Chapter 138 Staying Single for Life to Ensure Safety
Prince Xiao Heng really drank too much today.
He was sobering up in the East Palace when he heard the Crown Princess's message. He hurried to the hall where the Queen was holding a banquet in a panic.
He has to stop Xiao Xun from taking a concubine!
Who would have thought that when they got to the palace, it was in chaos. The usually arrogant Prince Jing was being grabbed by a little girl. It was a very interesting scene.
The prince cleared his throat and said to Princess Wenshu, who was enjoying the excitement, "Nanxi, stop talking nonsense!"
It wasn't Prince Jing who killed anyone; it was Prince Jing who was beaten.
When everyone saw His Royal Highness the Crown Prince coming, the situation was gradually brought under control.
The young lady from the Yushi family also stopped beating with her powerful little hands.
Xiao Xun was so angry that he lost his mind, and was beaten up, which really frustrated him physically and mentally. At this time, the golden crown on his head was crooked and his collar was torn, looking very miserable.
The prince admired the feast and then asked, "Why are you making such a fuss at the Queen's grand banquet?"
Miss Liu said in a crisp voice, "I respect the Empress and have been sitting at the table, doing my duty. Who knew that His Royal Highness Prince Jing suddenly rushed over and grabbed my arm? I also heard Princess Wenshu say that His Royal Highness Prince Jing wanted to kill someone, so I was extremely terrified. It was definitely not disrespectful to the Empress."
As expected of Yu Shi's daughter, she was very eloquent and well-reasoned, without mentioning her brutal beating at all.
Xiao Nanxi immediately added, "Brother Crown Prince, Prince Jing must have gone insane and made trouble at the Queen's banquet. He looked so scary just now~"
This statement received approval from most people present. Prince Jing was indeed irritable and easily angered, but for the sake of the Empress's face, he could not show it too obviously.
Empress Lu was simply fed up with Concubine Shu and her daughter.
But Xiao Nanxi has always been outspoken, even His Majesty is used to it. She is the master of the harem, and it is not appropriate for her to argue with a young man. She had to swallow her anger for the time being and said to the prince with a smile:
"It was just a minor misunderstanding, but it made the prince go all the way here."
Xiao Heng readily agreed, "Since it is a misunderstanding, just clear it up. Prince Jing, why don't you go back with me and change your clothes?"
Xiao Xun lost all face today, even the prince came to see him making fun of himself.
His mind calmed down at this moment, and the hatred in his heart became even stronger. The situation has come to this, even if Wen Nianxi dies today, she must die in his house!
He stared at Nian Xi intently, his face gloomy and cold, "Your Highness, wait a moment, and allow this minister to take someone back."
"Xun'er!"
Queen Lu never thought that things would develop to this point. Seeing that Xiao Xun was still obsessed with Wen Nianxi, she couldn't help but worry.
Lu Huai held Nianxi's hand, and his palm was wet. He couldn't tell whether it was his own sweat or Nianxi's, he just felt extremely nervous being stared at by Prince Jing.
He doesn't have the martial arts skills of Miss Yu Shi, and he doesn't know if he can win the fight later?
Nian Xi gently squeezed Lu Huai's hand, signaling him to let go. Then, under the latter's worried eyes, she walked into the palace, "Empress Dowager, Your Highness the Crown Prince, I do not want to be the concubine of Prince Jing."
Everything that happened today was caused by the woman in front of me.
The usually gentle and noble smile of Queen Lu turned cold, and there was an unremovable hatred in her eyes, but her tone was always calm:
"But do you think that I, your concubine, have humiliated you? How about I grant you marriage and let you become a concubine of the king?"
Concubine Shu immediately sneered.
Empress Lu was too lazy to pay attention to her and just stared at Nian Xi. "Okay, let's go back home with Xun'er today. Tomorrow the palace will send someone to give you the seal of Prince Jing's concubine."
She waved her hands after she finished speaking, looking tired and exhausted, "I am tired, so today's banquet ends here."
