In the princess' personal palace, sounds of shatters and crashes reverberated from within. All the maids and eunuchs were kneeling on the ground inside the rooms.
Jing Xuan lifted a delicate vase and smashed it to the ground. Another one broken!
Cai'er, her personal maid, pleaded with her in tears, "Princess, please stop smashing the vases. These lowly servants are begging you to stop hurting yourself."
"Get out!" she scolded, "all of you, get out!"
"Princess…"
"I said, get out!" Jing Xuan picked up another crystal cup and threw it heavily to the ground.
She was falling apart. Ever since she was forbidden from going out, she had been smashing things almost every day. When the things she had smashed were replaced, she smashed them again!
In these few days, she had never let a moment pass in peace!
Roars and constant sounds of shattering kept being heard from the princess's chambers in the middle of the night, but neither the eunuchs nor the maids dared to speak up. They could only endure the angry princess again and again.
But today was different. They had never seen Jing Xuan this angry before.
The reason? Because she will be married off to the third prince of Huyi Country.
When she heard the news, she crushed the jade bracelet in her hands. Jing Xuan wanted to go and find her Imperial Mother but was instead told that she was grounded and not allowed to leave her chambers.
So, she flared up again.
As for her marriage, Concubine Xiao had been repeatedly beseeching the Emperor for approval the past few days. The day before yesterday, the Emperor finally caved, thinking that it was about time his daughter should be married.
Thus, Concubine Xiao started to arrange her daughter's dowry. She prepared so much that the whole room was filled to the brim.
When Jing Xuan first overheard the conversation between her Imperial Brother and Imperial Mother, she wanted to complain to her Imperial Father. She didn't expect her mother to be so heartless that she locked her up. She almost hadn't been able to leave her private quarters at all, only had a few maids around for company.
She already had a bellyful of fire from being locked up, but now it's even worse knowing that her family just ordered her to get married, regardless of what she wanted. Moreover, her future husband was not even from Great Lin, but Huyi.
That's so far away! It also meant that she would not be able to return for the rest of her life and would never have the opportunity to reveal the machinations of her Imperial Brother and Imperial Mother. How could she stay calm?
……
All the maids were expelled by her and she closed the door with a slam.
"Princess, please open the door."
"Princess, please don't be angry anymore, what if you hurt yourself?"
"This lowly servant is begging you to please open the door."
...
Jing Xuan leaned against the door and looked at the messy inner chamber. Her body was trembling, and tears streamed down her cheeks. She may be an arrogant princess but she had done nothing wrong. What made Imperial Mother do that to her? How could she stay calm? She clutched both her sleeves tightly and bit her lip with a desolate expression.
At that moment, she made a ruthless decision.
The eunuchs and maids outside knocked on the door for a long time, only to receive no response at all.
At this moment, Concubine Xiao arrived. Looking at the crowd outside the door, she felt displeased and coughed softly.
The crowd turned around and saw Concubine Xiao's stern and displeased expression and immediately kneeled down.
"Greetings, Your Highness." All of them bowed.
"What happened?"
Jing Xuan's personal maid answered, "Your Highness, the princess was furious and had just chased us out and locked the door."
Hmm? Concubine Xiao looked at the closed door. "Why did the princess throw a tantrum again?"
"Because ..." The palace maid stammered.
"Say it." Her tone was severe.
Cai'er was frightened and replied immediately, "The princess acted like this because she knew she was going to be married off."
"Nonsense!" Concubine Xiao was furious and glanced at Sang Lan, who stood beside her, "Open the door."
"Yes."
Sang Lan stepped forward and pushed on the door. It could not be opened, so she knocked on the door.
"Princess, please open the door, Concubine Xiao is here to see you."
"..."
"Princess?" It was quiet inside. Sang Lan turned around, "Your Highness … this..."
Before she could finish speaking, there was a sudden loud noise from inside the room.
Concubine Xiao was shocked. She stepped forward and immediately commanded, "Open the door for me." Her voice was very loud and clear.
The maids and eunuchs realized what had happened and all stood up and hurled themselves at the door. The door finally opened with a bang.
Jing Xuan's trembling body swung in the air. She had tied a white cloth around her neck and hung herself on the beams of her room. Her feet still moved, dangling in the air.
"Xuan'er!" Concubine Xiao shouted. She was panicking and about to faint with worry. Fortunately, Sang Lan caught her and supported her. The maids and eunuchs quickly let Jing Xuan down. Fortunately, she was still alive, just unconscious.
They immediately summoned an imperial physician.
The physician examined Jing Xuan's pulse and prescribed some medicine. "Your Highness, the princess is alright now, don't worry."
Concubine Xiao nodded and rushed to the bedside. Jing Xuan was still unconscious. Her entire face was very pale. Concubine Xiao was worried. Her tears fell down, and she clenched Jing Xuan's thin hands.
"Xuan'er, why are you so silly? Imperial Mother was actually doing this for your own good!" Concubine Xiao choked out. It felt as though her heart was being twisted by a knife. She silently stood by the bed and refused to leave.
Before long, an eunuch came in and bowed, "Your Highness ..."
Concubine Xiao wiped the tears on her face and looked at the eunuch. She then dismissed everyone from the chamber, leaving only her maid Sang Lan beside her.
"Your Highness, Prince Yi sent news."
"Tell me." The eunuch explained everything.
Her expression grew grave as her heart nearly leapt out of her chest. The Ministry of Personnel purposefully tried to frame her son for their actions against Prince Rong. How wonderful. She must get to the bottom of this; if it was Jing Rong who managed to take control of the Ministry of Personnel and worked with the newly appointed Peng Yuanhai to create this counterattack… or if there is someone else backing this person.
Just as she was planning how to investigate, Jing Xuan woke up.
She puts the issue aside for a moment, and hurriedly cared about her daughter, "Xuan'er, how are you feeling?"
Jing Xuan weakly looked at her. Her nose itched with bitterness and tears started forming in her eyes. She hastily pulled back her hand from Concubine Xiao's grasp.
"Why didn't you let me die?" Her voice was pale and weak but filled with pain.
"Xuan Er, how could you do such a foolish thing? If you died, how am I supposed to live without you?"
"Have you ever cared about me?"
"How could I help but care about you? You are my daughter. Haven't I done all these for your own good?"
Hahaha! Jing Xuan sneered."You would rather sacrifice me for Imperial Brother's sake and marry me off to Huyi. This is my great Imperial Mother. From the beginning, my great Imperial Mother deceived me."
"Xuan'er ..."
She was furious as she glared at her 'kind' mother beside the bed.
"If it weren't for you, Sister Yu wouldn't have entered the palace and she would be still alive. You were the one who killed her, and both you and Imperial Brother were the ones who caused First Brother's death!"