Chapter 209 You Don't Need to Pretend to Be Kind
"You're threatening me?"
"So what if it is?"
Although the Grand Princess was domineering, she knew Pei Yanchuan too well. If his bottom line was crossed, Pei Yanchuan would do it without hesitation.
The Grand Princess looked at the Empress and asked, "What does Your Majesty wish me to do?"
The Grand Princess relied on the Empress's assurance that she wouldn't be allowed to die, since she held the power of 50,000 troops, not just a paper doll.
The Empress will not truly make her atone with her death.
"Since the Grand Princess is morally flawed, why not relinquish her military power?"
"Hmph, I thought it was something important today?" The Grand Princess sneered. "So it's just about the military power I hold."
"The Empress and the Prince of Langya have a brilliant plan."
"However, it's not a big deal that a guard can die so easily, so naturally we can't follow his example and commit suicide."
The Grand Princess said arrogantly, "Since I did not do it on purpose, but I am also an elder, why don't I go to Huangjue Temple to pray for the Empress as an apology?"
The Grand Princess would never agree to have her military power taken back just because of this incident; if pushed too far, she might rebel.
However, the Empress was relentless in pursuing the matter of Ping An. But if she ended it like this, where would her dignity as Empress be?
"As the empress of a nation, I naturally cannot easily argue with others."
"Then I will trouble you, my royal aunt, to immediately go to Huangjue Temple to pray for the people of the world and for the Eastern Mausoleum for a month."
The Grand Princess wanted to retort, but then she felt that continuing to argue like this might not be advantageous for her.
"If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave now."
“Aunt can go, but Ping An must stay; her matter is not over yet.” The Empress was unwilling to give up and wanted to turn the tables.
“Mother,” Princess Ping’an said, holding the Grand Princess’s hand with a wronged expression, “Don’t leave me.”
"I want to go with you."
Seeing that things had developed to this point, Ping An dared not be arrogant and reckless any longer and just wanted to leave as soon as possible.
The Grand Princess knew that if she continued to try to protect Ping An, she might not be able to keep her military power in the end. The Grand Princess then grasped Ping An's hand.
"It's just a slap, not caning, be good," the Grand Princess said to Ping An in a low voice. "Mother will definitely avenge you in the future."
Ping An stared at the Grand Princess in disbelief. "Mother, are you abandoning me?"
"My daughter is going to be slapped in public. How will she ever face anyone again? Where will my dignity be? Mother, do you really not want to care about your daughter anymore?"
"Rather than this, it would be better to let my daughter die now."
Princess Ping'an rushed to the second-floor railing, crying, and was about to jump.
The Grand Princess hurriedly reached out and pulled the person back, slapping him hard across the face. "How could you be so self-deprecating?"
"Your mother's heart and eyes are full of you, how could you miss me like this?" The Grand Princess's eyes were filled with tears, and her hands were clenched into fists and placed on her chest.
She looked like a shattered vase.
Princess Ping'an wouldn't listen, "You keep saying you're right, so why do you resist when I tell you to atone with your death?"
“When it’s my turn, you make me suffer the punishment. Father is right, you are selfish, everything you do is for yourself.”
"You never consider other people's feelings..."
"Slap!" The Grand Princess slapped her hard again, pointing at Princess Ping'an, "Anyone can say that about me, but you are the only one who can't."
Having said that, she slightly raised her head to let the tears in her eyes flow back, and within moments she returned to her usual self.
He stared at the Empress coldly and said, "Since Your Majesty is being so aggressive, then proceed with the execution."
The Empress showed no mercy and instead ordered her bodyguards to take action.
"Gag her to keep her quiet."
"yes."
The Grand Princess clenched her fists tightly, watching Ping An's cheeks gradually swell and turn red, trying her best to restrain herself.
"Your Majesty the Empress!"
Halfway through the fight, the prince consort suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
He knelt on the ground and bowed respectfully to the Empress, saying, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. It is all because I failed to discipline Ping An properly, which led him to commit such a grave crime."
"But Ping An is still a young girl, and she cares about her reputation. It doesn't matter if she was slapped, but how will she face people afterward..."
"The prince consort has always been clear about right and wrong, and selfless. Now he's going to protect his own daughter too?" the empress said coldly.
A mere county magistrate has to care about face; does she, as the queen of a nation, not care about face at all?
The imperial son-in-law, Chen Jie, quickly kowtowed and explained, "That's not what I meant. What I meant was that if a son is not taught properly, it is the father's fault. I should bear the rest."
Everyone stared in shock at the prince consort, even the empress.
"What are you doing?" the Grand Princess said coldly to the prince consort. "You don't need to pretend to be kind."
“I will naturally handle matters concerning peace.”
Chen Jie ignored the Grand Princess and bowed to the Empress again, saying, "Your Majesty, I beg you."
For a moment, the other customers in the teahouse developed a good impression of the prince consort, but felt some aversion towards the Grand Princess. Everyone's expressions were rich, but they didn't say it out loud.
Because they dared not speak up.
Everyone knows that the Grand Princess is a vengeful person, especially when it comes to matters involving her husband.
"Have you thought it through?" the Queen asked in a low voice.
"Your Majesty, I have made up my mind," Chen Jie said firmly. "Please, Your Majesty, proceed with the punishment."
The Empress slowly raised her hand. "Enough. It's not the Prince Consort's fault that Ping An is so arrogant. Even if someone has to take his place, it shouldn't be the Prince Consort."
"Since the prince consort has made such a request, then I will grant him this favor."
"As for the matter of safety, I will personally inform the Emperor so that he can make a decision, and then announce it to the world."
"Thank you, Your Majesty the Empress." Chen Jie kowtowed.
The Grand Princess helped Ping An up with displeasure, removed the gag from her mouth, and pulled Ping An around to leave, saying, "Let's go."
Unexpectedly, Princess Ping'an flung her hand away, saying, "Mother, you go by yourself."
"I want to go back with Dad."
The Grand Princess looked at Princess Ping'an in disbelief. This was the daughter she had doted on since childhood, giving her whatever she wanted. But today, after she had suffered a little physical pain, Princess Ping'an was no longer close to her.
"Are you really going to go with your father?"
Ping An grabbed the prince consort's hand and said to the Grand Princess in a very cold tone, "Mother, how could you even ask such a question?"
"Wasn't my father afraid of losing face? Yet she was still willing to take the punishment in public for me."
"It's better than my mother watching me get punished."
“Ping An.” Prince Consort Chen Jie patted Princess Ping An’s head. “You must not be so rude to your mother.”
"She's still your mother, and she's always been good to you. You went too far this time."
"I don't need your fake kindness," the Grand Princess said dismissively. "That's all you can do. In time, Ping An will naturally understand."
After saying that, the Grand Princess turned and left.
After bowing, the prince consort left with Princess Ping'an.
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