Chapter 169: Chapter One Hundred Sixty-Nine

Sun Yanqing thought for a long time, but still couldn't make heads or tails of it.

Helpless, he could only set the matter aside for now.

In the palace, inside the main hall of the Sixth Princess's sleeping quarters.

The Shunhe Emperor sat in a chair, his jaw clenched tight, his face an ashen blue.

A middle-aged Imperial Physician walked over, wiping his sweat as he went, trembling as he reported.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, the Sixth Princess was drugged with an Aphrodisiac Incense. Acupuncture has already been administered, and she is now out of danger."

After speaking, the Imperial Physician smiled bitterly to himself.

Just now, he had faintly heard the Crown Prince's voice. The Sixth Princess, simply to avoid the marriage alliance, had drugged another man with Aphrodisiac Incense, intending to destroy her own chastity.

This concerned the royal family's dignity; he had no idea how Your Majesty would deal with him.

The Shunhe Emperor never opened his mouth, but one could tell from his face that he was furious. The Empress was in the room, watching over the Sixth Princess.

The Crown Prince naturally didn't dare touch this sore spot, and at this moment sat quietly to one side.

The others were even less daring to make a sound, even subconsciously keeping their breathing very, very light.

The middle-aged Imperial Physician nervously swallowed his saliva, cold sweat dripping down his forehead in large drops, so frightened his legs were weak and he could barely stand.

Finally, the Shunhe Emperor gave an almost imperceptible nod.

"Withdraw."

Hearing these words, the middle-aged Imperial Physician felt as though granted a great reprieve, hurriedly gave thanks and withdrew.

The moment he stepped out of the hall, he was still thinking that it would likely be very difficult to make a name for himself in the Imperial Medical Bureau from now on; it seemed it was time to resign his post and return home.

And the Shunhe Emperor gave a look to the trusted Eunuch at his side, killing intent in his eyes.

The trusted confidant nodded and quietly left.

Before leaving, he had the good sense to have all the palace attendants inside the hall withdraw as well.

Just at this moment, the Empress stepped into the hall.

The moment he saw her, the Shunhe Emperor hurled the teacup beside him at her feet. The "bang" made everyone's heart in the hall jump.

"Aphrodisiac Incense?!"

"Look at the fine daughter you've raised!"

"A princess of a nation actually resorting to such filthy tricks — simply shameless!"

After venting his fury, he rose and walked out, not giving the Empress or the Crown Prince so much as a second glance, leaving behind only a few words.

"Five days from now, once the news from Xiyue arrives, Yuxi must go to the marriage alliance!"

"The affairs of the inner palace are temporarily handed over to the Noble Consort. These few days, the Empress need not bother with other matters; just tend to Yuxi in peace!"

"The matter of the marriage alliance is of great importance. I do not wish for any further mishaps!"

Being scolded from head to toe by the Emperor, and in front of the younger generation, one could well imagine the Empress's dissatisfaction and fury.

But the ones who brought all this upon her were precisely the son and daughter she loved most, so she could not vent her anger on the children.

She glanced at the Crown Prince beside her, her tone carrying deep helplessness.

"Hao'er, Xi'er is your own sister. You've blown things up to such a scale — how can she ever face anyone again?"

The Crown Prince's expression wasn't much better either; he gave a light snort.

"Yuxi acting this way must be largely due to Mother Empress's indulgence, no?"

"What you and Yuxi have done — where does that leave your son?"

"What did you say?"

The Crown Prince's face went cold as he slapped the Token heavily onto the table.

"Without Mother Empress's help, could that girl Yuxi have even stepped out of her sleeping quarters?!"

The Empress admitted it frankly.

"That's right, I indeed don't want Xi'er to marry off to Xiyue."

"She is your own sister. Can you really bear to send her to such a distant land for a marriage alliance?"

The Crown Prince turned his head to look aside.

"This is Father Emperor's Imperial Decree."

The Empress stepped closer and spoke with him in a low voice, discussing.

"Your Father Emperor only said to send a princess for the marriage alliance; the candidate doesn't necessarily have to be Yuxi."

"True, the other princesses are either already married or still too young, but there are so many girls in the imperial clan, and plenty of daughters in the households of the Imperial Officials at court."

"Just pick any one of them, bestow the title of princess on her, and wouldn't that do?"

The Crown Prince was so angered by her words that he laughed, looking at her with an expression that said, "You are truly impossible to reason with."

"Mother Empress, are other people's daughters not daughters too? Are they supposed to deserve being sent off in Yuxi's place to marry in a foreign land?"

"Furthermore, how could outsiders possibly help us with all their heart?"

His face was deadly serious.

