The Flirtatious Beauty Decides to Steal the Princess - Chapter 26

After receiving Wen Ying’s praise, Fu Qingyin finally raised her head to look in their direction.

The center of the palace hall was in complete chaos. Due to Consort Xin’s accusations, the old woman who had been in the Punishment Bureau was brought forward again.

Consort Xin knelt before the emperor, her face streaked with tears like pear blossoms drenched in rain. Clutching his bright yellow dragon robe, she sobbed, “Your Majesty, this servant merely sent this woman to deliver some pastries to Princess Wen Ying. Who would have thought she would be so insolent as to assault my attendants? The Empress harbors resentment against me for being favored by Your Majesty. Instead of punishing Wen Ying, she had my people thrown into the Punishment Bureau! Isn’t this a slap in my face?”

Consort Xin’s words were heart-wrenching, and to those watching, it seemed like nothing more than a story of a favored concubine being suppressed by the Empress. Though sighs of sympathy filled the air, no one dared to speak up. Only Jiang Zhiyi, the daughter of the Minister of Personnel standing to the side, subtly furrowed her brows.

“Miss, isn’t Princess Wen Ying the one we brought here earlier? This servant doesn’t think she’s the type to act like that,” whispered Jiang Zhiyi’s maid softly into her ear. Jiang Zhiyi nodded, quickly discerning the truth behind the farce unfolding before her.

But Jiang Zhiyi couldn’t speak up. Though she was the daughter of a high-ranking minister, she couldn’t rely on her family’s influence to intervene.

The current emperor was deeply suspicious, especially of those with significant power who weren’t his close confidants. He had long begun suppressing them, and Jiang Zhiyi couldn’t afford to give him any reason to target her.

Not a single misstep was permissible.

“We understand. We’ve already sent for the woman from your side. Today is the Spring Banquet, and your weeping and wailing are unbecoming. Rise quickly,” Emperor Wen said, his tone low and impatient by the end. With noble ladies from influential families present, Consort Xin’s hysterics were nothing but an embarrassment to the imperial family.

As for Wen Ying.

Emperor Wen scanned the crowd but didn’t see the unfamiliar face he barely recognized. After ordering someone to help Consort Xin up, he asked, “Today is the Spring Banquet. Is Princess Wen Ying present?”

Wen Ying had initially been watching the spectacle with amusement, but now that her name was called, her heart skipped a beat. Instinctively, she turned to Fu Qingyin with a pleading look.

Fu Qingyin responded with a reassuring gaze, reaching out to hold Wen Ying’s hand. “Little A-Ying, I promise you won’t come to any harm. Now, go.”

Wen Ying nodded, feeling the lingering warmth of Fu Qingyin’s touch on her hand. It was as if all her fears melted away. She stood up, her voice young but clear, “Father, Wen Ying is here.”

Emperor Wen couldn’t quite describe the emotions that surged within him upon seeing Wen Ying after her coming-of-age ceremony. From afar, she appeared simply dressed, her hair barely adorned with any visible ornaments. Yet as Wen Ying walked toward him with measured steps, Emperor Wen was struck by a vision of her long-departed mother.

The pale blue dress accentuated a grace that belied Wen Ying’s youth, yet it didn’t feel out of place. Instead, it stirred memories of a figure from the past in Emperor Wen’s heart.

“Wen Ying. Why don’t you even have any jewelry?” Emperor Wen asked, only realizing afterward how foolish his question was. He had never once inquired about this daughter of his no father’s care, no mother’s protection.

Of course, she would be bullied in the imperial harem.

Wen Ying didn’t laugh. Instead, she recounted word by word how she had lived all these years: “On New Year’s Eve, Wen Ying had no meat to eat. In winter, there were no new quilts. Even this dress I’m wearing to the banquet was borrowed from Sister Zhi. There are so many more grievances like this, so many.”

Her voice was youthful, yet in the silence of the grand hall, it was so quiet one could hear a pin drop. Nearly everyone could hear how this princess, who by rights should have been of royal blood, had lived a life worse than the maids in their own households.

Everyone sighed in sympathy. Fu Qingyin sat in a corner, watching Wen Ying. No one had taught Wen Ying to say these words, nor did they align with what had been previously agreed upon. But Fu Qingyin understood.

After these words were spoken, the bond between father and daughter was effectively severed. In the time she had known Wen Ying, Fu Qingyin had always thought her an optimistic girl, never breaking down over her circumstances, never once heard her blame Emperor Wen.

But today, facing her father, Wen Ying recounted her grievances from over a decade ago up to now. It turned out she had silently borne all those hardships, only to lay them bare today.

She was no longer a girl who had just come of age. Now, she was just a child, her voice trembling as tears fell.

Wen Ying was simply a daughter pouring out her sorrows to her father. There was no resentment in her words, making it impossible for anyone to feel anger. Even someone as tyrannical as Emperor Wen could only listen in silence.

Even the princesses born to unfavored concubines, like Wen Yunrou and the other princes and princesses, none had suffered as bitterly as Wen Ying.

“Father, Wen Ying often wonders, why is my life so bitter? My mother is gone she’s been gone since I was little. All these years, I haven’t dared to go to the imperial garden. I’m afraid of seeing the other consorts with their children. It makes me miss my mother.”

Wen Ying couldn’t continue. She stood there, tears welling in her eyes as she gazed at Emperor Wen, who could only stare back, speechless.

