Madame Pang blinked.
Since arriving at the Pang Manor, Pang Xiao hadn’t so much as raised his voice at her!
It was due to this courteous reception and continual compromise in all areas that’d imparted on her the confidence that she could discipline him.
To think that someone who usually looked so meek and harmless would be so terrifying when releasing the killing intent of the battlefield!
“Why would I lack the fortune to grow up in the manor if not for Madame Pang’s all-encompassing envy? You know better than anyone the events of yesteryear. This prince respects you, but you should not overdo things. That year, you first drove my mother out of the manor, then sent assassins after her. That she managed to escape is great serendipity itself. She had nothing to do with the general’s household after that!
“I’ve never been acknowledged by any of you, and I won my titles with my own, bare hands. I never once borrowed the light or influence of the Pangs. That I treat you courteously today is evidence of my good character. If you think you can still bully my mother and treat her like the maid that you once persecuted, think again!
“I, Pang Zhixi, have no other skills than what you said—being a good-for-nothing! Let’s see what anyone can do to me when I kill you!”
“You, you…” Madame Pang’s face was pale, equally likely from fright or anger. “You’re absolutely hopeless and completely disregard the rules of relationships!”
Pang Xiao smiled faintly and turned back to Li Guanwen. “Has the Grand Supervisor seen all that has transpired today?”
The eunuch looked down. “Yes, this servant has kept a close eye on everything. What instructions does Your Highness have?”
“As long as you saw clearly Madame Pang’s ridiculous tantrums. I will be entering the palace and requesting an imperial audience in a bit. I will need the grand supervisor act as witness.”
“Witness?” Li Guanwen was puzzled. “What do you mean, Your Highness?”
“This prince is immensely grateful that his Majesty found the Pang matriarch. But my humble abode is unable to house two families. Madame Pang continuously raises difficulties for my maternal grandparents and arrogantly orders my mother around. When I see all this, I no longer know why we rose against Northern Ji tyranny. Didn’t they lead the same kind of lives in that dead dynasty?”
A woman who incurs unnecessary trouble can cause chaos for an entire clan.
Pang Xiao didn’t want Madame Pang around, but had had to obey imperial orders in the beginning. Now that so much time had passed, it was the perfect opportunity to make use of his sour mood today to dig out this thorn in his side.
Li Guanwen’s heart sank.
Madame Pang’s expression changed drastically as well. “What right do you have to send me away?” she protested urgently. “Would you even exist in this world if not for your father? I’m your father’s lawfully wedded wife. You must be filial to me even if only out of consideration for your father!”
“So these are Madame Pang’s true thoughts?” Pang Xiao sneered. “You talk about filial piety, but the only filial actions in your eyes is to be quietly docile. This prince is a sack of tough bones and has no idea how to adopt a soft attitude. Madame Pang will easily grow sick from anger if you stay in the manor. How is this prince supposed to take responsibility then? It’s far better to beg an imperial favor now and establish another residence for you.”
Chapter 373: The Explosion After the Quiet
Cold sweat beaded Li Guanwen’s forehead.
Though it was forbidden to postulate imperial intentions, the eunuch had some understanding of Li Qitian’s thoughts and plans after serving by his side for so long.
The eunuch knew of his master’s wariness of Pang Xiao, and that sending Madame Pang to the prince wasn’t necessarily out of good intentions.
The palace supervisor had no right to comment on this matter, but he also knew that the emperor wouldn't want Madame Pang thrown out of the manor like this.
And even if she was, she couldn’t be thrown out while the eunuch was present! What if he was turned into the scapegoat for the emperor’s ill temper after the fact?
“This servant understands Your Highness’s filial heart,” smiled the eunuch. “I’m sure Madame Pang understands your feelings. But as Your Highness knows too, outsiders might not understand your goodwill. What if someone twists Your Highness’s gentle intentions into refusing to serve your official mother?”
