CH 75

November 9, 2022Merchie

The gate to the Prime Minister’s Manor was wide open; two tall, elaborate sedan chairs were stopped in front of it, as well as a large group of servants, who all stood with their heads bowed in deference.

A strident voice that was filled with admonishment rang out from within the huge courtyard; it was a voice that Qi Changyi knew well.

“To think that the servants of the noble Prime Minister’s Manor can actually be this disrespectful! This princess is here, but you haven’t even bowed in greeting yet, are you all tired of living?!”

Qi Changyi had already taken half a step into the manor’s grounds. Upon hearing the shout, he couldn’t help but stiffen, before lifting his head and directing his gaze toward the direction of the voice. 

All he could see were the servants of the manor standing in the courtyard, in neat rows with their heads bowed.

And that scornful, arrogant figure who was standing in the center and bossily giving orders, was none other than the third princess Qi Yirou. There was another person pulling on Qi Yirou’s arm to prevent her from stomping forward; it was the second princess Qi Bingzhi.

“Second Sister, quit tugging my arm! I must teach this bunch of dog servants a proper lesson today! Are they always this disrespectful when their master isn’t around?”

Qi Bingzhi didn’t let go, instead speaking in a small voice, “Rourou, don’t be impulsive. Royal Father finally let you come back for a little bit, don’t cause trouble.”

“No matter how Royal Father punishes me in the future, I’m still his daughter, the distinguished Third Princess. I can’t allow these dog servants to slight me like this.”

Qi Yirou tore her arm out of Qi Bingzhi’s grasp, limped over to the old housekeeper, raised her hand, and slapped him.

A bright red mark appeared on the old butler’s swollen cheek, and he hurriedly fell to his knees, “Third Princess, this servant was careless. Usually, when His Lordship is at the manor, the servants are not required to kneel, so this servant had a momentary lapse in judgement, and forgot to abide by the rules of the palace.”

The other servants quickly dropped to the ground as well. Only then did Qi Yirou’s expression become slightly less ugly. She snorted coldly but didn’t allow them to stand up.

Qi Bingzhi sighed, “You all can get up now.”

Qi Yirou stopped her, “Second Sister, how can you let them off so easily? I haven’t punished them yet.”

“Rourou, just stop, please. This is the Prime Minister’s Manor, not the palace. What if Lord Pei finds out that you’ve done something like this again, and reports it to Royal Father?”

Qi Yirou’s expression flickered, but she still puffed her chest out, “It’s already come to this, what’s the point of being afraid of him now?”

As she spoke, she turned her body slightly, and was stunned by the sight of the few people standing near the gate.

She stared closely at the slender, white-clad figure, her eyes filled with disbelief. She pointed a finger at Qi Changyi, completely shocked.

Qi Bingzhi saw the change in her expression, and also turned to see what she was looking at. Her eyes widened slightly, “Changyi?”

Qi Changyi stepped through the gate, and greeted Qi Bingzhi politely, “Second Sister.”

Then, he glanced at Qi Yirou, who was still staring at him, and his lips moved, “Third…”

“Don’t.” Qi Yirou’s face was filled with loathing, “I can’t stand it when you call me that1.”

“Rourou, don’t say that.” Qi Bingzhi tugged at Qi Yirou’s sleeve.

“Then what else am I supposed to say? Second Sister, you know exactly who did this to my leg, yet you still want me to be nice to him?”

Qi Yirou clenched her fists tightly, and her long nails piercing the palm of her hand. The gaze with which she looked at Qi Changyi was full of hatred and rage.

But Qi Bingzhi actually flashed a small smile at Qi Changyi, “Changyi, what are you doing here?”

“Second Sister, I… I…” Qi Changyi didn’t know how to respond to the question.

Li Yu, who was standing beside him, answered simply and smoothly, “Replying to the Second Princess, His Highness is staying in the Prime Minister’s Manor for the time being, in order to nurse his health.”

