Chapter 34: Insults and Provocations
The one who spoke was the eldest prince of the emperor. He was given the title Wu, King Wu. He was over thirty years old and had already grown a beard. He stroked his beard while speaking. Although he said goodbye, there was no trace of reluctance in his eyes.
Xiao Ji looked up at him without saying a word. His cold expression seemed to show disdain for him. The coldly treated King Wu immediately grew angry and sneered, "Sixth brother, you are so arrogant."
King Wu was still relatively restrained, but the fourth prince, King An, was much more unrestrained. He took a few steps forward, and his face, which was originally paler than that of ordinary people, was now glowing red.
He should be happy indeed. After Xiao Ji was deposed, he became the most precious among these princes. Once he pushed his mother, the Imperial Noble Consort, to the position of Queen, wouldn't the position of Crown Prince be within his grasp?
"Do you think you're still the crown prince? Your brothers are kind, yet you're so ignorant of etiquette. We call you Sixth Brother out of respect for our past friendship, but you're actually just a commoner now!"
This time, Xiao Ji simply closed his eyes, not wanting to waste words with someone like Prince An. However, there are always few people who help others in times of need, and many who kick someone when he is down.
King Wen waved his folding fan and advised: "Big brother, fourth brother, you should understand that Sixth Brother has a broken leg and will have sequelae in the future, so he is in a bad mood."
It was the head of the Imperial Medical Bureau who said that Xiao Ji's legs would have sequelae. The emperor did not hide this news from others. When the news came out, except for the prince's party who still had some complaints, the other ministers fell silent.
The emperor has other sons and daughters, so there is no need to appoint a lame crown prince.
Qing Wu, standing aside, couldn't help but frown. These people said they were here to see him off, but who said a single good word? They just kept poking at people's wounds.
She couldn't help but look at Xiao Ji who was still sitting in the wheelchair. His expression did not change, his eyes were closed, and his back was very straight.
Seeing him still acting proud despite his broken leg, the third prince, Prince Ning, stepped forward and said insincerely, "Sixth brother, it's all my fault for not keeping my mouth shut. You should either submit to our father and plead guilty to kidnapping Yao Chongchun, so you can stay in the capital and have no worries about food and clothing. That palace hasn't been occupied for over a decade. It's not a place for you, Sixth Brother."
Xiao Ji let them taunt him without a word. But when Prince Ning mentioned Yao Chongchun, he suddenly opened his eyes and loudly defended himself, "Teacher, you are not guilty!"
Gazing at the utterly hypocritical expression on Prince Ning's face, Xiao Ji's suspicions grew stronger. He knew his fall from his horse wasn't simply a result of a few provocative words; there must be something else behind it. But to this day, he still had no clue what that secret was.
When Xiao Ji thought that the person who started investigating this matter was his father who was sitting high on the dragon throne, his eyes dimmed a little for a moment, and then he sneered at himself.
His stubbornness made Prince An burst out laughing. "Not guilty? The evidence is all there, how can you still talk about not guilty?"
Prince An originally intended to step on Xiao Ji's sore spot a few more times, but when his eyes met Xiao Ji's dark eyes, his laughter stopped abruptly and gradually dissipated in the air.
At that moment, he couldn't tell whether it was fear or guilt that surged in his heart.
The first four princes came here to mock and ridicule Xiao Ji, but the fifth prince, King Ying Xiao Ting, remained silent. Naturally, he was also dissatisfied with Xiao Ji, but he was unwilling to take advantage of his misfortune. He casually glanced around and saw the pretty figure standing behind the carriage.
Xiao Ting naturally thought that it was the original concubine, but he also recalled the girl who bravely rushed into the horse farm that day. The fourth prince, Prince An, was standing beside him. When he followed his line of sight, he also saw Qing Wu.
Looking at the girl wearing a veil, whose figure became even more graceful and attractive, Prince An instantly seemed to have found a perfect outlet for his venting. A playful smile appeared on the corner of his mouth, and he slowly said:
"I guess this must be my brother's wife? Oh, right, this is my sixth brother's concubine. Let me think, she seems to be the Xi family's famous beauty in the capital..."
