Chapter 102

Chapter 102 Princess Ji’s Compromise

“The two maids said they would let me escape on purpose and then kill me outside. Then they can just blame my death on me…since I…I run away first!” Ming Xian’er bent over while wailing and trembling. Seeing Ji Youran walking outside, she moved closer to her on her knees. She then touched the ground with her forehead heavily several times.

Ming Xian’er looked so pitiful with tears on her face and messy hair clinging to her forehead as she knelt on the ground. While the two women both acted feebly, Ji Youran surely couldn’t compete against a performer like her.

Ming Xian’er hadn’t had any food since yesterday and wore the just-washed mourning clothes that were still wet. Purposefully, she made herself seem as messy as possible and knocked her forehead heavily on the ground so that everyone around her could hear it. She was sure her forehead must look red and swollen right now, and people would believe her sincerity in asking for forgiveness at once.

They would be profoundly convinced that she took such a risk only because she was truly desperate.

This Crown Prince’s concubine was really pitiful!

Ji Youran was also trembling but in rage. Her plan of acting feebly to earn people’s pity was totally ruined. Moreover, all their sympathy was drawn to Ming Xian’er, who was even better at acting than her.

She was not convinced by Ming Xian’er’s words at all, knowing everything Ming Xian’er did was on purpose – this performer must’ve noticed something suspicious.

Ji Hanyue took a glance at Pei Luo’an and noticed his annoyance. He would never allow anyone to make such a big scene at Ji Hanyue’s funeral.

“I will never forgive anyone who did this when His Royal Highness and I were staying in the altar room. You can go back and have some rest first. I will call the two maids over later and let you confront them directly,” Ji Youran said in a soft voice, trying her best to suppress the anger.

Ming Xian’er was aware that she was risking her life to make a big scene here. Noticing the Crown Prince’s impatience as well, she didn’t dare to continue this drama. She wiped her tears, turned her body to face the altar room, and heavily bent her head on the ground for another few times. “Thank you, Princess Ji. Your Royal Highness, Princess Ji, the deceased Crown Princess was a kind lady, and she once saved my life. I beg you, please allow me to stay with her coffin to mourn for her death.”

“You want to stay with her coffin?” Pei Luo’an lowered his head and looked at Ming Xian’er meaningfully.

“Yes, please allow me to do so, Your Royal Highness, Princess Ji.” Ming Xian’er bent over and touched the ground with her forehead again. When she straightened up, her forehead was bleeding. The red color of blood stood out even more on her fair skin. “If it weren’t for the Crown Princess, I would’ve been dead long ago. I’m willing to stay with the Crown Princess’s coffin and mourn for her death for three years.”

“You are willing to stay with her coffin for three years?” the expression on Pei Luo’an’s face softened as he asked gently.

“Yes, with my whole heart. Since the Crown Princess’s two private maids are not here, I’m willing to do their job.” Ming Xian’er nodded again.

The Crown Princess’s two private maids? Many people quietly frowned, finding her words weird. What did she mean by they were not here? Did they kill themselves after their beloved master’s death?

But no one had ever heard things like that before. If those two maids really sacrificed their lives to show their loyalty, the Crown Prince would definitely praise their virtues in public. People would know about it immediately.

“I appreciate your gratitude and virtues. But since you are not the Crown Princess’s servant, a half year will be good enough.” Ji Youran had no choice but to agree.

She knew the whereabouts of the two maids better than anyone – one was dead, and the other one was working for her right now. Of course, Ji Hanyue didn’t have private maids to stay with her coffin. The outsiders didn’t know the truth, but everyone in the Eastern Palace should be aware of it.

Did Ming Xian’er purposefully mention it now because she knew the truth? Ming Xian’er’s action sent Ji Youran in a panic.

Originally, she wouldn’t possibly forgive Ming Xian’er for making a big scene in front of the Crown Princess’s altar room. Even her disrespect for the Crown Princess should be sinful enough to let her die one hundred times. Moreover, the Crown Prince didn’t have any reason to intervene.

But right now, Ji Youran had to make a compromise. It wouldn’t do her any good if Ming Xian’er spread the rumors that one of Ji Hanyue’s maids worked for her now.

Suppressing the rage in her heart, Ji Youran slowly walked down the stairs and reached out to hold Ming Xian’er’s hand. “Sister Ming, please stand up and get changed first. If you want to stay with the Crown Princess’s coffin, you can’t look so messy. She had always been a kind person and would feel bad for you if seeing you like this.”

Holding Ji Youran’s hand, Ming Xian’er stood up slowly and sobbed, “Thank you, Princess Ji. Thank you for being so kind to me, and I’m sorry for misunderstanding you before. After my half-year mourning, I will come to ask for your forgiveness in person.”

Since Ji Youran took a step back, Ming Xian’er wouldn’t push her too hard.

The two both acted very feebly. Their eyes met each other’s in the air as they communicated quietly. Then Ji Youran nodded at Ming Xian’er and didn’t say anything else. The latter left to get changed so that she could come back to the altar room later.

“Your Royal Highness, it’s fine now. It was just a misunderstanding,” Ji Youran came back to Pei Luo’an and said softly.

Pei Luo’an cast a glance at her, nodded without saying anything, and turned back into the altar room.