After a long silence, Emperor Wen finally spoke: “Wen Ying, you’ve suffered. How about I find you a proper palace? No one will dare bully you from now on.”

But Wen Ying shook her head. She lifted her sleeve to wipe her cheeks, hiding the tears in the fabric. Once she had composed herself, she asked, “What did Your Majesty summon Wen Ying for earlier?”

As she wiped her tears, she could feel the sting of the wounds on her arm, aggravated by the salt of her tears. Her arm trembled slightly, and she let it drop, trying to conceal it within the wide sleeves of her robe.

“Earlier your Aunt Xin said you struck one of her maids,” Emperor Wen said, his voice lacking conviction. After all these years of neglect, now he was doubting her.

But formalities had to be observed, or the Xin family would not let the matter rest.

Hearing the emperor mention her, Consort Xin immediately stepped forward, pointing at Wen Ying and berating her: “Your Majesty, don’t be fooled by her! How could someone who could beat a maid like that have grown up suffering neglect?”

Noble Consort Xin’s words now seemed feeble, but she still wanted to say a few things. Just then, the old servant woman was brought in. After being whipped in the Punishment Bureau, the woman looked utterly drained. She knelt and repeated the exact same accusations Noble Consort Xin had initially made.

Wen Ying offered no defense. Instead, she slowly walked forward, rolling up her sleeves as she went, revealing the gruesome wounds beneath. The injuries, poorly bandaged, had begun to bleed again.

“Your Majesty, look do you think I inflicted these wounds upon myself?”

Everyone who saw the injuries couldn’t help but gasp. Even the noble young ladies, no strangers to court intrigue, couldn’t hide their disdain for Noble Consort Xin, who had struck first with false accusations.

Despite having climbed to such heights through her family’s influence, she remained unsatisfied, determined to crush even the most insignificant princesses. Over the years, Noble Consort Xin’s family had flaunted their power in the capital, and many had long grown resentful of them.

Now, numerous voices rose in Wen Ying’s defense. Noble Consort Xin was stunned she hadn’t expected the tide to turn so swiftly. Accustomed to the comfort of the inner palace, any shift in opinion away from her favor sent her into a panic.

“How dare you side with this motherless, worthless wretch! Do you not fear my family will have each of you impeached?” The moment these words left her mouth, Fu Qingyin, seated nearby, couldn’t suppress a laugh. She hadn’t realized Noble Consort Xin could be so foolish.

Emperor Wen, predictably, flew into a rage. The man who had never known restraint struck Noble Consort Xin across the face and roared, “All these years, you and your family have abused your power, and you thought I knew nothing? Now you dare flaunt it openly? It seems neither you nor your family are fit to continue enjoying the Emperor’s grace.”

Seizing the moment, Emperor Wen issued an edict before the assembled crowd: “Noble Consort Xin and her family have acted with malice, conspiring to frame a member of the imperial bloodline. Out of mercy for past affections, I hereby demote Noble Consort Xin to Noble Lady and confine her to the palace. Her family, guilty of corruption and meddling in court appointments, shall henceforth be stripped of their titles and stipends. Any further offenses will not be tolerated.”

A separate decree would soon be delivered to Noble Consort Xin’s family.

By the time Noble Consort Xin processed the words, it was too late even to weep. She threw herself at Emperor Wen’s feet, desperate to speak, but the imperial guards held her back, preventing her from getting close.

Wen Ying kept her head bowed, tears falling onto her embroidered slippers. She remained silent, listening as the farce dragged on, though she noticed that whatever Fu Qingyin had done to Noble Consort Xin’s robes had yet to take effect.

“Wen Ying, return to your quarters for now. The imperial physicians will attend to you shortly.” Wen Ying understood that the ease with which this matter had been resolved was only because Emperor Wen had long intended to deal with Noble Consort Xin and her family. The evidence of their corruption had already been prepared.

As for her, she was merely incidental.

Wen Ying knew that after this, she would likely be moved to a central palace, forced to engage in the endless squabbles with the other princesses. She wanted no part of it. She thought of Fu Qingyin’s words: Let’s go to a small village.

“Father, I have one request.” Wen Ying knew Fu Qingyin, as a hostage, could never leave openly, so she didn’t mention her. She would simply have Fu Qingyin disguise herself as a maid and sneak out with her later.

“Speak, Wen Ying. Your father will grant you anything.” With so many witnesses, Emperor Wen had no choice but to comply. Wen Ying asked to leave the palace without the need for a separate residence.

“No need for a separate residence? Then where will you live?” Emperor Wen had expected Wen Ying to request permission to leave the palace and establish her own household, but he hadn’t anticipated that she wouldn’t need one.

Wen Ying continued, “Because Wen Ying wants to go out and explore. If Father Emperor is willing, then just prepare a modest house for me. It doesn’t need to be extravagant otherwise, I wouldn’t be able to afford it.”

Seeing the resolute determination in Wen Ying’s eyes, Emperor Wen had no choice but to nod. After all, this year another princess was also set to leave the palace and establish her own residence. With the national treasury depleted, Wen Ying’s request for a simple dwelling actually aligned perfectly with the emperor’s own interests.

Fu Qingyin naturally didn’t miss the calculating glint in Emperor Wen’s eyes. Indeed, when it came to his daughters leaving the palace, the emperor would only ever consider whether it benefited him.

Support The Flirtatious Beauty Decides to Steal the Princess