Chapter 207 - Princess Consort of Liang’s Madness

Prince of Yi had been a coward for more than 20 years, but he was the birth son of the late Emperor and the only living brother of Emperor Xianjia. He just took the order of the Emperor to investigate the case of the Crown Prince’s side concubine. Now that he died of suicide, what kind of disturbance his death would cause in court was imaginable!

How could Jian Xubai have the time to visit Jian Limiao now?

He directly got off the carriage and asked the guards to spare a horse for him so that he could rush to the Eastern Palace!

On the way, Song Yixiao kept urging the carter to drive faster. When she hurriedly returned to Duke of Yan’s mansion, Qiaoqin and Jinxun came forward to report how the birthday feast on the next day was prepared. Before they spoke, she ordered in a hurry, “Have you sent out the invitation cards yet? If not, don’t send them anymore. For the invitations that have been sent out, go to apologize to the guests on the ground that the feast will be cancelled for the death of Prince of Yi!”

Qiaoqin and Jinxun sighed in astonishment, “His Highness Prince of Yi is dead?”

“Find some plain and neat clothes for me!” Not in a mood to answer them, Song Yixiao only waved her hand, “Maybe I need to go to Prince of Yi’s mansion to offer condolences later!”

As expected, shortly thereafter, Jinguo Grand Princess sent someone to inform her, “His Highness Prince of Yi has passed away. Her Highness Jinguo Grand Princess will go to offer condolences in an hour. Your Highness, please get prepared as soon as possible!”

By now Jian Xubai hadn’t come back. After careful consideration, Song Yixiao decided to send someone to urge him. After all, the death of Prince of Yi was related to the Crown Prince for now. Any act of discourtesy would render the Crown Prince and his people disrespectful to seniors even if the Crown Prince was proven innocent.

Unexpectedly, shortly after the servant was sent out, Jian Xubai returned home with a ghastly pale face, who looked really furious!

It was the first time that Song Yixiao had seen her husband so enraged. While fetching the plain rope and helping him put it on, she asked with concern, “Is there any negative rumor spread outside again?”

“Princess Consort of Liang has gone to the Eastern Palace to make a fuss!” Jian Xubai, fastening the cincture on his own, said with a poker face, “I can’t believe that the Sikong Family has such a daughter! Too absurd!”

“Princess Consort of Liang?” Song Yixiao was struck dumb and suddenly had an ominous presentiment, “She made a fuss in the Eastern Palace? Why?”

“She heard a rumor and suspected that the Crown Prince would scapegoat Prince of Liang!” Jian Xubai said resentfully, “Therefore, she knelt down before the gate of the Eastern Palace with shattered hair, saying that she would like to be Prince of Liang’s scapegoat and hoped that the Crown Prince could spare Prince of Liang given their brotherhood!”

He laughed out of extreme anger, “She thought that no one could see through her intention of striking the Crown Prince when he was down?”

Due to the death of her sister, Sikong Yiluo, Princess Consort of Liang, Sikong Yihan held grudge against the Crown Prince and his parents-in-law’s family, the Wei Family, which was not a secret among the nobility related to the imperial clan.

However, on the one hand, the Empress Dowager had promised to do Great Grand Princess Zhenyang a favor by making one of the Sikong Family a princess consort; on the other hand, Sikong Yihan was an unfavored daughter born by a concubine. Prince of Liang and the Crown Prince’s birth mother, Noble Consort Cui, was still alive. It was believed that this innocent girl would become reasonable after she got married and suffered a lot.

In fact, since Prince of Liang got married, Princess Consort of Liang didn’t live well as expected.

Unfortunately, she didn’t become sensible as she was caviled by her mother-in-law and cold-shouldered by her husband. Worse still, she struck such a blow at the Crown Prince at this crucial moment!

“She is nuts!” Song Yixiao turned around to fetch the white cap for her husband. When she heard what Jian Xubai had said, she almost dropped the white cap on the ground, shouting in astonishment and anger, “I don’t mind that she wants to die, but does she have to drag the Sikong Family to hell too?”

