Chapter 11: Princess Jinyang Is Gravely Ill

Gao Yang's words managed to silence everyone.

Especially Xiang Lan and Wushe, the two of them could hardly speak their bitterness.

Xiang Lan dared not speak, so she lowered her head and stood silently in place.

These two people, one is her current master, the other is her future master.

After the two masters finished their fight, they attracted the emperor and empress over, then dismissed it with a remark that they had a pleasant chat.

What could Xiang Lan possibly say?

Better to just keep silent.

But Wushe ended up miserable, after all, it was he who summoned the emperor and empress.

He really couldn't understand how, just moments ago the two were like fire and water, yet they suddenly had a pleasant chat.

Wushe didn't understand, and Wushe felt quite wronged.

His head buzzed, and his legs went weak, causing him to kneel on the ground.

"Your Majesty... old servant, old servant..."

Wushe opened his mouth, wanting to defend himself, but didn't know where to start.

He wanted to cry but had no tears, saying, "Old servant spread false news; old servant deserves death ten thousand times."

Although he is the emperor's personal eunuch, on one side is the emperor's biological daughter, and on the other is a descendant of the Chen family, who has shown great kindness to the empress, and who recently contributed a new salt‑making method and will next month become the emperor's son‑in‑law.

He couldn't afford to offend either of them.

So he could only bear the blame with tears.

Li Shimin's breath caught, he let out a slight sigh, walked up to Chen Yan, and said, "You just started fighting with Gao Yang again?"

Chen Yan immediately denied upon hearing that, saying, "Your Majesty, you jest; Gao Yang is my fiancée—how could I fight with her?"

"I haven't even had time to cherish her yet."

Anyway, since even Gao Yang didn't acknowledge it, he certainly couldn't admit to it.

If this matter could be put behind them, it would certainly be most advantageous for him.

Chen Yan certainly didn't want to go back to the Dali Temple Prison for a few days.

Li Shimin remained silent for two seconds, pointed at the scratch on Chen Yan's neck and the tooth mark still stained with saliva on his face, and said, "Is this how you have a pleasant chat? Is this how you show affection?"

Chen Yan: "......"

He touched the wound on his neck, Chen Yan felt a bit embarrassed, and said with a forced laugh, "Your Majesty, spring has arrived and insects are breeding; I was bitten by mosquitoes and scratched myself—this has nothing to do with Princess Gao Yang."

Li Shimin's face darkened: "Do you think I'm easy to fool?"

"To be honest, did you hit her?"

Having come to this point, Chen Yan knew he couldn't hide it, and honestly nodded, "I did!"

Li Shimin turned his head to carefully examine Princess Gao Yang for a moment; seeing that she really had no injuries, he wondered, "Where did you hit her? With what?"

As Li Shimin's question came out, Xiang Lan lowered her head even further, and Wushe pressed his forehead firmly to the ground.

Princess Gao Yang's cheeks flushed a faint crimson.

Empress Changsun, who had been observing Princess Gao Yang, saw this and a flicker of surprise crossed her eyes.

Just where did you hit her, that it would make the usually arrogant Gao Yang show such a girlish expression?

Empress Changsun, curious, turned her gaze to Chen Yan.

Chen Yan certainly couldn't admit he had spanked Princess Gao Yang; silently, he produced the Death‑exemption Gold Medal and handed it to Li Shimin.

Looking at the Imperial Token he had just issued, Li Shimin snapped, "I'm asking where you hit her and with what—not to ask about your crime!"

Chen Yan coughed embarrassedly, then declared righteously, "I, I used this to hit her!"

Li Shimin: "......"

Empress Changsun: "......"

"Well, well done." Li Shimin even laughed angrily, "I just gave you the Death‑exemption Gold Medal, and you turned around and used it to hit my daughter."

"If I gave you a Upper Palace treasure sword, wouldn't you even try to cut me?"

