Chapter 50: Eat, Eat, Eat, I Tell You to Eat

The night was as dark as ink, all sounds silenced; Jun Jun Yiyi was carried back to the manor only deep into the night. Her eyes were tightly shut, her face pale as a sheet of white paper, devoid of any color, and she lay completely unconscious.

The First Lady guarded her bedside. Hearing Jun Jun Yiyi's delirious cries of pain in her sleep, she wished she could immediately burst into Aoxue Courtyard and tear Seeing Jun Jun Zijin to shreds, but Seeing Jun Jun Zijin was now a County Lady officially titled by the Emperor, her status and rank different from the past, so the First Lady could no longer act as recklessly as before.

That lowly girl has gained power now; even if she must be dealt with, she cannot be opposed as recklessly and without restraint as in the past. To completely topple that lowly girl, one must plan for the long term and scheme carefully. Just wait and see; she will certainly not let that lowly girl have a good time. The Lady gritted her teeth, her eyes full of venom.

On Seeing Jun Jun Zijin's side, Xiang Xiang Junzheng sent a servant boy to summon her to treat Jun Jun Yiyi's leg. Seeing Jun Jun Zijin's heart churned like ten thousand horses galloping: Her father's skin is truly thick; didn't he understand the words at the palace gate? Again? Seeing Jun Jun Zijin was too lazy to deal with Jun Jun Yiyi's mess and simply said:

"Jun Jun Yiyi harmed me first; now she asks me to treat her leg. Is the First Lady not afraid I will ruin her leg? Let Father go and invite a Physician."

Seeing Jun Jun Zijin instructed her maid that if anyone else came to ask her to treat Jun Jun Yiyi's leg, they were not to open the door. Having said this, she lay down to rest.

On Seeing Jun Jun Zijin's side, the night passed without incident.

But on the Second Branch's side, chaos erupted. The dazed Jun Jun Zhidie did not know how she returned to the manor; when she stepped across the threshold, Li Shi was eating her meal.

Jun Jun Zhidie, whose head was slumped sideways, immediately perked up. She rushed forward a few steps, snatched the bowl from Li Shi's hand, and smashed it onto the ground with a "Bang!"

"Eat, eat, eat! Do you not know how much humiliation I suffered today? You can still eat? I tell you to eat!" Jun Jun Zhidie roared at the stunned Li Shi, her eyes wide with rage, her face full of grief and indignation.

As soon as she thought of the unparalleled humiliation she suffered today—first being framed by the two lowly women Jun Jun Yiyi and Seeing Jun Jun Zijin, then being plotted against by the man she loved most—her heart felt as if a sword had pierced a huge hole through it, the pain so severe she could barely breathe.

Li Shi stood stunned for a long while before coming to her senses. Her eyes widened, and she trembled with anger, raising her hand to slap Jun Jun Zhidie across the face:

"You rebellious daughter, have you gone mad?"

Jun Jun Zhidie, having received the slap, felt a burning pain on her face. She instinctively covered her face as tears streamed down. Jun Jun Zhidie's eyes were bloodshot; like a wild beast gone mad, she glared at Li Shi with uncontrollable rage.

"I am not mad! Do you know that today I was framed by the two lowly women from the First Branch, and the Emperor actually issued an edict to bestow a marriage, ordering me to marry that notorious Second Imperial Prince! And you, as my mother, are here eating leisurely and carefree, paying no attention to my plight! Do you even count as my mother at all?" Jun Jun Zhidie screamed hoarsely, her voice filled with despair and indignation.

Hearing that Jun Jun Zhidie was to marry the Second Imperial Prince, Li Shi's eyes immediately lit up; she could no longer care whether her daughter was going mad. Excited and glowing, she said eagerly:

"Oh my, this is a tremendous good fortune! Although you are not marrying the Crown Prince, the Second Imperial Prince is after all royal nobility; once you marry him, you will be an Imperial Concubine! In the future, our family will also share in the glory!"

As Li Shi spoke, she clapped her hands in excitement, completely failing to notice Jun Jun Zhidie's angry and resentful gaze.