“Huh! Good one, ‘nursing his health’! The way I see it, he’s probably just trying to play some kind of trick on Pei Zheng. Utterly obscene and immoral!”

Qi Yirou walked toward him, dragging her injured leg along.

In an instant, Li Yu quickly stepped in front of his master.

“You already had the guts to harm me, and topple me to this point, what are you so afraid of?” Qi Yirou’s gaze was sinister as she glared at Li Yu.

“I’ve heard that you took a trip to Barbarian territory before- those people are uncivilized to the extreme. Nothing is too disgusting or too corrupt to them. But we, as members of the Celestial Dynasty, practice prudence and etiquette. How could we tolerate someone like you?!”

As she spoke, Qi Yirou’s emotions became more unstable and tumultuous, and she tried to shove Li Yu aside. Qi Bingzhi hurried over to stop her, but she was accidentally pushed by Qi Yirou, and almost fell to the ground.

“Ah!” Qi Bingzhi yelped, but she was caught by several maids.

Qi Yirou reluctantly stopped, and walked over to check if she was injured, “Second Sister, why are you trying to stop me? Today, I’ll definitely teach this lowly little scumbag a proper lesson, and help you vent your anger too!”

“Rourou, stop talking…” Qi Bingzhi’s eyes were rimmed with red.

“Second Sister, he was only able to steal your position because you’re too kind-hearted! How can that Pei Zheng protect him so fiercely?! We’ve come in person today, yet Pei Zheng isn’t even at his manor; I think he’s just trying to avoid us!”

Qi Yirou swiveled toward the old housekeeper and barked, “Speak! Just where has Pei Zheng gone?!”

The old housekeeper trembled as he quickly replied, “Third Princess, this old servant really doesn’t know. Our Lord has indeed left to take care of something and hasn’t returned…”

Qi Yirou said angrily, “You’re still unwilling to tell the truth?! Royal Father told us that he would be back today, are you trying to say that Royal Father lied to us?”

This time, Qi Yirou’s slanderous accusation had too many terrifying implications. In just a few words, she had stuck this label onto the old housekeeper, rendering him frightened to the point of begging for his life.

“Third Princess, this old servant wouldn’t dare! This old servant didn’t mean it like that!”

“I think that you meant every word! Someone, drag this foul-mouthed dog servant away, and beat him until he confesses the truth!”

As soon as Qi Yirou finished speaking, several servants came over, and were about to drag the old housekeeper away.

The other servants of the manor knelt on the ground, trembling in fear, too scared to even lift their heads.

Upon seeing that the old housekeeper was about to be taken away, Qi Changyi bit his lip. He opened his mouth, but it was Li Yu who spoke instead.

Li Yu stepped forward and said, “Third Princess, this servant can testify on his behalf; everything that the Chamberlain said is true, Lord Pei really has not returned to the manor.”

Qi Yirou turned to look at him, and sneered, “So you’re questioning this princess’s orders, all right then. Someone, drag him away as well!”

Li Yu’s arms were restrained by several servants. He struggled a few times, but couldn’t break free. He could only lift his head, and his eyes were pinned on Qi Yirou.

“And now you even have the guts to stare at me! Take him and his damn eyes away, and teach him a lesson on what he should and shouldn’t be looking at!”

Qi Yirou raised her hand, and Li Yu was about to be dragged away.

Qi Changyi clutched at his robes, “Third Sister, everything they said is true, just… Just let them go…”

“If you’re going to beg on their behalf, then you might as well be punished with them!” Qi Yirou’s mind was already muddled with rage; anyone who dared to stop her now would receive her wrath.

Qi Changyi’s complexion was already a little paler than usual, and his body was racked with shivers from the cold. He slowly bent over and dropped to his knees.

“Third Sister, please let them go…”

Qi Yirou was visibly a bit surprised, but that was immediately overtaken by her joy and delight. She laughed loudly and yelled, “Your Royal Highness, what are you doing? You’re really willing to get on your knees and beg me, just for these two servants?”

