“Prince Consort.” Li Helan came forward to take her husband’ arm. “You’re hurt. Let me apply medicine for you.” It was the first time that her tone had ever been so bashful.
Ji Zeyu gently shrugged her off and responded indifferently, “Your Highness can tell the mamas if you wish for this subject to serve you. An official summons will do. The prince consort manor isn’t someplace you should be. Please return home.”
He turned and shut the doors with a bang, not caring that Li Helan was still standing in front of them.
Chapter 371: Madame Pang (I)
When Qin Yining heard of Pang Xiao and Ji Zeyu brawling in front of the prince consort manor, her jaw dropped clear to the ground.
They weren’t kids of only a few years old! Why would they fight like this?
Two gods of war throwing down because of a woman, and not testing their martial arts skills with each other, but just throwing random punches and kicks at each other! The mere thought of the scene was eye-roll inspiring.
Weren’t the two afraid that their troops would find it embarrassing when they heard about the altercation?
But she didn’t need to think about it too hard to form a rough guess of what had gone on.
Setting aside the question whether the two had agreed beforehand to put on a show, or if Pang Xiao had purposefully provoked Ji Zeyu, this was absolutely something the emperor wanted to see.
It was clear as day what Li Qitian’s machinations were. Step by step, he nibbled away at his two right hand men who grasped military power. No effort or paranoia had been spared to cut the claws off of Pang Xiao and Ji Zeyu.
If the target was a more biddable one like Ji Zeyu, then the emperor would seek to bring him into the fold. If he was like the eminent and stubborn Pang Xiao instead, then the emperor would whittle away and undermine the noble.
In conclusion, the current situation should be quite to the emperor’s preferences.
Indeed, when the emperor heard about the brawl before the prince consort manor, a brow arched high into his hairline. He knocked his jade ring happily on the dragon chair’s armrest, maintaining an incredulous frown. “Are you sure this news is accurate?”
Head eunuch Li Guanwen beamed merrily. “Your Majesty, how would this servant fail to accurately gather this little piece of intelligence? I am very much surprised by it as well. Everyone outside the palace is talking about it. They’re all saying that Prince Consort Ji and the Faithful Prince of the First Rank are seeing red at each other because of a shared love. They’re so furious that they’ve thrown out all dignity and reason!”
The joke put Li Qitian in a great mood. He chuckled softly with a shake of his head.
“They’re young men alright, to have this frame of mind to fight over a girl.” Nostalgia appeared on the emperor’s face. “We don’t even remember if We were ever in this kind of mood.”
The eunuch raised an eyebrow.
What’s with His Majesty? Why is he talking to a eunuch about relationships? It’s not like I’ll understand it.
Nonetheless, the flattery didn’t stop.
“Your Majesty, you’re in the prime of life. Countless women admire you. You’re just too busy with the affairs of court to talk about this.”
Li Qitian shook his head smilingly. “Those mundane rouges and crass powders offer Us their affection only because We are the emperor. They wish to scrabble some sort of benefit from Us. Of that We are well aware of.”
“Aiyo Your Majesty! You are the ruler of all beneath the heavens! Everything in the four seas is yours, and you’re in the best of your years. The son of heaven is imbued with the aura of dragons. How can women not fear the magnificent draconic male prowess?” [1]
These words were spoken with a few degrees of pretend-anger and hints of jest, but mostly it rang with the admiration of a lowly eunuch worshipping the son of heaven and the emperor’s manly charisma.
Immensely pleased by his servant’s words, Li Qitian was in the utmost of good moods.
“For a slave, you know quite a bit.”
“What would this lowly one know? This servant is only relaying the truth of what my eyes have seen.” Reverence and awe appeared on Li Guanwen’s face.
The emperor chuckled again at this and mock-spat. “You glibly tongued old thing. All you know is to ply Us with pretty words everyday.”
“This servant wouldn’t dare. This servant is wholly loyal to Your Majesty and only knows how to speak the truth.”
