Chapter 432 The Empress Wants to Establish a Branch Hospital
"Can Your Highness's simple statement of ignorance erase all the suffering she endured throughout her life?"
Daiyu raised her tearful eyes, her voice soft yet each word like a knife.
"If no one watches and no one gives tips, how could such a cruel trick exist? If Your Highness summons them to your mansion today, tomorrow more 'porcelain vase beauties' will appear in the marketplace!"
Yuan Hongqu gently pressed down on Daiyu's trembling shoulders, her gaze turning coldly to the Tenth Prince: "Does Your Highness know why Lan Su and I taught Yu'er martial arts?"
The Tenth Prince shook his head blankly.
"It's not about making her a martial arts master, but about giving her the ability to protect herself, and also making her understand that strength is not for bullying the weak, but for protecting those who need protection."
Yuan Hongqu said in a somber tone, "What Your Highness did today is no different from those who bully the weak."
The Tenth Prince lowered his head, his hands clenched into fists, his nails digging deep into his palms.
At this moment, the girl in the porcelain vase slowly awoke. Opening her eyes, she saw so many people surrounding her and was immediately terrified, trembling with fear.
"No, don't hit me... I'll perform well... I can shrink even smaller..."
Daiyu quickly and gently comforted her, "Don't be afraid, no one will force you to perform anymore."
The girl looked timidly at the Tenth Prince, then suddenly recognized him as the nobleman who had paid a hefty sum for her performance that day. She became even more terrified: "My lord, spare me... I... I'll definitely perform better next time..."
The Tenth Prince was struck dumb, took two steps back, and then suddenly turned and ran outside.
"Your Highness!" Yuan Hongqu called out.
The Tenth Prince stopped in his tracks, but did not turn around. His shoulders trembled slightly. "I...I will go and apologize to my brother. From this day forward, I will petition to ban all acrobatic performances that harm the human body."
His voice choked up, "I'm sorry... I really didn't know..."
Watching the Tenth Prince's departing figure, Daiyu gently wiped away her tears and lowered her head to speak softly to the girl, "What is your name? Where is your home?"
The girl answered timidly, "I...I don't have a name...the troupe leader calls me Ping'er...and I don't have a home either, I've been in the troupe since I can remember..."
Yuan Hongqu and Daiyu exchanged a glance, both understanding each other perfectly.
These kinds of acrobatic troupes mostly employ trafficked children, who are tortured and trained from a young age for profit.
"From now on, you'll be working with me."
Daiyu said softly,
"How about I give you a new name... Miaopu?"
The young girl—now Miaopu—opened her eyes wide, staring at Daiyu in disbelief, tears suddenly welling up in her eyes.
Yuan Hongqu sighed softly and instructed her attendants, "Detain the troupe leader and hand him over to the authorities for investigation. Investigate the backgrounds of those children and see if the troupe leader has committed any other illegal or disorderly acts."
The originally lively banquet turned into a chaotic affair, with many people leaving early, fearing they might get into trouble.
Yuan Hongqu took Daiyu to apologize to the Empress.
After all, it was their fault for disrupting the Empress's banquet.
Even if they have a good relationship, it doesn't give them the right to interrupt the banquet.
However, when they arrived at the Queen's residence, they did not see her.
"Lord Yuan, Her Majesty has instructed that if you and Princess Jiangzhu come over, please go to the Emperor's residence together. She plans to persuade the Emperor to conduct a nationwide survey to see how many such troupes are harming children. Her Majesty the Empress plans to use her private treasury to set up more places for women to learn skills, similar to the branches of the Women's Academy in the capital."
The Empress's head maid was waiting for them at the door and relayed the Empress's words to Yuan Hongqu.
Upon hearing this, Yuan Hongqu knew that her task had become even more demanding.
The situation in the branch schools was many times more complicated than that in the girls' colleges!
Therefore, Hongquti never mentioned branch campuses in the places where girls' academies were planned to be established, simply because branch campuses are entirely charitable in nature, and how could the businessmen who invested in girls' academies possibly agree to build branch campuses!
But since the Empress brought it up this time, Yuan Hongqu had to consider the feasibility of opening branches in other places besides the one in the capital.
It wasn't until sunset that Yuan Hongqu and Daiyu, both looking exhausted, boarded the carriage and returned home.
When the two returned to the mansion, it was nearly dusk.
As soon as I stepped through the gate, I sensed that the atmosphere was unusual.
At this hour, the mansion should be brightly lit and the servants orderly, but today several servants were seen rushing around in a panic under the eaves, and the head maid, Granny Jin, was standing in the courtyard giving instructions in a low voice, her face solemn.
"What's wrong?" Daiyu asked, pulling Xueyan who was hurrying past.
Upon seeing Daiyu, Xueyan's eyes immediately reddened: "Miss, you're finally back! Master... Master was in danger today!"
Daiyu felt a sudden dizziness and had to grab onto a pillar to steady herself: "Where is Father now? Is he alright?"
"Master suffered some minor injuries. The imperial physician just came to see him and said there was nothing serious, just a fright." Xueyan hurriedly helped Daiyu up. "Don't worry, Miss, Master is resting in his study right now."
Ignoring everything else, Daiyu lifted her skirt and ran towards the study. Along the way, she saw that there were several times more guards than usual, each with a solemn expression. Her heart sank even further.
Outside the study, Lin Ruhai's personal attendant, Lin An, was standing guard. Upon seeing Daiyu arrive, he quickly bowed and greeted her, "Miss."
"How is Father?" Daiyu asked anxiously, and was about to push the door open to go in.
Lin An stopped him, lowering his voice: "Master has just fallen asleep, and the imperial physician said he needs to rest. Today's events... were truly dangerous."
Through the crack in the door, Daiyu saw her father lying on the couch, a white cloth wrapped around his forehead, faintly revealing a hint of blood. A pang of pain shot through her heart, and she suppressed the urge to push the door open, turning instead to Lin An: "What happened?"
Lin An sighed deeply before recounting the events of the day...
Daiyu then realized that her father had actually acted as bait to lure the enemy.
Fortunately, she was protected by Lan Cong and Lan Su, otherwise she might have only seen her father's last moments when she returned home.
Daiyu stood outside the door, looking at her father's still furrowed brows as he slept, and suddenly felt a chill rise from the bottom of her heart.
"I'm going to change my clothes," Daiyu suddenly turned around, her voice unusually calm.
Xueyan sensed something was off about the girl's expression, but couldn't quite put her finger on it, so she had no choice but to follow.
Half an hour later, Daiyu appeared in the original Red Lotus Room, having changed into a simple dress, with all her hair ornaments removed, except for a simple jade hairpin.
“Sir,” Daiyu knelt before Yuan Hongqu, her voice firm.
"I'm giving up this princess title. And I'm not going to the capital either!"
Yuan Hongqu paused slightly as she was brewing tea, then looked up at her: "Why?"
"Seeing my father in danger today, I suddenly realized that no matter what honor I have as a princess or what important responsibilities I have in the court, nothing is more important than being by my father's side."
Daiyu's eyes were filled with tears, but she stubbornly refused to let them fall.
“My father is getting old, and I am not by his side most of the time. If something were to happen to him today, I…”
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