Chapter 18: Cold-Faced Killing God

Xiang Xiang Junzheng never expected this deity to arrive suddenly; in the court, he had always remained neutral, seeking no merit but only self-preservation. Yet these past few days, Xiang Xiang Junzheng could not figure out why the Crown Prince seemed displeased with him; today, on his day off, the Prince had suddenly come to his residence, leaving his heart pounding with unease.

Without allowing Xiang Xiang Junzheng time for further thought, he hurriedly adjusted his robes and walked briskly to welcome the visitor.

Quan Quan Aoyu had indeed arrived unexpectedly; he had heard Young Master Jun Jun Zijin's appointment with the iron shop owner to collect the wheelchair today. When he went to the iron shop, Young Master Jun Jun Zijin had already taken the item, but he truly wished to see the finished product and could not bear to return to the palace empty-handed, so he turned and came to the Jun residence. Without waiting for Minister Jun to come out and greet him, he entered the main hall of the Jun residence's front courtyard directly.

According to ritual protocol, as the Crown Prince is the heir apparent, when the Crown Prince arrives, ministers must lead their sons to welcome him outside the main gate, while the female members of the minister's household welcome him inside the main gate, at the place where the incense altar is set up in the main hall.

In the weather of June, Xiang Xiang Junzheng felt today was exceptionally hot; running all the way, as soon as Xiang Xiang Junzheng stepped into the main hall, he hurriedly and respectfully bowed:

"Your humble subject pays homage to Your Highness the Crown Prince. Your Highness's visit to this humble dwelling was not met with a distant welcome; I beg Your Highness to forgive this offense."

There stood Quan Quan Aoyu in ordinary attire, sitting in the main seat and leisurely drinking tea.

"Is Minister Jun blaming this one for coming uninvited?" Quan Quan Aoyu thought of the maid who had owed him half a steamed bun's worth of kindness being sent to the manor to suffer; his heart was displeased, and he spoke in a sarcastic tone.

"Your humble subject dares not." Xiang Xiang Junzheng, terrified, felt his legs go weak and knelt down, his back already soaked through with cold sweat.

Quan Quan Aoyu had no intention of frightening him further and said:

"Do not stand there like a post."

Xiang Xiang Junzheng rose trembling; after a long while, seeing that this ancestor had no intention of speaking, he tentatively inquired.

"I do not know for what purpose Your Highness has come this time," Xiang Xiang Junzheng asked cautiously.

"To find someone." Then there was no further word.

This ancestor truly was sparing with words; Xiang Xiang Junzheng had no choice but to steel his nerves and ask again:

"I do not know whom Your Highness the Crown Prince seeks?"

"The young lady of your noble household," Quan Quan Aoyu said with some impatience.

Xiang Xiang Junzheng did not know which young lady this ancestor sought, nor could he be certain if it was good or bad news; he dared not ask further. Without time for further thought, he could only order the servants to summon all the young ladies of the household.

Seeing that this cold-faced killing god did not even lift his eyelids, his expression was faint, he spoke not a word, and seemed to be in low spirits, Xiang Xiang Junzheng, whose posture was already not straight, bent slightly again, standing fearfully to the side.

It was truly not surprising that Xiang Xiang Junzheng was timid and afraid of trouble; all under heaven spread the rumor that the Crown Prince of Emperor Tianqi was stern, showed no mercy, was unpredictable in mood, ruthless in methods, and cruel-hearted. He was a cold-faced killing god; even in common households, when mischievous children cried and made trouble, as soon as they heard the Emperor Tianqi Crown Prince was coming, even the most unruly children immediately became well-behaved and quiet.

Xiang Xiang Junzheng's heart was in turmoil, and he pondered silently:

"Judging by the look of things, this killing god's arrival today is likely not for good. I wonder which maid has provoked him?"

The eldest daughter is a talented woman known throughout Jingcheng, recognized by all. Since childhood, she has been well-read in poetry and books, deeply understands the ways of propriety, is knowledgeable and polite, and in her interactions with others is always courteous, never overstepping boundaries; it certainly cannot be her.

