Chapter 121: Sudden Turn of Events

Chapter 121: Sudden Turn of Events

On the night of the Lantern Festival, the streets of Chang'an were as bright as day with lanterns, and the city was bustling with crowds.

The main thoroughfares and small streets and alleys were filled with people out to enjoy the festival. Noble families' daughters traveled in luxurious carriages, accompanied by numerous servants. The Eastern Market, being the most lively and bustling lantern market, attracted a huge crowd every year, making the roads even more congested.

This year, on the night of the Lantern Festival, the entrance to the Eastern Market was completely blocked.

The carriages of Princess Chongyang and Lady Xiuping collided at the main entrance of the market. Neither willing to give way to the other in their rush to enter first, they ended up blocking the entrance, refusing to retreat and not allowing others to pass, resulting in a standoff lasting fifteen minutes.

It's unclear who panicked the horses first and initiated a conflict.

This led to a fight between the two parties.

The patrolling Jinwu Guards, upon seeing this and hearing it involved Princess Chongyang and Lady Xiuping, dared not intervene, wishing they hadn’t witnessed it. It wasn't until Ren Fashan, Marquis of Ningxi and General of the Left Shenwu Army, saw the commotion and called a team of Jinwu Guards to forcibly separate the two sides.

He then personally escorted them to the office of Jingzhao Prefecture.

Zheng Shi, the Prefect of Jingzhao, upon receiving the news at the Chengtian Gate, felt overwhelmed and decided to report the matter directly to the Emperor.

Princess Chongyang is the Emperor's own sister.

Lady Xiuping is the fourth sister of the Consort and also the daughter-in-law of Xu Jie, the Vice Minister of the Central Secretariat. After the conquest of Gaochang, Xu Jie was transferred to the central government. Upon arriving in the capital, he immediately sent his wife to the Zhu family to propose marriage for his second son, eventually marrying Zhu Yan's fourth sister.

Neither of the two involved was easy to deal with.

The Emperor, upon hearing this, had no interest in intervening, glancing sidelong at Zheng Shi, "Do you still need me to teach you how to adjudicate a case?"

Zheng Shi was so frightened he dared not speak further and was about to consult with Dali Qing Qiu Yuyang, who often dealt with such matters. Ren Fashan, often at war and seldom in the capital, had sent the people to Jingzhao Prefecture's office instead of directly to the Court of Judicial Review, which was the usual practice for disputes involving the imperial family.

The Emperor further advised, "It takes two hands to clap."

"Your servant understands," Zheng Shi treasured these words as if they were precious gems, interpreting them to mean that both parties were at fault and deserved equal punishment.

The Emperor thought that he had made his point quite clear to Zheng Shi.

Zheng Shi should be able to handle the matter properly.

No sooner had he returned to Qixing Palace than his sister, Princess Chongyang, followed him there.

"...Brother, you must stand up for me. Zheng Shi, that country bumpkin, has become a complete fool, disregarding laws and norms, not severely punishing Xiuping for causing trouble on the streets without reason, defying authority, and showing disrespect. He even confiscated my carriage and servants. Brother, I’ve been bullied..."

"Shut up."

Seeing Princess Chongyang about to start her tearful complaints again, the Emperor, already nursing a headache, quickly interrupted her, "Did Zheng, the Magistrate of Jingzhao Prefecture, confiscate only your carriage and servants, or did he also confiscate Xiuping’s?"

Caught off guard by the Emperor's interruption, Princess Chongyang replied somewhat weakly, "His too."

"As far as I know, at the main entrance of Dongshi, it was Xiuping’s carriage that arrived first. You arrived later and insisted that she make way for you."

"She should have made way for me. I’m a princess of the state, what is she? A mere countrywoman posing as a phoenix, daring to compete with me for the road," complained Princess Chongyang, feeling wronged. No one had ever dared to challenge her right of way before.

She was just a fifth-rank noblewoman.

How could she overshadow her?

The Emperor looked at Princess Chongyang and shook his head, "Chongyang, you are more than a decade older than Xiuping. As an elder sister, not to mention lacking any sisterly affection, you actually quarreled with a girl of sixteen or seventeen over the right of way. You should be ashamed of behaving this way despite your age."

