“Noble Lady! Noble Lady, you cannot jump! You must not jump!”
“Master! It is winter now, even though the surface of the lake has not frozen over, it is already very cold in the water, something really bad will happen if you jump!”
The palace maids surrounding Noble Lady Li shouted loudly, two Eunuchs pulled Noble Lady Li’s arm with all their might, preventing her from really falling in. But Noble Lady Li struggled very fiercely, it looked as if the Eunuchs could not pull her back anymore and the palace maids at the side were crying in anxiousness.
Ren Xifeng rushed over at this moment, the Eunuch leading the way wiped his sweat and was thinking that it was good that they made it in time, Noble Lady Li had not jumped yet! He told Ren Xifeng: “Ren First Miss, please help and pull Noble Lady Li back! The lake water in this winter season is not the normal degree of coldness, once she makes contact with the water, any illness she catches would be serious.”
Hearing someone speaking behind, the palace servants next to Noble Lady Li also turned around. Zuo Er recognised Ren Xifeng with one glance, she was really happy, quickly kneeling to Ren Xifeng and saying: “Ren First Miss, please help. Ren First Miss, please save my Master!”
But Ren Xifeng glanced at Noble Lady Li a few times and did not have any intentions of helping. Instead, she crossed her arms and said unconcernedly: “Is a person seeking death worth saving, if she wants to jump, just let her! Death is good, everything will end with death.”
Everyone was stunned hearing this, even the Eunuch who brought her over stared at her with widened eyes. This Ren First Miss spoke so well in front of His Highness the Sixth Prince, why did she change her stance after coming over here?
Zuo Er was also stunned, disbelief on her face, “Ren…… Ren First Miss.”
Ren Xifeng waved her hand in dismissal, saying again: “Ask the two Eunuchs stopping Noble Lady Li from entering the water to come back! Since she is determined on seeking death, then bystanders should not stop her. Noble Lady Li thinks that dying is satisfying, then we should not allow her to continue living and suffer. You servants are you not that smart, how do you normally serve your Masters? Isn’t the Master’s word the law? Shouldn’t you definitely listen to your Master’s words? Why is it when your Master wants to jump into the lake, you want to go against your Master’s intentions?”
“This……” The servants did not know how to continue on with this, and some people even though, has this Ren First Miss gone crazy?
And at this moment, Noble Lady Li at the edge of the lake who was saying that she was going to jump into the lake also stopped, turning back and looking at Ren Xifeng, a fierce gaze in her eyes: “Where did this crazy girl come from? What are you saying? As she said this, she also turned around from the edge of the lake, no longer mentioning about jumping into the lake, directing her ire towards Ren Xifeng.
Ren Xifeng smiled, walking forward a few steps, bowing towards Noble Lady Li: “Official’s Daughter Ren Xifeng, greeting Noble Lady Li.”
“Ren Xifeng.” Noble Lady Li scoffed: “First Daughter of General Pingnan’s family, do you think that you can speak to me with such an attitude because you have backing from your father? Let me tell you, this is the imperial palace, not your General Pingnan’s manor. I may be just a minor Noble Lady, but my son is a prince who is Regent. His identity and status is different from a normal prince, you should measure in your heart, and know what words should or should not be said!”
Ren Xifeng nodded, “Noble Lady is correct, This Official’s Daughter knows it very well!” She retracted her bow and straightened up, looking up at Noble Lady Li, no signs of respect in her expression, only saying: “But, what can that do? Noble Lady, with you causing trouble so many times, all the civil and military officials in the court now know that the Sixth Prince has a birth mother who repeatedly attempts suicide, and his birth mother is the blood related sister to that Imperial Concubine Yuan Gui in the past, and she was even involved in the incident of harming the Emperor. Oh, that’s right, just now, His Highness the Sixth Prince was discussing matters with the ministers in Heavenly Hall, the ministers haven’t left yet and the news that you are going to jump has spread over. Everyone in the court is now suspecting that with a birth mother like you around, can His Highness the Sixth Prince rule Da Shun properly? With you causing trouble in the harem everyday and distracting His Highness the Sixth Prince, can His Highness the Sixth Prince still carry the heavy task of being Regent? Noble Lady Li, ah Noble Lady Li, do you still take a mother will get glory from her son? Then let me tell you, your son, is going to decline because of you.”
