Chapter 91: A ruined Plan

Grand Princess Ni'an's Residence

"What makes you think that we are not going through with the marriage?"

Xia Ying's hand holding the cup of tea shook, she placed the cup of tea on the table. "Grandma, didn't you promise me that I would marry General Lu," she said in a shaky voice.

The Grand Princess laughed, "Ying Ying, it is about time you grew up. The General already has a wife and even if he didn't, there is nowhere I will refuse a chance to make you the next Empress. Do you know how many people would kill for this opportunity"

"I don't know and I don't care to know! Grandmother you promised!"

"That I will let you marry General Lu if he didn't have a main wife before the end of 7days but he still does. Your assassin wasn't successful and he likely never will, General Lu nearly caught him. Xia Ying be good and marry the Crown Prince, what is so good about marrying a mere general like him. If you marry the Crown Prince, you will never have to worry about anything in your life."

She stood and knelt by her grandmother's leg and held her sleeve, "I don't care for that! I love General Lu Grandma, can't I marry him!" 

"No!" Grand Princess Ni'an shook her hand away "Xia Ying, I am doing this for your own good. The Lu family is on the verge of extinction, the Emperor doesn't like them. If you marry Lu Yaozhu, you will forever be on edge. Take his current" promotion" to a barren town in the north as an example"

"Grandma that won't happen. You are the Emperor's elder sister, with you around no one would hurt the Lu family. Even the Emperor has to listen to you" 

Grand Princess Ni'an just looked at her granddaughter silently. She had always praised this granddaughter of hers for being very smart but that wasn't the case now. She was acting like a fool, she didn't know what to make of her and just shook her head.

"How naive are you? Do you think that the Emperor would let you marry Lu Yaozhu! That younger brother of mine has gotten more paranoid, he is now getting suspicious of even I, his elder sister. Once I die he might go after our entire clan, I can't let that happen.

"When it comes down to you or our clan, I will pick our clan. The numbers are greater, a union with the crown print not just consolidates our power but also protects the hundreds of people in our clan. Don't be selfish, Ying'er. My decision is final. You are marrying the Crown Prince unfailingly"

Xia Ying quietly fell on her but and looked at her grandmother

The grand princess looked at her elderly maid that stood by her side and instructed, "Nanny Fu, have someone send the princess back to her room and arrange for around the clock protection. Until she gets married, she is not allowed out of her room without my permission" 

She narrowed her eyes on her granddaughter's lady's maid and said firmly "Daiyu, you better watch your mistress carefully. I don't want to hear any bad news from her or you will pay with your life!"

"Yes," Daiyu replied, head bowed.

There was nothing the Emperor could do to stop the union, two days later the official edict was delivered by Eunuch Cai to the Grand Princess's residence. While the Crown Prince's engagement received a lot of praise from the commoners, there were a few people that weren't pleased with the union apart from Xia Ying.

Among them was Zhu Fenfang who thought that since She had the Crown Prince's heard in her palm, she had the marriage in her bag. The news came as a punch in the gut for her especially since it was revealed to her by her stepmother and Zhu Feifei.

Although the sixth Prince was posted out of the capital, because Zhu Feifei was pregnant with the Emperor's first grandchild, they were pardoned to stay until she had given birth. The Emperor called a lot of imperial physicians to care for her both before and after, she gave birth. 

Zhu Feifei was gradually nearing her confinement period during which she won't be able to leave the house. The Imperial consort had arranged for her to spend the last two months of her pregnancy at the palace. Where she could receive all-round care from experienced doctors and midwives.

This was her last visit before her confinement. After holding it in for weeks, Zhu Feifei was finally going to put Zhu Fenfang in her place. Madam Zhu had put a few reliable servants to monitor Zhu Fenfang's movement.

They arranged for a few heavy-duty matrons to knock her out. When she was on her way to meet the crown prince at their usual meeting point at the tea house. When she came to, Zhu Fenfang found herself lying on the cold hard floor of Madam Zhu's room.

Madam Zhu and Zhu Feifei sat in the living room and looked down at her sorry expression. Her hand was tied at an awkward position behind her, the rope tightened as she tried to move her bound hands. 

She glanced at the happy expression of the mother and women pair and bit the inside of her cheek gently.

"Help her up" Madam Zhu instructed leaning back on her seat.

Two heavy-duty mamas rushed forward and rose Zhu Fenfang up to her knees and stepped back. 

Zhu Fenfang greeted her like nothing happened "Fenfang greets mother".

Madam Zhu chucked, "you have a lot of nerve Fenfang to act like nothing happen. I know that you have been meeting the Crown Prince in secret like a little slut. What a disgrace!"

"No, no mother, that is not how it is"

"Oh, so you haven't been meeting the crown Prince in secret for months or was it your ghost I saw every week."

"Don't lie Fenfang, you have been caught", Zhu Feifei said in a concerned voice.

Zhu Fenfang balled up her fist behind her to prevent herself from glaring at Zhu Feifei. 

"Your father and I were in talks to arrange a union for you with minister Lau's son but that won't be possible anymore. Since I can not vouch for your virtue, we will have to settle for making you the Yu family Shizu's concubine. He is someone that won't mind".

"What! No no! Please don't do this to me mother. I never laid with the Crown prince, I am still pure. You have to believe me!"