Phoenix Reigns Over The Nine Heavens - Chapter 29

As soon as these words were spoken, the princess who had just spoken earlier turned pale, and the hand holding the teacup couldn’t help but tremble.

However, the face of Princess Jinning changed greatly.

“Yun Zishu, don’t say these words again!” she said, her face ashen. “The Emperor’s enthronement is by the mandate of heaven, and he does not rely on anyone’s help. If these words reach the Emperor’s ears…”

“Even if they reach Father Emperor’s ears, they are still the truth.” Yun Zishu replied, unafraid. “Can’t the truth be spoken?”

The grand princess’s expression froze, her expression shifting to shock and anger. “Yun Zishu, do you even understand propriety?!”

“How can the Ninth Princess talk such nonsense?” Yun Baozhu stood up and looked at her in disbelief. “The Emperor’s ascension to the throne was the will of Heaven. Even without the Empress, the Emperor would still be the monarch appointed by Heaven. It was only because of the affection of a young couple that he made your mother the Empress. For you to say such a thing is nothing short of… treasonous! You are unworthy of being an imperial daughter!”

Yun Zishu leisurely lowered her eyes and drank tea.

“What the Ninth Princess said was indeed inappropriate.” Wu Jingyi, the granddaughter of the Grand Tutor, frowned and said in a low voice, “How can a daughter say such things about her father?”

Grand Tutor Wu was a member of the Crown Prince’s faction, so it was normal for Wu Jingyi to speak up for the Xiao family.

Yun Zishu continued to remain silent.

These people were hostile to her because they all knew that her father did not like her. By making things difficult for her and publicly challenging her, they could curry favor with the Grand Princess, Xiao Yunwu, and most importantly, the emperor.

After the banquet today, someone will definitely report these words to the emperor and add fuel to the fire to accuse her of being a rebellious daughter who disregarded her father and the sovereign. They will isolate and denounce her, and everyone will unite to push her to despair, making her feel utterly helpless. In this way, she would have no choice but to return to the Xiao family, which is in line with the emperor’s wishes.

However, they were all wrong.

She just wanted to remind her father that her mother’s assistance in his rise to power could not be erased. She wanted him to uphold his paternal love and act as a righteous and devoted husband. As for the concubines in the harem, none should aspire for the position of the empress for the time being.

Of course, the Emperor would likely grow even more resentful towards her, perhaps even hate her.

But so what?

“There is a female physician in my residence,” the princess said, forcing herself to calm down. “Take her back with you to care for Xiao Yunheng.”

“No need,” Yun Zishu calmly refused. She would not allow anyone she was not familiar with to enter the mansion. “Xiao Yunheng is my consort. His affairs are none of your concern, Aunt. I will take excellent care of him.”

After a pause, she said, “Even if I treat him harshly, I’m just repaying him for what he did to me before. There is no need for anyone to find it strange.”

“Yun Zishu.” The grand princess’s anger rose again. “I’ve tried both kindness and harshness, and this is how you respond?”

Xiao Yunwu’s eyes were slightly red, as if she had been deeply wronged. “Must the Ninth Princess be so narrow-minded? After all, you are husband and wife; can’t you let it go? My mother has knelt before you, and my elder brother has also admitted his mistake. What else do you want?”

A noble lady nodded and said, “Yes, Madam Xiao and the young General Xiao know they were wrong. Your Highness should be magnanimous. After all, Madam Xiao is your mother-in-law, and the young general is your husband. Why must you be so calculating with your family?”

Yun Zishu’s attitude was cold and unresponsive.

Xiao Yunwu’s acting was not as good as Li Xue’s. That Li concubine was a true master of feigning fragility—with a pale face and reddened eyes. She could make Madam Xiao and Xiao Yunheng wish to pluck the moon from the sky for her.

“You should move back sooner rather than later. Since you have married into the Xiao family, you will be a member of the Xiao family from now on.” The grand princess said sternly, her tone condescending. “As the saying goes, marry a chicken and follow a chicken, marry a dog and follow a dog—”

“Times have changed.” Yun Zishu interrupted, her attitude unyielding. “I am the mistress of my own residence. Now that Xiao Yunheng has already moved into my estate, this is my concession. If the Xiao family feels wronged, they are free to take Xiao Yunheng away any time, and from then on, I will break off all relations with them and have nothing to do with them.”

“You are simply incorrigible!” The grand princess said, her tone glacial. “I’m telling you—”

“With no common ground, half a sentence is too many.” Yun Zishu stood up, unwilling to listen to her putting on the airs of an elder. “I have matters to attend to and will be taking my leave first.”

Those present watched her depart, yet no one dared to stop her.

The Grand Princess was shaking all over with rage. She had assumed that even if Yun Zishu held a prejudice against Xiao Yunwu, she would not publicly embarrass her, the grand princess. As an elder of senior status in the royal family, she deserved a certain level of reverence.

She never expected Yun Zishu to be so defiant—it was as if she was begging for a severe lesson to be taught.

Her expression turned gloomy. After a while, she stood up and left with a flick of her sleeves. “I’m going to the palace.”

Yun Zishu walked out of the Grand Princess’s estate and boarded her carriage.

Leng Shuang turned her head and glanced at the commotion behind them. She then approached the carriage, holding the reins. “Your Highness, the grand princess seems to be heading to the palace to lodge a complaint.”

Yun Zishu had anticipated this. “I want her to enter the palace and tell the Emperor.”

On the surface, the Emperor maintained the facade of a loving parent, but they both knew how much he despised her in his heart.

Yun Zishu didn’t mind making that hatred grow even more intense.

Leng Yue voiced her concern, “Will provoking the emperor at such a time truly benefit you, Your Highness?”

Benefit?

Yun Zishu was silent for a moment. “It should.”

She intended to force those who were biding their time to reveal themselves.

Leng Yue and Leng Shuang didn’t say anything more and soon drove the carriage away.

……

“What does it mean that Xiao Yunheng has moved into the residence of the legitimate princess?” Old Duke Feng asked in a deep voice.

Feng Ci stood tall and straight, his voice as gentle as a flowing spring. “It means two possibilities. First, it may be a temporary measure. After all, the Ninth Princess is in a vulnerable position now and cannot openly defy the Emperor. She may have chosen to retreat for now, unwilling to return to the Xiao family, thus letting Xiao Yunheng reside in her mansion. Second, she may be seeking to keep Xiao Yunheng under her control. In this way, the Xiao family will be afraid of the consequences and will not be able to act recklessly in the future.”

Old Duke Feng looked up at him. “Under her control? Can she manage that?”

“With Si Cang by her side, there shouldn’t be any problems.” Feng Ci nodded. “As for the Emperor’s intentions… he definitely hopes that they can get close so that Xiao Yunheng has the opportunity to coax the princess back.”

Hearing this, the old Duke Feng fell into deep thought. “Do you think Xiao Yunheng can persuade her to return?”

“I don’t think so,” an advisor replied calmly, with a tone of certainty. “The Ninth Princess’s resolve this time is astonishing. She obviously seems to have no intention of reconciling with the Xiao family.”

The old Duke Feng pressed further, “Feng Ci, what do you think?”

Feng Ci responded, “Your grandson too thinks that the princess will not change her mind.”

The old Duke Feng nodded. “Since that’s the case, go and test her intentions.”

“Yes.”