Prince An's words instantly drew everyone's attention to Qingwu. Qingwu's heart suddenly tightened. Although she had expected that she might be implicated, she had not expected it to happen so quickly.
Fortunately, the shelter of the fence gave her some courage. After a brief moment of contemplation, she lightly moved towards Xiao Ji and finally stood firmly beside him.
This undoubtedly means fear in the eyes of everyone. For those in a higher position, the more afraid the subordinates are, the more excited they are.
Prince An recalled the stunning beauty of the Crown Prince's Consort and couldn't help but gulp. When he first met Consort Xiao Ji, he'd secretly lamented that such a beauty hadn't been able to enter his own backyard. Now, seeing Xiao Ji and the other woman in such a state of desolation, a different thought suddenly surfaced in his mind.
He immediately burst into laughter and said, "Sixth brother, you are so lucky! Even if you have become a commoner, you still have such a beauty by your side. It's a pity that such a beauty has to suffer with you..." Then he suddenly changed the subject, "In my opinion, it is better for you to stay. As long as you agree, I will ensure that you will live a life of luxury in the future."
As soon as Prince An finished speaking, Prince Wen pretended to rebuke him, "Fourth brother, what are you talking about? Your positions as principal and concubine are already filled. Your sister-in-law's father is the envoy of Jingzhou. How can she, a beautiful lady renowned throughout the capital, be relegated to the position of a concubine?"
The two men were chatting and laughing while stepping on Xiao Ji's face back and forth on the ground. Zhao Tong was so angry that his teeth were itching. It was outrageous that they wanted to take someone else's wife in front of their master.
Xiao Ji still said nothing, nor did he look at the person beside him. He just raised his hands from his legs and placed them on the wooden wheel, then sat up straight. However, the severe pain from his broken leg made his movements pause slightly.
Prince An saw through Xiao Ji's intention, but he wasn't afraid at all. He glanced at the two carriages that were overflowing with carts and said, "Look, Sixth Brother has become so poor now that he treasures even a copper basin so much that he insists on bringing it with him. Hahahaha, how about we brothers pool some money and help Sixth Brother with his travel expenses?"
He laughed so hard that he fell backwards, and the princes and servants couldn't help but burst into laughter. The laughter was like sharp knives, stabbing straight at Xiao Ji.
Amidst this shrill laughter, Xiao Ji couldn't help but purse his lips, his face flushed with anger and humiliation. He exerted force with both hands, his knuckles turning white, and struggled to turn the wheelchair. However, just as he took a difficult step, he suddenly felt a pulling force from behind, stopping his movement.
At the same time, the clear voice of the girl beside him suddenly rang out: "I don't want to!"
In an instant, the laughter around them was cut off as if by an invisible hand, and it came to an abrupt halt. Everyone was stunned by this sudden shout.
Xiao Ji, who was sitting in a wheelchair, slowly turned his head and looked at the girl next to him who was usually gentle and timid.
Qing Wu's temper was never easy, and after being mocked and insulted by these princes, she was already filled with disgust and anger. She had been suppressing her anger, not daring to speak rashly, fearing that her impulsiveness would make Xiao Ji's situation even more difficult.
But when she heard Prince An's sarcastic words, mocking Xiao Ji for being in such a miserable state because of her carrying a copper basin, the taut string in her heart snapped and she could no longer suppress her anger.
Qing Wu took a step forward and stood in front of Xiao Ji, blocking the teasing sight of the princes in front of him.
She gently opened her red lips, her voice firm and steady: "Liu Lang has treated me with deep affection and loyalty, and has never let me down. How could I possibly let him down? Even if Liu Lang falls from power, I will stay with him, sharing the good and the bad. My Lords, please respect yourselves."
Xiao Ji raised his head slightly, and the originally gloomy weather showed some changes. The sunlight struggled to penetrate the thick clouds, casting a few weak beams of light. Looking down, he saw the girl's thin but determined back.
His lips trembled slightly, and he wanted to speak, but something seemed to be choking him, and in the end, no sound came out. He just slowly withdrew his hand from the wheel and gently placed it back on his knees.
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