Madame Pang breathed in inward relief when she heard this and agreed emphatically. “Your Highness, be angry if you want, but you can’t disregard the Pang reputation. I’m your official mother. Of course you will serve at your official mother’s side. If word of this gets out, you’ll have invited outsiders to defame the Pangs!”
The prince had seemed to waver after the eunuch’s string of words, but the madame’s sudden interjection turned the situation ugly again!
The prince wasn’t a three year old! He wasn’t to be threatened and rebuked at the drop of a hat. Any man with the slightest bit of dignity wouldn’t submit to these words. Besides, Pang Xiao hadn’t even been born in the Pang household in the first place, and his mother had once been hunted down by the madame. It was already beyond surprising that Pang Xiao had obeyed imperial orders and taken Madame Pang in, instead of killing her on the spot.
As expected, the prince’s expression grew even uglier. He completely ignored the madame like she hadn’t said anything, turning instead to the eunuch.
“Many thanks for Grand Supervisor Li’s good intentions. But this prince’s heart is true and I keep only the madame’s wellbeing in mind. It doesn’t matter what others will say as long as the madame lives a happy life. This prince is afraid that if this continues, Madame Pang will take ill from anger sooner or later.”
Pang Xiao glanced coldly at the madame after his words.
An awl seemed to repeatedly pierce the madame’s heart. The look the prince was giving her felt like the yawning maw of a predator poised to leap on its prey!
If I don’t meekly walk out on my own two feet, Pang Xiao will have me carried out on a stretcher!
Why hadn’t she discovered before that the prince was actually a wolf in sheep’s clothing??
Thanks to his previous filial piety and biddability, she even felt that it might’ve been nice to have raised him as her son from the very beginning.
She didn’t understand him at all and thus relaxed her guard, switching from her original intent of observation to their current straits. Had she known earlier that he was such a character not to be trifled with, she wouldn’t have spoken like this at all.
If she really was forced to leave the manor like this, how could she possibly face the towering wrath sure to descend from the emperor?
Her forehead knotted tightly together, the furrows between her brows deepened even further. Fingers clutching tightly at her robes, her lips twitched, but she couldn’t bring herself to say anything. It would be too embarrassing to capitulate.
And even if she did take the lower ground, Pang Xiao still probably wouldn’t let her off the hook. Since it was the same result no matter what she did, why struggle futilely?
Li Guanwen inwardly shook his head, having coolly observed all this off to the side.
Who knew if the emperor really had privately contacted Madame Pang?
If she really was a pawn, then the eunuch could only say that the imperial majesty really had chosen the wrong person this time. The madame had proved to be unobservant, unadaptable, and inflexible. She only knew to put on airs and project the haughty bearing of the family matriarch. Even someone meeting her for the first time such as he disliked Madame Pang, much less the prince who had to see her everyday.
The prince had already given orders for Huzi to ready his horse. He turned back to speak to Li Guanwen. “I'll have to request the gonggong to be a witness in front of His Majesty. Otherwise, there might be those who cry me down if I only present my own testimony.”
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With how things were, what could the head eunuch do even if he didn’t want to go along with all this? If he rejected the prince to his face, Li Guanwen would have to constantly be on guard against Pang Xiao’s revenge.
As opposed to that, it was much preferable to forming a congenial relationship.
“Your Highness is much too polite. Though this servant is foolish and slow, I can see clearly what is and is not. If His Majesty asks of me, I will convey the truth.”
“In that case, I thank the gonggong.” Pang Xiao walked out courteously with the eunuch, sliding an exquisite silk pouch into the eunuch’s sleeves under the cover of the prince’s cloak.
Li Guanwen blinked, then fondled the pouch. It was neither silver nor gold inside. Judging from the distinct shapes, it appeared to be a bag of gems.
The Faithful Prince of the First Rank wasn’t the sort to be miserly. Delighted, the eunuch carefully put the pouch away.
Madame Pang stood stock-still where she was, just watching Pang Xiao and Li Guanwen leave the inner residence in high spirits. She clenched her teeth, spitting out, “Two-faced ingrate!”
