However, Yongchang knew about this in advance, and he was worried that it might affect him...
The empress then turned her anger on the palace maid standing nearby.
Why didn't you announce the princess's arrival?
"Your Majesty, it was the princess who said not to report, so we..." The palace maid immediately knelt down.
"All those on duty in the palace just now, go down and give them twenty strokes of the cane, then get out." The Empress glared fiercely at the people kneeling on the ground. If they had informed her beforehand, Yongchang wouldn't know the truth now and be giving her attitude.
At this moment, in one of the palaces, a eunuch and a palace maid stood respectfully.
"Your Majesty, I have already 'inadvertently' told Princess Yongchang about this matter."
"Very good." A graceful and beautiful woman sitting in the high seat smiled gently and then gestured to the palace maid beside her to give them a reward.
The two women accepted the silver and knelt down with joy, saying, "Thank you, Consort Ye! Thank you, Consort Ye!"
"Alright, you can go now. But, about today's matter..."
"I don't know anything, I don't know anything at all," the palace maid quickly assured her.
Another eunuch chimed in, "This servant knows nothing either."
After the two left, the palace maid beside Consort Ye asked worriedly, "Your Highness, won't your actions anger the Empress?"
"Hmph, so what? Since her son dared to do such a thing, why should she worry about others' revenge? Besides, I only told Yongchang the truth, so that Yongchang wouldn't still think that his mother and brother hadn't thought of a solution until the day of the marriage alliance."
"Besides, my son is currently imprisoned in the Imperial Clan Court, taking the blame for someone else on a fabricated charge. Who can he appeal to for justice? Did the Empress ever consider the possibility of angering others at that time?"
As Consort Ye spoke, she grew increasingly angry. Her son was in poor health and had always been kept in the mansion. He rarely even left the mansion. Yet, because of a brothel incident, her son had been forced into a place he shouldn't have been.
She still doesn't know how her son is doing inside, or whether he's been bullied by those opportunistic lackeys.
Consort Ye only had one child, the Fourth Prince. The Fourth Prince was in poor health from a young age, and Consort Ye never had any intention of letting the Fourth Prince seize the throne. She never competed or fought for anything, and only hoped that her son could live a good life.
Who knew that her concessions and forbearance only made people think she was easy to bully, so they repeatedly smeared her. In the past, she would have tolerated it for the sake of the Fourth Prince, but this time they attacked her weak point, so they shouldn't blame her for being impolite.
Today's events are just the beginning; she will not let the Crown Prince or the Empress go.
Recalling the message from her people, Consort Ye had an idea. Being deep within the palace, many things were inconvenient for her. If she could cooperate with people outside the palace, it would surely be much easier to get things done.
Moreover, she needs to have enough leverage and suitable candidates.
The journey was bleak and filled with heartbreak. Yongchang looked out through the small window of the carriage. The weather was getting colder and colder, and there were fewer and fewer people on the street. Especially when people saw the decorations and signs on the carriage, they all retreated far away and dared not approach.
Yongchang noticed this scene, and her state of mind underwent a huge change today. If she had seen such a scene in the past, Yongchang would have thought it was because of her status. However, today, she felt that the power of the royal family was so great that ordinary people would not even approach their carriages, and would only stay far away if they saw them.
It was as if he were avoiding a plague god. A sarcastic smile crept onto Yongchang's lips. Yes, what difference was there between him and a plague god?
If she or anyone else in the palace disliked someone, they could arbitrarily execute that person, leaving that person with no recourse.
Now, in her father's eyes, she is just an ordinary person who can be dealt with at will. However, she and her father are related by blood.
Her mother and her elder brother, the Crown Prince, both knew about this, but for the sake of the Crown Prince's position, he abandoned her, and her mother also chose to abandon her.
They were all her family, yet now they were sending her into the abyss with their own hands. Yongchang felt utterly desolate. The flowers, plants, and even the towering trees that she had nurtured with love in the past had all withered and died, leaving behind a trail of lifeless dead wood, as if mocking her ridiculousness.
Yongchang always considered himself a very lucky person, with his father, mother, and elder brother, the Crown Prince. Whether it was people in the palace or outside, everyone would respectfully bow and greet him when they saw him.
But the reality now tells her that it was all an illusion, and this beautiful environment would be shattered if she encountered anything involving interests.
Yongchang couldn't believe that he was being given to the Zhou Kingdom as a gift.
In a daze, Yongchang saw his princess's mansion appear before him.
The luxurious princess's mansion has now become an ingeniously designed cage, trapping Yongchang inside. When needed, Yongchang will be like a cute little bird, given away as a gift to others to please them and gain personal benefits.
After returning to the princess's residence, Yongchang sat alone in his room, refusing to speak or eat.
Qianyun, Yongchang's personal maid, dismissed the maid who brought the food and looked at Yongchang with concern, "Princess, you must eat something, otherwise how can your body take it?"
Yongchang didn't even glance at Qianyun. She just sat upright on the table, staring blankly at the lamp next to her, as if she hadn't heard Qianyun's words.
If it were anyone else, even if someone tried to frame him today, Yongchang would be angry, but he wouldn't feel this desperate. Being abandoned and schemed against by someone he trusted so much was simply too unacceptable.
Ever since leaving Fengyi Palace, Yongchang's mind has been filled with the eunuch's words: a princess is just a princess, but the crown prince will sit on the supreme throne.
Yes, compared to her elder brother, the Crown Prince, she certainly couldn't bring her mother any glory or status. Even if she married a minister in the court, it wouldn't affect her mother's position.
However, the Crown Prince is different. If the Crown Prince takes that position, the Empress Dowager will become the most powerful Empress Dowager and the most honored woman in the world.
As Yongchang thought about it, her eyes unconsciously reddened, and a tear streaked down her delicate face, making her look exceptionally pitiful.
"Princess, if you don't want to go for the marriage alliance, we can think of other ways. Please don't torture yourself like this by not eating or drinking." Qianyun felt extremely sorry for the princess when she saw her heartbroken state.
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