Chapter 687: Word of Gold

"Your Ladyship, what's wrong?" The palace maids all rushed inside.

Jing Xuan also paused in her steps and quickly turned back.

Concubine Xiao lay on the floor, her clothes in disarray and several hairpins had also fallen off. Jing Xuan hurried forward and ordered the maids, "Why are you still in such a daze? Aren't you going to summon the Imperial Physician?"

"Yes!" Some of the maids ran to summon the physician while others helped Concubine Xiao onto the bed.

The Imperial Physician quickly arrived. Jing Yi had heard the news and had come as well. As for the Qizhen Emperor, he only bade someone visit with a few words of concern.

After the Imperial Physician was done examining Concubine Xiao, he shook his head, then nodded, pondering over the symptoms.

Jing Yi asked, "Imperial Physician, how is she?"

"Your Highness should not worry too much. Her Ladyship is merely fainted because she is too frail. She will get better after a period of recuperation."

"She's really alright?"

"This subject took Her Ladyship's pulse. Although her pulse is a little rushed, it is also a deep pulse. There isn't any major problem and she just needs to rest more. This subject will prescribe a few doses of medicine. Her Ladyship just has to take them on time."

Only then, were Jing Yi's worries relieved.

Concubine Xiao woke up after the Imperial Physician left. Before Jing Yi could step forward, Jing Xuan had already rushed up to sit by the bed. She held Concubine Xiao's hands tightly with tearful eyes, choked up with worry. "Imperial Mother, you really scared Xuan'er badly just now."

Seeing her own daughter cry so sadly, a small smile lifted the corners of Concubine Xiao's gloomy face. "Imperial Mother is fine, don't worry."

"How could you be fine? The Imperial Physician said that Imperial Mother's body was too frail. You must have overworked yourself for that to happen."

Concubine Xiao sat up on her bed and saw Jing Yi in front of her. She was surprised, "Why have you come?"

"I heard that Imperial Mother was ill. This son was worried so I immediately entered the palace to visit."

"Which lass tattled? Didn't this seat say not to disturb Prince Yi?"

Sang Lan quickly kneeled and hung her head. "It's this servant's fault. I had someone inform Prince Yi."

"You damned maid, what did this seat say to you earlier?! His Highness is busy with a great deal of things and I told you not to disturb him. Didn't you take note of my instructions?"

"Your Ladyship, spare me!"

"Come!" Concubine Xiao shouted. A few eunuchs entered. "Drag this maid out and give her a sound slapping!"

"Wait." Jing Yi stopped them. "Imperial Mother, please don't be mad. Why should you harm your health in anger over just a little maid? Besides, it's only right that she informed this prince."

"Why are you speaking up for her?"

"Imperial Mother, forget it."

Concubine Xiao sighed, then glared at Sang Lan on the floor. "His Highness may have intervened for you today, but if it happens again, your punishment would not merely be a few slaps."

Sang Lan quickly kowtowed, "Yes. Thank you, Your Ladyship."

"Aren't you going to scram?"

Of course I am! Would I stay behind to be punished by you?

After Sang Lan went out, Concubine Xiao told Jing Xuan, "Xuan'er, you go out too. Imperial Mother has something to talk to your Imperial Brother about."

Jing Xuan nodded obediently, wrinkled her pretty brows, and went out. Only Concubine Xiao and Jing Yi were left in the room. "Imperial Mother, you have something to tell me?"

"You haven't been in the palace lately, nor have you sent any news. Imperial Mother is worried about how that matter is going?"

"Imperial Mother, please be at ease. Now that War Secretary Ji is helping, even if Jing Rong could grow a pair of wings, he might not even be able to fly into the capital. Besides, we still have that fool as a chess piece. Everything has been well prepared, so Imperial Mother can rest assured."

"Mn. In any case, we can't let Jing Rong enter the capital."

"This son knows."

Concubine Xiao commented despairingly, "I just never expected that your Imperial Father would actually issue a secret decree to summon him back to the capital. I truly cannot guess at his intentions."

"Imperial Mother, please don't fret about it. Right now, the majority of the courtiers are of this son's faction, and Imperial Father had publicly issued an oral decree in court forbidding Jing Rong from returning to the capital. However, the decree had been changed by a secret edict. Jing Rong could only enter the city if Imperial Father publicized the secret edict.

"However, once it's been publicized, Imperial Father's reputation would be damaged and the courtiers are bound to become restless. In the end, it would only cause difficulties for Imperial Father. Thus, Imperial Father would prioritize the regard of the courtiers and cannot publicize the edict. As long as that remains true, War Secretary Ji will station his troops to detain Jing Rong outside the city and prevent him from entering."

This chess composition of Jing Yi's was masterful indeed.

Concubine Xiao nodded when she heard that. "You must be careful."

"Don't worry, Imperial Mother." Concubine Xiao seemed fatigued, so Jing Yi didn't disturb her further and left.

Once he exited the room, he saw Jing Xuan in the courtyard. She was kicking jianzi with a few other maids. They kicked the colorful weighted bundle of feathers back and forth. Jing Xuan was laughing merrily and really looked like a completely different person. No, to be precise, that formerly cheerful sister of his had returned.

When Jing Xuan saw him come out and stand there, just looking at her, she lost her concentration and didn't catch the jianzi in time before it fell onto the ground. She pressed her lips together and came up to him to demand an explanation. "Imperial Brother, it's all your fault! If you weren't staring at me, I would surely be able to hit it a hundred times."