That finally sent Li Qitian into a hearty clap of laughter. “We know, We know. Alright then, go to the Pang and Ji Manors on Our behalf with medicine and imperial physicians. Take a good look at their injuries to make sure that they don’t worsen.”
The emperor rose and paced a few times, shaking his head. “They’re both pillars of the nation, yet fight amongst themselves before the war’s even begun. This is very unseemly. Have a few words with them as well.”
“Understood. This servant will bring full word of Your Majesty’s concern and admonishment.”
Li Qitian nodded with satisfaction, highly pleased that Li Guanwen had accurately grasped the main points of what he wanted to convey. The august majesty waved a hand. “Go now. Take a close look at their current condition and come back with a report.”
“I hear and obey.” Now serious, Li Guanwen quickly sifted through what news his master would want to hear the most and took his respectful leave.
He first called upon the prince consort manor with Imperial Physician Ma.
The handsome ice sculpture that was Ji Zeyu only responded with faint nods when he met with the head eunuch. This was an imperial servant that even many officials strove to curry favor with!
And yet, the eunuch didn’t dare adopt lofty airs and bowed respectfully. He snuck a quick glance at the reddened bumps on Ji Zeyu’s forehead before lowering his head, afraid to scrutinize longer.
Imperial Physician Ma took Ji Zeyu’s pulse and made an overall checkup. “The prince consort’s injuries are all surface wounds. There’s nothing of import. Applying some medicine to improve circulation and reduce bruises will do the trick.”
A faint grunt of assent was the only response.
When the imperial physician left to instruct the Ji family servants on how to apply the medicine, Li Guanwen began his questioning. “Prince Consort Ji, His Majesty has ordered this servant to inquire as to exactly what went on.”
Ji Zeyu snorted coldly. “Pang Zhixi stepped out of bounds! Absolutely out of bounds!” He left with an angry flourish of his sleeves.
Left where he was standing, the eunuch didn’t mind since he knew this was Ji Zeyu’s personality. After the doctor finished his instructions, they left for the Pang Manor.
Their welcome at the Faithful Prince of the First Rank’s abode was much warmer.
Head butler Xu Weizhi quickly came out in welcome after the doorkeeper sent word in. The butler politely bowed in welcome. “Please come inside and have a seat, Grand Supervisor Li.”
“This humble one wouldn’t dare. We are here on imperial orders and must hurry back to the palace. Is His Highness in?”
A trace of awkwardness flashed across Xu Weizhi’s face and he responded cagily, “Ah, His Highness will be out shortly.”
This reaction gave rise to the eunuch’s curiosity.
Xu Weizhi first showed Li Guanwen to the front hall and personally kept the visitor company. He urged the servants to send word inside and lowered his voice, “Tell them that Grand Supervisor Li is here from the palace. Madame Pang should wait if she wants to enact the kneeling punishment.”
The Pang family servant hastily left with his orders.
Meanwhile, Li Guanwen was rather surprised to catch the words ‘Madame Pang’ and ‘kneeling punishment’. To think that such an overweening tyrant as the prince would face punishment at home?
But further thought brought enlightenment.
Incredibly, Madame Pang was exercising such authority after returning to the m
anor! And such an accomplished war general would be so filial! Whatever his official mother said seemed to be law.
Li Guanwen tsk’ed to himself. The relationship between the prince and his official mother would surely be of interest to the emperor.
Thus, he fully flexed the bearing of a palace overseer and declared, “His Majesty also ordered me to greet Madame Pang. Why don’t we go pay a visit right now?” He set off for the inner residence without another word.
The color drained from Xu Weizhi’s face when he heard this and he scratched his temples. “Uh, this, this won’t do, will it? The prince will be out very shortly.”
“Mm?” Li Guanwen drew out the note and cast a stern look at the butler. “We are here under imperial orders. Do you want to defy an imperial decree?”
