Chapter 16
Qiu Chi glanced over but said nothing as she got up to wash.
After she had washed up, Xin'er, the woman who had performed the wedding ceremony with King Jing yesterday, came to pay her respects to Qiu Chi.
“Princess Consort, please have some tea.”
King Jing was sitting nearby. Xin'er took the tea from a maid's hands and approached, feigning respect.
Qiu Chi looked at her but made no move to accept it.
At this, Xin'er's eyes quickly welled with tears. “The Princess Consort won’t accept my tea. Are you still angry with me?”
After speaking, she cast a shy and timid glance at King Jing, then gasped upon seeing the wound on his face. “Your Highness, your face! Who was so bold as to harm you?”
King Jing looked at Qiu Chi beside him, then silently took a sip of water, saying nothing.
Xin'er, however, seemed to understand everything. She looked at Qiu Chi and said with newfound courage, “Princess Consort, it’s one thing to be angry with me, but how could you raise a hand against His Highness? This is truly too much. It’s only because His Highness is good-tempered; otherwise, this would be a capital offense punishable by beheading.”
She frowned slightly, looking at Qiu Chi with an air of disapproval.
Qiu Chi rolled her eyes. “Is the act over? If it is, you can get lost.”
“Princess Consort, how could you…”
Qiu Chi looked at King Jing, who was quietly sipping his tea. “Your person. You deal with her.”
Only then did King Jing put down his teacup. “Didn’t you hear the Princess Consort? Get out of here at once.”
Xin'er looked as if she never expected King Jing to treat her this way. She raised her eyes to him in disbelief, on the verge of tears. “Your Highness…”
King Jing showed not a shred of tenderness, instead frowning with impatience. “Don’t make this king repeat himself.”
Xin'er bit her lip and reluctantly withdrew.
Qiu Chi watched with a cold expression, unsurprised by King Jing’s behavior.
To say he was a scumbag… well, he was devoted to Cui Mingyu and even remained chaste for a time in the beginning.
To say he wasn't a scumbag… he abused Cui Yueyue relentlessly. The manor was filled with women in the early stages, all for the purpose of tormenting Cui Yueyue. Later, when he developed feelings for Cui Yueyue through the abuse, he couldn't let go of Cui Mingyu. In the end, he still allowed Cui Mingyu to torment Cui Yueyue, chose Cui Mingyu at a critical moment, and then, after Cui Yueyue's death, was filled with regret and subjected Cui Mingyu to a round of cruel abuse himself.
Qiu Chi couldn't comprehend his bizarre way of thinking, nor did she want to.
After Xin'er left, King Jing looked at Qiu Chi and said, “We must enter the palace today to pay our respects to the Emperor. Remember to restrain your temper.”
Qiu Chi gave a lazy “mm,” which King Jing took as agreement.
After breakfast, the two set off in a carriage.
They had to disembark at the palace gates and proceed on foot. The moment he stepped out of the carriage, King Jing’s face darkened, as if Qiu Chi owed him millions.
At the palace gates, they encountered Marquis Qingping, who was leaving court.
The Marquis greeted King Jing with a smile. “This Marquis was occupied yesterday and could not attend Your Highness’s wedding. Allow me to offer my congratulations here today.”
King Jing’s already dark expression grew even gloomier. “Is Marquis Qingping mocking this king?”
Marquis Qingping looked surprised. “Why would Your Highness think so? This Marquis is, of course, offering my sincere congratulations.”
Qiu Chi chimed in from the side, reminding him dryly, “Because the one who performed the ceremony with him yesterday wasn't me, and I ruined his wedding. In his eyes, your congratulations are a joke.”
Marquis Qingping gave Qiu Chi a surprised look. Qiu Chi just chuckled, letting him stare.
If she didn't know that this Marquis Qingping would eventually side with King Jing, she might have actually believed their act.
However, someone like King Jing, who wore his emotions so openly on his face, was quite reassuring to the Emperor.
Especially since he would turn hostile at the slightest provocation, openly offending court officials, which put the Emperor even more at ease.
Meeting Qiu Chi’s meaningful gaze, King Jing’s face remained grim. “This is the imperial palace, not a place for you to act presumptuously. If you behave as you did yesterday, you’ll deserve it if you end up dead.”
Qiu Chi gave King Jing a thumbs-up. “Don’t worry. Before I die, I’ll be sure to drag you down with me.”
King Jing’s face darkened several more shades. He snorted coldly, “Reckless!”
