Compared to Princess Baorong’s dazzling brilliance, like a celestial consort, Qi Wang looked like a street vagabond—scruffy beard, unkempt, extremely jarring to the eye.
Princess Baorong’s expression immediately darkened. “How have you all been taking care of him?!”
She had always been favored before the Emperor, even daring to disregard Empress Feng’s face. When Eunuch Xu and the others heard her scolding, they were so scared that they immediately dropped to their knees without a word.
The entire room fell completely silent, afraid to even breathe.
Fortunately, Princess Baorong frowned right away: “Kneeling? Go wait outside!”
Eunuch Xu and the others felt as if they’d been pardoned, and quickly withdrew.
The room was left with only the two siblings.
Qi Wang wiped the anger off his face and spoke more gently to his sister: “Did Royal Mother send you?”
He paused, then his expression darkened again: “I’ve been unfilial, bringing shame to Royal Mother and causing such a disaster.”
The news of Cheng Wang and Second Master Liu’s affairs had spread everywhere.
Noble Consort Xiao Liu clearly did nothing wrong, yet the iron censor kept calling her a demon consort.
This time, with Qi Jin hanging himself at the Mansion gate, although he tried to suppress rumors, there would surely be opportunists using this to attack the Liu family and Mother.
Suddenly, Qi Wang slapped himself hard: “I’m truly useless!”
At first, he had arrogantly thought Qi Yuan was a self-righteous waste.
But unexpectedly, he was led around by Qi Yuan at every turn.
Princess Baorong immediately reached out and pressed his hand, coldly snorting, “Quite a lot has happened recently.”
She lowered her voice: “But it’s alright. Royal Mother’s status before Royal Father is extraordinary. None of this will shake her foundation.”
Her voice was always soft and gentle, like a babbling mountain stream, soothing all irritation.
Qi Wang felt a bit better inside and sighed heavily: “Royal Mother must be very sad, right?”
She was so close with their uncle.
Princess Baorong nodded: “Of course. Blood is thicker than water. How could Royal Mother not be sad? Even Second Uncle was raised by her. Losing two brothers in a row, the pain in her heart is unimaginable.”
Before Qi Wang could reply, she pressed his hand again: “So now more than ever, you can’t afford to mess up. Otherwise, how is Royal Mother supposed to live?”
Qi Wang, in pain and anxiety, choked back tears as he struck his own leg: “But my leg is ruined!”
The matter of his leg had already been brought up by Duke Chu in the palace with Noble Consort Xiao Liu.
Her illness was also because of this.
Princess Baorong raised an eyebrow, her gaze landing on Qi Wang’s leg: “So you’re giving up on life? The divine doctor hasn’t said it’s completely incurable yet. Even if it is, so what?”
What did she mean by “so what”?
Qi Wang felt his sister didn’t understand pain: “You don’t get it. If my leg fails…”
What connection does the throne have with me then?
What was the point of all my effort these years?
Princess Baorong chuckled lightly: “Can’t be emperor because you’re lame? Even a fool can be emperor! In the end, those with power can make deer into horses and command as they wish. Instead of wallowing here, think of a way not to do something that makes loved ones hurt and enemies happy!”
For some reason, looking at Princess Baorong made Qi Wang feel like he could see Qi Yuan’s shadow.
The two were very much alike.
Qi Yuan would stop at nothing to achieve her goals.
Princess Baorong was no less ruthless.
When they were young, to help Noble Consort Xiao Liu gain favor, she would jump into icy lakes by herself.
Whenever she needed to be ill, she was always sick just the right amount.
So Noble Consort Xiao Liu always obeyed her completely.
Looking at his sister now, Qi Wang was a little dazed: “She’s almost like she has divine help. I’ve tried so many methods…”
Admitting failure was difficult.
But in front of his sister, it didn’t matter.
After all, Princess Baorong was much more composed than him.
Hearing this, Princess Baorong laughed loudly: “Divine help? Brother, are you crazy?”
She said lightly, “If she really had divine help, it wouldn’t matter.”
Because she never believed in things like divine help.
Qi Wang rarely argued with his sister, but hearing this, he only irritably scratched his head: “I’m wrong all over, no matter what I do, it’s wrong…”
Princess Baorong clicked her tongue: “Brother, you really are blinded.”
She laughed gently: “Look at you, locked inside the mansion reflecting for so long. Isn’t it time to visit Royal Father and Royal Mother in the palace?”
Qi Wang looked bitterly at his leg again: “With my leg like this, where can I go?!”
How could he enter the palace?
How explain his injury?
Princess Baorong glanced at him: “Go anywhere you can!”
***
New Year’s Eve was approaching, and the palace grew lively.
Especially in the Southern Garden, Annan had newly tributed a pair of divine birds, multicolored and very beautiful.
Princess Baorong was very interested, pestering Yongchang Emperor to accompany her to see the birds.
Yongchang Emperor always doted on his daughter, and with the New Year near, he naturally didn’t refuse such a small request, smiling as he agreed.
He also knew recent troubles at Duke Chu’s mansion had made his daughter’s mood sour.
So he said straightforwardly, “If you like, I’ll grant you those divine birds. What divine birds? They’re just colorful pheasants.”
Princess Baorong sighed softly: “Royal Father, I like them, but just seeing them once is enough. Right now, if you gifted me those, who knows what the censors would say?”
At this, Yongchang Emperor frowned.
He knew those censors loved rumors and reports, but recently had been targeting Duke Chu’s mansion and Qi Wang’s mansion too closely.
Every day, it was either Duke Chu’s or Qi Wang’s affairs dragged out to discuss.
Like an old lady’s foot cloth—stinky and endless.
He snorted: “I grant my daughter gifts, what fault can they find?”
Then frowned again: “But your brother really should cultivate himself. He keeps stirring up trouble. This year alone, there have been endless impeachment petitions against him! He’s becoming more and more disgraceful.”
Princess Baorong sighed: “Come to think of it, I haven’t seen my brother for many days. Even when uncle had trouble… brother was locked inside the mansion…”