“Not at all, this humble one wouldn’t dare.” A tremor ran through Xu Weizhi and he hastily made his apologies. “Please don’t mind this. Since the grand overseer is here on imperial orders, I’m sure my master inside won’t have any complaints otherwise. Please, come with me.”
Li Guanwen nodded with satisfaction and followed the butler inside.
* * *
1. BARF. XD
Chapter 372: Madame Pang (II)
It was Li Guanwen’s first chance to be up close and personal with the prince’s inner residence. Though he maintained a tight expression and disdainful attitude on the way in, his eyes darted to and fro, taking detailed notes of everything.
Leading the way, Xu Weizhi often turned back to enthusiastically point out this or that.
However, the eunuch could read nervousness and awkwardness from the butler’s expression.
Hmph. You think I don’t know your true feelings?
But it was no wonder. The prince wasn’t a child of only a few years old. To suffer a punishment of being forced to kneel in public… and because of picking a fight outside the home… well. Even Li Guanwen would find the circumstances embarrassing.
The group made a beeline for the upper area once setting foot into the inner residence. The eunuch asked smoothly, “Has Madame Pang resided in the upper area since her return?”
“Yes, the old madame said that Madame Pang should be given precedence since the latter is the Pang matriarch. After the madame’s return, Pinecrane Hall was moved out of the upper area to a side area in the rear.”
“Oh?” This response startled the eunuch. “It really is very admirable that the old madame is so respectful of principles and propriety!”
When it came down to things, the prince didn’t even count as Madame Pang’s concubine-born son. With what had happened in the past, no one would’ve been able to utter a single criticism had the prince only treated Madame Pang with removed politeness. But the prince was actually so genuinely courteous after the emperor found the madame!
Regardless of whether this was out of respect for his official mother or loyalty to the emperor, the eunuch greatly admired Pang Xiao for being so magnamious.
“And what of your grand-lord and grand-madame?”
Xu Weizhi smiled. “They also live in Pinecrane Hall now. All of them share the same residence.”
Li Guanwen nodded, committing these details to memory.
They’d reached the upper inner residence by now, and the eunuch caught sight of a serving girl running in front of them. The pageboy at the inner doors must’ve given the message to the granny servant on duty, who had then found a serving girl to pass the word along. The chain of messengers meant that the guests arrived before the message had been delivered.
Picking up his pace, Li Guanwen saw the girl slip into a house, of which there was a familiar, tall, and bulky figure kneeling in the courtyard.
The Faithful Prince of the First Rank really had been punished with kneeling with in public!
Though the eunuch had already heard some whispers earlier, the actual sight was still jaw dropping.
Pang Xiao’s usual image of oppressive dominance was too firmly branded into the public’s hearts. It was impossible for Li Guanwen to immediately make the connection between a war god who could make his enemies tremble with one glance, and this bedraggled individual being punished by the household matriarch.
Perhaps hearing the serving girl’s words, Pang Xiao abruptly whipped his head back and saw Xu Weizhi leading the palace supervisor into the yard.
The eunuch could clearly see disgruntled embarrassment on the prince’s face.
Disregarding his punishment, Pang Xiao rose and stared darkly at his strategist. “Butler Xu, how do you fulfill your duties? Why didn’t you send word earlier that Grand Supervisor Li is here? How extremely inappropriate is it that this prince has shown the supervisor a lack of hospitality?”
Having spent many years by the emperor’s side, Li Guanwen was accustomed to postulating the moods of those accustomed to wielding authority. Even though the Faithful Prince of the First Rank had been stripped of power, his prestige in the army yet remained. This was someone that even the emperor was wary of! A mere eunuch supervisor could never afford to offend him.
Thus, Li Guanwen adopted a head down stance with his arms by his side. Taking a respectful position off to the side, there was no hint of the conceit he’d displayed when first arriving.
Xu Weizhi looked down in fearful respect and bowed. “In response to Your Highness, Grand Supervisor Li is here on imperial orders. There was nothing this humble one could do, please forgive me.”
Pang Xiao glowered at Xu Weizhi, but didn’t have time to speak before door curtains of everlasting fortune and longevity were lifted in front of the main door.
