"Today marks the birth of my little prince, and Grand Tutor Qin’s matter can be postponed to another day," Xiao Pingfeng said as he looked at the elder on the ground, his dark eyes flashing a warning.
One could guess it was about the matter concerning Qin Erya.
"Your Highness, an unfilial daughter has erged from this old subject’s house, and I feel deeply ashad. If Your Highness does not punish , I will not be able to eat or sleep in peace!" Qin Jun, an old man of great age, prostrated himself on the ground.
It was quite an uncomfortable scene to witness.
Xiao Pingfeng knew that today’s incident could not be easily settled.
So he placed the swaddling clothes in Sun Lianyi’s arms and said softly, "Mother-in-law, should Wanwan wake up, send soone to fetch ."
"Stop kneeling. Help the Grand Tutor up. Don’t shorten my life span," he said, his deanor untroubled, as he walked toward the exit.
Qin Jun’s expression did not change as he was helped up slowly by a palace attendant.
Sun Lianyi happened to be going inside with the swaddling clothes. She subconsciously turned her head and locked eyes with Qin Jun in midair.
All she saw was his gaze, dark and profound as the black sea, resting on the swaddle in her arms...
Sun Lianyi held the swaddling clothes tighter, her brow furrowed heavily, her heart skipping a beat. Could this old rogue actually be contemplating harming the little prince?!
With this thought, she stopped in her tracks and turned around, "Grand Tutor, please wait."
"What instructions does Lady Sun have?" said Qin Jun, his tone unpleasant. Beneath the cover of night, he had torn off his guise of hypocrisy, not even pretending to keep up appearances any longer.
Witnessing this, Sun Lianyi let out a cold laugh.
"The matter regarding the legitimate daughter of the Qin Family, Qin Erya, offending the Crown Princess Consort is sothing that our Duke of Zhenguo’s residence will not let go of easily." She stood erect, her gaze piercing.
At this mont, she was not only protecting the lineage of the Dawei Imperial Family but also a mother seeking justice for her own daughter.
Qin Jun heard her.
He could feel Sun Lianyi’s determination. This forr Hong Ying, having been baptized through the grief of her father’s death, had beco even more distinct and clear-cut.
"Since the Grand Tutor has other matters with Your Highness, I will not bother you any longer." Sun Lianyi retracted her gaze, holding the sleeping little prince in her arms, and turned to enter the tent.
The mont she entered, Yan Hongzhao ca to greet her.
"Mother..."
"Hongzhao, get ready. This ti, our Duke of Zhenguo’s residence will not back down!" Sun Lianyi’s eyes were resolute.
No one could insult her, Sun Lianyi’s children. No one!
For the so-called greater good, she had endured a lifeti. In the end, any Tom, Dick, or Harry thought they could trample on her. She really did not see the sense in living like that anymore!
Yan Hongzhao’s eyes reddened slightly as she gave a firm nod.
Yes, her sister had just survived a life-and-death experience and was nearly gone forever!
That Qin Erya obviously did it on purpose!
Sly and malicious, her intent was deserving of death!
"I will go and quietly gather my forr subordinates. If the Qin Family wants to play tough, we will not shrink away," she said, her robes fluttering as she lifted the tent flap and walked out.
Left in the tent were Yan Wanqing, who had fallen into a deep sleep, and Yan Lingzhen, who was leaning against the consort’s chair, her body still covered in blood, breathing softly through parted lips, oblivious to the world.
This ordeal had exhausted the children.
Sun Lianyi held the little prince, also asleep in his swaddling clothes, and sat down on a chair, waiting to later send him over for nursing when her elder daughter woke up.
...
"Your... Your Highness..." Qin Huai was feeding Qin Erya water when Xiao Pingfeng walked in.
Just as he was about to bow, he saw the impatient Crown Prince wave his hand dismissively.
"Speak," said the Crown Prince.
Qin Jun took slow steps into the tent, "Your Highness, why..." Why had he co directly to their tent?
"Don’t beat around the bush; I am not in the mood for it," Xiao Pingfeng said, glancing at Qin Huai, who was seething with indignation: "The Qin Family has contributed greatly, and Grand Tutor Qin has served through three reigns. I have taken all this into account, but it doesn’t an..." his tone growing colder: "that you may abuse and even attempt to take the life of my wife!"
"I dare not!" Qin Jun was about to kneel as he spoke when Qin Huai quickly put down the cup to help him, "Father!"
The Crown Prince, who had long since dispensed with formal salutations, now stood straight like a cold slab of stone, accepting the obeisance from Grand Tutor Qin as a matter of course.
Under imperial authority, the Emperor cos first, and the teacher follows.
