Chapter 234: Volume 1, Chapter 234 — Coughing Blood from Anger

Prince Qi walked out of the gate of the Internal Court Office feeling light-headed and unsteady on his feet. He didn't let anyone follow him, and trudged unevenly along the street by himself, walking slowly.

The noise of pedestrians, the bustle of taverns on either side, the children running about on the road — bit by bit, these slowly pulled him out of the death mask of Xue Mingli.

People who die by hanging all look somewhat horrifying. Prince Qi had seen dead people before, but never one like Xue Mingli — this was a first.

He found a tavern and went in to sit down, ordered a pot of wine and drank slowly. After only a few sips, someone suddenly sat down across from him.

He looked up and saw it was his uncle, Ming Zan.

Ming Zan, dressed in plain clothes, reached for the pot and filled Prince Qi's cup, then poured one for himself as well. He raised his cup with a smile and said, "Have a drink?"

Prince Qi raised his cup and clinked it against his. "How did Uncle find me?"

"I wasn't looking for you specifically. I happened to be passing by and saw you drinking here all alone, so I came in to sit a while." Ming Zan took a sip of wine and spoke slowly.

Uncle and nephew sat in a corner. With so few customers in this little tavern, they didn't need to worry about being overheard when talking.

Prince Qi said nothing to this and just drank with his head down.

"I heard about Xue Mingli hanging himself. Are you alright?" Ming Zan asked with concern.

Prince Qi shook his head and looked at his uncle. "Has Uncle been in contact with Mother Consort lately?"

A trace of awkwardness appeared on Ming Zan's face. He paused a moment before saying, "No. The palace isn't like before — passing messages is far too difficult now. However, I was quite surprised that you agreed to accept the edict and take charge of the Internal Court Office's affairs. Why did you suddenly make this decision?"

"I want to bring Mother Consort and Zhaoqing out of the palace, so I can't go against the Emperor." Prince Qi stared at his uncle. "Whatever you came to find me for, just say it directly."

Ming Zan's expression grew somewhat unnatural, and then he sighed. "I just feel you should think more carefully about the Internal Court Office's affairs, and not act too rashly. His Majesty often does surprising things. Don't be too quick to trust him."

"Who put Uncle up to delivering this message?" Prince Qi felt a sense of sorrow. He had always admired his uncle, but ever since the business with the mistress came to light, followed by the quarrel and divorce with his aunt, and forcing his cousin into a political marriage, he felt his uncle had become somewhat of a stranger.

But his uncle had always looked out for him before, and he was very grateful for that — but that didn't mean he was happy about his uncle delivering messages on someone's behalf today.

If others tried to persuade him, he wouldn't be angry, but his uncle was different. Did his uncle not know how hard life was for Mother Consort in the palace?

Knowing that and still doing this was even more chilling.

He could now also understand why his cousin had fallen out with his uncle.

"What do you mean 'put up to'?" Ming Zan said unhappily. "You and His Majesty fought fiercely over the position of crown prince back then, and you didn't dig few pits for him in front of the Late Emperor. Now he's letting you take over the Internal Court Office — how could you not know what's inside that place? This touches on the interests of so many people. This isn't giving you a post, this is sending you to the Yellow Springs. How can you not see that?"

"I see it clearly." Prince Qi spoke with a dark expression. "Nothing falls from the sky for free. If I didn't take this post and show loyalty to the new Emperor, what would happen to Mother Consort and my sister? If Uncle has a way to get them out of the palace, then I won't take this post."

Ming Zan had no good way at all. The Emperor kept Noble Consort Ming on the grounds that Princess Zhaoqing was not yet married — perfectly justified and aboveboard.

As for Princess Chang'an, Noble Consort Lan had been clever indeed. Seeing things turn bad, she had first arranged a marriage for Princess Chang'an. Whether the engagement was real or not didn't matter — once the Emperor acknowledged it, it was real. So Noble Consort Lan was able to smoothly take Princess Chang'an out of the palace, to be married once the mourning period ended.

