Chapter 7: Vigilant Against Shang Rongyu

Chapter 7: Vigilant Against Shang Rongyu

"My dear daughter." Lady Li Xiang held Li Feiluan in her arms and wept bitterly.

Li Feiluan was drenched in cold sweat; her right thumb had been crushed under the horse's hoof, leaving a mangled mess of flesh and bone, while her clothes were covered in dust and bloodstains.

The imperial physician arrived with his medical kit. Due to the critical situation, an eunuch drew a curtain made of white cloth around Li Feiluan and the physician.

The physician immediately tended to Li Feiluan's bleeding.

Li Feiluan trembled from the pain, and sobs occasionally escaped from behind the white curtain.

Lady Li Xiang cried uncontrollably, "Daughter, your mother is here, don't be afraid..."

Minister Li's face was somber as he stood beside the curtain, silent.

Those who came to inquire about Li Feiluan's condition, including officials and their wives, sighed upon seeing the scene.

"What a tragedy, her hand might be ruined."

"Miss Li hasn't even married yet. If her hand is disabled... it's inauspicious, which family would want a woman with a defect?"

In no time, the physician stopped the bleeding and knelt before Emperor Xianyuan. "Your Majesty."

Emperor Xianyuan Shang Qianxian asked anxiously, "How is she? Tell me quickly!"

The physician bowed his head. "Miss Li's right thumb has suffered a severe break and is a bloody mess. It must be amputated as soon as possible to prevent infection that could affect her heart."

Emperor Xianyuan looked worriedly at Minister Li. "You should speak to Minister Li about this."

Minister Li clenched his teeth, his face like iron. "Your Majesty, I heard everything. If my daughter can survive, it's already a stroke of luck amidst misfortune."

Emperor Xianyuan instructed the physician, "Do everything you can to save Miss Li's life."

The physician acknowledged the order. "Yes."

Soon after, the white curtain was removed, and Li Feiluan was carried away. Lady Li Xiang followed closely, sobbing uncontrollably, "My poor daughter."

Minister Li's eldest son, Li Fei, fell to his knees before Emperor Xianyuan. "Your Majesty, please do justice for my sister..."

As soon as he finished speaking, he heard Shang Rongyu supporting Ran Qinggu say, "Your Majesty, my wife was frightened when she fell off the horse. My nephew will take my wife back first. Considering Miss Li also got injured, I won't pursue this matter further."

Li Fei stared at Shang Rongyu in disbelief.

How dare he say he wouldn't pursue it?

It was his sister who was hurt, his sister who was forced to fight for survival under the hooves of a horse, and now it was his sister whose life hung in the balance and who would likely be left with a disability...

And Shang Rongyu had the audacity to say he wouldn't pursue it?

He glared at Shang Rongyu and demanded fiercely, "Shang Rongyu, it's my family that was hurt. How dare you stand there and say you won't pursue it."

Shang Rongyu returned the glare. "It was your sister who initiated the challenge. After the Heir's Consort declined, it was your sister who pressed on aggressively. It was also your sister who hit the ball off-target, causing the Heir's Consort's horse to be startled. If not for the Heir's Consort grabbing the reins, the consequences would have been unimaginable. Shouldn't this Heir be asking for retribution against your sister?"

Li Fei's face turned red as he gritted his teeth. "My sister has practiced martial arts since childhood. There's no way she could fall off a horse or be trampled by one. There must be something fishy going on."

Shang Rongyu sneered. "How curious. You keep insisting that your sister knows martial arts. On the polo field, who stands to gain more: the martially adept Miss Li or the unskilled Heir's Consort? Even a child would know the answer. If the Heir's Consort had fallen from her horse, my Cheng王府 would have to exchange New Year’s red lanterns for mourning white, and I, Shang Rongyu, would find myself a widower mere moments after marriage. This calamity occurred due to your sister, yet the Heir's Consort, in her generosity, has chosen not to press the matter. Instead of gratitude, your family responds with ingratitude. Has all that wisdom been squandered?"

Li Fei glared at him, his expression ugly. "Shang Rongyu, don't go too far."

Minister Li, who had been standing in silence amidst the crowd, suddenly spoke up: "The Consort of the Heir was frightened, and this incident began because of my daughter. Once my daughter recovers, this old minister will personally bring her to the Wang Manor to apologize."

Li Fei angrily looked at his father. "Father."

