Chapter 548.2: Harvest
Her caterwauling had everyone’s eardrums throbbing, and expressions sank on a few of the officials’ faces.
“The third princess consort shouldn’t voice such unfounded nonsense! The goddess brought large quantities of provisions and seeds to Xiyue, just as our sacred scriptures said she would.”
“The marriage foretold hasn’t happened only because of an unexpected development. I would believe it if it were said you’re a fake princess consort, but never if you say the goddess is not who she is. No one in Xiyue would believe that, either!”
“Indeed! If she weren’t the goddess, how could she have traversed such a wide expanse of the desert to bring provisions to Xiyue soil?!” The officials piped in one after another, each with exceedingly serious expressions on their faces.
The second princess consort frowned slightly before agreeing, “This princess consort also believes the incident to be unrelated to the goddess. However, the prince’s passing is most peculiar. It does seem like he passed away naturally, so perhaps, he was indeed summoned by the gods?”
The senior princess consort turned around and jabbed a finger at the second and third princess consorts. “You two must have murdered the prince!”
The death of the prince meant that an heir had to be selected, and that heir had to be her son! These two bitches had to die!
Those who saw the situation clearly knew full well what the senior princess consort was plotting. She didn’t have any effort to spare for the one she shared a bed with—now mysteriously dead—but had more than plenty if it came to transference of power and seizing it for herself.
Dumbstruck by the accusation, the third princess consort stared blankly, then flung herself at the other with a yowl. She yanked out a handful of hair and clung to the senior princess consort’s robes. “Slander! You lie! You’re the one who killed the prince! You’re the murderer!”
Giving tit for tat, the two women tangled together and fell to the ground in their struggles, kicking and hitting each other as they rolled around on the floor.
The rowdy and ludicrous scene had officials shaking their heads with pinched brows. As the most level-headed of them all, the second princess consort frowned at them. “What is everyone doing? Pull the princess consorts apart!”
The maids hadn’t dared touch their mistresses and hurried to separate the two women only after receiving their orders.
Not caring how the other two women were or how they would take this treatment, she cautioned, “Now is not the time to fight over this. The most urgent matter at hand is to get ahold of the situation. I hear another fifty of the goddess’ tribesmen have arrived, all of them clothed in black and tall, strong, brave, and skilled at fighting as if they were soldiers and generals descended from the heavens. Are they camped with the rest of the goddess’ tribe?”
Seeing the turn of events, the officials nodded. Compared to the nonsensical tantruming of the senior and third princess consort, the second princess consort’s steady temperament had their eyes shining with approval.
“It is as Her Highness says—roughly fifty guards came to Xiyue in the name of the goddess yesterday at noon,” responded someone. “It was those guards in black that spirited the goddess away. One of them shot an arrow at the prince and nearly killed him, cutting off a significant amount of the prince’s hair.”
Fear filled the second princess consort’s heart at the sound of this.
“Who do you think those men are?” she asked urgently. “Are they really subordinates of the goddess? What do they intend to do in Xiyue? Did the prince send anyone to investigate?”
These concerns had never crossed the senior and third princess consort’s minds; they listened on, dumbstruck, while general respect for the second princess consort grew.
“In response to Her Highness,” officials hastily replied, “if those people are indeed subordinates of the goddess, perhaps they didn't come here with the intention of being enemies with us.
“After demanding her presence at the banquet last night, the prince left soldiers stationed in a perimeter around the goddess’ camp. When her tribesmen arrived and engaged our soldiers in battle, they were clearly the superior side. Despite that, they didn't kill a single person.”
This greatly surprised the second princess consort. “They didn’t kill anyone? Not a single person?”
“Indeed. Not only did they refrain from killing our soldiers, but they didn't ransack the people’s dwellings either. They kept to themselves to the campsite and left only once to hand out flyers.”
“Flyers?”
“Yes.” The official produced a flyer from his sleeve and presented it to the second princess consort with both hands.
She quickly scanned its contents, her eyebrows rising. “The Prince of Xiyue and the goddess will be holding a wedding today at noon, and will also be distributing seeds to the people of Xiyue?”
Everyone collectively looked at the stiff body on the bed. The man was already dead, how did they intend to hold a wedding?
“They’re not killing anyone and also giving seeds to the people. They evidently bear us no ill will, but what is this wedding they speak of?” After a moment of silence, the second princess consort continued, “I feel that since they don’t mean us harm, we shouldn’t brashly leap into military action. We might incur the wrath of the goddess if we do so, and they might decide not to give us a single seed. If that happens, the people are the ones who suffer for our deeds.”
“As Her Highness says,” the officials agreed, finding the second princess consort to be even more dependable than the prince.
The senior and the third princess consort snatched the flyer out of their peer’s hands for a look; the contents confused them even further.
Meanwhile, the worried second princess consort issued further orders. “Have our soldiers prepare for battle, but don’t launch an offensive. Remain in the palace and see how events unfold. As for the prince’s funeral, I know little of what must be done, so I think it best for the senior and third princess consort to oversee it.”
