Because something unexpected happened that night—the Crown Prince got drunk and mistook Yin Yujie for Yin Yuyao, and the two ended up in the same room.
Yin Yujie's pleas spread throughout the mansion, making the whole household aware of the matter.
While comforting Yin Yujie, Yin Yuyao noticed that Yin Yujie was still bleeding from her genitals. Meanwhile, Yin Yulin was locked outside and did not see Yin Yujie.
But he was furious. Facing his brother-in-law, who was feeling guilty, he offended him for the first time and hit him.
The two concubines also arrived. Ning Ci, as the Crown Prince's cousin, was naturally responsible for dealing with the Crown Prince, while Yuwen Li went to check on Yin Yujie.
Ning Ci watched quietly as Yin Yulin beat the Crown Prince. After he finished, Ning Ci stepped forward to help the Crown Prince up and slapped him hard across the face. The Crown Prince was slightly stunned, but faced with Ning Ci's cold gaze, he knew he had made a big mistake and obediently lowered his head to accept the scolding.
Seeing this, Ning Ci slapped him again and forced the Crown Prince to apologize. After sincerely apologizing to Yin Yulin, the Crown Prince then solemnly apologized to the Yin sisters in the hall, saying, "I'm sorry, Yao'er, I'm sorry, Sister Yujie, it's all my fault, I'm sorry."
Logically speaking, the Crown Prince, being of noble status and with the Emperor seriously ill, should ascend the throne within the next few years at the latest. He could use his status to intimidate others, and thus avoid being beaten or having to apologize.
However, under the guidance of the Emperor and Empress, the Crown Prince at that time was still a person with a conscience and was not as disgusting as he later became.
Now that things have come to this, even if the three siblings of the Yin family harbor resentment, and even if the two concubines have complicated feelings, this matter is over. It's a good thing that the Crown Prince is willing to apologize; he's not going to commit suicide anyway.
Moreover, they couldn't possibly tell the Emperor and Empress about this. Even if the Emperor and Empress punished the Crown Prince, they couldn't possibly depose him, which would only cause further harm to the young Yin Yujie who hadn't yet reached marriageable age.
Not long after the Crown Prince apologized, the door opened, and Yin Yuyao helped Yin Yujie out, their expressions unreadable.
The Crown Prince did not like Yin Yuyao at the time, but when he saw his wife's cold expression for the first time, he felt guilty. When he saw Yin Yujie's pale and frightened face, the Crown Prince did something that shocked everyone.
The prince walked up to the two sisters and slowly knelt down.
He probably had never knelt before anyone other than his elders since birth. You could tell he was a little uncomfortable. He lowered his head and assured the two of them, "I'm sorry. I humiliated Sister Yu Jie. If Sister Yu Jie needs me to take responsibility, I will explain it to Father and Mother and will definitely not damage your reputation."
His plan can only be implemented after he ascends the throne, because Yin Yujie is not yet of marriageable age, and her status is not bad, so she cannot be below that of a concubine.
It would be different after he ascends the throne. With so many high-ranking concubines, Yin Yujie could easily be promoted to a rank above that of a concubine.
Everyone naturally understood the Crown Prince's meaning. Seeing him like this, Yin Yujie didn't know what to do and looked to her sister for help. Now that she had calmed down, what she feared most was not the matter itself, but that her sister would feel alienated from her because of this incident.
Yin Yuyao looked at her younger sister and knew what she was thinking at a glance. She patted her head and said gently, "Yujie, this is not your fault. Listen to your heart."
Seeing her sister still treating her so gently, while still being cold to the Crown Prince, and having just overheard Yin Yulin standing up for her in the palace, she burst into tears, tightly hugging Yin Yuyao and burying her head in her shoulder. Her low, hoarse voice carried to everyone's ears, "I don't want him to take responsibility, sister..."
Yin Yuyao hugged her younger sister back, patted her back to comfort her, and said softly, "This matter is the Crown Prince's fault, you don't need to worry about me. You know in your heart who is more important to me between the two of you. Yujie, although he is wrong, he is the Crown Prince and will be the Emperor in the future. Although you are his wife, you are inferior to him. Even if you are angry, you can't do anything to him. Our parents are ministers, so naturally they are too. As the eldest sister, I failed to protect you, and I am sorry."
She spoke very softly, and only Yuwen Li, who was closer, could vaguely hear a little bit of it, but she still understood Yin Yuyao's thoughts.
Because power is paramount now, these officials and commoners are not regents. Unless they risk their lives to rebel, only the common people will suffer.
Before marrying the Crown Prince, Yuwen Li had a sweetheart, and they were even in love. Just as they were about to get engaged, an imperial edict broke the engagement, and she had to obey the emperor's command and marry him.
It is said that this marriage was arranged by the Crown Prince.
If you ask her if she harbors hatred, that's natural, but she can't resist it. Unlike Yin Yuyao, who has the Prince of Pingyang with 200,000 elite troops to back her up, her family are just civil officials with elderly and young members, and they are powerless to even kill a chicken.
Even Yin Yuyao has to consider these things, which shows the unfairness of the current laws.
Upon hearing this, Chen Xiao sighed, "If this happened in modern times, it would be a prison sentence. But in ancient times, especially involving the crown prince, it seems to have no impact whatsoever."
Remembering Yin Yujie's methods, Xi Xi unusually retorted to her host, "It still has an impact... Keep listening."
Upon hearing these words, Yin Yujie said nothing, but simply held her sister and cried until she fainted. Yin Yulin carried her back to the Pingyang Prince's Mansion and honestly told his parents about the matter.
Meanwhile, although Yin Yujie said that the Crown Prince was not responsible, the Crown Prince, Yin Yuyao, and Ning Ci still went to the palace together to tell the Emperor and Empress about the matter.
The emperor and empress were shocked and furious. The emperor, who was already ill, was so angry that he fainted, leaving the empress to deal with the matter alone.
The Empress and Ning Ci were indeed aunt and nephew. Without saying a word, the Empress slapped her son hard across the face. The sharp nails immediately tore through the Crown Prince's cheek, drawing blood.
Her strength was naturally much greater than that of the young Ning Ci. Before the Crown Prince could react, his head was slapped to the side, and with a stinging pain, blood slowly dripped from his cheek onto his moon-white collar.
He knelt before the Empress, facing the ground, not daring to raise his head.
The Empress had a constitution that made it extremely difficult for her to conceive. Over the years, she had only been pregnant twice and successfully gave birth to only one son. After that, she could no longer have children.
The empress felt utterly exhausted in the face of her only son.
No amount of beatings or scolding can erase the harm done to Yin Yujie, or to the Prince of Pingyang and his wife.
Since the deed was already done and could not be undone, and since she also knew what Yin Yujie meant, she had no choice but to make amends in other ways.
She not only bestowed upon them many precious jewels and ornaments, but also gave Yin Yujie her own pardon, all to show them her sincerity. She had already tried her best to make amends; she couldn't let them down.
This pardon was given to her before the emperor ascended the throne, and she kept it for decades.
Yin Yuyao understood the Empress's meaning, so she accepted it without hesitation and then thanked the Empress.
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