Qi Yirou walked over, and loomed over the little figure kneeling on the ground in front of her. Her lips curled into a cold, vicious curve, before lifting her foot and stepping on his fingers.

“Royal Father sent me to Nanshan ancestral hall, you didn’t expect me to return, didn’t you? I’ve eaten vegetarian meals and read scriptures for so long, every day is so boring that I’m about to go mad, but you still get to live so freely and happily!”

As she spoke, she pressed her foot down harder.

Qi Changyi’s fingers were stinging, but he couldn’t pull them away. His body shivered uncontrollably, and there was a thin film of sweat on his forehead. The ground was freezing cold, chilling his knees to the bone. His face only continued to grow paler.

Li Yu stood to the side, his eyes reddening. He gritted his teeth and said, “Third Princess, you can’t treat His Highness like this! If Lord Pei comes back and discovers His Highness in this state, he definitely won’t let you off so easily!”

Who would’ve thought that Qi Yirou didn’t care about that at all. She removed her foot, but her smile became even wider and more joyous, “What did you think the two of us came here today for? I’ll say this now: Pei Zheng wouldn’t dare do anything to me. Do you believe that?”

As she spoke, Qi Yirou raised her hand, “Bring it here.”

A chief eunuch holding a golden scroll walked up to her.

Qi Bingzhi saw the scroll, and wanted to stop them, “Rourou, Lord Pei isn’t back yet, let’s wait to disclose the news.”

“Second Sister, who in the entire palace doesn’t know about this yet? I’m not ‘disclosing news’. Are you just going to allow that little bitch to continue being all pleased with himself?”

Qi Yirou looked over at the chief eunuch, “Read it.”

The golden scroll was unfurled; it was an imperial decree.

“By the Emperor’s edict, my beloved daughter, the second princess Qi Bingzhi, has reached a marriageable age. She is talented and beautiful, respectful and demure. Both the Empress and I are very pleased to hear this.

“The Prime Minister Pei Zheng possesses an outstanding appearance; he and my beloved daughter will be named a match made in heaven on their wedding day. A beautiful wife must be matched with a handsome husband; these two were chosen for each other, so that they may have a prosperous relationship in the future.

“Arrangements for the wedding will be handled by the Ministry of Rites and the Imperial Astronomer, who will also choose an auspicious date for marriage.

Accept the edict.”

The chief eunuch finished reading the decree, and the entire courtyard was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop.

The Emperor had bestowed a marriage to the Empress’s daughter, the Second Princess, and the Prime Minister Pei Zheng.

And an auspicious date would be chosen for their marriage.

Qi Yirou grabbed the golden scroll, and played with it in her hands, her eyes filled with glee.

The small man, who was still kneeling on the ground, wore a dead-eyed look. He stared silently at the ground, and didn’t speak or move, resembling a beautiful ice sculpture.

Qi Yirou saw how soulless and dejected he looked, and a wave of vindictive pleasure surged into her mind.

“Second Sister, it’s all because of the news of your marriage that Royal Father allowed me to return to the palace. Royal Father said that the auspicious date is in five days. When the time comes, and you’ve become the wife of the Prime Minister, a certain trashy little skank should make way for you.”

Qi Bingzhi looked over at the little prince, who was still kneeling in a dazed, absent-minded state, and tugged at Qi Yirou’s sleeve, “All right, Rourou, don’t talk so much. I know you’re doing it for me, but I believe that Changyi also doesn’t have a choice in this matter.”

“Second Sister, what do you mean ‘he doesn’t have a choice’? Why would you speak for him? We’re the ones who have the closest bond as sisters!”

Qi Yirou was obviously a bit unhappy; she had clearly stood up for Second Sister, so how come Second Sister would switch sides and speak on his behalf instead?

Qi Bingzhi didn’t say anything. She wanted to walk over and help Qi Changyi up – his face was abnormally pale, and he looked like he was about to faint. Qi Yirou suddenly became even more angry. She strode over with quick steps and shoved the little figure to the ground.

“What are you still pretending for, get up! What, are you waiting for someone to help you up?”