This is how he sent Nianxi away.
And he even humiliated me by giving me the position of concubine.
Li was almost fainted from anger. All the ladies in the palace who were on good terms with Nian Xi were worried about this, especially Miss Yu Shi who bravely stepped forward to help.
Lu Wensheng and the prince spoke at the same time, "Wait a minute—"
Nian Xi did not look flustered at all. Before Empress Lu left the table, she knelt on the blue bricks of the main hall and said loudly:
"Thank you very much, Your Majesty, for your kindness. I have followed Madam Chengjing and Madam Xu in helping the poor in the Six Diseases Hall and have made great progress. I admire the two ladies' righteousness and do not want to be confined to the inner chamber. I would like to follow your example and remain single for the rest of my life."
She was wearing a silver thread and silver embroidered dress today, and a pearl and jade jasmine hairpin on her bun, which matched the inlays on the hem of her skirt. Compared with the other girls in the palace who were dressed in pearls, jade and silk, she looked more elegant and simple.
Her slender back was straight, and even when she was kneeling, she looked dignified like a lady from a noble family.
Empress Lu stopped and looked deeply at the girl kneeling in the hall, and asked word by word, "Do you want to remain single for the rest of your life?"
"Please grant me your blessing, Madam."
Having said that, Nian Xi knelt down deeply.
Lu Wensheng sighed softly, knowing that this was what she was thinking. If he offered to help her now, it would only become a nuisance to her.
The prince looked at the kneeling Nian Xi, then raised his head to look at the empress.
He was still hesitant. When Shi Zhang left, he only told him that he wanted to stop Prince Jing from taking a concubine. So, he should not interfere in the matter of this woman becoming a nun...right?
"Well, since you want to follow Madam Chengjing, then you should never marry again."
"Mother--" Xiao Xun roared. He didn't want to let Wen Nianxi, this woman, get away with it!
Li had fainted when Nianxi said she would never marry.
The matter was settled, and there was no room for maneuver. Everyone felt sorry for it.
Unexpectedly, at this moment, an old female voice came from outside the hall, "Our Liuji Hall is not a nunnery, there is no reason for girls not to get married."
As they were talking, Madam Xu came in, supporting an old woman who was leaning on a dragon-shaped cane.
Her hair was tied into a bun, combed neatly. Although she looked old, she looked energetic and dignified.
"Sincerely, Madam!"
Madam Chengjing Xian is old and has difficulty walking, so she rarely appears in public. I didn't expect that she would come with Madam Xu today.
Empress Lu held the hand of a palace maid and hurried down from the platform, and personally helped Madam Chengjing to stand up.
"You are bowing to me, but it is embarrassing for me."
Madam Chengjing insisted on completing the ceremony, saying, "Ceremony cannot be abandoned."
Then he looked at Nianxi who was still kneeling, and asked, "This child is usually very diligent and conscientious in my place. I wonder why she angered the Empress and refused to allow a fifteen-year-old girl to get married?"
Empress Lu's face froze. It was hard to explain Xun'er's matter.
"Madam, you don't know yet?"
Concubine Shu kindly explained, "The whole hall was noisy just now because our Prince Jing wants to take a concubine. But poor Miss Wen is a pure and innocent girl. She can only stay single for the rest of her life to keep herself safe~"
"Shufei, please stop talking."
Madam Xu personally stepped forward and helped Nianxi up.
She was your Majesty's wet nurse, and had always been very close to your Majesty, and had a lot of face in front of Emperor Jing. Even the princes and princesses would show her courtesy when they saw her.
I don't know many words, and I can't speak those fancy words:
"Are there no women in the world? A prince wants to force a good woman to be his concubine. When she refuses, he acts like a spoiled child—"
Lu Huai is the most perceptive one. His father just protected Nian Xi in public. Nian Xi is a member of their family.
So he took advantage of the time when everyone was talking, sneaked over again, and held Nianxi's hand again!