three days.”
This was an order, not a question.
Ji Ruyue’s heart tightened, knowing Murong Jing was presenting her with a difficult challenge.
But what of it?
“This commoner dares not disobey Your Highness’s command.”
Murong Jing was left speechless once more…
“Thank you, Your Highness.”Ji Ruyue’s tears had not yet dried on her face, her eyes were rimmed with red, and a faint mist still lingered in her gaze. She looked delicate and fragile, utterly pitiful.
Murong Jing narrowed her eyes.
This woman’s cunning truly was extraordinary—she could not be allowed to remain!
“Let’s go!”
Murong Jing snorted coldly and waved a hand. Her attendants swiftly brought over a sturdy, pure-black steed.
With agile grace, she leaped onto the horse, whip in hand, her bearing valiant and heroic.
Before leaving, she left a blade hanging over the Ji household.
“Miss Ji, Scholar Chen’s family is impoverished. I hope you can arrange for his family to move into the Ji residence as soon as possible and take good care of them. Only then can he focus on preparing for the wedding banquet. Understood?”
“Yes, this commoner obeys.”
“Then I shall visit again in three days. If I find the Ji household has overstepped even slightly, its members had better prepare their necks. Giddy up!”
With Murong Jing’s command, the entourage departed from the Ji family’s trading house in a grand procession.
Ji Ruyue bowed slightly, watching Murong Jing’s receding figure with a chill in her heart.
“Old Master Ji, Miss Ji, this humble scholar greets you.”
Ji Ruyue took out a handkerchief to dab the corners of her eyes, ignoring Chen Shujin’s words. “Bai Mei, arrange for someone to escort Young Master Chen to Mulanyuan for accommodation, and have Granny Hu go to the Chen family to fetch his family.”
What she meant, of course, were Chen Shujin’s leech-like relatives.
The grievances of her past life were etched in Ji Ruyue’s heart—she dared not forget a single one.
Some people had to be kept right under her nose, so she could torment them with peace of mind!
With that, Ji Ruyue gave Chen Shujin a slight nod, her attitude cold and distant, leaving him somewhat bewildered.
“Thank you, Miss Ji.”
Old Master Ji witnessed all this, his heart heavy with depression. He slumped into a chair and took a long while to recover, clutching his aching chest.
The matter was already settled—how could he not be furious?
He felt even more guilty, believing he had failed his daughter.
“Yue’er…”
Ji Ruyue wore a gentle smile, patting Old Master Ji’s back softly as she comforted him in a low voice, “Father, I am fine. Please don’t take it to heart. You must take care of your health. I… only have you left.”
Old Master Ji’s eyes reddened, his heart aching even more.
As he looked up, the figures of Wei Zizhang and the others came into view once again.
Ji Ruyue leaned close to Old Master Ji’s ear and whispered a few words.
Old Master Ji looked doubtful but nodded in agreement.
“Bai Mei, let’s go back.”
Bai Mei immediately stepped forward to support her.
Before leaving, Ji Ruyue’s eyes shimmered as she bowed to the young gentlemen in gratitude. “Today, I am deeply indebted to all of you for your righteous assistance. Your noble demeanor is truly admirable, and I am endlessly grateful.”
Before anyone could respond, she turned gracefully and walked away, leaving only a fleeting silhouette.
Wei Zizhang watched, his mouth slightly agape as if he wanted to say something, but the words never came in time.
He simply shook his head with a light smile, not bothering to explain further.
Truthfully… he had just been passing by.
Seeing this, Old Master Ji gave the steward a meaningful glance.
The steward understood immediately, stepping forward to address the onlookers with a cupped-hand salute. “The matter today is concluded. Thank you all for coming and for speaking out in our defense. As a token of gratitude, the Ji family trading house has prepared an exquisitely crafted lantern for each of you. Additionally, there are fruits and pastries for everyone to enjoy.”Although the Ji family suffered a significant silent loss today, they handled the aftermath quite gracefully. Not only did they distribute lanterns, but they also prepared an abundance of fruits and pastries for everyone to freely enjoy.
Perhaps it was a sense of shared sorrow, as if mourning the death of a rabbit makes the fox grieve, that stirred sympathy among many onlookers toward the Ji family.
Especially the slap that the young lady of the Ji family endured, which pained many admirers of her talent.
Inspired by these events, some scholars even prepared to return home and take up their brushes to compose poetry.
One poem after another depicted the events of the day.
Princess Changle’s reputation for using her influence to bully others in Jizhou City spread wider and wider.
Emperor Anzhao had always governed with benevolence and could not tolerate the use of power to oppress or humiliate the common people.
When this matter reached his ears, the punishment Murong Jing would face was predictable.