Ninth Imperial Glorious Phoenix Chapter 755

Chapter 755 Don’t Humiliate Yourself

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Before leaving, Mingzhu replied seriously, “There’s no need to say such things, Your Majesty. At your age, why make things difficult for yourself?” She intended to make one last attempt to advise the Great Empress Dowager. If she got angry, Mingzhu decided she would never try again. Surprisingly, the Great Empress Dowager, after a moment of silence, didn’t get angry. She only said, “There are some things I’ll consider. You should go back now.”

Mingzhu bowed and exited. Just as she reached the door, she heard the Great Empress Dowager say, “As for Ji Hui, if you truly don’t want her involved, let her be.”

Confused, Mingzhu asked, “What do you mean?”

The Great Empress Dowager replied, “It was a kind gesture from the Ji family. Since she’s already here, she can’t be sent back, nor can she be neglected. Let her stay with me; you don’t need to worry about her.”

Her attitude shift was so drastic that Mingzhu paused, stunned. The Great Empress Dowager, seeing her silence, became slightly annoyed, “What, do you think all I do is scheme to make you uncomfortable?”

“Since you’ve thought it through, that’s for the best,” Mingzhu replied, sensing the Great Empress Dowager’s rising anger. She swiftly changed the subject, “I have other imperial consorts to visit. Please rest early, Your Majesty.”

The Great Empress Dowager waved her off.

The wet nurse emerged with the two children, and Su Lan softly reported to Mingzhu, “They didn’t eat anything. Though tempted, they couldn’t manage to eat.” Zhuangzhuang couldn’t eat, and Millet was too young, primarily nursing. Since they’d been fed before coming, neither touched the food at Changxin Palace.

Mingzhu nodded, took Zhuangzhuang, and talked to him while walking out. Su Lan lightly tugged at her sleeve and whispered, “Linan Wangfei is here.”

The Wusun Princess, with a maid, walked towards Mingzhu with her head held high. The two groups met head-on. The Wusun Princess first stared at Mingzhu for a while, then shifted her gaze to Zhuangzhuang and Millet. After a flicker of envy, she gave a sarcastic smile and curtseyed to Mingzhu, “It’s been a while, Sister-in-law. You’re as graceful as ever.”

Mingzhu extended a hand in a faux gesture of support, smiling sweetly, “It’s been a while, Ninth Sister-in-law. You look more radiant.”

The Wusun Princess felt a surge of resentment and frustration. She had tried everything after marrying Yuwen You but still had no children. Now, with Yuwen You in Yicheng, he hadn’t sent for her, leaving her alone in an unfamiliar place. The loneliness and isolation were unbearable. Though she wasn’t yet twenty, she felt she had aged considerably. Mingzhu’s comment about her looking radiant felt like a cruel irony.

Angrily, The Wusun Princess retorted, “I can’t compare to you, Sixth Sister-in-law, who has everything: achievements, children, filial piety, and reputation, with your husband devoted solely to you. Even a talented beauty like Ji Hui can’t overshadow you. You hoard all the good fortune without sharing, aren’t you afraid of attracting envy?”

Zheng Momo angrily interjected, “Linan Wangfei, mind your words!”

The Wusun Princess, unfazed, sneered, “And who might this be? Is it true that in the Regent’s residence, everyone, even the pets, rises with the favored one?”

Mingzhu laughed lightly, “It seems you’ve been busy this past year, not only mastering the language but also learning our customs. I truly admire your dedication.”

The Wusun Princess felt even more insulted, thinking Mingzhu mocked her for being idle and learning the language out of sheer boredom. She was about to retort when Mingzhu, unhurriedly, said, “But remember, you’re not one of us. You might grasp the surface but not the essence. You know to accuse my Momo of disrespect, yet you forget to respect your elders. Speaking rudely to your elder sister-in-law isn’t virtuous.”

With a charming smile, Mingzhu added, “I don’t know why you’re angry with me, but as your sister-in-law, I must remind you: a woman’s beauty fades quickly if she’s always angry and petty.”

The Wusun Princess, trembling with rage, stepped forward, “Are you calling me old?”

Donghui stepped forward, ready for a confrontation, but Mingzhu signaled her to hold back. Standing tall, she looked at the Wusun Princess in the eye and said sternly, “Don’t disgrace yourself.”

The maid behind The Wusun Princess quickly pulled her back and whispered something in Wusun language to calm her down. The Wusun Princess glared hatefully at Mingzhu and was about to spit on the ground when a cold hand suddenly covered her mouth. Donghui, with a stern expression, whispered, “To prevent the Wangfei from doing something harmful and regrettable, I offer you a silencing patch.”

The Wusun Princess’s face flushed red. She raised her eyebrows, ready to strike Donghui, but Mingzhu quickly grabbed her wrist. Moving closer, Mingzhu softly warned, “I don’t know why you treat me like an enemy and try to insult me without reason. But I can responsibly advise you not to do something you’ll regret. If you dare spit, I’ll make you lick it off the ground!”

With that, Mingzhu forcefully released the Wusun Princess’s hand and signaled to Donghui, “Let her go. There’s no need to engage with a madwoman.”

Donghui withdrew her hand, took out a handkerchief to wipe off the lip balm that had transferred onto her, and gave a curt nod to the Wusun Princess before following Mingzhu away.

“How dare she be so arrogant!” The Wusun Princess trembled with rage, her face alternating between red and white. She desperately wanted to chase after Mingzhu and stab her a dozen times. But she didn’t dare spit because she knew Mingzhu meant what she said and would make her lick it up. The consequences for Mingzhu would be minimal, a mere scolding, while she would have to endure the humiliation.

Suddenly, she heard a soft laugh from the side. “Auntie, why are you only arriving now?” Fu Zifei, with two palace attendants, approached leisurely. “You’re late today. The Great Empress Dowager was just asking about you, wondering why you hadn’t come to tell her stories about Wusun. She even joked that maybe Ninth Uncle had kept you behind, not wanting to be disturbed, as your reunion was like a second honeymoon.”

This made The Wusun Princess’s face darken even more. Fu Zifei, pretending to be surprised, took her hand, “Auntie, what happened? Did you have a fight with Ninth Uncle? It’s not right for me to say this, but Ninth Uncle rarely comes back. Why fight with him and let others benefit?”

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