Chapter 15

Chapter 15

The scandal involving the Crown Prince and Zhao Duanhua was suppressed.

However, the capital was only so large; those who needed to know already knew.

The Crown Prince confined himself to the Eastern Palace, keeping a low profile to bide his time.

Zhao Duanhua spent her days weeping and refused to leave her house. Word was that the incident had left her traumatized; she didn’t even dare go to the latrine alone.

Meanwhile, Luo Chen had a falling out with the Crown Prince and had stopped going to the Eastern Palace to serve as his study partner for many days.

One day, spurred by some unknown provocation, he stormed into the Princess Manor in a frenzy and smashed a great deal of furniture.

He pointed at me and shouted, “I never imagined you could be so heartless and cruel. Knowing you for sixteen years is the greatest shame of my life. If there is a next life, I would rather never have met you!”

My heart remained as still as stagnant water. I merely gave a cold order for no one to stop him, letting him smash whatever he pleased.

Once he was finished, I ordered several carts to haul the fragments to the Chancellor’s Mansion. I included a manifest clearly listing the price of every item, totaling tens of thousands of taels of silver.

I instructed my servants that if the Chancellor’s Mansion refused to pay, they were to spread word of the incident until everyone knew, and then take the matter to the Capital Prefecture Office.

Chancellor Luo didn’t dare refuse. He asked for a few days’ grace period.

Three days later, the Chancellor’s Mansion sent the tens of thousands of taels to the Princess Manor with great fanfare.

They marched through the streets with gongs and drums, attracting a massive crowd.

The Luo family intended to make a scene, wanting everyone to see how money-grubbing I was.

I accepted the silver without a moment’s hesitation. On the spot, I divided the money into three portions: one for the Foundling Hospital to raise abandoned infants, one for the Imperial Almshouse to support the sick and elderly, and the final portion for the Imperial Pharmacy to provide aid to those who couldn’t afford medicine or doctors.

As soon as the silver was distributed, the people cheered, shouting, “Long live the Princess!”

The people from the Chancellor’s Mansion slunk away in disgrace.

Luo Chen received a beating as soon as he returned home.

He remained stubborn, insisting he had done nothing wrong. After storming out of the house to drown his sorrows in wine, he was ambushed on his way back-someone threw a sack over his head and gave him a sound thrashing.

I heard the beating was severe; he would be bedridden for at least ten days to half a month.

Physicians were seen entering and leaving the Chancellor’s Mansion all night. Even Zhao Duanhua stopped putting on airs and rushed over to pay him a visit.

When I heard the news, I fell into deep thought.

I recalled Xie Wuyang’s reddened hands and the bruises on his knuckles…

He must have hit him quite hard. After all, that scoundrel has thick skin; his hands must be very sore.

I ordered someone to bring him some medicinal salve.

He froze for a moment, his face flushing red.

“Does Your Highness not blame me?”

“Blame you for being too protective of your master? If you weren’t protective, you wouldn’t be my Shadow Guard. However… would you like to change your status?”

Xie Wuyang’s eyes darkened instantly. He dropped to one knee and spoke quickly, “Your Highness, I do not want freedom.”

My breath hitched slightly. Did he think I was letting him go?

How could that be possible!

“Then don’t you regret it, Xie Wuyang.”

“I won’t. I will never regret it.”