“What?” Ren Xifeng’s words was like a bucket of cold water being throw over her. Xuan Tianfeng had said words with similar meaning before but had never said it so directly. Most of the times, Xuan Tianfeng would advise her not to cause a ruckus anymore, letting her think about the fates of Imperial Concubine Yuan Gui and the Eighth Prince. But today, Ren Xifeng had said everything directly, letting her know that her actions of seeking death have already caused negative consequences. But Noble Lady Li did not believe it, saying loudly: “My son is Regent Prince, he is the future Emperor, who dares to doubt him?”
Once the phrase “future Emperor” was said, Zuo Er was so scared that she wanted to lunge forward and cover Noble Lady Li’s mouth, but what use was that? The words were already said, she could only helplessly remind her in a soft voice: “This person is the Young Miss from the General’s manor, with master saying these words in front of her, it’s the same as saying this to the court!”
Ren Xifeng had a sharp sense of hearing, Zuo Er’s words were heard by her, she smiled, adding on: “Isn’t this seeking His Highness the Sixth Prince’s death!”
Noble Lady Li jolted and also realised that she had misspoken, subconsciously covering her mouth. And Ren Xifeng still continued to speak, she said: “Isn’t Noble Lady Li jumping into the lake? Then hurry up and jump! This winter weather, even if you do not drown to death, you will fall seriously ill, and you might die from illness in the end. If you die, His Highness the Sixth Prince can be at peace, and it will save him the trouble of being criticised because of you.”
“You……” Noble Lady Li was trembling in anger, but even if she trembled, she no longer had the intentions of jumping into the lake. She even took two steps forward, moving further away from the lake.
The servants breathed a sigh of relief. That’s when the people understood, Ren family’s First Miss did not truly want Noble Lady Li to die, she was using this kind of method to agitate Noble Lady Li into living on properly, letting Noble Lady Li understand what impact her actions had on His Highness the Sixth Prince at the same time.
As expected, having given up on the idea of jumping into the lake, Noble Lady Li asked Ren Xifeng anxiously: “Everything you’re saying is true? Feng-er is really being criticised by the ministers because of me?”
Ren Xifeng nodded: “Someone has already delivered a letter to the Emperor, saying that Sixth Prince’s birth mother is restless and in order to prevent something like the matter of Imperial Concubine Yuan Gui encouraging the Eighth Prince in shaking the foundations of the country form happening again, they are pleading for the Emperor to take away the Sixth Prince’s position of Regent. This matter, the Emperor is considering it! There are so many sons in the Xuan family after all, all of them are outstanding, Noble lady Li, isn’t that right?”
“No!” Noble Lady Li blurted out: “Only my Feng-er is the most suitable, only one Feng-er is worthy of sitting on that seat!”
“So what if His Highness the Sixth Prince is suitable? You are not cooperative!”
“I will cooperate! I will surely coorperate!” Noble Lady Li expressed her stance frantically, “You go tell those ministers, I am not going to cause trouble anymore, I am not going to leave Jing Si Palace anymore and will no longer be Feng-er’s burden. Just let him manage the court affairs properly, attend court session properly and read the reports properly. Do not worry, I will keep my word, I will really not cause trouble anymore. Go and speak to those ministers, hurry up and go tell them!”
