Emperor Yuqian saw Prince Chen’s face dark with anger, then looked at Yun Qianmeng, who seemed as frail as a willow in the wind. At last, he relented.
“Thank you, Your Majesty!” Hearing the answer she wanted, Yun Qianmeng let out a deep sigh of relief and thanked Emperor Yuqian in a clear voice.
“Mother Empress, I’ll leave the rest in your hands. I have matters to discuss with Lord Chu.” Now that this farce had finally ended, Emperor Yuqian spoke respectfully to the Empress Dowager. As he finished, however, his keen gaze swept over Yun Qianmeng, who had kept her head bowed the entire time.
The Empress Dowager was disappointed when Emperor Yuqian gave his word, but she kept her expression composed. Then she said kindly, “State affairs come first. I’ll take this child back to the palace.”
With that, she led everyone out of the Golden Throne Hall. But as she passed Chu Feiyang, she paused briefly, her warm gaze sweeping over him with a hint of severity…
Chu Feiyang, however, kept a faint smile on his face, entirely untroubled by the Empress Dowager’s unspoken warning. His attention remained fixed on Yun Qianmeng, who had not once looked at him…
“Empress Dowager, I have other business and must take my leave.” As soon as they stepped outside the hall, Prince Chen made an excuse and turned to leave. His final glance, though, was aimed at Yun Qianmeng. His furious eyes bore into her as if he meant to pierce straight through her…
Once everyone had left, the Empress Dowager’s smile faded. She turned a cool gaze on Yun Qianmeng, who had just taken matters into her own hands…
“Empress Dowager, could you spare Qiulian for my sake?” To everyone’s surprise, Yun Qianmeng now pleaded on Qiulian’s behalf.
The Empress Dowager was taken aback, but soon understood. Her reproachful gaze shifted to Yun Xuanzhi, and she said in a cool voice, “That maid overstepped her station. Meng’er, don’t trouble yourself over her any further. If you’re worried that the concubines in your household will blame you, then ride home in my phoenix carriage today.”
Then the Empress Dowager took a palm-sized gold token from her sleeve and handed it to Shuier, who was supporting Yun Qianmeng. “If anything happens to Miss at home, this token will allow you and Binger to come and go freely from my palace.”
With that, the Empress Dowager left the hall with her attendants, leaving behind a mortified Yun Xuanzhi and a Yun Qianmeng whose expression was perfectly calm…
Meanwhile, at Prime Minister Yun’s Residence, Su Qing, though only a concubine, waited with a broad smile for her husband to return.
News from the palace always spread quickly. As soon as Yun Qianmeng had struck the pillar, every official household in the Capital had likely heard about it!
Whether Yun Qianmeng was truly dead or had only pretended to die, she had surely become a laughingstock to everyone from this day forward!
A smug glint flashed through Su Qing’s eyes. How could she not be pleased when one of her thorns had been removed without her lifting a finger?
Four maids helped Yun Ruoxue into her mother’s bedroom. Seeing the smile at the corner of Su Qing’s eyes, Yun Ruoxue couldn’t help smiling too. “It’s been so long since I’ve seen you this happy, Mother.”
Seeing her beloved daughter, Su Qing’s delight grew. She beckoned Yun Ruoxue to sit beside her, then slowly shared the news she had just received…
“Mother, is it really true?” Yun Ruoxue was beaming now, her joy beyond words!
If Yun Qianmeng really was dead, then the day her mother became Papa’s principal wife would be just around the corner!
And if Yun Qianmeng had somehow survived, she would still bear the shame of having been rejected. Even as the legitimate daughter of the Prime Minister’s household, she would probably never find a suitable husband for the rest of her life!
The thought sent Yun Ruoxue’s spirits soaring. She could only hope Papa would return soon…
“Madam, Master is almost back at the Prime Minister’s Residence!” Just then, a page boy reported from the doorway.
Mother and daughter exchanged a smile, then rose to straighten their clothes. Surrounded by maids and matrons, they hurried toward the residence’s main gate…
“Huh? Why is there a phoenix carriage? Didn’t they say Papa was coming back?” A splendid golden phoenix carriage slowly came into view, but Yun Xuanzhi’s official sedan was nowhere to be seen. Confused, Yun Ruoxue turned to Su Qing.