Minister Li barked, "Step back."

Li Fei reluctantly stepped back, seething.

Ran Qinggu said respectfully, "Minister Li, there's no need to worry so much. Let the young miss focus on recovering."

Emperor Xianyuan smiled. "Since that's the case, Rongyu, you should take Bai Yu back. Today's incident in the palace is partly my responsibility. I shall grant Bai Yu ten thousand taels of gold as compensation."

Ran Qinggu hurriedly knelt down to thank him. "Bai Yu thanks Your Majesty for your grace."

Prince Shang Yuzhou bowed and reported, "Father, I heard from Eunuch Fu that the Heir's Consort loves drinking pear juice. I have several boxes of high-quality pears in my possession, and no one usually drinks them. Therefore, I'd like to gift them to the Heir's Consort to calm her nerves."

Eunuch Fu was in charge of the palace affairs. After Ran Qinggu finished his portion of pear juice today, the Wangfei noticed his fondness for it and asked Eunuch Fu for more.

Little did they know that all the pear juice served at the palace banquet was provided by Prince Shang Yuzhou. Eunuch Fu had no choice but to seek out Prince Shang Yuzhou.

Emperor Xianyuan smiled. "Good, you're thoughtful."

Shang Rongyu declined. "Your Majesty, though the Wang Mansion is poor, my wife still has enough to drink. We won't trouble the Third Prince."

Emperor Xianyuan said, "Then I won't force the issue."

Shang Rongyu held Ran Qinggu's waist tightly and bowed. "Your Majesty, this nephew takes his leave."

After leaving the palace gates and boarding the carriage, Shang Rongyu leaned against the soft cushions and handed a warm stove to Ran Qinggu, then said thoughtfully, "Stay away from that Third Prince in the future."

Ran Qinggu was puzzled. "What does His Highness mean by that?"

Shang Rongyu replied, "This person has great ambition and deep scheming, showing signs of a dragon lurking in the depths. However, he lacks the ability to soar to the heavens. His actions today must have ulterior motives."

Ran Qinggu furrowed his brows. "Understood."

He now had a newfound respect for this seemingly unruly Heir.

Before arriving at the Wang Manor, he had thought the Heir was a useless, hot-tempered fool who knew nothing but bullying others. But unexpectedly, he was proficient in both civil governance and martial arts.

When he thought this man had some talent but lacked ambition, only wanting to be a dissolute nobleman playing through life, he never expected that this person saw the political landscape of the court crystal clear.

Nowadays, the Crown Prince and the Second Prince were both born of the late Empress. The Second Prince excelled the Crown Prince in all aspects, standing out among all the princes.

Yet the Emperor favored the Crown Prince more, having made up his mind to let him succeed the throne.

The Third Prince was born of a lowly courtesan. This person didn't stand out in any aspect, with mediocre talents, no prestigious maternal family to back him, and without the Emperor's favor.

To the entire Da Su, even the Sixth Prince of Noble Consort Xian, who was deemed incompetent, could ascend to the throne before it would ever be the Third Prince's turn.

But Ran Qinggu only needed one glance at the Third Prince to know that this person was concealing his true abilities, harboring a vast universe within.

He never imagined that Shang Rongyu shared the same view.

There was the potential of a coiled dragon in the depths, yet lacking the ability to soar high into the sky.

These fourteen words encapsulated the current situation and predicament of the Third Prince.

This person was certainly not just a troublemaking demon.

Or rather, this person could never be content with merely being an idle dissolute nobleman playing through life as a royal titleholder.

Rumors in the folk suggested that there were three possible successors to the current throne.

One was the Crown Prince, legitimate and rightful, favored by the Emperor, and the designated heir.

Another was the Second Prince, virtuous and talented, the Emperor's most beloved son besides the Crown Prince, born of the late Empress, and highly regarded by public opinion and the court.

The last one was Shang Rongyu, King Cheng's only legitimate son, his most beloved child.

If one truly considered power, King Cheng commanded a million troops, and if Shang Rongyu wished, seizing the throne wasn't impossible.

But he was a troublemaking demon, dissolute and lacking ambition.

How could such a person become the Emperor?

The former Ran Qinggu also believed so.

Now, he only felt that this person before him was the most terrifying figure in the imperial family.

After all, he played the entire court, from the Emperor to the common people, in the palm of his hand.

