As the three were talking, they arrived at the teahouse.
The teahouse was packed with customers, but they were all old, pedantic scholars. Shangguan Jingyi turned his gaze away in disappointment.
Tianyun, who was behind her, saw that she looked dejected and had come all this way for nothing. He found it amusing and asked, "What's wrong, cousin?"
None of them are good enough!
Shangguan Jingyi snapped out of his daze and gave a perfunctory reply that didn't reflect his true feelings: "There were a lot of people in the teahouse. I... I've never seen so many men before, so I was... a little flustered."
Tianyun's cousin is quiet and gentle.
Xie Wuyun thought to herself, then reassured him, "It's alright. Kyoto is different from other places; the people are more open-minded. As long as you don't lose your chastity before marriage, it's not a big deal!"
Tianyun sighed and rubbed her forehead. What kind of behavior is this, a young lady from a respectable family being so unrestrained?
She pressed Xie Wuyun's arm down, "Stop talking. If someone hears you, will you still want to get married?"
Xie Wuyun obediently shut up, and Jingyi was stunned by her shocking words.
The three of them chose seats towards the back. Xie Wuyun said to the waiter, "Bring a pot of pre-Qingming Longjing tea, and some melon seeds and snacks. Don't disturb us during the meal unless otherwise requested."
The waiter respectfully withdrew, and they listened as the storyteller, his gavel striking the table, began to speak with great emotion: "Continuing from the last chapter, a woman, dressed in rags and with tears streaming down her face, knelt on a high platform. A large crowd gathered below, but not a single word of comfort was offered; instead, they shouted and jeering, showing no pity whatsoever. The woman grew increasingly desperate and, in a fit of despair, leaped!"
He jumped from that high platform and fell to the ground in an instant, his skull was split open and blood flowed like a river, and he died on the spot!
...This person was none other than the deposed empress's younger sister, Yao Mengchi.
The gavel struck again, and the audience in the teahouse snapped back to reality, all letting out sighs.
If just one person had offered a helping hand and hadn't said anything provocative, would the outcome have been different?
It's a pity that the dead cannot be brought back to life.
When an avalanche occurs, no snowflake is innocent. But even so, how many of those who egg others on will truly repent for their words and actions?
When a living life disappears before their eyes, their thoughts might simply be: "Sigh, so fragile, they can't handle any stress."
Human nature, both good and evil, is most vulnerable to test. Tianyun felt a lump in her throat. As a doctor who saves lives, she had exhausted herself to save countless patients from the brink of death. She could not bear to hear such disrespect for life.
"It's such a pity that such a beautiful woman has passed away! Prince Qi was known for his gentleness and affability, and Miss Yao was also gentle and lovely. Back then, she and Prince Qi were an enviable couple!" Xie Wuyun sighed, her face showing reluctance.
Shangguan Jingyi grabbed a handful of sunflower seeds and cracked them open: "Then why did she jump off the platform and commit suicide?"
The Prince Qi's mansion was filled with luxurious food and drink, and the Prince Qi was deeply devoted to her. Even if all her relatives died, she could live a life of ease and comfort. Why would she want to commit suicide?
If it were her, she wouldn't want to die.
Xie Wuyun glanced around warily, then whispered to the two girls, "The eldest prince conspired with his maternal grandfather, the former Right Chancellor Yao Zhengqi, to rebel, and was demoted to commoner status. The deposed Empress Yao Mengxi is the eldest prince's birth mother, and the emperor ordered the extermination of her entire clan!"
Out of consideration for their past relationship, the Empress was only deposed and confined to the Cold Palace, where she passed away not long after.
Miss Yao Mengchi's life was spared thanks to the King of Qi's intercession, but her entire family had perished. Having lost all will to live, she ultimately committed suicide. This is a royal secret; you must remember not to divulge it.”
Having experienced this incident, the emperor was extremely wary of the power of maternal relatives and hesitated to bestow Mu Yaozhi in marriage to Xiao Ziyan, also fearing that the Left Chancellor and Xiao Ziyan would form a faction for personal gain and cause history to repeat itself.
Shangguan Jingyi asked in confusion, "Didn't Prince Qi stop them?" Aren't the two of them like a perfect couple?
"To plead for Miss Yao, Prince Qi knelt before the Xuanzheng Hall for two days and two nights. Upon returning to his residence, he fell into a coma and lost consciousness! It seems that he was unaware of Miss Yao's suicidal thoughts before she did something foolish!" Although Xie Wuyun felt sorry for Miss Yao's tragic fate, she also truly envied her for receiving such deep affection from Prince Qi.
If a man could be so devoted to me, I'd be laughing in my sleep! Xie Wuyun rested her round little face on her hands, and this thought suddenly flashed through her mind.
Shangguan Jingyi tossed aside the sunflower seed shells and sighed, "What a pair of star-crossed lovers."
Tianyun raised an eyebrow, remaining silent as she stared blankly at the wood grain on the table. How did word get out that this ill-fated Prince Qi had fainted after returning home? And by sheer coincidence, he fainted just as Miss Yao was about to commit suicide? Knowing that her entire family was being implicated and that her defenses were crumbling, why didn't Prince Qi send anyone to secretly protect her?
Suddenly, a gasp came from the crowd, interrupting her thoughts.
"It's Prince Qi! He's fainted!"
"Go quickly and fetch a doctor."
"King Qi must have fainted from grief upon hearing of the sudden departure of his former lover," some speculated.
!! ……
The person they were talking about was right here; what a strange coincidence! Xie Wuyun covered her mouth tightly; surely her whispers hadn't been heard?
Prince Qi was known for his virtue and was very popular with the people. At this moment, the crowd of onlookers, each with their own worries, surrounded him tightly.
This was very bad for the breathing of the person who had fainted. Fortunately, the King of Qi's personal guard was a perceptive person. He helped him to a chair and then loudly ordered everyone to disperse.
She frowned slightly and carefully observed the unconscious Prince Qi on the chair. She noticed that he was covered in cold sweat and his face was very pale. She initially concluded that he was suffering from hypoglycemia.
The guards, with swords at their waists, looked imposing. The crowded people dared not disobey and spontaneously parted to make room for them.
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