Chapter 127: Murder at the Palace Gate

After tossing and turning all night, Seeing Jun Jun Zijin had just thought about catching some sleep when Fei Yan appeared out of nowhere, playing coy:

"Young Lady, this subordinate has news that is sure to please you."

Seeing Jun Jun Zijin squinted half-closed, speaking impatiently:

"If it is nothing important, do not disturb my rest."

Fei Yan, however, grinned and leaned close, winking as she said: "Young Lady, since Prince Yi personally led troops to surround the Gao family, he has not once left Prince Yi Wang Fu, nor has he gone to the back courtyard. Prince Yi seems to have secretly sought several Physicians from the common folk and brought them into Prince Yi Wang Fu, yet only the Physicians are seen entering, never seen leaving, and the search for Physicians seems not to have stopped. According to this subordinate's investigation, Prince Yi's vital part was kicked by Zhou Zhou Yiniang."

Indeed, upon hearing this, Seeing Jun Jun Zijin's mood improved greatly; a wicked smile curled her lips: "It seems he has not been cured. Prince Yi has finally met his match."

She had originally suspected that Quan Quan Tianyi was not unrelated to this matter, but lacked evidence. When she woke from her coma and heard the news that Prince Yi had personally led troops to surround the Gao Prime Minister's residence, she became certain that the crimes committed by Prime Minister Gao must be connected to the Third Imperial Prince; his personal raid on the family had one of its main purposes as destroying evidence.

Seeing Jun Jun Zijin paused, her wicked smile growing even wider:

"Eldest Sister is not still longing to marry into Prince Yi Wang Fu, is she? Let us help her."

Seeing Jun Jun Zijin did not stay long in the Wang Fu; after resting for several hours, she hurried to the military camp.

In the blink of an eye, the day of the palace banquet arrived.

Early in the morning, Xiang Xiang Junzheng took his two daughters and his niece, each boarding a carriage, and headed for the Imperial Palace.

Outside the carriage window, sunlight filtered through thin clouds and fell upon their faces. Jun Jun Shuyan's complexion was still somewhat pale, clearly not fully recovered after falling into the water. Her eyes, burning like fire, stared tightly at Jun Jun Zhidie, who wore a veil. Had it not been for the rescue by her Second Sister and Big Brother, she would have long since perished. The woman opposite her was her greatest enemy in this life.

Jun Jun Zhidie also harbored immense resentment; she had failed to harm others, only to be harmed by that wretch Seeing Jun Jun Zijin, forcing her to go out wearing a veil. She originally did not want to attend the palace banquet and make a fool of herself, but Li Shi advised her that it would be good to meet the Second Imperial Prince. Since the day the Second Imperial Prince invited her out for wine and then sent someone to deliver a headpiece, perhaps being too busy recently, he had not invited her to meet again. She truly could not bear to miss the opportunity to meet the Second Imperial Prince, so she tidied herself up and went out, though her heart was naturally uneasy.

Jun Jun Yiyi had heard that Seeing Jun Jun Zijin had knocked out two of Jun Jun Zhidie's front teeth and felt very happy; she could hardly wait to mock her, but Jun Jun Zhidie had been in her own courtyard these past few days and had not come out. Meeting now, Jun Jun Yiyi looked at Jun Jun Zhidie provocatively, her face full of contempt:

"Third Sister, it has been a few days. You cover your face with a veil; could it be to hide some flaw?" Jun Jun Yiyi said with sarcasm.

Upon hearing this, a flash of Xiong Xiong rage passed through Jun Jun Zhidie's eyes, but she knew that if Jun Jun Yiyi and Jun Jun Shuyan joined forces today, she would certainly gain no advantage. She forcibly suppressed the anger in her heart, turned her face to the side, and held her tongue.

Inside the carriage, no one spoke again; only the wheels rolling over the stone pavement made a dull sound.

The carriage moved slowly, and the group soon arrived at the palace gate. Xiang Xiang Junzheng's carriage headed straight for the front gate, while the women lined up at the side gate to register for entry.

Since today was a banquet specially arranged by the Emperor for the Empress's return to the palace, there were many people; a long queue had already formed outside the palace gate, with many Ladies and Young Ladies getting out of their carriages to breathe the air and chat.

The atmosphere inside the Jun family carriage was unusually gloomy; Jun Jun Shuyan also held a hand warmer, got out of the carriage, and waited by the roadside.

Just then, Princess Jiahe drove a flamboyant and luxurious carriage speeding towards them. Everyone knew Princess Jiahe was domineering and made way one after another; no one dared to provoke her to avoid suffering misfortune.

The carriage passed through the crowd and stopped steadily before the palace gate with a "Gah!" sound. The carriage door opened, and Princess Jiahe, dressed in a magnificent red robe and wearing dazzling jewels, stepped down proudly. Her gaze swept over the crowd, cold and disdainful.