"Qin Erya conspired with rebels, using the Concentric Gu to attempt controlling , Grand Tutor Qin," Xiao Pingfeng’s lips curled into a slight arc, "Are these your doings, dressed up as her foolish desires caused by infatuation or, to be more blunt, your own machinations? Could it be that the Qin Family, having been bestowed with riches and honor for too long, now yearns to gaze upon the scenery from above the seat of power?"
Every word was like a pearl, flawless.
They almost forbade any possibility of refutation.
This was the authority of the Emperor!
This was the majesty of the Son of Heaven!
Xiao Pingfeng had always respected the Grand Tutor Qin for his advanced age, often submitting himself as a student, yet he never expected that it would lead the Qin Family to develop such arrogance as to try and control him.
"This old servant would not dare!" Qin Jun called out urgently.
Kneeling beside him, Qin Huai’s forehead was covered in cold sweat, "Father has devoted his heart to Dawei, heaven and earth can bear witness, how could the Crown Prince say such things, shattering the old servant’s heart and leaving the whole realm chilled to the core!"
"And what about !" Xiao Pingfeng slapped his chest hard, "At every turn, it is your hearts that are chilled, am I not afforded the right to be aggrieved?"
He stord to the entrance and forcefully tore down the curtain, revealing a crowd of ministers outside. He scoffed, "Ever since Father ascended on a crane to the west, anything that does not suit your fancy leads to tears, tantrums, even threats of suicide, willing to smash your skulls on the pillars of the Golden Throne Hall, or hang yourselves from the beams of my Imperial Study!"
The curtain in his hand was thrown fiercely onto the ground, "Co, today I shall grant your wishes. Whoever wants to die, I am ready to issue the decree to expedite your journey!"
"Crown Prince, please calm your anger!" Another group of people fell to their knees.
Xiao Pingfeng strode around, his sneer returning as his gaze fell upon Qin Jun on the ground, "Calm my anger? What anger should I calm? Speak reason to you, but you refuse to listen, insisting on coming here seeking a scolding. I announced today that the Crown Princess Consort and her child are safe, which should have been cause for joy, yet so presumptuous fools dare to spoil my mood."
He stripped off his dragon-embroidered robe and even trampled on it on the ground, "At any rate, this Emperorship doesn’t bring joy, I refuse to hold it any longer. You all seem to like discussing, don’t you? For the enthronent ceremony, you people decide among yourselves who is fit for it, since I shall not be attending."
The courtiers had never seen such posturing.
Among the three generations of Emperors in Dawei, none had been this unreasonable and lawless, even more so than hooligans on the streets.
And yet this man was once known as the glory of scholars across the land, the Crown Prince renowned for his gentle and refined deanor!
The ministers were frightened to tears.
The Crown Prince was driven mad by the Grand Tutor Qin, what to do now...
"Your Highness must not speak so recklessly!" Qin Huai trembled all over, knocking his head forcefully on the ground toward Xiao Pingfeng, causing Xiao’s eyelids to twitch at the dull sound.
Sure enough, when he looked up again, his forehead was bleeding profusely!
Qin Jun declared resolutely, "Crown Prince, you must not act like a petulant child. Dawei cannot be left without a master. If you find this old servant disagreeable, just offer a cup of poisoned wine, but you must not treat the state as child’s play. Doing so would fail the illustrious ancestors of the Xiao Family!"
This ti he was being pressured using the ancestors.
"How dare I condemn to death Grand Tutor Qin, with your countless students outside, each one a letter, that would be enough for to drink several pots," Xiao Pingfeng narrowed his eyes, "I respect your old age, and will not quarrel with you, the debt has its debtor."
In full view of everyone, he curled his lip, revealing a wanton smile.
"Soone, offer the elixir to Miss Qin of the Qin Family."
A bowl of thick soup was brought in by Ding Dang.
Xiao Pingfeng, from his high position, declared, "Isn’t the Qin Family eager to prove its undying loyalty, never resorting to the Concentric Gu to control ? Drink this bowl of liquid, and I will believe you."
That bowl, exuding a bitter scent, was clearly no ordinary dicine.
Qin Erya, lying on the bed, sobbed, frantically shaking her head at her grandfather.
She must not drink it, absolutely not!
If she did, all her efforts would be in vain.
"Soone, feed the dicine to the Miss," Qin Jun’s lips quivered as he ordered loudly.
"Father!" Qin Huai could not believe it.
Qin Jun bellowed, "Silence! Feed the Miss her dicine!"
Regardless of how much Qin Erya struggled, the bowl of dicine went down her throat without a drop left.
After drinking the dicine, Qin Erya collapsed on the couch like a discarded rag.
That was a potion to destroy a woman’s ability to bear children.
"...What a ruthless heart the Crown Prince has."
Her voice shook.
Xiao Pingfeng didn’t so much as glance at her, "Now, you should be thankful for the gu within you, for if it were not for that, you’d be facing dismbernt by five horses."
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