Chapter 27 Entering Upright, Leaving Horizontal

Chapter 27: Walking In, Carried Out

Ji Qingqing paled in fright. She retreated step by step, but failed to notice her surroundings and, as luck would have it, backed right into the fence surrounding the duck pen.

Suddenly, her foot slipped, and Ji Qingqing tumbled headlong into the pen, landing right in the duck feed.

The ducks instantly panicked, feathers flew everywhere, and the scene descended into chaos.

Ji Qingqing had dolled herself up today before coming to the Prince Ye's mansion to confront Ji Yuntang.

But now, her hair was full of duck feathers, her face and new dress were smeared with filthy duck droppings. She was utterly disheveled and mortified.

"No, don't! How dare you! I'm a daughter of the House of Yongning! A lowly servant like you?"

Chen Hu grabbed her by the collar and yanked her out of the duck pen, his tone unfriendly. "Our mistress is the Princess Ye, and didn't you do the same to her?"

Chen Hu was too strong. Ji Qingqing couldn't resist and had no choice but to let him drag her up.

Just as Ji Qingqing was despairing, Ji Yuntang's voice sounded in her ear just then.

"Chen Hu, Ji Qingqing's face seems dirty. Take her to the large vat and wash it for her. She's someone who cares so much about her image; we should let her depart with dignity."

Chen Hu didn't understand what Ji Yuntang meant, but he knew well that if the Princess arranged it this way, there must be a reason.

With that, he dragged Ji Qingqing to the large vat by the courtyard wall. The vat was filled with water, and several fish were swimming inside, one of them being a grass carp.

Ji Qingqing wanted to run but couldn't. Chen Hu shoved her head directly into the water.

"Gulp, gulp, gulp..."

Ji Qingqing swallowed several mouthfuls of water.

As soon as she lifted her head, Chen Hu pressed it down again.

Lift, press down.

Lift, press down.

This cycle repeated several times. Ji Qingqing was worn out and wondered if she should just pretend to be dead.

Perhaps then, Chen Hu would stop this.

Ji Qingqing made up her mind and didn't lift her head.

But then she spotted something swimming in the water.

And some unidentifiable somethings were wriggling into her nostrils and mouth.

"Ah! Help!"

Ji Qingqing was terrified. She let out a scream and then her eyes rolled back as she fainted outright.

"Fainted already? So useless."

Chen Hu curled his lip in disdain. He grabbed Ji Qingqing with one hand and tossed her directly into the coffin.

Ji Yuntang reminded him, "Leave a crack in the coffin lid. Don't suffocate her to death. That wouldn't be fun anymore."

Before leaving, Ji Yuntang gave Chen Hu many more instructions. The more Chen Hu listened, the brighter his eyes became, until finally, his mouth curved into a wide grin.

"You got it, Princess! You can count on me. I'll make sure it's perfect for you."

Meanwhile, at the Marquis Yongning's mansion.

Lady Meng sat in the main hall, waiting anxiously, glancing outside every few moments.

"Qing Qing has been gone for so long. Why hasn't she returned yet? Could something have happened?"

For some reason, ever since Ji Qingqing left the house today, her eye had been twitching uncontrollably, and she still couldn't calm down.

This feeling was even stronger than yesterday. Lady Meng had a persistent sense that something was about to happen.

The maid Furong, attending to Lady Meng, comforted her, "Madam, I think you haven't rested well these past few days. You're just worrying too much."

"Miss Qing Qing is clever and shrewd. She's never suffered a loss in all her years. When others face her, it's always the others who end up unlucky. Not to mention, when Miss Qing Qing went to the Prince Ye's mansion this morning, she took over a dozen servants. By now, she should be back soon. She will definitely be fine."

Hearing this, Lady Meng relaxed slightly. "You're right. That child Qing Qing has never given us cause for worry since she was little. It's just me overthinking."

She had just taken a sip of tea when suddenly a servant stumbled in frantically.

"Not good, Madam! Not good! Something terrible has happened!"

Furong stepped forward and kicked the servant to the ground. "How dare you! Can't you see the Madam is drinking tea? Have you no manners? What's with this panic and lack of decorum?!"

"M-Madam, please calm your anger. This lowly one didn't mean to barge in. There's truly an urgent matter to report to you."

"I saw with my own eyes, servants from the Prince Ye's mansion carrying a coffin towards our mansion. Among them was a burly, rough-looking man holding a gong, bellowing as he walked..."

Lady Meng's heart trembled, and she quickly asked, "What was he shouting?"

"H-he... he said that Miss Ji Qingqing of the Marquis Yongning's household heard news from somewhere that their Princess had died. She took a coffin to the Prince Ye's mansion, saying she wanted to collect the Princess Ye's body. The Princess Ye, furious, struck her. Now, Miss Qing Qing is lying in the coffin, having been gawked at by the crowd all along the way..."

"What?" The teacup in Lady Meng's hand slipped from her grasp in fright, shattering into pieces on the floor.

"Ji Yuntang isn't dead?"

What shocked Lady Meng wasn't that Ji Qingqing had taken a coffin to the Prince Ye's mansion, but that her unwelcome country-bumpkin daughter was actually still alive?

Moreover, she had struck Ji Qingqing and stuffed her into a coffin.

"Quick, go bring the Second Miss back immediately."

Lady Meng didn't even bother to change her clothes. She hurriedly stood up and headed out with her people.

At the main gate of the Marquis Yongning's mansion, Chen Hu had already had the coffin placed on the ground. He was vigorously beating the gong in his hand.

"Come one, come all, don't miss out! The biggest family drama of the year, everyone come and have a taste!"

"Miss Ji Qingqing of the Marquis Yongning's household carried a coffin to our Prince Ye's mansion this morning, saying our Princess was dead and she wanted to collect Princess Ye's body."

"As everyone knows, the Princess originally bestowed by His Majesty upon Prince Ye was Ji Qingqing. But she despised our Prince for being crippled and refused to marry him, forcing her elder sister to take her place in the marriage. That aside, after our Princess married over, she was clearly alive and well. Who knows what Miss Ji intended by bringing a coffin to our door? Isn't she cursing our Princess by doing this?"

"Pitiful our Princess, clearly a blood descendant of the Marquis Yongning's household, yet for some reason grew up in the countryside since childhood. Her life and Ji Qingqing's are worlds apart. Finally, she was brought back, only to be scorned by this family. Not only that, they wanted to suck our Princess dry to pave the way for Ji Qingqing. Aren't they afraid of retribution for doing such things?"

Upon hearing this, the onlookers immediately began commenting and criticizing.

"I know about this! I saw Second Miss Ji carrying a coffin past me today. I never thought she was going to the Prince Ye's mansion to collect her own elder sister's body! The person isn't even dead; how could she go so far!"

"Exactly! Both are young ladies of the Marquis Yongning's household, yet look at the stark difference in treatment between Ji Qingqing and Ji Yuntang. Forcing someone to take your place in marriage, and not being grateful is one thing, but how can you curse them to die!"

"That's why they say some have a fair face but a viper's heart. Ji Yuntang is already married off and hasn't done anything to her. Yet they still don't wish her well. This Marquis Yongning's family is truly black-hearted..."

"..."

Lady Meng walked out of the mansion. Hearing these comments around her, she nearly fainted on the spot.

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