"You little brat, why are you so mischievous?"

"How am I mischievous? Imperial Brother is talking nonsense." She glanced inside and asked, "Imperial Brother, how is Imperial Mother? Is she feeling better?"

"With a little girl like you making such a commotion, could Imperial Mother recover?"

"Eh? Then Imperial Mother's health..." She frowned.

Jing Yi smiled with brotherly doting and quickly reassured her, "Don't worry. Imperial Mother is fine."

Jing Xuan huffed and gently punched him in the chest. "Really, Imperial Brother. You're always trying to scare me."

"Look at you, you're already grown up. Why are you still playing with things like this?"

She smiled sheepishly. "Oh! That's right, Imperial Brother, wait a minute."

"Why?"

Jing Xuan turned her head and instructed, "Duan'er, quickly go and bring over that bracelet that I broke last time, as well as my gift."

"Yes." Duan'er quickly retrieved them.

Jing Xuan passed them to Jing Yi. She pointed at one of the boxes, "This is the bracelet that I had broken, and now repaired. Imperial Brother, please help me return it to Imperial Sister-in-Law." She pointed at the other box, "I've been feeling guilty that I didn't attend Imperial Brother's wedding, so I also prepared a congratulatory gift for Imperial Brother and Imperial Sister-in-Law."

"You're rather conscientious."

"Of course!" She raised her brow smugly.

Thus, Jing Yi brought the two gifts back home and gave that bracelet to Chen Xiang. She was sitting in the courtyard, basking in the sun. When she saw his arrival, she got up to make her greetings.

"This prince has already said that you don't need to bow."

"Many thanks, Your Highness." Chen Xiang noticed the boxes in his hand and asked, "Is this a gift from Your Highness to this concubine?"

"No, it's that lass Jing Xuan who asked this prince to give it to you. She said that she has already repaired the bracelet that she broke, so I brought it to you."

"Oh." She was a little disappointed. She had thought that Jing Yi was giving her a present.

Since Jing Yi was busy with other matters, he didn't stay long and left after a few sentences of concern.

Chen Xiang stood on the spot for a long while, holding that box. The maid beside her asked, "Side Consort, what's wrong?"

Pah! She gave the maid a slap. "Didn't you hear it when I said to address me as 'consort' when His Highness is not around?"

The maid kneeled down, cupping her cheek. "Spare me, Consort."

With a single address of 'consort', Chen Xiang turned agreable again. "Alright, get up."

"Thank you, Consort." She got up.

Chen Xiang opened the box in her hands. In it was the bracelet that Concubine Xiao had bestowed, perfectly repaired and whole again. She took it out and examined it carefully. There wasn't a single blemish. The princess had clearly put great care into the repair.

However... "What's broken is still broken. No matter how well it is repaired, it's still broken in the end." She smirked coldly, with a sinister expression as she plotted something. She suddenly said, "Come, follow this consort to visit that crazy woman locked in the woodshed."

Crazy woman! Naturally it referred to Ji Muqing.

Chen Xiang strode towards the guarded woodshed.

"Greetings, Side Consort."

"Open the door."

"Yes."

When the door opened, a musty stench immediately rolled out. Chen Xiang frowned and covered her nose with a handkerchief. She looked inside with disdain but still went in.

The person sitting inside had a disheveled head of hair, oily face, and dirty robes. She had long lost her former graceful appearance.

"Well, well, well. Isn't it that arrogant Princess Consort?" Chen Xiang's voice rang out loudly.

Ji Muqing's head hung low. The past few days had felt as long as several years. It was unbearably painful.

Hearing no answer, Chen Xiang smirked, "What, are you dead?"

After a long pause, Ji Muqing finally raised her head and met Chen Xiang's smug gaze. However, she no longer had her former overbearing air and just sat there placid and silent.

Chen Xiang scoffed, "Princess Consort, oh Princess Consort. Did you ever imagine that you would be in such a state? Of all people, the high and mighty oldest daughter of the Ji family protected by her two brothers has been reduced to staying in the woodshed. This is such a joke! If people outside knew about this, how would they mock you?" Hmph!

"My eldest brother will soon know about how you have treated me. When the time comes, he will send people to flatten the entire estate."

"What grand boasts." Chen Xiang squatted down to meet her eyes at the same level. "Let you tell you, your eldest and second brothers would never know because the news that you have been locked up didn't spread, and it will not spread to your eldest brother's ears. Besides, there's still Cailan! If your eldest brother asked about anything, a single sentence from Cailan would settle it."

"You...!" She grit her teeth.

"What? You want to choke me again? Alright, you'd better choke me to death then. If you don't succeed and harm the little heir, do you think that His Highness would want your life? He would cut you into a thousand tiny pieces." She chuckled sinisterly.

However, Ji Muqing didn't answer her this time. She merely looked on coldly at the woman who was beside herself with joy. Conversely, Chen Xiang started to feel a little uncomfortable from her stare. "What are you smiling at?"

"Your stupidity."

"What?" Chen Xiang glared at her. "Which of us is the stupid one? Only stupid people would be locked up in here."

"I admit that I, Ji Muqing, am a fool. But you are even stupider than me."

Eh? Chen Xiang didn't understand what she meant.