On hearing this, Princess Chongyang bristled, "Who is her elder sister? Her elder sister is in the palace. She dares to compete with me on the road only because she relies on Empress Zhu’s influence. I certainly don't have such a presumptuous sister."

The Emperor’s face darkened instantly, "Enough. If she truly relied on Empress Zhu's influence, she wouldn't just be a county lady, but a state lady." He remembered that when he had wanted to honor Zhu Yan's sisters with the title of state ladies, Zhu Yan had sternly refused.

He then reprimanded, "Return to your residence and reflect on your actions. Copy the 'Women’s Precepts' fifty times and submit it to the Empress. You may leave your residence only after you’ve finished. This will prevent you from idly causing trouble." Having said this, he ordered Xing En to escort her out of the palace.

This time, Princess Chongyang really cried.

"The Emperor left Kaiyang Hall directly, heading towards Yaoguang Hall, but just as he reached the doorway, he heard Zhang Zhongguo hurriedly approaching to report: 'Your Majesty, the Left General has arrived with a matter to report.'"

"'They've finished so soon?'"

"The Emperor was surprised. Since Ayan did not leave the palace tonight, he returned to Qixing Palace as soon as the banquet at Chengtian Gate ended. However, his son Ajie and his brothers, along with several young ladies from the Xu family, went to enjoy the lantern festival in disguise. He had specifically assigned Duke Dongyang and General Zuo Ji'an to protect them."

"He had thought that Ajie, going out for the first time to enjoy the lantern festival, would return late to the palace."

"Zhang Zhongguo then reported, 'Your Majesty, the Left General said he first escorted the Fourth Prince back, then took the other princes to the Old Palace, and finally escorted the four young ladies of the Xu family back to their residence before hurrying to report to Your Majesty.' The Old Palace refers to Dayu Palace."

"'So, they didn’t stay long at the lantern festival,' the Emperor noted, remembering Ajie's eagerness to visit the festival. In previous years, he had taken Ayan to the festival but had not brought his son, considering Ajie's young age and not wanting to divide Ayan's attention."

"'They only spent a short while guessing lantern riddles at Feng Tower before the Fourth Prince and the Lady of Yuanling County had a conflict,' Zhang Zhongguo replied. The Lady of Yuanling County was the young Sanniang of the Xu family, whom the Emperor had favorably bestowed the title of county lady upon."

"A bad premonition suddenly struck the Emperor's heart. 'Let him in.'"

"Soon after, Zuo Ji'an entered."

"Hearing that the Lady of Yuanling County had snatched two lanterns Ajie intended for Xu Liuniang, leading to an argument between Ajie and Yuanling, and that Xu Liuniang was pushed down by Yuanling during the scuffle, leaving Ajie with scratches on his left cheek, the Emperor was startled, 'Why didn’t you stop them at that time?'"

"Zuo Ji'an looked helpless, not expecting Yuanling County Lady to be bold enough to scratch a prince, especially the Fourth Prince. 'It was my dereliction of duty.'"

"'Forget it, you may go back.'"

"Worried about his son's facial injury, the Emperor hurried towards Yaoguang Hall. Just as he reached the hall, he saw Xing En returning from escorting Chongyang and calling out, 'Your Majesty, Marquis Runan, Lady Xie, and the Lady of Yuanling County request an audience to apologize to Your Majesty, the Empress, and the Fourth Prince.'"

"'Lead Marquis Runan and the others here.'"

"After instructing this, the Emperor quickly entered the warm pavilion. Seeing the nail scratches on Ajie's cheek and his red ears, he gasped in shock. As his gaze shifted, he saw his son covering his ears and shouting, 'It was mother who pulled my ears; it was that crazy girl who scratched my face.'"

"'Why didn’t you dodge? What if these scratches on your face leave scars?' the Emperor said, pained for his son and scrutinizing the wounds on his cheek with a bit of disdain."

"As a son, he failed to protect his own face."