However, the eunuch guarding the palace gate did not let her enter directly; she needed to register like everyone else. Princess Jiahe frowned, and her anger flared up instantly, but she knew the eunuch held a special status and could not be easily offended.

She took several deep breaths to suppress her anger, scanned the crowd, and happened to see Jun Jun Shuyan, who had no time to dodge. Instantly, her anger found an outlet; she whipped out a lash, which seemed about to fall upon Jun Jun Shuyan.

Just then, a short sword swung over, and Princess Jiahe's whip broke into several pieces.

Princess Jiahe's eyes widened as she glared angrily at Guazi, who had suddenly appeared before Jun Jun Shuyan, and shouted:

"Where did this wild girl come from? You have such boldness! I, the Princess, want to strike someone, and you dare to stop me? Do you know who I am?"

At this moment, a clear, cold voice sounded from behind:

"Princess Jiahe, you are arrogant and domineering, injuring people at will. If she does not dare to stop you, does this Princess not dare?"

Everyone turned to look at Seeing Jun Jun Zijin on horseback; the atmosphere was subtle. It was Lady Lady Qingping who had arrived, and most importantly, she was the older sister of the Jun family's Fourth Young Lady. Seeing Jun Jun Shuyan saw that it was her Second Sister, who had rushed back from the military camp, and she smiled sweetly at Seeing Jun Jun Zijin, instantly feeling relieved.

The sudden appearance of Lady Lady Qingping instantly eased the originally tense atmosphere. Riding her horse, her gaze was stern, and she faced Princess Jiahe with dignity, neither humble nor arrogant.

The eunuch at the palace gate, seeing that Lady Lady Qingping had arrived, was about to invite her into the palace, but saw Princess Jiahe blocking her, her face extremely ugly:

"Seeing Jun Jun Zijin, you are merely a Princess of a different surname; what is so impressive about you? You dare to block me?"

"Princess Jiahe, you seem to have forgotten that you did not originally bear the surname Quan?" Seeing Jun Jun Zijin's expression did not change; she dismounted slowly and said calmly.

Quan Jiahe was originally Wen Jiahe. The Wen family's ancestor had a debt of gratitude to the imperial family and was admitted into the imperial clan by the late Emperor, granted the title of a Prince of the Commandery. Although it was a hereditary title passed down without reduction, it was merely an empty name with no actual power. By the generation of Prince An, there were no sons, meaning there was no successor.

Prince An's Wang Fu not only had no deep connections with any family in daily life, but raising a daughter who relied on Prince An's title to be arrogant and domineering had offended quite a few people.

Normally, many families without sons would adopt one, which would be considered normal. However, the Emperor declared that adopted sons did not count; the hereditary title must pass to Prince An's own bloodline. If Prince An dared to play any tricks, his title would be stripped. With no choice, Prince An could only obediently guard this generation's title.

Originally, after Princess Jiahe caused trouble at the previous palace banquet, Prince An confined her, and she behaved a bit more properly for a while. But recently, she climbed up to the Fifth Imperial Prince Quan Quan Tianjiao, and after the engagement, she became even more arrogant and domineering than before.

Upon Seeing Jun Jun Zijin's words, the anger on Princess Jiahe's face grew even more intense; she did not expect Seeing Jun Jun Zijin to cut her so ruthlessly with words.

Although she relied on Prince An's Wang Fu title to be granted the title of Princess, her surname was originally not prominent; this was a pain in her heart. Moreover, she only held an empty title of Princess, completely incomparable to Seeing Jun Jun Zijin, a Princess officially granted by the current Emperor with an actual fiefdom, which made her jealousy grow even more uncontrollable.

She glared at Seeing Jun Jun Zijin, her eyes full of resentment:

"Seeing Jun Jun Zijin, you are asking for death!" Princess Jiahe roared, snatched the horse whip from the driver's hand, and swung it at Seeing Jun Jun Zijin.

Everyone gasped in shock; even the eunuch at the palace gate was stunned. Although Princess Jiahe was also a Princess, Lady Lady Qingping was currently a hotshot figure. Only if Princess Jiahe's brain was broken would she dare to challenge her.

Seeing Jun Jun Zijin did not even move; Guazi's short sword swung out again, severing the horse whip.

Princess Jiahe, furious with rage, drew a dagger and stabbed at Seeing Jun Jun Zijin. The eunuch, seeing this, thought, "Princess Jiahe has such boldness! She dares to commit murder at the palace gate! If she stabs down and injures Lady Lady Qingping, what then?" The eunuch hurriedly stepped forward to stop her, but it was too late for Princess Jiahe to withdraw the dagger.