Jun Jun Zhidie, as if all strength had been drained from her body, collapsed onto the ground, weeping heart-wrenchingly and screaming hoarsely:

"What could you possibly know! That Second Imperial Prince is lewd by nature; his residence is filled with concubines, countless in number. Today outside, everyone pointed fingers at me, mocking and sneering; I have lost all my face!"

While Jun Jun Zhidie cried out her grievances, she constantly pounded the ground with her hands, as if trying to vent all the grievance and pain in her heart.

Li Shi stamped her feet anxiously: "Although the Second Imperial Prince has a poor reputation, so what? As long as you marry into the royal family, no one will dare to look down on you again. Once you bear a son or a daughter, your status will naturally be secure, and we will rise to prosperity." Li Shi held Jun Jun Zhidie's hand, full of hope.

Hearing this, the crying Jun Jun Zhidie suddenly fell silent, revealing a smile uglier than her crying. She stared coldly at Li Shi and said mockingly:

"Mother, you truly overestimate me! Do you know that if I marry in, I cannot even secure the humble position of a Liandi?"

Jun Jun Zhidie's voice was sharp and grating, as if trying to vent all her dissatisfaction and grievance.

Hearing these words, Li Shi was slightly stunned; she had not expected that Jun Jun Zhidie would only be a concubine upon entering the Imperial Prince's residence.

At this moment, Xiang Junzhen returned, reeking of alcohol. With only this hideous she-tiger in the house, he had long grown weary of her and frequently went out to seek affairs elsewhere; Li Shi thought that as long as he did not bring the vixens home, she would turn a blind eye.

Seeing the house in chaos again, Xiang Junzhen felt annoyed and wanted to turn and leave, but hearing from the mother and daughter's conversation that Jun Jun Zhidie was to marry an Imperial Prince, he stood outside the door and listened in.

Xiang Junzhen stumbled into the room. Seeing Jun Jun Zhidie with red, swollen eyes, Xiang Junzhen's face darkened, his brows furrowed tightly, a flash of anger passing through his eyes as he snorted coldly:

"Hmph! How can you, girl, be so ignorant of the heavens and the earth? How many families break their heads trying to send their daughters into the palace, even if only to be a maid. Our family has finally obtained this bestowed marriage; you are marrying an Imperial Prince. Even if you are a concubine, you are an Imperial Prince's concubine; at the very least, that is Eighth Rank. Yet you are still picky and ungrateful here!" Xiang Junzhen scolded sternly.

Li Shi hurriedly stepped forward to greet him, smiling and saying:

"Master, Jun Zhidie is just aggrieved in her heart; please bear with her. As for the matters of the Second Imperial Prince's residence, we must still plan carefully."

Xiang Junzhen waved his hand impatiently:

"Plan what? If she has the ability, let her compete for favor herself."

Hearing these words, a surge of anger ignited in Jun Jun Zhidie's heart. Her eyes darkened, and she stood up, saying:

"Father, how can you be so heartless? My journey ahead is already difficult; instead of comforting me, you speak such words."

Xiang Junzhen's eyes widened:

"You dare talk back? Do not think you are something special just because you are marrying an Imperial Prince. If you lose favor, do not expect the family to cover for you." Having said this, he stormed angrily toward the inner chamber.

Jun Jun Zhidie watched his back, her face growing paler. She bit her lip tightly, striving not to let tears fall. Jun Jun Zhidie finally understood; in her parents' eyes, she was merely a tool that could be used at will. So-called family affection was worthless in the face of profit...

Jun Jun Zhidie was full of hatred but dared not vent it. She secretly vowed that in the future, she must establish herself firmly in the Second Imperial Prince's residence and make all those who looked down on her regret it.

After Li Shi calmed down, she helped Jun Jun Zhidie up, her eyes turning sinister:

"Jun Zhidie, do not cry. We cannot let this go. Seeing Jun Jun Zijin now has the status of a County Lady and is hard to deal with, but Jun Jun Yiyi's reputation is in ruins; this is our opportunity."