Seeing Ming Zan fall silent, Prince Qi couldn't help but laugh at himself inwardly. He stood up. "The Internal Court Office's affairs are busy and complicated. With a human life at stake right now, I truly am very busy. Uncle, take your time drinking. I'll take my leave first."

Ming Zan opened his mouth but didn't try to keep him. His expression was dark and dreadful — this meant they couldn't see eye to eye.

If they couldn't see eye to eye, then what was to be done about what came next?

This was not going to be easy.

Prince Qi returned to his prince's mansion and fell asleep the moment his head hit the pillow. His mind was like a bowl of paste right now. Whether it was the Princess Consort or the Side Consort asking to see him, he refused them all — he just wanted to sleep soundly alone and clear his head.

Outside the door, Yun Shizhuang and Rong Dai exchanged a glance, then each flicked their sleeves and left in displeasure.

Yun Shizhuang felt guilty in her heart over the Xue Mingli affair, and Rong Dai wasn't full of confidence either. Her mother had indeed come for a political marriage under the name of a princess, but a political marriage was not the same as an alliance with the imperial clan. In this matter, the Emperor had only issued a verbal edict permitting the Zhen Guo Gong Fu to handle it themselves.

Handle it themselves?

That meant the imperial house wouldn't be involved. What kind of dignity could that bring?

The only dignity was probably the rewards the Emperor ordered the Ministry of Rites to bestow. Other than that, there was nothing.

Rong Dai felt uncertain. In truth, Di Yue Nu was also deeply dissatisfied at this time. This was nothing like the triumphant homecoming she had imagined. At the very least, she should have been granted an audience with the Emperor, presented the state letter, and shouldn't the marriage alliance have been celebrated with a grand ceremony?

But none of this happened. The Emperor only received the envoy sent by her brother, casually asked her one question, and that was the end of it.

Di Yue Nu seethed inwardly and said to the Protector Duke, "It must be the Noble Consort who spoke slander to His Majesty. Otherwise, His Majesty wouldn't disregard the diplomatic relations between our two nations and treat me with such coldness."

The Protector Duke's mood was also quite grim at this moment. Hearing his beloved woman voice her grievances, he could only soothe her, saying, "Don't be sad. I will make the wedding a dignified affair."

Mentioning this made Di Yue Nu even more furious. She hadn't expected Chu Ke to be so ruthless — taking away more than half of the Guo Gong Fu's property during the divorce. She had returned looking glorious, but in truth hadn't brought back much gold or silver for herself.

Her brother had only recently ascended the throne and had fought a war with the State of Xiao, so the treasury was depleted. She, this princess, was all for show. That was why she was so angry she could spit blood when she learned Chu Ke had taken away so much.

Yet she couldn't tell Rong Heng the truth. At least for now, Rong Heng believed she had brought back a great deal of property this time — otherwise, when the matter of divorcing Chu Ke had first come up, he wouldn't have been so unconcerned about Chu Ke taking so much property.

Di Yue Nu was genuinely so angry she could spit blood, yet still had to pretend to smile and put on an air of "I'm a princess now, I don't care about such trifles."

"What does Dai'er say? Did Prince Qi agree?" Rong Heng looked at Di Yue Nu and asked. He had already boarded Marquis Anding's ship, and getting off wouldn't be easy — so he was unwilling to see Prince Qi show weakness to the Emperor.

Di Yue Nu's eyes shifted slightly. Though she was a woman past her prime, she still retained her charm. Having maintained herself exceedingly well over the years, her bewitching eyes turning now still revealed traces of the coquettish allure of her youth.

"Xue Mingli of the Internal Court Office hanged himself. At a time like this, Prince Qi's mood is surely not good. You know Dai'er's temperament — she probably wouldn't want to urge Prince Qi to do something he doesn't wish to while he's grieving. Let's wait another couple of days."

Hearing Di Yue Nu's words, Rong Heng thought it made sense. Dai'er was simply too kind-hearted.