After a while of silence, the mourning process was restored. After people came out of the altar room, they looked at each other in shock, thinking about what they had heard just now. As they guessed, that woman was the Crown Prince’s concubine. Even Princess Ji called her Sister Ming!

That was pretty outrageous.

Even in an ordinary noble family, a concubine who didn’t have an official rank like Ming Xian’er couldn’t possibly be allowed to show up in public at a wife’s funeral. It was unbelievable that in the Eastern Palace, a concubine almost broke into the altar room. Although she claimed that she was here to stay with the Crown Princess’s coffin, she was still a low-life concubine. It didn’t obey the etiquette!

Why didn’t they let the Crown Princess’s private maids stay with her coffin?

What did that concubine say just now? The Crown Princess’s private maids were gone? Why were they gone? Two private maids disappeared after their master had just died. Was there any kind of secret behind it?

Was it about the Crown Princess’s death? Otherwise, why did the Crown Princess’s private maids not even show up around her coffin?

Before, people didn’t dare to say anything, but right now, they couldn’t help but start to discuss with each other.

Standing on the porch, Yue Wenhan also witnessed the drama. He pulled a long face as his cold eyes fell on the altar room. As the vice minister of the Dali Temple, who was experienced in all kinds of cases, he smelt something fishy here.

He had been to the altar room several times already but overlooked this detail. Since he barely met Ji Hanyue before, he didn’t know none of the maids staying in the altar room was Ji Hanyue’s, which seemed very weird.

Was there really a secret behind the Crown Princess’s death?

“Mr. Yue,” a woman’s voice came from behind.

Yue Wenhan calmed himself down quickly. Then he turned around and recognized the maid, who he saw with Qu Moying in the altar room before. “You are my cousin’s maid, right?” asked Yue Wenhan.

“Yes, Mr. Yue. I’m Fourth Lady Qu’s maid, Yu Dong. The lady wants to meet you. Would you please come with me?” Yu Dong curtsied to him politely.

“Show me the way.” Yue Wenhan nodded.

He walked a few steps but turned around to take another look at the altar room and had a deep breath. He had never been an impulsive person. Even though he found the Crown Princess’s death suspicious, he knew it was impossible to find the truth and make it public now. He didn’t have any direct evidence, only some ambiguous word said by a concubine.

Right now, the only thing he could do was take his time to make a thorough investigation. If there was really something behind the Crown Princess’s death, he would definitely find clues. As for Princess Ji, who seemed to be a gentle and weak lady on the surface, his instinct told him that she was not as simple as she looked.

Thinking about her, a thought flashed across his mind. Was that woman involved in the Crown Princess’s death?

But somehow, he felt something inconsistent between the scene before and what he saw right now. He just couldn’t figure out what it was.

When he arrived at the guest yard where Qu Moying stayed, she washed up and already waited for him in the main room. Seeing him walking in, Qu Moying curtsied to him politely.

“Don’t care too much about those formalities, Cousin.” Yue Wenhan had returned to his usual self. He waved his hand to greet her and sat down on a guest seat aside. “How do you feel now? If you need herbs for your treatment or anything else, just let me know. You don’t need to bother them for everything here.”

He knew Qu Moying would understand his implication. If Ji Hanyue was still alive, they were counted as the Crown Prince’s close relatives. But now that Ji Hanyue passed away, their connection with the Crown Prince became less deep than before.

After all, the person who managed the internal affairs of the Eastern Palace was Ji Youran, who was totally unrelated to the two, although her family name was Ji too.

“Thank you, Cousin,” said Qu Moying in a soft voice. Then she led the subject to the drama before, “I heard something happened again in front of the Crown Princess’s altar room. Something about a concubine and Princess Ji fighting for the Crown Prince’s favor. What happened? Did they affect the funeral?”

Fighting for the Crown Prince’s favor? The expression on Yue Wenhan’s face suddenly changed as he realized where his weird feeling came from. Didn’t people all say that Princess Ji and the Crown Prince’s marriage wasn’t consummated yet since both of them were dedicated to caring for the Crown Princess? Moreover, everyone knew that Princess Ji didn’t even want to move into the Eastern Palace initially, and the Crown Prince wasn’t in love with her either. Then why did she fight with a concubine for his favor?

“Cousin, I’m sorry.” Seemingly noticing her inappropriate words, Qu Moying lowered her head in embarrassment. “I’m just too angry about it. The Crown Princess just passed away. How…how could they make such a big scene here? I can’t help but keep doubting if they had done the same thing in front of the Crown Princess when she was sick. If they really did so, how could the Crown Princess possibly recover?”

Qu Moying stopped talking, but her words were clear enough for Yue Wenhan to understand. If Ji Youran had been jealous of the Crown Prince’s concubines and let the Crown Princess know about it, even though the Crown Princess was healthy before, she could get sick due to anger.

That meant what Ji Youran had said, including moving into the Eastern Palace to care for her cousin, was just a lie?

Abruptly, Yue Wenhan stood up.

“Cousin, what’s wrong?” Startled by his sudden move, Qu Moying stood up with him.

“I… Nothing. I just want to take a look around again,” Yue Wenhan said coldly as he quickly strode out. He had to take a close look again at how Ji Youran and that concubine interacted with each other.