Chapter 298 The Top Scholar 5 (Bonus Chapter for Donations)

Everyone: ...

Prince Fu was the first to object. His daughter was of great use; how could she marry Pei Chengyuan, let alone become his concubine?!

Jiahe was also filled with humiliation. She was the future Princess Jiahe, but she had become the concubine of a lowly fifth-rank official. Did she still have any dignity?

Pei Chengyuan was the only one in the hall who was genuinely happy. The princess really loved him. He promised that after taking Jiahe as his concubine, he would treat the princess well, since she didn't have many days left to live anyway!

The Emperor angrily said, "They treat you like this, and you still want to let your son-in-law take a concubine?"

Large tears streamed down Ning Yan's face. "What else can I do? The thought of my husband dying fills me with unbearable pain."

Moreover, Jiahe is my cousin; how can I watch my cousin die?

Half an hour later, the group left the palace, and an imperial edict was sent to the Prince of Fu's residence and the Princess's residence.

The prince consort has taken a concubine, and the woman is Princess Jiahe, the legitimate daughter of Prince Fu.

The noble young men who were originally attracted to Princess Jiahe found it hard to believe that Jiahe would become someone's concubine.

However, they soon learned the whole story.

People in the capital all despised the two people who couldn't help themselves and had an affair at the Grand Princess's residence, and then felt sorry for Princess Rouyuan.

After all, the story says that the emperor asked the top scholar if he had a spouse, fiancée, or someone he loved. The scholar said no, and that's when the emperor granted him the marriage.

The prince consort acted as if his love for the princess was unbreakable, but behind her back he was having an affair with Princess Jiahe. He's a real scoundrel.

Regardless of what others said, more than half a month later, Princess Jiahe was still carried into the princess's residence and became Pei Chengyuan's concubine!

Of course, she was, after all, the legitimate daughter of Prince Fu, and Ning Yan, in a show of mercy, allowed her to bring her dowry.

Prince Fu did have some genuine affection for his daughter, and Jiahe's dowry was filled with eighty-eight kiosks.

That evening, the prince consort was to come to the main courtyard to express his heartfelt feelings, telling the princess that he only had feelings for her and did not like Jiahe at all.

Finally, the guards forcibly took him to Jiahe's courtyard, where he drank the nuptial wine under the watchful eye of the matron.

The wine was drugged. As soon as the wine was finished, Granny Yin left with her people. What a fool! He still wanted to put on an act in front of the princess. Did he really think the princess cared about him?

Here's a pot of good wine for you guys, go have fun, you shameless men and women.

After Granny Yin left, there was indeed some movement inside the room, and the servants on night watch moved further away.

The next morning, Pei Zhengyuan brought Jiahe to serve tea to the princess.

Princess Jiahe has always been proud and arrogant, and she didn't even respect the original owner of this body, who was a legitimate princess. But now, she doesn't dare to make any rash moves.

Because her life was in the princess's hands, she now only hoped that her father would succeed immediately, so that she could avenge today's humiliation.

Jiahe knelt down and reached out to take the tea, but found two cups of tea on Wanzi's tray.

Ning Yan looked at Pei Chengyuan with a faint smile, "Prince Consort, aren't you going to serve tea?"

Pei Chengyuan was a little confused. When did serving tea require her husband to join in?

But remembering that the princess was still angry with him, he quickly knelt down.

Wan Zi stood in front of the two men with a tray in her hand, and each of them took a cup of tea.

Pei Chengyuan found the teacup to be scalding hot, so hot that he wanted to throw it away.

Princess Jiahe's face was equally unpleasant. She had been pampered since childhood and had extremely delicate skin. The teacup burned her skin, and it quickly turned red.

"Princess, please have some tea."

Pei Chengyuan added a comment.

Ning Yan raised her slender, fair hand. "Qian Hong, read the rules for becoming a concubine to Jia He. Once you enter my princess's residence, you must abide by the rules of my residence. If you make a mistake, I will punish you."

Qianhong took out a booklet and began to read aloud. It contained rules about waking up at dawn and dusk every day, serving three meals a day, proper conduct, and not being able to seduce the master. It even specified how many times and how long each night. The two kneeling people were not only red in the hands, but their whole bodies were as red as shrimp.

Putting aside whether it's even possible to follow them, just reciting these rules is enough to make anyone ashamed.

Pei Chengyuan was not only ashamed, but also increasingly uneasy. If the princess could write this down as a rule, wouldn't that mean she knew everything?

How much must she hate him right now?

Qian Hong finally finished reciting the rules after more than a quarter of an hour. The cup in her hand had long since lost its warmth. Ning Yan smiled at the two of them and asked, "Did you two hear that clearly?"

Pei Chengyuan and Princess Jiahe, enduring the humiliation, replied, "I heard you clearly."

"Who heard me clearly? Can't you even answer?"

Princess Jiahe could no longer hold back and jumped to her feet. "Rouyuan, don't go too far!"

Ning Yan raised an eyebrow, raised her right hand and gently hooked her fingertip. Wan Zi immediately stepped forward and kicked Jia He to his knees, then swung her hand to slap him.

Without being told, Qian Hong spoke directly: "Slap the mistress twenty times for disrespect."

Ning Yan looked at Pei Chengyuan again, and Pei Chengyuan was so frightened that he immediately lowered his head. In the blink of an eye, Jiahe's mouth was bleeding from the slap. If this slap had landed on his face, would he still have to go to work tomorrow?

"Does the Prince Consort have nothing to say?"

Pei Chengyuan: "Yes! Princess, you hit Jiahe, so you can't hit me. I... I didn't say anything."

Fortunately, Jiahe's ears were ringing from Wan Zi's slaps, so he didn't hear what he said at all, otherwise he would have gone crazy on the spot!

Ning Yan scoffed inwardly. Sure enough, men are all pragmatic. Whether you like someone or not, love someone or not, nothing can affect their interests. Once it involves them, they immediately show their true colors!

Presumably, Pei Chengyuan will no longer secretly draw Jiahe's portrait in his study, after all, drawing that pig-bellied face is rather disappointing.

"I know the Prince Consort cares about his reputation, but my reputation is even more important. You dare to openly commit lewd acts in someone else's residence. You have completely disgraced me. I'm afraid you won't learn your lesson if I don't punish you. So, I'll give the Prince Consort another twenty lashes!"

Pei Chengyuan begged for mercy, but guards immediately stepped forward, gagged him, and dragged him out.

Muffled groans echoed continuously in the courtyard.

After the twenty strokes of the cane and twenty slaps were finished, Ning Yan felt better and waved her hand, "Alright, their crying annoyed me. Send them back and let them recover before they pay their respects to me."

The servants in the princess's residence were all brought from the palace, and they were all tight-lipped. No one dared to utter a word about what happened in the main courtyard. Therefore, after the two had rested for a few days, Miss Luo of Chunying Courtyard began to ponder.

Didn't the princess just easily arrange for her cousin to take a concubine?

Moreover, my cousin and the princess stayed in the same courtyard for six whole days without coming out, and they didn't even go on duty. Why don't they say the princess will be angry now?

Isn't it because they think she's not high enough status?

It seems she has to fight for herself this time.

On the seventh day, Pei Chengyuan's injuries had almost healed, and the bruises on Jiahe's face had also faded considerably. The servants reminded the two of them, and Jiahe had no choice but to apply a thick layer of makeup to cover up the marks. Then, the two of them obediently went to the main courtyard to serve the mistress.

(End of this chapter)