Jiang Rongyin walked over with a cold laugh, a few strands of her half-dry hair still dripping water.
“Sixth Sister, what do you think?”
Hearing Jiang Rongyin’s words, Jiang Xueping looked away and said, “Who knows what you’re thinking?”
Anyway, Jiang Rongyin can’t produce any evidence, so Jiang Xueping wants to see what she has to say.
Jiang Rongyin lowered her head and chuckled softly. There were some things she was too lazy to bother with anymore.
In any case, they’ll eventually force her to admit her mistake.
Qin Shiyan, standing to the side, frowned as he looked at Jiang Rongyin’s wry smile.
In this situation, he didn’t even dare to say a word for Jiang Rongyin.
If he were to speak up, Jiang Rongyin would face even greater punishment.
The emperor wasn’t stupid. Could he not see through Jiang Xueping’s somewhat evasive gaze and Jiang Rongyin’s frank attitude?
After thinking for a moment, the emperor spoke up, saying, “The railing of the Imperial Garden’s Dew Pond is too low. Perhaps it was an accident, and there were no palace servants attending to me at the time.”
“But since this happened in the palace, it is because my two daughters did not entertain us well that this happened.”
He paused, then smiled at Chu Yuansheng: “How about I have them apologize to Miss Chu and have their salaries reduced by six months?”
Before Chu Yuansheng could say anything after hearing the emperor’s words, he saw Jiang Xueping’s face filled with disbelief.
Punishing Jiang Rongyin is one thing, but why drag her into it too?
“Father!”
As soon as Jiang Xueping finished speaking, the emperor gave her a deep look, and she shrank back, not daring to say another word.
Chu Yuansheng was naturally unwilling; such punishment was merely a minor inconvenience, whereas his daughter had almost lost her life.
But when the emperor said this, it wasn’t a discussion with him, but an order.
Helpless, Chu Yuansheng had no choice but to say, “I was too hasty just now. I leave it to Your Majesty to decide.”
Now that such a thing has happened, there is naturally no need to hold the banquet in Qinghui Hall.
The emperor got up and left, and Jiang Rongyin followed him out.
Jiang Xueping stomped her foot in frustration and chased after Jiang Rongyin.
“Jiang Rongyin! Stop right there!”
Jiang Rongyin walked quickly ahead, and Jiang Xueping hurried behind to grab her arm.
“Let go.”
Jiang Rongyin was forced to stop, turned around to look at him, her eyes cold.
“Did you say something to Father Emperor?”
“You’re extremely pleased with yourself for getting punished by Father Emperor because of what happened today.”
Jiang Xueping continued her accusations relentlessly, even raising her hand to strike Jiang Rongyin.
Jiang Rongyin grabbed Jiang Xueping’s arm mid-air, then released her and shoved her away.
Jiang Xueping lost her footing and stumbled, falling to the ground.
“How dare you bring up today’s events with me?”
“Jiang Xueping, do you feel good about trying to steal a chicken but losing the rice instead? You know better than I how Chu Qingyin fell into the dew pond.”
Jiang Rongyin took two steps closer to Jiang Xueping, looking down at her: “It’s always been you, Jiang Xueping, who wanted her dead and then blamed me. But there’s nothing I can do, you’re just too stupid.”
Jiang Xueping stared wide-eyed as she listened to Jiang Rongyin’s increasingly hurtful words, nearly spitting out blood from anger.
“Jiang Xueping, give it a rest. You’ve been playing this trick since you were three to sixteen. I’m tired of it, even if you’re not.”
Jiang Rongyin scoffed and turned to leave.
From a young age, because of Empress Wei’s dislike, Jiang Xueping knew how to please Empress Wei by bullying Jiang Rongyin.
At that time, Jiang Rongyin still held the title of legitimate princess, so Jiang Xueping didn’t dare to go too far.
Jiang Rongyin had indeed witnessed Jiang Xueping’s tricks of framing people since she was a child.
After returning to Guanghua Palace with Baoyin, Jiang Rongyin saw Jiang Yun sitting in her bedchamber.
The man was still holding the book from her desk in his hand.
Jiang Rongyin’s pupils widened slightly, and she glanced at the bed without making a sound.
Fortunately, she had already hidden the Pengxi County Gazetteer under the covers.
“Your Highness.”
Jiang Rongyin went inside and closed the door.
Jiang Yun sat in the chair with his legs crossed. He didn’t look up when he heard Jiang Rongyin’s words. His slender fingers turned a page of the book.
“Where did we go wrong?”
Upon hearing this, Jiang Rongyin frowned, then knelt down not far away: “Rongyin is foolish and does not know where she went wrong.”
Today, by the Dew Pond, Jiang Yun asked Jiang Rongyin if she was the one who did it.
Now you’re asking again? Do you want her to admit that she laid a hand on Chu Qingyin?
“I’ve been teaching you for so long, and you haven’t improved at all.”
As soon as Jiang Yun finished speaking, she put down the book in her hand and stood up.
“Even a fool like Jiang Xueping could outsmart her.”
As Jiang Rongyin listened to Jiang Yun’s words, she felt his footsteps stop in front of her.
He lifted her chin, and the beaded string on his fingertips fell to her wrist.
Jiang Rongyin looked up to meet Jiang Yun’s gaze: “If I don’t go, Jiang Xueping will say that I don’t want to be with Chu Qingyin because of Qin Shiyan.”
“If these words were to reach His Highness’s ears, what would he think?”
She forced a smile, but Jiang Yun’s fingers had pressed down on her fair face, leaving marks.
“That Xiao Jiu is quite loyal.”
“Behave yourself, and I won’t treat you badly.”
Jiang Yun loosened his grip, his fingertips lingering on her lips, wiping away a considerable amount of her bright red lipstick.
Jiang Rongyin didn’t like dressing up, and Jiang Yun also felt that those cosmetics were not as good as her natural skin.
Since there was a banquet today, Jiang Rongyin had Baoyin apply a little rouge, making her look like a red plum blossom in the snow it was indeed beautiful.
Jiang Rongyin just wanted to laugh at Jiang Yun’s words.
Everyone told her to behave herself, but no one told those who wanted to bully her to behave themselves.
Isn’t she well-behaved enough?
How can I behave and be obedient?
Only by framing Jiang Yun and hanging her on the wall, and offering incense and prayers to her every day, can she be considered well-behaved and obedient.
Although that’s what she thought, Jiang Rongyin still obediently replied, “I understand, Your Highness.”
Jiang Yun received a satisfactory answer, but she was still somewhat unhappy.
Jiang Rongyin is a little too obedient.
However, he didn’t intend to stay in Guanghua Palace any longer. The case of private taxation in Jiangnan was not over yet, and he had been busy with these matters these past few days.
As Jiang Yun emerged from the Guanghua Hall, he raised his hand and turned the thumb ring on his thumb, his eyes deep as he said, “Keep a close eye on her.”
Xiang Ming nodded in agreement.
For the next two days, JiangYun did not come again, and Jiang Rongyin finally had some peace and quiet, which gave her enough time to plan her escape.
Although she was fined half a year’s salary, Jiang Rongyin still had enough money to support herself and Baoyin for the rest of their lives.
She also asked Bao Yin to ask her sisters to deposit some of the money in a money exchange and exchange the rest for loose silver and banknotes to sew into her clothes.
Jiang Rongyin leaned against the window, thinking about these things, a smile appearing on her face.
No matter how difficult it was, as long as she could leave the palace and Jiang Yun, she felt that life was sweet.
A light rain was falling outside the window. Jiang Rongyin reached out to catch it, and saw a person walking towards Guanghua Palace in the misty rain.
The smile on Jiang Rongyin’s face gradually faded.
It’s Xiang Ming, just like Jiang Yun, an annoying guy.