Reborn as the Crippled King's Beloved
Chapter 383: Give Her the Opportunity, Let Her Take Action

Chapter 383: Chapter 383: Give Her the Opportunity, Let Her Take Action

The Princess Consort’s wedding and Lou Zixi’s marriage to Lord Sikong’s daughter fell on the same day.

This day could indeed be described as bustling with thousands of empty lanes, extraordinarily lively.

Murong Jiu also attended the wedding, but she went to Lou Zixi’s wedding, not the Fifth Princess’s.

Jun Yuyan merely made a token appearance at the Fifth Princess’s event.

When he came to find Murong Jiu, in a shady, deserted spot, their hands briefly clasped, and Murong Jiu felt a weight in her hand, and looking down, she discovered an all-too-familiar bracelet!

She was surprised and shocked, whispering, "How did you get the bracelet back?"

Hadn’t it been hidden away by the Fourth Prince all this time?

"I won over his most trusted aide and got the bracelet, but he is too suspicious. I couldn’t kill him this time. However, he will need a month or two to recover from his injuries,"

Jun Yuyan said to her softly.

A great deal of information was conveyed in those few words.

Murong Jiu knew that Jun Yuyan harbored deep hatred for the Fourth Prince, not only because of her own past sufferings but also because the Fourth Prince had always sought to eliminate her swiftly.

All of these had led Jun Yuyan to see him as a mortal enemy.

She just didn’t expect that Jun Yuyan, without making any noise, nearly killed the Fourth Prince today.

To leave him severely injured was already quite a feat, for the Fourth Prince had died abruptly in his previous life and had just as abruptly taken the Second Prince’s life when he became Emperor. Hence, the Fourth Prince valued his own life more than anyone.

Several experts were always by the Fourth Prince’s side, and even the eunuchs close to him in the palace were masters, a testament to how much he valued his life.

"What about the person you turned against him?"

Jun Yuyan shook his head, "He’s been killed, but I’ve rescued his family, who were being held hostage by the Fourth Prince. I’ve settled everything for them, and he went to his death willingly."

Murong Jiu nodded, heavy-hearted.

She guessed who Jun Yuyan might have turned. Each person had their own difficulties, and walking down this path, she believed he would have no regrets, for his family would be forever free.

The Buddhist bead bracelet in her hand had been cleaned by Jun Yuyan, and Murong Jiu carefully put it on and covered it with her sleeve.

This time, she wouldn’t let anyone take her belongings again.

"After the ceremony, I’ll have Zhou Chen and Chang Chonghai escort you back first. I have other matters to handle," he said.

Murong Jiu nodded. "Alright, be careful and stay safe."

"Don’t worry, there won’t be any trouble."

It was only after Murong Jiu returned to the Prince Mansion that she learned from Zhou Chen that there had been sabotage during the bridal procession of Lou Zixi and Ruan Hongwen. Someone almost switched the bride, but Jun Yuyan discovered it in time, and order was restored. Otherwise, it would have become a big joke in the Capital City.

It was likely the Second Prince’s doing, still trying to win over Lou Zixi.

If the mistake had gone uncorrected and Lou Zixi had become the Prince Consort, it would have meant a significant boost for the Second Prince.

It was uncertain whether the Fifth Princess would have agreed to it herself.

It was said that she was quite satisfied with Ruan Hongwen and often revelled in music and festivities night after night at the Princess’s Mansion.

If the Fifth Princess knew about this and kept it from Ruan Hongwen, one could only wonder how disgusted Ruan Hongwen must have felt at this moment.

Well, the Fifth Princess and Ruan Hongwen are no saints, better they bring misfortune upon themselves than trouble others.

Murong Jiu had played with her son and daughter for a while and decided to take an afternoon nap. Just as she was about to lie down, she heard Chun Tao, with a face full of gossip, say:

"Princess Consort, Princess Consort! I heard that the Fifth Princess and Prince Consort Ruan made a scene during their wedding ceremony, and it was particularly disgraceful!"

