In the Siyi Pavilion, Prince Ning had just gotten out of bed, leisurely enjoying his morning meal.
He asked the staff officer standing by, "Has the news been spread out?"
The staff officer respectfully replied with a "yes," wanting to say more but hesitating.
Prince Ning couldn’t be bothered to listen to his prattle and directly said, "Later, you will accompany me to the palace."
The staff officer, having no choice, bowed and agreed.
But as soon as he left the hall, the colonel waiting outside quickly approached and asked in a low voice, "Is the prince still determined to go to the palace?"
The staff officer gave a bitter smile.
The colonel also sighed and whispered in confusion, "Then, why did the prince still have to strangle Third Miss Song?" 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺
The staff officer and the colonel walked a bit farther, then spoke softly, "It’s only because Third Miss Song was too impatient, hearing that the prince wanted the emperor to grant Miss Song as a consort, she started plotting against that Miss Song in front of the prince. What kind of man is the prince? What weight do her little schemes hold in front of the prince? When the prince was already irritated, it just so happened."
This said, both of them involuntarily looked towards the courtyard on the east side.
Song Tao’s body was still left in the inner chamber of the eastern courtyard where she lived, and without Wang Ning’s word, no one dared to take care of the body.
The colonel, remembering when Prince Ning suddenly strangled her, her face full of disbelief and pain begging for mercy, felt a twinge of pity born of shared suffering. He said, "Shouldn’t we find an opportunity to speak to the prince and ask him to at least take care of it for now? If we leave it like this and people from Shuntian Prefecture come again, it will take more maneuvering. If it were before, it would not matter, as those from Shuntian Prefecture would turn a blind eye, but now that we are being watched by Yuan Yunzhong, I’m afraid..."
The staff officer knew exactly what he meant and said, "Now the prince is like a firecracker, just a touch of fire and it explodes. I don’t even know if such an opportunity can be found."
The colonel was at a loss for ideas and brought up another matter, "What is the prince thinking? Does he really think he can persuade the emperor to grant Miss Song to him as a consort? I see the emperor trusts Yuan Yunzhong deeply. Yuan Yunzhong isn’t someone easy to provoke. Isn’t it possible that the matter won’t succeed and his enmity with Yuan Yunzhong will deepen?"
The staff officer bitterly said, "Do you think we can still coexist peacefully with Lord Xiao Yuan now?"
Definitely not.
The colonel sighed.
The staff officer couldn’t help but comfort him, "While the prince says he wants the emperor to grant him the marriage, the prince knows in his heart that the emperor will definitely not side with him on this matter. He simply wishes to disgust Lord Xiao Yuan, and it would be even better if he can sow a thorn between them. After all, it’s a case of two men vying for one woman— one of them a vassal king— regardless of the truth, how people view it, once it spreads, even if it’s ten, twenty, or thirty years later, as soon as Miss Song appears, people will mention this. Such scandal will follow Miss Song for the rest of her life."
This is the true intention of the prince.
"Even if Yuan Yunzhong continues to cherish Miss Song, this affection will eventually fade. And when he hears others discuss his wife like this, what do you think Yuan Yunzhong will do?"
The colonel frowned and said, "What if Yuan Yunzhong respects this Miss Song for a lifetime?"
The staff officer looked at him and said nothing.
The colonel understood.
Yuan Yunzhong would be more tormented.
Love for a person who would be pointed at and commented on for a lifetime— he could stop others from speaking in front of him, but could he stop the mouths of everyone in the world?
"Ah! Encountering our prince, this Miss Song is indeed unlucky!" said the colonel.
After Prince Ning had his meal, he followed the prince into the palace.
The emperor woke up from his afternoon rest, feeling refreshed, and upon hearing that it was time to see Prince Ning, his brow furrowed slightly before he ordered the eunuch to summon him.
Prince Ning greeted the emperor cheerfully, shamelessly inching closer like a reckless man, and asked, "Why isn’t the Noble Consort here?"
He always acted like this in front of the emperor.
"You, what are you here for?" The emperor stuttered a bit, not fond of speaking.
Prince Ning, with a pained expression, recounted the incident of porcelain burning at the front of the Colored Glaze Factory to the emperor.
The Emperor had already known and, somewhat impatiently, interrupted him, "Speak, what do you want to do?"
"Your Majesty, Brother!" Prince Ning, with a mournful face, threw himself in front of the Emperor and exclaimed his innocence, "I was deceived too. Seeing Song Tao speak of her family matters with such pitifulness, I believed her. It wasn’t my intention to disgrace you. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have gone to the Glazed Factory just for fun."
Since his brothers were all fond of beauty, the Emperor didn’t think a misstep caused by beauty was a big deal and nodded as usual, "From now on, you must not do this! It is unbecoming!"
Prince Ning nodded repeatedly and tugged at the Emperor’s sleeve, "Your Majesty, I have a favor to ask of you!"
Just as the Emperor was about to let him speak, Qin Fang walked in with a smile and softly said, "Your Majesty, Lord Yuan Yunzhong has arrived."
The Emperor’s eyes brightened and he said, "Announce him!"
Prince Ning’s eyes darkened.
Yuan Yunzhong entered, dressed in a grey and white fine cloth Taoist robe, looking bright and clear as if he were a tall and handsome monk upon first glance.
The Emperor immediately waved Yuan Yunzhong over and said, "You, you are not resting."
It was evident that Yuan Yunzhong had sought an audience on short notice, and the Emperor had agreed to see him just like that.
Prince Ning’s eyes darkened even more.
Yuan Yunzhong bowed to the Emperor and handed several sheets of paper to Qin Fang, "Didn't you say you wanted to hold a ritual for the Three Pure Ones in a few days? I thought I should write the oration early and let you review it. I came to see you while taking a break. Otherwise, if my father saw this, he would say I am sitting at the Metropolitan Censorate doing the work of the Hanlin Academy."
The Emperor laughed heartily.
After returning from Mount Tai, the Emperor had transferred Yuan Yunzhong to the Metropolitan Censorate.
The two huddled together and discussed the ritual for the Three Pure Ones.
Prince Ning was left aside.
He coughed lightly and walked over with interest.
The Emperor and Yuan Yunzhong looked up.
Yuan Yunzhong greeted him indifferently, "Prince Ning!"
"Lord Yuan. We meet again!" Prince Ning revealed a smile that could not hide his malice, then turned his gaze to the Emperor, "Your Majesty, Brother, when are you holding the ritual for the Three Pure Ones? I wish to attend it as well."
The Emperor nodded.
Prince Ning brought up an old matter, "Your Majesty, I have a favor to ask of you."
*
In Pocket Alley, Song Jiyun sent Yuan Yunzhong off and went to the Xinbei Warehouse.
The orders for Yinyu Hall were backed up three years. They needed to rent a warehouse at Xinbei Warehouse to store the goods.
Fortunately, Zhou Zheng had already scouted the location and negotiated the rent, so she was just there to check the place.
Hong Xi, whom she met at the Xinbei Warehouse, seemed somewhat preoccupied. After Song Jiyun had inspected the warehouse and finalized the Deed, he couldn’t restrain himself and asked, "Did you know that Song Tao left?"
"I know!" Song Jiyun’s heart was undisturbed.
She didn’t know whether Song Tao would come again in another life or continue to create traps for her.
With hesitation, Hong Xi said, "Do you want to claim her body? I heard her corpse has been left unattended at the Siyi Pavilion."
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