Chapter 212 Heading to Cangzhou
"My mother is so cruel. It seems they were right."
When Princess Ping'an realized that acting cute and pitiful wasn't working, she deliberately provoked the Grand Princess, asking, "Did Mother really give birth to me because she loved me?"
"You keep me by your side because you love me?"
"What do you mean by that?" The Grand Princess felt a mix of emotions, an indescribable chill in her heart.
“Mother knows it herself, so why ask me?” Princess Ping’an turned her head away from the Grand Princess.
“Granny Xi,” the Grand Princess said in a deep voice.
Xi Mama was Princess Ping'an's wet nurse and her closest nanny.
Granny Xi cautiously stepped forward and bowed her head in response, "Your Highness, it's just a few servants gossiping and spreading rumors in front of the Princess."
“These people have all been dealt with by this old servant. I was afraid that Your Highness would be upset, so this old servant took the liberty of not telling you.”
"What did you say?" the Grand Princess asked in a deep voice.
After hesitating for a moment, Granny Xi stammered, "It's nothing more than saying that Your Highness gave birth to the princess in order to keep the prince consort tied to you."
Granny Xi only briefly mentioned that some of the more outrageous claims included that the princess was pregnant because the Grand Princess had schemed against her husband, and that the Grand Princess had the child with someone else...
"You actually believe whatever others say?" The Grand Princess felt as if her heart had been poked by something called a relative.
"How have I treated you all these years? Others may not know, but you yourself are clear and don't understand?"
"All your kindness is just to keep me by your side, only then will Father come to see you," Princess Ping'an persisted.
“You are selfish. I am just your tool. Father would not do this. He didn’t agree to my request because he felt that you had spoiled me.”
"Are you deliberately trying to spoil me so that Father will lose face?"
The Grand Princess's eyes were red-rimmed. "Is this your truest thought today?"
Seeing that the situation was not going well, Granny Xi quickly stepped forward to smooth things over, "Your Highness, please don't be angry. The princess is simple-minded."
"It must have been someone deliberately instigating this."
After saying that, she turned to Princess Ping'an and said, "Princess, you should apologize to His Highness. His Highness is the one who loves you the most in this world."
"It was not only difficult when I was pregnant with you, but I almost had a difficult childbirth. It was Your Highness who risked his life to protect you."
“When you were three years old, you were kidnapped. It was His Highness who single-handedly went to rescue you. At that time, His Highness almost died.”
"And when you were eight years old, you accidentally fell into the lake, and it was Your Highness who jumped in himself in the dead of winter to hold you up."
"This has caused her legs to ache terribly whenever the weather gets cold."
"It's alright that you were provoked today, but you must never say such things again in the future."
"There's no need for you to say anything more, Granny," the Grand Princess said coldly. "I think she's right; she's just been too spoiled by me."
"Pack your things properly, we'll set off for Cangzhou tonight," the Grand Princess said, turning and leaving.
Princess Ping'an then turned around, but instead of receiving her mother's usual coaxing and pampering, she was left alone there.
Princess Ping'an regretted saying so many hurtful things earlier. Just as she was about to speak, the Grand Princess had already left the room.
The door slammed shut, and from inside came Princess Ping'an's heart-wrenching cries and apologies.
“Your Highness,” Granny Xi said with some reluctance, “the princess is still young and has never left your side since she was a child.”
"Please don't take her words to heart. Although Cangzhou isn't far, the princess is going alone..."
“There’s no need to say anything more, Granny,” the Grand Princess said. “She was born of me and raised by me. I know her thoughts better than anyone else.”
"Ping An is just because I have spoiled her too much, and she thinks that the world is really ruled by her mother."
Even if she were to ascend to that position one day, the people of the world would be watching. She had read many historical records, and she knew that those people who eventually rebelled always had their reasons.
"This time, even if I could help her, I wouldn't do it again, let alone be unable to."
"This is a good opportunity for her to go out and hone her skills. You will accompany her, and I will send a few highly skilled martial artists to protect her in secret."
Seeing that the Grand Princess had made up her mind, Granny Xi knew that further persuasion would only result in punishment, so she could only agree in a low voice.
"This old servant will definitely protect the princess, Your Highness, please rest assured."
"This time, we don't have to do everything she wants. Let her experience some hardship so she can grow."
Granny Xi nodded in agreement.
"Furthermore, she is no longer a princess, but a county princess, as the Emperor has already decreed."
"You must not call me by the wrong name again in the future."
"In my opinion, this is only because His Majesty is trying to save face for the Empress. He will restore the Princess's title soon. But in private..."
"This old servant is afraid that this is too much of a blow to the princess, and she won't be able to bear it..."
The Grand Princess rebuked her sternly, "I will spare you this time because you have been by my side for many years and have protected Ping An."
"If I ever hear such words again in the future, I will not let it go lightly."
Realizing she had misspoke, Granny Xi immediately knelt down, saying, "Your Highness, please forgive me. This old servant misspoke."
As she spoke, Granny Xi slapped herself twice.
"Alright." The Grand Princess didn't look at Granny Xi. "Get up."
“Those who gossip behind Ping An’s back have all been executed.”
"Eating my food and then trying to ruin it? There's no such thing as a free lunch."
After saying this, the Grand Princess left directly.
Granny Xi glanced at the maids behind her. After tonight, they would no longer exist in this world.
They can only blame themselves for serving the princess; even if they didn't say anything, they couldn't escape death this time...
Princess Ping'an heard that there was no more noise outside and knew that her mother was really angry this time. She had no choice but to go to Cangzhou this time.
After figuring it out, Princess Ping'an wiped away her tears and said, "Someone come here."
"Deliver a letter to Young Master Xuan on behalf of this princess."
"Yes," the maid replied softly, "Princess."
Ping An turned around and glared fiercely at the little maid. The little maid quickly knelt down, "Please forgive us, Your Highness. It was His Highness who ordered us to do it."
“We servants dare not disobey.”
Ping An bit her lower lip hard, and after a while, she took out a letter that she had prepared beforehand. "Send this to the teahouse where Young Master Xuan often goes."
"I'll wait for her at the usual place at midnight tonight."
"yes."
Ping An waited until the hour of Chou (1-3 AM) but Xuan Gongzi did not appear.
Seeing this, Granny Xi urged, "Princess, let's go."
"It's been almost two hours. If they were going to come, they would have arrived long ago."
"Even he has given up on me?" Ping An looked up at the direction of the teahouse.
Granny Xi couldn't bear it. "Perhaps he was caught up in something, unable to do what he wanted."
"After all, what happened some time ago also had an impact on him."
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