Murong Jiu instantly became interested and asked curiously, "What happened?"

"Someone somehow brought two courtesans into the Princess’s Mansion during the ceremony. Right when they were in the middle of the vows, those two women suddenly ran up and caused a scene, saying the Prince Consort had seduced and abandoned them, leaving them with child!"

Excitement danced in Chun Tao’s eyes and brows.

Hong Yi perked up her ears, and seeing she was no longer responding, hurriedly asked, "Then what happened? Tell me, tell me!"

"The guests were shocked, and the Second Prince quickly had those women taken away, claiming they must have mistaken their identity. The matter should have ended there, and everyone, however shocked, would’ve helped gloss over the situation. But unexpectedly, the Fifth Princess, as if under the influence of some frenzy-inducing drug, lifted her veil and slapped the Prince Consort hard across the face not once, but twice!"

Murong Jiu thought to herself, perhaps she really had ingested some kind of irritant.

But the Fifth Princess was natively arrogant and detestable. Despite caring for her reputation, she was not one to restrain her emotions. Perhaps she had already learned of Ruan Hongwen’s past before the wedding ceremony, and an outburst was just a matter of time.

That being said, the Fifth Princess might have been aware of the plan to swap grooms with Sikong Wan, having already developed dissatisfaction towards Ruan Hongwen, with intentions to marry Lou Zixi instead.

But the plan having failed, her grievances grew even more.

The Fifth Princess didn’t expect that during the wedding vows, two courtesans would suddenly appear out of nowhere to create havoc and make her lose face completely.

The truth was exactly as Murong Jiu had surmised. The Fifth Princess struck Ruan Hongwen openly, causing a commotion that almost led to her denouncing him as her husband right then and there. In the end, it all concluded in a farce.

Murong Jiu laughed, no wonder her husband let her return home early.

With the event transpired, the Emperor would surely summon him and the Second Prince to come to the palace for an explanation.

As for the Fifth Princess wanting to divorce the Prince Consort, that could hardly be allowed to happen.

Now that the Emperor had granted the marriage, there wasn’t a reason to take it back, was there?

Moreover, in the eyes of the Emperor, a man’s libertine ways were nothing out of the ordinary. As long as Ruan Hongwen, being a Prince Consort, didn’t openly keep a bevy of wives and concubines, what was the harm in having a few mistresses in private?

The Emperor instead felt that the Fifth Princess was being unreasonable, creating a spectacle without regard for the Imperial Family’s face—shaming not only herself but casting shame on the Imperial Family as well.

As soon as Jun Yuyan returned, Murong Jiu immediately inquired about the Emperor’s intent.

Jun Yuyan smiled and told her, "Father reprimanded both the Second Prince and the Fifth Princess and did not agree to annul the Fifth Princess and Prince Consort Ruan’s marriage. Because of her nuptials, the Empress was relieved from her house arrest, right? Once this event took place, while she pleaded for her daughter, she actually faced Father’s scolding."

Murong Jiu covered her lips and chuckled lightly, "The Emperor disfavors the Empress. This time, by making the Empress lose face in front of the court ladies, she might hold a grudge and act out against the Emperor."

The Empress had been under house arrest for quite some time, yearning for her son and daughter.

Her daughter marrying such a scoundrel as Ruan Hongwen, she must certainly hate the Emperor who decreed the wedding.

She certainly wouldn’t blame her own daughter for any wrongdoing.

"Our Ah Jiu’s mind is indeed nimble," Jun Yuyan praised.

Murong Jiu said proudly, "I also know that all this was instigated by you from behind the scenes! Am I right?"

"That’s correct." Jun Yuyan hugged her and said, "With such a long confinement, the Empress no longer commands the same respect, and her patience has long been wearing thin. She’ll strike at Consort Yun first, who is pregnant. All we need to do is give her the opportunity to act."

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