The Battle of the Noble Ladies (Book 2)

Chapter 158 - Scandal

The wives of the accompanying ministers were staying in tents outside the palace grounds. Song Chuyi was ushered back to her tent by the Cui sisters and Xiang Mingzi, almost scaring Qingying and Ziyun half to death. Once her clothes were removed, they found bruises on her elbow and various scratches on her lower legs, likely from the thorny path she had taken while dealing with the Ninth Princess.

Xiang Mingzi was both worried and exasperated. "Why couldn't you let it go? It was obvious she meant trouble, and whether you won or lost, the outcome would've been the same. Why let yourself get worked up over it?"

In her view, Song Chuyi was not the kind of person who would act on impulse. Xiang Mingzi couldn't understand why she would insist on racing the Ninth Princess until she remembered something the Eleventh Princess had said to Song Chuyi when visiting the Song family. Her hands paused, and her gaze flickered as it dawned on her—Song Chuyi was far shrewder and more thoughtful than her age suggested. She never acted rashly and must have had a deeper reason for engaging in this race.

Just as Song Chuyi finished changing clothes, Princess Duanhui and Lady Yu arrived. They immediately embraced her, looking her over and relaxing only once they saw her injuries were superficial.

Then, First Lady Cui arrived with a stern expression and scolded her, "What a mess! The Ninth Princess is arrogant—why did you have to engage with her? Now look, word has spread throughout the palace that you threw her off her horse! You're quite the sensation. When we return to the capital, Chongyin Pavilion will probably stage a new play called 'The Girl Who Challenged Gold and Jade'!"

No one would have expected Sixth Miss Song to become famous overnight, not for her talent or beauty but for that precise, swift strike of her whip.

Lady Yu sighed with a mix of amusement and exasperation, half-heartedly chastising First Lady Cui. "Are you praising her or insulting her? You've spoiled her so much that she fears nothing and no one—just like you when you were young! Now look at this trouble she's gotten into, and you're making light of it."

First Lady Cui had indeed been fearless in her youth. Wang Jinshi, raised by Empress Dowager Rongxian, was respected by all, but First Lady Cui never cared, sending her back to Changning Palace in tears each time she acted out.

After laughing with Lady Cui, First Lady Yu couldn't help but grow worried. "You may have vented for now, but how will we deal with the consequences? Striking royalty isn't a trivial matter. If His Majesty is furious... given his affection for the Ninth Princess, it's not impossible."

Outside, Ye Jingchuan was equally worried about Song Chuyi. Although he had found her whipping of the Ninth Princess thrilling, he remained level-headed enough to know the risks. The Ninth Princess was the most beloved among the unmarried princesses in the palace.

"Your Ninth Aunt isn't one to take things lightly," he muttered anxiously to Zhou Weizhao. "If she goes crying to the Emperor, Sixth Miss Song will be in real trouble! And you're just sitting here calm as ever? Aren't you going to help her?"

Since the Crown Prince was unwell, he was resting alone on the Moonlit River Island (Yuese Jiangsheng). Zhou Weizhao sat on the bridge, unmoved, maintaining his earlier position. "She dared to strike a princess. Do you think she's afraid of a reprimand?"

This girl was clearly staging a display for the ministers: she had a temper and couldn't control her emotions. If they sent her as a marriage envoy, she might explode at any time, putting international relations at risk. Rubbing his chin, he thought she might also be settling scores on behalf of the Eleventh Princess. After all, the last time Song Chuyi had entered the palace, the Ninth Princess had flaunted her superiority in front of her. Now, the Ninth Princess had simply walked into Song Chuyi's trap, becoming her unintended spokesperson in this game.

Ye Jingchuan swatted at his fishing rod. "You're heartless!"

Zhou Weizhao dodged his hand, sighing indulgently. "Since when has she ever lost her composure like this? She didn't even let Han Zhi get to her. Do you really think the Ninth Princess could rattle her? Instead of worrying about her, maybe you should focus on yourself. You're now a commander in the Fu Jun Guard, responsible for security. How about you start by focusing on your own duties?"

Grumbling, Ye Jingchuan slumped off to find the King of Zhennan and his older brother. As he entered the tent, he overheard the King of Zhennan saying, "This is absolutely outrageous, causing such trouble at a time like this..."

His heart skipped a beat, and he leaned forward to ask, "Who caused trouble?"

Ye Jingkuan gave him a knowing look, then shared a glance with their father before dismissing him with a playful scowl, "Go on, it's nothing to do with Sixth Miss Song."

Sixth Miss Song's bold actions had made her famous overnight; by now, practically everyone at the palace grounds knew of her feat. Ye Jingchuan scratched his head, abandoning any pretense of dignity in front of his father and brother. "So then, what's this about trouble? Who caused it?"

Ye Jingkuan, who no longer treated him as a child, saw his father's lack of reaction and leaned in to explain, "The physician sent to Zhangzhou reported back. In Prince Duan's household, Lady Rui, who was pregnant, is gone... both mother and child lost. And the culprit, it seems, is the princess consort herself."

The Imperial Astronomer had only just predicted smooth days ahead, but now this tragedy had directly contradicted that prediction. Conflict among the prince's consorts resulting in death was scandalous enough, but for the victim to be a titled side consort who was also pregnant—it had blown up into a huge issue.

The Emperor, with the best of intentions, had sent a physician, demonstrating his regard for Prince Duan's child. Yet the physician had barely arrived in Zhangzhou when this catastrophe happened...

Ye Jingchuan sensed that this wasn't just coincidence—right after Song Chuyi clashed with the Ninth Princess, trouble struck Prince Duan's household in such a grand fashion. It seemed almost too perfect, like something out of a story.

Bad news travels fast, and by the afternoon, both incidents had spread throughout the palace grounds, drawing attention away from Song Chuyi and shifting it all onto Prince Duan.