Shang Xiye lifted the carriage curtain and looked at the cloudless sky outside, saying, "The sky in the capital is too clear. Father-in-law, why don't you get up and come take a look?"
"What's so interesting about a stagnant pool?" Ji Chenhai closed his eyes peacefully and truly fell asleep.
He was secretly delighted: Yao'er had found him a really good son-in-law. He spoke and acted just like his own son, and they got along very well!
The son-in-law thinks Kyoto is too peaceful?
Just then, he was preparing to muddy the waters even further to divert those people's attention!
"Father!" Ji Fengyao hadn't seen Ji Chenhai for a long time, and when they met again, she ran over happily and hugged his arm.
Seeing Ji Fengyao's increasingly radiant complexion, Ji Chenhai knew that Shang Xiye was taking good care of her.
But as good as it is, I still have to stand up for my daughter: "How are you, Yao'er? Has the Ninth Prince been bullying you lately? Should I beat him up to avenge you?"
Ji Fengyao: "..."
Her father is indeed a bandit leader; he talks about beating people all the time. But you're shouting for a beating in front of the Ninth Prince and his men. Doesn't the Ninth Prince have any dignity?
With eyes that see no shadow, one can observe the nose; with the nose, one can observe the heart.
Your Highness, trust me!
In front of your family, face and my prince have long since severed all ties.
Shang Xiye glanced guiltily at the seemingly normal-looking female bandit, her ears suddenly turning red.
It's all because my wife is too alluring; last night he really couldn't control himself and left quite a few marks on her body.
Luckily, the young wife was oblivious and didn't notice, otherwise she might have really gotten a beating right now.
Ning Xi Hall.
Upon waking up early, Consort Xiao only ate a few mouthfuls of porridge before giving up, looking listless.
"Your Highness, this is your favorite millet porridge with green stems. Why are you using so little?" Granny Wang stepped forward to help Your Highness.
"It wasn't you who told me, but everyone in the manor is saying that the Ninth Prince is going to cut back on the expenses of each courtyard so that the bandit can lavishly renovate the Hui Nuan Pavilion. How dare I not cut back on my spending, lest I end up not even having porridge to drink?" Consort Xiao rubbed her temples, leaning against the soft pillow in frustration.
“Your Highness, aren’t you hurting His Highness’s feelings by saying that? He was referring to the concubines in the mansion, not Your Highness,” Granny Wang advised gently.
Empress Dowager Xiao remained silent, lying in bed all morning, and still ate very little for lunch.
So that afternoon, rumors circulated throughout the capital: "The bandits instigated the Ninth Prince to renovate his mansion on a grand scale, causing the Prince's mansion to spend huge sums of money and become unable to make ends meet. They had to cut back on the expenses of others, and even Consort Xiao was not able to afford food."
As evening approached, Ji Chenhai indeed drove the Ninth Prince's carriage back to the Marquis of Anping's residence, causing an uproar throughout the capital and even the imperial palace.
The first thing everyone says when they meet is, "Have you heard? The Ninth Prince is completely outmaneuvered by that gang of bandits. They tell him to go east, but he dares not go west!"
"Of course I've heard! The Ninth Prince mistreated the Imperial Concubine because of that bandit, and even gave up his own carriage to the bandit leader!"
"And then there's the fact that I heard those concubines from the Ninth Prince's mansion are living a miserable life now, crying every day. The Ninth Prince is really... sigh!"
Even though Qin Weiyang's face was covered in sores and she stayed in her palace, she still heard these rumors. She was so angry that she felt like her heart was being torn apart and her eyes were bloodshot.
"Qixuan, go and invite the Emperor!" she hissed in a low voice, like a mad beast.
"Your Majesty, but you..."
If the Emperor saw you in your current state, he probably wouldn't want to think of you again!
Qin Weiyang seemed to know what Qixuan was thinking, and said with a wry smile, "What difference does it make whether His Majesty sees my face or not? Go and invite him quickly!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