Even if the Crown Prince failed in future, the Empress Dowager, Emperor Xianjia and Noble Consort Cui were still there! How could they stand a princess consort’s sowing discord between the brothers of the imperial family?

Song Yixiao composed herself and then passed the white jade cap to her husband, asking, “What about now? She is still kneeling outside the gate of the Eastern Palace?”

“Prince of Liang was in the Eastern Palace at that time. When he heard what happened outside, he rushed there and gave her a kick in front of everybody. Now she has been carried to the Eastern Palace for treatment!” Jian Xubai said with a gloomy face, “What she shouted has been heard by some passers-by, so the information cannot be suppressed!”

Worse still, “Noble Consort Cui is still being grounded. As the legitimate imperial mother, Aunt will inquire about this matter for sure! Since Sikong Yihan dares to defame the Crown Prince boldly, what do you think she will say when she meets Aunt?”

Song Yixiao tried to comfort him, “The Empress Dowager is still in the imperial palace!”

“I’m afraid that Grandmother may get sick for being too angry!” Jian Xubai sighed, “The marriage of the Sikong Family and Prince of Liang was requested by Great Grand Princess Zhenyang but it was first approved by Grandmother!”

The biggest supporters of the Crown Prince were the Empress Dowager and Emperor Xianjia. Now Emperor Xianjia was recuperating in bed. If anything untoward happened to the Empress Dowager, the supporters of Prince of Wei and Prince of Zhao would be overjoyed!

However, it was no use the couple’s worrying. They must go to Prince of Yi’s mansion first.

When they rushed to Jinguo Grand Princess’s mansion in a hurry, the others had arrived. By far it had been more than one hour since the Grand Princess sent word to Duke of Yan’s mansion. Therefore, as soon as they entered the mansion, the Grand Princess just stood up, “Let’s go!”

Then Princess Changxing, who was about to speak, stopped talking sensibly.

Yet, on the way to the carriage, she squeezed through the crowd to Song Yixiao and said with a sneer, “Yixiao, what’s wrong with your face? Are you not feeling well? Your face appears so pale. I feel so worried about you!”

“Uncle Prince of Yi has just passed away. How can I not feel grieved?” Song Yixiao glanced at her and said unhurriedly, “After all, I’m not as heartless as you. It is your uncle as well as your husband’s uncle who passed away, but you don’t look sad and even smile so brightly. Those not in the know may mistake you for congratulating somebody instead of offering condolences!”

Not irritated by her this time, Princess Changxing sneered and said, “Pitifully, Uncle Prince of Yi was loyal and honest all his lifetime but he was coerced into committing suicide by his nephew! No matter how honest the family of Prince of Yi are, supposedly, they can’t stand it anymore this time. After we get there, you should show more understanding for Aunt and cousins if they react too emotionally. Don’t forget to show your sensible and magnanimous bearing!”

Then she smiled and quickened her pace to walk away.

“Your Highness?” Jinxun who closely followed Song Yixiao bit her tongue worriedly.

“What are you afraid of?” Song Yixiao glanced at Princess Changxing’s back coldly and said in a deep voice, “I’m not going there alone anyway!”

As to such a matter of the former dynasty, even if there was solid evidence, Jinguo Grand Princess, who always shielded her people from any harm, couldn’t stand her daughter-in-law being insulted in front of her!

Princess Changxing said so only to frighten her so that she would make mistakes out of fear. How could Song Yixiao fall for that?

They arrived after a while. Prince of Yi’s mansion, which had been deserted and lonely for more than 20 years, was as bustling as a market today. Almost all the officials were here.

After all, Prince of Yi was the emperor’s younger brother. Since he passed away, the clansmen and officials ought to pay their condolences. Moreover, he died too suddenly, which also aroused a lot of rumors. Whether out of curiosity or for information, a visit to the mansion was required.