A woman over fifty years old with graying hair and a plump body walked out, supported by various maids.
Numerous wrinkles criss-crossed Madame Pang’s face. The deep furrows between her brows especially imparted an exceedingly angry air, even when she was expressionless. What she looked like in her youth was impossible to discern; she now looked like someone with an explosive temper and caustic temperament.
“Your Highness, you cannot transfer your anger from one person to another.” Madame Pang frowned. “Butler Xu has devoted all of his energies to the household. Grand Supervisor Li comes with an imperial decree, could he have really stopped the supervisor?”
A public scolding…
The reasoning was correct, but was it really appropriate to deliver it at this moment and place?
Even as an outsider, Li Guanwen’s lips twitched to hear the reprimand.
Pang Xiao however, bowed respectfully. Instead of close familiarity, he responded with extreme courtesy. “Many thanks for the madame’s guidance.”
“Mm.” Madame Pang made a ponderous note in the back of her throat in response. Alighting the steps slowly, her attitude completely changed by the time she reached Li Guanwen.
A faint smile now clung to the innately wrathful face and her tone wasn’t as solemn as it was when berating Pang Xiao. Beaming, she greeted, “That was truly a breach of etiquette. I’ve only just arrived at the manor and haven’t had the time to put it properly in order. Things are gravely askew and in shambles here. How embarrassing it was for the gonggong to witness this.”
“Not at all. The old madame must put great effort on taking care of your health. His Majesty is also concerned with your good health.”
Eyes creased into smiles. “I am crude and lowly, yet invite care from the emperor. This is truly an undeserved honor! Please have His Majesty be at ease. I will rebuke the prince well so that such ludicrous things never occur again.”
Chapter 372.2: Madame Pang (II)
“Aiya, please don’t say that.” Li Guanwen was silently howling to himself. Just what was this Madame Pang thinking??
Her husband has been dead for so many years, but here she is, talking like this to the high and mighty prince. Pang Xiao had neither been adopted as a concubine-born son nor been been raised in the Pang household!
“The prince is His Majesty’s right hand man. This servant is also here to look in on th
e prince’s wounds. If Madame Pang doesn’t mind, we’ll have the imperial physician come examine the prince.”
“Then I thank His Majesty greatly for his concern.”
Li Guanwen had Physician Ma come over.
Pang Xiao’s arm wound had already been dressed, but the bloodstains on the snow-white gauze looked horrific. Add to that the bruise around his lips—it made for easy imagining of how brutal the actual fight had been.
Once the imperial physician redressed the prince’s wound, Li Guanwen conveyed respectfully, “Your Highness, the emperor would like me to ask you just what happened.”
Pang Xiao frowned ferociously and bit off coldly, “That bastard was asking for it! When this prince gets the chance to, taking revenge for this wound will be the first thing on my mind!”
He was someone accustomed to taking lives on the battlefield alright. When the prince’s wrathful aura flared, even Li Guanwen subconsciously shrank into himself.
Madame Pang, however, was wholly unafraid. She hectored lowly, “Your Highness! You are a subject and Prince Consort Ji a royal relative! How can you talk like this? Do you not remember the Pang house rules?”
Forehead tightly furrowed together, one could tell that the prince was on the verge of erupting. For now however, he still held himself in.
“You weren’t fortunate enough to grow up in the manor, alright, and you’ve come back with some rascally ways from the outside world. Just how did your mother raise you? You wouldn’t be this lawless if you’d grown up in the manor. If your father was still alive, he’d break both your legs to see you be so good-for-nothing!”
Li Guanwen wanted to sink to his knees in abject horror. Of all the people in the world unrelated to Pang Xiao, likely only Madame Pang dared talk to him like this!
Having kept a tight grip on his temper all day, Pang Xiao could finally take no more. “Madame Pang, this prince respects you on account of the father that I never even saw. Don’t greedily fumble for more than what you’re given!”
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