Chapter 549.1: Fury of the Gods
Looking for a chance to put in a good showing, the senior and third princess consort immediately latched onto the second consort’s words.
“Our prince has passed and we Xiyue cannot go a day without a ruler,” the senior consort proclaimed solemnly. “We need to start thinking of who will inherit the throne.”
The officials nodded, also finding this quite reasonable.
However, the second consort frowned, her slender fingers gliding across the words “Prince of Xiyue” on the flyer. “Let’s not be too hasty, we should get a handle on the situation first.”
Her caution was answered by a sneer, the senior consort hardly appreciated the input. “Whether it comes to family backing or seniority, your son will never be the next prince, so save your blathering and this display of grandiose showmanship.”
Everybody looked at each other. They were all familiar with the senior consort’s temper, so any son she’d raised might not be a good ruler. But no matter how they looked at it, the second consort’s son really wasn’t in the running at all.
The senior and third consort busied themselves with funeral arrangements, calling their children over to grieve and hold vigil. Thus the morning passed by in the blink of an eye.
In the afternoon, the guards atop the palace walls noticed how a crowd was suddenly gathering in the plaza. As time went on, more people seemed to be turning up. Faces turning pale with the development, they hastily headed inside the palace to report on the happenings.
Before long, the princess consorts, officials, and Zhou Meng’s children had all received word. They clustered at the palace walls, curiously peering down below. The crowd continued to grow until it seemed like everyone in Xiyue was assembled!
When everyone was present, a large entourage appeared in the distance. Men and horses formed a protective flank around wagons in their midst
. The crowd held its breath until the procession slowly reached the point where they could be clearly seen.
More than fifty black-clad cavalry escorted the group. A beautiful woman dressed in red sat alone on her horse, galloping shoulder to shoulder with a handsome young man in black. Heavily burdened wagons trundled behind them, protected by nearly a thousand men.
Silence reigned at the scene. When the Xiyue commoners saw the display of military strength, the goddess’ celestial bearing, and the provisions in view, they naturally parted to the sides to make way for the procession. One after another, they knelt and kowtowed with loud shouts,
“Goddess! The goddess has brought seeds to us! Long live the goddess! Long live the goddess!” The cheers of thousands of people rose and fell like the waves, shaking the earth and quaking the heart!
The princess consorts, officials, and young heirs on the walls even seemed to feel the bricks tremble beneath their feet. An ashen second consort clutched her sleeves tightly, poking her head out to take in everything.
The group slowly rolled to a stop when they entered the plaza, enabling the red-clothed goddess and imposing young man to ascend to the stage. An ominous feeling brewed in the second consort’s heart.
Qin Yining pursed her lips and pressed her arms slightly downwards to indicate for silence. Surprisingly, the people promptly followed her gesture and quieted down. She cleared her throat and spoke crisply, “People of Xiyue! The gods have heard your devout prayers and sent me here with provisions and seeds!”
“Wonderful! Wonderful!” Raucous cheers and whoops immediately broke out. Those at the front passed on the goddess’ words to those who couldn’t hear clearly in the back. Emotional applause broke out, and some elders and children dabbed at their eyes.
Qin Yining raised her hand again, gesturing for silence. Once more, the crowd immediately calmed down, but faint sobs could also be heard this time.
“Although I am here on behalf of the heavens, the situation in Xiyue is truly unsatisfactory. The heavens decreed that I am to descend with provisions and marry the Prince of Xiyue. However, Xiyue’s prince was a fake!
“Many of you saw what happened yesterday. The reason why I didn’t marry Zhou Meng was because he is not the prince that the heavens have selected for Xiyue.”
Dazed horror slammed into the people.
“How can our prince have been a fake?”
“Impossible, our prince was born and grew up here. He can’t be a fake!” The revelation sent the crowd into a frenzy. Exclamations and retorts rose and fell, everyone talking over each other in their agitation. Qin Yining just listened quietly to their reactions.
When the discussions died down somewhat, she chuckled softly. “A mistake was made in the succession of Xiyue royals. Otherwise, the heavens wouldn’t have waited for almost a century to send an emissary to you.
“All of you believed in the wrong prince. Only after seeing the true Xiyue prince and receiving a decree from heaven above did I learn that Zhou Meng was actually an imposter!” Pausing for emphasis, Qin Yining stepped aside and pointed at Pang Xiao beside her. “According to the appointment of the heavens, this man is the true master of Xiyue’s throne.”
Pang Xiao regarded the crowd loftily. His hands behind his back, he wasn’t shy about displaying his handsome appearance to anyone who looked at him. His noble bearing imparted an unapproachable aura to his figure; compared to the Xiyue prince they knew, this man’s princely aura was a hundred times stronger.
The look of someone who commanded an army and campaigned year round on the battlefield was naturally different from an ordinary person’s. It held a natural flair that spoke of domineering ruthlessness.
One after another, the people fell silent as they considered Pang Xiao. Under this man’s gaze, they could think about nothing but kneeling down in deference. No one could find any words to voice.
The officials on the palace walls looked at each other, dumbfounded by the situation. Color drained from the second consort’s face at the implication of these events.
