When talking about the Dou family, the Qi family, and the Yao family, the most memorable thing is the three women vying for the title of top scholar.
I thought they would compete with each other and be at odds, but I didn't expect them to be willing to help each other at the crucial moment, even if it offended the extraordinary Consort Ju.
"Oh dear," Qi Yue said, blushing and waving her hand, "Girls should help other girls."
“Everyone admires Lord Xu’s talent as a top scholar, but admiration doesn’t mean we have to become his competitors,” Dou Jingyi said softly. “Admiration is admiration, and helping is helping.”
"Yes." Qi Yue nodded in affirmation, "We'll continue the competition after we've helped everyone."
Dou Jingyi couldn't stay serious any longer and turned her head to giggle.
Despite their completely opposite personalities, the two of them look strangely harmonious together.
Even Yao Siqing couldn't help but joke, "Now we can be considered friends who have been through thick and thin together."
Spring breezes flow through the side hall. The five girls each possess their own unique beauty. They bloom like flowers, radiating kindness and attracting kindred spirits, some similar and some opposite.
When Jiang Chengyu finally searched her entire body but couldn't find a single jade pendant, she knew where the problem lay. "It must have been the jade pendant that the palace maid took when we were making tea earlier."
They were so nervous while changing their clothes that they didn't notice anything amiss, which is how Consort Ju found the flaw.
"It's all my fault, I almost harmed Sister Dou." Jiang Chengyu slapped his forehead again, full of regret.
"There's no need to blame yourself." Dou Jingyi remained as quiet and gentle as ever. "If someone is plotting against you, there's no way you can escape it."
It was the bravery and wit of the Jiang family girls that saved them from their predicament in the shortest possible time.
“In my opinion, none of that matters,” Yao Siqing said with a smile. “The most important thing is what should be done about this prince.”
The girls' chatter fell silent.
The eldest prince on the ground had a bruised and swollen face, but fortunately he was still unconscious and showed no signs of waking up.
If we leave it here unattended, Consort Ju will surely hold us accountable once she discovers it.
But they had no reason to explain why they had to carry the person out.
How to handle this is a real problem.
Just as the group was at their wits' end, a commotion suddenly came from outside the side hall.
Jiang Sheng looked up and saw that it was the Second Prince, who had disappeared long ago.
He remained as reserved and taciturn as ever. He did not approach the girls, but simply cupped his hands in greeting from afar and said, "If you ladies trust me, please entrust him to me, and I will take him away and settle him in."
The girls all pursed their lips and remained silent.
Who would dare to speak up? Everyone knows there's a rivalry between the Second Prince and the First Prince. If he were to take this opportunity to kill the prince and then frame the girls, it would be like having mud stuck to your crotch—even if it's not shit, it would still look like shit.
"Don't worry, young lady. Although Changyu covets the throne, he will not take advantage of others in their time of need, nor will he gamble with your reputation." He straightened up and spoke calmly, "In my eyes, anyone who uses their chastity to force you to submit is a lecher."
"I just couldn't stand it. If you have any doubts, just pretend I was never here."
After the second prince finished speaking, he bowed politely again and withdrew.
Jiang Sheng and Yao Siqing exchanged glances, Qi Yue and Dou Jingyi exchanged glances, and Jiang Chengyu rolled his eyes.
This is the innermost part of the palace. Apart from the side halls, which were cleaned up by Consort Ju, the outside is guarded every three steps and sentry every five steps.
Even if the second prince were incredibly bold, he wouldn't dare kill the first prince, let alone the fact that there were five of them who could testify to each other.
Rather than brothers killing each other, his action seemed more like a gesture of goodwill towards the girls and the powerful families behind them, thus building connections.
After receiving affirmation from the others, Yao Siqing spoke up as a representative, "Your Highness, please wait. Since you are willing to lend a helping hand, we sisters will not refuse. We thank you in advance."
"Thank you, Second Prince." The girls stepped aside in unison.
The second prince, his face slightly flushed, bent down to support the unconscious first prince, and stumbled away as if helping a drunkard.
Jiang Chengyu followed silently, confirming that he had simply found a grassy area to abandon the eldest prince, and began to call out sincerely, expressing his worry and helplessness to the fullest extent.
As the palace maids and eunuchs gathered around, the girls finally felt relieved and returned hand in hand to the banquet hall.
The singing and dancing were halfway through, and the banquet was full of delicious food. The noble ladies who had been playing in the Imperial Garden gradually returned home.
Madam Jiang glanced at her three daughters with a calm and composed look in her eyes.
Chang Yan, seated high above, glanced at his younger sister and let out a soft breath.
Half an hour later, almost all the people playing outside had returned, but there was still no sign of the First Prince and the Second Prince.
Consort Ju concealed her anxiety with a smile, glancing at Dou Jingyi several times before forcibly suppressing her emotions.
Just then, a palace maid rushed in to report, "Your Majesty, Your Highness, the First Prince and the Second Prince are fighting..."
The entire banquet hall fell silent as everyone quietly put down their bowls and chopsticks and turned their gaze to the center.
Consort Ju's face turned ashen, and the Emperor frowned deeply, asking hesitantly, "Is there a specific reason?"
"Your Majesty, the Second Prince found the First Prince lying on the grass halfway through the journey. After kindly waking the First Prince, the Second Prince identified him as the assailant, and a fight broke out." The palace maid's words were full of meaning.
On the surface, it seemed like they were informing the two princes of a fight, but in reality, they were all trying to plead for the second prince's innocence.
Now no one could sit still. The imperial family and Consort Ju, leading the group, hurriedly got up and rushed outside to stop the two princes who were rolling around in the grass.
It was called a fight, but it was more like the Second Prince was being beaten unilaterally.
Unfortunately, the eldest prince was even more bruised and swollen, a pitiful sight that left people speechless.
"My son!" Consort Ju cried out in anguish upon seeing the Crown Prince's condition, "Who dares to hurt my son? Who is it!"
The crowd fell silent, and Jiang Chengyu unconsciously hid behind Jiang Sheng.
"Mother, it was this bastard who beat me. I opened my eyes and saw him crocodile tears." The eldest prince gritted his teeth, remembering that his good deed had been ruined, and became even more ruthless.
Seeing blood trickling from the Second Prince's mouth, the imperial family finally lost their temper and shouted, "Zhu Changhong, stop!"
The eldest prince stiffened, realizing they were in public. He stood up awkwardly and looked at his mother pleadingly.
“Your Majesty,” Consort Ju responded immediately, “who exactly bullied our Hong’er, beating the prince to such a state? Do they disregard the royal family, or do they disregard Your Majesty?”
"Father, I am in pain." The eldest prince covered his face and choked with sobs.
It is said that children who are loved will act spoiled. Jiang Sheng saw with her own eyes that after the mother and son finished their back-and-forth, Tian Jia's expression changed from anger to relief, and he became more hesitant.
Instead, the second prince, covered in blood, got up and stood silently in the corner.
His figure was so frail, and his schemes so perplexing.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
