"What is this?" i Changfeng asked the Deputy General, pointing at the old donkey.
Before the Deputy General could open his mouth, the soldier leading the donkey said, "Reporting to the official, this is an old donkey."
After finishing his sentence, he nodded seriously, his lips twisted so much they could barely contain his teeth.
Official i adjusted his hat, feeling a lump of frustration stuck in his chest, neither rising nor falling.
Were these rascals dragging out an old donkey to mock him?!
i Changfeng simply couldn’t swallow this insult.
"This is outrageous!" He didn’t wait for a second response before he mounted his own carriage. After a while, he suddenly flung open the curtain and pointed at the Deputy General’s nose, scolding, "I am going to seek a justification from His Majesty himself! You dare to insult !"
He then dropped the curtain heavily, "Drive, to the palace!"
As they watched Official i’s carriage disappear into the distance, his subordinates looked at the Deputy General with concern, "Have we caused trouble?"
The Deputy General sneered, "We offered him the best horse in the camp and he didn’t want it. What right does he have to complain to His Majesty? Even if His Majesty issued an Imperial Edict, I wouldn’t be afraid."
That was exactly what he said upon arrival at the palace.
Inside the palace.
Chu Qi was feeling irritated as he watched i Changfeng, with tears streaming down his face, standing before him complaining about the unfair treatnt he received in the military and how the soldiers had disrespected him.
Anyway, he spoke very convincingly, making it clear between the lines that he didn’t want to go back.
"Your Majesty, please be rciful, I am old and truly unfit for military camp. Please, do not send back there."
Chu Qi tossed the food in his hand into the pond. The water’s surface was crowded with colorful fish vying to gobble it up.
He slowly twirled his finger around.
"At this mont, the Imperial Court is indeed in desperate need of personnel. Official i has always been a loyal and steadfast pillar of our Chu Kingdom. Now I am in need of loyal officials like you. Are you truly unwilling?"
"Old... this official certainly isn’t unwilling..." i Changfeng stuttered, terrified, "This matter is clearly..."
"But at first, didn’t soone bring you a fine horse which you yourself refused?" Chu Qi added.
Official i’s face gradually turned the color of liver: "But they can’t just bring out an old donkey, that’s obviously an insult to ."
"Could it be that things at ho haven’t been comfortable for Official i?" Chu Qi deftly changed the subject.
Official i: "???"
"What do you an, Your Majesty?"
"Or else why would Official i always be so paranoid and misinterpret everything?" Chu Qi placed the plate on the stone table and stepped forward with hands behind his back, "In the military camp, it is only fitting to have towering, grand horses. These soldiers even managed to find an old donkey for you, which is an accomplishnt in itself. Instead of appreciating their effort, you ca to lodge a complaint. Did you also conduct yourself in such a manner before the late Emperor, my father?"
"This official wouldn’t dare!" i Changfeng imdiately knelt down, cold sweat beading on his forehead.
"Wouldn’t dare?" Chu Qi’s tone beca even more nacing, "It seems to that you’re very daring indeed!"
This ti i Changfeng didn’t even dare to raise his head.
"You previously skimd from military provisions, and I had intended to strip you of your official cap. Su Bai pleaded with on your behalf, citing your service as an old official, asking to spare your life. Yet, how did the i Family conduct itself? The Imperial Edict was issued in the evening; that very night, my Consort i pressed Su Bai to co forward, and Su Bai didn’t argue, granting the i Family plenty of dignity. But what about you? Far from being grateful, you were overreaching and trying to suppress soone who stood up for you!"
At these words, i Changfeng’s forehead nearly touched the ground.
His daughter had indeed acted in this manner; i Changfeng had no way to argue against it.
The Emperor was purposely sending Su Bai to prison to motivate him.
He almost made a huge mistake!
At this realization, i Changfeng’s entire body was soaked through, "This official is guilty, I beg Your Majesty for rcy!"
"rcy?" Chu Qi suddenly let out a laugh, making i Changfeng’s spine tingle with an intense prickling pain.
