Young Kindling, seeing Xin He as such, felt somewhat reassured in his heart and nodded, "Yes."
Not long after, Song Yalin’s convoy appeared at the gate of the Pingyang Prince’s Mansion in grandiose fashion.
A servant beside her shouted, "The concubine returns home! Open the gates quickly to receive her!"
The mansion gate opened as commanded, and as soon as the gate was wide open, one could see Shulan standing behind it.
As Song Yalin was helped down from her carriage, her servant pointed at Shulan’s nose and scolded, "Where did this damned servant come from! Get out of the way, daring to obstruct the path of the concubine, have you had enough of your pitiful life?!"
However, Shulan did not back down an inch but sneered, "Where did this dog slave come from? Dare to bark and shout at the gates of the Prince’s Mansion, do you really think our Pingyang Prince Mansion is a place for the likes of you to create a fuss?!"
"You!" The servant’s face turned green with rage, he retorted, "I serve directly beside the concubine, who do you think you are to dare insult me this way? Have you lost your senses?!"
Shulan sneered again, "Oh? I thought you were someone important, but it turns out you’re merely a dog at the side of a minor concubine. Unfortunately for you, I am the head maid serving the princess. Naturally, my position is much higher than that of a dog slave like you."
"You!" That servant was originally a high-ranking eunuch from the Imperial Palace, who has always been commanding and dictating. He was supposed to be serving Song Yalin, but in reality, he was there to watch over her and control her by the Emperor’s orders. He barely saw himself as a servant and even Song Yalin dared not disregard him.
To his surprise, the moment he arrived at the gate of the mansion, he was insulted by a slave of the house!
He almost blurted out that he came from the Imperial Palace, but at the last moment held back some of his senses. The relationship between the court and Yu State is extremely hostile. Anyone affiliated with the court would likely be cast out, not to mention the Yuzhou Army. The resistance that Song Yalin received today on her return to Yuzhou made it abundantly clear.
If he dares to say that he came from the Imperial Palace, he risks being immediately arrested as a spy.
His previous stature in the palace has no weight in Yuzhou now and could instead be used against him. This is the first time this little eunuch has experienced such humiliation!
However, Song Yalin timely defused the situation and told the servant, "No more words."
Then she turned to Shulan and said, "Did the princess send you to wait for me? I will enter the mansion now to greet my sister."
With the word ’sister,’ full of irony and resentment, Song Yalin revealed her teeth, "Ji Xinhe, no matter how much you look down upon me, no matter how much you want to kill me, what can you do? Now, just because of what’s in my belly, I can easily tread upon you!"
She had told Ji Xinhe, "Next time we meet, you will have to kneel before me and beg for mercy. Even your daughter will have to suffer for your sins!"
Looking up at the golden plaque reading "Pingyang Prince Mansion" hanging high above the main gate of the mansion, Song Yalin’s lips curled into a sneer. Who said she wasn’t worthy? Isn’t she worthy now?
When she truly becomes the most esteemed woman in Yuzhou, she will show everyone whether she is worthy or not!
Everyone should see how a proud woman like Ji Xinhe would look when trampled into the mud!
You must all pay for what she has suffered!
Her fingernails dug into her palm within her sleeves, her eyes flashed a trace of ferocity, distorting her seemingly calm face.
But little did she know, Shulan was unyielding. She stood her ground, blocking Song Yalin’s path, and sneered, "Concubine Song misspoke. Indeed, the princess did ask me to wait for you here, but she does not wish to see Concubine Song at the moment."
Song Yalin’s expression changed slightly, "What do you mean?"
"Half a month ago, when we faced a formidable adversary, Yuzhou was attacked by the armies of Rouyi and the court. In this difficult situation, the princess personally went to battle and took the head of the commander of the Rouyi army. Where was Concubine Song then?" Shulan stated powerfully, her voice was loud enough for almost everyone present to hear.
Everyone fell silent, seemingly waiting for Song Yalin’s answer, with some contempt in their eyes.
Song Yalin calmly replied, "I was forced to leave Yuzhou."
"Forced by whom?" Shulan raised an eyebrow.
"Shouldn’t the princess know who it was?" Song Yalin, seeing Shulan’s intention to expose everything, was unafraid, "What? Does she want to drive me away again?"
Shulan suddenly barked in a stern voice, "How insolent, Miss Song! Kneel immediately!"
Song Yalin’s face changed slightly, a hint of panic seeped through. She clearly had no idea what Shulan meant and could only harden her resolve to fight back, "Why should I kneel?!"
Shulan said coldly, "The first crime is desertion. You abandoned Yuzhou at a critical moment!"
Song Yalin widened her eyes, "I said it was under duress!"
"The second crime is your stubbornness and refusal to admit your wrongdoing, even downplaying it and blaming the princess!"
Song Yalin, enraged, said, "It was Ji Xinhe who forced me out of Yuzhou! She did it all! It has nothing to do with me! This damned maid, are you under Ji Xinhe’s orders to spew lies?!"
"The third crime is insolence towards the princess, contempt for the princess, and public speculations and accusations against the princess!"
Song Yalin was almost out of breath with fury; this damned maid completely dismissed her words!
Shulan said coldly, "These three crimes of Concubine Song, each one of them are serious enough to behead you. However, the princess is kind-hearted and takes into account that you are pregnant after all, so she decided to deal lightly with you. You want to enter the mansion? Kneel at the gate and sincerely repent until the Princess is satisfied, then you may enter."
Song Yalin choked, her anger surging, wishing she could tear the maid’s mouth apart right there!
"I am carrying the child of the Prince, and she wants me to kneel at the gate?!" Song Yalin questioned angrily.
Shulan, full of scorn, took a glance at Song Yalin’s belly, "So what? Concubine Song is so delicate, daring to travel anywhere being pregnant. So why can’t you kneel for a little while as a minor punishment? Or do you think that because you’re pregnant, you outrank the princess?"
At this, Song Yalin choked; indeed, this was what she thought. Not only her, but everyone in the court who were involved in this conspiracy thought the same.
Inheriting the title cannot befall on a woman! Now that she was carrying a son and with the word of the Prince’s death, Ji Xinhe should rightfully give up her position to her!
However, such a thing could not be spoken out.
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