"That's impossible." Chen Yan immediately shook his head, "You are a wise ruler, I am a loyal subject—I would certainly never dare to draw that Upper Palace sword against you."

"A loyal subject? I've never heard of a loyal subject who hits a princess!"

"Your Majesty, you misunderstand; Gao Yang is not only a princess, she is also my fiancée—I was merely horsing around with my future wife, which doesn't affect my loyalty."

"You only now realize she is your fiancée?" Li Shimin snapped angrily, "When you hit her, why didn't you say she was your fiancée?"

To be honest, Li Shimin was truly angry this time.

Because this time Chen Yan and Gao Yang are not like last time.

Last time they fought, it was inside the Bo Mansion, which had few servants, so the matter couldn't spread.

But today it happened inside the Imperial Palace, with so many palace maids and eunuchs coming and going—surely many people saw what happened.

If this got out, where would the imperial family's face be, and where would Li Shimin's dignity as the Son of Heaven be?

Chen Yan sniffled, "Your Majesty, it wasn't me who struck first—she was riding on me and hitting me; I couldn't just lie there and let her hit me, could I?"

"She is your daughter, and I am still your son‑in‑law—we can't be treated differently."

Saying that, Chen Yan paused, then silently slipped the Death‑exemption Gold Medal into Li Shimin's hand, "If you're really angry, can't I just return the weapon to you?"

At this moment, Gao Yang somehow spoke up: "Father Emperor, it was indeed I, your servant, who struck first—please don't blame the Marquis of Weinan."

Having said that, Gao Yang suddenly felt a bit regretful.

What's wrong with me, that I keep defending this rake once or twice?

But the words were already spoken; Gao Yang's regret was useless, so she could only silently find an excuse for herself:

"What Chen Yan said is right; their marriage is set, so no matter what, I am already his wife."

"From now on, we share honor and share loss."

If Chen Yan is scolded by Father Emperor, even if I could feel happy for a moment, I would inevitably have a more strained relationship with Chen Yan.

At that time, we would probably cause even more jokes, losing the royal family's dignity......

Thinking this, Gao Yang's face turned even redder, she secretly said: 'Exactly, I just don't want to cause jokes, lose Father Emperor's dignity, and feel ashamed of Mother Empress's teachings, so I will speak up for Chen Yan.'

It's absolutely not because of some weird reason!

However, what Gao Yang didn't expect was that, after she said those words not to blame the Marquis of Weinan, everyone looked at her with strange eyes.

Xiang Lan looked utterly bewildered.

She couldn't understand, clearly the princess had been full of anger before, wishing His Majesty and Her Majesty would tear the Marquis of Weinan limb from limb.

How come she now repeatedly, again and again, speaks up for the Marquis of Weinan?

This series of events has already caused Xiang Lan's brain to completely crash.

On the other side, Chen Yan also didn't understand what Gao Yang was thinking, that she would actually speak kind words for him.

Could it be......

Chen Yan suddenly thought of a possibility, looking strangely at his own palm, muttering: 'No way?'

And Li Shimin's anger, after Gao Yang spoke, suddenly vanished; he turned his head to look at Empress Changsun beside him, showing a hint of doubt.

Empress Changsun nodded with a smile; Li Shimin was somewhat surprised, his gaze shifting back and forth between Chen Yan and Gao Yang.

Afterwards, he nodded in relief, 'Since it is......'

'Your Majesty, Her Majesty, not good!'

Suddenly, a little eunuch led a maid with tears in her eyes running over, then she knelt heavily before Li Shimin and Empress Changsun.

'What's wrong, what happened?' Empress Changsun felt a bad premonition well up in her heart.

Because this maid in front of her is her own daughter's personal maid, Princess Jinyang Li Mingda's close attendant 'Biyun'.

Biyun wept and said: 'The princess suddenly fell critically ill, has lost consciousness; please Your Majesty and Her Majesty hurry to see her!'