The third daughter of the second branch is indeed domineering, but she is only fierce within the household; besides, she usually stays with the eldest daughter, so it cannot be her either. The fourth daughter is usually confined to her courtyard by her concubine, so she has even less opportunity to provoke this killing god. That leaves only the second daughter, notorious for her evil reputation. This troublemaker hid in Luoshan Courtyard for a few days, behaving herself, but today she went out of the residence to show off. Thinking of this, he regretted letting her leave the residence; no, he should not have let her return to the residence.

Luoshan Courtyard was the name given by the First Lady Wu after Young Master Jun Jun Zijin and her servants moved in, implying sunset and dusk; giving such a name to a courtyard for a vibrant young girl in her prime was clearly ill-intentioned.

But Seeing Jun Jun Zijin truly did not care about such empty, meaningless things and did not take them to heart; she had no intention of changing it.

Jun Jun Yiyi was speaking in Lady Wu's room; the day after tomorrow is the birthday of the Prime Minister's matriarch, and for the past half month she has been practicing the zither diligently in her courtyard, determined to shine brilliantly at the banquet the day after tomorrow.

Hearing that the Crown Prince wished to see her, Jun Jun Yiyi was extremely excited; she thought the Crown Prince must have seen her somewhere, been captivated by her beauty, and had now come to the residence.

She was confident in her own beauty; today she had originally planned to go out to select several sets of jewelry, so she had just dressed up in full regalia, making her even more radiant.

Lady Wu instructed her to perform well; with the favor of the current Crown Prince, what was the third young master of the Prime Minister's residence?

Jun Jun Yiyi walked out of the courtyard lightly, all the while pondering what piece she should play for the Crown Prince today.

Jun Jun Zhidie was equally extremely excited; she secretly rejoiced in her heart: "The Crown Prince wants to see her! She is about to rise to the branches. Lady Wu, Jun Jun Yiyi, see if you still dare to look down on me. Seeing Jun Jun Zijin, you wretch, watch how I deal with you." Jun Jun Zhidie proudly cursed in her heart everyone in the residence who had offended her or trampled on her.

She had originally intended to dress up first, but Li Shi, fearing the Crown Prince might wait too long and miss the opportunity, urged her to hurry.

The courtyards of the first and second branches of the Jun residence had a moon-shaped archway dug into the wall; normally, the two branches entered and exited through this archway. Jun Jun Zhidie crossed the archway and hurriedly walked toward the main hall in the neighboring front courtyard.

Hearing that the Crown Prince had arrived, these two, accompanied by a group of maids and nannies, rushed here in haste; only upon meeting outside the main hall door did they realize the Crown Prince wanted to see not just one of them, and their hearts were filled with intense jealousy.

Jun Jun Yiyi spoke first:

"Is third sister dressed like this to meet Your Highness the Crown Prince?"

"Cousin is already betrothed; does she also wish to meet Your Highness the Crown Prince? However, Your Highness the Crown Prince is such a person; cousin should not indulge in wishful thinking," Jun Jun Zhidie said, unwilling to yield.

Jun Jun Zhidie was usually Jun Jun Yiyi's little follower, yet today she dared to talk back.

Jun Jun Yiyi was greatly angered in her heart, but having deeply inherited Lady Wu's teachings, how could she lose her temper here? Jun Jun Yiyi secretly warned herself not to act impulsively; she took several deep breaths, forcibly suppressed the anger in her heart, and then calmly said:

"Third sister has great courage today."

Jun Jun Zhidie was startled in her heart, realizing she had been too impulsive just now, but since the words were already spoken, she could only hold her ground.

"Cousin should not be angry; it is just that Your Highness the Crown Prince's status is what it is; how could he take an interest in someone already betrothed?"

Jun Jun Yiyi's face turned white with anger; just then, she saw Seeing Jun Jun Zijin and Jun Jun Shuyan walking and laughing together from the opposite side, and the two immediately felt united in their hatred.

Jun Jun Yiyi thought silently: Your Highness the Crown Prince has even invited this wretch.

Jun Jun Zhidie did not have Jun Jun Yiyi's depth of cunning and directly cursed: "Your Highness the Crown Prince is truly something; calling Seeing Jun Jun Zijin, that wretch, is bad enough, but he even did not spare Jun Jun Shuyan."