Given Jinguo Grand Princess’s special identity, even under the circumstance with a hubbub of voices, upon seeing that she arrived with her children and daughters-in-law, the crowd still hurriedly made way for them.

“Jinguo!” After they offered condolences at the mourning hall, Earl Shouchun headed to the drawing room for tea and also took the opportunity to communicate with the clansmen and officials who had arrived. The womenfolk were conducted to the back hall by Princess Consort of Yi. Before they sat down, the Princess Consort had shed tears, saying, “I feel so grieved!”

Jinguo Grand Princess never inquired about the court affairs. When she heard that, she became dejected and yet, only said, “Once dead, the departed one cannot come back again. I’m so sorry for your loss!”

“After all, he is my husband!” Princess Consort of Yi obviously paid no attention to her words and only wiped her tears sorrowfully, saying, “Although he has scarcely come to my room since a few years ago, we still got to meet several times per month. Now that he is gone, I cannot meet him anymore! I feel so empty in my heart. From now on, I’m only a widow then.”

What she said sounded plain and even showed some humbleness for being cold-shouldered, but it just made the people present grieved.

Song Yixiao was certain that the Crown Prince wouldn’t be that stupid to send his brother to coerce their uncle, but now she still couldn’t help feeling sympathetic about this aunt.

Jinguo Grand Princess grew even more upset and clenched the napkin more tightly, saying in a low voice after a while, “Don’t say that. You still have children. Even for them, you can’t stay out of the household affairs!”

Princess Consort of Yi yelled in a hoarse voice, “My children cannot fill the position of my husband anyway!”

Her words seemed to touch a nerve of Jinguo Grand Princess. Song Yixiao saw that her mother-in-law got stunned clearly with her eyes becoming dull and then stayed silent for a long while.

However, Princess Consort of Yi was obviously too grieved to think of ordering the servants to serve tea. Instead, she just sat there dully, shedding tears quietly.

For a long moment, the Grand Princess and Princess Consort of Yi both maintained silent.

In silence, the juniors all didn’t dare to make a sound.

After an unknowingly long while, someone from outside reported that Daiguo Grand Princess arrived with her family, which broke the queer stalemate.

Princess Consort of Yi took out a white napkin from her sleeve to wipe her face, saying in a low voice, “Daiguo has arrived. I shall go and receive her… Jinguo, would you like to stay a bit longer?”

“No,” The Grand Princess got up with a gloomy face, “You are occupied today and I shall leave you alone. I’ll visit you another day!”

“See you, Jinguo.” Princess Consort of Yi didn’t ask her to stay. Then she fixed her hair and got up too. The hostess and the guests hadn’t left when some noises came from outside. A woman was screaming shrilly, “Let go of me! I must meet Her Highness the Grand Princess!”

Jinguo Grand Princess heard that and couldn’t help frowning, “Who is that?”

Princess Consort of Yi said with a poker face, “It seems to be the Prince’s favored concubine, Cailuo.”

“Why did she rush here instead of staying in the mourning hall?” The Grand Princess shouted unhappily, “Prince of Yi has just passed away. No matter how grieved you are, there are still rules and regulations to abide by in the mansion!”

Princess Consort of Yi was about to answer when Cailuo shouted loudly, “Your Highness! Your Highness! I have an urgent thing to report to you. The Prince didn’t kill himself. Instead, it is the Princess Consort… Ah!”

Judging from the miserable shout, she seemed to have taken a serious blow, which also made all the people present but Princess Consort of Yi shocked!

“My sister-in-law?” Jinguo Grand Princess didn’t ask about the court affair but if it was about an inner conflict of the backyard, she couldn’t let her younger brother suffer wronged!

Then with her face getting stern, she said in a deep voice, “What’s about the concubine?”

However, Princess Consort of Yi didn’t show any flurried glint on her face and only said casually, “I’ll have her brought in for confrontation.”

Song Yixiao happened to raise her head and see the mocking glint that flashed across the Princess Consort’s eyes.