She was anxious and reached out to push Ren Xifeng, but as if Ren Xifeng could moved by her push. She told Noble Lady LI: “I am an insignificant woman, how would I have the authority to speak to the court ministers. In addition, for this matter, people will not believe it just because we said it. In the end, whether you would really not cause trouble again, in the end, whether you are sincere in helping His Highness the Sixth Prince in focusing on the court, people will have to see this with their eyes, and Noble Lady Li needs to be able to do it for people to see it. Da Shun is a country governed by law, one led by reason, if you have truly changed for the better, the ministers would not give His Highness the Sixth Prince a hard time anymore. But if those are only your empty words, or you are just only holding it in and waiting for a future opportunity to take action, then I will advise you to give it up. No one is an idiot, those people were able to emerge above the crowd, pass the exams and become officials in court. All of them are elites, who would not be able to see through your intentions? Noble Lady Li, do you want His Highness the Sixth Prince to do well or do you want His Highness the Sixth Prince to fall from a high place, think about it properly on your own.”
“There’s no need to think!” Noble Lady Li quickly continued the conversation as she continued to express her stance: “Of course I will hope for Feng-er to be good. I will return to Jing Si Palace now and never come out again and will not cause a ruckus again. Do not worry, I am truly changing for the better. As long as Feng-er is doing well, anything is fine with me! Zuo Er.” She pulled the maid next to her, “Let’s go, let’s return quickly. For what happened today, no one is allowed to spread this around. From now on, we will live well in Jing Si Palace and not leave anymore.”
Zuo Er breathed a sigh of relief, nodding towards Ren Xifeng in gratitude, then she happily held on to Noble Lady Li and walked in the direction of Jing Si Palace. The servants also bowed towards Ren Xifeng and then hurriedly returned as well.
It was only now that Ren Xifeng breathed a sigh of relief, speaking to that Eunuch who guided her here: “Did I speak too harshly? In the end, she is a concubine in the imperial palace, still the birth mother of His Highness the Sixth Prince! I do not know if His Highness the Sixth Prince would blame me after he knows about what happened today.” As she spoke, she subconsciously squeezed the waist tag which Xuan Tianfeng gave her, feeling some unease.
That Eunuch was very sensible, he told Ren Xifeng: “Ren First Miss’ efforts, us servants were all watching! If not for your advice, Noble Lady Li would have jumped in today. If she jumped it, then the impact on His Highness the Sixth Prince would be too huge. Just like you said, the lords in court might not let this matter go, and His Highness the Sixth Prince’s position as Regent would no longer be stable. Do not worry, for what happened today, This Servants knows how to report this to His Highness the Sixth Prince.”
Ren Xifeng nodded, no longer saying anything else about this matter, only saying: “Escort me out of the palace!”
At this moment, the Sixth Prince Xuan Tianfeng had already got on an imperial carriage and moving through the streets and alleyways of the capital. He first went to Yu Palace and found out that Feng Yuheng went out to search for a person again, so he went to the streets directly to search without even entering the gates. But the capital was huge, how would he able to find her that quickly.
Feng Yuheng’s mental state was not considered good today, she was a little dazed and thinking of some things. One moment she was thinking about what Yao Xian said, that everything would be alright as long as she did not admit anything at all, another moment she thought about her original thoughts of regardless of whether she admitted it or not, once the hearts of the citizens had such a blemish, it would be hard to put down. Someone would expose her one day, then she would be seen as an evil spirit by everyone in the world.
She did not allow anyone to follow her, and if she found that there were hidden guards secretly protecting her, she would always loudly scold the other party and tell them to leave, only feeling safe when all of them have left. Seeing the people walking up and down the streets, Feng Yuheng kept feeling very afraid, afraid that her secret would be known by everyone one day. It was to the point that when she saw some citizens gathering together and speaking softly to each other, she would suspect if Bu Cong had already spread her secrets out.
She could not allow people to discuss behind her back, she could not allow people to spread this via word of mouth, she was afraid of the information spreading further. Therefore, she rushed forward, indiscriminately breaking up those few citizens who gathered, and one of them was even injured under her whip.
The people were shocked and ran in all directions, some of those people approached Xuan Tianfeng’s imperial carriage as they ran. Therefore, Xuan Tianfeng heard the people say in terror: “Princess Yu has gone crazy!”