She touched her face, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Father, you hit me? You've never hit me before!" she choked out, the grievance in her heart crushing the pride that had been lingering in her mind.
Prince Duan dared not look into her eyes. He had spoiled his daughter for over a decade, indulging her every whim and even fearing others would not know how much he doted on her. He had specially taken her to the Wei family and arranged for her to befriend noble ladies in the capital. What was the purpose of all this? It was so that she could marry into a prestigious family and find a good husband in the future.
It hurts when you get hit, but you can't not get hit.
Xiao Zhuzi, standing to the side, looked blankly and said, "Your Highness is kind-hearted, but the Princess said that the Duan Prince's Mansion is the Duan Prince's Mansion, and the Yong Prince's Mansion is the Yong Prince's Mansion. This silver must be given. Please, Your Highness, have pity on our Princess's gratitude." After saying this, he had someone put the tray down, curtsied, and withdrew.
The tray held two hundred taels of silver with snowflakes on it. Prince Duan swept the tray to the ground, his veins bulging with anger, his hands clenched into fists, and his eyes seemed to be filled with ice.
"What's wrong? Neon, why are you crying like this?" Consort Zhang came out from the inner room, hugging Zhao Neon with heartache, patting her back gently. "Tell your mother what happened."
"Father hit me." Zhao Nihong sniffled, crying her heart out. Her heart ached as if it were being torn apart. Her father had actually hit her! What had she done wrong? She had tried every day to please the noble ladies, hoping to gain their approval and help her father. Yet all she got in return for all that was a slap!
Consort Zhang glanced at the silver ingots on the ground, then at Prince Duan's angry face. Not daring to make a hasty judgment, she softly asked, "Your Highness, why is this?" Having been husband and wife for over ten years, she knew Prince Duan very well and understood that she absolutely could not cry at this moment. So her voice was choked with sobs, a sob of heartache.
As expected, Prince Duan softened and his anger subsided. He felt guilty and blamed himself. He couldn't even protect his daughter. What kind of prince was he? What kind of husband and father was he?
However, how could he possibly say that? "It's getting late, I'll go to the Wei family tomorrow." With that, he strode away from Xiaoxiang Courtyard.
After Prince Duan left, Consort Zhang glared at the maid who was standing to the side with her head down and said angrily, "Speak, what happened!"
The maid knelt down with a thud and told the whole story.
Hearing the maid's words, Consort Zhang sighed, "How did your mother teach you? Don't underestimate that girl. If you underestimate her, you'll suffer. She's not someone to be trifled with. Your father has been too busy to take care of you lately. Who will stand up for you if you suffer any injustice? Besides, she has the Empress Dowager backing her up. Why don't you ever remember that?" She was both heartbroken and angry, and she gave her a long speech, feeling disappointed in her.
After being scolded by her mother, Zhao Nihong felt even more aggrieved. Wiping away her tears, she said, "I just wanted to befriend Miss Huo. Why is it that Uncle Nineteen can invite Miss Huo to stay at the mansion for a while? Why does Miss Huo only give her a kind look but slap me in the face? Mother, we are both daughters of the Prince. Why does she have an imperial edict and I don't? Why does Miss Huo praise her even though she is clearly worthless? Mother, I am clearly better than her in every way!"
"Alright, Mother will tell you. Because you are not the Empress Dowager's biological granddaughter, and because your grandmother is not the Empress Dowager, as long as your grandmother is the Empress Dowager, you can do whatever you want." Consort Zhang hugged Zhao Nihong tightly, feeling sorry for her. One day, she would make sure her daughter was above that wretched woman!
The vile Zhao Shu was slowly walking towards Sendai Temple, with Green Ivy chattering incessantly beside her, "Princess, I overheard someone saying that many people in the capital are sending invitations to Mr. Huo, inviting him to poetry gatherings, tea parties, flower parties, all sorts of events. Do you think Mr. Huo is some kind of celestial being descended to earth? So many people are inviting him as soon as he arrives in the capital."
Zhao Shu pointed ahead, and Green Ivy looked blank. "Princess, why are you pointing ahead?"
"The immortal you mentioned is right there, the one on the chair." Green Ivy looked in the direction the finger was pointing and saw a man sitting on the opposite shore of the lake. The man was about twenty years old, dressed in white, sitting on the chair with his back against it, one foot slightly raised and resting on the chair leg. He said he was fishing, but actually the fishing rod was just tucked under his arm. He was extremely relaxed, as if he had already fallen asleep.
"It's so beautiful," Green Ivy said involuntarily.
Zhao Shu smiled at her and then walked towards Huo Baichuan.
Green Ivy wanted to follow, but was stopped by Little Guozi, "The princess is talking to Mr. Huo, do you understand what they're saying?"
The green ivy wilted immediately, but soon looked at it with great interest, saying, "If only the princess could find a husband as handsome as Mr. Huo."
Xiao Guozi was too lazy to pay attention to her. How could they possibly discuss the princess's marriage? It was up to the Empress Dowager to decide.
Zhao Shu walked over, and only when she got closer did she see that Huo Baichuan's white robe was embroidered with ink bamboo, and a belt was casually tied around his clothes. He had his eyes closed at the moment.
"Mr. Huo," she called out.
Huo Baichuan didn't open his eyes, only saying, "Where are your parents?"
“Mr. Huo insists on seeing my master, so why not go to the palace?” Zhao Shu stood at a distance that was neither too far nor too close, with a wide field of vision. If one did not approach, it would be impossible to hear their conversation.
Huo Baichuan gave a couple of fake laughs. "If the officials in the palace can cure the illness, what need is there for you?"
Clearly, Emperor Mingde had also visited the Huo family, but unfortunately, he was unable to invite any members of the Huo family to come.
“You helped me through this difficult time, and I will help you heal your family. It’s fair. Why should you care about my master, sir?” Zhao Shu glanced at the fishing rod. “If you have no ambition, why try to emulate Jiang Ziya?”
"You said that in this era of great strife, every man should strive to make a name for himself for posterity. I am here to make a name for myself for posterity, but unfortunately your master refuses to see me. Do you even know who I am?" He opened his eyes, stood up, threw down his fishing rod, and was about to leave, not intending to say anything more. "When I see the prescription, that's when I'll enter the palace. When I'm cured, that's when I'll truly serve the Emperor."
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