Phoenix Reigns Over The Nine Heavens - Chapter 61

Yun Zishu was indeed beyond reason.

The noble ladies who came to the birthday banquet today all witnessed her unreasonable behavior, even her rebelliousness.

No one expected that after divorcing Xiao Yunheng, Yun Zishu would suddenly become so difficult to deal with. As an unfavored princess, she actually dared to be so arrogant. Not only did she fail to present a congratulatory gift to the noble consort, but she also did not even take the grand princess seriously.

If they hadn’t seen it with their own eyes, who would have believed that she had such courage?

But whether her courage is admirable or sheer foolishness, I am afraid only time will tell.

Yun Zishu had no interest in staying any longer. Under the gaze of so many noble ladies, each with their own thoughts, she descended the stairs without looking back.

Madam Xiao turned to look at her retreating figure, and as if suddenly struck by a sudden thought, hurried to catch up with her.

The young ladies exchanged glances, then simultaneously turned their attention to Princess Jinning. They saw the princess looking gloomy, her eyes fixed in the direction Yun Zishu had taken without saying a word. Her beautiful face was full of frost.

“Ninth Princess.” Madam Xiao caught up with Yun Zishu and asked anxiously, “How is Yun Heng’s injury? When can he return home?”

Yun Zishu glanced at her sideways. “Would Madam Xiao like to leave the palace with me?”

Madam Xiao naturally understood what she meant by leaving the palace together. Frowning, she asked, “The palace banquet hasn’t ended yet. Is it appropriate for the princess to leave at this time?”

“The Empress Dowager and the Emperor have already left. What’s wrong with me leaving the palace at this hour?” Yun Zishu didn’t want to stay and face one provocation after another. “If Madam Xiao cooperates with me today to return the dowry, you will see Li Xuan return home tomorrow.”

Madam Xiao gritted her teeth. “Are you threatening me?”

“I’m just giving you a choice.” Yun Zishu smiled faintly. “If the dowry is returned, this princess can consider improving the meals for Xiao Yunheng and Li Xue. Xiao Yunheng’s injuries have improved in the past few days, and he should be able to eat some chicken, duck, fish, or meat to nourish his body.”

Madam Xiao said with a sullen face. “I want to go to the princess’s mansion to see Yunheng.”

Yun Zishu said, “You can either visit Xiao Yunheng or have Li Xuan return home safely. Madam Xiao, you can only choose one.”

“Li Xuan has been locked up in the Dark Shadow Pavilion for so many days—he has suffered enough. What’s wrong with me wanting to see my son?” Madam Xiao simply hated Yun Zishu’s calm and indifferent demeanor. “It’s not too much to agree to these two requests at the same time, is it?”

“Madam Xiao is not qualified to negotiate terms with me.” Yun Zishu was indeed merciless. She had every reason to be cold to her enemy from her previous life. “If you go to visit Xiao Yunheng, Li Xuan will continue to stay in the Dark Shadow Pavilion. Whether he suffers or endures hardship will no longer be within your control.”

Madam Xiao felt torn. “Will the princess keep her word this time?”

“Yes.”

“And Li Xuan will return home unharmed?”

Yun Zishu thought for a moment and said, “I’m not sure if he was injured before, and I haven’t asked much about him. But at the very least he’s still alive, and I can guarantee that no one will lay a hand on him after today.”

After a moment of silence, Mrs. Xiao weighed the pros and cons in her mind and decided to let Li Xuan go home first.

The Dark Shadow Pavilion is not a place for people to stay. If Li Xuan continues to stay in it, he will be ruined sooner or later. Yun Heng is at least taken care of by Li Xue in the Princess Mansion, and his injuries are getting better. There will be opportunities to visit him in the future.

So Madam Xiao slowly nodded. “After the princess takes back her dowry, you must ensure Li Xuan returns home safely and guarantee that you will not cause any more trouble for the Li family in the future.”

She had no choice but to compromise.