The eunuch who came to welcome them approached with a smile. “Your Highnesses, please don’t bicker. The Emperor is waiting. Please, follow me.”
Inside the palace hall, the Emperor smiled when he saw them arrive. “Imperial Brother and Sister-in-law are here. Quickly, grant them seats.”
After the two were seated, the Emperor’s gaze paused on the wound on King Jing’s face. When his eyes shifted to Qiu Chi, a hint of satisfaction flickered within them, though his words were full of concern. “Imperial Brother, what happened to your face? Have you applied medicine? It would be a shame if it scarred.”
Though his face was grim, King Jing replied respectfully, “Replying to Brother Emperor, medicine has been applied.”
As for what had happened, he didn’t say, merely shooting a vicious glare at Qiu Chi.
The Emperor followed his gaze to the leisurely Qiu Chi. “Sister-in-law, do you know what happened?”
Qiu Chi’s tone was casual. “It was nothing serious. I just found him displeasing to the eye and gave him a little scratch.”
The Emperor’s smiling expression faltered, and his brow furrowed slightly. He sighed. “I have heard about what happened yesterday. Yun Jing, you were indeed in the wrong. It’s understandable that Sister-in-law would be so angry. However, I arranged this marriage for you two hoping to see you live in harmony. Let this matter be in the past. From now on, you must both get along well.”
Qiu Chi and King Jing, Yun Jing, exchanged a look before simultaneously turning away, their eyes filled with mutual disgust.
Seeing this, the Emperor grew even more satisfied, though he said aloud, “You’re both still so childish.”
“What’s childish? What are you three talking about?”
Cui Mingyu walked in with a smile. The Emperor immediately beckoned her over. “Beloved Consort, come to my side. We were just saying that Yun Jing and Sister-in-law are still immature.”
The moment Cui Mingyu arrived, Yun Jing’s expression shifted, though it quickly returned to normal. If Qiu Chi hadn’t been watching him like a hawk, enjoying the show, she would have missed the subtle change.
After exchanging a few words with the Emperor, Cui Mingyu finally turned to Qiu Chi, speaking in the manner of an older sister. “This one has also heard about yesterday’s events. Yueyue, you must not be so rude next time. It is only because His Highness is magnanimous and doesn’t hold it against you. Now that you are married, you should act more mature.”
After reprimanding Qiu Chi, she turned to Yun Jing. “Your Highness, Yueyue has been spoiled since childhood. Please be magnanimous and forgive her for her lack of etiquette.”
With that, her gaze paused on the scratch on Yun Jing’s face, and she frowned at Qiu Chi. “Yueyue, did you cause the wound on His Highness’s face? How could you be so thoughtless? Taking advantage of His Highness’s kindness to be so lawless… you, you have truly disappointed me!”
Cui Mingyu clutched her chest, looking as if she were about to faint from anger. The Emperor waited for her to finish before quickly saying, “Beloved Consort, don’t be angry. Sister-in-law is still young, why lower yourself to her level? Besides, Yun Jing also acted absurdly yesterday. Now that they’ve both had their moment of absurdity, let it pass. Beloved Consort, you must not ruin your health over this, or I will be heartbroken.”
The two of them put on a performance, finishing the entire act without needing her or Yun Jing to play along.
Qiu Chi couldn’t help but roll her eyes. Yun Jing noticed her expression and, fearing she would say something outrageous, quickly spoke first. “Yesterday’s matter was my fault.”
At these words, the two performers both turned to look at Yun Jing, as if they couldn’t believe what they had just heard.
Qiu Chi added from the side, “Did you hear that? Even he admits he was wrong.” So what right do you have to blame me?
Though the last part went unsaid, Cui Mingyu’s expression turned a little unsightly. She forced a smile. “Even so, Yueyue, you can’t be so presumptuous.”
Qiu Chi shot Cui Mingyu a scornful look. Yun Jing had to cut in again before she could speak. “Noble Consort, please say no more. Let yesterday’s matter be in the past.”
Having been shut down by Yun Jing twice in a row, Cui Mingyu was in utter disbelief. She pursed her lips and said to the Emperor with a bitter smile, “Now it seems I have become the villain.”
Seeing this, the Emperor was overcome with pity and quickly consoled her. “Beloved Consort, don’t think that way. It was Yun Jing’s fault to begin with. Now that he has admitted it, it shows he’s finally learned some sense…”
Cui Mingyu: “…”
Qiu Chi: Heh.
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