No matter what the madame thought, Pang Xiao brought his petition all the way to Li Qitian. His wrapped-up wound showing prominently on his arm, the prince stiffly plopped to his knees as soon as he saw the emperor.
He first raised the complaint that Ji Zeyu picked the fight with him, ending with, “I’ve never been so craven even in the battlefield!”
This was what Li Qitian wanted to see most of all. He offered only a few words of consolation to the prince and not much else.
Sighing, Pang Xiao changed the topic to that of Madame Pang moving out of the manor.
This took the emperor by surprise. “Wasn’t everything just fine before? Why is she suddenly moving out?”
The prince summarized what had just happened in the manor and summoned Li Guanwen as his witness.
The eunuch didn’t dare say anything on Pang Xiao’s behalf, but likewise didn’t dare do nothing at all. So when Li Qitian asked for his version of the events, the eunuch conveyed only the facts and waxed eloquent on Pang Xiao’s helplessness. He refrained himself from expressing any opinions, so as to not sway the imperial majesty’s judgement.
After the back and forth, it was so quiet in the study that one could hear a pin drop. A long while later, Li Qitian nodded in assent after weighing up the pros and cons.
“Find a good residence then. She’s General Pang’s right and legal wife at the end of the day. It won’t do to neglect her.”
“Understood. This subject will keep Your Majesty’s teachings in mind. Though the madame is to make her home elsewhere, I will not maltreat her at all.”
“Mm. That’s good.” Li Qitian offered a few more words of comfort before dismissing the prince.
Once Pang Xiao left, the emperor called Li Guanwen over for a hushed conversation. “Was Prince Consort Ji as angry as Pang Zhixi?”
Chapter 374: Packing Up and Cleaning House
Li Guanwen’s heart skipped a beat. He quickly lowered his eyes to hide his emotions and ran rapidly through the gamut of responses. A short breath later, he responded to the emperor.
“In response to Your Majesty, this servant feels that though the prince consort wasn’t as blunt as the imperial prince, they pretty much share the same sentiment. The prince consort’s personality is cool and indifferent, so spending even two words on this subject is evidence of his indignation.”
Li Qitian thought deeply for a moment before nodding.
“We see. Are their injuries alright?”
“In response to Your Majesty, Imperial Physician Ma had a look. There’s a sizable bump on Prince Consort Ji’s forehead. He probably won’t set foot outside his doors over the next few days out of consideration of face.
“The Faithful Prince of the First Rank is only slightly injured, with the wound on his arm being the most severe. As for the others, you saw just now as well that there’s a bruise at the corner of his mouth.”
“These two.” Li Qitian shook his head with resignation and a sigh. “They’re not kids anymore, but look at them fighting like this! Even We feel greatly embarrassed for them. Won’t the entire court howl with laughter if they knew of what’d happened?”
“Your Majesty is quite right.” Li Guanwen found the floor highly fascinating. He had a hunch that it wouldn’t be long until everyone at court learned of what had happened.
Li Qitian’s mouth twitched as he imagined what two princes brawling in the streets must’ve looked like. He wanted to laugh, but suppressed the urge to out of concern for imperial dignity.
The eunuch lowered his head even further when he saw this.
It was best for him to be invisible when his master was gleefully frolicking in schadenfreude. If things took a turn for the worse in the future, Li Guanwen might come in for a beating if the emperor remembered that the eunuch had been present.
Silent with his own thoughts for a while, it took a moment before Li Qitian realized that the eunuch had already dismissed himself off to the side. Highly satisfied, the emperor gave orders for Imperial Physician Ma to be summoned.
“Have those from the Imperial Academy visit the princes after three days for another round of diagnoses. Pay special attention to the Faithful Prince of the First Rank, it’s Our brother-in-law who hurt him, after all.” The emperor mused over a few other things. Deliver it to the eldest princess’s manor. Tell her that We gift it to her for her viewing pleasure.”
