You pace your way to arguing princes as the mediator. The scenery has lost its color.
Shi Lian: [Worried] My Lady, what are you going to do?
Xiu Ying: [Halts] If Consort Rong wants to get me into trouble, then I'll have to retaliate!
You whisper to Shi Lian. She nods and goes away by a different route. Soon the sound of arguing princes get closer and closer. You take off you hair tie and throw it in a random direction.
Xiu Ying: Hello gentlemen, could you help me with something?
Your sudden entrance turned the prince quiet for a little. The 7th Prince and 11th Prince almost start arguing again, but they force themselves to be nice as they see you.
Xiu Ying: I lost my hair tie somewhere around here. Could you help me find it?
11th Prince: [Flabbergasted] You are asking us to look for your hair tie?
Xiu Ying: [Innocently] Well, if the 11th Prince won't, how about the 7th Prince?
Yin Zhen: Don't make it hard on them. I'll do it.
Yin Zhen looks around and easily finds you hair tie and passes it to you. He smiles at you. You take the tie while you blush. His palm is warm when you accidentally touch him. The princes were in a heated argument, now with you cutting them off, they start to calm down. After all it's hard to find someone as oblivious as you.
Yin Zhen: Stop arguing. She's probably here on father's orders.
The princes quiet down.
Xiu Ying: His Majesty is upset over the princes arguing.
11th Prince: It's not my fault. It's the 7th Prince that's been talking behind my back.
Xiu Ying: No matter what happened, His Majesty said "can't you all just go study like the 6th Prince". It's clearly that he's disappointed, but the 6th Prince makes things a little better.
7th Prince: [Shocked] The 6th Prince? But...
The 7th Prince immediately realizes something and tries to leave. He obviously wants to see the Emperor.
Xiu Ying: [Stop him] Your Highness, going to see His Majesty like this will not please him.
7th Prince: So, what's your plan?
It took no time for you to bring the now docile princes to the Emperor. The Emperor is surprised, and Consort Rong doesn't look too good.
Emperor: Hmph. You still dare to show your faces to me?
The princes apologize profusely.
7th Prince: It's my fault for acting so brash. I never asked what happened, and only now I found how much the 11th Prince has done for you.
1th Prince: It's my fault for fighting with my brother instead of explaining myself clearly.
Emperor: [Happier] I want to see you work together. Don't ever do this again.
Consort Rong: [Mockingly] The new lady is talented. The princes are now all obedient.
Before you could reply to Consort Rong, the Noble Consort has arrived at the scene at just the right time thanks to Shi Lian's invitation.
Noble Consort: [Points at the 7th Prince] You jerk! Fighting with your little brother? Is that how you repay your father's teachings?
7th Prince: [Sinister look] It's my fault for not getting the whole story. I overreacted to what the 6th Prince told me.
Emperor: Hm? The 6th Prince?
Noble Consort: He doesn't look like someone who'd do such a thing. Are you defaming him?
7th Prince: I dare not! I would never lie to you, father, mother.
11th Prince: Come think of it... it was the 6th Prince that told me to check the scenery at the lake.
Xiu Ying: [Looks to Consort Rong] I am impressed with how eloquent the 6th Prince is, Consort Rong.
The Troublemaker
Consort Rong become tense and give you a murderous look. You turn around innocently.
Noble Consort: Sound like it's all true then. Why would the 6th Prince do this? Perhaps Consort Rong didn't raise him well?
Those gathered here talk between themselves, giving Consort Rong no chance for a rebuttal. She gets pale.
Emperor: [Angrily] I loathe these troublemakers. Guards, bring me the 6th Prince!
You no longer want to be a part of this debacle, so you leave by making an excuse. You just happen to run into the 6th Prince as you leave. His look could kill, but you pretend to not have seen his eyes. The 6th Prince passes you and gets into the room. What awaits him is the Emperor's fury.
Shi Lian: You are full of ideas. Now you completed the Emperor's task and you punished Consort Rong.
Xiu Ying: I'm afraid I'm caught in between the fight for the throne even deeper now.
You walk so far because you wanted revenge. But you never expected that after taking vengeance, you also became a pawn for other people to take advantage of. A pawn is made to be controlled. If it falls out of control, it'll be destroyed. That's the kind of situation you are in.
Xiu Ying: You can't leave this battle cleanly any more
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