The Beloved Concubine of the Eastern Palace (book 2)

Chapter 212 - Forced

The imperial physician was summoned quickly.

After examining Xu Xin'er, he respectfully reported, "Your Highness, Xu Xin'er's ankle is severely sprained, worsening an old injury. It's very swollen, and it will need at least ten to fifteen days of daily treatment before she can walk properly again. The rest are just minor injuries."

"An old injury?" He Liangdi asked.

Fang Yun glanced at her, thinking at least He Liangdi noticed something useful.

But then He Liangdi put on a worried face and said to Pei Yao, "Your Highness, it seems Xu Xin'er is seriously injured. Fortunately, you came back and had the physician look at her. You wouldn't know that if I hadn't rushed here, Fang Yun was planning to send Xu Xin'er away immediately. If that had happened, she would have..."

"She would already be on the way to a clinic for treatment, instead of being delayed here," Fang Yun interrupted, giving He Liangdi a disdainful look.

So, she took back her earlier thoughts; He Liangdi was just focused on competing with her and hadn't even noticed Xu Xin'er's intentions.

Stunned, He Liangdi glared back at Fang Yun and then walked over to Pei Yao, trying to act endearing.

"Your Highness, did you hear? Fang Yun is becoming more domineering. When you're not here, she acts like she's in charge, completely disregarding me, even though I've served you longer."

Expecting Pei Yao to side with her, He Liangdi was taken aback when Pei Yao said sternly, "Enough, you can leave now. This doesn't concern you."

"Ah?"

This wasn't the response He Liangdi anticipated, and she couldn't help but express her surprise.

Seeing Pan Chun's look, she reluctantly retreated, glaring at Fang Yun one last time.

Outside, she immediately confronted Pan Chun angrily.

"I did everything you said. Why did His Highness send me away? He doesn't seem to want to see Xu Xin'er."

"Think about it, Liangdi. If being kind to Xu Xin'er wasn't beneficial, would Fang Yun have suggested summoning the imperial physician?" Pan Chun soothed her gently.

"It's lunchtime now. His Highness is being considerate, not making all of you wait with the Xu family girl. Besides, you dislike her, so isn't it better not to see her?"

Half-believing Pan Chun, He Liangdi stopped questioning and obediently returned.

Meanwhile, Pei Yao asked the imperial physician about the old injury.

The physician explained that Xu Xin'er's maid said she had sprained her ankle at home a few days ago, but it wasn't serious.

Unexpectedly, she re-injured it while hiking today.

Pei Yao and Fang Yun exchanged knowing glances.

Pei Yao then instructed Hong Zheng to ensure Xu Xin'er was looked after in the guest room. Once the road was clear, they would arrange for her to leave immediately.

The small wildfire would take time to be fully extinguished and the road cleared.

Pei Yao wouldn't wait idly, so after arrangements were made, he took Fang Yun to his courtyard for a meal and rest.

Officially, they were looking after Xu Xin'er, but it was more about monitoring her.

Today's combination of a sprained ankle and a wildfire blocking the road seemed too coincidental.

After a simple lunch, Pei Yao resumed his duties, and Fang Yun returned to her quarters.

An hour and a half later, a knock on the study door announced news.

Hong Zheng, after inquiring outside, returned to inform Pei Yao, "Your Highness, the road is clear. Shall I arrange for a carriage to take Xu Xin'er down the mountain?"

"Do it," Pei Yao replied, not looking up from his documents.

Hong Zheng left to arrange it.

Expecting to meet Xu Xin'er's family, they were surprised to find no one due to some mix-up.

The driver had no choice but to take Xu Xin'er back to her family's home.

This led to gossip across the capital the next day about the Crown Prince arranging for Xu Xin'er to be taken home.

Though it was due to unavoidable circumstances, having an unmarried girl stay at the villa for so long wasn't well-received.

Pei Yao knew there would be some gossip, but since he barely interacted with Xu Xin'er, and Fang Yun and He Liangdi were present, along with Xu Xin'er's maids, he wasn't worried.

Pei Yao's good reputation meant the rumors didn't cause much stir.

However, a few days later, an issue arose between the Xu and Liu families, another prominent family in the capital.

Xu Xin'er's stepmother, Madam Wang, seeing that neither the Lu family nor the Crown Princess wanted Xu Xin'er to participate in the palace selection, sought a marriage with the Liu family to avoid it.

Though the engagement wasn't finalized, both families' matriarchs had agreed. Now, hearing the rumors about Xu Xin'er and the Crown Prince, the Liu family wanted nothing to do with it.

Such matters are often delicate. Privately discussing it would have been one thing, but the Liu family's son working at the Hanlin Academy was a stubborn, old-fashioned man who loved to lecture. He publicly criticized Xu Xin'er and her family at the Xu residence.

The Xu family, being a prominent household, valued their reputation.

This led to a conflict.

Angry, Madam Wang had the Liu mother and son thrown out.

The situation escalated.

Xu Xin'er was denied engagement to the Liu family due to her closeness with the Crown Prince.

The previous rumors were idle gossip, but this public altercation made it real news.

Now, people speculated that Xu Xin'er and the Crown Prince might have had an affair. Even if they hadn't, the scandal involved Pei Yao, making it difficult for any respectable family in the capital to want Xu Xin'er.

As everyone watched how this would be resolved, the day after the scandal, Xu Xin'er attempted to hang herself in her boudoir.

If not for a maid's timely discovery, she might have died.

Consequently, Xu Xin'er's father, Xu De, tearfully pleaded with the Crown Princess's mother.

He begged his aunt to intervene, considering Xu Xin'er was his late wife's only child. He couldn't bear to see her protect her honor through death. He asked Madam Lu to plead with the Crown Princess to ask Pei Yao to accept Xu Xin'er as a concubine, even if only as a chambermaid.

Madam Lu, though furious, couldn't bear to see her sister's only child perish.

She requested an audience with the Crown Princess and explained the situation.

The Crown Princess was furious, cursing Xu Xin'er's stepmother, Madam Wang, as vicious, but she was at a loss.

Filial piety being paramount, she couldn't ignore her mother's request.

Reluctantly, she wrote a letter to Pei Yao.