“Understood. This servant will do so immediately.”
……
Sitting in a carriage, Qin Yining frowned as she asked Xianyun, “So what exactly happened? Didn’t they only fight with their hands and feet? Why were there injuries?”
“This servant doesn’t know the particulars either. I only heard about it when I went out that Prince Consort pierced the prince in a fit of anger. Though there’s no danger to the prince’s life, blood was scattered horrifyingly all over the ground.”
“These men are really...” Qin Yining wore a ferocious frown as her fingers entwined nervously. She’d thought it was just one of Pang Xiao’s schemes when she heard about the fight, but who would’ve thought that someone would actually get hurt!
Xianyun smiled to herself at seeing her mistress so anxious. “Don’t worry, miss. We’ll know everything when we see the prince later.”
“Miss.” Xiaoxue called out lowly outside of the carriage. “I made inquiries and found out that the emperor’s head eunuch just paid a visit to the Pang Manor. The prince and Madame Pang got into an argument in the inner residence, causing the prince to storm into the palace for an imperial audience. He hasn’t come back yet.”
Qin Yining’s brow shot towards her hairline and she responded slowly, “I see. We’ll wait over there in that secluded spot for now and see how the situation develops.”
“Understood.” The group steered the carriage into a discreet alleyway across from the prince’s manor.
Qin Yining and Xianyun remained in the vehicle, while Jingzhe and the others alertly stood guard around the perimeter.
The girl was actually more at ease now. If her beloved still had the strength for an imperial audience, that meant his injury wasn’t bad at all.
Although, it was difficult to say when it came to Pang Xiao. That stubborn mule could very well forcefully bear up beneath the weight of his injury if he wanted to make a statement for something.
However…
Why would the prince be in such a hurry to enter the palace after a spat with Madame Pang?
Her fingers tapped lightly on the small table in the carriage, sounding out a crisp, slow rhythm. As the clues in her mind assembled, her speculations took increasingly solid shape.
Before long, a disturbance sounded from the manor’s direction.
A figure shot quickly back to the manor on the back of a galloping horse. Jingzhe only had time for a single glance, but was able to confirm the rider as Pang
Xiao.
Moments later, one of the manor’s side doors opened up. A resplendent carriage trundled out, followed by six blue-tent carriages. A group of servants brought up the rear. The vast convoy exited the side door with great fanfare and stopped in front of the manor proper.
Pang Xiao was standing on the steps with a cloak of gray squirrel-fur around his shoulders. A calm expression crossed his face as he looked down at the carriages.
Faint sounds of sobbing could be heard from the tent carriages. One of the window curtains parted to express a faint, tender call. “Your Highness, don’t have us leave! We’re imperially bestowed concubines. We won’t leave!”
Pang Xiao responded expressionlessly. “Madame Pang is this prince’s official mother. Now that she is moving to a new residence, how am I to be at ease if she goes alone? This prince has no wife and you are the only womenfolk around me that I trust. You will serve the madame well on this prince’s behalf. Keep her company often and be filial. This prince will not forgive easily if you show the slightest bit of neglect.”
“Your Highness! We don't want to!”
“You don't have to go with Madame Pang if you don’t want to.” The followup silenced the chattering female voices. Pang Xiao’s tone hardened. “You are this prince’s concubines. Even if you are imperially bestowed, don’t forget your identities. Madame Pang is this prince’s official mother, a highly respected individual that this prince can’t show enough filial piety towards. Yet you dare protest and drag your heels when sent to serve her on this prince’s behalf! What further use does this prince have for all of you! Those who do not wish to serve may leave the household and do as you wish.”
Emotions flickered across the womenfolk’s faces, while movement finally registered from the opulent carriage.
The window curtains were flicked outwards to reveal a furious-looking Madame Pang. Leaning halfway out the opening, she denounced angrily, “Kill or sell the people you don’t want! Why are you shoving them at me? I don’t want them. Have those bitches stay far away from me! They’re all so needy and useless beyond belief!”
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