Chapter 549.2: Fury of the Gods
Upon seeing that someone was nullifying her son’s right to inherit the throne, the senior consort lost control and shrieked, “Impossible! You bitch! Why should we believe whatever you say! Is the Prince of Xiyue whoever you say it is? Why should we believe you?! You’re just a witch who’s come to do evil! The one who killed the prince must be you!”
The second consort’s heart skipped a beat when she heard the senior consort’s screeching. She secretly cursed her peer’s stupidity as she hastily peeled herself and her two sons away from the palace walls.
Sure enough, the senior consort cursing the goddess as a witch and even a bitch attracted everyone’s ire. An undercurrent of dissatisfaction and rebellious murmuring ran through the crowd. There were also some who exclaimed in surprise, “The prince is dead?”
The senior consort didn’t care about anything else at the moment. Her ears buzzed loudly and she couldn’t hear what people beneath the walls were saying. All she knew was that her husband was dead and her son naturally to inherit the throne, but some random goddess here was saying that the prince had been an imposter!
If Zhou Meng was a fake, wouldn’t that mean her child wouldn’t be able to inherit the throne either?
She knew that Zhou Meng’s affection for her had faded away long ago, but she didn’t feel all that deeply about him either. Even though the prince was dead, she didn’t find too much grief pooling in her heart.
However, she would never stand for someone stealing her son’s throne and robbing her of the riches and glories that should’ve been hers for the rest of her life!
“You witch, you didn’t come here with good intentions to begin with! I can see through your plans to steal the throne! Everyone, don’t believe this witch! She already killed our prince! You’re out of your mind if you think you can make some random stranger our prince by spewing this kind of drivel!”
The senior consort’s words drew much support, especially from Zhou Meng’s concubines and some of the princes old enough to be eligible for the throne. Fingers wagged indignantly at Qin Yining as sentiments in accordance with the senior consort took an uglier turn.
Pang Xiao listened to everything with a frown, but didn’t react so as to avoid ruining what his beloved had planned.
Qin Yining looked down expressionlessly at the people. Ignoring all of the malicious denouncements, she raised her voice to ask them instead, “Do you truly believe that I am a fake goddess?”
The crowd was greatly flustered by all the chaos, particularly those standing in the back since they could barely hear what was going on in the front. As such, everyone kept silent.
“Alright then.” Qin Yining nodded. “If the people of Xiyue do not believe the guidance from the heavens, I can only leave with my tribespeople and provisions. But I must warn everyone that he who pretends to be Xiyue’s prince will be punished. The previous one has already been summoned by the gods for his sentencing.
“As for who is to rule Xiyue, since you have decided to follow the fake prince, there is nothing further that I can do. You are on your own from henceforth.” She turned around, preparing to leave. Pang Xiao and the troops behind them also shifted formation to echo Qin Yining’s departure.
This shook the dazed commoners out of their spell and they hurriedly begged her to stay. “Goddess, please quell your anger! We don’t have such ideas at all. Of course we believe you!”
“That’s right, Goddess! Please don’t be mad!”
“The ones who bullied you were all related to that false prince! They have a guilty conscience, that’s why they say this nasty stuff to you!”
The commoners were in a complete panic. The wagons filled with bundles of tightly-wrapped grains were a magnificent sight for their sore eyes. For the commoners of Xiyue, friends with the constant companion of hunger, there was nothing more important than filling their stomachs.
The adults cou
ld bear it. In any case, that was how they’d lived their entire lives. But what of the children? The adults could settle for life as it was now, but if things continued like this, there would come a day in which their offspring didn’t even know what rice or noodles tasted like.
The people hadn’t been well-off under Zhou Meng’s rule. Although their population was small, it had also been heavily exploited. They could only put up with it as they had no choice. Furthermore, their religion stated that the prince was selected by the heavens, imparting a mysterious air to the Zhous. Their faith had made tolerable everything they’d suffered before.
However, all was different now.
That the goddess had fulfilled the prophecy in the Xiyue sacred texts went without saying, and now she was clearly pointing out that fake prince Zhou Meng had been summoned by the heavens for questioning.
The senior consort had already said Zhou Meng was dead, which was an even greater confirmation of the people’s conjecture—the heavens had punished Zhou Meng for pretending to be Xiyue’s prince! The senior consort and the rest were panicked only because they’d no longer be able to enjoy the riches and glories of the past, so they’d decided to paint the goddess as a witch!
Emotions ran high and the people grew fervent. They didn’t dare to block the goddess’ entourage and could only crowd the road, kneeling and begging for her to stay.
A few of the more hot-tempered raised their heads and jabbed fingers at the senior consort and the rest, raining down insults and curses. They seemed ready to charge through the palace gates at any second and tear them to shreds.
Fear prickled at those on the palace walls as they noted the growing tide of condemnation. Somebody whispered softly, “It’s true—the prince didn’t die from injury or poison. It was like he was summoned by the heavens. I think the goddess is right!”
“I think so too. Think about it: the goddess is plainly from another world and brought these provisions to us. The prince also really did die suddenly, mysteriously. Will the heavens punish us if we continue to protest their arrangements?”
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