"That crazy girl went berserk, I couldn’t dodge in time, and she’s taller than me," Zhang Ji complained, frustrated that although they were the same age, Xu Sanniang was half a head taller than him.

Hearing this, Zhu Yan couldn't help but reprimand, "Aji, you were at least half at fault for what happened tonight. You deserved to be scratched."

"Mother."

Not wanting to be ear-twisted by his mother again, Zhang Ji quickly moved away, "I’m already so miserable."

"That's what you get for meddling in young ladies’ affairs," Zhu Yan glared at her son. Knowing well the friction between Xu Sanniang and Xu Liuniang, he still chose to flirt with Xu Liuniang, intentionally provoking Xu Sanniang.

"Uncle brought Auntie and Xu Sanniang to the palace to apologize," the Emperor just finished speaking when Xing En entered to report, "Your Majesty, the Marquis of Runan, Lady Xie, and the Lady of Yuanling County are outside the hall."

Zhang Ji immediately interjected, "Don’t see them, let them go back. It's too late to apologize now..."

"You don't get to decide,"

Zhu Yan disliked her son’s arrogant demeanor, "Either go out with your father to meet the Marquis of Runan, or go back to your own palace."

The child was too troublesome and irritating to look at.

The Emperor turned to Zhu Yan, "You don’t want to meet them?" His tone was already certain.

"No, it would be awkward."

Zhu Yan refused, recalling that the last time she met the Xu family, she had spoken more with Xu Liuniang, which was another reason for the discord between Xu Sanniang and Xu Liuniang.

These young ladies were too sensitive.

She even felt that Xu Sanniang's temperament resembled Princess Chongyang’s.

As if she was the center of the world.

Expecting everyone to pamper and yield to her.

The Emperor, accompanied by his son Aji, went to the main hall. It was important for the uncle to see how audacious Sanniang had been. She needed proper discipline, but he did not hold a grudge against the Xu family and accepted the apology.

Meanwhile, he revoked Xu Sanniang's title and lands as County Lady.

She was ordered to reflect on her actions at home. The incident would have been let go, but what truly angered the Emperor was that about three months later, Empress Liu mentioned to him that Lady Su and Lady Fan of Fan County both showed interest in arranging a marriage between the eighth prince and the Xu family's third daughter.

The Emperor was initially stunned, then remembered that Lady Fan was the wife of Xu Yan, the Xu family's eldest cousin, who held the position of Central Secretary, ranking just below the fifth grade, and his wife was granted the title of a fifth-grade county lady.

The Emperor coldly said, "Since when do Lady Su and Lady Fan of Fan County get to decide the eighth prince's marriage matters?"

Empress Liu immediately realized the proposal would not succeed.

Thus, she didn't dare mention to the Emperor what Lady Su had told her about both children being interested and the saying about an older woman being like a gold ingot.

That day, the Emperor, furious, stripped Lady Fan of her title for overstepping her authority and meddling in palace affairs, demoted Xu Yan from Central Secretary to the post of county commander of Xiangping for neglecting his duties, and ordered Xu Yan, his wife Lady Fan, and their five children to accompany him to his new posting in Xiangping.

Xiangping was in Liaodong Prefecture, a desolate and bitterly cold region in the northeast.

Subsequently, Su Yiquan, the Duke of Dingbei, submitted a proposal suggesting the Emperor send the princes to their respective fiefdoms sooner than planned. After months of silence when everyone thought the matter had subsided, the Emperor suddenly issued a decree appointing the eighth prince as the King of Nankang, to leave for his fiefdom within three days.

Nankang was located in the southwestern region of Jiangnan.

Upon receiving the decree, Su Wanqing ran to the Phoenix Chamber, kneeling and refusing to rise.

Empress Liu hadn't expected a marriage proposal to escalate to this extent. The Emperor seemed quite pleased to see his sons get close to the Xu family and had even intended to arrange a marriage between the fourth prince and the Xu family. Why was it different for the eighth prince?

Empress Liu didn't immediately seek the Emperor. Instead, she personally visited Zhu Yan at Qixing Palace.

This was her first visit to Qixing Palace and her first meeting with Zhu Yan since she moved out of Dayu Palace.

Author's Note: