74: Chapter 74: There is Sothing Wrong with that Hairpin 74: Chapter 74: There is Sothing Wrong with that Hairpin “Father, I disagree,” Li Mingjue furrowed his brows, his tone firm as he refused in the Imperial Study Room.
Li Tianze had not expected this reaction from him.
“Although Princess Lingya hails from Tulan, she is genuinely sincere toward you.”
He paced with his hands behind his back, his expression grim, “For this political marriage, Tulan has shown full sincerity.
Do none of these move your heart?”
Although he too was reluctant to marry his son to a foreign woman, Tulan was willing to cede thirteen cities and ten thousand taels of gold.
This grand gesture, even he had to consider carefully.
Li Mingjue hung his head but did not waver: “Father, your son will not marry Princess Lingya.”
“Why?” Seeing his obstinate refusal, Li Tianze also grew sowhat irate.
Was it just for that foolish Qi Yu?
In his eyes, Qi Yu was nowhere worthy of being the Prince’s Consort.
She was rely a concubine from the Pri Minister Residence, offering no benefit whatsoever to his son.
Allowing her to marry into the Prince Residence was already a trendous favor.
Li Mingjue was well aware of his thought process, but he was determined on this one person, never considering taking another.
He spoke in an even tone, “Father, I have already stated, having one consort in the Prince Residence is sufficient.”
Li Tianze couldn’t understand his stubbornness, “You are a Prince, what does it matter if there is one more person living in the residence?”
Even if he truly disliked Princess Lingya, just keeping her well in the Prince Residence would suffice.
Li Mingjue looked up at him, his gaze resolute: “Please grant this, Father.”
Seeing that persuasion was futile, Li Tianze could only leave with his hands behind him and go to the Imperial Garden to clear his mind.
Zhou Fu saw that the two had been at an impasse all morning with no resolution, and he sighed silently as he watched the Prince kneeling on the ground.
This matter was too troubleso.
“You may rise now, Prince,” Zhou Fu approached to help him up only after Li Tianze had left.
Li Mingjue did not move, “Thank you for your kind intentions, Eunuch, but unless Father changes his mind, this prince cannot leave.”
Zhou Fu also felt helpless, as the temperants of this father and son were cast from the sa mold.
Both equally stubborn, neither willing to bow first.
He could only discreetly send a small eunuch to the Noble Consort to pass a ssage to the Princess, hoping she could persuade the Prince.
Otherwise, it was not proper to keep kneeling like this.
In the Imperial Garden, Li Tianze watched the hastily approaching Zhou Fu and snorted coldly, “You certainly know how to play your part.”
Zhou Fu offered a forced smile, “These words are too harsh, Your Majesty.
I rely wish to alleviate Your Majesty’s worries.”
Rembering Li Mingjue’s uncompromising deanor, Li Tianze could not help but complain, “Am I not doing this for his own good?
Princess Lingya is much better than the Prince’s current consort!”
He was also frustrated.
Observing that the Prince Residence was lacking in companions, and just when a suitable match presented itself, he had decided to send soone over.
But Li Mingjue not only showed no gratitude, but he also rebuked him in front of so many people.
How could he not be angry?
Seeing this, Zhou Fu also pretended to sigh, “How could I not understand Your Majesty’s intentions?
But if Prince Qiu is unwilling, who can force him?”
As Li Tianze was brooding, he suddenly saw Noble Consort Wang running towards him, crying and wailing.
“Your Majesty, you must stand up for your concubine!” Noble Consort Wang threw herself into his arms, sobbing.
Li Tianze frowned, impatiently asking, “What now?”
Noble Consort Wang wiped her tears and said, “That Prince’s Consort is just too much!”
Hearing the words ‘Prince’s Consort’, Li Tianze’s anger flared up again.
He asked coldly, “What has the Princess of Prince Qiu done again?”
Noble Consort An was startled by his anger and, seeing his displeasure, quickly said, “Your Majesty may not know, but just now at Noble Consort De’s place, the Princess of Prince Qiu deliberately made things difficult for Princess Lingya and even smashed the hairpin that the princess had given her, causing the princess to bleed from her hand!”
Upon hearing this, Li Tianze’s face instantly darkened.
What a Princess of Prince Qiu, daring to cause trouble in the harem!
“I will go find her myself!”
Noble Consort An, watching Li Tianze’s furious disposition as he was about to go hold soone accountable, suppressed a smile at the corner of her mouth and followed him, lifting her skirt.
“Your Majesty, wait for !”
Zhou Fu felt a darkness before his eyes, for he was still waiting for the Princess of Prince Qiu to persuade Lord Prince Qiu.
He had not expected that in just this short ti, the Princess of Prince Qiu had fallen into a complete ss, unable to protect herself.
He hurriedly sent another eunuch to the Imperial Study Room to report the matter to Prince Qiu, and followed Li Tianze worriedly to where Noble Consort De was.
Qi Yu was dining with Noble Consort De and had only had a few bites when she caught sight of a swarm of people outside.
Upon seeing Li Tianze and Noble Consort An approaching together, Noble Consort De internally sensed sothing amiss and urgently grabbed Qi Yu’s hand, saying, “His Majesty may be coming to accuse us.”
Qi Yu paused with her chopsticks in hand.
Accuse?
Before she could understand what accusation he was making, he had already arrived in the hall.
She could only go forward with Noble Consort De to pay respects first.
“Your Majesty, what brings you here so suddenly?” Noble Consort De asked softly.
Being a woman from Jiangnan, her voice and tone were distinctively gentle, unwittingly easing so of the fury in Li Tianze’s heart.
Li Tianze sat on a chair, his gaze dark as he looked at Qi Yu and asked coldly, “I heard you injured Princess Lingya?”
Qi Yu slightly raised her eyebrows.
So, it was this accusation.
But when had she ever hurt anyone?
She glanced lightly at Noble Consort An, who was enjoying the spectacle beside her, a trace of mockery flashing through her eyes.
Qi Yu responded calmly and confidently, “I do not know from where Father has heard this rumor, but I have not hard Princess Lingya in the least.”
Seeing her assured and composed deanor, Li Tianze was involuntarily sowhat convinced.
Qi Yu’s lips curled slightly as she glanced at Noble Consort An and slowly said, “The injury on the princess’s hand was self-inflicted with a hairpin, and it has absolutely nothing to do with .”
“If Father does not believe , he may question everyone in the hall.
If there is even one lie, I shall imdiately go to the hostel and apologize to Princess Lingya with a broom tied to my back.”
Noble Consort An, feeling sowhat guilty from her gaze, turned her head away to avoid Qi Yu’s eyes.
Li Tianze knew that she dared to make such a statent because she had not committed the act.
Yet he seized on a loophole in her words, his gaze fixating on Qi Yu, “And what about that hairpin?”
Qi Yu answered unhurriedly, “A few days ago, Princess Lingya specially sent soone to deliver a grand gift to the Prince Qiu Residence, and I thought it was sothing significant, but it turned out to be just a hairpin.”
The disdain in her words was very clear, making it seem to the listeners as if she was mocking Princess Lingya for being stingy.
Noble Consort An scoffed, glaring at her, “What about a hairpin?
Do you look down on the gift from the princess?”
In her view, gifting a hairpin was already too generous for this fool!
Qi Yu glanced at her, her mocking eyes undisguised, as if she were looking at a fool.
Noble Consort An’s lips trembled with anger, but she restrained herself from making a scene in front of Li Tianze.
She could only bear the anger for now to see what Qi Yu would say next.
Qi Yu laughed lightly, a trace of chill appearing in her eyes as she spoke emphatically, “It is true that I look down on it, but it is also true that there is sothing wrong with that hairpin.”
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