Yun Zishu had brought a lot of dowry, and returning it all at once was undeniably painful. However, dowry was dowry after all, and the Xiao family had no reason to embezzle it. Yun Zishu had been rebellious and defiant during this period of time. If they truly kept her dowry, there was no telling how she would tarnish the reputation of the Xiao family.

Moreover, Li Xuan’s life was much more important than Yun Zishu’s dowry.

She had to consider the situations of both Li Xuan and Yun Heng.

As the wife of a first-class general, Madam Xiao was usually clear-headed enough to distinguish between what was important and what was not. Although she was unwilling in her heart, she still left the palace with Yun Zishu.

Yun Zishu ordered Leng Shuang to prepare the carriage in advance: “Just park the carriage outside the main gate of the Xiao residence.”

“Yes.”

Madam Xiao’s expression darkened, but she didn’t say anything more. The group walked out of the palace, and soon after reaching the palace gates, they quickly boarded the carriage and headed towards the Xiao family.

General Xiao had gone to the military camp, so Madam Xiao had full authority over matters regarding the dowry. After giving the keys to the steward to open the storeroom, boxes after boxes were carried out of the Xiao family. The rosewood boxes were all locked, and most of the keys had been in the room Yun Zishu had previously stayed in. After receiving instructions, Leng Shuang had already taken all the keys over.

Although Madam Xiao agreed to Yun Zishu taking back her dowry, she still felt gloomy and uncomfortable when she looked at the boxes of dowry. She wished she could send all the boxes to the warehouse and lock them up.

“Yun Zishu, what are you doing?” A carriage drove over from afar. Xiao Yunwu lifted the curtain and saw this scene outside the gate of the Xiao family. She couldn’t help but shout angrily, “Put everything down!”

Yun Zishu ignored her and signaled the guards of the princess’s mansion to continue moving the boxes.

The carriage stopped nearby; Xiao Yunwu got off the carriage and walked quickly towards Yun Zishu. “What are you doing? Tell them to put the things down! What right do you have to move these things away?”

What right?

These are all part of her dowry when she married into the Xiao family. These are her things. Why can’t she take them away?

Yun Zishu turned around and boarded her own carriage, lifting the curtain and sitting down inside. She had no desire to deal with Xiao Yunwu’s outburst.

“Mother,” Xiao Yunwu turned her head to look at Madam Xiao unhappily, “Yun Zishu wrote a letter of divorce to divorce my elder brother, causing a storm in the city. Everyone was laughing at the Xiao family. The storm has finally subsided over the past few days, but she came today to move all her dowry back? We won’t even have to wait until tomorrow—tonight, gossip will spread everywhere, saying that Yun Zishu has severed her ties with the Xiao family. How could Mother be so confused?”

Madam Xiao’s expression shifted. How could she not know that such a spectacle would lead to rumors about the Xiao family?

But what could she do?

“Li Xuan is still in the Dark Shadow Pavilion.” She said, her voice tense, “Yun Zishu promised that as long as she moved her dowry back, she would get Li Xuan released.”

“Li Xuan?” Xiao Yunwu couldn’t believe it. “Mother, to save Li Xuan, you didn’t even care about the Xiao family’s reputation? The Emperor and the Crown Prince are trying their best to save the eldest brother and Yun Zishu’s marriage. Does Mother know that her decision will undo all previous efforts made so far?”

Madam Xiao flared up at this. “Are you saying that for the sake of the Xiao family’s reputation, we should just let Li Xuan fend for himself?”

“Wasn’t it Li Xuan’s own fault that he was taken to the Dark Shadow Pavilion?” Xiao Yunwu retorted. “If he wasn’t so foolish, how could he have delivered himself right into Yun Zishu’s hands?”

Madam Xiao looked at her daughter in shock, as if suddenly unable to recognize her. “Li Xuan is your cousin, my own nephew.”

Xiao Yunwu pressed her lips together. “Mother, do you think I’m being heartless?”