"Mother Empress, I know you can't bear to part with Yuxi, and neither can your son."

"But you must think of our great enterprise, you must think of your son."

Saying this, he raised three fingers in a swearing gesture.

"Your son can promise that, after Ascending the Throne, I will bring Yuxi back in grand style. Alright?"

The scales in the Empress's heart ultimately tipped toward this son she had placed such great hopes on. She let out a slight sigh and reluctantly compromised.

"Very well, these few days, I will try my best to counsel Yuxi more."

Neither mother nor son noticed that outside the door, a figure who had overheard these words left in a dazed, lost state.

Shen Yuxi sat dazed in the cool pavilion. A palace maid ran over, saw her pallid face, and hurriedly draped a fox-fur cloak over her.

"Your Imperial Highness, you're still unwell—why have you come out?"

Shen Yuxi said nothing; with a dazed expression she rose and walked back, more than once nearly crashing into a wall or a pillar.

The little palace maid was so startled she hurried forward to support her on the way back, and seeing her in such a state, she couldn't help grumbling inwardly.

It seems the Princess really is gravely ill this time.

She looks just like she's lost her soul.

This can't go on—I'd better report to the Empress Dowager as soon as possible.

Back in her own room, Shen Yuxi suddenly grew very agitated and shoved away the palace maid supporting her.

"Get away!"

"Don't follow me!"

With a slightly crazed look, she rushed into the room, shoved aside two other palace maids, and shouted, pointing toward the door.

"Get out! All of you, get out!"

The few little palace maids were startled by her wild appearance.

They hurried to run out, afraid that one second's delay would bring her wrath down on them.

"Wait!"

Shen Yuxi swept a glance over the few people at the door.

"Why isn't Liu'er here?"

At the thought of Liu'er covered in blood, the few little palace maids standing at the door instantly went pale as paper, their bodies trembling.

Shen Yuxi's instincts told her something was wrong; she casually pointed at the palace maid in the very middle.

"You speak!"

That palace maid was so frightened she was nearly crying, her voice still trembling.

"Liu'er… Liu'er failed to take proper care of the Princess, so the Empress Dowager punished her with eighty heavy strokes. She didn't make it through, and… and…"

As she spoke, she began to sob softly.

Shen Yuxi turned around in a daze and gave a small wave of her hand.

Seeing this, the few little palace maids felt as if granted a great reprieve, hurriedly shut the door tight, and fled as if running for their lives.

Once only she herself remained in the room, Shen Yuxi leaned against the wall and slowly crouched down, hugging herself tightly, burying her face in her arm, sobbing softly.

Father Emperor only cares about how to keep his throne secure; Mother Empress speaks of loving her, but in her heart there's only Crown Prince Brother.

And Crown Prince Brother, who usually puts on such a loving, caring front for her, will abandon her without a moment's hesitation the moment his own interests are at stake.

She has already been cast aside by the three people closest to her.

Why must they treat her this way?

How did it come to this?

Shen Yuxi bit down hard on her arm, weeping in grief.

Over the next few days, the Empress was busy preparing the escort party for the marriage, and didn't notice anything amiss with Shen Yuxi.

But the palace maids attending her constantly did notice.

The Sixth Princess seemed to have become different from before.

When Hua Ru came to report this matter, the Empress was arranging for trusted confidants to spread word among the common folk.

Saying that the Sixth Princess, on Crown Prince's persuasion, had taken the initiative to request a marriage alliance with Xiyue to spare the people of Da Yin the suffering of war.

For a time, the common folk of the Capital praised Crown Prince and the Sixth Princess to the skies, heaping such extravagant compliments on the siblings that they were lifted impossibly high.

Hearing Hua Ru say that the Sixth Princess's condition was off, the Empress was briefly taken aback, then went back to her busywork.

"It seems that girl still harbors resentment in her heart."

"Enough, enough—she only has a few more days. Let her make a fuss if she wants."

The common folk of Da Yin, the Civil and Military Officials, the imperial relatives, Crown Prince himself—even the Shunhe Emperor and the Empress—all believed that sending the Princess to marry into the other kingdom would avert a great war.

But Xiyue did not grant them their wish; instead, it delivered a stinging slap to the face of the self-satisfied Shunhe Emperor.

"What? Xiyue refused the marriage alliance?"

Cheng Qiuluo exclaimed.

Cheng Qiuyun nodded, pressed her lips together, and struggled to hold back a laugh.

"Moreover, the Xiyue Emperor's words were sharp; between the lines he mocked the Shunhe Emperor as a coward who only knows how to hide behind others."

"Once he hid behind the Cheng Family, and now he's simply using his own daughter as a shield—it's a disgrace to every man of Da Yin!"