He said, "I sent you to the military camp to soothe the soldiers, and you complain about them insulting you with a donkey. You refuse the way out I personally offered you, Official i. Well, then I’m afraid I can’t help you."
Having said that, Chu Qi turned and walked away.
Kneeling on the ground alone, i Changfeng watched Chu Qi’s imperial yellow figure recede and felt like crying without any tears.
What am I to do with this?
I’m hitting walls at every turn.
With no other options, i Changfeng had no choice but to seek help from his daughter once again.
When Concubine i heard from the palace maid that her father was waiting outside, she tossed aside the embroidery in her hands.
They had parted ways on bad terms last ti, her heart deeply wounded by her own father.
Yet, now that her father was truly in trouble, she couldn’t just stand by and do nothing.
Indeed, as he had said, if the i Family fell, it would benefit her not at all.
She hadn’t been in the Imperial Court’s favor for long, and rumors had already started circulating in the palace.
If the i Family fell, how could she maintain her position within the palace?
"Summon him," thought Concubine i, instructing the palace maid to quickly bring her father in.
As soon as i Changfeng entered, a smile imdiately spread across his face.
"My daughter, your father apologizes. In my haste, I misspoke and hurt your feelings. After returning ho and reflecting upon my words, I felt great remorse and thus made this special trip to the palace to see you."
Concubine i felt a slight sense of relief, "Father, what are you saying? We are a family after all. I haven’t taken your words to heart."
"You truly understand the ways of the world; you are indeed your father’s legitimate eldest daughter." i Changfeng breathed a sigh of relief, having thought he would need to cajole her further. To his surprise, Concubine i was not angry this ti. It seed her ti spent in the palace had honed her temperant. Had she been at ho, she might have sulked and made a fuss for days or even weeks.
Concubine i nodded and beckoned i Changfeng to sit, signaling for the palace maids to prepare tea.
"Father, did you see His Majesty today during your visit to the palace?"
i Changfeng nodded, his expression sowhat troubled.
"Is His Majesty still protecting that Su Bai?" Concubine i felt extrely uncomfortable at the re ntion of Su Bai.
i Changfeng let out a long sigh, "There’s sothing I want to ask you, and you must be honest with ."
"Please ask, Father."
"You had no conflict with Su Bai before, so what exactly is the reason that you suddenly latched onto her and refused to let go?" Before coming, i Changfeng had thought the issue over and realized the problem lay with his own daughter.
A hint of unease flickered across Concubine i’s face.
"It’s because of Princess Wuyang."
"What do you an?" i Changfeng frowned slightly, "She has not shown herself from the beginning to the end of this affair. What does it have to do with you?"
"I overheard Princess Wuyang’s maid chatting with soone, saying that His Majesty had unsuccessfully sought to wed Su Bai. In a secret chamber, he even kept her portrait to pine over. I was overtaken by emotion upon hearing this and that’s why..."
At this point, Concubine i actually had long suspected it might have been a trap.
But it was her own irrationality that led her into this ga; she had no one to bla but herself.
After hearing this, i Changfeng fell into deep thought.
"Princess Wuyang has long fallen out of favor. Her petty sches are truly tireso, but the ultimate beneficiary of this situation isn’t her. My daughter, think carefully, in whose sleeping quarters has His Majesty been residing these days?"
Concubine i had a sudden realization.
In these past days, Chu Qi had actually been staying in Concubine Chen’s palace!
"I rember now, it was she who led there that day, where I overheard those maids’ conversation. I never imagined that this vile woman would end up being the one to profit from fishing in troubled waters," Concubine i said, slamming her hand down on the table. Her palm ached, yet it did nothing to quell the rage in her heart.
Seeing her like this, i Changfeng shook his head with regret, "Not necessarily, Concubine Chen’s brother is under my command; she may not have thought up such a sche."
"Then, Father, who do you suggest is responsible?" Concubine i was confused.
She felt her mind spinning, unable to keep up.
i Changfeng shook his head, "I do not know; the situation is still obscured by mist, unseeable. But for us of the i Family, whoever it is bodes no good."
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