He had just fallen off his horse when the Heir touched his chest...

With this person's cunning and intelligence, how could he have failed to notice anything?

It seemed that in the future, he couldn't afford to be careless about anything, especially regarding Shang Rongyu, whom he must guard against at all costs!

==

At the Drunken Wind Pavilion.

King Cheng opened his eyes slightly, his hoarse voice after a night of heavy drinking echoed: "What's happening outside? Why is it so noisy?"

In recent days, due to the New Year festivities, the palace had repeatedly hosted banquets, and officials had been coming and going. The soldiers in the army also wanted to drink until they were drunk with him...

Thus, King Cheng had been busy entertaining guests every day, returning to his mansion drunk and unable to distinguish directions.

Since he drank very late with the soldiers last night, he returned to the mansion very late, and his subordinates directly took him to the Queen Consort's residence.

Just as dawn broke and he was sound asleep, he was awakened by a commotion.

The maidservant waiting outside the room said respectfully: "Replying to His Highness, the Heir has arrived."

King Cheng rubbed his throbbing forehead: "Why did this little beast come here? Truly restless!"

The Queen Consort got up and rubbed King Cheng's forehead: "What's wrong?"

King Cheng said irritably: "Do you know what this scoundrel did two days ago? He went to my tent and asked me to ask Concubine Liu for breast enhancement secrets..."

The Queen Consort was taken aback: "..."

Back when Concubine Liu married into the mansion, she was as thin as a rail, with barely anything on her chest, for which she sought many remedies.

But how did Rongyu know about this?

He wasn't even born then?

King Cheng closed his eyes wearily: "This kid is really becoming more and more of a scoundrel now."

The Queen Consort smiled, rubbing harder: "Perhaps that night, when I locked him and the Heir's Consort in the study, he tasted a bit of sweetness?"

Upon hearing this, King Cheng opened his eyes and flew into a rage: "Absolutely outrageous! No matter what, the Heir's Consort is a lady of high birth, his wife, a wife cannot be insulted, and he actually despises her!"

The Queen Consort hurriedly soothed King Cheng's heart: "Enough, men are all the same, you weren't much better when you were young."

King Cheng grumbled angrily: "A mother spoils her child too much; you go and get rid of him quickly. I'm afraid I won't be able to resist beating him if I see him."

The maidservant came over to help the Queen Consort change her clothes.

As she changed, the Queen Consort said: "Your Highness, now that Rongyu isn't so resistant to the Heir's Consort anymore, the mansion will eventually be handed over to them. I want to let the Heir's Consort get involved in the affairs inside and outside the mansion earlier."

King Cheng snorted indistinctly through his nose: "She's only sixteen, too young. Those inside and outside the mansion are people who have honed their skills for years. I'm afraid Yu'er will feel that you and I are making things difficult for her and secretly shed tears in her room."

The Queen Consort replied: "Regardless, she will have to deal with these matters sooner or later, and it's better to start early."

King Cheng didn't stop her and turned over to continue sleeping.

The news that the Heir's Consort was taking over the affairs inside and outside the mansion spread throughout the entire mansion and its affiliated shops, estates, and fiefs in a single day.

After smashing all the vases in her room, Su Xi rushed to complain to Concubine Liu: "Mother, you tell me why? Why should I, who managed the estates and shops for so long, hand them over to her upon her arrival? What is she?"

Gu You muttered softly, "Second Sister-in-Law, lower your voice. If these words reach the Prince's ears..."

Su Xi: "So be it if they do. At worst, I'll have my grandfather come and uphold justice for me."

Concubine Liu sneered, "That's all you're capable of—when wronged by your in-laws, you run back to your parents' house to cry about it. If I were your family, I'd lock the door before you even got home."

Su Xi, reprimanded, regained her composure but was still vexed. "Mother, can you bear this indignity?"

Concubine Liu glanced at Su Xi. "She wants to take over, so you let her? How long has she been here? Her foundations aren't solid; how could she command respect? It's a shame your grandfather is a Grand Tutor, yet he raised such a spineless child."

After pondering for a moment, Su Xi finally caught on, her realization brightening her face with a smile. "Mother, I understand now."

The shops and estates were hers, and this time, she would ensure Bai Yu couldn't move an inch.

Concubine Liu gave Su Xi a satisfied glance. "Good that you understand. The road ahead is long; rein in your temper and tread carefully."