Su Qing had already wiped the smile from her face. She watched the approaching phoenix carriage with a slight frown, already forming a plan…
The phoenix carriage came to a stop at the residence’s gate. Shuier and Binger immediately lifted the curtain and carefully helped out the person inside…
The hem of a skirt stained with dark red blood came into view as its wearer stepped down…
Yun Qianmeng emerged from the phoenix carriage with layer upon layer of white bandages wrapped around her forehead. A bright red stain was seeping through the gauze…
She had lost so much blood that her face was pale. Even with Shuier and Binger supporting her, she looked terribly weak.
A mocking, gleeful look rose in Yun Ruoxue’s eyes. Before Su Qing could stop her, she glided over to Yun Qianmeng and blocked the entrance to the Prime Minister’s Residence.
“What happened to you, Elder Sister? Didn’t you go to the palace to enjoy yourself? Why have you ended up looking like this?” Yun Ruoxue took a big step toward her and spoke scornfully. When she saw the blood still clinging to Yun Qianmeng’s face, she laughed without restraint.
Yun Qianmeng looked past Yun Ruoxue toward Su Qing. Su Qing had started to step forward, but now she stopped, watching Yun Ruoxue humiliate her with a smile and making no attempt to stop it. It was plain that she meant to use Yun Ruoxue to mock Yun Qianmeng.
By now, the phoenix carriage’s arrival had drawn a crowd to the residence’s gate. Curious about the lives of the great households, the onlookers had gathered to watch, heedless of the imperial carriage’s authority.
Yun Qianmeng turned slightly, noticing Yun Xuanzhi’s official sedan drawing near behind her. She brushed away Shuier and Binger’s hands and said loudly, “Since when are concubine-born daughters of the Prime Minister’s household allowed to see their elder sisters without paying their respects? Is this how Concubine Su teaches her daughter? To behave so arrogantly at the very gate of the Prime Minister’s Residence? Does she not care at all about Father’s reputation for integrity?”
At her words, the crowd began whispering among themselves, their eyes shifting toward Su Qing and Yun Ruoxue.
Su Qing and the others were completely stunned. When had Yun Qianmeng become so forceful?
Though her forehead was wounded, she radiated such a sharp, commanding presence that everyone felt compelled to lower their heads before her…
Yun Ruoxue felt it most keenly. Yun Qianmeng’s authoritative gaze fixed on her, and she couldn’t help taking a step back. But when she saw the phoenix carriage behind Yun Qianmeng, she forced a sneer. “Have you hit your head, Elder Sister, or are you relying on the Empress Dowager to back you? Is that why you’re so cruel to us, your concubine-born sisters? I know you’ve always looked down on us. But everyone in the Capital has already heard what happened to you today. Do you still have the nerve to come back to the Prime Minister’s Residence? Aren’t you afraid of bringing shame upon the household?”
Su Qing, who had been standing by the gate, came over too. Hatred glinted in her lovely almond-shaped eyes, but when she reached Yun Qianmeng, she spoke gently. “Why get angry, Eldest Miss? Prince Chen was the one who ended his engagement to you. It had nothing to do with us. Why take your anger out on us? Do you think we’re easy targets?”
With that, mother and daughter both lowered their heads and wept.
Everyone’s attention turned back to Yun Qianmeng. Such shocking news set off a fresh wave of discussion and speculation…
“Enough!” Yun Xuanzhi hurried over after getting down from his sedan. His expression had already been grim, but it darkened further when he heard Su Qing airing Yun Qianmeng’s private affairs before the crowd.
“Father, I understand. With no mother to stand up for me, the concubines and my younger half sisters in this household don’t take me seriously. Now they’re trying to drive me out over something I had no control over! Father, if this vast residence has no place for me, I’ll return to the Empress Dowager’s palace. At least she truly cares for me!” When Yun Xuanzhi appeared, Yun Qianmeng’s figure trembled. Her brows knitted, and tears immediately spilled down her cheeks as she broke into anguished sobs…
Hearing this, the onlookers understood that concubines must run rampant in the Prime Minister’s household. They couldn’t help feeling sorry for the Eldest Miss, who had lost her mother.
Su Qing and Yun Ruoxue both paused with their hands raised to wipe away their tears. Their hearts tightened, and they looked at Yun Qianmeng, unable to understand why she was so different today.
Seeing the crowd’s reaction, and hearing Yun Qianmeng invoke the Empress Dowager, Yun Xuanzhi glared furiously at Su Qing and the others. Before Su Qing could explain, he snapped, “Concubine Su, as a woman of the household, you dared to leave without permission. You will be confined for ten days! Yun Ruoxue, for showing disrespect to your elder sister and ignoring the proper hierarchy, you will be confined for half a month!”